Leadership, Career & Management

The Struggle and Need for Innovation - Is it Only Lip Service?

2010-05-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

I received the following trends alert related to the role of innovation in our current corporate life. By the way, this is a worthwhile thing to subscribe to!

The point of this post is my comments after the alert. Please read!

Herman Trend Alert: Innovation and Entrepreneurship February 24, 2010

For years now, we have seen a growing trend towards "Innovation" being a leading
focus for corporations worldwide. A new book from Robert C. Wolcott and Michael
Lippitz, "Grow from Within: Mastering Corporate Entrepreneurship and Innovation"
(McGraw-Hill 2010), provides a roadmap for effectively creating innovation in
organizations.

Wolcott is the founder and executive director of the Kellogg Innovation Network
(KIN), "a unique forum for select executives and innovation managers to meet and
discuss internal and industry-wide challenges, business growth, risks, and
successful strategies, with academics from the Kellogg School of Management".

Discussed in the book, "Innovation Radar" (IR) grew out of an understanding that
"innovation is about more than just products and technology". Companies can
innovate in any area. Using IR, executives look at 12 dimensions of innovation;
the chart represents all of the activities with which companies can add value.

The valuable part of IR is that it provides a bridge between strategy and
innovation and gives executives the opportunity to have all of their questions
and answers (hopefully) before they begin the strategic process.

Wolcott suggests that entrepreneurs. . ."Be clear about their objectives. Be
clear about their questions. Recognize that "we [often] only see the things for
which we are looking".

The authors also talk about some corporate initiatives that promote innovation,
like IBM's "Global Innovation Outlook" programs and "Innovation Jams". In these
unique in-person and online events, IBM engages people from a wide variety of
enterprises to solve global challenges facing humanity.

In "Saving America: The Generativity Solution" by Robert R. Carkhuff (HRD Press
2010). Moving past any obvious political overtones, Carkhuff believes that the
lack of economic freedom hamstrings entrepreneurship. Defining Generativity as
"the capacity to generate a new idea", the author also provides an organized
approach to innovation. “The Generativity Solution” is the application of
"generativity" to all areas and levels of human endeavor: individuals,
organizations, and all components of the community, culture, and economy. And
that is only the beginning.

Expect innovation to become increasingly important, as the nations of the world
look for answers. Wolcott is right: "Corporate entrepreneurship in all of its
forms is the strategic answer to the challenge of economic growth."
************************************************************************************
MY COMMENTS:
Yes in fact, innovation is now more than ever critical as our economic engine sputters along. And yet, here in lies the concern and the reality check. As someone who comes in contact with thousands of managers and team members across North America each year, here is what I've discovered is the reality.

Conformity is the desired behavior! Many people in management and leadership positions have a very low tolerance for diversity and difference and these elements are essential components to innovation.

Many in the very positions who have the power to champion and foster the very innovation needed don't have the emotional intelligence or ego management to create and support the environment necessary for the very thing needed to occur!

I suggest we partner the concept of innovation with the fostering of divergent and contrary thinking. Can we as leaders in the business community handle it? We'll need it to move our economy, businesses, and country forward.

Coaching Question: What is your tolerance for people who are dramtically different from you in every way. How do you feel or handle when people disagree with your position in a definitive and dramatic way?

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American's Work Satisfaction At An All Time Low

2010-01-05T14:51:00.001-08:00

Does this apply to you? If so, you may want to consider engaging a career coach.

The Miserable Worker - CNBC.com

A Great Question For You

2009-12-29T09:33:00.000-08:00

Can You Believe It's the End of the Year?
December 2009 E-coach - thought-filled challenges to stir and inspire for your professional success.

Working Wisdom
Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by the traffic from both sides.” -Margaret Thatcher

Coaching Moment
Coaching Question – What is it that you really want?

The Power of Wanting
When you contemplate this question consider it carefully.
The question is not…
what should I want
what do I sort of want
what an I suppose to want
but…
what do I REALLY want

Wanting is a powerful resource. Wanting is motivating, authentic; you don’t need help with it. It’s present and undeniable.

Ask this of yourself in all the contexts of your life that really matter and take the time to listen to yourself with no judgment. Give yourself permission to be brutally honest. Give yourself a moment for clear, resounding perfect truth. Make sure to capture it on paper.

The next question…what will you do with it? We’ll address that in 2010.

For now do this with yourself….use this with your team, giving it a context that you feel would be useful to your unique company / team situation. Allow answers with no judgment and see what surfaces.

Remember the power of wanting can address many personal and professional challenges.

How will you use yours and others?

Year–End Round Up
The end of the year typically lends itself to focused reflection and planning for the upcoming year. If this is not a personal practice, I highly encourage you to do so.

3 Recommendations…that can be used personally and professionally:

1. Professional Assessment - on a professional level I recommend you use as assessment resource I recently posted on my blog.
Assessment Tool - It re-frames the phrase strengths and weakness as assets and liabilities.

2. Ask yourself - What did I learn this year? Ask this of each team member...

3. Did I get – reach the outcomes I wanted – why and why not?

Many of us learn from, books, tapes, seminars etc. Don't miss the opportunity to learn from life and teach the people you lead and love to do so the same.

Final Thoughts....
It's been quite a year for me personally and professionally with many highs and lows. I am very grateful for my life, the wonderful experiences I've had, and the great people I've met along the way.

For those of you who have subscribed for quite a while, thank you. For those of you who are new, welcome!

My commitment?...to continue to pass on valuable information to enhance your personal and professional life; to contribute to your success however you define it. I count it a privilege to have been a part of your life.

Look for some exciting initiatives I'll be rolling out in 2010.

New Projects You Might Find of Interest
Tweet My Quote - I love quotes - here's a place to share yours - and where you can get "coached" with a quote
Bite-size Podcasting - Seminar in a Bite
My main site: www.joanncorley.com

To your happiness and success and to a great 2010!
JoAnn
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Speaking & Training
Looking for a speaker in 2010 or bringing training to your company? I've recently added one of the most in demand topics Emotional Intelligence to my Topics Portfolio.

One attendee remarked, "Every person in every company should go through this."?

Another, "If I'd only known this stuff when I was younger, it would have made such a difference."

Career & Performance Coaching
Contemplating a job or career change? Consider coaching - click here to learn more
Need advice? Use the Work Life 911 page of my site

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The Power of a Success Quote

2009-12-09T09:07:00.000-08:00

Ever consider the power packed use of a quote? There are entire informational industries centered around sharing success quotes and success sayings.

Upon further examination success quotes are a powerful tool for employee training, building company culture, team management, personal motivation and more!

Here's a link to my coaching blog that expounds on this thought:

Worth a read: A Success Quote equals Bite-size Coaching

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Consider Thanksgiving a Year Round Event – The Power of “Thank You”

2009-11-25T05:47:00.000-08:00

What to impact employee motivationn and employee retention?

Several years ago, there was a survey done among a certain segment of the healthcare population and one of the questions that was posed in the survey was this: If you could get anything from your boss, what would it be?

The number one most popular answer was this, “a handwritten thank you note from my boss.” Wow! We think handwritten thank you notes are somewhat a thing of the past. But you know what? I think they probably should come back.

I recently encountered a manager at a workshop that I conducted that did exactly that. But she added one other element to it that I think is worth your consideration. This manager had 150 employees and in an effort to express to her employees how much she appreciated them, she did write a handwritten thank you note to every member of her staff.

However, rather than distributing them at work, she thought it would be much more effective and have much more impact to actually send the notes to their homes. You know, I thought, “How brilliant. What a great idea!”

You know the place of recognition in every home that is tried and true?...the refrigerator! I would suspect that even for the shyest employees, to have that handwritten thank you note posted on that refrigerator would be a great source of pride. They would get to see it in the privacy of their own space every day and also, to be able to display it to their other family members.

That constant reminder of their manager’s gratitude, I’m thinking that would go a long way in motivating an employee on an ongoing basis. Talk about making lots of deposits in their emotional, psychological, and spiritual fuel cells.
GK826GWRTZT5

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Lose the Weight or Don't Graduate

2009-11-23T15:09:00.000-08:00

A compelling educational initiative - will this turn into an educational trend?

Historically black college in Pennsylvania, Lincoln University is making news today because of it's unique graduation requirements that are being challenged.

What are they? For one you have to reduce your bmi (that is body mass index) to an acceptable level before you graduate, in addition to attending mandatory nutrition and health courses.

One school official James Deboy explained that the initial motivation for this policy was the concern for the health of its student population and the overall social challenge with weight and it's related illnesses within the African American community. The school's desire was to constructively contribute to combating this epidemic.

Though admirable, I wonder if this is a fundamental violation of civil rights.
What do you think?

To learn more and read some of the student reactions click this link.

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Have You Heard of Social Streaming - It's the Next New Thing in Social Media

2009-11-17T16:02:00.000-08:00

Just when you think the social media trend would be leveling off,(or maybe you weren't thinking that)...a new trend it taking shape. It's Social Streaming.

I've provided a link to the explanation,(I don't think I could do it justice). What I can do is speculate of the significant business advantages to this new trend and tool, particularly for those in my industry of coaching and speaking.

This could break open opportunities to personally connect and accelerate trust in the on-line world when building a client base. In fact I'll be posting about my experience with this as I experiment with it related to my coaching and on line training initiatives.

One thing for sure....I'll have to look more presentable when I've got my bunny slippers on in my office when video coaching.

Click here to learn about Social Streaming.

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The Key To Professional Success - Be People Wise

2009-11-15T05:24:00.000-08:00

This blog is underwritten by Management-in-Minutes, a portable learning resource for the busy professional that uses "laser learning" to accelerate building a knowledge base. The lessons are short (usually 2-4 minutes) and on each lesson page there is an audio clip with it's text version and an mp3 download link for portability.

Every so often a lesson will be posted in this blog for you to sample. This lesson is in the Sample Library, which you can access here: Sample Lessons

The Lesson: How People Operate
Would you like one of the best professional success tips? A key to success that will transcend any generation? Learn how and why people operate the way they do. The easiest way to lay a foundation for that knowledge is through the use of personality or temperament profiles....read on.

How People Operate

Audio Lesson – Duration: 3 mins. 20 secs.

1. Double click arrow to LISTEN NOW!

2. Read along with the transcript below or print and read for later.

3. Right click the MP3 FILE link MP3 to download and "save as"

to your hard drive for continuous listening or to transfer to your mobile device.

4. For additional lessons use the Search Box (top left) or the Download Library (top right).

Transcript

How People Operate

WC: 408

Read time: 1-2 mins.

I remember when I got a new car several years ago and it had many new gadgets and functions I was not familiar with. For the first time in my adult life, I actually pulled out an owner’s manual for a car. I needed to learn how to operate every aspect of this vehicle to experience its full potential.

You know that really is the same when it comes to managers and their teams. I wish that when someone was promoted to management, they received a book entitled – How People Operate 101. Because in reality, that’s what managers are doing - operating people in the context of a process to obtain an outcome that results in profit for a company.

Yet, the majority of newly promoted managers receive little to no training and are thrown out to fin for themselves…(kinda like those parents who want to teach their kids how to swim and just throw them in the water and say, “Now…swim!”)

Knowing how people operate: what makes them tick, how they are wired, what motivates them, what skills they possess and how to engage them is essential to the effectiveness of a manager. That effectiveness directly impacts the bottom line of a company and this is where there seems to be what I call – THE BIG DISCONNECT….the very thing that impacts the profits of a company is the very thing companies spend very little time and money investing in.

So for those of you managers, who already feeling the pain of resulting from a lack of knowledge in this area, here’s what I recommend. Step 1 in how people operate 101 is to use a temperament or personality profile. There are great tools on the market that are easy to use. Theses profiles provide a very useful framework to understanding people in the ways I listed above.

Here are some recommended resources:

Dr. Keirsey – book: Please Understand Me

The DISC Profile

Tony Alessandra - book: People Smart

Both books can be obtained at Barnes & Noble, Amazon…etc.

I believe having a working intimated knowledge of a personality profile is essential to a manager’s knowledge base.

You know many people talk about diversity training in our work cultures. I believe that in that context the single most important diversity issue today is not necessarily race or ethnicity…it is personality differences, of which employees get the least amount of training. Managers, let’s start with you!

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Solution to Less Women in the Sciences - Have Female Professors

2009-11-14T09:14:00.000-08:00

In my previous post regarding the brain drain. There was a portion of the post that addressed our kids interest in math and science.

Now add to that another dimension...how this trend impacts women in business leadership - the ripple effect of women under represented in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields. There is a gap in executive leadership, particularly in these fields.

That dilemma is discussed in this incredibly interesting article that addresses a study about leadership succession.
Title: A Formula for Success - Want more women to study science? Hire more female professors.

So let me add to my previous suggestion of having teachers who are able to stir interest and continued curiosity. Looks as if we need a strategic effort to nurture and recruit more female professors in higher education as well.

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An Update on the Best Buy Auditions - Star Found in Dubuque Iowa

2009-11-14T08:19:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder: My original post addressed the pratical value of this Best Buy initiative - you can read that post here.

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A Significant Business Trend - Brain Drain Back Home

2009-11-14T07:36:00.000-08:00

Recently I posted information about the business trend and education trend of an uneducated workforce.
You can read that post here:

Couple that with this reported trend of foreign-born graduates returning to their home country and you have to wonder where our country's competitiveness will be in the next few years.

Additionally what is disturbing from this report is that many of our kids are not interested in subjects that appear to be "hard." What?!!!

We have to ask ourselves why 50% of our math and science graduates are foreign born! What about kids raised in the U.S.? Do we need better math and science teachers who teach in a way that generate and stir genuine interest and continued curiosity?

Additionally, we have to consider how our parenting around education is impacting this trend. There is a ripple effect!

Now some of you reading this post might think, "Well with the constriction of the economy, those leaving the country will help bolster native born employment. Perhaps, and that certainly is good. However, those now in the employment pool need to be as qualified for our companies to thrive and compete globally.

The trends report follows below:

Herman Trend Alert: US Brain Drain

More than 50 percent of the science graduate students in the United States are
foreign-born. Due to a lack of emphasis on the STEM (Science, Engineering,
Technology, and Math) subjects and the fear that the curricula will be too
challenging, native-born students have passed up these post-college options.
Filling the void have been the foreign-born for whom a US graduate degree was
and is a meaningful ticket to a prosperous future.

A trend we forecast numerous times is now official: Within the next five years,
hundreds of thousands Chinese and Indian immigrants who in the past would have
stayed and worked for US companies will go home permanently. This history-making
trend was recently revealed in a recently released study, Professor Vivek Wadhwa
of Duke University. The Brain Drain is already affecting US companies and will
have increasingly devastating consequences.

There are several reasons why this homecoming is taking place. First, there are
increasing job opportunities for them at home. In the last two years, the
economies in India and China both grew much faster that the US. Not only are
they welcomed with open arms, but because they have studied abroad, they have a
better understanding of how to do business in the US. China even offers
financial assistance and housing incentives to lure skilled workers home.

Second, because the Asian cultures are so different from those of the US, there
is a strong comfort factor that is missing for workers choosing to stay. They
miss their loved ones and rarely enjoy the same support systems.

Finally, US immigration laws and attitudes (fueled by 9/11 and recent economic
challenges) discourage immigrants from staying. The now long and arduous process
of obtaining one of the relatively few H1B visas or applying for green card
status dishearten even the most enthusiastic. Though Wadhwa only studied
students from Asian countries, the same situations apply to graduate students
from South America, Africa, and the Middle East.

The good news is that we believe that once the US economy really recovers, the
rate of departure will slow somewhat; however the cultural and home economic
factors will remain.

Source: Herman Trend Alerts are written by Joyce Gioia, a strategic
business futurist, Certified Management Consultant, author, and
professional speaker. Archived editions are posted at http://www.hermangroup.com/archive.html

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Best Buy Scores - A Brilliant Brand Management Idea

2009-11-10T06:55:00.000-08:00

Best Buy has initiated an idea that I suspect will be long on return on investment in multiple ways from brand management, to employee motivation, building company culture, and I'm sure you can think of more.

As if they don't have a significant corner of the market already, they will up their brand awareness with a clever campaign to find the best carolers from their employee ranks for commercials this holiday season, conducting their search from coast to coast. They are filming all the stages of the search, turning them into episodes, and posting them on Youtube for all to see.

I'm thinking will Best Buy be a happier place to visit while holiday shopping? My experience with them is they in general are pretty friendly and helpful. Let's imagine the vibe when you go in now as they combine their holiday promotions with boasting employee morale, making their employees the stars of the show this holiday season.

I wanted to blog about this to springboard ideas from this idea in these areas: increasing brand awareness, brand perception, boosting employee morale, employee motivation, nurturing a fun company culture, and with all that contemplating how the bottom line might be impacted.

I hope the powers that be will be tracking the results of this initiative and I can't help but think that it might drive more buyers into the store this season. We'll see.

Here is Episode #1 (it's fun to watch and does have a bit of an American Idol feel to it). There are more episodes posted.

An Updated View of Workforce Readiness

2009-11-03T09:55:00.000-08:00

If you are in the business of employee training and development, corporate training, or education and training then this is a MUST READ post.

According to the article associated with the link to follow, our incoming workforce will not be adequately equipped to deal with the needs of the 21 century workplace and economy. This is an alarming educational trend and business trend!

Here is the link - go here.

This information presents all sorts of potential challenges. Consider the following areas:
1. how will we hire differently?
2. how will we provide ongoing education and development of current employees that meet these needs?
3. what kind of learning will be offered?
4. what extra pressure and stresses will be put on managers?
5. how will that impact management trends?
6. how will company competition and profitability be effected?

Phew...and that is just off the top of my head. Bottom line, training and developing employees I suspect will be more enhanced, take on a greater role and will require more committed funding than ever before and where one use to consider employee training and development an option or necessary evil in the corporate budget, that will no longer be an option!

I recommend that you read the complete article and consider it's impact from where you sit.
If you'd like to talk it through with a training professional, don't hesitate to contact me via my site: www.joanncorley.com

Google Success - A Reflection of Authentic Leadership

2009-10-27T16:53:00.000-07:00

This article continues to affirm the reason I'm in the work that I am of management and leadership development...specializing in the "human side of enterprise." As I read through the article it's clear that what has made Google successful are the qualities and behaviors of it's founders....passion, focus, vision, and the way they treat those in their organization. These are qualities of the heart, mind and spirit. These qualities are not calculated on a balance sheet, but greatly effect one.

The bottom line? A successful business enterprise must have authentic leadership and is about behavior, human potential, motivation, values, judgement combined with a product or service that adequately meets the needs of their customers.

This article is a must read for those who are serious about their professional success! You can read the entire article here: Google Article

A Leadership Misstep? - Obama & Fox News

2009-10-26T17:09:00.000-07:00

A Leadership Misstep?
No matter how one characterized the news validity of Fox, here was a great opportunity to show a fresh model of leadership. In truth Obama is a leader of ALL the citizens whether they voted for him or not. Leadership is rising above the petty and in this case being willing to work with any group that disagrees or even misrepresents...and even more so to be an available and ready presence to those who are exceptionally vocal. That to me shows courage, grace and true leadership.

Consider leadership in this way...."no matter how you are, I will be this way." You are driven by your own operating philosophy. Strong leadership is not disturbed by challenging thought or even irrational thought. You stand your grown, centered in your own knowing.

This is not to say the President Obama has not done this; however, what his coming from "his house" is not being represented as such as therefore he is being seen that way....at least by this observer.
To follow is the latest on the "saga" as picked up from Digg: http://digg.com/d318BD1

Herman Trend Alert: Obesity, Costs, and Wellness

2009-10-10T08:53:00.000-07:00

According to the United States Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (www.ahrq.gov), "all US adults could be overweight in 40 years". This frightening forecast is a finding in their government-funded study. Two-thirds of the population is already characterized as being "overweight", so any increase should cause alarm. These new projections, published recently in the journal "Obesity", are based on data collected over 34 years.

By the year 2030, 86 percent of US adults could be overweight with an obesity rate of 51 percent. "Obesity" is defined as weighing 20 percent above the recommended weight for height and age, while "overweight" is defined as weighing "more than is healthy for your age and size". If the trends continue, by 2048, all US adults could be at least mildly overweight.

The study projects weight problems will be most severe among selected groups, notably African-Americans and Mexican-Americans. All African-American women and more than 90 percent of Mexican-American men could be overweight by 2034.

"Genetically and physiologically, it should be impossible" for all US adults to become overweight", said Dr. Lan Liang, a researcher on the study. However, the data suggest, "that is the direction we’re going. This is really intended as a wake-up call to show what could happen if nothing changes", she said.

If nothing does change, healthcare costs directly related to being overweight and obese will double each decade, reaching $957 billion in 2030—accounting for one-sixth of the healthcare dollars spent in the US.

Just telling people to eat less and exercise more is not enough; widespread efforts are needed to improve Americans’ lifestyles and keep their weight healthy. Other suggestions include: "making communities more pedestrian-friendly so that people can walk regularly [and] getting the food industry to offer healthier, calorie-conscious choices". Liang continues: "It really needs to be more than an individual effort; it needs to be a societal effort".

Our belief is that wise employers will continue to provide or upgrade their incentive programs for workers who maintain healthy bodyweight and refrain from engaging in unhealthy activities, e.g., smoking. As other recent studies have proven, wellness programs work.

Source: 'The Herman Trend - August 20, 2008

Alert,' by Joyce Gioia-Herman, Strategic Business Futurist. (800) 227-3566 or...

http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group of Companies, Inc.
Posted by: JoAnn Corley

Corporate Wellness and Safeway Grocery Stores

2009-10-10T08:01:00.000-07:00

By: JoAnn Corley
On going component of the health care debate is the roll that employers play is promoting health within their populations. A wonderful model of this is the grocery store Safeway, which President Obama has noted several times in recent speeches.

No matter your opinion regarding a company's participation in the health of their employees, Safeway has demonstrated value in doing so; value both in their both line through lower health insurance premiums, but also in the improved health of their employees.

AS WE GO TO "PRESS": Safeway, Inc. with 1,775 grocery stores across the US and Canada just announced a new program to further reward employees for healthier behaviors. In the news today is its CEO Stephen Burd talking about their program, its rationality and implications for healthcare reform. Watch his 16-minute video at:

http://www.safeway.com/IFL/Grocery/About-Us

Safeway's success might very well set the stage for a surge in employers to begin rewarding proper diet and nutrition, more than they already are, because their healthcare costs and workplace productivity will be directly affected by their workers poor choices.

So here's a viable question: Will the ways in which you handle your own health impact your employment? Definitely worth thoughtful consideration.

Management Tips - #1 - Develop the Leadership Edge

2009-10-08T18:53:00.000-07:00

One of the things I love about blogging is valuable information can be delivered in a short format like my Management-in-Minutes portable learning resource for busy professionals. The lessons are in small bites....(I call it "lazer, high-impact learning"). The duration is usually 2-4 minutes. Short can be high-impact and deliver significant value. To check this out, you can go this link to sample first hand: Sample Lessons

With that in mind, I will posting what I call Management Power Tips and Professional Power tips (e.g. time management, productivity..etc.) in a variety of series. All of the tips posted are pieces of the coaching and management training seminars I conduct, as well as from my professional seminars. If the content of any of the tips appeals to you and you're in a position to bring someone into your organization or refer, you may want to consider one of my training seminars. To find out more about that, you can do directly to my website: www.joanncorley.com.

One final note, many of the tips will conclude with the Action Prompt - this is the coaching component. Keep in mind...it's not so much what you know, but what you do with what you know that really counts.

THE LEADERSHIP EDGE – BE INSPIRING
Here’s a quality greatly overlooked and yet sorely needed in the workplace! This quality is sure to give you the leadership edge.

Be Inspiring! I love this word. Inspiring someone or a group of people is special in that inspiration touches many parts of a person and like our previous power tip… you don’t need an official leadership title to be this way.

Consider this:
When someone is inspired their vision or how they see things is impacted, changing the way someone sees something removes blocks that might have impeded them from taking action up until that point.

Inspiration typically involves an expression of energy and that’s contagious! Don’t you feel more energized when you’re around an energized person?

Finally, and I think of significant importance, inspiration touches the spirit! The human spirit, I believe, is at the heart of a person’s motivation. Infuse a person’s spirit with inspiration and every part of them is engaged to move toward the outcome.

You as a team member or manager can get so much mileage out of the quality of being inspiring. It’s magnetic, memorable and a quality worth cultivating!

Action: Take some time to think about this and consider how to practically add inspiration into how you interact with others as well as how to infuse it into your team culture.
Posted by: JoAnn Corley, Management Coach & Advisor

Innovation and Leadership - SpaceShipOne

2009-10-07T12:57:00.000-07:00

Confidence in Nonsense - What Innovators can Learn from SpaceShipOne

Though this is somewhat old news...some news is worth repeating!

"Research should be defined as doing something where half the people who know about it, thinks it's impossible. When there's a true breakthrough, you can always go back to period in time when people said "that's impossible'. That means a true creative researcher needs to have 'Confidence in Nonsense'". - Burt Rutan, SpaceShipOne.

The Mohave Desert is the birthplace of the sonic boom and the X15. And now the mantle of innovation rests on the shoulders of Burt Rutan of SpaceShipOne. Only two winged craft have gone into space, the X15 and the space shuttle. Both took decades to develop and were incredibly expensive programs to develop. Neither have been able to bring the cost of spaceflight down so economically such that regular people like you and me can travel into space, either for business or pleasure. And yet, in September 2004, SpaceShipOne broke all the rules, not once but twice, in a craft that was flown by wire by a human (not computer controlled) and was fuelled by laughing gas and old tires.

So what can would-be innovators learn from SpaceShipOne's experience? Firstly let's consider Burt Rutan, the designer and leader of the team. Rutan says "There are less than 500 people who have flown in space in 40 years. People believe that government organizations are working on ways to get the rest of us into space, but they are not. Unless guys like me do this, it will not get done, period."

And so as far back as 1994, Burt started putting pen to paper and dreaming up new and original ways that spaceflight could be accomplished on the cheap. But it was not until 2001 when Paul Allen invested, that Burt really got serious about going after the Ansari X prize and developing SpaceShipOne. Putting together a small team of very smart people, where everyone was responsible for something critical. But elite doesn't mean lots of experience. Matt Steimetz, a young bright guy who worked on the construction of the craft says, "Most companies would say you're just a kid out of college and you don't have enough experience to work on a spaceship, here they just give you a lot of responsibility and say we'll see how you do." Of course, one could argue that with so few spaceships in the world, who would have the experience?

Using materials that were cheap and abundantly available was most important to the team. The fuel composed of nitrous oxide and rubber (aka laughing gas and old tires) is highly economical, compared to the thousands of pounds of liquid oxygen consumed by the space shuttle, let alone its solid rocket boosters. The construction of the craft was based on airplane kit designs, using fiberglass and other lightweight materials to keep both weight and cost down. And yet, the design is so unique. Part of the space shuttle's ongoing cost are the thermal ceramic tiles on its underside, which protects it from the immense heat of reentry. Instead Rutan designed a wing structure that 'feathers' by 90 degrees, slowing the descent of the craft so that tiles are unnecessary. Revolutionary.

And so armed with his small team and two craft (one to lift SpaceShipOne part way into the sky, that is a design accomplishment in itself) Rutan has accomplished the seemingly impossible. Jim Tighe, the Chief Aerodynamicist of SpaceShipOne says, "Nowadays we place very little emphasis on what an individual can do, I hope this shows people that to achieve something great, you don't need to be a large multinational corporation or large governments needing international cooperation with the US, Russia and Japan. You don't need millions of people to do something fantastic. Hopefully today we have showed that 20 people can do something fantastic - just look what we did with 20 people in 3 years."

An extraordinary accomplishment. So what can this world's would-be innovators learn from SpaceShipOne's experience? Here are some key points:

1) Dare to Dream and have a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) - why not? Even if you have to take tiny steps to getting there, you are still on the path to achieving what you want.
2) Do have the best team possible, and trust your team members to deliver.
3) Don't be limited by the way things have been done before. Question everything.
4) You don't need unlimited resources to get things done, just a small group of people who really want to make a difference.
5) Go back to the drawing board. Approach the problem many different ways. Redefine the problem and follow the sequence of events that cause the problem. Perhaps you can affect the root cause earlier in the chain, so the problem doesn't even occur.

Burt Rutan's hero is Werner von Braun for his pioneering work in rocketry. Someone asked Werner von Braun once, "What is the most difficult thing about going to the moon?" He replied, "The will to do it". Burt adds, "The technology isn't an issue, it's the way people think about Space." For Burt, this is not an end, just a very good beginning.

Thanks Burt, for your 'confidence in nonsense.' And here's to all you innovators out there thinking at 337,500 feet.

Tuesday, October 26, 2004

3 Leader Behaviors Reflect 3 Personality Types

2009-10-06T20:38:00.001-07:00

This is a great list of areas to manage and each category actually reflects 3 distinct personality types which translates into a natural leadership style. That would be director, empowerer and nurturer...the one remaining? ...the informer/teacher because there are actually 4. A great coaching tip? Identify your natural style and add/develop the rest!

in reference to: Three Leader Behaviours for Competent People Oriented Management - orglearn Career Success blog (view on Google Sidewiki)

The Reality of Current Employment Presents Updated Job Search Strategies

2009-10-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

When you’re hit everyday with continuing news of the employment challenges, it can almost feel as if no one is getting re-employed after a layoff.

The truth is, according a recent article posted at Career Builders, that one half of those unemployed have in fact been employed again. I thought to myself wow!

Of important note in this article are the tactics and strategies undertaken to help make that happen. Here's where you can get job search advice and career management advice all rolled into one?

If you are still unemployed, it may be worth considering anyone of these. For some of us, it really will mean a significant change.

Changes in Pay – in this category one might think everyone took a pay cut…oh not so. Some did – but some received offers comparable and some even higher.

Transferring Skills to Other Industries - this is an essential component of a job search. Many people confuse industry and job title and lump them together. In fact they are very separate. You can be an accountant in many different industries. In fact, every industry needs an accountant! That fact alone opens up endless possibilities.

Relocation -  Ever thought about moving?…well now might be the time. Many workers had to do just that to get a job. 1 in 5 found jobs in a new city or state.

Starting a Business – for some there has been for a while a nagging sense or little small voice saying, “I’d like to start my own business.” That’s what re-employment looked for some. Those considering that option, according to this article 3 in 10.

Altering Appearance – what that mean for you?...how far would you go? Among the options considered or done: lost weight, changed hair color or style, dressed to look younger, teeth whitened, enhanced makeup….is it time for a make over?

Whether it’s these or others…one thing for sure, getting creative, taking continued action and maintaining a focused sense of confidence is key!

If you feel you need some personalized help, you can learn more about career coaching at the link provided.

http://www.joanncorley.com/Career_Coaching.html

To access the entire article go to: http://www.theworkbuzz.com/job-search/q2-jobs/

To your success!

JoAnn Corley, Management Advisor & Coach