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Posts Tagged ‘authentic leadership’
Wednesday, May 9th, 2012
 Blogs on leadership are so inspiring! I came across one this week titled “Leadership Lessons From Mom” By Rebecca Robinson. As a mom, whether it be a full-time mom or a working mom, for me, that is a lot of both worlds – it is easy to forget how important that your role as MOM is in your family and how that can spill over in to your community and company. Check out how Rebecca ties in leadership with being a Mom – so important to be a leader in our homes and teach our children these concepts and you can use these lessons in your companies as well!
Leadership Lessons from Mom
Yesterday, I asked the question: What is a mom’s most important work? And the answer is complex; often behind-the-scenes, moms are helping to shape the lives and character of their children. Their roles as leaders are obvious. These leadership lessons from moms can be good tools to put into practice for people who want to make a difference in their families, communities, or organizations.
Great moms (leaders) build a cohesive team. Teamwork is important in companies and families. To get things done, people need to work together well. Effective leaders faciliate teamwork by encouraging cooperation among people and departments. People who are proud of their company and their place in it work harder to achieve the company’s mission. Parents can promote a team mentality in their families by helping their children develop kind and caring relationships with each other and providing opportunities to work and play together.
Great moms (leaders) see and celebrate the best in their children (companies). A mom friend of mine whose son is struggling to adjust to preschool lamented to me recently “It is so hard for me that others can’t see my son the same way I can: his creativity, his uniqueness, his spark.” A mother’s love trumps everything. A mother is a child’s most spirited cheerleader, most persuasive advocate, and most unwavering supporter. In this same way, great CEOs champion their companies and employees.
Great moms (leaders) multi-task. In order to get things done, moms become experts at doing more than one thing at a time. On any given morning, I might be preparing breakfast, packing sack lunches, overseeing my daughter as she finishes homework: all while carrying around a cranky toddler.
Great moms (leaders) are present in the moment. While both motherhood and leadership require juggling multiple tasks and responsibilities, they also demand the ability to shut out distractions and stay focused on a single task or person. My kids can tell when I’m not really paying attention. And employees can tell when their employers are not listening.
Great moms (leaders) make sacrifices. People making significant contributions to society through their leadership in business, politics, or education commit their time and energy wholeheartedly, often at the expense of other pursuits. In the same way, motherhood requires a woman’s complete devotion. Moms may slow down or stop their careers for a time. A mom’s sleep may be interrupted frequently beginning with pregnancy and continuing through her children’s early years and beyond. Moms give up their time alone, their tidy homes, and their own hobbies and interests. A mother’s sense of her identity and self image is often consumed by her role as a mom.
Great moms (leaders) let their children (companies)shine. My friend Carol is a successful educator and musician. She balances family life and career in a way that inspires me. The most remarkable thing about her, though, is her deference to her childrens’ energy, conversations, and activities.
Moms may seem overshadowed or eclipsed by the presence or achievements of their children. Leaders may seem to disappear in the bright light of their organization’s accomplishments. The best ones fade to the background willingly, knowing that true success is found in the influence they make in the lives of others.
by Rebecca Robinson
What a great comparison Rebecca has made here with being a mom and leading in an organization. Happy Mother’s Day!!
Tags: authentic leadership, Executive Women, Happy Mother's Day, Leadership, leadership characteristics, mentoring, Mother's Day, WELead, Woman's Initiatives, Women Executives, Women Lead, Women Rock
Posted in Communication, Corporate Culture, Executive Coaching, Leadership, Motivation & Inspiration | No Comments »
Monday, November 14th, 2011
Do Your Actions Support Your Values?
This was originally posted on Erin Schreyer’s Leadership. Life. Legacy blog. Erin is the President of Sagestone Partners, Founder of Authentic Leadership Cincinnati and a trusted adviser and business alliance with Centennial, Inc. Erin is passionate about building into people and bringing out their leadership qualities to help them excel in all areas of life.
“I dropped my daughter off at elementary school the other morning and had to do a double-take on a mother who was just coming out of the school. What made me look twice was her outfit.
She wore a very fitted designer t-shirt (huge logo on the front.) That wasn’t so bad…except that the length of her shirt exposed her entire mid-section. Combined with her low-rise jeans, she was exposing quite a bit of skin…to drop her children off at school.
I wondered immediately, what message is she trying to send? Is it about designer fashion? Fitness or weight? Wanting to be desired or praised by others?
I thought about her children, and I wondered if she thought of them when she got dressed.
I bet she doesn’t want them to get their confidence from wearing certain labels or from having a specific appearance, I thought. As a mother, I have to believe she wants more for them. I have to believe she wants them to be authentic and to be liked and valued for who they are; not what they look like or wear.
But weren’t her actions speaking louder? And weren’t they sending a conflicting message? How will her children understand what’s truly important?
Does this ever happen to you? Are your behaviors in alignment with your values?
Whether we are leaders in our homes or leaders in an organizational setting, we have to model behavior that is consistent with our values.
People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do.
~Lewis Cass
Actions do, in fact, speak louder than words. People see what you do, and if it doesn’t align with what you’ve said, then you’ve immediately lost their trust, their admiration, and their willingness to follow. And worst yet, your words have lost their meaning and value.
What effect would that have on your company? Your team? Your family?
As we lead, we must consider our priorities, beliefs and values. They cannot be swept under the rug. They must be lived.
 What values does your company profess? Putting clients first? Treating fellow employees with respect? Being thrifty with spending?
What values do you uphold as a family? Kindness to others? Integrity? Always doing what’s right?
Take a few moments and think about your actions over the last week. Are you living out what you claim to hold important? It’s a tough question we should all challenge ourselves with. We are, after all, human. We can, so often, get distracted or derailed. What’s important, though, is that we recognize it, and then we commit to making the necessary changes to bring us back to the best of who we are.
Support what you say. Model your values. Let your actions do the speaking, because they’re what people hear anyway.”
We encourage you to read and subscribe to Erin’s blog – Leadership. Life. Legacy.
Erin & Sagestone Partners provides service and expertise in the following areas:
- Leadership Coaching, Development Programs and Strategy
- Employee Engagement, Motivation, Team Building
- Strengths-Based Training and Development
- Business Development Strategies
- Effective Communication
- Motivational Speaking
Contact Sagestone Partners:
Dallas:
972-349-9915
Cincinnati:
513.535.2305
Tags: authentic leadership, Business Coaching, Erin Schreyer, Erin's Writings and Thoughts, Leadership, Sagestone Partners, Talent Management | Tagged beliefs, trust, values, values based leadership
Posted in Communication, Corporate Culture, Employee Retention, Employment Brand, Executive Coaching, Leadership, Motivation & Inspiration | No Comments »
Monday, June 20th, 2011
 The ACG Cincinnati’s 2011 CEO Focus event - Dave Dillon, CEO of The Kroger Company, spoke on “Lessons Learned via Organic Growth and Acquisitions”
This event was absolutely fantastic, like all ACG events, and after this event I feel inspired to share my key takeaways with you.
The choices you make will create your strategy:
- Customer First Strategy – make sense to the customers vs. trying to make sense of what you are you doing internally that you want to sell or provide to them
- Centralize but listen to the field – “we have learned that the consumers, field operations and team members tell us what we should be doing”
- Adopt values that you truly live out – values that are core to your organization and yourself.
- “If we are not improving we are dead – life will pass us right by!” Dave Dillon provided a golf story that gives a great real life example of this quote. In 1980 the longest average driving distance in golf was 274.3 yards. Today the longest average driving distance is 317.2 yards by J.B. Holmes. The top 182 golfers on the PGA tour now have an average of at least 270.3.
- “The difference between success and failure is not much”
- Develop a culture of feedback
Ask your customers: feedback provides you the best route for growth.
Ask others: employees and customers – how you come across and where you can improve.
Give all of those around you the open opportunity to share with you how you make them feel
“Focus is important but it is how you come across that makes a long-term impact” ~Dave Dillon
The two most important learning’s from living out Kroger’s values are:
- When you start caring about values centered leadership vs. making money you will see tremendous transformation that will impact your brand(s), customer loyalty and internal & external customers
- “Diversity – We take this very seriously within Kroger and for our customers.” The more Kroger focuses on diversity the more impact they are making on the lives of others which in turn has generated substantial loyalty, revenue and growth.
Joint ventures have added tremendous value to Krogers strategy and their customer’s experience – including dunnhumby and US Bank.
When Kroger acquires other companies through mergers and acquisitions (M&A):
- Kroger acquires strategically and does not chase a deal
- Kroger does not buy fixer-uppers but well run organizations with solid leadership is what attracts them
- Kroger has flexibility when doing a deal – they listen to the other parties side and strive to have a win-win relationship as their goal is to have the existing leadership team in place and keep them in place when the acquisition is complete
- Kroger provides opportunities to receive feedback
- Measure short-term and long-term risk against consequences and impact
- Create strategy around anticipated changes in customer base
- Dillons out of Kansas City and Kroger only bought/buy winners.
- Mergers and new endeavors help your company but do not rely on them to reach your immediate year profitability goals
Quotes from Dave Dillon, CEO of The Kroger Company, at the ACG Cincinnati CEO Focus event:
“Be authentic – genuinely take an interest in the people around you and those you either employ or those you serve.” ~ Dave Dillon
“Small Details Matter” ~ Dave Dillon
“Always ask your customers, consumers what matters to them – make feedback a daily part of your culture” ~ Dave Dillon
“I have learned the most in life by asking others how I come across and providing a culture that people openly share this with me” ~ Dave Dillon
“Take pride in your job – Embrace it and Value it” ~Dave Dillon
Interested in learning more about ACG of Cincinnati or ACG Global? Visit the websites, leave a comment here or message me. I am happy to help you get connected!
Centennial is engaged with ACG as it focuses on assisting organizations who are experiencing change and growth – both organically and through mergers and acquisitions.
~Mike Sipple Jr, Vice President – Executive Recruiter / Talent Aquisition Expert / Business Advisor
Connect with me on Twitter / LinkedIn / Website
Connect with Centennial, Inc. on Twitter / LinkedIn / Facebook
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Tags: ACG, acquisitions, Association for Corporate Growth, authentic leadership, CEO, company culture, company strategy, Dave Dillon, Kroger, Leadership, leadership motivation, private equity, strategic planning, The Kroger Company
Posted in Communication, Corporate Culture, Employee Engagement, Employee Retention, Employment Brand, Leadership, Leadership Events & Networking Opportunities, Motivation & Inspiration, Networking & Connecting | No Comments »
Sunday, April 17th, 2011
This years Chick-fil-A Leadercast is quickly approaching and it is very important that we encourage all leaders across the world to prepare for this great event! Hopefully you can be amongst the thousands who will attend but if not there are also ways you can learn and develop from this year’s event. Read on….
1. You must register yourself and your team – all leaders welcome! Find a location near you!
Where will the team @CentennialInc be attending? We are proud to be the Voice of Influence sponsor in Greater Cincinnati, OH! If you reside in the KY, OH, IN region we encourage you to visit this great host site! The Cincinnati, OH site is being hosted by Sagestone Partners & University of Cincinnati’s College of Nursing.
2. Second you need to know the details around this years theme - Voice of Change!
Every leader has a unique voice. One offers direction, while another inspires. Some voices impact lives without uttering a single word.
Do you know your leadership voice? These are some of the leadership voices characterized by Voices of Change and embraced by Chick-fil-A Leadercast. Each speaker at Chick-fil-A Leadercast 2011 will incorporate one of these voices:
Voice of Influence – A voice of influence can alter opinions and sway perspectives. They’re looked to by others for guidance, and they recognize their ability to make a significant impact among individuals and organizations. Rather than relying on their power, they are humbled by their responsibilities and intentionally use their gifts to empower and develop fellow leaders.
Voice of Hope – A voice of hope believes that a better outcome is always within reach. They are the ultimate inspirers, and their light shines brightest during the darkest of hours. Their capacity to be realistic while remaining optimistic encourages those around them to not just wish for, but plan for and expect an outcome better than anyone could have imagined.
 Erin Gruwell Founder & President of Freedom Writers Foundation
 Alison Levine Mountain Climber and adjunct professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point
Voice of Service - A voice of service seeks to lift the human spirit through gifts of time and talent. They gladly focus on others first as they quietly plug away behind the scenes. Though their work gains notice and motivates others to follow, they desire little recognition for their efforts. The simple satisfaction of serving and their private knowledge of the results feed their ever-growing passion for servant leadership.
Muhtar Kent Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of The Coca-Cola Company
Dan Cathy President & COO of Chick-fil-A, Inc.
Dave Ramsey Personal money-management expert, national radio personality, and best-selling author of The Total Money Makeover
Voice of Purpose - A voice of purpose isn’t easily distracted from the intended path. Their drive and determination fuel their ambitions, not for themselves, but for those they lead. Their ability to remain focused on the big picture allows them to serve as a beacon, steadily and confidently directing others toward the envisioned destination.
Mack Brown Head Coach of the Texas Longhorns, 2009 Big 12 Coach of the Year
Suzy Welch Best-selling author, television commentator, and noted business journalist
Voice of Innovation – A voice of innovation is never quite satisfied with the status quo. They are pioneers, always planning for the future and gently nudging those around them to do the same. They’re excited by change, and their fresh perspectives and contagious enthusiasm for discovering new and better ways to seize opportunities and tackle challenges allows them to help others realize their dreams.
 Frans Johansson Best-selling author of The Medici Effect
 Sir Ken Robinson Best-Selling Author & Leader in the Development of Creativity, Innovation & Human Resources
3. OK, now that you see the quality of leaders who will be speaking to you have you registered? I always tell my clients and relationships that if you and your team are going to attend one leadership event a year – the Chick-fil-A Leadercast should be the one!
4. Next be prepared to participate!
Join Chick-fil-A Leadercast on Facebook
Follow & Join the Conversation on Twitter – @CFALeadercast
Not able to attend the live event but active on twitter? Join in the conversation & participate by following the #CFALeadercast & #CincyLeadercast hashtags! While your their also follow @CentennialInc and all of our friends who are participants, hosts, sponsors and influencers!
5. Now how will you apply your learnings during the best leadership event of the year?
As the great @JohnCMaxwell says – “The value of any conference is not what you hear but how you put it into action tomorrow.”
During the event, while you take notes by pen – iPad – mobile device, be sure to follow John Maxwell’s steps to application:
- Place an (A) next to what you want to apply to your life.
- Place a (C) next to what you need to change based on what you learn.
- Place a (T) next to the key learnings you want to teach others.
This process allows you to categorize your notes, you will take pages I am sure, prioritize them and each month act on one from each category! By doing this you will have a personal development plan and a team development plan. DID YOU KNOW - from this great event you would also obtain a great leadership development plan for you and your organization?
I believe at last year’s event I took ~8 pages of notes and I am still acting and developing from the items that resonated with me!
6. Ready – Set – Grow!!!
OK, if your still not fully registered – both for you and your entire team, what are you waiting for? I commit to you that if you clear your mind and join us on 05.06.11 you will not regret it! We look forward to seeing you on the 6th of May – let’s all grow together!
7. Lastly I leave you with this encouraging video by Erin Schreyer
NOW we will see you at the @CFALeadercast!
What are you looking forward to the most at this year’s Chick-fil-A Leadercast?
What else are you doing to prepare to make this the best leadership & development event of year?
Learn more about me and our organization organization by visiting visit www.centennialinc.com.
~Mike Sipple Jr, Vice President – Executive Recruiter / Talent Aquisition Expert / Business Advisor
Subscribe to Centennial, Inc. Leadership & Talent Blog by Email
Connect with me on Twitter / LinkedIn / Website
Connect with Centennial, Inc. on Twitter / LinkedIn / Facebook
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Tags: alison levine, authentic leadership, chick-fil a leadercast, chick-fil-a, dan cathy, Dave Ramsey, erin gruwell, Frans Johansson, giant impact, giantimpact, john c maxwell, john maxwell, johncmaxwell, leadercast, Leadership, leadership development, leadership seminars, Mack Brown, Muhtar Kent, seth godin, Sir Ken Robinson, Suzy Welch, Total Money Makeover
Posted in Communication, Employee Engagement, Employee Retention, Employment Brand, Executive Coaching, Leadership, Leadership Events & Networking Opportunities, Motivation & Inspiration, Networking & Connecting, Social Media | 1 Comment »
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