Showing posts with label leader. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leader. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Six Habits Of People Who Know How To Bring Out The Best In Others
As a leader, the most important part of your job isn't your results. Your job is to inspire your employees’ results. Here's how.
If you think your most important job as a leader is to write mission statements, set goals, or even increase revenue, you’re focusing on the wrong metrics. Your most significant role doesn’t involve your results; your job is to inspire your employees’ results, says Richard S. Wellins, co-author of Your First Leadership Job: How Catalyst Leaders Bring Out the Best In Others.
"As a leader your focus changes; your number one priority is to bring out the best in others," says Wellins, who is senior vice president at management consulting firm DDI.
A study done by DDI and Harris Interactive found that 98% of employees who have good leaders are motivated to do their best, while only 11% of employees with ineffective managers felt motivated to give their best.
Being able to bring out the best in others is a skill that involves just 10% natural inclination; the other 90% has to be deliberate, says Wellins: "It can’t be learned by listening to a lecture or reading examples," he says. "It needs to be practiced, reinforced, and used day to day."
Here are six of their daily habits:
1. They Focus On The Person’s Strengths
Good leaders identify the strengths of individual team members and give employees opportunities to use them, says Wellins. "They cultivate and optimize others’ talents and capabilities," he says.
While some strengths will be obvious, good leaders schedule one-on-one meetings and ask questions such as, "What do you enjoy doing most as part of your work?" and "What do you miss most about the jobs you’ve had in the past and why?"
2. They Empathize
Leaders who bring out the best in others listen to what team members are saying and put themselves in their shoes, says Wellins. When dealing with an emotional situation, listening and responding with empathy can immediately reduce tension, and until things calm down, nothing productive can occur.
"Empathy will drive better performance; this is a huge motivator," says Wellins.
3. They Give Recognition
People who bring out the best in others also reward and recognize good work. Leaders often worry that praise will seem unprofessional or that employees will become complacent or overconfident.
"It isn’t and they won’t," says Wellins. "It’s about making a person feel good about themselves even when they feel challenged or are in tough times.."
This is also important when things are going well, adds Wellins. "It’s so simple, but our research shows that one- to two-thirds of leaders are not good at acknowledging good work," he says.
4. They Connect The Right People
Liz Wiseman, author of Rookie Smarts: Why Learning Beats Knowing in the New Game of Work, calls leaders who bring out the best in others "multipliers." She says multipliers look for talent everywhere and focus on finding people, at whatever level, who know the things they don’t.
"Multipliers take the time to understand the capabilities of each individual so that they can connect employees with the right people and the right opportunities—thereby building a virtuous cycle of attraction, growth, and opportunity," she writes in an article for Harvard Business Review.
5. They Don’t Micromanage
Bringing out the best in others means delegating. "Good managers are careful to not micromanage," says Wellins. "Their job is to assign or direct general goals in work that needs to be done but they should never do it for the person."
Stretch goals that push people can have a big impact on how people feel about themselves, their work, and what they can accomplish, says Wellins. "Appeal to their strengths and give them responsibility and they will achieve their goals," he says.
As team members earn small wins, their confidence grows and seemingly insurmountable problems appear less daunting, adds Wiseman; roadblocks become interesting puzzles for the team to solve.
"Multipliers see themselves as coaches and teachers," writes Wiseman. "These leaders put a high premium on self-sufficiency: Once they delegate a task or decision, they don’t try to take it back."
6. They Create Safe Environments
People who bring out the best in others give people permission to think, speak, and act with reason, says Wiseman.
"They generate an intensity that demands high-level work from the team, but they also have a high tolerance for mistakes and understand the importance of learning along the way," she writes. "So they create mental spaces in which people can flourish."
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Monday, January 25, 2016
Why product strategy is key to innovation and new markets
Want to be a leader in sustainability? Start focusing on your product or service.
You're in business because your product or service delivers what your
customers need. And a sustainable product strategy gives your customers
the opportunity to reduce their impact through the purchase and use of
sustainable products. That said, making the transition away from
traditional products takes patience, perseverance and organizational
buy-in.
Perhaps your organization's corporate sustainability evolution began with reporting and tracking metrics such as safety incidents or environmental violations. From there, you saw opportunities to drive operational efficiency and cut costs through initiatives like reducing fuel consumption by switching to electric or hybrid vehicles. A sustainable product strategy is a logical next step in the organizational evolution of corporate sustainability programs and has the potential to provide a huge upside.
A recent survey found that 32 percent of CFOs anticipate that over the next few years, about five percent of annual revenue growth will come from products and services that reduce environmental and social impacts. For instance, Dow Chemical's investment in sustainable product development to help customers address environmental challenges is projected to be a $350 billion market opportunity. While companies might see entering this market as a risk, we see it as an area of opportunity that is not as difficult as some might think.
For example, ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas (TKE) understands that its industry is full of products that require regular maintenance and updating to keep riders safe and comply with regulations. The constant use of its products causes significant wear and tear. Therefore, TKE developed a suite of products called Modernization that allow building owners to choose the parts they need to repair their existing elevators without purchasing an entirely new elevator.
Furthermore, these Modernization products are more efficient, reliable and durable, so they can extend the elevator's life over a longer period of time with less maintenance. TKE has also developed a line of sustainable products that lowers energy costs, reduces power consumption by eliminating the use of a motor generator, and captures and reuses energy through advanced regenerative drive technology. Again, these products extend the elevator's life but they also reduce travel time for riders, reduce noise inside the cab and increase the overall ride quality.
Making a leap from operational efficiencies to sustainable product design requires a change in the way you view your company's products and services. It is an opportunity to see what you already do in a new light but also see the potential for further innovation and leadership. There are two distinct paths that you could take if you decide to make this leap from traditional to sustainable products and services.
1. Recognize the sustainability attributes inherent within current products and services.
Many companies do not see the sustainable attributes of their products. This is often due to being too close to those goods or having an outdated perspective. Once a company looks at its own products with an eye for where the environmental and social benefits are, it's often surprised at what it finds.
The Davey Tree Expert Co., a professional tree care and landscaping company (and a BrownFlynn client), is early in its sustainability journey and has been focused on operational efficiencies. Initially, Davey was hesitant to promote its products and services as sustainable -- even though a large part of its business is based on the preservation of trees and vegetation - because it was afraid of greenwashing. The best way to ensure environmental claims are trustworthy is to use research and analysis like a lifecycle assessment (LCA) to back it up.
A number of companies out there are highlighting the sustainable attributes of current products. A great example is Salesforce, which came out with its first sustainability report earlier this year, proclaiming that its cloud computing platform produced less carbon than a traditional client server IT environment by 95 percent. Salesforce's aim here is to show customers that using its platform will help them reduce energy consumption and achieve sustainability goals.
2. Redesigning with sustainability in mind
Redesigning products using sustainability as a lens for development is evident of true leadership in this space. Nike's Considered Design initiative enabled the company to recycle 82 million plastic bottles into high-performance sportswear and increase the use of environmentally preferred materials by 20 percent. The initiative resulted in additional operational efficiency success such as reducing waste by 19 percent in its footwear business, and achieving a 95 percent reduction in volatile compounds. These activities have never been seen before in the footwear category, showing how sustainability is a tool for innovation and differentiation in the marketplace.
Making the decision to move from traditional products and services to thinking and designing in a more sustainable way will help companies secure a place in the market for years to come. A sustainable product strategy boosts reputation and credibility amongst peers and customers. It opens up doors for new customers and opportunities not yet realized. To become a truly sustainable enterprise, offering a sustainable product or service is the final evolution.
Perhaps your organization's corporate sustainability evolution began with reporting and tracking metrics such as safety incidents or environmental violations. From there, you saw opportunities to drive operational efficiency and cut costs through initiatives like reducing fuel consumption by switching to electric or hybrid vehicles. A sustainable product strategy is a logical next step in the organizational evolution of corporate sustainability programs and has the potential to provide a huge upside.
A recent survey found that 32 percent of CFOs anticipate that over the next few years, about five percent of annual revenue growth will come from products and services that reduce environmental and social impacts. For instance, Dow Chemical's investment in sustainable product development to help customers address environmental challenges is projected to be a $350 billion market opportunity. While companies might see entering this market as a risk, we see it as an area of opportunity that is not as difficult as some might think.
For example, ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas (TKE) understands that its industry is full of products that require regular maintenance and updating to keep riders safe and comply with regulations. The constant use of its products causes significant wear and tear. Therefore, TKE developed a suite of products called Modernization that allow building owners to choose the parts they need to repair their existing elevators without purchasing an entirely new elevator.
Furthermore, these Modernization products are more efficient, reliable and durable, so they can extend the elevator's life over a longer period of time with less maintenance. TKE has also developed a line of sustainable products that lowers energy costs, reduces power consumption by eliminating the use of a motor generator, and captures and reuses energy through advanced regenerative drive technology. Again, these products extend the elevator's life but they also reduce travel time for riders, reduce noise inside the cab and increase the overall ride quality.
Making a leap from operational efficiencies to sustainable product design requires a change in the way you view your company's products and services. It is an opportunity to see what you already do in a new light but also see the potential for further innovation and leadership. There are two distinct paths that you could take if you decide to make this leap from traditional to sustainable products and services.
1. Recognize the sustainability attributes inherent within current products and services.
Many companies do not see the sustainable attributes of their products. This is often due to being too close to those goods or having an outdated perspective. Once a company looks at its own products with an eye for where the environmental and social benefits are, it's often surprised at what it finds.
The Davey Tree Expert Co., a professional tree care and landscaping company (and a BrownFlynn client), is early in its sustainability journey and has been focused on operational efficiencies. Initially, Davey was hesitant to promote its products and services as sustainable -- even though a large part of its business is based on the preservation of trees and vegetation - because it was afraid of greenwashing. The best way to ensure environmental claims are trustworthy is to use research and analysis like a lifecycle assessment (LCA) to back it up.
A number of companies out there are highlighting the sustainable attributes of current products. A great example is Salesforce, which came out with its first sustainability report earlier this year, proclaiming that its cloud computing platform produced less carbon than a traditional client server IT environment by 95 percent. Salesforce's aim here is to show customers that using its platform will help them reduce energy consumption and achieve sustainability goals.
2. Redesigning with sustainability in mind
Redesigning products using sustainability as a lens for development is evident of true leadership in this space. Nike's Considered Design initiative enabled the company to recycle 82 million plastic bottles into high-performance sportswear and increase the use of environmentally preferred materials by 20 percent. The initiative resulted in additional operational efficiency success such as reducing waste by 19 percent in its footwear business, and achieving a 95 percent reduction in volatile compounds. These activities have never been seen before in the footwear category, showing how sustainability is a tool for innovation and differentiation in the marketplace.
Making the decision to move from traditional products and services to thinking and designing in a more sustainable way will help companies secure a place in the market for years to come. A sustainable product strategy boosts reputation and credibility amongst peers and customers. It opens up doors for new customers and opportunities not yet realized. To become a truly sustainable enterprise, offering a sustainable product or service is the final evolution.
Friday, January 15, 2016
Why product strategy is key to innovation and new markets
Want to be a leader in sustainability? Start focusing on your product or service.
You're in business because your product or service delivers what your
customers need. And a sustainable product strategy gives your customers
the opportunity to reduce their impact through the purchase and use of
sustainable products. That said, making the transition away from
traditional products takes patience, perseverance and organizational
buy-in.
Perhaps your organization's corporate sustainability evolution began with reporting and tracking metrics such as safety incidents or environmental violations. From there, you saw opportunities to drive operational efficiency and cut costs through initiatives like reducing fuel consumption by switching to electric or hybrid vehicles. A sustainable product strategy is a logical next step in the organizational evolution of corporate sustainability programs and has the potential to provide a huge upside.
A recent survey found that 32 percent of CFOs anticipate that over the next few years, about five percent of annual revenue growth will come from products and services that reduce environmental and social impacts. For instance, Dow Chemical's investment in sustainable product development to help customers address environmental challenges is projected to be a $350 billion market opportunity. While companies might see entering this market as a risk, we see it as an area of opportunity that is not as difficult as some might think.
For example, ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas (TKE) understands that its industry is full of products that require regular maintenance and updating to keep riders safe and comply with regulations. The constant use of its products causes significant wear and tear. Therefore, TKE developed a suite of products called Modernization that allow building owners to choose the parts they need to repair their existing elevators without purchasing an entirely new elevator.
Furthermore, these Modernization products are more efficient, reliable and durable, so they can extend the elevator's life over a longer period of time with less maintenance. TKE has also developed a line of sustainable products that lowers energy costs, reduces power consumption by eliminating the use of a motor generator, and captures and reuses energy through advanced regenerative drive technology. Again, these products extend the elevator's life but they also reduce travel time for riders, reduce noise inside the cab and increase the overall ride quality.
Making a leap from operational efficiencies to sustainable product design requires a change in the way you view your company's products and services. It is an opportunity to see what you already do in a new light but also see the potential for further innovation and leadership. There are two distinct paths that you could take if you decide to make this leap from traditional to sustainable products and services.
1. Recognize the sustainability attributes inherent within current products and services.
Many companies do not see the sustainable attributes of their products. This is often due to being too close to those goods or having an outdated perspective. Once a company looks at its own products with an eye for where the environmental and social benefits are, it's often surprised at what it finds.
The Davey Tree Expert Co., a professional tree care and landscaping company (and a BrownFlynn client), is early in its sustainability journey and has been focused on operational efficiencies. Initially, Davey was hesitant to promote its products and services as sustainable -- even though a large part of its business is based on the preservation of trees and vegetation - because it was afraid of greenwashing. The best way to ensure environmental claims are trustworthy is to use research and analysis like a lifecycle assessment (LCA) to back it up.
A number of companies out there are highlighting the sustainable attributes of current products. A great example is Salesforce, which came out with its first sustainability report earlier this year, proclaiming that its cloud computing platform produced less carbon than a traditional client server IT environment by 95 percent. Salesforce's aim here is to show customers that using its platform will help them reduce energy consumption and achieve sustainability goals.
2. Redesigning with sustainability in mind
Redesigning products using sustainability as a lens for development is evident of true leadership in this space. Nike's Considered Design initiative enabled the company to recycle 82 million plastic bottles into high-performance sportswear and increase the use of environmentally preferred materials by 20 percent. The initiative resulted in additional operational efficiency success such as reducing waste by 19 percent in its footwear business, and achieving a 95 percent reduction in volatile compounds. These activities have never been seen before in the footwear category, showing how sustainability is a tool for innovation and differentiation in the marketplace.
Making the decision to move from traditional products and services to thinking and designing in a more sustainable way will help companies secure a place in the market for years to come. A sustainable product strategy boosts reputation and credibility amongst peers and customers. It opens up doors for new customers and opportunities not yet realized. To become a truly sustainable enterprise, offering a sustainable product or service is the final evolution.
Sara Kennedy is an analyst with BrownFlynn, working on sustainability strategies that drive business value.
Perhaps your organization's corporate sustainability evolution began with reporting and tracking metrics such as safety incidents or environmental violations. From there, you saw opportunities to drive operational efficiency and cut costs through initiatives like reducing fuel consumption by switching to electric or hybrid vehicles. A sustainable product strategy is a logical next step in the organizational evolution of corporate sustainability programs and has the potential to provide a huge upside.
A recent survey found that 32 percent of CFOs anticipate that over the next few years, about five percent of annual revenue growth will come from products and services that reduce environmental and social impacts. For instance, Dow Chemical's investment in sustainable product development to help customers address environmental challenges is projected to be a $350 billion market opportunity. While companies might see entering this market as a risk, we see it as an area of opportunity that is not as difficult as some might think.
For example, ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas (TKE) understands that its industry is full of products that require regular maintenance and updating to keep riders safe and comply with regulations. The constant use of its products causes significant wear and tear. Therefore, TKE developed a suite of products called Modernization that allow building owners to choose the parts they need to repair their existing elevators without purchasing an entirely new elevator.
Furthermore, these Modernization products are more efficient, reliable and durable, so they can extend the elevator's life over a longer period of time with less maintenance. TKE has also developed a line of sustainable products that lowers energy costs, reduces power consumption by eliminating the use of a motor generator, and captures and reuses energy through advanced regenerative drive technology. Again, these products extend the elevator's life but they also reduce travel time for riders, reduce noise inside the cab and increase the overall ride quality.
Making a leap from operational efficiencies to sustainable product design requires a change in the way you view your company's products and services. It is an opportunity to see what you already do in a new light but also see the potential for further innovation and leadership. There are two distinct paths that you could take if you decide to make this leap from traditional to sustainable products and services.
1. Recognize the sustainability attributes inherent within current products and services.
Many companies do not see the sustainable attributes of their products. This is often due to being too close to those goods or having an outdated perspective. Once a company looks at its own products with an eye for where the environmental and social benefits are, it's often surprised at what it finds.
The Davey Tree Expert Co., a professional tree care and landscaping company (and a BrownFlynn client), is early in its sustainability journey and has been focused on operational efficiencies. Initially, Davey was hesitant to promote its products and services as sustainable -- even though a large part of its business is based on the preservation of trees and vegetation - because it was afraid of greenwashing. The best way to ensure environmental claims are trustworthy is to use research and analysis like a lifecycle assessment (LCA) to back it up.
A number of companies out there are highlighting the sustainable attributes of current products. A great example is Salesforce, which came out with its first sustainability report earlier this year, proclaiming that its cloud computing platform produced less carbon than a traditional client server IT environment by 95 percent. Salesforce's aim here is to show customers that using its platform will help them reduce energy consumption and achieve sustainability goals.
2. Redesigning with sustainability in mind
Redesigning products using sustainability as a lens for development is evident of true leadership in this space. Nike's Considered Design initiative enabled the company to recycle 82 million plastic bottles into high-performance sportswear and increase the use of environmentally preferred materials by 20 percent. The initiative resulted in additional operational efficiency success such as reducing waste by 19 percent in its footwear business, and achieving a 95 percent reduction in volatile compounds. These activities have never been seen before in the footwear category, showing how sustainability is a tool for innovation and differentiation in the marketplace.
Making the decision to move from traditional products and services to thinking and designing in a more sustainable way will help companies secure a place in the market for years to come. A sustainable product strategy boosts reputation and credibility amongst peers and customers. It opens up doors for new customers and opportunities not yet realized. To become a truly sustainable enterprise, offering a sustainable product or service is the final evolution.
Sara Kennedy is an analyst with BrownFlynn, working on sustainability strategies that drive business value.
Monday, May 4, 2015
No One Is Born a Leader: Grow It Until You Own It
No one is born a leader. But everyone of us had to be a follower. As a child we were dependent on the adults who raised, taught, and coached us. AND we had to follow what they said.
So following comes naturally to us even as adults. But leading has to be learned.
Sure, there are some who are “natural born leaders.” Growing up they may have had great role models. They might have had insight and self-awareness that they were brighter, stronger, and wiser than their schoolmates so they headed in the direction of being a leader. They could have determined that they never wanted to end up like their father, mother, or both of them and set about learning how to function in the world in ways the parents never could. There are all sorts of scenarios that bring people into leadership. But no matter what it is, leadership has to be learned.
So the best way to think about developing and growing your own leadership skills, wisdom, and presence is to “Grow It Until You Own It.”
This is very different from “fake it til you make it” which suggests that you can’t actually do what you are setting about to do so you have to “fake it.” Rather than faking it, I’m recommending that you sincerely assess your strengths as a potential or actual leader and then focus on growing those strengths until you can own them in full self-acceptance and with external validation. You are a “learner” not a “fake.”
Management Examples:
*** Public Speaking Skills
You already know how to speak. And you’ve spoken in public since you had to give a book report in front of your 4th grade class. And of course you’ve had numerous other occasions where you had to speak in public. NOW as a manager who wants to grow your leadership skills, you can GROW your ability to Connect, Inspire, and Motivate your team by growing your speaking ability.
To Connect Better - Practice sincerely looking at various members of your team when you lead your daily stand-ups or whatever regular meetings you run. It’s called eye-contact, but you can look at someone and see right through them. I’m talking about increasingly connecting with people, sincerely wanting their attention and focus, and opening to GROW by giving yourself more and more to this powerful leadership experience.
To Provide Inspiration - In order to inspire your team, you have to sincerely feel inspired yourself. Is that what you bring to your work? Or are you going through the motions hoping no one notices? If it’s the latter, then you first have to GROW your dedication to becoming a more effective leader. It won’t happen over night, but you can grow it rather than cheat yourself from a larger workplace role. Once your are sincerely open to growing your leadership you can identify and then GROW your care for what you and your team are doing. Only then can you find the emotional juice needed to inspire your team. When they see that you truly care about what everyone is doing, and you care about them achieving a winning outcome, then you can continually grow your ability to inspire them to ever greater excellence and meeting deadlines.
To Motivate - Only when your team members know you truly care about them and their professional development can you motivate them to excel. As a manager you may think you need to keep your emotional distance, to be objective when relating to your reports and their reports. Nothing could be further from the truth from the perspective of the people who work for you. They don’t want to be intimidated by you. They don’t want to feel their career is in jeopardy. Instead they want to know that you are sincerely motivated to help them and in doing so you automatically GROW your ability to motivate your team.
So “Grow It Until You Own It” and can then stand firmly centered in your managerial skills!
.
What has been your experience of growing your professional skills and identity?
Judith Sherven, PhD and her husband Jim Sniechowski, PhD http://JudithandJim.com have developed a penetrating perspective on people’s resistance to success, which they call The Fear of Being Fabuloustm. Recognizing the power of unconscious programming to always outweigh conscious desires, they assert that no one is ever failing—they are always succeeding. The question is, at what? To learn about how this played out in the life of Whitney Houston for example, and how it may be playing out in your own life, check out their 6th book: http://WhatReally KilledWhitneyHouston.com
Currently consultants on retainer to LinkedIn providing transformational executive coaching, leadership training and consulting as well as working with other corporate and private clients around the world, they continually prove that when unconscious beliefs are brought to the surface, the barriers to greater success and leadership presence begin to fade away. You can learn about their core program “Overcoming the Fear of Being Fabulous” by going to
http://OvercomingtheFearofBeingFabulous.com
Their 7th book, short and to the point, “25 Power Speaking Tips That Will Leave Your Audiences Wanting More,” is available in kindle at: http://tinyurl.com/25PWRSPKGTips
And if you are involved in marketing, you may be interested in their 5th book “Love Your Customers and They Will Love You Back” http://tinyurl.com/lovecustomersbk
Judith Sherven, PhD
Thursday, February 26, 2015
“How do you see me as a leader?” (. . .or, as a colleague, friend, parent?)
We take for granted that the people who work for us or with us understand and respect what we stand for— that they appreciate our values and approach to work. The same goes in our personal lives, with regard to our family members and friends. But do they know who we really are? How do we know? You can create a truly intimate and inspired conversation by asking this question. You may learn something unexpected.
When to use the question
- Any time you want to know how others perceive your leadership.
- To discover if those closest to you— family, friends, colleagues— understand who you are and what you stand for.
- To shake people up who are on the fence about your intentions.
Alternative versions of the
question
- “What do you think I stand for?”
- “If you were to summarize the principles or values I exemplify, what would some of them be?”
Follow-up
questions
- “What have I done that has really reinforced that?”
- “What else could I do to better communicate and be a role model for these things?”
- “Why do you think that?”
Sobel, Andrew; Panas, Jerold (2012-01-05). Power Questions:
Build Relationships, Win New Business, and Influence Others (p. 108). Wiley.
Kindle Edition.
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Why product strategy is key to innovation and new markets
Want to be a leader in sustainability? Start focusing on your product or service.
You're in business because your product or service delivers what your
customers need. And a sustainable product strategy gives your customers
the opportunity to reduce their impact through the purchase and use of
sustainable products. That said, making the transition away from
traditional products takes patience, perseverance and organizational
buy-in.
Perhaps your organization's corporate sustainability evolution began with reporting and tracking metrics such as safety incidents or environmental violations. From there, you saw opportunities to drive operational efficiency and cut costs through initiatives like reducing fuel consumption by switching to electric or hybrid vehicles. A sustainable product strategy is a logical next step in the organizational evolution of corporate sustainability programs and has the potential to provide a huge upside.
A recent survey found that 32 percent of CFOs anticipate that over the next few years, about five percent of annual revenue growth will come from products and services that reduce environmental and social impacts. For instance, Dow Chemical's investment in sustainable product development to help customers address environmental challenges is projected to be a $350 billion market opportunity. While companies might see entering this market as a risk, we see it as an area of opportunity that is not as difficult as some might think.
For example, ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas (TKE) understands that its industry is full of products that require regular maintenance and updating to keep riders safe and comply with regulations. The constant use of its products causes significant wear and tear. Therefore, TKE developed a suite of products called Modernization that allow building owners to choose the parts they need to repair their existing elevators without purchasing an entirely new elevator.
Furthermore, these Modernization products are more efficient, reliable and durable, so they can extend the elevator's life over a longer period of time with less maintenance. TKE has also developed a line of sustainable products that lowers energy costs, reduces power consumption by eliminating the use of a motor generator, and captures and reuses energy through advanced regenerative drive technology. Again, these products extend the elevator's life but they also reduce travel time for riders, reduce noise inside the cab and increase the overall ride quality.
Making a leap from operational efficiencies to sustainable product design requires a change in the way you view your company's products and services. It is an opportunity to see what you already do in a new light but also see the potential for further innovation and leadership. There are two distinct paths that you could take if you decide to make this leap from traditional to sustainable products and services.
1. Recognize the sustainability attributes inherent within current products and services.
Many companies do not see the sustainable attributes of their products. This is often due to being too close to those goods or having an outdated perspective. Once a company looks at its own products with an eye for where the environmental and social benefits are, it's often surprised at what it finds.
The Davey Tree Expert Co., a professional tree care and landscaping company (and a BrownFlynn client), is early in its sustainability journey and has been focused on operational efficiencies. Initially, Davey was hesitant to promote its products and services as sustainable -- even though a large part of its business is based on the preservation of trees and vegetation - because it was afraid of greenwashing. The best way to ensure environmental claims are trustworthy is to use research and analysis like a lifecycle assessment (LCA) to back it up.
A number of companies out there are highlighting the sustainable attributes of current products. A great example is Salesforce, which came out with its first sustainability report earlier this year, proclaiming that its cloud computing platform produced less carbon than a traditional client server IT environment by 95 percent. Salesforce's aim here is to show customers that using its platform will help them reduce energy consumption and achieve sustainability goals.
2. Redesigning with sustainability in mind
Redesigning products using sustainability as a lens for development is evident of true leadership in this space. Nike's Considered Design initiative enabled the company to recycle 82 million plastic bottles into high-performance sportswear and increase the use of environmentally preferred materials by 20 percent. The initiative resulted in additional operational efficiency success such as reducing waste by 19 percent in its footwear business, and achieving a 95 percent reduction in volatile compounds. These activities have never been seen before in the footwear category, showing how sustainability is a tool for innovation and differentiation in the marketplace.
Making the decision to move from traditional products and services to thinking and designing in a more sustainable way will help companies secure a place in the market for years to come. A sustainable product strategy boosts reputation and credibility amongst peers and customers. It opens up doors for new customers and opportunities not yet realized. To become a truly sustainable enterprise, offering a sustainable product or service is the final evolution.
Perhaps your organization's corporate sustainability evolution began with reporting and tracking metrics such as safety incidents or environmental violations. From there, you saw opportunities to drive operational efficiency and cut costs through initiatives like reducing fuel consumption by switching to electric or hybrid vehicles. A sustainable product strategy is a logical next step in the organizational evolution of corporate sustainability programs and has the potential to provide a huge upside.
A recent survey found that 32 percent of CFOs anticipate that over the next few years, about five percent of annual revenue growth will come from products and services that reduce environmental and social impacts. For instance, Dow Chemical's investment in sustainable product development to help customers address environmental challenges is projected to be a $350 billion market opportunity. While companies might see entering this market as a risk, we see it as an area of opportunity that is not as difficult as some might think.
For example, ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas (TKE) understands that its industry is full of products that require regular maintenance and updating to keep riders safe and comply with regulations. The constant use of its products causes significant wear and tear. Therefore, TKE developed a suite of products called Modernization that allow building owners to choose the parts they need to repair their existing elevators without purchasing an entirely new elevator.
Furthermore, these Modernization products are more efficient, reliable and durable, so they can extend the elevator's life over a longer period of time with less maintenance. TKE has also developed a line of sustainable products that lowers energy costs, reduces power consumption by eliminating the use of a motor generator, and captures and reuses energy through advanced regenerative drive technology. Again, these products extend the elevator's life but they also reduce travel time for riders, reduce noise inside the cab and increase the overall ride quality.
Making a leap from operational efficiencies to sustainable product design requires a change in the way you view your company's products and services. It is an opportunity to see what you already do in a new light but also see the potential for further innovation and leadership. There are two distinct paths that you could take if you decide to make this leap from traditional to sustainable products and services.
1. Recognize the sustainability attributes inherent within current products and services.
Many companies do not see the sustainable attributes of their products. This is often due to being too close to those goods or having an outdated perspective. Once a company looks at its own products with an eye for where the environmental and social benefits are, it's often surprised at what it finds.
The Davey Tree Expert Co., a professional tree care and landscaping company (and a BrownFlynn client), is early in its sustainability journey and has been focused on operational efficiencies. Initially, Davey was hesitant to promote its products and services as sustainable -- even though a large part of its business is based on the preservation of trees and vegetation - because it was afraid of greenwashing. The best way to ensure environmental claims are trustworthy is to use research and analysis like a lifecycle assessment (LCA) to back it up.
A number of companies out there are highlighting the sustainable attributes of current products. A great example is Salesforce, which came out with its first sustainability report earlier this year, proclaiming that its cloud computing platform produced less carbon than a traditional client server IT environment by 95 percent. Salesforce's aim here is to show customers that using its platform will help them reduce energy consumption and achieve sustainability goals.
2. Redesigning with sustainability in mind
Redesigning products using sustainability as a lens for development is evident of true leadership in this space. Nike's Considered Design initiative enabled the company to recycle 82 million plastic bottles into high-performance sportswear and increase the use of environmentally preferred materials by 20 percent. The initiative resulted in additional operational efficiency success such as reducing waste by 19 percent in its footwear business, and achieving a 95 percent reduction in volatile compounds. These activities have never been seen before in the footwear category, showing how sustainability is a tool for innovation and differentiation in the marketplace.
Making the decision to move from traditional products and services to thinking and designing in a more sustainable way will help companies secure a place in the market for years to come. A sustainable product strategy boosts reputation and credibility amongst peers and customers. It opens up doors for new customers and opportunities not yet realized. To become a truly sustainable enterprise, offering a sustainable product or service is the final evolution.
Marissa Beechuck is an associate consultant and marketing manager
for BrownFlynn, serving clients in a number of industries while
managing the firm’s brand and social media presence.
Monday, April 14, 2014
Traits of a Motivated Leader
If there is one trait that virtually all effective leaders have, it is motivation – a variety of self-management whereby we mobilize our positive emotions to drive us toward our goals. Motivated leaders are driven to achieve beyond expectations – their own and everyone else’s. The key word here is achieve.
Plenty of people are motivated by external factors, such as a big salary or the status that comes from having an impressive title or being part of a prestigious company. By contrast, those with leadership potential are motivated by a deeply embedded desire to achieve for the sake of achievement.
If you are looking for leaders, how can you identify people who are motivated by the drive to achieve rather than by external rewards?
The first sign is a passion for the work itself. Such people seek out creative challenges, love to learn, and take great pride in a job well done. They also display an unflagging energy to do things better. People with such energy often seem restless with the status quo.
They are also eager to explore new approaches to their work. A cosmetics company manager, for example, was frustrated that he had to wait two weeks to get sales results from people in the field. He finally tracked down an automated phone system that would remind each of his salespeople at 5 pm every day to punch in their number to show how many calls and sales they had made. The system shortened the feedback time on sales results from weeks to hours.
That story illustrates two other common traits of people who are driven to achieve: they are forever raising the performance bar, and they like to keep score.
Take the performance bar first. During performance reviews, people with high levels of motivation might ask to be “stretched” or challenged by their superiors. Of course, an employee who combines self-awareness with internal motivation will recognize her limits, but she won’t settle for objectives that seem too easy to fulfill. And it follows naturally that people who are driven to do better also want a way of tracking progress – their own, their team’s, and their company’s.
Whereas people with low achievement motivation are often fuzzy about results, those with high achievement motivation often keep score by tracking such hard measures as profitability or market share. Interestingly, people with high motivation remain optimistic even when the score is against them. In such cases, self-regulation combines with achievement motivation to overcome the frustration and depression that come after a setback or failure.
Daniel GolemanInfluencerThursday, April 10, 2014
Why product strategy is key to innovation and new markets
Want to be a leader in sustainability? Start focusing on your product or service.
You're in business because your product or service delivers what your
customers need. And a sustainable product strategy gives your customers
the opportunity to reduce their impact through the purchase and use of
sustainable products. That said, making the transition away from
traditional products takes patience, perseverance and organizational
buy-in.
Perhaps your organization's corporate sustainability evolution began with reporting and tracking metrics such as safety incidents or environmental violations. From there, you saw opportunities to drive operational efficiency and cut costs through initiatives like reducing fuel consumption by switching to electric or hybrid vehicles. A sustainable product strategy is a logical next step in the organizational evolution of corporate sustainability programs and has the potential to provide a huge upside.
A recent survey found that 32 percent of CFOs anticipate that over the next few years, about five percent of annual revenue growth will come from products and services that reduce environmental and social impacts. For instance, Dow Chemical's investment in sustainable product development to help customers address environmental challenges is projected to be a $350 billion market opportunity. While companies might see entering this market as a risk, we see it as an area of opportunity that is not as difficult as some might think.
For example, ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas (TKE) understands that its industry is full of products that require regular maintenance and updating to keep riders safe and comply with regulations. The constant use of its products causes significant wear and tear. Therefore, TKE developed a suite of products called Modernization that allow building owners to choose the parts they need to repair their existing elevators without purchasing an entirely new elevator.
Furthermore, these Modernization products are more efficient, reliable and durable, so they can extend the elevator's life over a longer period of time with less maintenance. TKE has also developed a line of sustainable products that lowers energy costs, reduces power consumption by eliminating the use of a motor generator, and captures and reuses energy through advanced regenerative drive technology. Again, these products extend the elevator's life but they also reduce travel time for riders, reduce noise inside the cab and increase the overall ride quality.
Making a leap from operational efficiencies to sustainable product design requires a change in the way you view your company's products and services. It is an opportunity to see what you already do in a new light but also see the potential for further innovation and leadership. There are two distinct paths that you could take if you decide to make this leap from traditional to sustainable products and services.
1. Recognize the sustainability attributes inherent within current products and services.
Many companies do not see the sustainable attributes of their products. This is often due to being too close to those goods or having an outdated perspective. Once a company looks at its own products with an eye for where the environmental and social benefits are, it's often surprised at what it finds.
The Davey Tree Expert Co., a professional tree care and landscaping company (and a BrownFlynn client), is early in its sustainability journey and has been focused on operational efficiencies. Initially, Davey was hesitant to promote its products and services as sustainable -- even though a large part of its business is based on the preservation of trees and vegetation - because it was afraid of greenwashing. The best way to ensure environmental claims are trustworthy is to use research and analysis like a lifecycle assessment (LCA) to back it up.
A number of companies out there are highlighting the sustainable attributes of current products. A great example is Salesforce, which came out with its first sustainability report earlier this year, proclaiming that its cloud computing platform produced less carbon than a traditional client server IT environment by 95 percent. Salesforce's aim here is to show customers that using its platform will help them reduce energy consumption and achieve sustainability goals.
2. Redesigning with sustainability in mind
Redesigning products using sustainability as a lens for development is evident of true leadership in this space. Nike's Considered Design initiative enabled the company to recycle 82 million plastic bottles into high-performance sportswear and increase the use of environmentally preferred materials by 20 percent. The initiative resulted in additional operational efficiency success such as reducing waste by 19 percent in its footwear business, and achieving a 95 percent reduction in volatile compounds. These activities have never been seen before in the footwear category, showing how sustainability is a tool for innovation and differentiation in the marketplace.
Making the decision to move from traditional products and services to thinking and designing in a more sustainable way will help companies secure a place in the market for years to come. A sustainable product strategy boosts reputation and credibility amongst peers and customers. It opens up doors for new customers and opportunities not yet realized. To become a truly sustainable enterprise, offering a sustainable product or service is the final evolution.
Perhaps your organization's corporate sustainability evolution began with reporting and tracking metrics such as safety incidents or environmental violations. From there, you saw opportunities to drive operational efficiency and cut costs through initiatives like reducing fuel consumption by switching to electric or hybrid vehicles. A sustainable product strategy is a logical next step in the organizational evolution of corporate sustainability programs and has the potential to provide a huge upside.
A recent survey found that 32 percent of CFOs anticipate that over the next few years, about five percent of annual revenue growth will come from products and services that reduce environmental and social impacts. For instance, Dow Chemical's investment in sustainable product development to help customers address environmental challenges is projected to be a $350 billion market opportunity. While companies might see entering this market as a risk, we see it as an area of opportunity that is not as difficult as some might think.
For example, ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas (TKE) understands that its industry is full of products that require regular maintenance and updating to keep riders safe and comply with regulations. The constant use of its products causes significant wear and tear. Therefore, TKE developed a suite of products called Modernization that allow building owners to choose the parts they need to repair their existing elevators without purchasing an entirely new elevator.
Furthermore, these Modernization products are more efficient, reliable and durable, so they can extend the elevator's life over a longer period of time with less maintenance. TKE has also developed a line of sustainable products that lowers energy costs, reduces power consumption by eliminating the use of a motor generator, and captures and reuses energy through advanced regenerative drive technology. Again, these products extend the elevator's life but they also reduce travel time for riders, reduce noise inside the cab and increase the overall ride quality.
Making a leap from operational efficiencies to sustainable product design requires a change in the way you view your company's products and services. It is an opportunity to see what you already do in a new light but also see the potential for further innovation and leadership. There are two distinct paths that you could take if you decide to make this leap from traditional to sustainable products and services.
1. Recognize the sustainability attributes inherent within current products and services.
Many companies do not see the sustainable attributes of their products. This is often due to being too close to those goods or having an outdated perspective. Once a company looks at its own products with an eye for where the environmental and social benefits are, it's often surprised at what it finds.
The Davey Tree Expert Co., a professional tree care and landscaping company (and a BrownFlynn client), is early in its sustainability journey and has been focused on operational efficiencies. Initially, Davey was hesitant to promote its products and services as sustainable -- even though a large part of its business is based on the preservation of trees and vegetation - because it was afraid of greenwashing. The best way to ensure environmental claims are trustworthy is to use research and analysis like a lifecycle assessment (LCA) to back it up.
A number of companies out there are highlighting the sustainable attributes of current products. A great example is Salesforce, which came out with its first sustainability report earlier this year, proclaiming that its cloud computing platform produced less carbon than a traditional client server IT environment by 95 percent. Salesforce's aim here is to show customers that using its platform will help them reduce energy consumption and achieve sustainability goals.
2. Redesigning with sustainability in mind
Redesigning products using sustainability as a lens for development is evident of true leadership in this space. Nike's Considered Design initiative enabled the company to recycle 82 million plastic bottles into high-performance sportswear and increase the use of environmentally preferred materials by 20 percent. The initiative resulted in additional operational efficiency success such as reducing waste by 19 percent in its footwear business, and achieving a 95 percent reduction in volatile compounds. These activities have never been seen before in the footwear category, showing how sustainability is a tool for innovation and differentiation in the marketplace.
Making the decision to move from traditional products and services to thinking and designing in a more sustainable way will help companies secure a place in the market for years to come. A sustainable product strategy boosts reputation and credibility amongst peers and customers. It opens up doors for new customers and opportunities not yet realized. To become a truly sustainable enterprise, offering a sustainable product or service is the final evolution.
Marissa Beechuck is an associate consultant and marketing manager
for BrownFlynn, serving clients in a number of industries while
managing the firm’s brand and social media presence.Monday, February 3, 2014
Good Employees Make Mistakes. Great Leaders Allow Them To.
As a business leader, I found that one of the scariest things
to do was to give your people the freedom to make mistakes. While
mistakes allow individuals to learn and grow, they can also be very
costly to any company. Scared as I was, I knew that truly great leaders
found ways to allow their people to take these risks, and I genuinely
wanted to be a great leader. I wanted to help my employees to grow. So I
set out to discover how to accomplish this without placing my company
in jeopardy.
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.” - Meg Cabot
I quickly discovered that the first step was to determine the areas of the business where a mistake could take place without causing too much damage. I took careful attention to make sure that any areas where we would damage our clients and the trust they had placed in us were off limits for significant risk without serious executive involvement and oversight. I identified other areas where I could feel more comfortable allowing people the freedom to experiment on new and better ways of doing things.
The second step was to communicate to the employees that we were setting an official company policy: Making any mistake once was OK, so long as it was an honest mistake made while attempting to do what they felt was the right thing. Making any mistake once was OK, but repeating that same mistake a second time was NOT OK. The hard, fast rule was that if you made any mistake for the first time the entire team would have your back in fixing that mistake if anything went wrong. However, if you ever repeated the mistake a second time, then you were 100 percent on your own to face the consequences. This rule applied for every first-time occurrence of each new mistake you made.
We all make mistakes. Every one of us. If we aren’t making mistakes, then we likely aren’t trying enough new things outside our comfort zone, and that itself is a mistake. That process is the best way to learn and grow as a person. As John Wooden once said, “If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything.” Mistakes are the pathway to great ideas and innovation. Mistakes are the stepping stones to moving outside the comfort zone to the growing zone where new discoveries are made and great lessons are learned.
Mistakes are not failures, they are simply the process of eliminating ways that won’t work in order to come closer to the ways that will.
Great leaders allow their people the freedom to make mistakes. But good employees are those who when mistakes are made 1. Learn from them, 2. Own them, 3. Fix them, and 4. Put safeguards in place to ensure the same mistake will never be repeated again.
1. Learn from them: Good employees recognize that they have, in fact, made an honest mistake. They do not get defensive about it, rather they are willing to look objectively at their mistake, recognize what they did wrong, and understand why their choice or actions were the wrong thing to do.
2. Own them: Good employees take accountability for their mistakes. They admit them readily. They don’t make excuses for their mistake, rather they acknowledge that yes, they made a mistake and they express openly what lesson they have learned from that mistake. They go on to express steps 3 and 4 below.
3. Fix them: Good employees do what it takes to rectify their wrongs. They are willing to do whatever they can to fix the problem and make it right. Certainly there are times when the damage is done and recompense cannot be made, but good employees do their very best to repair whatever damage has been done to the best of their ability. They always establish a timeline with follow up for when the problem will be fixed and make sure that progress is communicated throughout the process so everyone feels the urgency and care with which they are correcting the problem.
4. Put safeguards in place to ensure the same mistake will never be repeated again: This is the most critical step in the learning process. When a mistake has clearly been made, the most important thing anyone can do is figure out what safety nets and roadblocks can be carefully established to ensure that this same mistake will never take place again. Document this step so the lessons learned and the safeguards setup can always go beyond you. Do everything in your power to help others learn from your mistake so they don’t have to experience them on their own to gain the lesson you’ve learned.
The steps to correcting mistakes apply to any area of life. Whether it’s business life or home life or personal life, the principles of apologizing remain the same. Good employees make a lot of mistakes, and truly great employees are those have mastered the art of apologizing for those mistakes:
Great People Practice The Six A’s of a Proper Apology:
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.” - Meg Cabot
I quickly discovered that the first step was to determine the areas of the business where a mistake could take place without causing too much damage. I took careful attention to make sure that any areas where we would damage our clients and the trust they had placed in us were off limits for significant risk without serious executive involvement and oversight. I identified other areas where I could feel more comfortable allowing people the freedom to experiment on new and better ways of doing things.
The second step was to communicate to the employees that we were setting an official company policy: Making any mistake once was OK, so long as it was an honest mistake made while attempting to do what they felt was the right thing. Making any mistake once was OK, but repeating that same mistake a second time was NOT OK. The hard, fast rule was that if you made any mistake for the first time the entire team would have your back in fixing that mistake if anything went wrong. However, if you ever repeated the mistake a second time, then you were 100 percent on your own to face the consequences. This rule applied for every first-time occurrence of each new mistake you made.
We all make mistakes. Every one of us. If we aren’t making mistakes, then we likely aren’t trying enough new things outside our comfort zone, and that itself is a mistake. That process is the best way to learn and grow as a person. As John Wooden once said, “If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything.” Mistakes are the pathway to great ideas and innovation. Mistakes are the stepping stones to moving outside the comfort zone to the growing zone where new discoveries are made and great lessons are learned.
Mistakes are not failures, they are simply the process of eliminating ways that won’t work in order to come closer to the ways that will.
Great leaders allow their people the freedom to make mistakes. But good employees are those who when mistakes are made 1. Learn from them, 2. Own them, 3. Fix them, and 4. Put safeguards in place to ensure the same mistake will never be repeated again.
1. Learn from them: Good employees recognize that they have, in fact, made an honest mistake. They do not get defensive about it, rather they are willing to look objectively at their mistake, recognize what they did wrong, and understand why their choice or actions were the wrong thing to do.
2. Own them: Good employees take accountability for their mistakes. They admit them readily. They don’t make excuses for their mistake, rather they acknowledge that yes, they made a mistake and they express openly what lesson they have learned from that mistake. They go on to express steps 3 and 4 below.
3. Fix them: Good employees do what it takes to rectify their wrongs. They are willing to do whatever they can to fix the problem and make it right. Certainly there are times when the damage is done and recompense cannot be made, but good employees do their very best to repair whatever damage has been done to the best of their ability. They always establish a timeline with follow up for when the problem will be fixed and make sure that progress is communicated throughout the process so everyone feels the urgency and care with which they are correcting the problem.
4. Put safeguards in place to ensure the same mistake will never be repeated again: This is the most critical step in the learning process. When a mistake has clearly been made, the most important thing anyone can do is figure out what safety nets and roadblocks can be carefully established to ensure that this same mistake will never take place again. Document this step so the lessons learned and the safeguards setup can always go beyond you. Do everything in your power to help others learn from your mistake so they don’t have to experience them on their own to gain the lesson you’ve learned.
The steps to correcting mistakes apply to any area of life. Whether it’s business life or home life or personal life, the principles of apologizing remain the same. Good employees make a lot of mistakes, and truly great employees are those have mastered the art of apologizing for those mistakes:
Great People Practice The Six A’s of a Proper Apology:
- Admit - I made a mistake.
- Apologize - I am sorry for making the mistake.
- Acknowledge - I recognize where I went wrong that caused my mistake to occur.
- Attest - I plan to do the following to fix the mistake on this specific timeline.
- Assure - I will put the following protections in place to ensure that I do not make the same mistake again.
- Abstain – Never repeat that same mistake twice.
Amy Rees Anderson, Contributor
Monday, January 27, 2014
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