Be Bold – Be Unique: Debbie Storey, the Servant Leader

I’d like to highlight my colleague Debbie Storey. Debbie is senior vice president talent development and chief diversity officer at AT&T. Debbie leads AT&T’s efforts to foster an inclusive workforce and develop diverse talent. She also participated in our Texas Women in Business segment, airing on WBAP/KLIF radio in Dallas, Texas. I work with many leaders at AT&T, and Debbie’s name comes up frequently in conversations as someone they look up to as a role model. She is one of the few leaders you will meet who truly invests in others. She wholeheartedly believes in the power of coaching and developing others, and makes herself accessible to do so. In Debbie’s world, there is no hierarchy. She treats each person with respect, takes a genuine interest in them, and offers support.  Her leadership style is truly a differentiator and has notable business impact. I have seen how it fosters greater commitment, loyalty, and results.

During her Texas Women in Business interview, Debbie shared some insights into her career and strategies that have helped her gain success.

Q. What has contributed to success in your career?

A:  I wanted to be a leader from an early age but never wanted others to follow me because of my position. Rather, I wanted them to follow because they were inspired to achieve a vision. I have always cared most about helping people grow, achieve, and succeed. I focus on creating a vision, connecting them to that vision, and then coaching them to do their part to achieve it.  That means challenging them to innovate, take risks, and celebrating big and small contributions and successes.

I also believe that I am not the smartest person in the room. In other words, that I alone don’t hold the answers. The higher you go in an organization, the more you have the opportunity to move into new roles or unfamiliar territory and the less you have to rely on others around you for answers.  The best leaders don’t necessarily have the best answers, but are highly skilled at knowing the right one when they see it. I am not focused on executing my own mission, but on serving those I am leading (whose care I am charged with) and truly listening.

Q. In your opinion, how does the future look for women leaders in business?

A: Women are more educated than ever before, studies show that women excel at the skills considered essential for top leadership, women enter the workforce with as much ambition as men, and companies with more women at the top and on boards outperform in terms of business and financial performance. The data is irrefutable – women are good for business.

There are more conversations taking place – in the media, the board room, and at the highest levels. So, there is more awareness and focus, which will ultimately lead to more opportunities. On the other hand, we are not making progress rapidly so we still have a lot of ground to cover. The bottom line is that success will not be measured by the number of women at the top, but rather when every woman has a choice about the path she wants to pursue – without artificial barriers and with abundant opportunities and resources.

Q. What advice would you give to women who are looking to make their mark in business?

A: There are four things I would advise women to do:

1. There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but few will capture your heart. Pursue those.

2. Understand the importance and power of building the right network and never hesitate to leverage that network to get feedback, advice and sponsorship

3. Make your interests and your aspirations known. You will be overlooked for opportunities if others aren’t aware of what you aspire to

4. Remember that comfort and growth cannot peacefully coexist. If you want to grow – and I think we all innately want to grow – you have to get out of your comfort zone. Your knees may shake but as you begin to step forward they will strengthen and carry you forward.

As I reflect on Debbie’s comments, I want to challenge you to think about how you will take the lessons from her career and apply them to your own life. For more strategies that you can start putting into play today, take a look at Show Up. Step Up. Step Out. Leadership Through a New Lens available on Amazon.

What's Worked for Me

Recently, I have done several radio and podcast interviews and have had many mentoring conversations. All of this has forced me to think about what I’ve learned and what’s guided me in my career. Identifying what’s worked for you is the first step toward repeating your successes, because it allows you to more deliberately put it into play. As I look back at my experiences in the corporate world, three things stand out for me. Differentiating myself. When I started my company, I underestimated the importance of truly helping others realize what I brought to the table and how those skills and experience could help them address the high priority issues in front of them. Newberry Executive Solutions has a niche focused on high performing women leaders (although we do a good amount of work with both men and women). Getting to a place where I became really clear about what differentiates me and my company has been vital.

So, before you can tell others what makes you stand out, you have to recognize it in yourself. To get started, answer these questions:

• If someone had to describe you to someone else, what three words or phrases would you want them to say?

• How has each of those three attributes affected your success and results? Identify at least one example for each.

Focusing on value. In my world, value to my corporate clients means providing them with practical, high-impact services and products that accelerate performance and results, in a high pressure work environment. For the individuals that I coach, it’s about helping them realize their potential and achieve what matters to them. This often means helping them really own and leveraging their strengths in a way they haven’t before.

What does providing value look like for you? It may be developing strong teams, or making positive change happen or shaping strategic direction. Once you’ve pinpointed how you like to provide value, what one thing can you do right now to further leverage it? Who could benefit from your skill set?

Investing in relationships. Focusing on cultivating genuine relationships with people outside of my day-to-day areas (i.e., different industries, functions, and levels) has helped me personally and professionally. Looking back to my 20s, I didn’t realize how important this would be. Those relationships helped me successfully navigate through significant career transitions every 3-4 years. And I have also had the opportunity to give back as well, by making connections, sharing information, and providing support.

Before you move on with your day, take a few minutes to think about what has worked for you – whether it was in your last meeting, on your last project, in your last role, or in your current role.  You can decide how big or small you’d like to make the scope of your question. The point is to start asking the question more often.

5 Ways to Feed Your Creativity

No matter what field you work in, creativity is a big part of being a leader. It helps with everything from bringing new products to life to guiding your team be their best. As we continue our April theme of exploring how to be unique and bold in your career, let's look at a few ways to nurture your unique creativity. Observe more

Creative people see possibilities everywhere and constantly take in information. Whether you use a notebook or a smartphone app, get in the habit of being more present. If it helps, jot down your observations. As you do this more often, you'll start noticing patterns, making new connections, and gaining more insight.

Ask the big questions

When you run into the "that's the way we've always done it" mindset, challenge yourself to take a fresh look. Where do the improvement opportunities lie in those situations?  Ask the right questions to help others look at things from a different perspective and “connect the dots” in ways they haven’t been before.

Seek new experiences

Openness can spark creative output. By pushing yourself outside your comfort zone, personally or professionally— you'll see the creative payoff in your work. Remember that this could also include challenging yourself to spend time with people with different experiences and points of view than your own.

'Fail up'

Sometimes creativity means looking for the lessons or new opportunities in an obstacle or setback. Reframing failures this way increases resilience by depersonalizing tough situations, and seeking the gems within them.

Make a linkage to internal motivators

Psychologists have shown that creative people are energized by challenging activities, a sign of intrinsic motivation. Research suggests that simply thinking of inherent reasons to perform an activity may be enough to boost creativity. In other words, think beyond the task to the value it offers or what it would mean to you if you accomplished it.

This week, take a few minutes to notice how you feed your creativity, and select one strategy to put into play more fully. Remember, small steps can lead to big results.

Be Bold – Be Unique: Lisa Amoroso, Senior Director, Diversity and Inclusion, Frito-Lay North America

During April, we continue to focus on what makes each of us unique. As part of our Texas Women in Business sponsorship on WBAP/KLIF, we asked Lisa Amoroso to share what has really helped her get traction in her career. Lisa is the senior director of diversity and inclusion for Frito-Lay North America. She joined Frito-Lay in 2003 as a supply chain manager and has continued to advance in the company. One of the things I appreciate about Lisa is her boundless energy – her spark. She brings it to every role and task. During the years that I have known her, she has always been willing to push the envelope to do the right thing, and has gotten a lot done with limited resources.  Here are a few nuggets from her interview:

Q: What has contributed to success in your career?

A: There are four key competencies that have benefited me the most in my career.

1. Agility: The ability to flex to cultures, work approaches and people’s style and to shift priorities

2. Relationships: Building a comprehensive network and leveraging it effectively

3. Execution: Being clear on the outcome and delivering it

4. Perseverance: Pushing through adversity

Q: How does the future look for women leaders in business?

A: I believe the future is brighter than ever before. Companies are more aware of how critical women are to business outcomes, so they are working on becoming more attractive to women. For example, at Frito-Lay, our leaders have engaged our associates in cultural changes that will drive a more inclusive environment where women can thrive.

Q: What advice would you give to women who are looking to make their mark in business?

A: Three things come to mind.

1.  Find the place where you can excel. Each of us has strengths and passions, so figure out what role will allow you to leverage your strengths the majority of the time. I was fortunate to find a company early in my career that allowed me to explore different roles to discover those that I am passionate about.

2.  Don’t doubt yourself.  Stop the negative inner voice and exude inner and outer confidence.

3.  Don’t sacrifice anything you believe in – especially your values and family.

Lisa has her sights clearly set, and definitely leverages her passion and energy to achieve her goals. To help you keep your passion in the forefront, check out the chapter, “Keep Your Passion Front and Center”, in my book Show Up. Step Up. Step Out.  available on Amazon.

Photo Credit: Lisa Amoroso

Are You in the Moment?

“What was I thinking when I agreed to do all this stuff?”  

My client definitely had a lot going on, and she was pouring out her stress about all of it to me. From her point of view, the perfect storm was heading her way. Besides some major projects converging at work, she was dealing with her spouse’s transition to a new job, some unanticipated travel and volunteer duties, among other things.

She couldn’t help but fast forward beyond her current worries to other challenges she feared would come up in the future. On top of that, perfectionist tendencies were in the mix. She was determined to meet her own high expectations through all of this without letting any of the many balls she had in the air drop.

My advice to her? Take a few deep breaths and focus on what is right in front of you. Staying in the present moment can help relieve the pressure. When you feel overwhelmed and your mind starts racing through the laundry list of work ahead of you, you can become paralyzed. You can lose touch with your ability to generate creative solutions or notice how others can help.   Instead you may focus on frustration, negativity, or the obstacles ahead.

By returning to the here and now, you can create the mental capacity you need to deal with what’s happening. The next time you find yourself overwhelmed by what’s on your plate, ask yourself, “What is the first step I need to take?”  A simple question like this can take help you get the ball rolling.

For some of you, that first step should be to help you relieve your stress so you can take action. In other words, you may need to get centered or grounded before you try to do anything else. Some of you may want to start directly tackling the issues at hand, so your first step could be to simply block time on your calendar to develop a plan of attack.  Once you have completed the first step, define the next. By making it manageable, you will build the momentum you need to get unstuck and start making noticeable progress.

So, the next time you find yourself worrying about the future, take a deep breath and bring yourself back to the present moment.

The Women Who Personally Inspired You

I took a moment today to reflect on the women in my personal history who have had a major impact on my career success. Many of us have known a special person who helped them achieve a goal, tackle a challenge or find the confidence needed to take a leap of faith. Whether that person was a relative, a teacher, first boss or important colleague, I encourage you to look back and remember what they did. And ask yourself how they impacted your life and whether they still inspire you today. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor recently authored a book entitled “My Beloved World,” her 2010 autobiography about growing up in the Bronx, the daughter of poor immigrant Puerto Rican parents. Justice Sotomayor shares in her book that it was important to “find someone in your life who unconditionally loves you.”  Her grandmother was that person for her.

In my own life, my mother has been that person. She instilled in me the belief that I can do anything, an unwavering sense of confidence that if I work hard I will succeed. As a child, I completely underestimated the importance of this. But, as a parent and adult – and someone who coaches high performers – I realize how much difference this can make in a person’s ability to forge ahead into the unknown, take a risk, and pursue their passion.  I often see unbelievably talented individuals doubting themselves and holding back from taking steps towards the lives that they really want.  Trust me, I still have moments of doubt but I can also still hear my mother’s words of encouragement.  And those words ultimately overpower any hesitation or fear I might feel.

My mother’s gift is one for which I will forever be grateful. What special gift has someone given you? Take a few minutes today to think about it, and then acknowledge her with gratitude.

Photo Credit: Sonia Sotomayor

Focus on What Gives You Energy – Donna Epps, Partner at Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP

As part of our Texas Women in Business sponsorship on WBAP/KLIF, we asked Donna Epps to share her insights.  Donna is a partner in the Deloitte Forensic practice of Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP, the national leader of the Anti-Fraud Consulting group, and Co-Leader of Deloitte’s Governance, Risk and Compliance practice.

When it comes to navigating a complex and dynamic business world, Donna understands the importance of focus and energy.  During her more than 26 years in public accounting and professional services, she has audited public and private companies, and has led examinations of regulatory compliance at the state and federal level for certain communications companies. She has worked with the management of multinational public companies in complex, multiyear restatements of financial statements. She has also provided merger and acquisition-related services, and dispute services, particularly in the areas of purchase price and other accounting-related disputes. Donna also assists clients in corporate investigations, with a focus on SEC and accounting-related matters.

In her current role, Donna focuses on helping companies develop and implement proactive enterprise risk and compliance programs. With a focus on value protection and creation, these programs incorporate strategic, operational, compliance and financial risk.

Donna shared her thoughts on success and the future of women in business. I hope these comments resonate with you as well.

Q. What has contributed to your successful career?

I have been lucky to have several mentors and sponsors throughout my career who have provided guidance and support. Throughout my various roles, these people have greatly contributed to any success I’ve had so far. Don’t underestimate the importance of having the right people in your corner to help you.

Q.  What advice would you give to women who are looking to make their mark in business? 

Women should focus on the things that give them energy and make them want to get to work every day.  Knowing that some of these areas may not play to her strengths, she should build her team to complement her skills and experience.  She should also consider working for organizations that will invest in her development, providing strong training programs throughout her career.  Finally, women need support, in their personal and professional environments, to bring the right balance as needed. This will help them maintain energy over time.

Q. How does the future look for women leaders?

The outlook for women in business is strong, with many current opportunities for women. Keep your focus, find energy every day and seek out firms that are invested in your future.

To learn more about how to give yourself an energy boost, read the chapter in my book Show Up. Step Up. Step Out. entitled How Well Do You Manage Your Energy available on Amazon.

The Balancing Act Between Teaching and Solving

Has this ever happened to you? One of your team members comes to you to talk about how to deal with an issue. But by the end of the conversation, you find that somehow the issue has become yours to solve. In a situation like this, you’re typically faced with balancing the need to solve the problem quickly and using it as an opportunity to build your team member’s capabilities.

When leaders feel significant time pressure or stress, they may intervene in their team’s problems more often than they should. What typically happens to you? When someone approaches you with an issue, how often do you dive right in and take action? How often do you start by asking questions to help the team member resolve the issue himself?

If your inclination is to jump into problem-solving mode, consider asking your team member the following questions first:

• “What’s most important to you about the issue?”

• “What problem are you really trying to solve?”

• “What have you tried already, and what did you learn from that?”

• “What would you like me to do in this situation?”

That last one is especially important: Get to the heart of what someone is truly asking before taking action. Does your team member just need you to listen, does she need your help brainstorming or would she like you to remove an obstacle to her progress? Don’t make assumptions.

Finally, pay attention to who owns implementation of the solution before you have finished the conversation. In some instances, you may want to take over due to the nature of the issue and sensitivity of the situation. However, challenge yourself to consider how you can help the individual be successful in resolving it himself or with the support of others.

This week, notice how you respond when your team approaches you with problems. Pay attention to your patterns and look for ways to guide your team to resolve more on their own. By keeping your priorities and your team’s development front and center, you will accomplish far more in the long run – by building a stronger team and strategically focusing your energy and effort.

Leaving Your Mark and Saluting Women Who Paved the Way

During Women’s History month, we are honoring women who made a difference. Below are stories of 10 women whom some would call the “mothers” of American business. Remarkable women who shaped our country’s business history beginning as early as the 1700s. Eliza Lucas Pinckney, 1722-1793 Charleston, SC Business: Agriculture

At 16 years old, Eliza Lucas Pinckney unintentionally became a businesswoman. After the death of her mother, Eliza ran her family’s three South Carolina plantations and cared for her younger siblings while her father, a British military officer, was stationed in the Caribbean. Her father sent a few indigo seeds from Antiqua and she planted them as an experiment.  Because of Eliza’s experiment and burgeoning business prowess, indigo became the second-largest crop in the state — South Carolina exported 134,000 pounds of indigo in 1748 — until the rise of cotton.

Mary Katherine Goddard, 1738-1816 Baltimore, MD Business: Journalism/Publishing

Mary Katherine Goddard got her start in publishing by working at her brother’s print shop in Rhode Island. She advanced quickly, publishing the weekly Providence Gazette,  followed by a stint in Philadelphia publishing the Pennsylvania Chronicle. In 1774, her brother’s printing business took her to yet another city –Baltimore – where she ran Baltimore’s first newspaper, The Maryland Journal. She was responsible for the first printed copy of the Declaration of Independence, and was the only printer in the city during the Revolutionary War.

Rebecca Pennock Lukens, 1794-1854 Brandywine Valley, PA Business: Iron and Steel

In 1825, the widow Rebecca Pennock Lukens was pregnant with her sixth child when she purchased the remaining interest in her late father’s struggling business, Brandywine Iron & Nail. Less than 10 years later, it was thriving under her leadership. Lukens successfully steered her company through the national financial crisis known as the “Panic of 1837.” More than 30 years after her death, Brandywine Iron & Nail became the publicly traded Lukens Iron & Steel, until it was purchased by Bethlehem Steel in 1998. In 1994, Fortune posthumously crowned Lukens “America’s first female CEO of an industrial company” and named her to the National Business Hall of Fame.

Bridget ‘Biddy’ Mason, 1818-1891 Los Angeles, CA Business: Real Estate

Born into slavery in Mississippi, Biddy Mason grew up to be a successful real estate developer and human-rights champion. A decade after winning freedom for herself and her three daughters, Biddy became one of the first black women to own land when she purchased commercial property in what is now the heart of downtown Los Angeles for $250. She turned her initial investment into a small real estate empire worth about $300,000 in 1884.

Jane Addams, 1860-1935 Chicago, IL Business: Nonprofits

Jane Addams founded Hull House, the first settlement house in the US as an educational and cultural community for immigrant women. This effort, along with other philanthropic efforts and social activism, earned her (along with Nicholas Murray Butler) a Nobel Peace Prize in 1931.

Catherine Anselm ‘Kate’ Gleason, 1865-1933 Rochester, NY Business: Engineering/Banking/Construction

At the age of 11, Kate Gleason began working for her father at the family machine-tool company Gleason Works. She coupled her interest in mechanical engineering and mechanical arts and helped design a revolutionary machine that efficiently and inexpensively produced beveled gears. She continued with the company for many years, expanding Gleason’s services internationally. Gleason temporarily became the first female president of the First National Bank of Rochester when its president joined the military during World War I. After the war, she invented a new method of pouring concrete, enabling low-cost concrete houses which became the model for suburban developments.

Elizabeth Arden, 1884-1966 New York, NY Business: Cosmetics

Florence Nightingale Graham changed her name, and the future of beauty. She started as a shop assistant, then a partner in a beauty salon before opening her first salon in 1909 under the name Elizabeth Arden.  Arden delved into chemistry, designing, developing and manufacturing her own beauty products. In 1914 she incorporated and expanded internationally with a salon opening in France in 1922. There are now Elizabeth Arden Red Door spas throughout the U.S., Europe, Australia and South America.

Mary Kay Ash, 1918-2001 Hot Wells, TX Business: Cosmetics/Direct Sales

Following a few rocky positions, and a failed advice book, Mary Kay Ash developed a business plan that then morphed into Mary Kay Cosmetics. At the age of 63, with $5,000 in seed money and the help of her son Richard, Ash started her new business with the intent to empower women and make their lives more beautiful. Her direct-sales cosmetics company grew into a multimillion-dollar conglomerate with nearly 2 million independent beauty consultants across the globe.

Katharine Meyer Graham, 1917-2001 Washington, D.C. Business: Mass Media

Katharine Meyer Graham’s involvement with The Washington Post has had many twists and turns.  In 1933, her multimillionaire father purchased The Washington Post at a bankruptcy auction. Graham began working for the Post in the late 1930s and married Philip Graham in 1940. When her father died, he bequeathed the Post to his son-in-law Phillip. But Phillip was plagued with personal problems and committed suicide in 1963. Graham gained leadership and chaired the board of directors from 1973 through 1991. Under her leadership, the Post received a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for its coverage of Watergate.

Juanita Morris Kreps, 1921-2010 Durham, NC Business: Economics

Growing up during the Depression, Juanita Morris Kreps advocated for flexible work schedules, public preschools and equal pay. She was the first woman U.S. Secretary of Commerce — only the fourth woman in history to hold a Cabinet position.  Krebs served as a director at the New York Stock Exchange, Eastman Kodak and J.C. Penney. Combining her business expertise and passion for the advancement of professional women, Krebs wrote the influential 1971 book, Sex in the Marketplace: American Women at Work, as well as a study called Sex, Age, and Work: The Changing Composition of the Labor Force.

After reading about these amazing women, how will you leave your mark? Check out the chapter Keeping Your Passion Front and Center in my book, Show Up. Step Up. Step Out., for practical strategies to help you get the results you want. http://amzn.to/1f9Gqu7

Leave Your Fingerprints – Advice from Nancy Loewe, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Kimberly-Clark Corp.

Newberry Executive Solutions is sponsoring the Texas Women in Business segment, airing on WBAP/KLIF radio in Dallas, Texas.  I asked my colleague Nancy Loewe, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for Kimberly-Clark Corp., to participate in the radio segment and she readily agreed.

Nancy leads the development and monitoring of the company's strategic plans and processes to enhance the company’s growth initiatives. In 2011, she joined Kimberly-Clark as treasurer from Frito-Lay North America where she served as chief financial officer. Nancy has more than 20 years of experience in global financial roles of increasing responsibility, including holding CFO positions at GE for consumer and industrial, plastics and healthcare before becoming corporate vice president of strategic transactions and cash.

Throughout her career, Nancy has lived in several countries and has focused on developing global talent across Europe, Asia and North America. Her strong finance, general management and strategy experience brings unique perspective to our businesses in developing new strategic priorities as we expand around the world. Clearly, Nancy has a very successful career and should be applauded for her what she has accomplished.

But just like everyone else, Nancy has had to work her way to the top. She shared some insights about her challenges as well as the future of women in business.

Q. Please tell us what you feel has contributed to your successful career?

A.   For me, the keys to success have been hard work, results and sponsorship – in that order.  I took on tough roles no one else wanted and then focused on demonstrating results within them. In some cases that meant going deep in a certain area or subject.  That ultimately led to sponsors, who I didn't even know were sponsors at the time, taking a chance on me.

Q. How did you overcome a particular challenge in your career?

A. As I changed companies, I didn't initially understand that the rules of the game had changed too.   In other words, I needed to figure out how decisions were made and who needed to be involved.  I had to observe how others got things done, and I learned the critical importance of alignment and relationships.

Q. In your opinion, how does the future look for women leaders in business?

A. The future looks fine.  There has been a generational shift in the workplace. Many men leaders may have had a mom or an aunt who worked, or sisters and wives who have careers, or even daughters already in the workplace. This raises the awareness and acceptance of women in business. It's not a coincidence that companies with more female senior leaders have better employee engagement, and companies with Boards with female directors have better financial results. Women bring valuable skills to the workplace.

Q. What advice would you give to women who are looking to make their mark in business?

A. Women I know who have made their mark always leave things better than how they found them. They're not afraid to push the envelope. So I say leave your fingerprints wherever you go. Be known for your unique skill set or the way you get things done.

Nancy offers some excellent words of wisdom. To build on her comments, check out the chapter in my book, Show Up. Step Up. Step Out., entitled Creating the Outcome You Want. It provides strategies that can help high performers with a drive for results to take it one step further.

A Little Bit of Wisdom and Inspiration

March is Women’s History Month, and a great time to draw motivation from the words of inspiring women. These 10 quotes have some real wisdom on leadership. What wisdom would you share with others?

1. A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be. — Rosalynn Carter

2. One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes...and the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility. — Eleanor Roosevelt

3. "The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any." — Alice Walker

4. I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do." — Helen Keller

5. "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." — Maya Angelou

6. An important attribute of success is to be yourself. Never hide what makes you, you. — Indra K. Nooyi, CEO, PepsiCo

7. Never limit yourself because of others' limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination. — Mae Jemison, astronaut

8. The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself. — Anna Quindlen

9. If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it. — Margaret Fuller

10. If you are successful, it is because somewhere, sometime, someone gave you a life or an idea that started you in the right direction. Remember also that you are indebted to life until you help some less fortunate person, just as you were helped. — Melinda Gates

If any of these quotes inspired you, pay it forward by sharing them with others. And take a few minutes to think about one pearl of wisdom you have gained from your own experience.

Celebrate Women's History Month

March is Women’s History Month, and March 8 is International Women’s Day (IWD). I am excited to celebrate IWD tomorrow at the George W. Bush Presidential Center with the Women’s Initiative Program Fellows from Egypt, to hear more about the amazing results they have achieved through the program this past year.  As a faculty member and mentor for the program, it is rewarding to see their energy, confidence, and impact skyrocket throughout the year. Later on Friday, I will have the opportunity to deliver an interactive presentation to a group of women at Accenture’s IWD Celebration about Purpose, Presence, and Power – three areas proven to get results. As you think about Women’s History Month, I urge you to celebrate by thinking about and acknowledging a woman who has impacted your life.

·         What did you learn from her?

·         How has it made a difference in your life?

·         What would you say to her?

Before you move on to the next thing in your day or week, take five minutes to reach out to her, to let her know how she has touched you.

Develop Your Team While Managing Your Energy

One of my clients recently struggled with a leadership dilemma: Her high performers energized her, while the team members who need more development — and thus more of her time — often left her drained. If her situation rings true for you, here are three ideas to help you guide your team’s growth while managing other priorities as well.  

Notice Your Energy On any team, some people will take more of your time and energy. How does spending time with them affect you? And how does it affect the way you engage with the rest of your team? Based on what you notice from your answers to these questions, proactively plan energizing activities or interactions right after draining situations. Remember that the quality of the activity matters more than the quantity of time you spend doing it, so it can be quick.

Express Gratitude Acknowledge and appreciate what each team member is doing right. We often take for granted that people know what’s working and focus our feedback on what should change, but your team needs to hear what they’re doing well so that they know to keep doing it. Be specific. Just saying “You’re doing a good job” doesn’t provide much useful information. And be prompt. Take a minute to pull your team member aside after a meeting or conference call to review what she did well. I also have clients who carve out a few minutes each week to send emails acknowledging good work. Quick tactics like these will give you energy while maximizing your team members’ strengths.

Cultivate the Right Mindset When working with the team members who require more of your energy, go in with a mindset of acceptance: They are who they are. What’s the best way to engage with them? And do you need to set any boundaries? Of course, you’re focused on helping the team member succeed, but also think about what you need in order to participate in a positive way. For example, I have a client who often lets feedback conversations drag on too long. And that has turned into reluctance to initiate this kind of conversation, even when it is important. By simply setting some time limits for these conversations, he changed his whole energy around these interactions.

This week, identify which of these strategies you will put into play. And remember that small steps can lead to big results.

Who’s in Your Corner?

A recent Harvard Business Review article asked the question, “Are you sponsor-worthy?” The article shared the example of an employee who gave “110 percent” but didn’t focus her efforts on people who would invest in her. While her efforts were commended, senior leaders with power and influence were not members of her network of advocates. As a result, she found herself stuck in what she called “permanent lieutenant syndrome.” 

I see this happen often, as many of my clients fall into the trap of thinking their good work is enough.  It often takes people a while to realize that who they know is just as important as the quality of their work.  As they shy away from office politics, they overlook the fact that their relationships give them access to resources, information and influence they need to get things done.  

When was the last time you took a hard look at your own network and assessed it against the areas that drive high performance and high satisfaction? Research shows that the six key dimensions include expertise, personal support, power, purpose, development and balance?  And remember that the quality of your network matters far more than the number of people that you know. At the end of the day, a balanced, high quality network can make a huge difference in your ability to get results and advance, and increase your job satisfaction.  

If this is an area where you could use some help, check out the module in my WOW! Women on the Way to Peak Performance ProgramSM.  Entitled “Building a Network of Advocates”, the module offers tools to assess your network against critical dimensions so you understand where you have gaps and know where to focus. It also gives you specific strategies to start making changes today. You can download this module from my website and the complete program when it’s convenient for you.  

Taking time to assess who is in your corner can mean the difference between giving your all for nothing or making sure your efforts are recognized and applauded.

Give Yourself an Ear Worm!

Have you ever heard a song on the radio in the morning that stuck with you throughout the day? Some call that an ear worm - a catchy piece of music that continually repeats through a person's mind after it is no longer playing1. And according to research, 98% of us experience these pesky occurrences every once in a while. But what if your ear worm worked to your advantage?   My WOW! Women on the Way to Peak PerformanceProgramSM can give you just the messages you need to take your performance and career to the next level. If you’re not ready for the full program, the Lite version includes two high impact modules – “Getting the Right Work Done” and “Building a Network of Advocates” – to help you keep some powerful tools front and center.

“Getting the Right Work Done” focuses on:

* Determining the three most critical areas where you can make the biggest business impact

* Understanding where you are getting side-tracked

* Develop strategies to ensure you are getting the right work done

Listening to this audio module periodically during the year can serve as a checkup or help you refocus on the most important areas for success.

“Building a Network of Advocates” helps you assess and strengthen your current network of colleagues and contacts, to help you get results and advance your career with advocates in your corner.

* How do your attitudes and beliefs impact your ability to network?

* Who should you leverage in your network?

* Strategies to strengthen your network in a way that works for you

* Develop action steps to leverage your contacts to achieve your goals

Designed with busy professionals in mind, you can download and listen to these two 30-minute modules from my website here at your convenience. They come with transcripts and exercises to help you get the most out of the content. Whether you need a boost in the morning to make sure you are showing up the right way, or would like to have a coach available at the press of a button when tackling a difficult challenge, these audio programs will give you a positive ear worm!

1 Wikipedia definition – ear worm

Leadership Lessons from 'Hank'

I recently had the opportunity to attend a private screening of the documentary “Hank: 5 Years from the Brink” at The George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.  In the film, former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson talks about the challenges and issues he dealt with during the financial crisis and government bailouts of 2008. President George W. Bush introduced the film and we had an opportunity to hear directly from Secretary Paulson about the experience and what he wanted others to learn from it. Whatever your politic views, “Hank” is a fascinating look at how we make decisions and lead during times of complexity and high stakes. Paulson faced extreme versions of the pressures we all face at times in our careers: deadlines, adversity, harsh criticism, and others questioning our judgment.

His story gives us some lessons on handling challenging times:

Get support. Paulson’s wife was a pillar of support for him. In one memorable scene of the documentary, Hank is paralyzed with fear and truly at a loss for what to do. Completely overwhelmed, he reaches out to his wife to ask her for advice.  In that moment, she says exactly the right inspirational words to propel him forward, out of a place of fear and to a place where he can identify and take that next step. We all need people in our lives who know just what to say when we’re stuck. Who provides that voice of reason, reassurance or comfort for you?

Frame your actions. With each looming crisis, Paulson’s focus on doing the right thing for the country was at the forefront of his decision making. He reinforced this in every communication to congress by framing the options in the context of what was truly at stake. How you frame something can be the difference between garnering support or falling flat.

Surround yourself with the right people. Paulson deliberately brought in others whose expertise supplemented his own skills, knowledge, and experience and engaged them in being part of the solution. He recognized his limitations and leveraged others to fill in the gaps.

Leaders who put this into practice can accomplish amazing things – sustainable high performance, effective crisis management, and unprecedented results.  Invest time to get clear about the types of skills and expertise you need to round out your team’s capabilities.

You can watch “Hank” on Netflix or iTunes, and I encourage you to check it out. The documentary sheds light both on the financial crisis and dealing with personal adversity as we face difficult chapters in our own careers.

Do you leverage the power of curiosity?

We’ve all been in situations where a manager consistently asks rhetorical questions, positioning himself as the “loudest voice in the room.” And while he may think he is sharing useful information and reinforcing his position, his team members often become uncomfortable and disengaged. However, questions can be a valuable leadership tool when they come from a place of genuine curiosity. Roger Schwarz (http://www.schwarzassociates.com/) recently commented in the Harvard Business Review (http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/07/increase-your-teams-curiosity/) that good questions “keep the discussion focused, get all the information on the table, learn why members have different views, and create solutions that take into account all team members’ perspectives.”

How often do you leverage the power of true curiosity - either as a valued team member or with your manager? Do your questions typically advance the discussion in a positive way, or do you rely on rhetorical questions that can have the opposite effect? So before you ask your next question, challenge yourself to be truly curious.

Early Morning Habits of Successful People

There is one thing that distinguishes successful people. They get a lot done. And while we all have several balls in the air, these high performers seem to have exceptionally high output. So…how do they do it?

A recent article in Inc. Magazine shared several nuggets that you may find useful. As you might expect, how you start the day can set the tone for how much you accomplish. The most successful people begin by focusing on their top priority, and science gives us more insight into what works about this practice. A well-known psychology professor from Florida State University found that willpower is like a muscle that becomes tired when overused. So, mornings offer a fresh boost to the willpower muscle, enabling successful people to focus on their most critical goals first.

Take a look at the other early morning habits that successful people exhibit, and notice which ones you currently put into practice.

• Wake up early

• Exercise or meditate in the morning

• Work on a personal passion

• Spend quality time with family

• Network with friends and advocates

• Develop plans or strategies

• Catch up on current events

• Make a list of things for which they are grateful

How do you want to set yourself up for success each morning? Do your days currently begin with a mad dash or do you show up with purpose and a specific plan in mind?  This is so critical to success that I have dedicated a module to Getting the Right Work Done in the WOW! Women on the Way to Peak Performance ProgramSM (full and Lite versions).  Listen to the quick 30-minute audio to learn how to focus on the three critical areas where you can make the biggest business impact this year, and how to manage distractions.

To accelerate your results and impact, invest your time intentionally each morning. Consider implementing one or two of these habits I’ve listed and investing in the WOW! ProgramSM audio to make sure you’re applying the right tools for a more successful you.

Dealing with Difficult People

Do you have a colleague who never fails to frustrate you? Some of my clients are struggling with this very issue, and I’ve noticed that they do something interesting. Rather than expecting the other person to behave as he always has, my client shows up with hope that today will be different and this person just won’t do the things that get under her skin. I hate to squash that kind of optimism, but in this case the evidence is overwhelming that the behavior will likely be as maddening as it has been.

However, if instead you expect the same behavior, you may be less likely to get “triggered.”  In other words, you may take her actions less personally and be more open to engaging in a different way.

To take yourself out of the predictable cycle of how your interactions unfold, try a new approach with him. Take a look at these three questions to help you do so:

• How much time or energy do you want to invest in changing things?

• What small change can you make to how you engage with him, so that you get a better outcome?

• How much dread and negative self-talk are you holding onto? What do you typically say to yourself? Remember that what you say to yourself can make the situation ten times worse.

Remember that slight tweaks can shift the dynamics, so it may not take a lot to improve the situation. It’s critical to be clear on how you want to show up, regardless of how the other person does.

So, if you’re dealing with a difficult colleague, take a few minutes this week to answer the questions above. You may realize that a small change in how you behave or what you tell yourself, can make a huge difference and take a lot of the angst out of the situation.

Show Up the Right Way When You Get Triggered

One of my executive coaching clients has the perfect storm of business and political challenges converging. Her company is going through dramatic and rapid change, resulting in rampant office politics as people feel uncertain and insecure about the future.  In tough environments like this, emotions can run high and feelings can be hard to control. We have all been there at one point or another.  The next time you find yourself in a situation that triggers you, try these strategies.   Breathe  Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Breathing is one of the easiest and most effective steps you can take to help you get centered. Inhale to a count of 3, hold for 3 and then exhale for 3. This pace of even, methodical breathing can get you out of fight-or-flight mode. And you can even do this in a meeting, and no one will know.   Check in  Once you calm down, answer these questions: 

• What do you really want or need right now?” Maybe you need to feel validated, respected, or understood.

• What does the other person want or need?

• How do you want to show up in this situation? In other words, what do you want others to consistently understand when they think about your leadership? For example, it could be with professionalism, integrity, and confidence.

It can help to write your responses to these questions or talk through them with someone else, to really crystallize what’s going on.   Defer  Sometimes the emotions of a situation can prevent you from moving into problem-solving mode. If you’re having difficulty re-centering or you keep replaying the scenario in your head, one of your core values may have been threatened.  Once someone is fully triggered, it takes 20 minutes to recover.   If you find yourself in this place, the best action may be no action. Give yourself some space so you can show up in the way that you want. For women, talking to other female friends can also help because doing so releases stress-reducing hormones (according to a groundbreaking study released by UCLA in January 2014).   The next time you feel yourself getting triggered, start by simply breathing.   It’s a small shift, but one that can help manage your emotions during challenging situations.  Remember, small steps can lead to big results.