Entrepreneurs often want change–but sometimes certain staff members don’t want to budge. In my Inc. column I discuss four ways to get reluctant employees on board.
Category: BLG Leadership Insights
Are you still a great leader? It’s a hard question to ask yourself, but it’s a necessary one. In my Inc. online column I lay out four questions you have to ask yourself to assess whether or not you are fit to maintain your leadership position.
With the news of Margaret Thatcher’s death this week much has been said about her achievements, political savvy, and courage.
There is little we can add to the compelling, moving obituaries.
However, there is one Thatcher anecdote that I think leaders can make use of and learn from.
Paul Johnson writes a chapter on Margret Thatcher in his book, Heroes. He applauds Thatcher’s heroism and ability, but he says Thatcher had an “irritating habit of feeding you back your own ideas.”
He remembers that while she was PM he told her a clever phrase about the government’s roll within society. Thatcher stopped him, took out a pen and notebook from her purse, and wrote the line down. Weeks later Johnson was watching Thatcher on the news and without missing a step Thatcher repeated Johnson’s phrase verbatim.
Johnson found this to be “annoying” and we can see why he feels slightly miffed by the whole ordeal. However, the anecdote teaches us a valuable lesson about Thatcher’s character and leadership style. She had a tremendous ability to listen and, more importantly, to learn. Though Johnson wasn’t happy with the phrase theft, he admits, “No one was ever keener on acquiring knowledge, and correcting her faults and deficiencies.”
Like Thatcher, leaders should carry around a notebook to record ideas and lesson. It helps leaders listen and learn key concepts. However, I’d recommend not repeating phrases word-for-word.
Ernest Hemingway may go down in the history books as a hard-drinking, big-fishing, Nobel-Prize-winning writer, but he was also a productivity guru. Throughout his career he often gave advice to young writers and openly talked about his work habits and writing style. Even if you aren’t a writer Hemingway’s tips and tricks can help you increase your productivity.
Follows is a list of productivity tips that come from Hemingway himself…and they aren’t just for writers.
1. Don’t Waste Words and Be Clear: Hemingway is famous for getting to the point and killing unneeded adjectives. When he was challenged to write a six word story, he wrote “For sale: baby shoes, never used.” Clearly, he knew how to be economical with his words. If you want to get things done you need to exercise the same verbal restraint. Meetings, email exchanges, and conversations often spill into the late afternoon because people employ too many words. Keeping it short, simple, and clear will save time, cut down on confusion, and get everyone back to work.
2. Make a Schedule: Everyday Hemingway would wake up at 7am and try to write between 500 to a 1,000 words. The rest of his day he devoted to a combination of fishing, hunting, and drinking. Give yourself a schedule. As Jeanette Winterson, another writer, says, “Turn up for work. Discipline allows creative freedom. No discipline equals no freedom.” Routines and schedules give leaders the ability to be creative and consistent.
3. Quit While You’re Ahead: Hemingway said “The best way [to write] is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next. If you do that every day…you will never be stuck.” If you do one task well and you know what to do next, it might help to pause and tackle it the next day. Getting something done every day will increase your confidence and keep momentum going.
4. Keep Your Mouth Shut: According to Hemingway, it’s bad form for a writer to talk about his work. He said discussing writing takes off “whatever butterflies have on their wings and the arrangement of hawk’s feathers if you show it or talk about it.” Don’t discuss your project or new idea until you are certain it is clear and well thought out. Talking about a new proposal or plan too soon can give your competition time to coalesce against your idea. Productivity will suffer if you spend more time talking about your idea than acctually moving it forward.
5. Don’t Give Up: Hemingway once told F. Scott Fitzgerald, “I write one page of masterpiece to ninety one pages of shit. I try to put the shit in the wastebasket.” You need to be able to be critical of the work that you do complete. Not everything you do will be perfect. Increased productivity will help you make a lot of progress, but you need to approach it with a critical eye. Don’t get frustrated and give up because you feel you are doing a bad job. Keep producing and moving forward. Eventually you will do one thing very well.
6. Work Standing Up: Hemingway wrote standing up because of a minor leg injury he got in World War I. But, his vertical habit isn’t that odd. Thomas Jefferson, Winston Churchill, and Donald Rumsfeld, among other popular figures chose to stand up while they work. Standing while working can increase productivity by fighting fatigue, the allure of napping, and minor distractions. According to the New York Times, it can also help you lose weight.
7. Lastly, Hemingway said, “Never mistake motion for action”: Leaders have to remember that productivity is about action and getting things done–not running around in circles.
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Here are some of the week’s best articles, infographics, and videos that can educate leaders:
1. This article tells you how to make mundane topics interesting. It’s mandatory reading for any leader who needs to make a presentation interesting.
2. This man has always had one dream: to make shoes. An inspirational interview that will motivate even the most weary leader.
3. Your ability to lead well may hinge on what you had for lunch.
4. Here’s a man who has done a great amount of traveling without a car. All leaders should know how to hitchhike.
5. This author may promote himself too much via Twitter. Leaders can learn from his success and his detractors.
6. An infographic showing five weird habits of successful people. Worth a quick study.
7. Your going to get into debates every now and then so you minds well prepare for them. Here are three ways you can “fight right.”
8. A helpful list of advice for aspiring leaders. Good, concise pointers.
9. 20 Signs of Leadership Indifference. Title says it better than I could.
10. Ahhh, some comic relief to see us out.
