Leading in Today’s Workforce: Let Your Personal Style Come Through

“You should never be afraid to let your personality and style comes through.”

That has been a foundational statement for me during my career.

My first job out of college was working in the sales division for IBM. I always tell people that IBM was the Google of its day. As part of the role of becoming a sales associate we were all sent to “sales school” where we had to learn to sell the products, sell the benefits of those products, and extend the brand into the client organization.

It is more comfortable being you

Giving Is the Very Best Workplace Communication

Sometimes, the best leadership examples come from someone who does not have the lofty titles.

We watch in amazement how one tiny gesture ends up giving us the wow factor in multitudes (as the video below shows). Ordinary people, or those in professions that would not be synonymous with leadership, set an example for all of us to follow.

It always brings a smile to my face when I see these random acts play out.

My first foray into human resources was in training & development, but one of the things I found limiting was that when someone would call me and want to send “John” to a management class.

In their mind, we were supposed to miraculously send this person out as a bad manager, and what we would get in return was a flawless leader? However, what usually would return was an individual that was pumped for a few days, and for the most part, then settled back into the comfort zone

What is your vision of leadership?

Planning For the Worst: Compassion Is the Key When Layoffs Come

“Are we all set. Yes, we are all in compliance with the cost savings. All the numbers are correct. Just give me the go ahead and they are all gone.”

Then the conversation changed.

The executive listening to this rundown told the HR person to stop. Do you know any of these people? The answer was no.

Do you know whether it will be difficult for them to find jobs in your area? “I have no idea” was his reply.

Why does HR seem to like laying off people?

What are your plans for trying to help them land something? “I have none” was his reply.

What Do Organization’s Need Today? A CEOs Who Really “Gets It”......

While waiting for a minor surgery this past week, I asked for reading material. Out comes a newsletter, a printed one.

This hospital — American Hospital Dubai — had just hired a new CEO, Mr. Peter Makowski. His introductory greeting was on the first page of the newsletter under the headline, “From the Desk of the CEO.”

I love it when they get it

What I found in that newsletter was a quote from the new CEO. He gets it. In his introductory message to his employees, he said that his job as CEO was based on the best description that he has heard to describe a CEO’s role.