The Sykes Group's OnPoint

Had a great time this weekend speaking at the District 66 Toastmasters conference. Friday night with a Social Media Bootcamp and Saturday morning about leadership. Great group of people focused on improving their leadership and communication skills.

Many people ask me why do I also speak about social media.  Well, social media is another powerful communication tool that leaders need to master to be more successful in their careers, their organizations, and in their lives.  I find that many leaders are “behind the curve” when it comes to communicating with social media.  They are losing an opportunity to reach their followers.

The following are two resources that can help you become a better communicator and leader:

Seven Leadership Secrets to Being the Outstanding Leader Everyone Wants to Follow

“Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel.  If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” –  Sam Walton

Recently, I was watching a rerun of the successful television show, The Cosby Show.  The patriarch of this professional family (He is a doctor and his wife is a lawyer.) played by Bill Cosby, was just told by his college-bound daughter that the boyfriend she brought home to meet him was really her fiancé.  He was disappointed with the news.  Disappointed not in the young man or what he did (he was a “maintenance engineer”), but in the way he was told about this engagement.

Mr. Cosby said that the way he was told was like taking a sizzling, delicious, robust T-bone steak and serving it on a garbage can lid.  It’s not too appetizing.  You know the steak is delicious, but would we really want to eat it?  It’s not too appetizing.

I ask you, when you give feedback, do you make it appetizing for the receiver of the feedback?  Or do you make your “steak” indigestible?  We can be giving great feedback everyday and, unless we make it appetizing so others will digest it, our feedback will not acted upon.

The following are ten techniques for making your feedback more appetizing: 

1.     Prep for a Great Meal - Just as you would prep for a great meal, you should prepare to give feedback.  Mentally go over the following:

• Is the feedback important?
• What do I want to accomplish with the feedback?
• Who are the persons I will be giving the feedback to?
• How will they take my feedback?  How can I make my feedback more appetizing for them?
• How have they taken feedback in the past?
• Is there someone better I can enlist to “serve” the feedback?

Just as you would expect to produce a great meal, mentally expect to have a great feedback session.  Take time to visualize the positive interaction and results by giving the feedback.  Know that you will improve the lives of those you give feedback to and how you will accomplish your goals.

Note:  Remember, all feedback, with the goal of improving another individual or situation, is positive.  It’s when we are not receiving or giving constant feedback that situations turn negative due to misunderstandings.  (Read the rest of the article at Positive Feedback)

“Change is happening faster than we can keep tabs on and threatens to shake the foundations of the most secure American business.” - U.S. Congress Office of Technology

Change is occurring all around us everyday.  Most changes are small and go unnoticed by us.  Think about your daily ride to work and notice what changes are taking place over the course of a week:  possible changes in traffic patterns, new stores opening, weather patterns, etc.  Each day we adapt to the changing situations without even thinking about it, and we achieve our goals.

The organizations we work for are going through change to adapt to a very competitive marketplace.  Most organizational change, much like your daily commute, is subtle.  Some changes create a variety of emotions among employees:  from joy and enthusiasm to distrust and anger.

The best organizations create a strong culture of change management.  In fact, management at these organizations is constantly encouraging change for the good of the overall organization.

The following are seven change management secrets to creating a winning culture of change:

1. Understand the Present
   Take the time to ask questions to understand where the culture of change presently stands. Examples of questions great managers of change are consistently asking to ensure the success of change are the following:
   • Do employees understand the difference they make at work everyday?
   • Are there strong relationships between employees and management?
   • Is there an environment of openness and trust?
   • Is there an understanding of mission, purpose, beliefs, and business goals?
   • Do we have an environment of learning, growth, and empowerment?

   Take the time to ask these and other questions and, most importantly, listen to the answers.

2. Recognize That Change Management Culture Starts at the Top
   As a leader, you set the tone for change management. If you express or show a negative attitude towards the change, the culture for change will have negative results. If your attitude towards change is positive, then the culture for change will have positive results. Constantly communicate the positive overall results from the change and how the employee will benefit from this change. (Read the rest of the article at Change Management)

In this ever changing world we live in, there is one constant…change. Changes are happening faster and faster. Even what is changing has a different look. Just think of the items in your life that were not available 20, 10, 5 years, or even one year ago. Just think of the iPod, cloning, DNA, etc. Why would we think our career situation will be the same in twenty years?