Questions for All Leaders

• Do you spend dedicated time helping your team?
• Do you provide the same care to your team as you do to your customers?
• Do you have a strong sense of your people?
• Is each member of your team working the majority of their time on strengths?
• Do you truly care about your team and their personal development?
• Is there encouragement for people to grow and try new things?

How many are on your priority list?
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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

istock

Ready Set Go!

I've gone through some significant changes in my life this year and I was talking about them with a colleague recently which got us going deep on what stops us from moving where we want to go. For some reason, we often become our biggest hurdle. It also appears most people I know find it difficult to ask for help.

It reminded me of Manuel de los Santos.


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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

Manuel de los Santos

Stream of Subconsciousness

What will they think? Think then do. Do what you love. Love what you do. Do not listen to negative people. People are more important than services or products. Products don't make the person. Personal growth is a daily event. Eventually you will find your passion. Passion is no ordinary word.

Words can heal and hurt, it's our choice. Choices can be the difference. Differences are necessary for a successful team. Teamwork is at the core of successful business. Business is about people. People should give more than receive. Receiving help is a sign of strength. Strengthen your focus. Focus on who's important in your life. Life is about now. Now is the time for us to move.

Moving will make us grow.
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Kneale Mann | Leadership and management consultant helping leaders, teams, and companies get clear on their goals and results.

istock

Is Money the Object?

A large portion of the planet measures profits over people. To some, what you make, what kind of car you drive, how much money you have in your investment portfolio has become more important than embracing relationships and experiences.

I was recalling a situation with a client a few weeks back with regards to compensation. She is doing very well in her current role and from all evidence it appears she’s being groomed for a big promotion. She is a sharp, talented, authentic leader, but she’s stuck on the number on the bottom of the page.

It’s Not the Paycheck

We talked about her new role and she kept coming back to her salary. She was excited about getting a big raise so she and her husband can get a bigger house. That’s great, we celebrated her hard work. But the deeper issue is her motivation.

She realized that the reason she wanted the new role and responsibilities was because it’s going to give her more time to coach and lead an expanded team and it’s not really about the money. We celebrated even more. That was it! She wasn’t ruled by money or stature or position, her passion was being a great leader and continuing to improve.

Living by Numbers

I told my client about a time in my career when I was offered an exciting new opportunity. It was the culmination of a decade of hard work and I was about to be rewarded for my efforts. But I had it in my mind that I wanted to make a certain amount as a signal of my success.

Two months into the new role, I thought to myself, the extra money didn’t make me feel any different. In fact, I was more focused on the expanded responsibility. The number was some self-fabricated yardstick which eventually meant nothing.

The Real Bottom Line

If we focus on money, it will become our only measure of achievement. Business needs to see black ink but there are three motivating factors at play – to make a name, to make a living, and to make a difference. Making a name for ourselves doesn’t seem quite as important as making a living while making a difference in others’ lives.

If the focal point of all we do is profits, we may lose the opportunity to spend time with some remarkable people.
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Kneale Mann | Leadership and management consultant helping leaders, teams, and companies get clear on their goals and results.

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Calling All Humans

The human experience is a buffet. We love, we lose, we overcome, and we try and figure out this unexplained occurrence called life. Ze Frank wants to know the answer to a simple question.

Are you human?


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Kneale Mann | Leadership and management consultant helping leaders, teams, and companies get clear on their goals and results.

Ze Frank | TED

Why Meetings?

Let’s book a meeting. Let’s talk about it on the conference call. Let’s reconvene at next week’s meeting. Let’s discuss the next time we have a team call. Here’s a thought, let’s figure out why we have so many meetings and calls in the first place.

I have a colleague who attends an all-day full team status meeting once a week. Once a week?! Full day!?! I am a huge supporter of collaboration and teamwork. It’s critical that your company is strong inside before it can be strong outside, but an entire day in a meeting? I challenge there could be a better way.

Do you know why you are attending your meetings today?

Has the reason for each been clearly articulated? Is there an obvious summary of desired outcomes? Will a decision be made on who does what by when? Will the call start and end on time? Do you know why you’re in the meeting at all?

I work with a guy who never has a phone call last more than 10 minutes. We get a ton accomplished in that time and move on. If we realize we've missed something or an item needs more clarification, we get back on the phone. Each of us has our agenda ready, action items listed, and we get to work.

Try this for a week

Cut the time allotted for each meeting and conference call by 50%. Then in a few weeks, cut them in half again. So the one-hour session you have this afternoon would become 15 minutes. You may claim that’s impossible. Have you tried it?

More meetings do not mean more efficiency or alignment. In a matter of a few short weeks, you will realize you are giving everyone more time to think and create rather than prepare and attend meetings and calls. You will see more collaboration, more impromptu discussions, and more ideas being shared.

Or you could stop reading and get to you next meeting.
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Kneale Mann | Leadership and management consultant helping leaders, teams, and companies get clear on their goals and results.

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