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There is something captivating about leaders who can harness purpose and action.

On Purpose > No Limits > In Motion

It’s a powerful combination. Look at how Barack has captured the imagination, hearts and feet of those actively participating in, and observing the United States’ participatory democracy. He got the world cheering…motivated, hopeful and engaged.

And it is not only his province… Reagan had it, Clinton had it. W had it in those horrendous weeks after 9/11. Giuliani had it then too. They both lost it - W assigning blame and looking for scapegoats instead of guiding the purpose for a greater vision.  Rudy fear-mongering in August on the stage at the Convention.

In business, one only has to look at the media on the North American auto business to see the two paths of leadership on display.

1. Those who are running scared, on the precipice of failure. They’ve had their heads in the sand, focusing on the faddish demand for over-sized, over-consuming vehicles, without noticing or reacting to the winds of change blowing through (Gore winning an Oscar and the Nobel might have been a hint). Now the hangover is about to take over.

2. Those who have been and currently being progressive, committed to incremental improvements and to bold strategic commitments: efficiency, quality, design.  Their leadership will only increase.

So how are you applying your leadership?

It’s time to:

• Tighten the ship on expenses and operations
• Increase focus on fulfillment and service
• Get even closer to key clients
• Focus more on their 90 day priorities
• Identify their nightmare scenario
• Increase lead conversion

Where are the leaders who will help us act our way through this next six months?

Please email us with stories that are catching your attention on positive - or negative - leadership.

This may be an old joke, but why are so many leaders turning it into reality again?

Fearful CEOs negating growth

Out there right now is the CEO with an incredible product that needs to be shared on a much broader scale.  His product could have a ton of value with all the disruption in the United States financial services marketplace.  But instead of getting into action and going wide, he’s hunkering down with no regard to growth.  “We can grow later”.  It’s a knee jerk reaction that has negative consequences for everyone.

Giving the bully leader an excuse

Out there right now in the southwest is the company President who is heaping abuse and public shaming on his sales force for not producing. This is not a brand new phenom for this company…but now there’s a better excuse to do it more openly.  Mr. President, shame on you for hiding behind an economic crisis.  Get out from behind that crutch and deal with this situation like a leader.

Inspiration can be over-applied in tough times

Be judicious in your application of inspiration.  It’s very effective, more so as a spice, not a staple.  Inspiration without focus and execution can get tired.  And when externally applied, it has a limited life… it needs to be re-applied.  Like sunblock.

Encourage inner-spiration

Inspiration is self-initiated.

The act of inspiring or breathing in; breath; specif. (Physiol.), the drawing of air into the lungs, accomplished in mammals by elevation of the chest walls and flattening of the diaphragm; — the opposite of expiration.  from http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/inspiration

You can create conditions to help people inspire themselves or encourage them to refresh their inspiration. In stressful conditions, help people remember the vision and why they commit to their work.  Help them in the day-to-day and see how they are contributing to moving forward.

This is a great time for the champions of progressive stretch.   They know that it’s time to be calm, keep the ball moving and get their arms around the day-to-day and maintain focus on the light at the end of the tunnel.  People respond to stretch.  It moves them forward and helps them choose the positive stress, which they can do something about.

Rx for Leaders in Tough Markets

1. Don’t fall for the temptation to apply beatings.

2. Keep the light on the purpose.  Most people who chose your business did so for more than financial reasons.  They felt fit with the values and purpose.  Keep your eyes above the horizon.

3. Get rigorous about monitoring and management.  Balance the focus on: growth, customer service, operations, people, finances.  It’s about the balance among them.

4. Make the company culture real and practical.  Leader-what do you do every day to demonstrate it?  Don’t let it be abstract.  Two litmus tests: you are only making it real when you are getting bored with it; and when people stop asking “What is our direction? What’s the strategy?”

5. Know your people warm.  Know what makes them tick.

6. Manage consequences.  Zero tolerance - for under-performance.  Zero positive tolerance - walk around and catch people doing things right.

Inspiration is in the experience of the beholder…make sure what you’re doing is truly inspiring