Comments on: Leadership Caffeine: Take Your Best Practices Viral with Leadership Development Blocking and Tackling

By: Art Petty

Art Petty — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:21:39 +0000

Elizabeth, glad that it resonated! Thanks for commenting and forwarding! Best, Art

By: Elizabeth Brown

Elizabeth Brown — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:14:31 +0000

A great “say it out loud” moment (sometimes we just want to know we aren’t crazy!) Clients seek me out as a consultant, and usually my point of contact is ‘like me’ interested in forward motion, consistent improvement, constant development, and embracers of change. They are usually hampered by one or more – er – uninspired leaders – in their workplace. We continually have conversations about how to distract and keep these individuals “busy” with what they WANT to work on so that what needs to get done can happen.

And we always find and attract those other individuals who can “get stuff done.”

Great read, I sent it on to several clients already, thank you for saying it out loud!

By: Art Petty

Art Petty — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:18:07 +0000

Bruce, thanks for your enthusiastic response! Glad this helped re-ignite the interest a bit! Don’t forget that the “old-dogs” still have a lot of experience and wisdom to help mentor the development of the new ones as well. This interesting collision of the generations that we are living through can offer some nice opportunities.

Thanks again for reading and commenting! -Art

By: Bruce Dodge

Bruce Dodge — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:14:19 +0000

Wow, talk about hitting the nail on the head! I continue to preach that while we have some great “old dogs” that have gotten our organization where it is, the true value comes not from wasting time re-training them, but teaching new tricks to the “young dogs” that are our future. While the old school practices were fine for the culture they were in, they do not translate well into the web 2.0 culture that we interact with today. Great article to re-ignite the passion when the blocking and tackling starts to take its toll.

By: Art Petty

Art Petty — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:54:40 +0000

Gini, thanks for reading (at least until now!) and thanks for the reference on the movie. I will check it out.

It was a pleasure having you as a reader. Go Pack! : )

-Art

By: Gini Dietrich

Gini Dietrich — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:47:37 +0000

I keep a saying that I wrote on my wall: I have changed careers. I am no longer a kick @ss PR person; I am a kick @ss company grower! What this means is I constantly challenge my leadership skill set and read (and apply) as much as I can. I am your proverbial choir.

I recently was struggling with how to become the head coach of our organization. Then I watched “The Express,” the story of Ernie Davis. It suddenly became clear – I set the course, coach, mentor, and communicate…constantly.

You’re right – the greatest season of all sports is upon us, but I may never read your blog again if you’re a Packers fan.

By: Art Petty

Art Petty — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:40:57 +0000

Douglas, thanks so much for reading and for your kind words. -Art

By: Douglas Brent Smith

Douglas Brent Smith — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:37:57 +0000

Great advice on keeping the conversation on leadership alive in any organization. Also a great insight on spending one’s efforts with the next generation of leaders instead of trying to reform those who “don’t get it”. Timely and useful!

By: Art Petty

Art Petty — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:41:13 +0000

Dan, thanks for your consistent inspiration! -Art

By: Dan McCarthy

Dan McCarthy — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:20:14 +0000

Coach Art –
I love your game plan! significant change can be led from the middle, I’ve seen it happen again and again.
And thanks for the mention.

By: Mark Allen Roberts

Mark Allen Roberts — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:36:24 +0000

Great post Art, (one of my top favorites!)

I like your be a part of the solutions attitude recognizing those who need your content most are not reading it.

You are right, it is not some fancy, expensive program but daily blocking and tackling. One step I recommend of all leaders is to be a mentor as I shared in my post : 12 Mentor Moments to help leaders grow their businesses profitably http://nosmokeandmirrors.wordpress.com/2009/08/12/12-mentor-moments-to-help-leaders-grow-their-businesses-profitably/ .

Become a mentor and you will make your organization stronger while fine tuning your skills.

Mark Allen Roberts

By: Steven M. Smith

Steven M. Smith — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:48:30 +0000

Great post, Art. Loved it. Thank you. -Steve

By: Art Petty

Art Petty — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:17:44 +0000

Wally, that is is spot on, I’m genuinely miffed at myself that I left it out. Appreciate your helping of “feedback” here to me! -Art

By: Art Petty

Art Petty — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:16:10 +0000

Mary Jo and Bret, thanks much for your comments!

Mary Jo, I agree on the Ground Hog Day scenario. We (the business leaders) continue to perpetuate the same poor or non-practices and the cycle recurs time and time again. I love your challenge for all of us to share some ideas to spread the word!

Bret, I love the “can’t use them as the excuse” perspective. Thanks for your valued addition!

-Art

By: Wally Bock

Wally Bock — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:14:50 +0000

Great post, Art. The fact is that there are pockets of great leadership in even the worst organizations. I’m convinced that the strategy you outline: doing a good job; developing others; and sending out leaders who’ve had your good example to set the example elsewhere is the way to go.

One caveat. It’s easy to think you’re doing a great job. Even the best of us tend to evaluate ourselves based on our intentions. So make sure that while you’re doing “all of the above,” you also get lots of feedback so you keep getting better.

One of the best supervisors I ever knew was Art Jones. He was relentless about critiquing his own performance. I worked with him when I was studying what great supervisors do. But even though I was there to study him, at the end of every shift we spent together, he would ask, “How do you think I did tonight?”

By: Bret Simmons

Bret Simmons — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:34:02 +0000

Art – exceptional! This is one that should be bookmarked and read on a regular basis. Concur with all, but love “there are some people in positions of authority that don’t get it, don’t care, and sure as heck don’t want to be converted. Get over it and get over them.” so true. Can’t use them as an excuse to not do the right thing. Good stuff! Bret

By: Mary Jo Asmus

Mary Jo Asmus — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:23:34 +0000

Thoughtful essay, Art! One of my Management Excellence favorites!.

Even though many of us – some of whom you have mentioned in your post (thank you, by the way) have a vested interest in development of leaders (which includes making money from organizations who choose to intentionally develop their leaders and pay us to help with that), we all know it doesn’t have to cost much. The trick is helping the decision makers to understand the value.

So how do we get more energy around this evangelism? What is the secret sauce that will help organizations and communites to really “get” the value of developing their leaders? Where is the tipping point?

I’ve worked in and around Corporate America for almost as long as Wally :^) and sometimes it seems like groundhog day. Depending on who is leading and how much the care about it, leadership development is or is not a priority. I’m hoping someone will respond to your post and tell me that I’m jaded, and that there has been progress in this arena. I want some hope that there is some movement afoot that is gaining steam.

And how about some ideas on what I, you and the rest of the “leadership evangelists” can do that we aren’t currently doing to spread the word?