Art’s Updates and Coming Attractions
Note from Art: this is a Saturday update on new programs, blog features and some of my latest offerings. Thanks for letting me share!
This has been a productive period for my development of new programs and information offerings. While we all write and talk about the impact of great people on our organizations, it is truly palpable when you are on the receiving end of that help. Thanks to two outstanding young professionals, Eric and Amber, that are busy helping and holding me accountable to getting my work done, we’re adding new programs, tuning up prior offerings and extending our line-up of information products.
Just a few highlights:
The Management Excellence Book Series:
On Tuesday, I will launch the Management Excellence Book Series, where I will regularly connect with leading, new and experienced authors and share their insights and perspectives. I couldn’t be more thrilled to have Bob Sutton as the lead-off interview, where we focus on his forthcoming book, Good Boss, Bad Boss. Next up, I’ll share some insights from Jim Murphy on his book, Inner Excellence, and the September and October schedules are building with:
- The authors of Strategic Speed
- Gary Harpst on his book, Execution Revolution
- Scott Eblin on his upcoming new release
The format will emphasize sharing and gaining insights from the authors. I’m less interested in reviewing the book, and instead, I’m focused on gaining and sharing insights that can help all of us. While I suspect that my audio interviewing skills need a lot of development, I plan on having fun with this exciting new program. I hope that you’ll join us.
And yes, if you’re an author that would like to get involved, drop me a note.
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The August Management Excellence e-Newsletter
This is the 3rd issue of this new offering, featuring subscriber-only content. The August issue offers up a bevy of suggested management resources, including:
- A feature article on honing your leadership skills to cope with a very new and different emerging business world
- A nod to the late management thinker, C.K. Prahalad in my article, “Overcoming the Dominant Logic of Teams and Executives.”
- Comments on must read books and links to some great blogging resources
- Access to the archived issues of the e-Newsletter
- And a few promotional opportunities from me. (Remember, we’re all in business!)
To sign up for the Management Excellence e-Newsletter, you can subscribe at either the Management Excellence or Building Better Leaders sites (right column, e-newsletter subscribe field).
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Updates and New Building Better Leaders Programs:
I love the feedback that I’m receiving on my on-line leadership and management offerings, and our growing team is both tuning up existing programs based on client feedback, and adding new items. These programs are ideal for individuals or groups and depending upon your selection, they include mentoring and non-mentoring options.
In the spirit of Back to School, there are some new pricing options, and look for the early September release of the program, “How to Deliver Feedback.”
“How to Deliver Feedback,” will include 5 on-line lessons (and one bonus lesson on positive feedback), plus developmental assignments that you and your team members can complete on your own time and at your own pace. This self-guided (un-mentored) tutorial on how to improve at this critical leadership power-tool will be available for early enrollees for just $55. Contact me to pre-enroll or discuss group options.
Look for additional program announcements during September.
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Thanks for letting me share and thanks for your input into my programs and involvement here on the site. Back Monday with the latest Leadership Caffeine post!
Strengthen Your Team By Seeking People Who Believe that They Can Grow
Filed under: Leadership, Leading Change, Professional Growth
In this must-read article: “If You’re Open to Growth, You Tend to Grow,” by Janet Rae-Dupree, Stanford Psychologist Carol Dweck summarizes decades of research into how people think about intelligence and talent with the following:
“Those who believe that they were born with all the smarts and gifts they’re every going to have approach life with a fixed mind-set. Those who believe that their own abilities can expand over time, however, live with a growth mind-set.”
Dweck goes on to indicate: “People who believe in the power of talent tend not to fulfill their potential because they’re so concerned with looking smart and not making mistakes. But people who believe that talent can be developed are the ones who really push, stretch, confront their own mistakes and learn from them.”
The article continues with some great examples and worthwhile advice for any leader or recruiter charged with building or strengthening a team.
Rethink How and Where You Look for Talent:
The greatest personal/professional successes that I’ve witnessed over my career have come from individuals with an unyielding thirst for knowledge and personal development. While many of these individuals were gifted with natural abilities, their innate sense of adventure and experimentation and their attitude that failure puts you one step closer to success, combined to help these individuals create great careers.
Interestingly, many of the successes that I recall were with individuals working in lower-level jobs due to lack of formal credentials. The secretary that developed into a remarkable marketing professional; the customer service rep that became a consistent top-seller and ultimately a successful sales executive and the technician that developed into a great product manager, are just a few of the examples of people that were driven by a growth mind-set. Of course, it didn’t hurt that these professionals benefitted from a supervisor or manager along the way that took the time to get to know them and recognize their potential for growth. It took an enlightened observer to see the talent and the hunger in these individuals
Don’t Let the Pedigree Be the Only Determinant:
I can think of numerous examples of situations where clearly brilliant individuals failed miserably because they were afraid that if they slipped up, the world might question their brilliance. Instead of helping the business, these individuals spent most of their time making certain that everyone around them understood how smart they were. And while the academic credentials were visible, if you looked beneath the ivy, there was no innate drive to succeed; no focus on innovating and no interest even to learn by trying and failing.
The Bottom-Line for Now:
Look back on your own recent string of hires and promotions, and if your batting average is lower than you would like it to be, consider Ms. Dweck’s advice: “look for both talent and a growth mind-set in prospective hires—people with a passion for learning who thrive on challenge and change. And remember to open your eyes and look around you for talent in unexpected places. Your greatest future success stories might be closer than they appear.
Leadership in Marketing Communications-In Search of the Relentless Promoter
There are many good B2B Marketing Communications professionals and teams, but a few individuals and teams stand-apart from the crowd as great. While I suppose "great" is subjective, after working with and around many teams and professionals in 20 years as well as conducting Marketing Audits for companies and clients, it’s easy to spot extraordinary teams and individuals.
The commitment that Relentless Promoters bring to their work is infectious, and the impact that they have on their company is material.
If you area a marketing leader, it is your goal to populate your team with these individuals, provide them the resources that they need to succeed and stay out of the way. And while it would be easy to slip into a nature versus nurture debate (are great marcom professionals born or made?), here are some suggestions for both scouting talent as well as helping develop it with the team you have in place. I suspect that there is a bit of nature and a lot of nurture to produce a Relentless Promoter.
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