“Don’t dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next. Spend your energies on moving forward toward finding the answer.” —Dennis Waitley

We’ve all experienced it; we need to focus on an important, time sensitive task when suddenly we feel as if we had been tossed into a tornado. Fires needing our immediate attention start right and left. So, how can you keep your focus when all hell is breaking loose?

Get clear on the objective

The first step is to get clear on the objective. What specifically must be accomplished? Unless you have a clear view of the target, you will continue to wander, ever so slightly, off track until you eventually find yourself facing the entirely wrong direction.

Trim the fat

Once you get clear on what you need to do, the second step is to trim the fat. To trim the fat is to minimize the excess noise you are exposed to. This includes people, data, communication, paperwork, etc. Excess noise can distract us even when we aren’t in a crunch; when the stress is on, the distraction is amplified.

Don’t forget about you

We can only keep our nose to the grindstone for so long before we start to become inefficient and ineffective. So, step three is to not forget about you. You need to recharge. It may be a short walk or a quick cup of coffee at the corner shop but, you can’t focus in the mist of chaos without taking a moment here and there to get your thoughts together.

Move Forward

As Dennis Waitley stated, in order to move forward you must focus your energy on what to do next. So, get clear on the objective. Then trim the fat. And, last but not least, don’t forget about you. The more focused energy you can give to the task at hand, the sooner you will be available to attend to the fires burning around you.

© 2017 Elizabeth Stincelli

Liz Stincelli is passionate about recognizing and inspiring the leader in each of us. She is the Founder of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations change attitudes, change communication dynamics, improve collaboration and problem-solving, engage employees, and strengthen organizational culture. Liz holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership.

Learn more about Liz by visiting her website, stincelliadvisors.com and connect with her on Twitter @infinitestin, Google+, and LinkedIn. You can contact her by email at stincelliadvisors@gmail.com.

“I am not a robot. I have a heart and I bleed.” —Serena Williams

Robots are designed to run on a predetermined program; thoughtlessly performing tasks. Good leaders do not treat employees simply as a process or piece machinery. These leaders do not treat people simply as a means to an end. Employees are human. If you want the value of their contribution, then you need to meet a few of their wants in exchange.

They want meaning

No one wants to perform a task, day in and day out, simply for the sake of performing it. Employees want their work to have meaning. They want to understand the big picture and the role they personally play in that picture; share the meaning.

They want control

No one wants a dictator controlling their every move. Employees want a level of control over their own work. Give employees the training and resources they need, set and communicate parameters, and then let them do what you hired them to do; give them control.

They want to contribute

While people do work to earn money, money is not their only motivation. Employees want to be able to take pride in their contribution to the organization. They want to know that they are of value. Make sure they know how much they are appreciated for their specific and unique contributions.

Focus on People

Your employees are not robots, start focusing on the human side of your workforce. They want meaning, share it with them. They want control, give it to them. And, they want to contribute, appreciate them for it. It’s time to focus on your employees as people.

© 2017 Elizabeth Stincelli

Liz Stincelli is passionate about recognizing and inspiring the leader in each of us. She is the Founder of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations change attitudes, change communication dynamics, improve collaboration and problem-solving, engage employees, and strengthen organizational culture. Liz holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership.

Learn more about Liz by visiting her website, stincelliadvisors.com or engagenow.me and connect with her on Twitter @infinitestin, Google+, and LinkedIn. You can contact her by email at stincelliadvisors@gmail.com.

“I believe that we are at a very low level of consciousness, and we do not know how to treat each other as human beings. We are caught up in our own lives, our own needs, our own ego gratification.” —Madonna

There may be no greater barrier to effective leadership than ego. Left unchecked, your ego will undermine the hard work of everyone around you. It will prevent you from seeing what is right in front of your face and it will stop you from admitting your mistakes. Here are four reasons your ego is a threat to your leadership.

You don’t know everything

You don’t know everything but your ego can lead you to believe that you do. When you think you know everything, you become incapable of admitting you may be mistaken. If you can’t recognize and admit your own mistakes, your ability to lead is at risk.

You are not good at everything

You are not good at everything but your ego won’t let you admit it. When you think you are good at everything, you overlook the idea that there may be a better way to do things. If you can’t consider alternatives, your leadership is at risk.

You are not better than others

You are no better than those around you but your ego wants you to believe that you are. When you think you are better than everyone else, you sit alone in your ivory tower. When you look down at others you lose their trust. Without trust, you cannot lead.

You cannot hear what others are saying

You can’t do it all on your own but your ego can prevent you from even hearing what others have to say. When you are unwilling to listen to others you miss out on their knowledge and experience; you pass up great ideas and lose out on valuable advice. Not listening to what others are saying puts your leadership at risk.

It’s Not about You

Leadership is not about you. It is about the people you lead. Your ego is the biggest threat to your leadership. It wants you to think you know everything. It leads you to believe you are good at everything. Ego tells you that you are better than anyone else. And, it prevents you from hearing what others have to say. This is all the perfect storm for leaving you stranded, standing all alone in your own failure. Get your ego out of the way and make your leadership about those who follow you.

© 2017 Elizabeth Stincelli

Liz Stincelli is passionate about recognizing and inspiring the leader in each of us. She is the Founder of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations change attitudes, change communication dynamics, improve collaboration and problem-solving, engage employees, and strengthen organizational culture. Liz holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership.

Learn more about Liz by visiting her website, stincelliadvisors.com or engagenow.me and connect with her on Twitter @infinitestin, Google+, and LinkedIn. You can contact her by email at stincelliadvisors@gmail.com.