Tag: 2009

Leading with Integrity

Posted on by Jan Hovrud

Leading with IntegrityIntegrity Compass Image

“When you sacrifice your integrity, you erode your most precious leadership possession. People will forget and forgive any judgment error that you make, but integrity mistakes are forever.”

David Cottrell, author of Listen Up Leader – Pay Attention, Improve and Guide

The first question most people ask themselves is: “Do I trust my boss and the other members of management?”

Trust is a by-product of integrity. Leaders are asked to be honest, respectful, responsible and credible. Without integrity, leadership rings hollow.

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Transition Hurdles for Leaders

Posted on by Jan Hovrud

Transition Hurdles for LeadersTransition Image

Building a career in leadership involves having critical abilities to adapt and flourish in new work environments.

In a study at the Harvard Business School General Business Program, leaders had an average of 16 years of business experience, had experienced 5.5 promotions, changed bosses an average of every 1.5 years, worked for 2.4 companies, and made 1.5 international moves.

In other words, change is a constant in the quest for higher level leadership.

In the article, The Eight Toughest Transitions for Leaders, Michael D. Watkins, outlines the types of career moves that most executives face.

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The Flames of Burnout

Posted on by Jan Hovrud

The Flames of BurnoutBurnout Image

“37% of full time employees say that they are now doing the work of two people; 30% say they are burned out.”

Careerbuilders.com, October 2009, based on a survey of 4,435 full time employees

Burnout is a state of emotional, mental and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. As stress continues, burnout seems to take on a life of its own.

People feel pulled from all angles of their lives in an increasingly complex, fast paced world. The negative effects may spill over into every area of life – work, social and personal.

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Understanding Your Approach to Conflict

Posted on by Jan Hovrud

Understanding Your Approach to Conflict

  Thumbs Up / Thumbs Down Conflict Image

People make critical decisions and choices during conflict. Taking responsibility means acknowledging how you may have contributed through actions, words and behaviors.

The Conflict Dynamics Profile® is an instrument that provides people with a honest appraisal of constructive and destructive behaviors, as well as, conflict hot buttons. The CDP® has been developed based on the concept of conflict as “dynamic” – with a beginning, middle and end – an active process.

Some behaviors heighten the process and cause it to escalate and erupt; other behaviors can interrupt the process, reduce the conflict and transform it into a problem-solving mode.

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Lessons Learned from the Undercover Boss

Posted on by Jan Hovrud

Lessons Learned from the Undercover Boss

  Undercover Boss Image

Do you know what your employees are thinking?

Do you have a pulse of what is going on in your organization?

You review employee surveys, conduct brown bag lunches, have your Human Resource Department facilitate focus groups, but how much do you really know?

This was the question that motivated Stephen Martin, a CEO in a medium sized civil engineering group in the U.K. to go undercover as an employee, to find out what was going on in the Clugston Group (Financial Times newspaper, June 9, 2009).

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Protecting Your Training Investment

Posted on by Jan Hovrud

Protecting Your Training Investment

  Knowledge Transfer Image

Ever wonder why your organization does training one month and the next month everyone is back to their old habits?

Transfer of learning (TOL) is an important aspect of training – getting participants to actually use the skills, knowledge and abilities that were presented during a training program. TOL needs to happen before, during and after training happens.

This safety net maximizes the learning and places accountability on the participant.

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Emotional Intelligence and Negotiation

Posted on by Jan Hovrud

Emotional Intelligence and Negotiation

  Win Win Solution Negotiation Image

Talented leaders recognize that skillful negotiation not only brings the best outcome, but also helps build lasting relationships in the organization.

Collaborative negotiation can be powerful in driving fresh approaches, moving through change in positive ways and finding creative solutions.

Using your emotional intelligence is an important factor in exercising a collaborative negotiation style. Every stage of the negotiation process requires the artistry of effectively demonstrating strength in emotional intelligence.

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Coaching with a Connection

Posted on by Jan Hovrud

Coaching with a ConnectionCoaching Image

Coaching is a critical aspect of every leader’s job.

Meeting with team members provides you with an opportunity to remove obstacles to success, brainstorm strategies for improvement, identify and develop strengths, assess career direction and gage job satisfaction.

Guiding individuals to be their best involves connecting in a meaningful, supportive way.

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Building Trust into your Leadership

Posted on by Jan Hovrud

Building Trust into your Leadership

  Building Trust Image

Remember the first time you rode a bike without training wheels?

There was a critical moment where you decided to try it even though you were afraid. Most likely, there was someone nearby coaching you and letting you know you were ready.

It’s much the same with building trust into your leadership. People who trust their leader will follow him/her even when the outcome may be scary or the change difficult to accept.

Trustworthiness is developed by a number of actions that you consistently take. They need to be demonstrated sincerely and equally with team members.

William Bridges outlines specific ways to build trust in his book, Managing Transitions – Making the Most of Change.

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Survive and Thrive with EQ Flexibility

Posted on by Jan Hovrud

Survive and Thrive with EQ Flexibility

  Survive and Thrive with EQ Flexibility Image

A few years ago on vacation in Mexico, my husband and I visited a water park. There we experienced a float bridge of sorts.

While crossing the water, the bridge ebbed and flowed with our every movement. The more resistance that we showed the more the bridge seemed to want to dump us into the water.

It was clear, we learned with experience, that we needed to “go with the flow” in order to safely get across. Be flexible and we would make it.

Flexibility, as defined by Reuven Bar-On, author of the EQ-instrument, is the “ability to adjust one’s feelings, thoughts and behavior to changing situations and conditions.”

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