Leadership Solutions

How to Improve the Workplace

Every leader should be concerned about this.

Why?

Because the workplace environment determines productivity.

Here are two things to do:

1) Hold Effective Meetings

Bad (unplanned) meetings are a disrespectful waste of people's time. 

Most bad meetings feature conversation by only a few of the participants. The rest sit in angry silence over being ignored.

Or, bad meetings feature ridicule, insults, and arguments. Then everyone feels upset because damage done to one is felt by all.

Better: Learn how to hold effective meetings.

2) Give Planned Presentations

Some people give unprepared, unrehearsed presentations. The result is a boring, confusing talk.

Attendees find this frustrating because no one can understand the ideas that the speaker is trying to convey.

Better: Learn how to design and deliver effective presentations.

By the way, these are the two issues that people complain about most frequently.

The best way to accomplish these improvements is to schedule workshops that show your staff how to: a) Hold better meetings and b) Design and deliver effective presentations.

Key Point: A leader is responsible for creating an environment that facilitates outstanding performance.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

Leadership Expert and Author of One Great Meeting

714-528-1300

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

Inverse Rule for Communication

What does eloquence mean to you?

Poetic prose?

Long elaborate sentences?

Big words?

Some people attempt to impress others with their "eloquence" by using complex vocabulary. And yes, it can be artfully crafted.

But this violates a basic communication rule: Complex ideas require simpler expressions.
 

In fact, the more complex the idea, the simpler its expression needs to be.

Why?

Because complex communication uses mental energy. Complex ideas also require mental energy. If both occur, then they compete with each other.

The result can be confusion. Or misunderstanding.

Recognize that people are impressed only with ideas that they understand. Similarly, they become upset with ideas that confound them.

So, if I were to ask you to tell me the mission for your business, what would you say?

Would it be something like, "We facilitate out-of-the box business communication into a framework of strategic business innovations to improve effective meetings of progressive market driven consumer goods that helicopter our valued clients into profitable ventures."

Or would it be something like, "We help our clients make money."

I'll admit that I don't know what the first example means (and I wrote it). I do understand the second example.

It makes me want to ask, "How do you do that?" And this begins a conversation that might lead to business.

By the way, my business mission is: "Create success."

If you're curious, call me to ask how I do that.

Key Point: Achieve eloquence through simple expression.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

Leadership Expert and author of Create Success

714-528-1300

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

Improve Your Effectiveness

Have you ever had a day where you wondered, "Where did my time go?"

If so, here is a quick analysis that you can perform.

1) Keep a log of how you spend your time.

Jot down a brief note about each event that occurs. Record the start and end times. And describe what happened. For example, suppose you receive a phone call. Your entry might read like:

9:46 AM - Phone call from Pat. Talked about tomorrow's meeting. End - 9:52 AM

2) At the end of the day, review your log.

For example, you might ask yourself:

Were you able to finish the work that you wanted to complete when you planned your day?

How much time did you spend on high priority tasks? On low priority tasks?

How many interruptions did you have?

Were there any patterns, such as a tendency to spend more time on low priority tasks after lunch?

3) Plan adjustments for the next day that will make better use of your time.

For example, find ways to stay engaged on high priority tasks, manage interruptions, and match activities with mood.

Today's Task: Try this: Keep a log of what you do for one day.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

Leadership Expert

714-528-1300

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

3 Things You Must Know

There are three things that you must know about yourself.

1) Your Dream.

This is your vision of how you want to live and what you want to do with your life.

From this comes your purpose and your mission.

2) Your Values.

These begin with your core beliefs. Then they unfold into the things that you consider dear.

From these come your principles that define your choices.

3) Your Fears.

These often hide under surface fears - the safe ones that people will easily admit. The ones that matter are deep in the core of your mind.

From these come the real obstacles between you and your dream.

Note: The first two are easier to find than the third.

Today's Task: Spend time reflecting on your dream, your values, and your fears.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

Leadership Expert

714-528-1300

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

PS: My workshop on Time Management takes people through activities that helps them uncover the foundation for building a masterpiece of successful living.

What Is an e-Book?

Actually, there's a more important question.

First, an e-Book is a book that you download, much like a song on iTunes.

The big question is: Why should I care?

Answer: e-Books are about to revolutionize book publishing. Here's how:

1) They're Portable.

You can read an e-Book anywhere. Sure, you could read a print book anywhere, too. But the difference is, you can carry an entire library of e-Books (as in tons of print books) in your pocket or briefcase.

2) They're Convenient.

You can download an e-Book to any computing device, such as an iPhone, Blackberry, laptop, iPad, or computer.

3) They're Inexpensive.

Most e-Books cost less than their print equivalents. In fact, one of my e-Books sells for only $2.49 (so anyone can afford it).

4) They're Accessible.

Anyone one with an internet connection can obtain one. It's easy.

5) They're Possible.

That is, soon anyone will be able to publish their e-Book with major retailers. Although this is sort of possible now, new software is appearing that makes it easy to convert book files into e-Pub files, which will fit into every retailer's system.

What to do:

1) Set up an account. For example, you might register with Barnes & Noble.

2) Download the appropriate e-Book reader for your system.

3) Buy an e-Book. You'll find my e-Books at: Steve Kaye's Books

Today's Task: Support digital literacy: Buy an e-Book.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

Leadership Expert

714-528-1300

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

Earth Day #5 - What Can You Do?

Almost every earth friendly change that you make will save you money.

And most of them are easy to implement.

For example, you might:

1) Turn off unneeded lights, appliances, and office machines.

2) Reduce junk mail by asking to be removed from mailing lists. Similarly, ask phone companies to stop sending phone books.

3) Make sure that your TV is turned off, rather than set to black, by the control box or game player.

4) Replace all incandescent (standard) light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFL).

5) Drive the way you would ride a bicycle. That is, coast to a red light and accelerate gradually. Similarly, drive just fast enough to stay with the traffic around you.

6) Use neighborhood stores and restaurants rather than traveling far for shopping and entertainment.

7) Plan errands so that you can complete all of them with one efficient (loop) trip. Similarly, buy as much as possible from the same store, rather than hopping from store to store.

8) Avoid low priority drives, such as traveling across town to save pennies on gas or chasing sales in different stores. Such trips often net insignificant savings, while wasting gas and time.

9) If possible, join a car pool or use public transportation. Then you can read or rest while someone else drives.

10) Buy only as much as you know you will use.

11) Skip a generation (or three) when replacing high tech tools. Often the gains are minimal and seldom worth the cost.

12) Recycle everything that you can. Donate unneeded, yet useable, things to thrift stores or charities. Dispose of chemicals, machines, etc. through recycle centers.

This list is just a small beginning.

There are many books on how to run an earth friendly business or home. Find them at your local bookstore.

Note: This is the fifth of a five part series of articles about Earth Day.

Today's Task: Plan ways to make your business and home more earth friendly.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

Leadership Expert

714-528-1300

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

Earth Day #4 - Our Planet

Welcome to Earth Day.

It's fitting that we celebrate this rare and special planet that provides the narrow conditions we need to support life.

It's also important that we take care of it.

Earth is a finite place.
 

It's also the only planet that we have.

We can't buy a new planet if this one wears out, gets dirty, or breaks.

We can't call tech support.

We can't leave.

All we can do is take care of it so that it lasts.

So I urge everyone to do their best to be good global citizens.

Note: This is the fourth of a five part series of articles about Earth Day.

Consider: The greatest legacy we can leave is a sustainable future.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

Leadership Expert

714-528-1300

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

Earth Day #3 - Climate Change

Question: Where did "Climate Change" come from?

Answer: This term is attributed to Frank Luntz, author of Words That Work. He provided this at the request of politicians who wanted a vague way to describe Global Warming.

Climate Change is an ideal term because it implies a natural process without a specific result -- i.e., the planet could become warmer or cooler.

Global Warming, however, foretells that the planet is becoming warmer.

Three things are true about climate change, regardless what you call it.

1) The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased steadily over the past century of so.

2) A plot of the atmospheric concentration of CO2 versus the average temperature of the planet shows a direct correlation. It's as good a trend chart as people use to make financial decisions about their business. (If there were no correlation, the data would appear as a scatter plot.)

3) At least 99% of the scientists who are experts at climate science believe that the planet is becoming warmer because of increased concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere.

There's something that's more disturbing than these three facts.

It's the fact that anyone would attempt to discredit or spread lies about something that could have disastrous consequences for humanity.
 

I'm sure we agree that without a society there can be no economy.
 

So what can you do?
 

Support efforts to mitigate global warming. One organization worth noting is 350.org.

Note: This is the third of a five part series of articles about Earth Day.

Key Point: Conserving energy is smart business. It saves money and conserves resources.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

Leadership Expert

714-528-1300

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

PS: Expert meeting facilitation may help you plan strategies for the future.

Earth Day #2 - Not Quite a Recession

Question: How do you expand an economy in a society that has everything?

Answer: Sell things that people already have. Or sell things that people don't need. Or sell garbage.

Unfortunately, such an approach is not sustainable. Finite resources in a finite world make unlimited expansion impossible. In addition, people eventually get fed up with being overfed.

There is an important point here.

The current "recession" is also a realignment.

People are changing their buying strategies to avoid excess and waste. Small examples include: 1) People are using cloth bags when shopping thereby eliminating the need for plastic bags, and 2) People are buying refillable water bottles thereby eliminating the need for bottled water.

There is also a growing trend toward buying Green products. Evidence of this can be found in the large number of Green expos being held that feature organic foods, earth friendly goods, and energy saving systems.

As consumers make such changes, the industries that sold excess and waste will decline. Some will even disappear. This means that economic recover will occur in those industries that meet earth friendly consumer demands.

As a leader, your job is to stay ahead of change.

So consider how this market shift will affect your business.

Are some of your products destined for decline? Could this warrant new strategies? Are there ways to make your business more earth friendly? 

Note: This is the second of a five part series of articles about Earth Day.

Today's Task: Begin making plans to run an earth friendly business.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

Leadership Expert

714-528-1300

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

PS: Expert meeting facilitation can help you plan strategies for the future.

Earth Day #1 - Alert for Leaders

Earth Day is especially important for business leaders.

Why?

Because it can serve as an alert.

Every major system on our planet is at risk -- Natural resources, food supplies, fresh water, . . . everything.

For example, we would need five planets to support the world's population with the standard of living that exists in the United States. But we have only one planet.

Right now, we are achieving this by various forms of deficit spending. That is, we're using natural resources faster than they can replace themselves, polluting at rates that exceed the environment's ability to dispose of the pollutants, and depending upon others to live on less.

This matters because when the environment is gone, we're gone.

Let's focus on what this means for your business.

We are at the edge of the most comprehensive renaissance to occur in human history. Over the next 20 to 30 years everything will change. It has to.

So use this Earth Day as a early reminder to examine your business. Consider, for example,

1) Do you depend upon resources that are at risk?

2) Do you manufacture a product that people could live without?

3) Does your business cause environmental damage?

If you ask your staff to compile answers to these questions, insist upon candid (i.e., real) answers. They may attempt to make you happy by providing hopeful fiction.

Then, if the answers to these questions are even close to "yes," begin preparing changes now.

Recognize that wise leaders make changes on their terms, rather than wait until they're forced to make them.
 

Note: This is the first of a five part series of articles about Earth Day.

Today's Task: Review the environmental dependance and impact of your business.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

Leadership Expert

714-528-1300

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

PS: Expert meeting facilitation may help you plan strategies for the future.