renie cavallari ASM0614-AspireToLead(ToProduction).indd 1 11/12/14 10:39 AM

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1 renie cavallari

2 The aspire series is a collection of books that provide leaders with real tools and proven approaches to align their teams, challenge the status quo, and deliver outstanding results. welcome to Also in the aspire series: The Potential Within by renie cavallari Copyright 2014 by Renie Cavallari International, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the written permission of the author. 4 To contact Renie Cavallari, renie@aspiremarketing.com Visit RCI Publishing ISBN: ISBN 13: ISBN 10: X Printed in the U.S.A. The potential of the individual to positively touch lives and be touched is immeasurable. It is through our moments of great connection and thoughtful intimacy that we awaken our own potential and hence touch the lives of ourselves and others. Who are we to be such amazing, inspiring and powerful beings? We are who we choose to be and in those choices we live. 5

3 what is your potential? Effective leaders are never satisfied with the status quo. They know that if things don t change, their organization won t evolve or grow. Your ability to inspire others to embrace change is at the core of how your people will experience it and, ultimately, the results it will bring. This book is about how to lead in today s work place where the participation of four and soon to be five generations means leaders today face constant, neverending, and often complex changes. Old leadership styles are no longer effective. Businesses that tend to react to change vs. proactively shaping it are finding it harder to compete. Leaders today need to think differently about the many roles they play, and one of the most important elements to consider is how you engage your people. Why write another book on leadership? Travelling the world for 20 years with Aspire, I have seen the power of great leaders and the impact of mediocre ones. Most of us moved up the proverbial corporate ladder by doing a good job at the last position, which allowed us to take the next one. The next job often requires different skills, and usually comes with more responsibility. Yet leadership development and learning tends to come from on the job successes and mistakes, rather than through conscious training and coaching around how to actually be a more effective leader. Those leaders who are successful realize that the more responsibilities you have toward others, the less it is about knowing the right way to do something and the more it is about getting everyone on the team aligned and working to get what you want and need done in the optimum way. The challenge is formidable Transition from a leadership style of command and control to one that inspires, empowers, and engages your people into accountable actions Spend less time telling and directing and more time coaching and engaging people, so they know where you want to go and are able to imagine solutions that help you get there Be less authoritative to harness the collaborative potential power of your people Then add the generational component. As a boomer, for a long time I was happy just to do what I was told, as long as I felt that my contributions were valued and I had opportunity for growth. Today many of our most successful leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs are 25 (or under!) and changing the world as we know it. As I look back, I am relieved that my leadership legacy was not defined when I was 25 it took me a long time to gather and learn all of the great lessons collected in this book! Today, people want to be a part of something special. Their work needs to be more than a job or a paycheck. They value lifestyle and connection, especially to the boss. People want to be inspired, feel admiration towards their leaders, and take pride in what they are doing along with how they are doing it. 6 7

4 The concepts, processes, and strategies outlined in this leadership guidebook have helped thousands of leaders unlock their organization s potential, harness the power of their people, and align their teams strategic direction. This book is a collection of real tools and new approaches that explore: What it takes to lead in the 21st century How to stay clear on what matters most and move past the minutia that dilutes our focus day-to-day How to align your organization to deliver on your goals and expectations How to inspire, engage and develop accountability in your people How to weather the inevitable storms and leverage the opportunities they always create Collected over 30 years working with hundreds of businesses and the people within them from around the globe, this book provides leadership lessons from a wide array of sources to share a 360-degree view of what it takes to lead today. Included are highlights from interviews with dynamic and sometimes not-so-dynamic leaders and key findings from Aspire s thousands of hours of research and experience around how people actually sustain and improve performance over time. Use the thinking questions, planning charts, and action tips at the end of each chapter to effectively lead your organization through change and drive new results. You will strengthen your leadership, energize your organization, grow revenues, and increase retention of staff and customers. And that s just in business. The truth is businesses need to change because the world is changing. Everything is transforming, from the way we gather and distribute information to the way we attract, inspire, and retain talented employees. Today s leaders must take action to discover what lies at the heart of inspiring real change and improvement. When you can effectively lead people through change, you unleash the extraordinary potential of your organization. You inspire focus, gain productivity, and open the door to innovation. Being a skillful instigator sets the tempo for constant and never-ending improvement, and this is the role of today s leader. Ask yourself: when is NOW a good time to ignite change and discover the real potential of my organization? Warmly, aspire to lead is written to inspire leaders as they inspire the world. 8 9

5 in this book introduction: the potential within chapter 1: people performance PROFITS chapter 2: building your community chapter 3: winning the game chapter 7: people & performance chapter 8: coaching for performance chapter 9: optimizing productivity chapter 10: intentional leadership... the art of alignment chapter 1 people performance profits chapter 4: what matters most? chapter 11: the heart of the matter chapter 5: the brains of the operation chapter 12: stormy weather chapter 6: passion is the fuel chapter 13: the curtain rises what people want acknowledgements 10 leader resources 11

6 A conductor s power depends on his ability to make other people powerful...the conductor doesn t make a sound. Benjamin Zander, conductor, Boston Philharmonic As a leader, you are the conductor of a symphony. You must get your orchestra to play together and understand that how they harmonize reflects the performance they deliver. And you can t do it alone! If everyone in your organization has their own interpretation of the music (agenda) it becomes very noisy, very quickly. Leaders understand the power of collaboration and the need for each person to take responsibility for their part. To truly optimize the performance of people within an organization, leaders must understand four distinct elements of a leader s job and the true function of each. These four elements are leadership, management, coaching, and alignment, and leaders need all four to help their people and organizations unleash their potential

7 4 Elements of Strong Leadership 1 leadership: INSPIRES PEOPLE Creates a culture and environment where each employee understands their impact Is fanatical about the culture Fanatically communicates & demonstrates the vision and mission Develops strategies to support the mission Seeks innovative ways of doing business Strives for progress not perfection Provides awards, recognition, and consequences Finds ways to celebrate progress Many people today don t recognize a distinction between leadership and management. There is a HUGE distinction, though the two are related. In fact each of these four components are interdependent, and if one aspect is weak, the entire organization will suffer. The leader s job is to make sure each element is supported and developed to sustain outstanding performance. 2 management: FACILITATES PEOPLE, PROCESS, AND PRODUCT Establishes tactics to deliver on an organization s market and customer experience strategies Deploys resources and assigns tasks to execute a strategy (develops To Dos ) Focuses work flow on deliverables, deadlines, and details Monitors and measures employee and organizational performance and progress to ensure optimal productivity Identifies gaps. Adds process and standards to ensure duplication and consistency 3 COACHING: DEVELOPS PEOPLE TO OPTIMIZE PRODUCTIVITY Builds individual competencies, confidence, pride, and enthusiasm Shares information to help others learn to demonstrate new processes and skills Asks questions to help people uncover solutions versus telling them what to do Listens to understand Finds what is right and builds on it Drives personal responsibility and accountability. Promotes constant and never-ending improvement 4 alignment: SUPPORTS A HIGHER PURPOSE Focuses people around a common vision and mission Unites individual teams into a single organization a Community Values the community above the individual Supports positive work environments and relationships to increase collaboration and productivity Creates agility so organizations can identify and leverage market opportunities and move through change effectively Strengthens pride & enthusiasm Honors the higher purpose of the organization Reflects the Community s values consistently through how things get done 15

8 leadership Leaders are the conductors of sustainable outstanding performance. They choose the music for the season, guide each section to play together, and possess the energy to stand in front of everyone and get them excited to contribute their part. They have the vision, set the strategy, and fuel inspiration in others. Their baton guides players through difficult harmonies, and ensures balance between sections. They don t make a sound, and yet their guidance is what allows the music to come together. humility. Humility is the #1 thing. Leadership is not static. I get myself into trouble when I m too full of myself. Stay grounded, be a good listener. You don t have all the answers. You get better answers through collaboration. Walter Isenberg, President & CEO, Sage Hospitality The strongest leaders are outstanding listeners, as they learn from what others are saying or not saying. They look to create environments that have fearless collaboration so that the team is outcome focused vs. tactically-geared or egotistical. Listening allows all leaders to identify and, if needed, quickly correct course when there is dissonance. curiosity. I work my way to no. A lot of people start with no. I start with Yes: tell me more. Peter Thomas, Chairman & CEO, Thomas Franchise Solutions This ability to be mentally present allows leaders to sift through the minutia that all people face and ensure team member clarity around what is expected. Great leadership contains the chaos caused by minutia and stays on message, providing clarity and being fanatical about results and deliverables. This approach then flows throughout the organization

9 management Management facilitates an organization s performance, ensuring that individual people, processes, products, and services are delivering on their responsibilities and the organization s vision, mission and strategies. The management discipline is responsible for getting things done once a course has been set; it is the tactical execution of a strategy. Management sets schedules and timelines based on deliverables, monitors productivity and individual performance, and tracks and measures results to compare what is happening against what should be happening. Good management ensures the right things are done at the right time and in the most efficient and effective way. By facilitating people, process, and product, good management has the potential to maximize efficiency and optimize productivity. 18

10 Managers are charged with leading day-to-day business operations. Their work is directly associated with the execution of a mission, and they are most successful when in the trenches. Because they monitor and measure progress, managers are uniquely positioned to identify problems. To ensure success, their focus must be on people, product, process, and delivery. When something isn t working, it is management s responsibility to identify core problems. Many times there is confusion between a core problem and its associated symptoms. For this reason, effective managers are invaluable, and yet solving the problems that management identifies requires leadership skills. Management is prescriptive; often, it tells people what to do. It is important for managers to understand the reasons behind a strategy so their solutions address the mission s goal, not its obstacles; and yet managers generally do not design the strategies they are charged with implementing. Managers are like the concertmaster of an orchestra. Concertmasters are second in command to the conductor, and while they do not select the music, they are charged with leading the execution of its performance. From the front of the stage, the concertmaster remains alert to the baton s instruction and ready to relay the conductor s wishes to the rest of the players. They make decisions on the technical details of playing the music, lead the tuning of instruments so they all sound good together, and handle other aspects of orchestra management. Without good management there is chaos and confusion. Focus ensures clarity. The conductor and concertmaster together make the music come alive through how they lead, manage, and coach to get the performance desired. They work with musicians on their individual parts, with each section to make them sound cohesive together, and lead rehearsals for orchestral harmony; they respect each person s contribution to the music; guide the interpretation established by the conductor; coach for improvement; and keep the orchestra working together to deliver on its goals

11 Coaching ensures that your people evolve along with your business. coaching Coaches like teachers help each person within an organization develop as a player, growing competencies as expectations rise and the music gets more difficult to play. Coaching is the job of developing people. If a problem exists with a person s performance within an organization, coaching is one of the most important tools leaders have to correct it. Coaching creates responsible and accountable work environments by helping people get out of their own way. Coaches inspire employees to embrace organizational standards, and meet and exceed organizational goals. It tells the hard truth, moving employees out of stress and toward a solution by helping to identify and minimize obstacles. Coaching taps into people s potential and productivity to pave the way toward success

12 Today, coaching is rapidly being recognized as one of the best strategic weapons a company can have in its arsenal. Benefits of Coaching for companies that provide it for employees who receive it Increased productivity Higher quality work Organizational strength Improved customer service Reduced customer complaints Increased leadership and employee retention Decrease in errors and costs Increased profitability Improved working relationships with peers and supervisors Increased teamwork Higher job satisfaction Conflict reduction More organizational commitment Better working relationships with clients/guests Increased positivity, pride and self-worth Coaching grows competence, allows for constant and never-ending improvement, and creates an environment of accountability. It fosters employee retention and development, as competent people tend to want to learn and grow. Competence creates confidence, which fuels pride and enthusiasm. The value of inspiration and pride is measurable, as both help optimize productivity. When a leader is focused on what matters most, they focus their greatest asset their people on achieving their goals. Coaches help people focus on how to achieve a goal, and reinforce cultural pride with pride in personal growth. Leaders create pride by shining the light on what is possible for their organization. Coaches create pride by shining the light on what is possible within each person

13 alignment Smart strategy is never enough. When the curtain rises, everyone in an orchestra has to play together (share the same vision) for the music to truly sing. This takes alignment. Today, things are changing faster than ever, and what allows truly outstanding organizations to sustain success and lead within their competitive market place is their ability to: 1. Align their organization towards their higher purpose and strategic direction 2. Stay proactive towards market place trends and the guest experience 3. Embrace change While it starts with a vision, leaders need their organization s heart and soul their people and culture to realize a strategic vision. Change is inevitable; growth is optional. It s challenging, and yet change is essential for our success. It also tends to be at the center of what gets an organization off balance. Living and loving change is a cultural trait. Like the body, the culture of an organization must be nourished (developed) and its people inspired to contribute, regardless of whether the leader is new or has been there forever. One fact remains leaders are your organization s voice. Your culture and alignment toward that culture is what gets everyone else to walk the talk. For the record: culture isn t fluff. Without cultural alignment you cannot effectively implement your organization s strategic direction or optimize its potential. It isn t about wallet cards that share your vision, mission, and values, though having those as a reinforcement tool can be effective. Culture provides clarity around what you stand for and how you get things done. It is the fuel to get you where you need to go. Just knowing where to go (your strategic direction) doesn t get you there. Leadership, management, and coaching work together to shape, develop and sustain your community s alignment

14 Successful organizations balance leadership, management, coaching, and alignment to support and develop their people and grow performance and profits. How do you spend your time? Chart your daily activities and priorities into each category in the chart below Which areas do you spend the least time supporting? How Does Your Organization Spend its Time? We lead when Leadership: INSPIRES PEOPLE Time spent leading every day: hours coaching: DEVELOPS PEOPLE TO OPTIMIZE PRODUCTIVITY We coach when Time spent coaching every day: hours management: FACILITATES PEOPLE, PROCESS, AND PRODUCT We manage when Time spent managing every day: hours We are aligned when alignment: SUPPORTS A HIGHER PURPOSE Time spent on alignment every day: hours List 5 actions you can take to support these areas: