SodaPDF-compressed-Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO

by dlavieri

  scrutinizes her calendar and task list for this kind of clutter and

  says it feels great to delete it.

  Play with prioritization systems until you

  find one that works

  Time management experts have written about many different ways for set-

  ting priorities. I tend to be cautious about recommending any single approach because I’ve found that the clients most likely to stick with a system are the ones, like Gina, who develop their own hybrid approaches.

  What may be most important is that you regularly pause and evaluate the

  relative importance and urgency of all the things you feel you must do. As you

  go through your evaluation process, ask yourself questions such as these:

  → How would I rank the relative importance of these items?

  → How do they relate to this year’s top performance objectives? To

  my most important long-term career goals?

  Prioritize Your Priorities

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  → Is this both urgent and important? Or just urgent?

  → What will happen if I don’t get this done?

  → What does my boss or client want most from me?

  → What actions will assure that this is a productive day?

  → What will I learn from this? Will it help me to grow?

  → Will this help me build or improve relationships with other

  people?

  → Could this expand my business or job description?

  → What will it take to make this a success?

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  getting Your Boss

  to listen

  How can I get the boss to listen?” That’s a question I often hear from clients.

  Perhaps you have the same problem. Is it sometimes hard to com-

  plete a project because you can’t get the boss’s attention? Do you head home

  feeling frustrated because your boss won’t give you the feedback you need?

  Or, even worse, does your career feel off-kilter because you and your leader

  are out of sync?

  No boss is perfect, most managers are too busy, and some are flat out

  weak. But complaining won’t get you anywhere, and you have too much at

  stake to just throw up your hands when the communication process breaks

  down.

  Part of your strategy as an entrepreneurial professional is to communicate

  smoothly with your bosses and clients, no matter how difficult it may be to

  reach them. Your goal is to assure delivery of your key messages even when it doesn’t seem fair that you have to do so much of the hard work.

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  getting Your Boss to listen

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  These tips can help you get through

  to your boss

  Even if you and your boss communicate pretty well, these strategies can

  make your messages even more effective:

  1) Be succinct. Assume your boss is busy and won’t want to waste

  time. If you ask for three minutes to discuss something impor-

  tant but then talk for 10 before reaching your point, the boss

  could be feeling impatient or annoyed by the time you make

  your case.

  2) Plan ahead. Before your conversation, be clear in your mind

  about your points, and be prepared to state them simply and

  directly. To prevent confusion or distraction, limit the number

  of items you intend to raise. If you’ve requested a meeting where

  you’ll discuss several issues, propose a brief written agenda. A

  simple e-mail with a sentence about each topic can set up your

  conversation in a good way.

  3) Be clear about your goal. Sometimes you have to choose

  between having your say and having your way. It can be tempt-

  ing to use your face time for venting about your problems, but

  that might not lead to solutions. Be strategic in the way you

  frame your issues, and focus on positive proposals that will sup-

  port your specific objectives.

  4) Understand their communication preferences. If you don’t get

  through, it may not be the content of your message so much as

  how or when you deliver it. Different people take in and share

  information in different ways. For example, bosses who are extro-

  verts may be “external processors” who want to use you as a

  sounding board while they explore their own thoughts. While

  in processing mode they might not pay much attention to your

  agenda, so you should wait. And introverts may find listening to

  be tiring, so don’t make your pitch after they’ve been through

  exhausting meetings. Notice how your boss communicates with

  her boss or clients, and try the same techniques. If she tends to put her most important requests in writing, do the same with yours.

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  Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO

  5) Be a mindful listener. Strong communicators are active listen-

  ers. Your bosses expect you to listen carefully, and good listen-

  ing helps you understand what they want. But at times when

  we think we’re listening, we’re sometimes focused on something

  else, such as what we want to say next. When you truly concen-

  trate on deep listening, you’ll come across to your boss as alert,

  centered, and respectful.

  6) Let go of frustration. If the boss doesn’t seem to listen, you

  actually have two challenges. The first, of course, is to break

  through the logjam by becoming an even better communicator.

  But there is only so much you can do, and much of this is about

  the boss, not about you. So the next challenge is to learn how to

  not let it bother you so much. It’s vital that you don’t obsess, or

  your annoyance could make the situation worse. Writing in a

  journal is one way to examine your negative reactions and let go

  of some of the emotion.

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  leading upward:

  manage the Boss,

  in a good way

  Although successful leadership styles vary considerably, the best leaders

  have attributes in common. For example, most tend to have integrity,

  strong value systems, and a genuine desire to do the right thing. The leaders I most admire are consistently willing to step forward and serve, even if a task is menial or unlikely to lead to recognition. And their influence over other

  people extends in all directions. In other words, not only are they adept at

  managing their direct reports, but they are also able to guide other colleagues and collaborators.

  Some of the stronger leaders exercise a special skill. They are able to lead

  upward, influencing their bosses to make better decisions and become more

  effective. For example, there’s Sam*, who didn’t expect to rise beyond his role as the VP of communications. He had five years until retirement, and he

  wanted during that time to contribute even more to the company he loved.

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  Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO

  Without telling his colleagues, Sam adopted the goal of thoroughly sup-

  porting and even mentoring Joe, his young and recently arrived CEO. Because

  of his job, Sam had a good, comprehensive view of the company’s activities

  and customer relationships. And he made an effort to listen to colleagues and stakeholders at every level. Sam gathered and sorted feedback and data, and

  relayed it in a positive, effective way to Joe. Being well informed, and having Sam as a sounding board, helped Joe to grow quickly into his job. And his


  private mission of fully supporting Joe made Sam’s last years of work more

  interesting and rewarding.

  In my own corporate career, the boss who taught me most about lead-

  ership was a humble guy named Dave Weatherwax. During his decade as

  senior VP and general counsel of Consolidated Natural Gas Company, Dave

  remained modest and never seemed to seek the limelight. And yet he exercised

  great influence, often quietly guiding the rest of the C-Suite.

  During my first year with the CNG, I watched Dave carefully, trying

  to learn from his low-key but effective approach to management. Finally the

  day came when a colleague and I met with Dave to pitch a major initiative,

  asking his support for a public outreach project we thought might be out-

  side his comfort zone. In making our case, I raised every argument I could

  think of, carefully framing my points to reflect Dave’s goals, interests, and possible concerns.

  Dave listened intently, and then to our surprise he approved the proposal

  on the spot. His only change was to set a budget much bigger than the one

  we’d requested. We were almost giddy with success as we left his office. Then he stuck his head out his door and called us back. He said, “I just want you to know that I saw what you were doing. But I don’t mind being led, if it’s done really well.”

  Dave let us know that upward management can benefit everyone, but it

  must be done adroitly and in the right spirit. Here are strategies to consider

  if you want to become better at leading up:

  → First, set unselfish goals. Leading upward is not the same

  thing as trying to manipulate the situation so you look good

  or somehow score a win. “Leading” is about offering proposals,

  guidance, and support that serve the interests of the organiza-

  tion. When you step in to lead your boss, your intent should be

  to remain relatively invisible as you give the enterprise a helpful

  nudge. You quietly act like a CEO, serving the team with vision

  and integrity, and nobody else needs to know about it. Part of

  leading upward: manage the Boss, in a good way

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  Dave’s leadership strength was his authentic humility. He had

  no interest in self-aggrandizement, but sincerely cared about

  serving the greater good.

  → Understand what your bosses need. If you want to influence

  and assist the people above you, it’s critical to have a good sense

  of their goals and responsibilities. Develop a theory of how

  success will look from their perspective. Consider the organiza-

  tion’s mission, current strategy, and primary challenges, and

  look carefully at what your bosses are trying to accomplish.

  → Maintain your areas of expertise. One reason for Dave’s

  considerable influence was that everybody respected his judg-

  ment as a lawyer. Even after his portfolio was broadened to

  include a variety of functions, he was recognized as the ulti-

  mate legal expert. A good way to maximize your influence is to

  develop an area where you are recognized as the authority. Find

  a niche where you can excel and bring value to the enterprise by

  remaining current and by continuing to build your special skills

  and knowledge.

  → Be gracious in managing credit and blame. Dave understood

  that credit is a vast resource to be spread around, not hoarded.

  He worked hard to make his boss, the CEO, look good. And

  when things were going well in his area, he invited his team

  to step forward and be thanked for the good work. Though

  Dave was lavish in sharing credit, he didn’t indulge in spread-

  ing blame. When problems arose, he took responsibility. When

  someone made a mistake, he typically examined the situation

  in a lawyer-like way, and then turned immediately to finding

  solutions.

  → Report without drama. Your boss is more likely to rely on you

  if she can count on you to report the facts in a simple, straight-

  forward way. Create a strong network for gathering information

  and build your credibility by telling the truth without indulging

  in gossip, exaggeration, or negative commentary. It makes sense

  to be tactful, but you won’t be acting like a leader if you only

  tell your boss what she wants to hear.

  → Be organized. Your bosses’ time is limited, and one way you

  can assist them is by making sure that none of it is wasted.

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  Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO

  When you meet with them, be prompt, stick with an agenda,

  and don’t talk any longer than necessary. Look for opportuni-

  ties to help your bosses keep things moving smoothly and find

  ways to save them from unnecessary stress.

  A good approach for improving your upward management skills is to

  search for role models. Look around for people who are successful in lead-

  ing upward, and learn from how they do it. And, if you already head a team,

  watch for times when one of the members is particularly skillful at managing

  you. Notice whether they are good at leading up because they save you time, provide you with something you need, or make you feel more positive.

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  the Jimmy fal on

  touch: good manners

  Help You shine

  I was delighted when a radio commentator reported that the National

  League of Junior Cotillions chose Jimmy Fallon to top its “Best-Mannered

  List for 2014.”

  According to the League’s Website, Fallon was selected as Number One

  “for maintaining the dignity and respect of others through his comedic dis-

  position as host of The Tonight Show.”

  I can’t think of a better choice. Part of what makes Fallon so charming

  is that he invariably seems delighted to be with his guests and determined to help them look good. Much of our enjoyment comes from his intense interest

  in their success and his whole body laughter at their jokes. Even if you don’t think he’s funny, you can’t help but like Jimmy Fallon. Perhaps social graces like his are so appealing because they are a low-key application of the Golden Rule. The way he interacts with others seems to say: I’ll be nice to you and I have confidence that you’ll be nice to me.

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  Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO

  The ideals of polite behavior may not be a topic of discussion in your

  workplace. But you’ll know what your colleague means if he describes some-

  one as “a real gentleman,” or “a true lady.” People with excellent social manners tend to stand out. And we enjoy being with polite people because they

  tend to notice us and are so aware of our needs.

  For a personal brand that sets you apart from the crowd, learn from

  Fallon. Develop a reputation for treating everyone with respect. Of course,

  what counts most are the big things, like pitching in to support your cowork-

  ers in a crisis. But you can enhance your brand by consistently exhibiting good manners in even small ways. These seven strategies can help you develop the

  Jimmy Fallon touch:

  1) Say “hello.” When we’re around other people, it’s always decent

  to acknowledge their presence. Your rude coworkers may act like

  others are invisible, but with a simple “good morning” you can

 
forge a sense of connection and goodwill.

  2) Shake hands. The perfect handshake is valued in U.S. culture,

  and it allows you to exude confidence and warmth. This simple

  gesture can help you to make a good first impression, recon-

  nect with someone you haven’t seen in a while, or say a polished

  “goodbye.” Try these tips to perfect your handshake:

  ◆

  Be quick to extend your right hand, particularly if you are

  the older person or have the higher authority.

  ◆

  Look the other person in the eye before and during your

  handshake. And offer a greeting or pleasantry such as, “It’s

  great to meet you.”

  ◆

  Allow your grip to be firm but not crushing.

  ◆

  Shake your hand up and down, just a few inches, and not

  more than once or twice.

  3) Speak with basic courtesy. Your habits of speech say a lot about

  you. These guidelines set a minimum standard:

  ◆

  Be quick to say “please” and “thank you” to everyone.

  ◆

  Say “excuse me” if you bump into or must interrupt someone.

  ◆

  Avoid profanity and crude language.

  ◆

  Praise or congratulate folks on their achievements, even if it

  requires you to bite back a twinge of envy.

  the Jimmy fallon touch: good manners Help You shine

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  4) Be considerate of others’ time. When people are busy, it’s

  unkind to waste their minutes and hours:

  ◆

  Be punctual for meetings and appointments.

  ◆

  Respond quickly to invitations (to save time spent on

  follow-up).

  ◆

  Don’t waste time with rants or lengthy accounts of small

  matters.

  ◆

  Don’t play with your phone during a meeting or

  conversation.

  5) Treat colleagues with class. The way you talk about others can

  shape your reputation: