The Cranky Middle Manager Show #311 Serial Innovators Claudio Feser
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #301 Up, Down and Sideways Mark Sanborn
Posted on 29. Oct, 2011 by Wayne in General, Podcast
Hello everyone. Today we talk about maintaining your focus and your equilibrium no matter how crazy the world gets. Mark Sanborn joins us today to talk about his book, “Up, Down and Sideways- How to Succeed When Times are Good, Bad, or in Between”. We also talk cathedrals, starfish on the beach, ponies and dozens of other motivational cliches.
If you’re going to use WebEx, GoToMeeting or any of those tools, don’t you want to use them well? At GreatWebMeetings.com we teach you the skills to present, sell, train or manage your team using web presentation tools. We offer programs in How to Create and Manage Remote Teams, Web Presentation Basics and Leading Effective Virtual Meetings. Drop us a line for pricing and more information.
If you manage remote teams, don’t forget to check out the ConnectedManager.com blog. New content twice a week!
Show Notes
0:00 Welcome to another episode of The Cranky Middle Manager. Today we are talking about the need to make sure we’re okay in the midst of all the craziness. Today we come dangerously close to the old fashioned motivational speech. No dedication today, I go on a small rant about motivational speakers, and tell the very common story that actually motivates me, embarrassing as it is. Here’s hoping you can find a pony in the pile of….. piled stuff.
5:55 The quote of the week is from Peter Drucker…. yes, it sounds cliche but attitude is everything, because the facts remain the same. It’s all in how you adjust to it.
6:35 Thanks to last week’s guest, Bob Burg, we got a chance to interview one of the really big shots in the professional speaking world, Mark Sanborn. He’s the author of “Up, Down and Sideways- How to Succeed When Times are Good, Bad, or in Between”. After years of experience, there’s one question people ask that usually fires him up: “What are the 3-4 things he does every day to ensure his success?” This is probably something we need to talk about since it’s so weird out there.
9:46 You can’t tell if you’re successful unless you keep score, but who’s score card do you use. We talk about the “4 Rs” that most people use: Results, Rewards, Recreation and Relationships. And the greatest of these is ……
18:10 Is there a pony in your pile ? (See,this is why I told the story) How can you build optimism? It turns out there’s a great deal of neuroscience around this. Oh, and optimism is NOT denial. It’s being informed AND inspired.
21:45 If you’re listening to this, you probably are a firm believer in the “Learner’s Leverage”. Are you learning all the time? And then, of course do you actually take action on what you’ve learned?
23:45 Do you know your value? Value is not just what you do but what it actually means to someone, whether it’s your boss or your spouse? Have you ever really asked?
Mark’s Resources
www.marksanborn.com
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #300 It’s Not About You Bob Burg
Posted on 20. Oct, 2011 by Wayne in General, Podcast
Today we present our 300th episode and who better to share it with than Bob Burg. He’s the author of “It’s Not About You- a Little Story About What Matters Most in Business”. Leadership and influencing is not about you. Seriously. Oh, and we talk about Pandora (the unfortunate Greek woman, not the music channel) and Oscar Wilde. In the words of Maurice Sendak- let the wild rumpus begin!
If you’re going to use WebEx, GoToMeeting or any of those tools, don’t you want to use them well? At GreatWebMeetings.com we teach you the skills to present, sell, train or manage your team using web presentation tools. We offer programs in How to Create and Manage Remote Teams, Web Presentation Basics and Leading Effective Virtual Meetings. Drop us a line for pricing and more information.
If you manage remote teams, don’t forget to check out the ConnectedManager.com blog. New content twice a week!
Show Notes
0:00 Welcome to the 300th edition of the show. If you can’t find something to like in 150 hours of interviews, well we’re both doing something wrong. Today we dedicate the show to Pandora. Despite delivering all manner of evil to the world, there’s always hope. Somewhere in there is a metaphor, people.
5:44 The quote of the week is from Oscar Wilde, who said it in a much snippier, snootier way than I do. Selfishness isn’t doing what you want….it’s assuming everyone else wants what you want. Did we mention it’s not about you?
6:30 Welcome Bob Burg back to the show. If you’re the boss, and you want to get stuff done, it’s about you….. or is it? This is not to say that you have to be a martyr or doormat. Putting others first is a good way to build relationships and hit your goals. Of course, you have to actually care.
9:40 We all have to persuade people, and being right has nothing to do with out arguing the other person and being right means nothing. What we’re talking about here is influencing skills.You need to make your reason, their reason.
11:14 The first thing to do is respond, rather than react. Then understand their motivation. Why do they think what they think? Why don’t they just get on board? You have to walk in their shoes.
13:03 We attribute people’s resistance to things and attitudes that might not be true. (Warning, use of paradigm occurs here). This doesn’t mean you agree with them, only that you’ve heard them and respect their opinion.
16:00 Do you really know what you have to offer? Why should they do what you want? The overused acronym is WIIFM, What’s in it for me? Of course, what do you do when the only thing in it is “be glad you have a job”?
18:41 Bob’s five keys for legendary leadership:
- Hold the vision
- Build your people
- Do the work
- Stand for something
- Share the mantle
Bob’s resources
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #299 Liftoff Leadership with Betty Shotton
Posted on 11. Oct, 2011 by Wayne in General, Podcast
Do you have the courage to be a leader? If not, can you develop it? Today Wayne Turmel talks to Betty Shotton, author of “Liftoff Leadership, 10 Principles For Exceptional Leadership”.
If you’re going to use WebEx, GoToMeeting or any of those tools, don’t you want to use them well? At GreatWebMeetings.com we teach you the skills to present, sell, train or manage your team using web presentation tools. We offer programs in How to Create and Manage Remote Teams, Web Presentation Basics and Leading Effective Virtual Meetings. Drop us a line for pricing and more information.
If you manage remote teams, don’t forget to check out the ConnectedManager.com blog. New content twice a week!
Show Notes
0:00 Welcome one and all. Today we’re talking about a book that uses piloting aircraft as its central metaphor. For that reason we salute Chesley Sullenberger. He’s the pilot that landed in the Hudson river. What’s so amazing is that everyone is so amazed by what he did….and he’s not. Nor should he be, and there’s a lesson there for all of us. When did competence and leadership become something besides our default position?
5:15 The quote of the week is from the over-rated but often right Antoine de Sainte-Exupery. Are you assigning tasks or painting a vision for your team?
6:00 Welcome Betty Shotton to the show. Pilot, entrepeneur, and author of “Liftoff Leadership, 10 Principles For Exceptional Leadership“. Leaders have a significant influence on the lives of the people they lead. Feeling the pressure yet? Isn’t it enough to just get the work done?
12:00 There are a number of questions we have to ask ourselves before we can get on with the job of leading others. Who are you? What gives meaning to your work, your life and your actions? If you don’t know this, you have no basis for your actions going forward.
16:00 Betty has listed 10 components of leadership (as all consultants do), but the one that stands out is courage. Betty talks about why courage matters, but more importantly, how you can build and strengthen it. This is a new look.
18:20 Leading is fine, but what do you do when someone doesn’t want to follow? Courage is a big part. Betty is also a big believer in at some point telliing them to get on board or letting them go if they can’t.
25:52 One thing Betty wants you to take away is that who you are as a leader has great impact on those who follow you. People are watching and using you as an example..be aware of what they’re seeing.
Betty’s Resources
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #298 WorkLife Balance is a Myth Jon Gordon
Posted on 06. Oct, 2011 by Wayne in General, Podcast
Today Wayne Turmel talks to Jon Gordon about why “Worklife Balance” is a myth and what should replace it. We also talk presidential vacation homes, smutty advice from DH Lawrence and why Dancing With the Stars is a sign of engagement despite my wishing for the sweet release of death while watching it. Intrigued yet?
If you’re going to use WebEx, GoToMeeting or any of those tools, don’t you want to use them well? At GreatWebMeetings.com we teach you the skills to present, sell, train or manage your team using web presentation tools. We offer programs in How to Create and Manage Remote Teams, Web Presentation Basics and Leading Effective Virtual Meetings. Drop us a line for pricing and more information.
If you manage remote teams, don’t forget to check out the ConnectedManager.com blog. New content twice a week!
Show Notes
0:00 Welcome to the show. Today we are talking about the notion that the much-sought-after “worklife balance” is, in fact, a big honkin’ hoax. But if it doesn’t exist, what takes its place? For that we dedicate this episode to Abraham Lincoln and his cottage. He understood that getting away is sometimes necessary, even if circumstances don’t work out so well in the long run.
3:36 the quote of the week is from DH Lawrence, who knew a thing or two about passion.
4:15 Jon Gordon is the author of The Seed, Finding Purpose and Happiness in Life and Work. We all seek work-life balance, but Jon claims it’s a myth. What’s that about? Turns out what you need is rhythm. There are times when you need to be flat-out involved in work, but there are seasons when things slow down and you need to grab those.
8:30 Okay, when you’re a farmer the seasons are pretty clearly defined. What about the modern workplace where there are no such things as “off-seasons”. How realistic is this?
11:15 The secret to being energized at work are passion and purpose. Without those, it just becomes a drain. With it, you can recognize the meaningful in the mundane.What’s your “why?”. Do you sell mortgages or save marriages?
13:32 How does the move from individual contributor to manager impact your purpose and passion?
18:15 Why do managers, especially in North America, get trapped into not taking advantage of our vacation and down time. Do you stay out of guilt? Out of fear?
21:50 When you are passionate and purposeful about your work, you’ll actually enjoy the hard work. Do you put that much effort and passion into the non-work time? You’ll hear how Dancing With the Stars is a small sacrifice to keep my marriage alive.
Jon’s Resources
visit his blog at www.jongordon.com