November 21, 2008 by Jeff Brunson
There is no room for a scarcity mentality in 21st Century leadership.
Scarcity is a heating coil - causing any negativity received by the manager to be instantly transferred down to others in a damaging way. A mental attitude of scarcity, a focus on what we do not have, will cause you to unconsciously make this damaging transfer.
This mentality - this negative focus - is a distraction from your true self and your intended leadership. The opposite of this is power - the power you possess in a consciousness of what you do have, your strengths applied, work you love, and the people you lead. This is your true abundance.
Posted in Confidence | Tagged Abundance | No Comments »
November 20, 2008 by Jeff Brunson
I just read Seth Godin’s new book Tribes - We Need You to Lead Us.
Under the heading of “Which Would You Prefer: Trial or Error?” - he emphasized this statement:
“If your organization requires success before commitment, it will never have either.”
Ouch!
Then he said, “Part of leadership (a big part of it, actually) is the ability to stick with the dream for a long time. Long enough that the critics realize that you’re going to get there one way or another … so they follow.”
Posted in Confidence, Credibility | No Comments »
November 11, 2008 by Jeff Brunson
I couldn’t resist sharing this with you.
This photo represents one of the many things I love about photography … a moment in time.
I’ve been into photography since 1989 thanks to a friend in Mississippi - John Hackney. He found my first set of equipment, purchased it for me, and taught me the basics to get me going. While the photo here was taken with my phone, the point is the moment it represents.
While this scene may be here for a while longer, it will not appear just like this. This was taken today just above the Little River on the Smoky Mountain Parkway between Gatlinburg and Townsend, Tennessee.
A moment in time … and thanks to technology I will be able to savor this moment. All we have are these moments. This is what the treasures of life are made of. Allow your mind and heart to take these pictures. You will then be able to pull them up anytime you need them.
And we will need them. They give us strength. They help us maintain presence … the leader’s stage.
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November 6, 2008 by Jeff Brunson
How can trying so hard yield no appreciation?
In interpersonal issues, leaders sometimes try too hard. Trying too hard can get between the individual who is targeted for help and that individual’s intentions.
This occurs when the leader shifts to misdirected management - trying to manage the people involved versus the systems that are driving the inappropriate behavior. This shift is made easily by leaders who are hyper-sensitive to conflict.
The shift to managing the individual is really an effort to find immediate relief. In relation to an unhappy employee, I once heard a boss say, “I don’t care what you do, just make sure she doesn’t come back to my office again?” This is like treating the symptom and ignoring the disease. A good doctor would not do this - nor would a good leader.
If you can deal with the real issue - by managing systems and leading people - you honor the individuals true intentions. At least you preserve, or even create, the system that allows those intentions (behaviors) to flourish.
“It’s easy to get caught up in the foibles of a corporate culture and the systems that have been built over time, but they have nothing at all to do with the faith that built the system in the first place.”- Seth Godin in Tribes
Posted in Communication | Tagged Systems, conflict | No Comments »
October 26, 2008 by Jeff Brunson
For his Collective Pod, he agreed to own the 21st Century skill of Storytelling. In a message of encouragement I found myself saying, “The best Storytellers I know are very present beings.”
I had to think about why exactly I said that. I am privileged to know many professional Storytellers. And while these Tellers largely tell in a performance setting, they have gathered their stories by living - by being present.
The last several years have caused me to think a great deal about living in the present. And there are a few reasons for this. My age is one of the reasons. As time goes by, I find I desire to be less conscious of time. This puts me at odds with many things in this time-conscious society.
Another reason present living has my attention is - well, living. Dwelling in the past and fearing the future is not living.
In a recent retreat I facilitated, I met a wonderful young woman. I’ve seen her since at several community functions. It’s always enjoyable seeing her and talking with her. She is one of those you don’t soon forget. The reason - her presence. In each and every conversation, she is there with you. She will have great stories to tell now and for years to come.
She will have these great stories, and tell them well, because she was fully present - in the moment. Only when we are intentionally present will the present moment bless us with the memories it takes to tell a story well.
Our presence and participation in another’s story makes our own unfolding story richer.
Posted in The Storytelling Leader | Tagged Storytelling | 2 Comments »
October 24, 2008 by Jeff Brunson
We visualize a specific desired performance and then plan a development event to assist in attaining the target. This is a logical approach learned early in our work life. The process is at times hamstrung by a misguided manager who attempts to build the development plan on our perceived weaknesses.
Even with a priority focus on strengths, we can still become stalled with our development event. There is a missing link … the link binding development to performance.
Practice … is the link. We visualize the performance (outcome), plan the development (what), and then act in our practice (how).
What + How = Outcome
Development + Practice = Performance
Practice is where you implement and integrate. For the leader, all practice strategies are ultimately observable behaviors.
As you visualize the specific desired performance, pay attention to the particular behaviors you see necessary to the story you want told. These are the behaviors that will lead to your desired/required outcomes and results. Let these behaviors guide you in outlining the specific processes that will guide your unique practice.
The greatest 21st Century leader consciously does three things well:
1) Makes the Intangible Tangible for those he/she leads
2) Manages the Principle of Perception
3) Practices … and practices, practices, practices
Posted in 21st Century Skills, Confidence | 2 Comments »
October 21, 2008 by Jeff Brunson
Referring to his efforts with growth and development, my Client insisted we must consider that development does not occur without practice.
As I thought about this, I realized that there is Development and there is Performance. And that Practice is the link between the two. Before considering practice, it is important to consider the two components of development and performance.
In the model of What + How = Outcome, we could say that development and performance are the what and outcome respectively.
Development is an event that must be planned. Hence what we know in the organizational environment as a ‘Development Plan.’ The development plan must be built around what we specifically desire to accomplish - and in the process - consider why these particular accomplishments are important to us and the organization.
Performance is an outcome that is manifested by both the planned development and the learning journey. Performance requires us to be intentional about both plan and process. The performance outcome begins with how we visualize the specific performance.
So development is an event that must be planned and performance is an outcome of this plan, and your intentional Practice.
In post 3 of this series; Practice - The How
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October 16, 2008 by Jeff Brunson
My value of learning is consistently honored and fed by my coaching clients. In talking about growth and development he said, “There is development … and then there is practice.”
I thought about this for weeks before deciding to write about it.
We have entered the time of year that, for me, is considered a season of preparation. This got me to thinking about preparation as it relates to you the leader. While I have the 4th quarter labeled as the season of preparation, it is less about a time and more about Art.
For the leader, preparation is an entire genre requiring adeptness in varying artistic skills. You see, we are each an artist … a special kind of artist. Every great work of art is an outcome of seasoned preparation in you the special artist.
This is the first of 3 posts. I want to explore this art of preparation as it relates to your development and practice as follows:
~ Performance Improvement - Defining
~ Practice … The Missing Link
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October 8, 2008 by Jeff Brunson
“People listen better in Jonesborough than anywhere else in the world.”
- Kathryn Tucker Windham - Selma, Alabama - Storyteller
… and yes, maybe that is why I’m here.
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October 8, 2008 by Jeff Brunson
I’m sure those of you in Ohio like the title of this post. I think you will like this story as well.
During the annual National Storytelling Festival each year here in Jonesborough, I have the special privilege of being the personal escort of a dear friend - Kathryn Tucker Windham, Selma, Alabama - Storyteller (90 year-old Storyteller at that).
The Festival runs Friday through Sunday. Our historic Presbyterian church is the hospitality center for the weekend’s Tellers. I also have the privilege of running the center (indentured service to my Program Administrator spouse). On Sunday morning, this church has a special service for all festival goers who would like to attend.
This year, Kathryn announced to me on Saturday evening that I would pick her up on Sunday morning in time for the two of us to attend this service. And so I did.
We arrived at the hospitality center turned church again and found a seat. I could see the couple behind me shifting in their seats with the excitement of having Ms. Windham right in front of them. After some whispering, the husband leaned forward. “Ms. Windham, I don’t know if you remember or not, but many years ago (turns out it was 1978) you spoke to our group in Georgia and you gave us a seed.”
Kathryn carefully turned to catch his eyes squarely, and responded, “A Buckeye!”
He then went on to explain how he had kept that buckeye for years only to lose it in a recent move. Kathryn slowly turned back around in her pew, zipped open her big leather purse, and begin to shuffle around on the bottom. Within about 10 seconds, she pulled her frail little arm out of that bag with … you guessed it, a Buckeye!
With gentleness she turned back around and placed it in the man’s hand. He sat back stunned with gratefulness and wiped the tears from his cheeks.
Posted in Stories | No Comments »
