The Jholdas Group

Someone just asked me, jokingly, “What’s a vision?” All kidding aside, that’s a great question.

Vision (or the V Word) has become overused the last few years, especially by politicians. But the concept is still important.

A vision is your mental picture of what the future can and should be. The power of seeing it provides passion and direction for leaders. Turning that vision into words or a vision statement enables others to see what you see and choose to enroll (or leave).

A “good” vision must matter to you and to your team. It must be clear and believable. It must align with your values and those of the people you lead. And it must be steady; you can’t keep changing the vision (tactics yes but vision no).

So the real question is not, “What’s a vision?” but “What’s YOUR vision?”

“OUTSWIMMING THE SHARKS” HARVEY MACKAY

As children, we played “follow the leader” for hours on end. The crazier the route and antics, the more we liked it. Being the leader was the best part.

As working adults, “follow the leader” talks on a whole new meaning. Leadership is an art and a skill. It’s hard work that is rewarding and occasionally thankless.

What traits make a great leader? Try these:

A is for accountability. When President Harry Truman said “The buck stops here,” he demonstrated that he was willing to take the blame along with the praise. Leaders accept responsibility for their actions as well as those of the people who report to them.

B is for boundaries. Effective leaders respect personal and professional boundaries. They never expect followers to do something they wouldn’t do themselves.

C is for courage. Doing the right thing instead of the easy thing is a mark of courage.

D is for decisions. Good decision-making skills are priceless. Remember, not making a decision is a decision in itself.

E is for enthusiasm. My mantra: Do what you love, love what you do, and you’ll never work a day in your life.

F is for fearless. Leaders should adopt Franklin Roosevelt’s philosophy: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

G is for growth. This includes your growth as a leader, your employees’ growth to reach their potential, and your company’s growth to achieve goals.

H is for heart. A good decision must factor in the human element. When your head and your heart say the same thing, you can bet it’s right.

I is for influence. Leadership doesn’t mean getting people to do their jobs; it means getting people to do their best.

J is for judgment. A leader must demonstrate consistently good judgment to set the standard for the organization.

K is for knowledge. No one expects leaders to know everything, but everyone expects leaders to know whom to ask when they don’t have the information at hand.

L is for learning. Lifelong learning is an important attribute.

M is for mentor. Just as you needed some help to get to the top, offer your expertise to the next generation of leaders.

N is for new. Never be afraid to try something new, even if the old way isn’t broken. The results might be better than you expected.

O is for organization. This is a twofer: your personal organization and the organization you lead. Your office may be a disaster area, but make sure you mind is organized. The organization you lead should always be foremost on your list of priorities.

P is for people person. You are leading people.

Q is for quick-thinking. A leader must be able to think on the spot, even if the answer is “we need to give this more thought.” A leader can figure out the difference.

R is for recognition. Be sure to heap recognition on those who’ve worked hard and achieved. Sharing credit doesn’t diminish you; it shows your ability to hire well and acknowledge achievement.

S is for strength. A strong leader never waivers on values, ethics or commitment. That’s a tall order, but it’s absolutely essential.

T is for team-builder. Whether you are a team of two or 2,000, as a leader you are also cheerleader-in-chief. “Go, team, go” works only if you provide the right environment.

U is for ubiquitous. Your presence and influence must be felt everywhere. Make sure the team knows whom to follow.

V is for visible. Not only should your presence be felt, you should be present at events large and small. Get to know your staff beyond their working titles.

W is for wisdom. No one is born wise, but some people learn faster than others what makes an organization tick.

X is for example. (I’m not a good speller.) If you want people to follow, you must set a proper course. Inspire those you lead.

Y is for yeoman’s service. A leader must be willing to work harder than everyone else in the organization.

Z is for zest. Let your passion show; see if it isn’t contagious!

Mackay’s Moral: Take the lead and be a superstar!

8 Things You Should Never Say to Customers

Check out this video..and don’t make a judgment until it’s at least half way over…

National Anthem

There are many points on the Trust Continuum: from active distrust on one end to unlimited confidence on the other. Think of this gradient:

• Active Distrust—someone not only has no confidence in you they actually believe you would harm them if you could
• Mistrust—while not believing you have evil intent there is no belief that you don’t
• Neither Trust nor Mis/Distrust—you simply don’t matter
• Trust—someone believes that your motives, methods, and mechanics are good
• Confidence—someone actually relies on you and doesn’t worry about what you will or won’t do

Now this is not scientific but it’s worth thinking about. Where would each of your customers put you on this scale?

Here’s a video I bet you’ll remember:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4yfivS8SWs&feature=player_embedded

A couple of years ago I was introduced to a book entitled Think Big, Act Small. It’s a great book and well worth reading (and short). From a corporate perspective its message is simple: dream big but don’t get too big for your britches!

What about at the local level? How does this work for a branch team? Here are a few thoughts:

1. It means we won’t let anything limit our belief in the ability to grow.
2. It means we believe we deserve to dominate the market and take market share from our competitors.
3. It means we walk with swagger.

But…

1. It also means we treat every order and every client as if it was the only one.
2. It means we realize every day that we are only as good as our last fill.
3. It means we never relax or rest on past achievements because we are one phone call away from disaster.
4. It means we sweat the small stuff.
5. It means we start every day as if the dial was set at ZERO.
6. It means that, while we celebrate our greatness, we walk in humility.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/4253/saturday-night-live-first-citywide-change-bank-2

If  you’ve ever been tempted to take low profitability business thinking volume will make up for it, have a laugh at this video.