Bud Bilanich | The Common Sense Guy

Praise Matters

In late December 2006, and early January 2007, I did a series of “great leader” posts.  Two of the 10 suggestions I had for becoming a great leader are:

• Lead by providing the people they lead with regular and timely feedback.
• Lead by rewarding, not punishing, good performance.

Yesterday, I was reading Kevin Eikenberry’s newsletter.  Kevin had an article entitled “Praise Matters”.  Kevin suggests that “there are typically two types of feedback that you could provide on performance at anytime. Constructive feedback (sometimes called criticism) and positive feedback (which I will call praise).”

He goes on to discuss the importance of praise in providing positive feedback.  You can find the article here.  Check it out.  Kevin makes some great, common sense points about praise – an often overlooked tool in a leader’s toolkit.

That’s it for today.  Thanks for reading.  Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense.  Check out my other blog: www.CareerSuperStar.com for common sense advice on becoming the life and career star you are meant to be.

I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

Bud

PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open.  Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.

A Little Self Confidence Goes a Long Way

As you probably know, I write two blogs: this one, www.CommonSenseGuy.com and www.CareerSuperStar.com.  I have never posted the same article on both sites.  However, I received an e mail the other day that I used as the basis for today’s post on www.CareerSuperStar.com.  The message is so compelling, that I’ve decided to post it here too.

First, a little background on Career Super Star.  This blog is based on my Career Star model.  Briefly, the model holds that there are five things all successful people have in common: Self Confidence, Personal Impact, Outstanding Performance, Communication Skills, Interpersonal Competence.  I post on one of these subjects every day.  On Monday’s I post on self confidence.  With that background, here is today’s post on www.CareerSuperStar.com. 

For those of you who read both blogs, I promise I won’t make a habit of posting redundant information.  Thanks for indulging me this one time.

Today is Monday, so this post is on self confidence.

Here is the text of an e mail message I received from Glenn Cantor, the other day.

• Bud,
  After 17 years with Pfizer, in their consumer healthcare and OTC business, I have been forced into a career search.
  As you know, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare was purchased by Johnson and Johnson.  I have been informed by my current manager that I will not be offered a position with the new Johnson and Johnson organization.
  WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY!  I find myself with a myriad of options and opportunities -- both in my current business or with something in a totally new direction.
  Already, I have initial contacts and preliminary interviews scheduled.
  Thank you for your continued, common sense advice.  If you know of anyone looking for a highly motivated, high integrity person with 17 years of consumer packaged goods experience, please send them my resume.  Of course, the best recommendation you might attach to my resume is that I am a "Common Sense Guy" disciple (who often wears my "Common Sense Guy" cap).
  Best Regards,
  Glenn

Now there’s a man with some self confidence! 

Glenn, through no fault of his own, has just lost his job.  Instead of crying in his beer, he is moving forward quickly and aggressively to find a new job.  As I’ve mentioned several times, action cures fear – the biggest enemy of self confidence.

I like Glenn’s action style, but I was more impressed by the words “WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY!”  It takes a lot of self confidence to lose a job in a merger and simultaneously see it as an opportunity.  Personally, I think Glenn is correct.  This is an opportunity to go on to bigger and better things.  He sees it that way, because he is a confident person.  He has an understanding of the risks involved, but he thinks enough of himself and his abilities to make the most of a difficult situation.

The company who hires Glenn Cantor will be glad they did.  If you, or anyone you know, is in the market for an experienced, motivated consumer packaged goods pro, send me an e mail and I’ll send you Glenn’s resume.

That’s it for today.  Thanks for reading.  Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense.  Check out my other blog: www.CommonSenseGuy.com for common sense advice on leading people and running a small business.

I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

Bud

PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open.  Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.

The TSA is Entering the Ad Business

As I was standing in a very slow moving security line at Newark Airport this morning, I got to thinking about an article I had seen earlier this week.  Apparently, the TSA is going to begin selling ad space on the bins that people use for their computers, toiletries, coats and shoes.  The TSA says that the bins are great places for ads because people who are going through security are in a heightened state of awareness and will register the ads’ message.

In my book, 4 Secrets of High Performing Organizations, I argue that it is important to build relationships with important constituencies outside of your organization.  Customers are a very important constituency for any business.  Advertising is one way in which companies build relationships with customers.

Still, I think that placing ads in the bottom of bins used at airport screening locations is a bad idea.  I go through airport security twice a week almost every week (sometimes four or six times a week).  When I am undergoing the screening process, I am focused on getting through it with a minimal amount of hassle.  I have it down to a regular process.

1. Secure two bins.
2. Remove my computer from its case.
3. Remove my toiletries from the other bag.
4. Place the computer and toiletries in one bin.
5. Remove my jacket, place it in the other bin.
6. Put the bin with my jacket in front of the bin with my computer and toiletries.
7. Put my computer case and suitcase on the table behind the two bins.
8. Remove my shoes and place them in the bin with my jacket, just before going through the metal detector.
9. Go through the metal detector.
10. Retrieve my shoes from the bin and put them on.  (I hate standing on a cold dirty airport floor in my stocking feet, so I minimize the time I am without shoes.)
11. Retrieve my jacket, and put it on.
12. Retrieve my computer and put it back into its case, securing it with the Velcro straps.
13. Check to make sure my cell phone, air card and computer cords are still in my bag.
14. Close the computer bag.
15. Retrieve my toiletries, place them in my suitcase.
16. Hook up my computer bag and suitcase.

Then I’m on my way.  I know this might sound a bit anal, but I repeat this process in the exact same way every time I go through airport security.  I find that it is the most efficient way of getting through security.

Would I be likely to even notice the ads in the bottom of the bins? No.

If I did notice the ads, I would be unlikely to have a positive view of the product being advertised.  At best, the product would be something that I associate with a difficult and unpleasant experience -- airport screening.  At worst, the product would be something that I associate with the reason for the enhanced screening – terrorism.

Ads in the bottom of TSA bins? Not common sense in my opinion.  That’s my two cents on ads in the bins used by the TSA at airport screening locations.  What’s yours?

That’s it for today.  Thanks for reading.  Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense.  Check out my other blog: www.CareerSuperStar.com for common sense advice on becoming the life and career star you are meant to be.

I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

Bud

PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open.  Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.

Do the Right Thing

This should be a great week for Steve Jobs.  On Tuesday, he introduced the new Apple iPhone.  Apple share jumped 8% to close at a record $92.57 on Tuesday.  The Tuesday January 9, 2007 edition of USA Today said that Jobs is “a visionary who changed the way the world works, and the messiah who saved Apple form oblivion a decade ago.”

However, in the next paragraph, the article went on to say “yet on the day of Job’s triumphant  moment, he finds himself on the defensive over an issue that swept through Silicon Valley and a swath of Corporate America in 2006 like a California brushfire: the backdating of stock options.

Steve Jobs is caught up in an ethical scandal – and it’s too bad, because it appears that he never benefited from the back dating (a practice that moves option grant dates to a date where those receiving the option grants will benefit from a lower price at which they can exercise their options).

Read on...

Great Leaders Facilitate the Success of the People They Lead

Leadership is about helping the people you lead succeed.  My recent posts have described in detail the types of things that great leaders do to help ensure the success of the people they lead.  Here is a summary list of things that great leaders do to help the people they lead succeed, grow and flourish. 

Great leaders:

·        Lead by making sure the people they lead know exactly what they are supposed to do and accomplish.

·        Lead by making sure the people they lead know why they are supposed to do and accomplish what they are supposed to do and accomplish.

·        Lead by making sure the people they lead are committed to what they are supposed to do and accomplish.

·        Lead by teaching the people they lead how to focus on multiple priorities.

·        Lead by providing the people they lead with regular and timely feedback.

·        Lead by rewarding, not punishing, good performance.

·        Lead by redirecting, not rewarding, poor performance.

·        Lead by removing obstacles to high performance.

·        Lead by becoming a role model for high performance.

·        Lead by accelerating the development of the people you lead.

I hope you’ve had a chance to review the detailed posts on each of these bullet points.  If not, they’re all on line.  Just scroll through my recent posts to read all of them, or the ones that interest you.

That’s it for today.  Please log on to my other blog www.CareerSuperStar.com for common sense advice on becoming a leader and the star you are meant to be.

I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

Bud

PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open.  Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.

Great Leaders Accelerate the Development of the People They Lead

Leadership is about helping the people you lead succeed.  In a previous post, I provided a list of tips for helping the people you lead succeed, grow and flourish.  I’d like to discuss one of those leadership tips in more detail here.

Lead by accelerating the development of the people you lead.

What Great Leaders Do

• Great leaders use questions to accelerate the development of the people they lead.
• Great leaders use stories to accelerate the development of the people they lead.

Read on ...

Great Leaders Are Role Models

Leadership is about helping the people you lead succeed.  In a previous post, I provided a list of tips for helping the people you lead succeed, grow and flourish.  I’d like to discuss one of those leadership tips in more detail here.

Lead by becoming a high performance role model for the people you lead

What Great Leaders Do

• Great leaders use themselves as a model to demonstrate the basics of performing at a high level for the people they lead

How They Do It

Great leaders pay particular attention to:

• How they spend their time
• Their reactions to problems, crises and setbacks
• What they reward
• What they sanction

Great leaders know that time is a scarce and non renewable resource.  How leaders spend their time is a true test of what they think is important. 

Problems and crises are inevitable.  Great leaders are at their best in these situations.  Great leaders don’t overreact when they encounter problems and crises.  Instead, they stay calm and focused.

Great leaders know that the people they lead continue to do those things for which they get rewarded.  A pat on the back and a “good job” from a leader go a long way to ensuring that the people they lead will continue to perform at a high level.  Great leaders are specific and timely when they reward or recognize the people they lead.

On the other hand, great leaders know that some of the people lead just don’t get it, or want to get it.  These people respond only to sanctions and negative feedback.  The good news is that these types of people make up a very small part of most work forces.  Great leaders deal with the poor performance of the people they lead in a positive manner.  Great leaders have a goal of turning around poor performance, not punishing it.

That’s it for today.  Please log on to my other blog www.CareerSuperStar.com for common sense advice on becoming a leader and the star you are meant to be.

I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

Bud

PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open.  Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.

Great Leaders Help the People They Lead by Removing Obstacles

Leadership is about helping the people you lead succeed.  In a previous post, I provided a list of tips for helping the people you lead succeed, grow and flourish.  I’d like to discuss one of those leadership tips in more detail here.

Lead by removing obstacles to effective performance that your people face.

What Great Leaders Do

• Great leaders identify and change organizational policies, procedures and practices that prevent the people they lead from performing at a high level.
• Great leaders empower they lead to remove or overcome obstacles to performance.

How Great Leaders Do It

Great leaders review the policies, procedures and practices that impact the work of the people they lead to ensure that they are not hampering their ability to perform at a high level.

Great leaders identify and change policies, procedures and practices that make it difficult for the people they lead to perform at a high level. 

Great leaders reinforce and publicly recognize they people they lead who take risks to point out and change problem policies, procedures and practices. 

Great leaders reward the people they lead for identifying and overcoming obstacles. 

Great leaders don’t make the people they lead struggle to get their attention.

Great leaders make sure that the people they lead have the skills necessary to do what it takes to perform at a high level.  Great leaders set up the people they lead to succeed, not fail.

Great leaders help the people they lead develop the willingness and ability to perform at a high level.

• Willingness is all about commitment and confidence.  Great leaders know that the people they lead need both in order to be able to perform at a high level.  The example that leaders set, and the guidance leaders provide go a long way toward building the commitment and confidence of the people they lead.
• Ability, on the other hand is about skills.  Great leaders realize that they need to develop and nurture the skills of the people they lead.  Leaders do this through a combination of coaching, formal classes, on the job training and specific, ongoing feedback.

The common sense point here: great leaders do whatever they can to make it easy for the people they lead to do their jobs.

That’s it for today.  Please log on to my other blog www.CareerSuperStar.com for common sense advice on becoming a leader and the star you are meant to be.

I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

Bud

PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open.  Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.

Great Leaders Redirect Poor Performance

Leadership is about helping the people you lead succeed.  In a previous post, I provided a list of tips for helping the people you lead succeed, grow and flourish.  I’d like to discuss one of those leadership tips in more detail here.

Lead by redirecting, not rewarding poor performance.

What Great Leaders Do

• Great leaders are comfortable providing negative consequences to the people they lead when the situation warrants.
• Great leaders don’t fix problems that the people they lead create.
• Great leaders don’t take away a difficult or unpleasant job just because a person they lead does it poorly.
• Great leaders don’t promote of transfer problem people they lead – just to get them out of their work group.
• Great leaders avoid paying too much attention to the problem performers they lead.

Reward Good Performance

Happy New Year!

I hope your holiday season with filled with joy and that 2007 brings you health, happiness and prosperity.  This past holiday season was a little stressful for me.  The heavy snow in Denver made travel difficult and made for a lot of shoveling.  But that's in the past, on to bigger and better things in this new year.

In this post, I'm continuing my series on how great leaders engage and motivate the people they lead...