Develop your reaction to problems

Problems happen, things go wrong ....fact. No matter how great you are as a leader, life will throw up issues, home and at work.

It is not the problem that causes issues, it is your reaction to it. Your reaction has a huge effect on those around you, on the ability to resolve the problem, on your own mental welfare!

Do you listen carefully at what is the real issue?

Do your present an optimistic approach?

Do you respond positively?

Do you see this as a challenge rather than a problem?

Do you understand that your reaction will impact on how people approach you in the future?

Grab that Brain!

As the famous saying goes - you hire a person, hire the hands and forget to engage the brain.

So many people forget to engage the brain, so what questions can you ask to "grab that brain as well"

• What are your career goals and how can I help you achieve them?
• What are your passions and how can we develop your role to engage those passions?
• What do you want from me as your mentor?
• How can I get the best from you?
• What values are important to you?

This is in no way a full list but a start....the main point is to follow up on what you find out, and to review regularly.

How to be brilliant

Tom Watson, the IBM boss was asked "How long does it take to become excellent?" The answer came "A minute, think"

Speed will be our huge legacy of our age, and we have to be careful that speed does not detract from our thinking ability. If you don't put some time aside for thinking, you will never find time for it.

Two things to do

1. Subscribe to

Your legacy

Last week I talked about creating a 8 word legacy....one thing to think about is each day how can you bring a little sunshine to the world.

1. Do I smile, do I smile inside so that it comes through in my voice?
2. Have I caused someone else to smile today?
3. If I am not smiling, am I doing the right job for me and my needs?
4. Am I present with people, do I give them respect by giving my 100% attention?

8 Word Legacy

Over at our sister blog -The Engaging Brand - they run a podcast called The Engaging Brand which looks at motivating and inspiring people at work and they have a lovely question at the end of the interview...what do you want your 8 word legacy to be?

This is a great thought...try writing one it is difficult, but it helps to give you focus to your life.

What is yours....feel free to share one

Beware Familiarity

In a psychological experiment a person was shown a photograph of himself and then a reversed image of the same picture. Consistently the person preferred the reverse image simply because it was the image that he was used to seeing in the mirror.

Why is this important, well that kind of familiarity can also spill over at work. You can favour similar people, but beware great teams consist of diversity. Make sure you are not judging by the mirror, make sure you are judging by results and behaviour.