The Six Questions Superbosses Ask

From Sydney Finkelstein's book, Superbosses: How Exceptional Leaders Master the Flow of Talent, comes these great questions you should routinely ask yourself as a leader:

Have you answered the "why do we exist" question for your team? Could all of your team members share this answer with you right now?
Do you have people on your team who have followed non-traditional paths to their jobs, or do you find yourself attracted to cookie-cutter backgrounds?
Are people on your team energized to come to work in the morning? How would you even know?
Are you inspiring people to believe that they can achieve great things?
Are you removing the bureaucratic barriers and hierarchy that get in the way of meaningful interaction and getting the job done?
How often do you actively teach people how to do something, as opposed to just telling people what to do?

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How To Ensure Merger And Acquisition Success

“Our book will be of considerable interest to corporate executives and directors, who will likely be involved in M&As during their careers,” share the authors of the new book, The M&A Failure Trap: Why Most Mergers and Acquisitions Fail And How The Few Succeed . They add, the book is also essential reading for: Investors and shareholders asked to vote on merger proposals. Investors who are considering investment in the acquiring company. Business professionals in general. Economists. Business school and university instructors. Students of business and economics interested in business restructuring and acquisition. And I contend, it is revealing reading for anyone interested in one of the most important and consequential economic events – business acquisitions. The M&A Failure Trap serves as the very blueprint to help top-level management and interested parties make better choices about their organization, avoiding the pitfalls that have led many

Effective Listening: Do's And Don'ts

Here are some great tips from Michelle Tillis Lederman's book, The 11 Laws of Likability . They are all about: what to do and what not to do to be a leader who's an effective listener : Do : Maintain eye contact Limit your talking Focus on the speaker Ask questions Manage your emotions Listen with your eyes and ears Listen for ideas and opportunities Remain open to the conversation Confirm understanding, paraphrase Give nonverbal messages that you are listening (nod, smile) Ignore distractions Don't : Interrupt Show signs of impatience Judge or argue mentally Multitask during a conversation Project your ideas Think about what to say next Have expectations or preconceived ideas Become defensive or assume you are being attacked Use condescending, aggressive, or closed body language Listen with biases or closed to new ideas Jump to conclusions or finish someone's sentences

Leadership Lessons From A Serial Entrepreneur

Brad Jacobs ’ book provides you a treasure trove of leadership lessons from a man with more than four decades of CEO and serial entrepreneur experience. So, even if you don’t envision yourself wanting to earn a billion dollars, don’t pass up reading Jacob’s, How To Make A Few Billion Dollars . In the book, Jacobs defines the mindset that drives his remarkable success in corporate America – and distills a lifetime of business brilliance into a tactical road map. And he shares his techniques for: Turning a healthy fear of failure to your advantage. Building an outrageously talented team. Catalyzing electric meetings. Transforming a company into a superorganism that beats the competition. “This book is about what I’ve learned from my blunders, and how you can replicate our successes,” says Jacobs. He shares his candid account of the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. Jacobs has founded seven billion-dollar or multibillion-dollar businesses, completed approximately 500 M&A

How To Use Bold Moves To Build Your Career

“There are two pieces of debilitating thinking that hold women back: The first is waiting to be noticed or appreciated. The other is not taking a risk to apply for a new job or opportunity, believing that they do not have enough experience or skills sets,” according to Christie Hunter Arscott , author of the book, Begin Boldly . In Begin Boldly , Hunter Arscott turns this thinking on its head. She encourages women to treat their career like an investment portfolio with early deposits of bold moves, courageous actions, and informed risk. “One thing I know for certain that I wish to impart to you: Brilliant careers are seldom built without bold moves ,” says Hunter Arscott. “Despite recognizing the benefits of making bold moves, most women—especially those early in their careers—struggle to harness the power of risk-taking.” Speaking about the book, Hunter Arscott states that it will equip you with the tools to navigate the workplace strategically and successfully, despite ch

10 Quotes From The 5 Levels Of Leadership -- John C. Maxwell

Soon I'll post my full review of John C. Maxwell's latest book, The 5 Levels of Leadership . In the meantime, here are some of my favorites quotes from the book that I believe should become a must-read book by any workplace/organizational leader: Good leadership isn't about advancing yourself. It's about advancing your team. Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others. Leadership is action, not position. When people feel liked, cared for, included, valued, and trusted, they begin to work together with their leader and each other. If you have integrity with people, you develop trust. The more trust you develop, the stronger the relationship becomes. In times of difficulty, relationships are a shelter. In times of opportunity, they are a launching pad. Good leaders must embrace both care and candor. People buy into the leader, then the vision. Bringing out the best in a person is often a catalyst for

Best Practices For Effective Communication

Here are the 12 golden rules of effective communication from Paul Falcone , as highlighted in his book, 2600 Phrases for Setting Effective Performance Goals . Always remember to : Recognize achievements and accomplishments often. Celebrate success. Deliver bad news quickly, constructively, and in a spirit of professional development. Praise in public, censure in private. Assume responsibility for problems when things go wrong, and provide immediate praise and recognition to others when things go right. Create a work environment based on inclusiveness, welcoming others' suggestions and points of view. Listen actively, making sure that your people feel heard and understood and have a voice in terms of offering positive suggestions in the office or on the shop floor. Share information openly (to the extent possible) so that staff members understand the Why behind your reasoning and can ask appropriate questions as they continue along in their own path of career development and l

Growth Is A Leadership Issue, Not A Sales Issue

“Only you , as a senior leader, have the power to direct your company to continuous and sustainable success,” says Scott K. Edinger , author of the new book, The Growth Leader . “Growth is a leadership issue, not a sales issue,” he adds. His book explains why that is true. And why the relationship that executives and leaders have with the sales organization is among the most important elements of growth leadership. The Growth Leader reveals how top executives create profitable growth through the intersection of strategy, leadership, and sales. With a clear strategy, inspiring leadership, and aligned sales, powerful leaders understand that true competitive advantage doesn't come from innovation alone but belongs to companies that use their sales organization to add and create value. By reading the book, you'll learn how to ensure growth strategy is aligned at every level of your company, from boardroom initiatives to daily customer interaction. More specifically, you’l

How To Write An Employee Satisfaction And Engagement Survey

According to Polaris , a company that specializes in employee research, “a company’s employees are often the face and frontline of an organization and their opinion of that organization affects their attitude, thus affecting customers’ attitudes, behavior and ultimately, the bottom line.” That is why Polaris recommends that business leaders conduct employee research that allows leaders to better understand what motivates employees, drives loyalty, and makes and keeps employees happy. “An added benefit of conducting employee satisfaction research is that, in doing so, a company lets their employees know they are important, their opinions and suggestions matter, and there is a sincere desire to make the company an enjoyable place to work,” reports Polaris. Here are 10 questions Polaris recommends you ask employees as part of a wide-ranging employee satisfaction and engagement survey : For each of the following statements, indicate if you: • Strongly disagree • Disagree • Somew

Eight Things I Am Thankful For

Each year, around Thanksgiving time, I think about what I am thankful for. This year, I decided to once again take the time to make a list. A list of eight things I am thankful for . What's on your list this year? And, what's on your list this year that wasn't on your last year's list? Here is my list : Family and friends. Blogs, LinkedIn and other sources that help me to be a constant learner. Setting personal goals and working hard to reach or exceed them. Good books (including ones the book club recommended). Nonprofit organizations that provide vital services and ways for me to volunteer and donate to support their causes. Music. The ability to travel for vacations. Readers, followers and guests of my Blog and via X/Twitter @ericjacobsonkc Wow, I have a lot to be thankful for this year!

Don’t EVER Doubt How Leadership Impacts the Employee Experience, Customer Experience, and Overall Brand Experience!

Image Credit: Ryan Plomp via UnSplash Today, I feature an interview with Debbie Laskey , MBA. With two decades of marketing experience and an MBA Degree, Debbie developed her marketing expertise while working in the high-tech industry, the Consumer Marketing Department at Disneyland Paris in France, the nonprofit arena, and the insurance industry. Her expertise includes brand marketing, social media, employee engagement, leadership development, and customer experience marketing. Since 2002, Debbie has served as a judge for the Web Marketing Association’s annual web award competition. Her Blog has been recognized as one of the "Best 21st Century Leadership Blogs" and also as a "Top 100 Socially-Shared Leadership Blog." Be sure to visit both her website and her blog . Debbie and I have known each other since 2009, when we worked together virtually for MicroMentor, Debbie on the West Coast, and me in the Midwest – and Debbie has appeared here on my blog many

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