“‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”        

                                                              - Lao-tsu, Chinese philosopher (604 BC - 531 BC)

A few weeks ago, I was having a heart to heart with a CEO needs to get out his office more often.  He wants to become an ambassador for his company.  More accurately, he knows he needs to.       

Like many bosses, he would rather stab himself repeatedly in the thigh with a sharp pencil than give a speech or interview to a reporter.  This is an accomplished executive who has led the transformation of the company, bringing an innovative new product to market, growing the customer base, cutting costs and improving profitability.  His credibility with employees and the board is rock solid.  It’s just that the company is kind of a best kept secret.  The story needs to be told.  This is a great time to do it.   

The real issue isn’t time, because as CEO, he determines how he spends his time.  The issue is mindset.  He’s used to organizing his calendar one way; this change requires a significant modification in behavior and priorities.  He knows he needs to do it and wants a coach to make it  happen.  ”I need someone to hold me accountable for getting there,” he says.

Changing your mindset isn’t like changing your shirt.  It requires a goal, commitment and a plan.  It isn’t enough to have the intention; you have to put these activities on your calendar every day.  If your schedule is filled with executive team and employee meetings, it isn’t going to happen.  Once you set the intention, you must schedule the intention and then honor the intention.  It won’t be comfortable at first.  It isn’t a familiar routine.  As my client observed,   “This will be a significant change in the way I spend my time.”

Changing a mindset is a little like standing at the foot of a mountain looking up and wondering, “How the hell am I supposed to get all the way up there?”  It seems insurmountable.  You can either turn back and head home or you can commit.  That means you draw up a plan, buy some gear and hire a crew to go with you.  You break down this overwhelming goal into doable tasks.  These are the steps that keep you from becoming paralyzed, staring at the mountain and saying, “It looks awful cold up there.” 

If you’re having trouble breaking down a big goal into smaller tasks, one approach is to imagine you’re already there.  Some of you who read my blog regularly know I suggested this ”looking back” exercise right after the New Year.  The idea is to imagine it’s 2012, just about two years from now.  You’re already up at the top of the mountain.  How did you get all the way up there?

When I posed the question to the CEO, he said, ”Well, I guess I started by deciding that I was going to go.”

“Good start,” I said.  

“I cleared my calendar several months out and starting scheduling time with the coach and the marketing team,” he said.   

“What else?” I asked.

“They booked me to speak at several events this year, so I had deadlines on my calendar,” he continued.

And so on.

By imagining that you have already achieved a goal it becomes so much clearer what you really need to do to succeed.  Instead of seeing obstacles, you see results, and the obstacles melt away. Once you “know” what “worked” you feel motivated.

Our CEO has started working on what I like to call a”Speech in a Drawer” (see Speak Like a CEO, Secrets to Commanding Attention and Getting Results).   We set a date by which the first draft will be finished for rehearsal.  Coaching dates are already on the calendar to write and develop stories that highlight his company’s accomplishments and lessons learned along the way.  He’s already started to relax; it will get easier as we go.  He’s already thinking, “Okay, I can do this.”  If you have a copy of Speak Like a CEO, refer to Chapter 16, pages 183-189 for five sample coaching plans you can implement on your own.

As you check off tasks you start to feel differently.  Not only are you achieving important goals; you are transforming your self image.  By starting with the end game belief (not just a far off goal) and scheduling activities you already know “worked,” you are able to identify important milestones, and that in turn energizes you and helps you commit to the process.    

Recently I listened to In Search of Excellence guru Tom Peters describing his drive from a home in Tinmouth VT to his other home, in Boston.   Obviously he is well-versed when it comes to imagining goals and milestones.  Peters gets out of bed and leaves between 3:15 and 3:30 a.m. because he really hates traffic.  (Having spent 9 years in television getting up at the same hour I can tell you that is a brutal hour to drag yourself out of bed but it is heaven to drive in Boston at that hour.) 

What gets him through the trip is marking the milestones.  Peters knows precisely what to look for at each stage of the trip. A house 17 miles from his Vermont house is 10% of the way; a restaurant where he can get a cup of coffee is a quarter of the way to Boston.  By anticipating and marking the milestones with visuals, he is able to stay awake and engaged. 

Think about what you’re trying to accomplish right now.  What are the milestones?  How will you see them?  what will mark your arrival?  The best way to do it is to put them on your calendar.  It’s a visual checklist.  Seeing things; knowing they’re just around the corner- well, that’s highly motivating. 

As always I welcome your ideas and suggestions on getting there.  What has worked for you?  Hit leave a reply.  

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In Chinese philosophy the concept of Yin Yang, often referred to in the West as Yin and Yang, is used to describe how seeming disjunct or opposing forces are interconnected and interdependent, giving rise to each other in turn. Dark and light; male and female; low and high are all manifestations of yin and yang.

In leadership one of the yin and yang principals that I see at work are confidence and humility.  As I’ve said in past articles, great leaders have both.  More accurately, the best have a perfect balance of both. 

Last night a CEO approached me after my speech to a Chief Executives Club.  He’s been through a tough year and is feeling beaten up.  He has lost his passion for the work, isn’t connecting with his customers, and his business is faltering.  His confidence has taken a beating.  Just a guess - he probably had good balance to start.  He seemed sincere, authentic, and thoughtful.  But without the confidence he appeared tired and depressed.  It is taking a heavy toll on his personal and professional life.  

The pendulum can swing the other way - sometimes we can become full of ourselves when confidence rears ahead.  We’ve all met people who start to “believe their own press releases” and think they deserve all the credit for their own success.  We stand on the shoulders of our colleagues, teams and mentors as well as the leaders who came before us.  If we forget to praise, thank and reward people eventually it will catch up to us and have the same destructive effect.

How’s your balance of confidence and humility?  With confidence, you are able to make decisions, take risks, move ahead, deal with setbacks, and tip the balance in your favor.  With humility you’re able to open up to learning, see where you can improve, learn from your mistakes, appreciate others and keep perspective on success.

Given all that’s happened in business, it wouldn’t be surprising if many of us have fallen out of balance.   But an improving economy won’t cure that.  We have to rely on our inner resources.  Geting the balance right, finding the yin and yang of confidence and humility will make us better leaders.  How will you balance these two traits in your professional life?  

I welcome your comments as always and also wonder whether this is a topic worth exploring further in a Teleseminar or Webcast.  Let me know about other topics that interest you, too.  Click on “leave a reply” below or email me at info@bates-communications.com  

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Just like many of you I’m in a second career.  I really enjoy speaking about that transition. The greatest challenge was this - gaining visibility and credibility in a new marketplace.  Over the years I tried everything, kept what worked, got rid of what didn’t.  Eventually I had national media calling me, I was getting invitations to speak at large conferences, and my book was bringing in Fortune 1,000 clients to our firm.

It worked so well, that I decided to write down a few things I had learned.  From there I developed a program called “Make a Name in Business.”  Tonight I’ll be giving that talk to realtors in Massachusetts.  There is no group that needs a boost right now.

The principles of the program work for everyone - no matter what business.  You can pick and choose from the ten strategies for success.  Today it’s even easier than it was when I started 8 or 9 years ago; as technology has brought us Facebooks, You Tube, Twitter, Linked In and other social networking and media.   Now, I tell my audiences is there is no excuse.  It easy today to get known in your field and build a local, national or international reputation.  It works for entrepreneurs, business owners, sales people, and corporate executives who want to be known as thought leaders in their industry.

Right now on Twitter I’m running a series of Make a Name in Business Tips: www.twitter.com/ceocoachbates … if you’re already following me, thanks, and let me know what you think of the series.

Here are three of the tips that have already gone out on Twitter:

• Stop networking with the same old crowd.  Go where your clients go.
• Set a goal to become one of the best, most talked about speaker in your field.
• List five places where you would like to speak.  Call them and pitch a topic.  

If you’re a self-starter and you want a program you can follow that will help you raise your visibility, build credibility in your marketplace, and accelerate progress toward your goals, two recommendations.

Make a Name in Business Program (workbook, CDs) to help you develop your own, customized visibility program: www.bates-communications.com/onlinestore/

And my friend -publishing guru Ken Lizotte has a phenomenal service to help you get published, he also has a great book on thought leadership: www.emersonconsulting.com

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It isn’t a stretch to compare what business leaders face right now with a metaphoric ”bird strike” - a catastrophic event -sudden economic meltdown -causing immediate and loss of altitude that for some could spell doom. Like U.S. Air’s heroic captain Chesley Sullenberger, we never expected it to happen.  Now, we have to think fast, evaluate the options and find a safe landing spot - where there is no traditional runway in sight. 

Captain Sullenberger, 58, has told his compelling story to the major networks, capturing the imagination of a weary nation, longing for good news.  The account is riveting:  the loud thump of birds hitting the plane, sweeping through the air system; he never saw it coming.   We can relate.  Even as the news unfolded, we didn’t expect it to be this bad.  By no fault of our own, we find ourselves in a rapid descent.  What went through Sullenberger’s mind? He told Katie Couric, ”My initial reaction was one of disbelief. This doesn’t happen to me.’”

Like Sully, we are coming to grips with the seriousness of our situation–so what can we learn from his heroism.  How can we make a safe landing in the Hudson?  What can we take away from the story of this leader with such skill and presence of mind?   

Lesson 1: Assess the Situation from your Vantage Point

When the tower recommended Sully land at Teterboro, he quickly realized it wasn’t going to happen.  “Unable” was his response.  He quickly assessed the situation, rejected the option presented based on immediate evidence in front of him, and came up with a plan he could execute.  As a leader, you have to accept the situation in front of you and make the call. There is no other way to lead when rapidly changing market events are pummeling your aircraft.  

Lesson 2: Control your Emotions

Like the captain of the damaged aircraft, many of us are experiencing emotions we haven’t felt in business before - and there is a physiological component to it.  Sullenberger said, “I had to force myself to use my training and - and force calm on the situation,” he said. 

Like the pilot in the cockpit, as a leader you must get in control of your emotions and focus on what matters.  By doing this you also have a tremendous impact on the psychology and functioning of those around you.  Survival experts say that survivors commonly are able to remain calm, believe in themselves, and focus on the future.  When doubt and worry to creep in, reject them immediately; don’t allow those emotions to impair you vision.   

Lesson 3: Visualize a successful outcome

Sullenberger credited his lifetime of experience as a pilot with preparing him to see the terrifying accident’s successful outcome.  He had spent thousands of hours in the cockpit, and more hours in a simulator, preparing for such a day.  And to the credit of the airlines, they never stopped providing this type of leadership/skill training.  Note to CEOs and organizations: don’t stop preparing and training leaders - because they need to know how to react in a crisis.

Lesson 4: Don’t look for perfect solutions.

Sullenberger said after the flashbacks and sleep trouble as he grappled to “forgive myself for not having done something else. Something better. Something more complete. I don’t know.” But as we all know, in times like these are no perfect answers.  We did not see the bird strike, we can only react and use our training, stay focused, and land the plane. 

Lesson 5: Communicate Clearly, Concisely and Accurately 

The last communication to air traffic controllers from the pilot of US Airways 1549 was direct and to the point.  “We’re gonna be in the Hudson,” he says to controllers.  He never wasted words, but he told people exactly what would happen.  “Brace for impact,” he told the passengers, a signal that also prepared the flight crew to fall back on their training, remain calm, and get passengers safely off the plane.

Lesson 6:  Balance Confidence and Humility

Anyone in Sully’s position could be forgiven if they were overwhelmed by national media attention, as well as the heartfelt letters, emails and well wishes that poured into their homes in buckets. Sully is a reluctant but gracious hero.  “I don’t feel comfortable embracing it, but I don’t want to deny it. I don’t want to diminish their thankful feeling toward me by telling them that they’re wrong. I’m beginning to understand why they might feel that way,” he said.

Peter Gibbon, author of A Call to Heroism: Renewing America’s Vision of Greatness, told CBS’s Katie Couric there are three components that make a hero: extraordinary achievement; bravery and courage; and “greatness of soul”. Sullenberger’s humility stirs the public admiration, Gibbon said.

The miserable economy may help stoke the fascination with all things “Sully,” but the pilot would be heralded regardless, said “We want our heroes to be modest. One of the appealing things about the captain is he’s everyman. He’s a reluctant hero. He’s the Gary Cooper type, and he also gives credit to the team,” said Gibbon, a senior research scholar at Boston University.

Lesson 7: Give People Hope

Something about this episode has captured people’s imagination, said Sullenberger.  “I think they want good news. I think they want to feel hopeful again. And if I can help in that way, I will.”  Likewise, as a leader, recognize that your employees are looking for reason to hope, too.  Motivating and inspiring people, telling them you believe in them and giving them hope for the future - that’s what leaders do.  Now, more than any time in our history, it’s time not just for management, but for leadership.  

In my new book, Motivate Like a CEO, I provide concrete approaches to providing hope and inspiration to your employees.  These are practical, everyday actions you can take, to communicate the right message and be in the right frame of mind.  If you contact Shellie Dunlap sdunlap@bates-communications.com I will send you our article excerpt from the book: The Eight Principles for Motivating Others Through Communication.  If you would like to be on our mailing list and receive monthly articles on leadership and communication, go to www.bates-communications.com and click on newsletter.  We’ll immediately add you to our community and send you updates on events, books and tools you can use to develop your leadership communication skills.

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What do the world’s business leaders need now, in the midst of economic gloom and doom?  At Davos, those attending the World Economic Forum are trying to revive their enthusiasm and passion.  They are heading out in droves to a seminar where they stand on the chairs and sing at the top of their voices.  

The program is delivered by Benjamin Zander, the famous conductor of the Boston Philharmonic, who knows the power of music to lift the mood and reignite passion.   “There is even more need for music in times of trouble,” he said before delivering a speech on an artist’s approach to managing complexity.

Purpose and passion are vital to building and sustaining a business.  It is virtually impossible to succeed without it.  In times like these, we need workforces that are engaged, excited, and passionate about what they are doing. I wrote Motivate Like a CEO , Communicate Your Strategic Vision and Inspire People to Act! to provide people with practical, simple steps to discovering their passion and communicating it to others.  

Your passion attracts like-minded people who enjoy throwing themselves into a project - surveys show that employees long to be connected to a powerful purpose — something greater than themselves.  Work is where we discover our talents and passions.  Leaders who are in touch with their own purpose and passion connect others, who can then do great things.  Passion and energy are needed now to ignite the creativity and resourcefulness that will allow us to overcome the business challenges we face.

As a leader, you have to feel the passion - and then learn to communicate it to others in a powerful way.  When you think about it, this is really the highest definition of leadership.  If you believe your organization has lost its passion, I’d like to share an analytical tool from Chapter 7 of the book: Create Momentum and Keep it Going.  This tool is a 5-point Questionnaire that will ignite a conversation among your leadership team, and your larger organization, and help you to rediscover why you do what you do. 

The power of this tool is in part, to help you articulate the story of your organization.  Through storytelling we discover why we do what we do, and why it matters; we also discover how we’ve overcome obstacles in the past; and what makes us truly successful.  Once you find these stories you use them to help others connect with mission and purpose.   The tool also helps asks you to examine what’s caused you to lose a connection to purpose.  These are essential  questions right now, while we are rebuilding our organizations, and our economy.

If you would like a complimentary copy of the Story of Your Organization Questionnaire, which is from my new book, Motivate Like a CEO, please contact Shellie Dunlap: sdunlap@bates-communications.com

Click here to listen to a brief interview with Benjamin Zander by Evan Davis of the BBC.  When you get to the page, scroll down to number 0824.

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I wanted to alert you that we have some great new articles coming out in the January issue of The Voice of Leadership - our monthly on-line newsletter.  “My Best Year Yet” will have a simple, five step questionnaire that is guaranteed to get you focused on how you will make 2009 successful for you.

Whatever is going on in the economy, I think we all feel it’s time to take matters into our own hands, decide what success means for us, and start moving in that direction.  If you would like to order the questionnaire, we can send it to you in a PDF form - it’s only five questions — but it will make you think!  You’ll want to spend about an hour contemplating and writing.  I also encourage you to get together with a friend or mentor and share what you’ve written.  That makes it real.  And you’ll get a lot of encouragement from someone who matters to you.

The questionnaire will be available by Monday December 22nd, so if you want it now, email Shellie Dunlap at sdunlap@bates-communications.com

This is a wonderful time of year - none of us is insensitive to the challenges that so many people face now with businesses downsizing, restructuring and reorganization.  But as I look ahead, I believe people are going to come back to work in January with a fresh resolve to move forward and make it a great year.  I wish you a very happy holiday season, filled with joy. 

Wishing You a Season of Joy!!!

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