doug smith training

What's your leadership style? Do you utilize certain strengths to get things done? Do you work best with lots of other people? Do you facilitate processes rather than push people? Do you listen more than speak? Do you drive hard for results no matter how many feelings it hurts? What's your style and what's your blend? Leadership style is more like a kitchen than a cage: mix the ingredients skillfully in order to produce the best results. Play with the recipe, taste for progress along the way, and adjust as needed. You aren't perfect yet, but that's no reason to stop practicing. -- doug smith

The art of leadership requires lots of practice. Are you ready? -- doug smith  

To speak with courage you might need to defend the right to dignity for yourself and for everyone. Everyone? Really? Yes, everyone. -- doug smith

Who's in charge? A call is unanswered, a customer is unattended, a product is out of stock, a car is our of fuel...every day we find ourselves in situations that lack leadership. Fill that gap. Take charge. Get things done. It's what high performance leaders do. -- doug smith  

Here is your question for the day: what one thing will make you a better leader today? Do that. -- doug smith

High performance leaders are able to be simultaneously tough and kind. Tough on the task, tender on the person. -- doug smith  

When does leadership start? Is it when we have formed our mission? Is it when our ambition rises to the occasion and tells us to take charge? What do you think? Here's what I think: Leadership starts when we think of other people first. We need to be leaders in order to make things better for other people. if you're only making things better for yourself, that doesn't take leadership, that just takes initiative and ambition. But, when you see a way to make things better for other people as well as yourself, it takes leadership to mobilize people to help. Because without the help of other people, you aren't really a leader at all. -- doug smith  

Have you ever had a boss who thought that in order to get the best performance from you they had to treat you like dirt? If so, how did you feel about that? Leadership is a balance, but that balance too often leans to the side of manipulation and force. Being mean is a poor, sad, troubling strategy.  When is it appropriate for a leader to act like a jerk? Never. Many supervisors could double their effectiveness if they stopped acting like jerks. If you catch yourself about to get mean, come clean and restart.  -- doug smith

What is it like to work for a leader who lacks integrity? Sadly, you probably already know. A leader who tells lies, who cuts corners on promises, who cheats to get ahead, who stacks the score against anyone else...the ways are endless and the impact immeasurable. It's all unnecessary. Start with integrity. Set high standards and keep them. Show the world that honesty works, and it will. A leader without integrity is deceiving, not leading. Start with integrity. -- doug smith

  I say this a lot: what gets appreciated gets repeated. Have you ever done someone a favor only to have them forget all about it?  Have you ever felt under-appreciated? Many people do now, all over. Neglected, disrespected, unconnected. Yuck. High performance leaders grab every possible opportunity to thank someone for something great that they did. You can't do too much of this.  High performance leaders take the time to appreciate a goal achieved -- and the person who achieved that goal! -- doug smith Personal Note: The car pictured in this meme is a Ford Mustang that I once rented for a few days on a business trip. It was one of those "take any car you like in the row" deals and I very much liked the Mustang. A convertible! It wasn't mine to keep. It wasn't mine for long. But, I sure did appreciate it while we were together.  Your team members are a bit like that -- they aren't yours to keep and in many cases they aren't yours for long but while you ar

  Leaders make mistakes. Oh wow, do they make mistakes. At question is, are we learning from those mistakes? Can we manage our emotions? Do we redirect our misdirection? Do we serve instead of pander? Leadership is hard. That's why people are asking you to be in charge. Learning constantly will make it better, but it will always be hard. When it stops being hard, ask someone what is it that you're missing -- because you are definitely missing something. -- doug smith

If you're a new supervisor don't expect to have it all figured out. No one has it all figured out. -- doug smith

Some of the best and happiest people I know take some time every day to focus on what they are grateful for. Their lives aren't perfect and they don't expect them to be, but their lives ARE filled with wonderful blessings, gifts, moments of joy, and the pleasure of helping and being helped. Usually, that gratitude starts in the morning. I find that when I spend some time being grateful in the morning (it begins with prayer and returns during meditation) that I have more moments during the day that spring up spontaneously: joyful, unexpected moments of gratitude. With so much to be grateful for, I revel in enjoying each of those moments. How about you? Here's my gratitude suggestion for the day: Take a deep breath while you contemplate something or someone you are grateful for.  Pause and repeat. Isn't that nice? -- doug smith 

Thriving leaders play to their level and then level-up. There's always more to learn and there is always room for improvement. Level up. -- doug smith

The goal is only as good as the plan, the plan is only as good as the actions, the actions are only as good as the motivation, and the motivation is determined by quality of character, Work on the "who" while you do what you do. -- doug smith  

  Perfection is a direction, not a destination. -- doug smith

People won't always listen, even when they want to. Leadership requires more patience than you expected. -- doug smith

Do you stand tough? While high performance leaders must be open to being influenced, we must also know when to stand tough. Temptation can be all too easy. Charismatic foes can be all too manipulative. We need a careful blend of boldness and precision -- of analysis and action. If you are too easily swayed you are easily played. Stop. Breathe. Think. Act. -- doug smith  

  Have you ever experienced a leader who tried to motivate you thru fear? Fear of consequences, fear of failure, fear of your own loss of self-esteem? We used to call it "old school" leadership but it's made a return in some companies. Some leaders think that they have to bully people into doing what they want them to do. Even if that works on a short-term basis, it doesn't last. The side-effects are deep. The price is high.  Fear is a terrible motivator because it keeps biting even after it's achieved its goal. And that makes each consecutive goal harder and harder to achieve. High performance leaders can do better.  -- doug smith

It's easy to tell someone else how to live your values, but harder to live them yourself. -- doug smith