The Anatomy of Acronyms to Positively Impact Performance

December 14, 2015 ~ Orlando Ceaser

Acronyms are used extensively by writers, speakers, students and anyone who likes to communicate. Businesses, organizations and institutions use them to assist in the retention of a message, concept or name. They are used along with association, rhyming, and alliteration to help people remember things.

Acronyms have been proven as a simple way to help people recall information by breaking it down into manageable bits of data. An acronym, is defined by Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary as, “a word (such as NATO, radar, or snafu) formed from the initial letter or letters of each of the successive parts or major parts of a compound term.” Some of my favorite acronyms are; Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real, EGO is Edging God Out and when learning musical scales E, G, B, D, and F (Every Good Boy Does Fine).

Acronyms can work to inspire, motivate and improve performance. For example, years ago our sales region wanted to emphasize the value of asking questions. I came up with the acronym ASK, which stood for Acquiring Selling Knowledge. If our reps wanted to be effective they had to gather information by asking probing questions. When you establish the framework you can apply it to various concepts by substituting other words, such as spiritual, significant, etc.

The need and applications for acronyms are all around us. We had a feedback group known as VOICE to give us information on company policies, programs, products and procedures. One day the director of the program was asked if VOICE stood for anything. He replied that it was not an acronym. I walked up to the booth and suggested, Very Often I Change Everything. The director stood there in amazement. He looked back at the word and saw that it worked, for all of the words were there. It captured the purpose of the company changing some of our initiatives based on hearing the voices of our people.

There are organizations that can create acronyms for your organizations. You can search for acronyms at http://www.acronymsearch.com where over 50,000 acronyms are listed and you can even post your company’s acronyms to their database.

Acronyms vary across companies as each organization has their own vocabulary. Therefore, it is important to explain them to ensure you are communicating effectively. I was a part of the pharmaceutical sales organization and STD’s were sexually transmitted diseases. When I spent time in our human resources department, they openly discussed the rise in the number of STD’s which was disconcerting until I realized they were speaking of (short term disabilities).

The secret of a good acronym is to be simple, clear and catchy. In the 1980’s I was training sales reps and noted that several of them were trying to make up information during a sales simulation. I reminded them that their doctors had forgotten more about medicine then they would ever know. I suggested that they could not Make Stuff Up or words to that effect. Years later I found out this concept was the subject of a book of a similar concept.

If the acronym has too many words it may maintain its effectiveness by association rather than attaching each letter with a particular word. For example, the Jupiter trial for a popular cholesterol lowering medicine: Justification for the Use of Statins in Primary Prevention: An Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastin.

When you hear the word you want someone to make a quick association. I speak to organizations about creating a climate where people can safely state what is on their mind. In my book Unlock Your Leadership Greatness; (available at www.OrlandoCeaser.com and http://www.amazon.com) an OASIS is described as, a place where people can be Open And Share Information Safely.

Acronyms are an art. Since I have a knack for acronym development I have been asked on several occasions to help groups in their efforts to create one. I would speak with them and solicit their intent, the word they are trying to develop (if they have one) and the placement of the word in their overall strategy. This information allows me to know what they are trying to achieve and gives me the insight to meet their expectations.

Has Anyone Been Inspired Today is a mantra for HABIT to remind me to help people through positive and encouraging actions. When an expert in a given area or topic is performing their duties it looks effortless. Aga Karve, my spin instructor is such a person. When she is working on the bike she is smiling while class members are groaning under her strenuous workout. One day it struck me that She Makes it Look Easy, SMILE. So we can say Someone Makes It Look Easy as they are smiling and effortlessly performing their work.

Acronyms can be fun. They can build your vocabulary and creativity. When creating acronyms, please remember the following:

Acronyms can be designed as a memory device
They are more effective when they are simple, succinct, catchy and linked to the topic in a powerful way

Be observant and on the lookout for acronyms and do not be surprised when they appear
Keep track of acronyms in notebooks and computers

When you allow acronyms to incubate in your mind you can develop fascinating associations between the words and concepts you want to remember creatively and assist you in memorization and performance.

6 Personalities on the Path to Progress

September 19, 2014 ~ Orlando Ceaser

You will encounter a variety of people along the path to progress. There are a number of personalities on your journey willing to provide assistance or to be an impediment to you. Six profiles are highlighted based on personal and group observations. They are the relaters, waiters, haters, traitors, debaters and spectators. No one is exclusively one profile all the time. You may vacillate among the characteristics depending on the situation and the people involved. It is important to identify these personalities in order to enlist their assistance or to avoid their negative attacks on your well-being and your ability to achieve outstanding results.

Relaters

These individuals relate to your dreams, goals and aspirations. They are in sync with your mission to succeed. There is a connection, commitment and compatibility with your dream. They relate positively to your intentions and seeking the best for you. They are on the sidelines and in the game as supporters, cheerleaders and advocates. It warms your heart to look in your corner and see relaters wanting you to make it.

Waiters / Waitresses

Waiters and waitresses have ‘. They are not individuals hired by you, but people who voluntarily serve you on your journey. They are your friend, parents, teachers, coaches, mentors and positive peers. They may be anonymous or strangers say a kind word or perform a good deed. These individuals derive satisfaction from being of service to and being a part of the delegation responsible for your achievements.

I ran the Chicago Marathon twice and the streets were lined with people with signs encouraging the runners. They screamed out the numbers of the runners and some of them provided us with water and beverages. You may recall a waiter or waitress who gave you outstanding service. They asked poignant questions in order to serve you better. They went out of their way to make your visit an enjoyable and memorable experience.

Haters

You may have come in contact with these individuals. They are outwardly against you. They may be jealous, insecure or just plain malicious in their attitude toward you. You may not have done anything against these people, but they see you and immediately resent you and your accomplishments. Haters are committed to bringing you down. They celebrate and laugh when you stumble. They have the resentment to match your contentment and find great satisfaction whenever you experience difficulties. Haters are prone to go to great lengths to place barriers in front of you and to turn people against you. They are constantly questioning your motives, while developing conspiracy theories to discredit your work.

Haters are very dangerous because of their capacity to spread malicious lies, rumors while attacking your reputation. Their outward expression of contempt may not be to your face, but many people will be exposed to their feelings.

Traitors

Traitors may get very close to you and win your confidence. You may trust them only to find out that they were false friends. They will work inwardly to unravel and discredit your progress to success. They will secretly try to undermine your efforts and tell people about your innermost secrets and weaknesses. Traitors may start out as relaters, but somewhere along the way they turn against you. Hopefully you will find out soon enough that they cannot be trusted. They are back biters and back stabbers. They may be passive aggressive, sneaky and secretive. Traitors may ruin your reputation by selling your secrets to the highest bidder.

Because traitors are believed to be your friends, their words ring with truth and credibility to an unsuspecting audience. Traitors will break your heart because of their proximity to your inner circle. They are on the inside and privy to your thoughts, feelings and actions.

Debaters

While you are committed to your journey, you will find a number of people challenging you every step of the way. They try to talk you out of success. They will question your sacrifice and try to discourage you from wasting your time. They will give you countless counter arguments and examples of others who failed through no fault of their own. They will persistently challenge the value of your dreams and the foolishness of your work ethic. Debaters will make you question your intelligence and qualifications for your objectives.

Debaters, however, can strengthen your resolve and survival skills. When you successfully counter their arguments, you will be stronger against other opponents. They actually prepare you for meaningful discourse with the conscientious objectors who are against your desire to be successful.

Spectators

In many respects your journey to succeed is a competitive event. There are spectators who are on the roadway in the field. There are other individuals who are in the stands watching the game. They do not get involved in the activities. They may cheer, but the cheers may not be for you. You may see the spectators in the stands, but you do not know their allegiance. You just know that they are present. They do not personally give you words of encouragement, as is the case with relaters and the waiters. You may not know if they are against you like the haters, debaters and the traitors.

Haters and traitors are potentially destructive. You need to find out who they are and develop strategies, structures and individuals to shield you from their insecurities. Haters and traitors attack you from different positions. Haters are outwardly against you. Traitors are inwardly against you. They gained your confidence and many times, you were unaware of their insidious nature.

Some debaters are convinced they are trying to protect you by talking you out of your dream. They may feel the dream is too dangerous and you may be hurt and they want to spare you the grief and humiliation associated with failing. However, many debaters are insecure and don’t want you to succeed because they will take it personally. If you succeed and they do not, they will see themselves as failures.

The spectators may be harmless, but they should be more than a witness along your path to progress. Spectators should get involved in the game and become relaters and waiters to support your cause. It is wonderful when spectators decide to be a part of the success of others. This service to others could be a major personal development growth opportunity on their path to becoming a leader.

These six personalities are present any time you try to accomplish something. They are the people you meet along the path to progress. The supportive personalities such as the relaters and waiters are essential to give you the moral support and technical proficiency, you need to succeed. Words of encouragement and acts of kindness from these individuals are instrumental in giving you the confidence and competence to achieve your goals.

Secrets of Success in Sales and Leadership

July 15, 2014 ~ Orlando Ceaser

This interview was given to Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Magazine and contains information that is still current and vital for today’s professional in any field.
“How do you describe your job? Do you feel that you are simply a salesperson whose only real duty is to sell as much of your products as you can? If so, this month’s column is for you! The average rep might get away with this mindset, but the best reps in this industry see their jobs in terms of both sales and leadership.

This month we speak with Orlando Ceaser, author of Leadership Above the Rim: The Poetry of Possibility. He has authored numerous articles, books and CDs, and has a comic strip on leadership, motivation and personal development. Formerly the Senior Director of Diversity for AstraZeneca, he is now a motivational communicator for Watchwell Communications, Inc, We speak with him this month to tap into his over 30 years of experience to learn how the best reps use leadership skills to get to the top of their field.

Orlando, you have worked with reps from a variety of vantage points. Why don’t we start by giving us a definition of leadership as it pertains to a pharmaceutical sales representative?

Leadership is defined in the eyes of the customer. The pharmaceutical sales representative, who helps their clients reach their vision of quality patient care, will be perceived as a leader. They will lead by example and develop credibility through technical expertise and outstanding customer service. Their responses to questions will be in the best interest of the customer. Their objectivity will create meaningful trusting relationships. They will be in the upper echelon of sales reps by using their talent, skills and resources to provide value and exceed customer expectations.

How do you see the industry’s most successful representatives using their leadership skills to advance their careers?

These individuals are not afraid to take risks. They will openly ask questions in meetings, volunteer for special projects and coach and challenge their peers. They recognize that each interaction is an interview, so their time in front of senior leadership is used as an opportunity to demonstrate their talent and tactics. They realize that the first step to a promotion is doing their current job to the best of their ability. The most successful representatives know that advancing their careers does not necessarily require a promotion or relocation. They may accept a lateral move, as well as a higher rung on the career ladder.

The successful sales representative will use a mentor or coach to help them improve their performance and counsel them on their career. They will develop advocates who are aware of their track record. These representatives are continuously learning and looking for ways to excel among their peers, by being competitive, but not in a negative manner.

If a rep doesn’t have a lot of experience in leading other people, where can he or she begin to get that experience?

Experience leading people can be gained on the job by taking the lead on projects and volunteering to assist their manager on special teams and with field training new representatives. They will gain valuable experience leading a team and learn to influence without authority. Additionally, there are opportunities away from the job where they can hone leadership skills. Sales representatives may volunteer in local community, religious, social, military and sports programs.

Sales representatives should let management know the scope of these leadership opportunities and the skills being developed. It is a good idea to have leadership development as a career objective and read books, take classes, attend seminars to help fulfill the leadership objective.

What do you think are the top one or two qualities and/or habits that make a great leader in this field?

Great leaders have the ability to rally a team to a cause greater than themselves. Marcus Buckingham, the author of First break all the rules and The one thing you need to know, says, “Great leaders rally people to a better future.” This vision of the better future is passionately presented, designed and executed. People follow because they can see how it will benefit them. Clarity in defining the future and optimism as they alleviate the fears of their team is necessary to keep them focused on achieving corporate and personal objectives.

What one or two qualities or habits do you think are very destructive in people who are in leadership roles?

I have noticed a number of leaders lose control of their organizations lacking integrity and trustworthiness. These are more than moral failing; they strike to the core of motivating a team to strive for the future espoused by a leader. If people don’t trust the leader this will impact morale, levels of engagement, productivity and sales results. It will also prevent the leader from retaining their top talent.

Additionally, in a global economy, leaders who are not inclusive or culturally competent will be a liability to their organizations.

What would you tell a representative who feels that they don’t have the basic skills or characteristics to be a leader? Perhaps they don’t like to be in the spotlight, or lack confidence in speaking out and giving their opinions, for example.

I would suggest reading books on leadership and discussing leadership skills with their manager. They may be mistaken regarding their ability to lead. In these current economic times, it may be a competitive advantage to acquire leadership qualities. For example, speaking up at meetings is a skill set that can be developed. Some people are introverts who like to process information differently and may take time to think through a response before commenting. Participation strategies and tactics can be devised to increase confidence and engagement. I know people who write down questions before and during a meeting to structure their thoughts. Others role play their responses before a meeting through mentally rehearsing their questions or practicing out loud.

Senior leadership makes decisions about the value of sales representatives from their ability to sell and their ability to lead. Expertise in selling today will cause leadership to ask the question, “Do they have what it takes to lead, tomorrow?”

Success despite Misfortune tellers and Prophets of doom

March 17, 2014 ~ Orlando Ceaser

You may not have experienced this personally, but you have heard people say they lack confidence because people verbally doubted their ability. Their abilities and value were challenged at an early age. They would never accomplish something. When they were older, they were told they were not qualified to do something or lacked the capacity or skill to achieve an objective. Their failure would be due to their socio-economic status, background, gender, race, culture, appearance or interests. These individuals were devastated and believed the negative remarks, hook line and sinker.

You may share my curiosity about people who go out of their way to predict a negative future about someone. They will not hesitate to tell a person that they will never earn a college degree, get into a particular college or program, and achieve a dream or a job, because of a limited vision of an individual’s potential. These misfortune tellers will frequently volunteer their assessment of a friends potential, as if it was a foregone conclusion. People are told that they will never be a leader, were not bright enough, tall enough, thin enough or good-looking enough to make it in this world.

I walked into a room of new district managers after a merger. I was struck by the number of individuals present who were never supposed to be promoted. They wore the label of being unfit for management from their previous organization. Hell was to freeze over before some of them became managers. I looked around the room and arrived at the conclusion that the weather forecast for hell called for an ice storm of momentous proportions.

We look at these negative prognosticators, misfortune tellers, prophets of doom and dream killers, and wonder;

• Are they clairvoyant, bona fide, certified Palm readers?
• What is their success rate or track record of predicting events?
• Are they famous because of their success with the lottery, betting on horses or investing in the stock market?
• Do they have the best grades in school?
• Are they the highest performers on the job?
• Are they independently wealthy because of their ability to select winners?

The absence of such data, should disqualify people from seeing into your future and making judgments on what you can or will not be able to do. Why should we listen to these questionable, nonsensical projections without proof of their credibility? We seldom subject people to this kind of questioning. We take their word and grant them the influence to affect our lives. I wonder how they would answer these questions. A

Personal achievement and productivity in many segments of our lives are influenced by what people have said about us. The words of misfortune tellers have stunted the professional and personal growth of countless individuals. The words are devastating, but we give them added power by believing the words must be true. This belief increases the predictive power of words uttered by people who are mean-spirited enough to attack our dreams without offering any constructive criticism to help us grow. Their motives should disqualify them for conflict of interest. It may not be that they believed we would, but they wanted us to fail. Somehow our success might make them look bad, as they take it personally.

We have to be careful around misfortune tellers, prophets of doom and dream killers. Words have power and should not be used to predict a negative future unless they are used to instruct someone in a positive manner. Granted, some people may have unrealistic expectations of their potential and you may feel it necessary to bring them down to reality. This can be accomplished in a positive manner by directing them to an area where you feel their strengths are more appropriate. This of course should be done if you have the right experience, skills and credentials. If you don’t feel someone can do something and it’s just your opinion, you must evaluate the reason for bursting their balloon. You may need to show wisdom by being silent and keeping your opinions to yourself.

The prophets of doom, live in the world of the worst case scenarios. They can be destructive if they only and always paint a picture of the worst case happening to you. Frequently, they point to personal characteristic or circumstance that you cannot overcome. They can depress you and cause you to give up trying, if they consistently fill your head with negative expectations.

The following chart should be helpful when faced with naysayers who are running around with sharp objects, leaping in the air to burst your balloons. The balloons represent your goals, dreams, positive intentions and lofty expectations.

If people say you can’t do something and you believe them, chances are you will prove them right. You will be discouraged and doubt your ability to go against their predictions. You give them the ability to influence personal perceptions and actions.

If someone says you can’t do something and you do not believe them, you will do everything within your power to prove them wrong. Their perception of you will drive you to higher levels of performance. You ask yourself, what gives them the right to say that about you, they don’t know you. You will show them how wrong they are about you.

If someone says you can do something and their belief is consistent with your perception, you will work in concert with their expectations. Your performance will more than likely be inspired, as you validate your personal convictions.

However, if someone says you can do something and you do not believe them, the result would be as if they said you couldn’t do it. Your lack of confidence and weak belief in yourself would undermine your success. There are instances when someone’s belief in you is greater than your belief in yourself. If they are persistent, you may eventually see what they see in you. It is important for you to keep an open mind and consider them a good judge of character. It is very difficult to achieve something if you do not believe it is possible. If you cannot see yourself performing in a certain role, it is difficult to achieve it or succeed in it.

Your belief system is a central part of performing to meet your expectations. There may be instances where outside forces will try to derail your progress, but a healthy self image, positive encouragement from others and a persistent drive to excel, will work to your advantage. In a competitive world where misfortune tellers, prophets of doom and dream killers work to stifle your achievement, you must be vigilant in growing skills, protecting and projecting confidence in your abilities.

Tie breakers – Beating the crowd in a photo finish

November 1, 2013 ~ Orlando Ceaser

Similarity is everywhere. Parity is another word used to describe sameness that exists among sports teams. A commodity is a perception by customers that there is little difference between the items portrayed. The common view is that all of the products under review or investigation are interchangeable and can be substituted for each other. When this occurs with your career, something must be done to give you an edge. A slight variation can be seen as an advantage. If candidates are seen as equal, something must be done to break the tie.

There are so many talented candidates applying for jobs and many have equivalent academic and professional skill sets and expertise. College admission officers receive applications from a large number of straight “A” students and others with high grade point averages. Employment offices receive resumes from people with indistinguishable backgrounds. You have to devise a strategy to stand out or “differentiate” yourself from the crowd. Some people have accomplished this in the form of a short term and long term strategy of more education. This can be achieved in the form of an advanced degree or certificate of specialization in an area of need. This can be in the form of skills and experience gained in volunteer activities on the job, in school or in your community.

Leaders are needed in great numbers. Great leadership is desperately needed. Individuals with the emotional and intellectual fortitude to inspire and lead others to complete projects, exceed sales goals and solve problems will find employment. People with the technical, social skills and emotional intelligence will always be in demand.

Old School relatives always spoke of the value of a strong work ethic. It meant working a job to the best of your ability. It meant pride in the quality of your effort. Sometimes it meant working long hours, where the pay was not worth it in the short term, but there were significant long term benefits. There were occasions when a low paying job was used as a stepping stone to a higher paying job.

What would you use as a tie breaker if you were making a decision between several comparable people? This thought process will help you imagine what the interviewer is going through. Examples of potential tie breakers may include the following.

• Unique or various experiences which sets you apart from others
• Interests, hobbies and attributes which could add to the skills of your team. What are your interests that grow you in other areas? Volunteer opportunities and hobbies in art and music can portray an interesting person. You can develop techniques of creativity which can apply to other areas of life when examined for other tangible benefits
• Sports can be a tie breaker if you reached a high level of competency and can demonstrate valuable skills acquired during your playing days. Leadership positions such as the captain of the team and how this enhanced your character.
Some people look for points of identification with the interviewer as a potential tie breaker. I worked for a manager who loved to play racquetball. In a competitive interview when all else was equal I could see him leaning toward the candidate who was an avid racquetball player.

• Working to pay for your college education. Dave was a manager who worked his way through college and paid for 100% of his education. He therefore, had a bias for anyone who demonstrated these attributes. In an interview if he discovered this information, he immediately connected with the candidate. This plays into the decision-making process. He would use this information to break a tie. Granted this information is often impossible to gather, but I want you to think about acquiring extracurricular activities and education which could prove instrumental in your career development. The more well rounded you are, the greater the possibility of breaking the tie with other candidates.

Tony Alessandra, PhD. said years ago that people should work on their breath and depth of knowledge. The depth of knowledge referred to the information in your chosen area of interest; the data, experiences and connections that formed your expertise in your area of specialization. Your breath of knowledge is all of the other things you know outside of your business, which make you well rounded and hopefully more interesting.

You don’t want to be among the less impressive resumes. But even if among the best you must have sufficient skills to set yourself apart from others. Your leadership, risk taking, charisma and communication skills and leadership practices may be exactly what the organization or institution is looking to bring on board. Your hunger, sense of urgency and a track record of achieving goals are attractive to potential employers.

People may overlook the value of communication skills in breaking a tie and distinguishing yourself from others. Many people use their communication skills to enhance their profile. Students and adults join Toastmasters and look for opportunities to make presentations in front of large groups. People take acting classes to improve their ability to communicate. Their involvement has little to do with pursuing an acting career, but everything to do with building their network and improving their skills to communicate with different people.

Your career plan should contain elements or characteristics to set you apart from others. Or you should look at your interests and skills and ask, “Who would be interested in this array of talent? Am I competitive enough? What is missing? What do I need to do short term and long term? If interviewing was compared to a horse race, there would be people scattered all over the track. However, many would cross the line in a photo finish. It is up to the interviewers to find tangible ways to separate the candidates with equivalent skills. They find a way to break the tie. Illustrating and demonstrating your diverse skills, talents, background and connections will hopefully break the tie in your favor.

Do you have a leadership bias? Part 2

February 4, 2013 ~ Orlando Ceaser

Consequences

Individuals can be penalized when they are caught in the middle of a leadership bias. A truant officer ran a red light and slammed into the driver side of my Toyota automobile shortly after I graduated from college. He got out of the car and yelled at me. “Didn’t you see my flashing headlights and hear me honking my horn? I was astonished and replied, “No I did not. Where are your flashing headlights now?” I asked. “Well I turned them off just before impact” was his response. He told the witnesses in his car, who were two students on their way to school, to take the bus to school. A police officer arrived on the scene to investigate the accident. The truant officer relayed his side of the story and instantly bonded with the police. The police officer told a story about cars in traffic refusing to listen to his siren when he was involved in a recent emergency. He executed his leadership bias by giving me two moving violations; one ticket for damage to city property and the other for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle. The officer’s identification or leadership bias could have cost me money, but both tickets were thrown out in court. Incidentally, in court he told a story of weaving cautiously through traffic, stopping, looking both ways and slowly driving into traffic before I ignored his siren and flashing lights and hit him. Ironically, we were the only cars on the road.

There can be consequences and complications if the leadership bias is unchallenged. My truant officer’s boss screamed at him when he returned to the police station, but if it wasn’t for his boss and the judge, I would have paid a hefty price.

Our conversations about leadership are usually harmless, but the truth does support that all leaders are not focused on the noble traits of leadership. There are some who have brought down entire companies, as we know from the financial crisis in the last decade. Large corporations have been brought into our living rooms and offices because they have misled their shareholders and stakeholders. People who tried to alert the authorities were, intimidated, ridiculed, fired and their careers destroyed.

Leadership must be kept in check with appropriate oversight to ensure that it does not abuse its power. This is especially critical when evidence exists about intimidation and the reduction in results and effectiveness. There must be a level of transparency, trust and competence to ensure that laws are being followed and leaders are effectively doing their jobs. Turning a blind eye or a deaf ear to harassment, criminal behavior or incompetence could harm a large number of investors and innocent bystanders. An unbridled leadership bias could be detrimental to the careers and incomes of many people. It should not be allowed to exist without the necessary periodic reviews and updates.

We should acknowledge that a leadership bias could also manifest itself as someone totally against the actions of leaders. They believe all leaders are dishonest and should not be trusted.

Treatment

The first step in addressing a leadership bias is awareness and assessment. One of the first rules of human behavior is that people like people like themselves. We may be prone to favoritism and preference. If we periodically approach leaders with objectivity and openness we can catch problems before they develop into catastrophes.

Secondly, we should look at the data as objectively as our experience will allow. As leaders, we have a leadership lens which could contribute to our leadership bias. If we keep this in mind, we can minimize following blindly when we discuss the actions of leaders.

Thirdly, it is good to have a third-party involved where there are serious claims against those in power. The Human Resource Department is usually assigned the responsibility to make sure an organization is objective when a leader is under scrutiny. Another tactic is to maintain open dialogue with employees to gain their perspectives of leadership and to act on suggestions to show sincerity.

Because I have been exposed to excellent leaders who had integrity and professionalism, I am biased to the noble elements of leading. However, not all leaders are leading equally. Additionally, sometimes leaders make mistakes. We have to select and develop the best leaders so that our families, associations, communities, places of worship and organization flourish and use their people and resource to improve society and the world. To that end we can in good conscience, give leaders the benefit of the doubt and our positive bias can be justified.

I am aware of my leadership bias. This awareness should allow me to be more objective and open to the positive and negative aspects of leadership. Do you have a leadership bias? Check yourself and act accordingly.

4 Ways to Resist Unwanted Temptation

December 10, 2012 ~ Orlando Ceaser

The bigger they are the harder they fall. We heard this phrase when we were children. It was usually uttered by someone facing a larger adversary. It was a phrase to give him confidence. David probably gave a similar battle cry before he confronted Goliath. This comment relates to many areas of our experience; business, politics or in our community work. Not only can we say the harder they fall, but also the more miserable they are when they hit the ground.

Business leaders, politicians, associates and celebrities can be arrogant and obnoxious. They can be self-centered and treat others in a ruthless and dispassionate manner. They may use power as a weapon and hide behind the rules and regulations to justify their behavior. A District Manager from a competitor bragged about firing someone 18 months before their retirement after many years of service. He had a reputation for being heartless and plain old mean. He never looked for mutual benefits in resolving employee problems. He wore his tough demeanor as a badge of honor. People felt he could have worked out something for the man and his family, but he did not.

Eventually, the District Manager received a new and younger Regional Manager. The new guy was not impressed with his draconian methods and blind loyalty. The Regional Manager felt his current performance was not up to par. He could care less about the historically loyal achievements. He was asked to improve his performance, but was subsequently demoted. The new manager however, gave him an opportunity to save face, which was something he never did for others. The Regional Manager let him a sales territory anywhere in the country. I saw the demoted District Manager on his last week prior to moving to Florida. He told me, “I did everything I could for this company and look what they did to me. Young man, be careful and don’t ever give your all to a company, because it may come back to bite you.” I thanked him for his advice, but he was a pitiful sight to behold.

Some authority figures flagrantly disregard ethics and operate, as if they are above the law and will never get caught. When their indiscretion is discovered however, they are on television weeping and asking for forgiveness from their family and their constituents. They are the epitome of sadness; tears are everywhere and the sobbing touches your emotions. The irony is that many of these politicians are on record castigating their colleagues who were caught in similar offenses. Their ruthless nature would suggest they would replace the signs in stores they say “Shoplifters will be prosecuted” to read “Shoplifters will be persecuted.”

Role models who abuse power the most; the haughty, cocky and arrogant ones are the most pitiful on the way down. They did not hear when they were told to be nice to people on the way up, because you will meet the same people on the way down. They did not realize until it was too late that it is better to be humble than to be humbled.

The fallen ones are quick to ask for forgiveness, patience and understanding. They ask for leniency which they frequently denied to others. They somehow feel their situation is different and they should get clemency when others should not, which is linked to their arrogance.

Disgraced individuals elicit mixed emotions from their public. Their constituents may be outraged by the violation of their trust. However, some will caution against being judgmental. They will advise people to forgive, that they are only human and concentrate on the good they have produced. Many of us may be tempted and may give in under a perfect storm when circumstances meet our weakness. To ensure that we are not mired in a hypocritical state, we should consider implementing some of the following strategies.

Greater self and other awareness – Realize your vulnerabilities and the motives of others. Samuel L. Jackson once noted that women may not be after him for his good looks, but his celebrity was the driver of some of his attention. Power attracts people, so understand how it works.
Have an accountability partner or mentor – They will serve as a confidante or sounding board. This could be good friend on personal matters. A variation on this theme is to surround yourself with people who are beyond reproach who are not afraid to challenge you when you get out of line or start drifting from proper behavior.
Control the situation – Focus on how things might look to others. Optics is a word used to describe how it might look to people who don’t know your character or do not know all of the facts. It is not always about your intentions. Innocence can look suspicious under the wrong lights. Evangelist Billy Graham was once said to be adamant about never putting himself in a position where he was alone with a woman other than his wife. There was always another person present. This is not paranoia, but being careful. You might not be morally the strongest person on record, but if you control the optics and the circumstances you can rebuke some of the challenges.
Calculate the cost of the indiscretion. When you are contemplating the power of the temptation, you may want to consider the itemized cost. In order to deliver a pre-emptive strike, consider the total value of your assets and divide this by the time spent with in the indiscretion. It is best to do this before the temptation puts its hooks in you or you are blinded in the heat of passion. You will arrive at an astronomical rate that would far exceed what you would be willing to pay on the open market.

Recognize that power and temptation are often companions on our walk through life. Power causes excessive pride and is converted into arrogance in us and in our leaders. It feels good to flex our managerial muscle and watch people scurry and respond to our will and selfish demands. The ego may swell when power increases and we experience a feeling of entitlement and invincibility. We may develop the urge to abuse power and convince ourselves that we will not suffer the consequences. If we are not careful we will find ourselves if not on camera, in another setting begging for forgiveness and another chance to act responsibly and earn someone’s trust.

Perform or perish – Part 2

December 3, 2012 ~ Orlando Ceaser

My Manager’s job

Many people feel it is best to let their work speak for itself. But is everyone ware of the scope and quality of your work. I know individuals who feel their job is to work and the manager’s job is to inform upper management about their performance. They place their hopes and trust in a manager being their advocate. It may be the manager’s job, but it is their career that is at stake. People would be astonished at the silence of their managers in meetings. Most managers have the credibility with their peers to be taken seriously. But some cower in situations when they should speak up for their people. You may not know how hard or if your manager is fighting for you. Ask for accounts of their conversations with their peers and superiors to feel more comfortable about their actions.

A manager must accurately state the case for his direct reports and must defend them against challenges from other managers who may share a different opinion. Many times the other manager may have data unknown to the current manager, especially around teaming issues. Efforts should be made to ensure the information is recent and relevant. The manager must in essence fight for their people. My point is that your manager may be your greatest advocate, but you must become personally involved in letting people know about your performance. If you won’t fight for your recognition and reputation, at least ensure that someone is out front, fighting for you.

Networking

We have established that you have a role in promoting your performance. You have heard it said that it’s not what you do, but who you know. To state it more factually, it is not only what you do, but also, who you know. Internal and external networking is vital to create a database of advocates who may be instrumental in getting the word out about you. There are five steps to networking effectively. Social media is becoming an integral part of reaching out to potential advocates. LinkedIn and other sites are essential for getting your profile distributed and noticed. To disregard any of these steps may limit awareness of the impact of your performance. They are as follows:

Who do you know?

Who knows you?

What do they think of you?

What can they do for your?

What will they do for you?

Who do you know?

Today it is critical to know a wider range of people. Within your company it is important to know more people in order to gain additional perspectives, share your ideas and results. Do not limit your contacts to people at the higher levels of the organization. Nothing is more alienating than to brush by people whom you don’t feel have enough status to help you. You never know who can be helpful.

President of a small company had a decision to make between two women executives for a Vice President position. They were even in all of the objective parameters. The President asked the custodian about his impression of the two ladies, without stating his intention. The custodian said one was very standoffish, condescending and would almost throw the garbage can at him. There was no eye contact and she made him feel like a lower class citizen. The other person, he said was friendly, maintained eye contact and seemed concerned about him as a person. She made him feel good in her presence. This was the extra information the President needed to make his decision.

Who knows you?

There are people in the company you want to know you. Your boss and his superior are good places to start. How do others know you? Have you initiated a conversation with them at Sales Meetings or other company functions? Sometimes we think a senior executive is too busy to talk to us and we ignore a chance to strike up a conversation with them. We may also worry that others will accuse us of sucking up to the big bosses. Disregard those thoughts and prepare and practice conversation starters for prominent and not so prominent people within your company. It is always good to know people from different departments and functions. Your paths may cross again some day when you can help each other. Be prepared. It is also acceptable to ask someone to introduce you to people you don’t know. Your boss would be an excellent person to make the introduction.

What do they think of you?

To know you is not necessarily to love you. I knew a young lady who knew the right people and they knew her, but they didn’t like her. She had no idea as she socialized with all the key people in the company. There is an expectation of professionalism and self awareness. If you have annoying habits such as being an incessant talker who never listens and constantly berates people, you may not have a favorable image. You want to ask around to determine if you have attributes that others would like you to change. You also have to be receptive, listen and make the changes. Thanking the person for their suggestion is also a sign of professionalism and good manners.

What can they do for you?

Some positions are obvious in what they could do for you. These individuals may be involved in calibration discussions or succession planning meaning. They may be able to add insight or their impression of you as a candidate for a promotion. As I mentioned earlier be nice for the sake of being nice, knowledgeable and professional. The rewards will come later.

What will they do for you?

This is usually resolved by their response to a request for action. The skillful use of a “close” when appropriate can work in your favor. Will they accept your phone calls or e-mail messages with questions, comments or ideas? Will they be your mentor? Will they provide you with advice or counsel on key business matters? Will they write a letter of recommendation for an internal job interview? The power of your relationship or their sincere desire to be instrumental in career will pay dividends for you. When the time is right do not be afraid to ask for the strong appropriate action from them. People like to help people viewed as a person on the way up.

In today’s flatter organizations and leaner and meaner environments, we have to ensure that we accept the ultimatum to perform or perish. Our performance (true impact) should also resonate with key decision makers in the company. We must achieve our sales goals and exceed them where possible. Our clients must view us as indispensable. We should go the extra mile to ask your clients to write the company extolling your virtues and value to their offices. The market and our customers will pick the winners and losers and those who have not performed, will perish.

5 Symptoms your Employer is Cheating on you or Thinking about it

October 29, 2012 ~ Orlando Ceaser

There are symptoms that point to an employee losing favor in the eyes of an employer. If you are paying attention, the breadcrumbs will lead you back to their original intentions. Also, as in any relationship, the people around are the first to see the symptoms that something is wrong.

We are creatures of habit and have a tendency to emit clues. You should always look for feedback and indicators on how well you are performing on the job and be able to spot the precise moment when things are drifting off course. If you are quick to respond, you may be able to up your game through an intervention. For example you may get training in an area to increase a particular skill. Or if the case is hopeless, engineer a soft landing where you can land on your feet in a better situation.

There are instances where organization indicates they are looking for someone else as a temporary or permanent replacement. You must be aware of these symptoms to protect yourself. You may have to lash out in self defense if your stability is threatened. There are at least 5 symptoms to indicate there is trouble in paradise. Your employer is either cheating on your or thinking about it.

1. Interviewing your replacement

They bring someone from the outside as a consultant and ask you to train them. This is innocent enough until you find out they are gunning for your job. You train them, but realize they are looking at your strengths and weaknesses and may be taking them back to your boss. You ask the right questions, but there is not a lot of transparency around the person’s next job and why they were hired in the first place. Your co-workers give you their point of view which is to essentially watch your back.

Eventually, you decide the company is grooming your replacement behind your back, not as part of transparency associated with succession planning. You have to decide what to do which means to gain insight into how you are perceived within the organization and think of an alternative route outside of the company. You cannot afford to be career naive when it is true, other people want your job.

2. Broken Promises

Your boss promised you a position and gave you extra work to prepare you for the transition to the new role. This causes you to get your hopes up high and work harder. What is unknown to you is they have no plans to give you the assignment. They brought in someone, whom you find out through the grapevine was promised the same job. How do you respond? It is a delicate situation. Should you confront your boss about the rumors or the grapevine laden conspiracy? It is appropriate to ask for a meeting to ask about your performance and if you are on course to assume the promised assignment. There response will determine your next move. I believe in expecting the best, yet preparing for the worst. This mindset will enable you to be very professional if things don’t go your way.

3. Change their disposition toward you

You begin to detect a change in your bosses’ reaction to you. For some reason they become aloof and unavailable. You internalize the reaction and wonder what you have done wrong. You instantly think it is work related and begin to work harder and longer hours, but there is no change. You want to ask if you have done something wrong, but it may not be you. Promotional decisions are sometimes changed by Upper Management. If your boss promised you the job, but headquarters or his boss thinks it should go to someone else, they are between a rock and a hard place. A true leader will sit down and talk to you, but their hands may be tied. Some leaders will tell you that the decision is no longer in their hands and leave it at that. A transparent leader may say, this particular job is off the table, but they will work with you on the next available position.

If your supervisor told you the whole story, you may confront his manager and put your boss in jeopardy. Many managers will dodge their responsibility by finding fault in your performance.

Suddenly you can’t do anything right. The amount of critiques escalate, even when you do things the way they taught you to do them
Reduction in your rating without warning – you need to improve, but they can’t tell you how or why… They will know it when they see it is their response

4. Unprecedented candor

Some Managers have a reputation for not providing feedback until or unless something is wrong with your performance. There is a raging debate in managerial sectors about the level of transparency around career upward mobility. Some would prefer to hold back information that indicates that you have reached your peak and have gone as far as you can ascend in the organization. One reason for reluctance is the subjective nature of many of these opinions. Management could change and the new manager may see untapped potential, so they are reluctant to give the definitive word on your career possibilities. However, if your manager would like to replace you with a newer or a different model they will not hold back. They will:

Let you know that the promotion or position you aspire to will not be given to you in the future.
You are told you have gone as far as you can go and if you want to stay at your current level the job is yours
They may suggest that you are safe for now, but at some point they may decide you are blocking a position which could be a primary training ground for another upwardly mobile employee

You know when someone has made up their mind about you, but they will not tell you the truth. They hope you will quit, thereby making it easy on them. They try to make it hard on you so it is difficult for you to stay. You have to keep your performance fresh and in shape through continuous improvement and exercising your mind.

5. Rewriting your job description

A common means to displace or replace an employee that a company wants to leave or take out of contention for a key role is to rewrite their job description. This new and improved job description contains education requirements, experiences and duties that you do not currently perform. They tell you they are upgrading the job to attract better talent in the future when the job becomes vacant. Sometimes they ask you to start writing the job description if one is not currently on file. Once the job description is rewritten the company may announce a downsizing and the new job description will be the basis for the interviews. You find yourself in a position where you are interviewing for your job. They bring in candidates from the outside whose experiences and education match the new standard.

It is imperative in this competitive marketplace to always strive for excellence and elevating your performance. You may be in style today, but it is imperative for you to keep up with the knowledge and technological skills necessary to compete. It is reasonable for a company to want the best employee for their jobs. As long as you are growing, your familiarity, intellectual knowledge and intellectual property should give you the inside track. However, you must be observant in case you run into these 5 symptoms which is indicative that your employer is bored, has a wandering eye and is looking around and holding auditions for your replacement.

Family leadership, reunions and knowledge transfer

August 5, 2012 ~ Orlando Ceaser

Companies strive to develop stronger leaders. They know the power of leadership to propel their organizations to greater profitability and influence. They also seek continuity and to perform excellently in the area of knowledge transfer. Expertise in this area is a critical component in their succession planning process. Necessary skills and information will enhance productivity and minimize any disruption in performance. Successful organizations develop their talent pool or bench, by ensuring the smooth transfer and implementation of institutional knowledge.

Companies ideally want the new person to have time with the incumbent when a person is promoted. They want them to learn the mechanics of the job and the history of the position. If the new person understands the lessons of the past they are most likely to repeat the right ones. The experts realize this grounding in the past is a benefit. This awareness is helpful before the new person suggests any radical changes.

New employees gather available information by;

reading information on file and on line
one on one discussions with the former job holder
interviewing employees and customers
formal job orientation programs

A person is admired if they can quickly get up the learning curve and deliver value. They are able to speak intelligently about some matters for a seamless transition within the department. This increases the new person’s confidence during the early days in the new position. Successful knowledge, defined by knowing what was done in the past and current practices is an asset.

The process of knowledge transfer can also work well in families. Adults in the family acquired years of education, instruction, experiences and expertise. Such information could be shared with their family members. Reflect on the vast amount of knowledge accumulated over the years. Your children have received the benefit of some of this data. But there is still so much that could be exchanged.

Knowledge transfer already occurs in many families, with or without structure. This is especially evident if they are in a business together. They are present and the coaching can be delivered first hand. On the job training in the form of shadowing or following the relatives around the office or one on one meeting is a helpful practice. Bringing children to work is a great idea to let them see what the parents do on the job. It could allow them to see if their parent’s job is what they would like to do someday.

Most of the time knowledge is transferred through our actions as we live out our values and beliefs in the home. This happens around the dinner table or other places where the family gathers to interact. These opportunities could be intensified, if awareness and structure is added. If we intentionally design content and intent, we could better prepare our families for a competitive future. The world, the workplace and life is more challenging and grows in intensity and complexity each year.

One of the advantages of children getting older is that you can discuss matters related to your employment. The more we can tell the stories of our workplaces, the better they can learn about at least one job. This sharing of information is not designed to force them to choose the same occupation, but to expose them to the job and the character traits needed to be successful. Children brought up in a supportive instructive environment have an edge when they go into the workforce.

Family reunions are a great venue to share values, family history and coach members about our collective acquired expertise and experiences. We share this information with our immediate relatives, but could accomplish so much more if we shared with more people. The value of these years of experiences and connections could enrich the entire family network.

Consider setting up a procedure for the working members of your family to discuss their professions with the youth. Many times these gatherings are social, but they can be so much more. The following structure can be used to have adults share their experiences, education and expertise with their relatives at a family reunion. The format is as follows:

Knowledge & Experiential transfer – Enriching Families with the Talent Within

Premise:

There exists with the collective family, valuable assets that could be a competitive advantage for individual family members. People in the family play many roles on their jobs, in church and in the community. They accumulated knowledge and skill to succeed in these roles. Family members have received intensive training in school and on the job. If we could tap into this wellspring of talent and transfer it to others in the family, we would have a pool of mentors to help our youth perform and compete at a very high level.

Family members are not often aware of the talent that is present across their bloodline. Some do a greater job mentoring people and offering advice outside of the family when the need is also great at home.

Objective:

To identify and share the wealth of information in the form of knowledge, experiences, expertise and skills within the nuclear and extended family and across the bloodline.

Procedures:

Assess family members who are willing to talk about their jobs in a workshop or panel discussion. This could include the mechanics of the job and their journey to the position.
Solicit questions from family members before the meeting to get everyone thinking and prepared for the session.
Notify family of the objectives of the session and expectations of excellence from all in the family.
Celebrate those family members who have achieved excellence in any area whether on the job or in their education.
Select certain adults to roam through the reunion to answer questions about their profession. They can wear name tags that have jobs or areas of expertise. These individuals can be sought out at the family reunion to tell their story.

This is a brief overview of how we could stress excellence within the family and utilize the talent within to increase our greatness and fulfill our purpose. The self confidence and feeling of collective strength will add to the esteem and image of the entire family.

Family members can models leadership in every interaction with each other. We can intentionally build processes and structure to transfer knowledge. Taking advantage of these interactions will allow us to share our expertise, education and experiences and benefit the group, through living out our purpose.