street smart | The "O" Zone

Leadership B.L.I.S.S.™

Leadership B.L.I.S.S.™ is a leadership concept that presents a creative look at leadership effectiveness. The word bliss usually refers to happiness and joy, but we are using it as an acronym for bold leadership traits. Leadership B.L.I.S.S.™ has many attributes gleaned from numerous leadership models. We will highlight the following five characteristics.

Something Special
Street Smart
Survival Skills
Servant Strong
Situation Specific

Bold Leadership Is Something Special

Bold Leadership Is Something Special. It is an admired perception in the minds of leaders and followers. People want leaders to demonstrate the ability to be results-oriented while maintaining empathy and concern for their followers, and their direct reports.

Bold Leadership Is Something Special. It is transformative, and performative and helps excellence to become normative. Bold Leadership commands the courage to make a difference, the ability to make better decisions, and improve the quality of life of those around you. Bold Leadership Is Something Special to show and must be utilized to meet and exceed goals and objectives.

Bold Leadership Is Street Smart

Bold Leadership Is Street Smart. When we think of someone being street smart, they have quick reactions and can think on their feet. They are sophisticated, savvy, and understand new areas and situations. These experts know the terrain and culture of people, neighborhoods, and various sections of town. Street-smart individuals know how to act and how to be non-conspicuous, to blend in, and not to stand out. They know how to convey to others they are comfortable and not afraid and inhibited.

The corridors of corporate America are the streets. The hallways, offices, and cubicles of power. Bold leaders require cultural competence and emotional intelligence. They are aware of the written and unwritten rules of behavior. People need competence in this arena to survive and thrive. They need an awareness of when to idle and drive forward at the appropriate moments.

The opposite of street smart is a natural naïveté, where someone lacks experience, street credibility and cultural competence. When you are street smart, you are careful, fearless, and respectful of the area and its inhabitants. You are aware of and able to navigate the nuances of an environment or neighborhood. You are comfortable, moving, and interacting, as if you belong there and are part of the scenery.

Street smart is difficult to fake until you make it. Your discomfort and lack of confidence will be obvious in a challenging situation. Street smart is an art, and the word art is included in the phrase.

Bold Leadership Instills Survival Skills

Bold Leadership Instills Survival Skills. When I became a manager, I trained people to develop survival skills so they could move as if they were part of the geography. Total immersion in the territory was a necessary part of building comfort and familiarity.

Immersion in an environment will enable individuals to develop survival skills through on-the-job training. This method is not for the faint of heart. They will display the courage to locate and listen to a coach or mentor. People who want to succeed will study diligently and learn survival skills which will be the foundation for passion, perseverance, and success.

There are survival codes that I have translated into survival symbols: Perform or Perish, Grow or Go Phenomenon, Be Expandable or Be Expendable and Be Distinct or Be Extinct.

Bold Leadership Is Servant Strong.

Bold Leadership Is Servant Strong. Bold Leadership practices, emphasize, embody, and exemplify servant leadership. Success teaches us that we are not the center of the universe. If we drive for success only when it benefits us, we minimize our total potential for effectiveness.

Servant strong leadership adopts a posture of the servant when relating to their followers. They are not in the hierarchal mode where people look up to the boss. They function as respected peers who use their resources and influence to elevate and enable people to achieve their results and objectives. They are there to help.

Bold Leadership Is Situation Specific.

Bold Leadership Is Situation Specific. This draws on the work of Paul Hershey and Ken Blanchard. They maintained that leadership is based on the situation and the development level of the individual.

The model applies directive and supportive behaviors tailored to the development level of the individual and their situation. If a person is a beginner in their development, they are D1, which is developing, and on the way to D4 which is developing. The corresponding levels of support range from S1, Directing to S4, which is Delegating, which signifies a reduction level of direction.

Therefore, the leader customizes their approach to coincide with the growth and skill level of the person. We are endowed with certain gifts, and it makes sense that we apply them for the right situation, development, and circumstances. The challenge should match your level of giftedness which improves confidence, competence, performance, and participation.

Leadership B.L.I.S.S.™ is a holistic view of the numerous leadership models. When these archetypes are blended, we develop a mindset that results in bold leadership, effective teams, and exceptional performance.

Website: OrlandoCeaser.com Call: 847-812-5006

When we think of bliss, we think of joy and happiness. Bliss is a feeling, a positive state of mind; a pinnacle of emotion. Bliss may be invigorating and satisfying. In this article, we will use bliss, as an acronym. B.L.I.S.S. will evoke a sense of power and boldness when it is linked to leadership.

Bold Leadership Is Street Smart.
Bold Leadership Is Servant Strong.
Bold Leadership Instills Survival Skills
Bold Leadership Is Situation Specific

Street Smart

Bold Leadership is Street Smart. It cultivates workplace wisdom and marketplace moxie. Bold Leadership appreciates diversity, equity, and inclusion and treats people with dignity and respect. Respect is the currency that influences the cooperation and coordination necessary to avoid danger and anticipate business downturns.

The Oxford Language Dictionary defines street smarts as “the experience and knowledge necessary to deal with the potential difficulties of life in an urban environment.” The practical application of this is being savvy enough to make the tough decision. A person demonstrating street smarts knows how to operate calmly under tough circumstances. They know how to conduct themselves in a crisis. They may have the expertise and instincts to avoid a crisis. Street smart individuals can navigate a hostile environment.

A person who is street smart has developed a heightened sense of awareness of their environment. They know diverse people and their tendencies. They recognize cues and clues and respond in the appropriate manner through their words, body language, and actions. They are confident, but not too confident and move as if they belong in the area. They do not display an air of timidity. Their strength is just enough, not to seem confrontational. They know what to say and what not to say, where to go and where not to go; they flow as if they belong.

Bold Leadership is Street Smart. Certain aspects of street smarts can be taught and presented in a framework to help people increase their awareness. Through the powers of observation and simulations, we instruct our customer-facing employees to be friendly, and professional and to understand their surroundings. They dressed appropriately and did not bring too much attention to themselves. They cultivated relationships. People befriended them and had their backs. They would not take unnecessary risks and be constantly following Principle Number 3 from my book Unlock Your Leadership Greatness. Principle Number 3 is becoming A Student of the Game, which means continuously learning information about their field and related areas, which includes learning about diverse clients and various circumstances.

Bold Leadership is street smart when it hires and develops toughness, resilience, and street credibility. It knows how to relate to people and pays its due to learn and understand people, backgrounds, and motivations.

Servant Strong

Bold Leadership Is Servant Strong; for it realizes its purpose is to serve others. Bold Leaders see employees holistically. Each person is an individual. I feel that “The leader must know the coordinates of each subordinate, so they can meet them where they are.” They want employees to bring their entire selves to work, engaged and participating fully. Being servant strong means empathy is an important element for engagement.

Servant Leadership is a term popularized by Robert K Greenleaf in his essay, The Servant as Leader. This concept focuses on the individual. The leader concentrates on meeting the needs of their followers. The leader’s mindset is, that if we serve or take care of the people, the people will take care of the business. Traditional leadership models are leader-focused. They were hierarchical and everyone in the organization worked for the people on top. In servant leadership, the leader works for everyone. This causes a different mindset and a shift in behavior. The Bold Leader asks questions, such as What can I do for you? Is there anything else that you need? And What else is required for you to be successful?

Survival Skills

Bold Leadership Instills Survival Skills; for it is developmental by nature. There are sets of skills and abilities that must be mastered if someone is to be successful. There are minimum standards that must be learned and graduate-level on-the-job training experiences that ensure long-term success.

Bold Leadership Instills Survival Skills; by ensuring that people are fundamentally sound and by setting high standards. Feedback is provided routinely to chart their progress. By setting high expectations, people develop into confident, courageous, and competent performers.

The survival skills make them feel safe and place them in a protective frame of mind. Unlock the Secrets of Ozone Leadership® is a book utilizing the protective attribute of the ozone layer to strengthen survival skills. Bold Leadership ensures safety is a key component of their lives.

Situation Specific

Bold Leadership Is Situation Specific; refers to its ability to shift to a higher gear when more is expected. Regardless of the situation, bold leadership can adjust to a crisis and deliver what is required for their people to develop. Paul Hershey and Ken Blanchard developed and described the concept of Situational Leadership. The idea was to work smarter and not harder and to provide leadership based on the employee’s development level. Less development required more direction; more development required less direction. There was a constant delivery of support and direction based on the changing development level of the individual. Work smarter and not harder. I would add the phrase, “because you don’t want to be a martyr.

It is imperative to add B.L.I.S.S. to our leadership. This will enable us to become street smart, strong servants, instilled with survival skills, and leadership that is specific to the situation. Inherent in any leadership philosophy and methodology is a list of do’s and don’ts that we pass along to others for safety, protection, productivity, and growth. When we obtain Leadership B.L.I.S.S.™, we must train it and envelop and develop it as a competency. Leadership B.L.I.S.S.™ (Bold Leadership Is Street Smart) is a critical leadership state with many success factors to benefit our constituents.