"She/He unfriended me." By now we have all heard this. Perhaps a person had an argument with another or posted something which offended. One or both of the parties gently swiped their thumb, clicked on the button and poof, person X is eliminated from their feed! I think it's stupid. Forgive me for being so blunt but I, for one, think the act of un_____ in and of itself accomplishes little to nothing. Mostly I believe it's cheap and cowardly. I might be on a rant here. Don't un____ me. I'll offer something.
Read MoreI've heard the term 'hard conversation' used when talking about leadership and culture in a company. Indeed hard conversations must be had but few really understand how to have them. Hard conversations run the spectrum - not having them at all, to overly soft, to way too harsh. I'm a firm believer in the softer approach to leadership. I used the harsh approach as a young officer in the Army and it was ineffective. Yelling, especially in today's environment, will only result in fight or flight. All is lost when that occurs. Take a softer approach.
Read MoreI was speaking this week to a small group of aspiring leaders about investing in people. One person asked how to convince her boss to fund some external coaching for her people. "The boss has to be on board." I stated. "If he or she is not, your idea may be doomed." I'm in the business of coaching, training, and speaking professionally and I've always known, if the boss is not on board, I cannot deliver what needs to be delivered. My offerings are difficult to sell because it is hard for me to tie what I do to an increase in revenue. Indeed, I clearly understand the value proposition - strong leadership, strong performing company, yet many 'bosses' want to see the numbers. "I pay X and my return on that investment will be X." I am able to make a big difference with leaders and teams and there are subordinate leaders with fantastic ideas but it sure helps when the person at the top is a believer.
Read MoreI tried to explain ownership to a non-veteran the other day. It didn't sink in. This is not at all to say that all non-veterans fail to grasp the concept of ownership. Indeed, many do, but the moment gave me pause. I've been thinking about it since. The non-veteran I was talking to described a scenario where she was the leader of a group and placed in charge of seeing a project through. One of the members underestimated how much material would be needed for the project so more needed to be acquired on the spot to finish the job. The project may have missed its deadline because of this. She blamed the individual tasked with gathering the materials. Hmmm.
Read MoreIt is said that dogs are here on this earth to teach us things. I've always believed that but in a more spiritual sense. The statement became reality this week as we lost our black Labrador Retriever, Duncan. He fell victim to Lyme disease, which led to the failure of his kidneys. We were forced to make a tormenting decision to have him euthanized. Dogs do indeed teach us things. God created them as messengers and trainers - as shining examples of purity and goodness. Duncan was only seven, taken from us far too early. His death has left a void in our lives - a void which visits us now and then from sunrise to sunset. He was a wonderful dog.
Read MoreI tell my people all the time, "I operate off information." Indeed I do. I need to know what is happening in my business and with my people. I take bits of information to guide my actions in the present and the future. Information comes to me in several forms - formally and informally through reports and statistics and through what people share with me about the business and their personal lives. Effective leaders desire the same - information about all happenings. The problem is, it's impossible, especially as organizations grow in size. What information do we need then?
Read MoreAre you a leader? If you are, you must know everything you say, indeed, everything you do is watched, analyzed, and emulated. As a leader, your words have weight and meaning as never before. Many leaders overlook this. In so doing they spout words and phrases which confuse, misguide, or even offend. Leaders who understand this, select their words carefully. They contemplate what words and phrases they will use and when and where they will use them.
Read MoreWhat exactly does that job description (JD) you created state? There are several JD formats where companies fill in the blanks of tasks, hours, compensation, and the like. Some even mention in vogue terms such as, "flexible hours," "diversity," or "culture," to attract talent. With a disengaged workforce hovering around 66% (Gallup), and a power shift away from the company to the employee, employers are looking for innovative ways to attract and retain workers. This problem is caused by bad leadership and I could go there but I'll stay on topic.
Read MoreLife calls for leadership. Problems and challenges arise daily, even hourly when a group of people is assembled to accomplish something - in other words a company. Thinking, problem solving, and learning occur constantly as we navigate our days. Through this we all look for leadership. Parents lead their children, teachers lead their students, and managers lead their people in companies and organizations. These leaders must be prepared because problems and challenges arise without warning and when this happens, people look upward toward leadership. Just what is it to be a prepared leader?
Read More"The sky is falling!," so states Chicken Little, a character in a European folktale who, after being hit over the head with an acorn, believes the tragedy to be imminent so he tells all including the king. Chicken Little's fatal flaw is not thinking things through and jumping to conclusions and beliefs devoid of analysis and truth. Moreover, his flaw is casting doubt among others, causing false alarm and squashing motivation. Do you lead a person like this?
Read MoreHave you ever seen a sign like this? Are 'they' really sorry for the inconvenience? Is the inconvenience really necessary? Who is really getting inconvenienced and why? I often wonder. Convenience, according to Oxford Languages, is the state of being able to proceed with something with little effort or difficulty. It is indeed, what we all desire. To live our lives and conduct our work with order and ease. Unfortunately this is not possible. Life is hard. Work is hard. Leading is hard. Serving customers is hard. When it comes to the interaction of two parties - the leader and the led or a business and a customer, someone is getting inconvenienced.
Read MoreIn the late 1990's when I was an Army Captain I had a brigade commander - Colonel Terry, a leader everyone admired. He was a southern gentlemen and an intelligent, caring officer. We all loved his common sense approach to leadership. He drove a beat up old Jeep which resonated with us junior officers. He enjoyed breaking up the rigidity of our day in meetings telling stories of his youth and relating them to war fighting. He was a leader we did not want to disappoint. Like any leader, he had his likes and dislikes. One of his favorite snack foods was Nutter Butter cookies.
Read More"I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter..." So reads a portion of a military officer's oath. Congressmen and women and senators recite the same oath before taking office. Leaders in private organizations do not, but perhaps they should.
Read MoreHappy New Year! I hope your holiday was restful, peaceful, and wonderful. With the new year upon us many have formed a resolution - a new year's resolution to guide them for at least the next 12 months. In true Rob Campbell Leadership fashion, let's unpack the resolution. To resolve, according to Oxford languages is to decide firmly on a course of action. Many people begin the new year resolved to do better at or begin something they believe will benefit them. Why not? It's a new year - a fresh start; a chance to start over on a better path. Unfortunately few follow through.
Read MoreCuriosity may have killed the cat but it helped the leader and his or her organization immensely. Leaders are more than just curious for curiosity sake. They are resolute or purposeful in their curiosity. Indeed, any worthy employee or teammate displays a level of curiosity - a thirst for wanting to discover more, learn more, solve more, and know more. Curiosity as a trait is a good sign of a future leader.
Read MoreWhat is the founding guidance of your organization? I'm talking about your vision, mission, and or directives or guidance you have issued to your team for a big project. This guidance is important as it informs and even inspires people each day. It provides needed direction and clarity as people navigate the friction of the day. Guidance keeps them on track and true to the founding of an organization or the intent of a project. It should be repeated and revisited, often - daily I submit.
Read MoreMy wife Leslie and I are great entertainers. We always go the extra mile to make our guests feel special with great food, drink, music, decor, service, and atmosphere. We think it through deliberately whether it is a single guest or several. We do this even outside special occasions, forming and fostering healthy and inviting workplace environments for our small businesses. It is hard work but we know no other way. Following special occasions such as holidays, we find ourselves worn out after all this care and attention. It is a good fatigue having served others.
Read MoreIn a coaching session the other day I was presented a familiar problem - the employee who wants to be told what to do, step by step. It is a familiar occurrence in organizations. Frankly, each of us, before we matured as leaders and as employees, were that person. Step by step instructions, a form of micromanagement, take the sweat out of the task. Akin to watching a Youtube video on how to repair a dishwasher, some subordinates might want a demonstration - an instruction manual to provide complete clarity to avoid a mistake. Unfortunately, leaders do not have the time to do this. Moreover, it stifles growth in individuals.
Read MoreI love that quote above. There are indeed, no crowds along the extra mile. Only exceptional people and organizations travel there. I had a wonderful opportunity this week to visit another great company seeking help as it balances rapid growth, service to its clients, and care of its people. We talked a lot about exceptionalism – what makes the company exceptional and what makes its people exceptional. In summary, it's going the extra mile. Companies go the extra mile with their customers and clients making them feel welcome, empathizing with their needs, and communicating with them frequently and professionally. This exceptional performance is reflected in their financial performance but also in places such as Google business reviews. Often, behind 5-Star reviews are exceptional people.
Read MoreSpecified Tasks and Implied Tasks are part of the Military Decision Making Process or MDMP. Most people loathed MDMP. It required considerable effort and time and it always seemed to occur at the worst hour under the worst climate. But it worked. MDMP was designed to solve complex problems. Its steps, if followed correctly, help a military staff develop the best directives for subordinate units and individuals and meet the senior commander's intent. It took discipline as MDMP often resulted in more work for individuals and teams.
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