Browse Category: Leading Well

Past issues of Leading Well ezine

Powerful Ways to Sharpen Your Memory

Well, here it is! One of the top three products requested by the hundreds of people who did my recent quick survey:

“Powerful Ways to Sharpen Your Memory – A Guide for Leaders and Managers”

I have to say this is an area that I personally struggle with, so I was quite pleased that your survey encouraged me to investigate this important leadership skill. And I’m sure you’ll be delighted with the results.

If you are at all like me, life just seems to get busier and busier. There are so many things to be done and even more that need to be remembered.

It’s so easy to forget the little things you meant to do, the name of that new customer you met last week, all those appointments and phone numbers, who agreed to do what after last month’s meeting and all the other things that help us to manage effortlessly.

No matter how good a leader or manager you are, when you forget the face of that client you’ve been calling for weeks or the place you were meant to be meeting your key supplier, it’s not just embarrassing, it could be career limiting!

Yet some people seem to be able to remember such things easily.

Was there a secret? I decided to find out. Because if there was, I wanted to know it!

Well the answer is Yes!

You can improve your memory and it isn’t that hard.

Imagine if you could easily remember all those key details that currently slip your mind. What if you were known for never forgetting a face? or a birthday? or a place?

There are even a few simple tools and techniques that you can learn in minutes and start applying immediately that will improve your memory.

Click this link for all the details of “Powerful Ways to Sharpen Your Memory”:
http://freememorycourse.com/sharpen

To thank you and everyone who took the time to reply to my quick survey I have a special reduced price available, but only for a limited time. The price will be increasing sometime in the next couple of days. If you get in early you will not only get the lowest price, but you will be able to collect some special extra bonuses.

Whether you want to buy or not, please have a look at the details of this ebook – you may even know someone else who would be interested in it – but for everyone who looks at this page now
http://freememorycourse.com/sharpen
I have also left you a free gift: The Memory Boost MiniCourse.

FREE Memory Boost MiniCourse
In it you will learn:
* how to remember lists
* an interesting way to remember people’s faces
* how to overcome forgetfulness
* the impact of overlearning
* how your memory works, and more…

It’s yours FREE just for having a look at “Powerful Ways to Sharpen Your Memory”. I hope you enjoy it.

Kind regards, Kerrie

PS. Don’t forget that link again:
http://freememorycourse.com/sharpen

Are you becoming a leader?

First, a big thank you to everyone who has already taken our very quick survey, to help me decide which of all the projects I have in various stages of completion would be most helpful to you.

( It’s not too late if you haven’t done it yet! Here’s the link:
http://yourquicksurvey.com/2/index.php?sid=1 And it really is just one question! )

To everyone who emailed me saying you wanted them all … I promise we will work on several of them, not just the top one!

In fact we have already been hard at work. So watch out for an email very soon when I expect to be able to announce that one of the top three – as voted by you – is available. I’ll try to organize a special offer to celebrate (but only for the quick movers… so don’t miss out.)

I hope you enjoy today’s article.

Kind regards, Kerrie

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ARE YOU BECOMING A LEADER?

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Recently I came across the phrase that ‘Leadership is a process of becoming’.

The author was making the point that, although certain people seem to be born with innate leadership qualities, without the right environment, education and exposure, they may fail to develop their full potential.

It seemed an important point, and totally consistent with what I have observed as I have trained and coached literally hundreds of good leaders over the years.

The very best leaders I have worked with are always in the process of becoming:
* of becoming the best they can be
* of becoming worthy of their role
* of becoming more insightful
* of becoming better listeners
* of becoming better skilled…

In other words, the very best leaders are constantly striving and becoming even better leaders – regardless of their existing level of skill or experience.

So, you can always be learning and becoming a better leader by honing your leadership abilities.

There are two primary ways you can become better at leadership.

First, you can gain knowledge of leadership theories and skills formally by attending leadership seminars, workshops, and conferences, or by working one-on-one with a coach or mentor. (As you know, we help lots of you with this way of becoming a leader.)

Second, your daily interactions with people provide an opportunity to observe other leaders informally and to practice your leadership with others – becoming a leader in the way you work.

Together, formal and informal learning will help you gain leadership attitudes, and leadership insights, and thus further your cycle of learning. Both will help you in the life-long process of becoming a leader.

You do not become a leader one day and just stop. An unending commitment to life-long learning lies at the core of becoming a true leader.

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QUOTE OF NOTE

“Whatever you are, be a good one.” Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

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FEATURED PRODUCTThe Art of Influence

The Art of Influence – How to get what you want from people easily and every time.

Kerrie Mullins-Gunst interviews Paddy Spruce, Australia’s influencing skills expert. Download it now and listen immediately on your iPod or mp3 player – see http://leadershipskillcenter.com/ts/ps/index.html

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PS. Don’t forget to watch your email for an announcement about the first product to be released after your votes – coming soon – and with a special offer, just for those who act quickly!

And if you haven’t voted yet here’s the link again:
http://yourquicksurvey.com/2/index.php?sid=1

Failure and Leadership

LEADING WELL

Helping your leadership grow
from Kerrie Mullins-Gunst

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In this issue of Leading Well I would like to share with you an article by one of my favorite leadership authors, John C. Maxwell, about failure and how it impacts on our leadership.

Interested? Read on…

But before you do, have you had a look at how you can celebrate with me as I move into my new office? See here for details.

Kind regards, Kerrie

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Failing Forward

What are you afraid of as a leader? On the top of many people’s list is failure. Is it on your list too?

J.M. Barrie said, “We are all failures–at least, all the best of us are.”

In my 30-plus years of leadership experience, I’ve come to the conclusion that one of the most valuable but underestimated abilities that leaders can posses is the ability to do what I call “failing forward.” It’s more than having a good attitude about your mistakes, and it’s a step beyond simply taking risks. Failing forward is the ability to get back up after you’ve been knocked down, learn from your mistake, and move forward in a better direction.

You see, everybody makes mistakes. But the real difference between average people and achieving people is their PERCEPTION OF and RESPONSE TO failure. Nothing else has the same kind of impact on people’s ability to accomplish their dreams.

What do you dream of accomplishing? Unfortunately, no matter how gifted or knowledgeable you are, you will make mistakes along the way to your dream. Failure is the price you must pay on the road to success. That’s just how it works. But the good news is that the better you are at failing forward, the sooner you can accomplish your dreams.

Before you put away your list of resolutions for this year, look at the following misconceptions about failure. Take an honest inventory to determine if your perception of failure is what it should be. If you share any of these misconceptions, add to your list the resolution to change the way you think about failure.

PEOPLE THINK FAILURE IS AVOIDABLE. IT’S NOT.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “To err is human, to forgive divine.” That was written by Alexander Pope more than 250 years ago. And he was only paraphrasing a saying that was common 2,000 years ago, during the time of the Romans. Things today are the same as they were then: People make mistakes.

Don’t buy into the notion that mistakes can somehow be avoided. They can’t be. Accept that you will err because you’re human, but don’t let that keep you from pursuing your dreams.

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Speaking of dreams – thank you to everyone who has sent us all those good wishes for our move into the new office and house. We value your kind words. If you haven’t already joined in the celebrations with us see http://leadershipskillcenter.com/movingsale for details of how you can join the party too. But move quickly, there isn’t much time left!

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PEOPLE THINK FAILURE IS AN EVENT. IT’S NOT.

Think about your school days. If you or someone you knew received an F on a test, the tendency was to think that you failed at that moment. However, that’s not the case. The F shows that the test taker neglected the process leading up to the test and the result was a poor score. The truth is that you don’t receive F’s for failing a test, but for failing to prepare for a test.

Failure is just like success – it’s a day-to-day process, not someplace you arrive one day. Failure is not a one time event, it’s how you deal with life along the way. Yes, you will make mistakes, but you can’t conclude that you’re a failure until you breathe your last breath. Until then, you’re still in the process, and there is still time to turn things around for the better.

PEOPLE THINK FAILURE IS OBJECTIVE. IT’S NOT.

When you forget a meeting, miss a deadline, damage a relationship, or make a poor choice concerning your children, what determines whether that action was a failure? Is it the size of the problem it creates, the amount of money your company loses, or how much criticism you have to endure? No. The truth is that only you are the only person who can label what you do a failure. Failure is subjective. Your perception of and response to your mistakes determine whether they are failures.

According to Tulane University business professor Lisa Amos, entrepreneurs fail in an average of 3.8 business ventures before they finally make it. They aren’t deterred by mistakes or adversity because they don’t see setbacks as failures. They recognize that three steps forward and two steps back still equals one step forward. Determine to see your mistakes as merely temporary lapses, and start using them as stepping stones to success.

PEOPLE THINK FAILURE IS THE ENEMY. IT’S NOT.

Most people try to avoid failure like the plague. They’re afraid of it. But it takes adversity to create success. NBA coach Rick Pitino says, “Failure is good. It’s fertilizer. Everything I’ve learned about coaching I’ve learned from making mistakes.”

If you desire to be a high achiever you can’t see mistakes as the enemy. Musicologist Eloise Ristad emphasizes that, “when we give ourselves permission to fail, we at the same time give ourselves permission to excel.” She’s right. Begin to perceive mistakes as opportunities rather than opponents.

PEOPLE THINK FAILURE IS IRREVERSIBLE. IT’S NOT.

There’s an old saying in Texas that goes: “It doesn’t matter how much milk you spill as long as you don’t lose your cow.” In other words, mistakes are not irreversible. The problems come when you see only the “spilled milk” and not the bigger picture.

Tom Peters wisely acknowledged, “If silly things were not done, intelligent things would never happen.” When you make a mistake, keep things in perspective. Understand that on the heels of every mistake is a valuable lesson and another opportunity to improve.

Washington Irving once noted, “Great minds have purposes; others have wishes. Little minds are subdued by misfortunes; but great minds rise above them.” If you tend to focus on the extremes of mistakes and fixate on particular events in your life, make a resolution to gain a new perspective on failure. See errors and negative experiences as a regular part of life and determine to learn and grow from them. If you can do that well, you may find that your dreams are much closer than you think.

This article by John C. Maxwell was provided by ChristianBusinessDaily.com — The Online Network for Christians in Business. Your source for news, articles, and commentary from a biblical perspective.

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QUOTE OF NOTE

“We seem to gain wisdom more readily through our failures than through our successes. We always think of failure as the antithesis of success, but it isn’t. Success often lies just the other side of failure.”

Leo F. Buscaglia (1924-1998)

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BOOKS WORTH READING

You may like to look at these Books Worth Reading by John C Maxwell –

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership –

Leadership 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know –

Developing the Leader Within You –

Exciting news

This is just a quick note to share some exciting news that explains why you haven’t heard from me for a bit.

Finally, after 2 years and 3 months of demolishing and rebuilding, we are in the midst of moving, unpacking and settling into our brand new house and office…

As soon as I get a chance I will share a very special way you can celebrate with us, so check back here or watch your email over the next couple of days.

Kind regards, Kerrie

PS. Don’t forget to watch out for your next message from me soon, so you can join in the celebrations.

Great expectations

A long time ago in another life, when I was studying to be a teacher, one of the first things we learnt was that our students would reflect back to us what we expected of them.

If we expected little of them, they would achieve little. If we expected dedication and hard work our students would be dedicated and work hard for us. And most importantly, if we held great expectations for them they would ultimately achieve greatness and fulfill their potential.

Eventually I came to believe this was one of the most important lessons I ever learnt as a teacher. And experience has shown it is a lesson that carries over well into the world of management and leadership.

When we have great expectations for our staff, we can be confident our team will achieve greatness in return.

If you’re not getting everything you want from your people, check whether you might be getting what you expect. If you are getting the worst, is it because you have developed a habit of expecting the worst?
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If you need help in changing the results you are getting from your people contact us to talk about how we can help you change things for the better.

More on how to expect great things in the Quick Tips below:

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MAKE IT HAPPEN NOW – RECORDING NOW AVAILABLEMake it Happen Now

This was a great audioseminar and many of you have been asking to be notified when the recording would be available. Well it’s finally here! See details of how you can listen in and learn How to Make it Happen Now at:

http://leadershipskillcenter.com/ts/bt/index.html

You won’t want to miss Brad’s discussion on how you can actually achieve more by doing less! Once you “get” this idea your whole approach to leading and managing people can become easier and more effective overnight! -And that was just one of many powerful ideas Brad shared with us. That link again
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QUOTE OF NOTE

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”

Mark Twain (1835-1910)

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QUICK TIPS FOR EXPECTING GREATNESS

* If you lack confidence in one or more of your staff, reflect on why that might be the case. Consider whether training, coaching or mentoring might help them build their skills, approach or confidence in their role or tasks.
* Sometimes what needs to change is the whole organizational culture. If that is your situation, talk to us about change management or team building strategies that you can implement.

The Leading Well Bottom Line:

Your attitude and expectations as a leader set the platform for the results your people will achieve. You hold the power to amplify their results, but you don’t have to do it all on your own. Find a mentor or coach that you can explore possibilities with in confidence. We would be happy to talk to you about how to approach turning your situation around.

Kind regards, Kerrie

PS. That Link again for Brad’s audioseminar on How to Make it Happen Now! – Have a look at it.

Building on Strong Foundations

What a busy and exciting year 2007 is shaping up to be. It’s only just begun and already we have some great events and special bonuses lined up to help you to develop all the skills you need to mentor, manage and lead.I’m sure you will be pleased to hear that the Leading Well Teleseminars are back for 2007, and once again, as a subscriber to Leading Well, you will be invited to attend free of charge. And we have some fantastic presenters all set and ready to share their insight and wisdom with you over the coming months.

Look for registration details of our next free teleseminar in your email inbox very soon… If you know anyone else who would like to receive invitations to our free live teleseminars please encourage them to register for Leading Well.

Kind regards, Kerrie

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BUILDING ON STRONG FOUNDATIONS

Two years ago now, my husband and I decided to demolish our old house and build a new one, complete with new improved global headquarters for KMG Consulting. We had no idea what we were letting ourselves in for, or how long it would all take. If you have ever done any building, I can hear you laughing now. And no, it’s not quite finished yet – but it’s very close, and we’ve learnt a lot in the process!

Anyway the reason why I mention this is because I can see a number of parallels between building a house and building your leadership. Both must be built on strong foundations and built to a clear, detailed plan.

Over the past two years we have pored over our house plans, checking details, picturing how we will use the rooms and visualizing what each will look and feel like. As a leader, every detail of what you are trying to achieve needs to be just as clear to you – and your team – as our house is to us.

It goes without saying that we wouldn’t expect to build much of a house if we didn’t share every detail of our plans with the people working to build our house for us. And similarly you can’t expect to realize your organizational vision if you don’t share it clearly and in detail with everyone on your team.

Your vision – the full picture of what you are trying to achieve – is critical for your success, but it isn’t sufficient. You also need to build on strong foundations.
If your vision represents what your organization is trying to build, your foundation is your purpose – why it is worth doing.

Share both the “what” and the “why” with your team. Then tap their expertise during an action planning process to determine the “how”. Check in with them regularly to ensure they have all the training, tools and resources they need and then let them get on with the job.

Focussing on the “what” and “why” will place your leadership on strong foundations as you realize your vision, just as surely as our new house is rising from the demolition site.

More on how to do this in the Quick Tips below:

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QUOTE OF NOTE

“The superior leader gets things done with very little motion. He imparts instruction not through many words, but through a few deeds. He keeps informed about everything, but hardly interferes at all. He is a catalyst, and though things would not get done as well if he weren’t there, when they succeed he takes no credit. And because he takes no credit, credit never leaves him.”

Lao-Tzu (c604 – c531 BC)

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QUICK TIPS FOR BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION

* Ensure that your team not only know what your purpose is, but that they understand it. As their leader you may need to translate your mission or purpose statements into more meaningful language for your team so they are quite clear on the “why” that is your foundation.

* Where possible involve your team in the process of developing and modifying statements of purpose to apply at their level in the organization. This values their contribution and builds their ownership of the outcomes.

* Ensure the objectives and actions that flow from the “what” and “why” are realistic and achievable so your team experiences success as they move along each step of the way in your desired direction.

The Leading Well Bottom Line:

You don’t have to do it all on your own. Watch for details of our exciting new Leadership Coaching Club, coming soon. Visit http://leadershipcoachingclub.com/ to join the Priority Notification list.

Read past issues of Leading Well:

* You will find past issues of Leading Well and other useful information in the Leadership Skill Center Blog.
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FREE TELESEMINARS

We will notify you when the date for our next teleseminar is finalized but you can keep an eye on what’s available (including details of how to access recordings of past teleseminars) here.

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Services directory:

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