Leadership

First of all, let me say that I have a lot of respect for Tim Ferriss’s book, The 4 Hour Workweek. After hearing the 6th or 7th person recommend the book, I recently sat down and read it. I found it to be motivating and also thought-provoking. I even picked up a few good tips from it that I am putting to use in my own business.

But I have to say that you should never take the title of this book literally.

The book explains, more or less, how to create a virtual business — one that you can run from anywhere. And one that takes as little as 4 hours a week by the owner. Or at least, 4 hours a week is the goal.

The author makes some great points in it about managing your time, especially email. In fact, a large chunk of the book is about time management. He also provides actionable how-tos on how to find the help to outsource so you have more free time (Lou Dobbs, close your ears — he suggests … gasp! … offshore labor).

Tim’s ideas aren’t new. Other books and management philosophies have touched on some of the same concepts for a couple of decades now. Book shelves are bursting with time management books. And enterprising entrepreneurs have been structuring virtual businesses they can run from anywhere for some time now. In 1998 I sat next to someone on a flight from London to Chicago (on a first class upgrade) who ran several global businesses from the Cayman Islands, and who regaled me nonstop for 6 hours with his philosophies about creating virtual businesses run almost exclusively on outsourced labor.

Still, no knock against The 4-Hour Workweek. Ferriss brings an up-to-date take on things and scales it to the individual entrepreneur who is starting out with very little money. It’s McKinsey for the solo entrepreneur. Read entire article.

Posted in Leadership, Planning & Strategy

Consider 5 things that great leaders do - in any industry - and think about how they apply to the way you lead your team.

#1: Acknowledge Incremental Change
People don’t change suddenly, but rather over time through the course of experiences, feedback, and lessons learned. To be credible, successful leaders must know what their people are working on and acknowledge even small steps in the right direction. Make an effort to watch for marginal improvements, and then acknowledge.

#2: Be Attentive & Present
Amidst blackberries, constant calls, and packed schedules, great leaders recognize the value of giving their undivided attention to their people, even if only for short periods of time. Try to restrain yourself from typing or checking email when people come into your office. Look in peoples’ eyes. The ability to focus on people is becoming more scarce in our society.

#3: Acknowledge Your Team’s Challenges
You don’t need a mastery of what people do in order to lead them. Demonstrate an understanding of the barriers and obstacles your people face and the pressures they are under. People can only be led by someone who understands the challenges of the every day.

#4: Aspire to Know Who Knows
Great leaders don’t have all the knowledge, but they are focused on knowing who knows the people they need to get the job done. Think broadly and utilize resources accordingly.

#5: Look at Your Business As a White Canvas
Every now and then, amidst the thick of day-to-day craziness, you need to sit back and look at your business as a clean slate. Extremely difficult to do, but always leads to something. A moment of simplicity and clarity can lead to realizations about the “obvious” opportunities and risks that you overlook out of habit.

Posted in Leadership

The chemistry of a creative team is absolutely critical for making ideas happen. What goes unsaid can erupt into a great fiasco. When a problem is brewing, our tendency is to block it out. After all, who wants to be confrontational or take time out when stress and deadlines are looming? But an “infection” left untreated can become a full-blown disaster. The most effective creative teams are able to detect and address concerns before they evolve into problems.

If a team is like a living body, then person is part of an intricate immune system. Any member of the team should be able to notice and alert the team to a brewing problem, and the entire team should coordinate to address it. A single concern for one is a worthy concern for all. Read entire article.

Posted in Leadership