Leadership

We all hate nagging. After all, who wants to be hounded for things they need to do? I have been a bit surprised recently by the number of people I interview who speak positively about the power of nagging.

One recent example is the team at Brooklyn Brothers, an especially productive creative agency in New York City - so productive that they not only service clients but they have also published children’s books and launched a chocolate brand called “Fat Pig.” Guy Barnett and Stephen Rutterford are the partners at the agency. Very early in our interview, it became clear that both Guy and Stephen are obsessed with execution. When it comes to taking action, the team has no faith in hands-off project management. Their secret to actually pushing projects forward can be summed up with one word: “nagging.” Guy explained, “we repeat stuff like robots a thousand times…a best practice for us is to use nagging tempered by humor, we sit around a table and feel responsible to each other.” He even admitted, “if you’re annoying, people will do things because they’ll want you to shut up!” Read entire article.

Posted in Leadership, productivity

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