Leadership Solutions

Leadership Solutions: Two Letters

Hello Audience,

Today I'm going to give you ideas that I consider useful. And I'm going to do my best to make this presentation engaging, thought provoking, and entertaining.

In return, please give me your attention. Your expressions reflect your interest. And your interest guides me in choosing what I say and how I say it. It also inspires me to take risks and encourages me to do well.

So, put your text messaging away. Give me your complete attention. And try to find something useful in my presentation -- either the information or the principles behind it.

I'm looking forward to helping you.

Your Speaker.

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Hello Speaker,

As you must realize, we're devoting this time to hear what you have to say. So, please challenge us. Give us new ideas. Make us think.

And talk to us as friends because we're wishing you the best. We hope you will be candid and respectful, serious and entertaining, brief and complete.

If you achieve this, you will provide something that moves each of us. Even though we sit here as a group, we're listening as individuals.

We're looking forward to learning from you.

Your Audience

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Key Point: Everyone wants a presentation to work. And everyone has a role in making it a success.

Much success,

Steve Kaye
One Great Meeting
714-528-1300

Meetings that matter. Workshops that work.
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Leadership Solutions: Another Outrage

It's unfair.

I just received a phone call about a new (and very disturbing) service.

This company offers a complete marketing system, which includes good things such as mail distribution, e-mail management, and newsletter development.

But here's the bad part: They will write all of the articles for you.

That means someone (like anyone) can pretend to be an expert without knowing anything.

Experts publish articles to demonstrate knowledge, wisdom, and expertise. At least, that's why I post five blogs each week, publish a monthly newsletter, and write articles for magazines. I want to provide a sample of how I think and what I know.

And that's just the beginning.

Writing is more than a marketing process. It's an essential part of being a knowledge expert.

It's the thinking process that makes someone an expert.

That is, writing expands one's knowledge and understanding of a topic. Then the expert demonstrates that knowledge by writing.

So, the next time you call a consultant, ask if that person actually wrote the books, articles, and newsletters.

If not, I recommend that you call someone else.

Key Point: Make sure that you work with a real expert instead of someone who pretends to be one.

Much success,

Steve Kaye
One Great Meeting
714-528-1300

Meetings that matter. Workshops that work.
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Leadership Solutions: Why Gravity Exists

Obviously, this isn't a common question. But here goes:

Why do we have gravity?

Answer: to keep us honest.

You see, without gravity, people would walk on walls and ceilings. They would do anything and everything. And as a result, there would be a lot of junk left floating in the air.

That would make a mess and cause untold problems.

So, gravity keeps us grounded on reality.

Some people attempt to defy gravity by building impossible systems, but these never last.

Some people attempt to defy gravity by promoting fantasies, but these never last.

Some people attempt to defy gravity by inventing new realities, but these never last.

The reason is gravity.

Eventually, every bad system falls to the ground.

This has special note for leaders.

Leaders have the responsibility of taking people into the future. And when they build a realistic path into the future, that legacy lasts. And the people who followed, thrive.

Followers also have a responsibility to choose leaders who are building something that lasts. Otherwise, they too become victims of gravity.

Key Point: Gravity always wins in the end.

Much success,

Steve Kaye
One Great Meeting
714-528-1300

Meetings that matter. Workshops that work.
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Leadership Solutions: Pay Back Time

Everyone has had the misfortune of working with a jerk.

Jerks, you must know, are those people who made you (and others) miserable. They are the heartless monsters who screamed, insulted, or acted mean.

You can quickly remember who they are.

But there's good news.

Jerks serve an important purpose.

They become the stars in presentations. So, their sad legacy can live on as an example of how not to behave.

Most professional speakers talk about them. Books describe them. Articles refer to them.

So, the next time you pass a jerk in the hallway, just smile. Because here is someone who's dismal manner may become famous.

Then go to your desk and add to the notes that you've been collecting, just in case you decide to become a best-selling author or keynote speaker.

After all, every notable success story needs a villain.

Key Point: Everyone leaves a memory. Make sure your legacy is one that you want to become famous.

Much success,

Steve Kaye
One Great Meeting
714-528-1300

Meetings that matter. Workshops that work.
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Leadership Solutions: Toxic Questions

You have all heard the claim that there is no such thing as a "Dumb Question."

Well, some questions really are dumb.

That's because they cause harm.

For example, here are some common attack questions.

1) Question: "Are you kidding?"

When used: After someone has asked a question or made a suggestion, often in disagreement with the person asking the question.

Implication: The target person is being stupid.

Effect: It ends a conversation and prevents future conversations.

2) Question: "What kind of idiot would do this?"

When used: When a problem arises, often used to insult a suspected culprit.

Implication: The target person is an idiot.

Effect: Hurt feelings. Resentment. Retaliation.

3) Question: "Are you trying to make me mad?"

When used: After the "Me" has decided to be angry.

Implication: The target person is responsible for the "Me" being angry.

Effect: The person who asked the question (the "Me") now has permission to behave like a fool. And that, by the way, is really dumb.

Key Point: Toxic questions ruin communication.

Much success,

Steve Kaye
One Great Meeting
714-528-1300

Meetings that matter. Workshops that work.
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Leadership Solutions: Office Thieves

Let's start with the good side of leadership.

The greatest gift that you can give your staff is the opportunity to feel needed, important, and special.

Wise leaders accomplish this by assigning tasks. Then they make it easy to complete these tasks by providing clear instructions and frequent coaching.

In fact, wise leaders focus on giving work to others.

And that brings us to the office thieves. These are the bosses who do everything themselves. Or they give the best projects to themselves.

In either case, they're stealing.

That is, they're taking opportunities from their staff.

That's bad because these bosses are obstructing their staff's career advancement.

This can also damage the boss' career advancement.

How?

These bosses are showing that it was a mistake to put them into a leadership position. Clearly, they seem to prefer working on tasks worthy of their staff instead of on real leadership.

That means such bosses may be working their way toward a demotion.

Key Point: Leaders delegate. Often and generously.

Much success,

Steve Kaye
One Great Meeting
714-528-1300

Meetings that matter. Workshops that work.
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Leadership Solutions: Invasion of Privacy

You can tell who they are.

They're walking through crowds with a smug expression while talking into space.

Since you don't see a cell phone, you wonder what they're doing. And then you get it. They have Bluetooth.

Here's a caution.

There's a company that is selling a Bluetooth spy system. It allows the user to listen in on someone's phone conversation.

So now your business deals, private affairs, and personal plans can be known to others.

I doubt any of you want this to happen.

But this is the expected next step for careless cell phone use.

Actually, a conversation is a personal exchange of ideas. It's a human experience. It's a private connection with another person.

It's not a public display.

So, save your cell phone for calls about common issues. And use the phone in a private place, away from others. Unless, of course, you want strangers to listen in.

Key Point: A private conversation shows respect for the other person.

Much success,

Steve Kaye
One Great Meeting
714-528-1300

Meetings that matter. Workshops that work.
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Leadership Solutions: Business Fantasy

Blame TV.

Because no one does any work on TV. They just gab and goof off.

So, it's possible that people think their jobs should be the same: all play.

Actually, a job is work.

Often it's hard work. And sometimes it's dull, painful, tedious work.

If you're lucky, your job also has some enjoyable, rewarding activities mixed in. But there will always be some bad stuff that you have to do.

So, how do you handle this?

1) Just do it. Take care of the bad stuff early, before it becomes a problem.

2) Use the good stuff as an reward for taking care of the bad stuff.

3) Find ways to make the bad stuff tolerable or even enjoyable.

4) Find (or design) a job that contains as much good stuff as possible.

5) Realize that doing well with the bad stuff is often the key to being able to spend more time working on good stuff.

So, rather than just cope, take charge of your job. Then you can spend most of your time enjoying work, just like on TV.

Key Point: Your job is your responsibility. Make it work hard for you.

Much success,

Steve Kaye
One Great Meeting
714-528-1300

Meetings that matter. Workshops that work.
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Leadership Solutions: Two Sides of Business

Some people work on the wrong side of business.

They are always busy fixing things, repeating tasks, and making apologies.

Why?

They put their efforts after the fact. Rather than before.

That is, they react to what happened, rather than prepare for what will happen.

Consider a meeting.

With preparation, the meeting begins with an achievable goal and a realistic agenda. Without these, the meeting is destined to produce little.

With preparation, the participants arrive with the knowledge, resources, and tools necessary to complete the work in the meeting. Without these, they ask questions, make comments, and attempt solutions that waste time.

With preparation, a meeting moves business into the future with workable solutions and sustainable decisions.

Without preparation, a meeting keeps business stuck in the past with the original problems plus complications that arose from having wasted time.

Key Point: Preparation puts you on the good side of success.

Much success,

Steve Kaye
One Great Meeting
714-528-1300

Meetings that matter. Workshops that work.
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Leadership Solutions: Please Help with a Major Puzzle

It makes you wonder.

On one hand, here is someone who is an executive working for a real (as in large) company.

And on the other hand, here is someone who misses appointments and won't return calls.

This happens too often.

For example, I have driven out to appointments to meet with an executive only to find that the executive was out of the office. And yes, this has even happened after I phoned that morning to confirm the appointment.

I have made phone calls at specific times requested by executives (e.g., "Call me on Monday at ten.") only to get an answer system. And then my phone messages were ignored.

The quick excuse is that they're busy.

Well, everyone is busy. I'm busy too. And I still honor appointments. I still return phone messages. I still treat others with respect.

So, please tell me, how do these executives keep their jobs? That is, would you keep someone on your staff who was this rude? This inconsiderate? This irresponsible?

This matters because these executives represent their companies. And that tells a lot about their values, their operation, and their culture.

Key Point: Rudeness is expensive.

Much success,

Steve Kaye
One Great Meeting
714-528-1300

Meetings that matter. Workshops that work.
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