Leadership Quote: Innovation Is Hard…

 

This month’s leadership quote:

“Innovation is hard because ‘solving a problem people didn’t know they had’

and ‘building something no one needs’ look identical at first.”

-Aaron Levine

Steve Jobs is noted for “solving a problem people didn’t know they had” time after time, first with the Mac, then ITunes, the IPhone, the IPad, etc. etc. And most of us will acknowledge that Steve was a rare genius. So… what can the rest of us mere mortals learn from Steve about innovation? Here’s what I observed that Steve did:

  • He was focused – He started with the desktop and it wasn’t until he built that market that he designed products for other needs, with his first big breakthrough the IPhone 
  • He was observant – He carefully watched what his customer did, saw the gaps, watched what was frustrating for them
  • He was determined – I recall reading that when he first came up with the idea of ITunes there were many barriers to making it happen, one by one, he broke through them all

While coming up with the innovative idea may initially seem to be the hard part, my sense is innovation is like everything else in business, it’s executing on the right things at the right time.

Elisa K. Spain

 

Is Coaching For Me Or For My Company?

 

As a leadership coach, working with both CEOs and senior executives, I am sometimes faced with this question:

  • Is leadership coaching for the individual or
  • Are there specific results this individual is expected to produce for the company?

For CEOs, the answer to this question is usually easy, the development a CEO gains from coaching usually has a direct correlation with results in their business.

For a senior executive, the question is more complex, both for me and for their sponsoring manager.

As with most things, getting clear upfront about your intentions and expectations will yield better results. Here are some questions to consider if you are either the senior executive or their sponsoring manager:

  • Is coaching for your general professional development?
  • Or are there specific expectations that coaching is expected to address and that you will be accountable for?
  • What is the contract between you and your coach?
  • What is the contract between you and your sponsoring manager?
  • As the executive in coaching, how will I demonstrate or communicate progress to my manager?
  • As the sponsoring manager, how do I want to be kept informed of progress?

 

 

Vistage CEO Confidence Index: Optimism At Highest Level In Ten Years in Q4 2014

 

The quarterly Vistage Confidence Index is now available. CI-graph-q4-280

Confidence among CEOs reached its highest level in ten years in the Q4 2014 Vistage CEO Confidence Index survey. The gain
in the closing quarter of 2014 was largely due to more favorable assessments of the current state of the economy as well as more favorable prospects for economic growth during the year ahead. The Vistage Confidence Index was 107.5 in the 4th quarter of 2014, up from 103.4 in the 3rd quarter and 101.5 in last year’s 4th quarter, and the highest level since 109.8 was recorded in the 1st quarter of 2005. The data indicate that most firms believe the economy has made substantial progress and will continue to grow in 2015.

Below are some key highlights from the Q4 2014 Vistage CEO Confidence Index (all members surveyed):

  • 63% of CEOs said the economy has improved in the past year–the highest since the Q4 2004 survey.
  • 49% of CEOs expect the economy to improve in the next year, up from 38% in last quarter’s survey.
  • 62% of CEOs anticipated expanding their workforce in the year ahead, the highest level since 64% was recorded in Q1 2006.
  • 77% of all CEOs expected their revenues to increase in the year ahead, the highest level since 2006.
  • 62% of CEOs expected profits to increase in the year ahead.

Elisa K. Spain

Who we are

Who we are

Your peer group are people with similar dreams, goals and worldviews. They are people who will push you in exchange for being pushed, who will raise the bar and tell you the truth. They’re not in your business, but they’re in your shoes.

Finding a peer group and working with them, intentionally and on a regular schedule, might be the single biggest boost your career can experience.
spacer– Seth Godin

 

My Vistage groups bring together top executives and business leaders for high-value interactions that make a difference to your company and your career.

View the members of the Vistage private advisory boards I chair:

  

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Leadership Quote: Success Is All About Growing Others…

 

December’s leadership quote:

“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself.

When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.”

-Jack Welch

While personal growth and development is lifelong, it is only through developing others that we achieve measurable results in our businesses. As a Vistage chair and leadership coach, I have the opportunity to observe every form of leadership. Here is what I see… it is those leaders that truly invest time and money in developing others that cross the dividing line from operator to leader.

No coincidence that nearly 20% of Vistage members produce annual revenue >$50mm; while less than 1.5% of US companies overall produce more than $25M in annual revenue and less than .27% produce more than $100M.

Elisa K. Spain

What we do

What we do

Through facilitated discussions, problems become perspectives. A definitive plan of action is determined. In subsequent meetings, progress is checked and accountability ensured.

Vistage International’s Private Advisory boards include more than 18,000 CEO, business owner and executive members worldwide.

Member companies are better run and grow their revenues, on average, at more than twice the percentage growth rate after joining Vistage.

Visit Vistage Online

Our impact

Our impact

Vistage-vs-Average-US-Company-2013VISTAGE WORKS

Over 30% of Elisa’s Vistage member companies doubled in size within two years of joining. Several are members of the Inc. 5000, Crain’s Fast 50, and Crain’s Largest Privately Held.

Since 1957, Vistage has been dedicated to improving business performance by fostering peer-to-peer interaction among business leaders.  Vistage member companies are better run and grow their revenues, on average, at more than twice the percentage growth rate after joining Vistage.

 

 

 

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Learn more

Learn more

Why Join a Private Advisory Board Led by Elisa Spain?

We look for interesting people with interesting businesses. Successful business owners and professional managers who want to become more successful.

CEO members have in common a desire to build professionally managed businesses that operate independently.  Key Executive members represent the key leaders who CEOs have entrusted to take them there.

Members are in various phases of this journey  and all share the following core values:

  • Authenticity – Strive to be my authentic self in every part of my life
  • Diversity– Embrace people that are different and think differently from me
  • Lifetime Learner – Focused on personal and professional development

If this describes you, contact me to explore further:

Email:
Direct/Mobile:
elisa@elisaspain.com
312.421.1813
Website:
LinkedIn:
Twitter:
www.elisaspain.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/elisakspain
http://twitter.com/elisakspain