Leadership Quote: Today You Will Get Something That Was Not Guaranteed…

 

This month’s leadership quote:

“Today you will get something that was not guaranteed.

One more day. Out of which to create the ‘you’ that works for you.

And to decide what that day will be, and who you will be.

You can write one more blank check, and let others fill in the amount;

or, you can decide on the payees in your life, and what and how you chose to give.

No magic. We all get this choice every day.”

-Larry M. Cassidy, Vistage Master Chair

Why Vistage Works

Elisa K. Spain

How Do You Keep Your Mojo?

 

Sometimes the demands of one part of our life, work or family, consume us. Sometimes because of a crisis, sometimes because of a spike in workload or children’s sports or…, sometimes just because we become consumed.

These days, mobile devices link us 24/7 to the office, our bosses, our employees and coworkers. We are, as I heard it said recently, living in time poverty. It may be necessary, now more than ever, to pause, regroup and allow ourselves to do something counterintuitive; listen to music, go sailing, jogging, practice yoga, make pottery or simply go for a walk.

Why counterintuitive?  Because our responsible self says, stay with it, do the work, finish the project, take care of the sick loved one, etc. We tell ourselves its selfish to do something for ourselves “at a time like this”.

If we think of our lives as a three legged stool….when one leg is gone, it won’t balance and falls over. We can’t take the pressures of work and family and go back and forth between them alone….that’s where the third leg, a completely different activity that is our individual interest alone, comes in.

At the height of World War 2 when the pressures were immense, President Roosevelt would escape to his stamp collection for an hour or so, doing something completely different. General George Marshall would ride horseback many mornings to relieve the pressures of his job of building and leading an Army of 8 million men and women.

Think about it—

  • What is your third stool leg to balance your life?
  • How often are you trying to balance on only 2 legs?
  • How might you feel if all three legs were grounded on most days?

Why Vistage Works

Elisa K. Spain

Vistage CEO Confidence Index: Optimism Tempered in Q3 2015

 

The quarterly Vistage Confidence Index is now available.Q3 2015 Conf Index

Vistage CEOs expressed somewhat greater concerns about the outlook for the domestic economy largely due to uncertainties about international conditions, volatile and declining stock prices and the much debated Fed liftoff in interest rates. Despite these concerns, CEOs continued to be more optimistic about prospects for their own firms. The Vistage CEO Confidence Index was 96.3 in the 3rd quarter 2015 survey, down from 99.0 in the 2nd quarter and last year’s 103.4. The cumulative gains that could have been anticipated during long expansions have not occurred.

 

While the recent slide in confidence is of concern, the data thus far indicate that most firms now expect a continued slow pace of economic growth. Revenue and profit growth were judged slightly better than last quarter, and firms still plan to expand their payrolls as well as increase their planned fixed business investments to be better able to profit from sales growth in the future.

Below are some key highlights from the Q3 2015 Vistage CEO Confidence Index (all members surveyed):

  • 40% of CEOs reported the economy had improved compared to a year ago, down from 46% last quarter and 61% in the 1st quarter of 2015.
  • 27% of CEOs expect the economy to improve in the next 12 months, down from 35% in the prior quarter and 45% at the start of 2015.
  • 71% of CEOs expect revenue gains in the year ahead, and 56% of CEOs expect increased profits in the year ahead.
  • 34% of CEOs said recruiting and retaining staff are the most significant challenges currently facing their business, more than twice that of the next most cited issues—too slow growth (15%) and economic uncertainty (15%).

Why Vistage Works

Elisa K. Spain

The Gift Of Feedback

 

Feedback is a gift. It is an opportunity for personal development and ultimately leadership development. And, it is hard; Very hard.

Not sure which is harder, giving feedback or accepting it. Recently I was with a small group of Vistage Chairs, several of us long tenured, and we were discussing this very topic. In fact, we spent a couple of hours working with each other to improve our skills at both. I mention long tenured, as a reminder to myself, that no matter how skilled we think we are at this, it is hard, and requires constant practice.

Here are the reminders I heard…

When giving feedback:

  • You can earn trust with truthful, specific, positive feedback (TSP as speaker, Michael Allosso, calls it)
  • When giving constructive feedback, ask first if the receiver is open to feedback
  • Even better, wait until the feedback is asked for
  • Own your experience, share feelings and observations; be specific
  • Use neutral language e.g., my experience of you… or When you do…, I feel…
  • Remember the purpose of feedback is to share your experience of another person, not to “fix” the other person

When receiving feedback, remember it is a gift

  • Ask for feedback, and be specific about the purpose, e.g., I want to become more effective at…
  • Listen and digest
  • Try not to defend or respond except to simply say, thank you.

Vistage Works

Elisa K. Spain