A Tribute To A Great Man, Who Also Was A Good Man

by Elisa Spain1 Comment

Those of you who know me have heard me talk about my Uncle Leon as a model for a life well-lived. He died this past week, at age 95+. I will be attending his funeral on the day this blog publishes. It seemed fitting to write this tribute to him on this day.

Balaji Krishnamurthy, one of my favorite Vistage speakers, talks about L3, Leadership, Leverage and Legacy. For me, Uncle Lee accomplished all three.

He was an entrepreneur who, in his early twenties, founded the nation’s first convention exhibition business, Mannecraft Exhibition Services. In the beginning he worked with department stores to “exhibit” their store windows. Soon thereafter Mannecraft was setting up conventions across the country. When the company was acquired by a public company in the early 80’s, he agreed to retire at age 65.

Retirement for Leon was investing in young entrepreneurs, providing financing and wisdom to grow their companies. He worked on-site, hands on, with these companies. At the same time, he was fully engaged with his philanthropic efforts.

He was a leader in the Miami Beach chamber of commerce and Kiwanis and was recognized multiple times by both organizations as “Man of the Year”. When it was time to renovate the Miami Beach Convention Center, Leon led the multi-year project – pro-bono.

Leon always said he had only one regret, that he was not able to attend college. His parents could only afford to send one of their three children and his older brother, because he was older, got the opportunity. So… he started a scholarship fund to sponsor young people wanting a college education without the funds to go.

As a child, Uncle Lee was always on my side; and as an adult he has been the person I most want to emulate. While he was always there for advice if I asked, what I learned from him was more from what he did, than from what he said.

A few years ago my cousin and I were talking about Uncle Lee and she asked me, “what do you think you have learned from him?” As I reflected on her question, I created this list of seven “Leonism’s”. He made each of these seem easy and yet for me they are aspirational words.

7. Accept what you cannot do and do all of what you can.

6. Stay active, physically and mentally.

5. Make new friends all the time.

4. Move on – learn from mistakes.

3. Live in the present.

2. Forgive – yourself & other.

And, #1, Make the people around you feel special.

Uncle Lee was loved and admired by his family and everyone who was fortunate enough to know him. When he turned 95, over 100 people, of all ages, showed up to celebrate the man who, as my aunt said so well, “was someone people didn’t just want to know, they wanted to be”.

I will miss him and his legacy will continue to inspire.

Elisa K. Spain

Leading What We Don't Understand

Leading What We Don't Understand

by Elisa SpainNo Comments

2013-12-01 Who What iStock_000017953256XSmall

 

I have hesitated to jump into the Obamacare website discussion, however it provides such a great leadership lesson that I feel I have to. The lesson is this, even when I don’t understand, when I am the leader, I must lead.

Sounds obvious and yet, so often when it comes to technology and other unfamiliar areas, CEOs choose not to lead. In fact, otherwise effective leaders when they find themselves in situations where they lack familiarity, hire experts and then fully abdicate responsibility for leading these experts.

My sense from reading the press, is this is exactly what happened with the Obamacare website. If you read Kathleen Sebelius’ (Head of Health and Human Services) background, she has held many leadership roles, including Governor of Kansas, and at one time was considered a potential presidential candidate. Yet, at least from what I read, despite her strong leadership background, she hired experts to build the website, left them to figure it out and then hoped for the best outcome.

As Ms. Sebelius discovered in the most public way possible, even experts need to be led.

So, how do we lead when we lack familiarity? I was discussing this question recently with one of my Vistage CEO clients who had hired an expert to install a new ERP/CRM system, here is what we came up with:

  • Accept that it is my job, as the leader, to monitor and evaluate when I am responsible
  • Ask for a project plan with specific measurable milestones and agree on a regular meeting schedule to monitor these milestones
  • Ask questions, and when I hear an answer I don’t understand, assume more information is required, and ask more questions (rather than assuming I don’t understand because I am unfamiliar)
  • Ask the people on the line what they are concerned about
  • Get enough information to know when naysayers are change-resistant or if course changes must be made

What else would you add to this list?

Elisa K. Spain

Are There Subtitles In Your Conversations?

Are There Subtitles In Your Conversations?

by Elisa SpainNo Comments

2013-11-03 what_a_jerkEver wish your conversations had subtitles?

How often do we begin what seems like a casual conversation, only to realize that something has happened. Emotion has entered and we are no longer talking about the subject at hand. Yet, we keep trying to talk about the casual subject while our thoughts wander to the meta message.

There is a scene in Annie Hall that I often think about when this happens.

We see in this film clip, a classic first date, where both of them are saying one thing and thinking something totally different. Their thoughts are shown as subtitles. What makes this scene so memorable is that these subtitles or “meta messages” frequently occur in conversation, including business conversations. And, in life, there aren’t any subtitles.

In the film, Annie Hall chose to end both the conversation and the meta messages by reminding Woody Allen that he had to leave.

In my experience, the more history we have with another person, the more likely we are to step on historical land mines in the course of our conversations. Ending the conversation and continuing later is an option. If the conversation becomes heated, sometimes this is the best option. Alternatively, we have an option to pause and talk about the meta message. In other words, have a conversation about the conversation. 

‘Meta’ from Greek is a prefix which means ‘about’ or ‘beyond’.

Here’s how you might move from a conversation that’s getting difficult to a meta-conversation:

  1. Pause. Once you observe either you or the other person is feeling anything other than neutral.
  2. Name what you observe, about each of your viewpoints, e.g. I have the sense we started out talking about the agenda for our next meeting, and there is something else on the table.
  3. Follow the Vistage model, stay in a questioning mode, “What is it about the next meeting that is giving you concern?”
  4. Keep your language neutral. Stay away from the 5 “fighting words”. “You” (use I), “Always” (use frequently), “Never” (use seldom), “But” (use and) “Why” (use what).
  5. Work toward mutual understanding, rather than being right.
  6. Allow the other person to respond. I find that restating what I believe I just heard is helpful. And, then continuing to stay in a questioning mode.

And, allow the possibility that the intended conversation may have to wait until another day.

 

Elisa K. Spain

 

It Only Takes A Moment…

It Only Takes A Moment…

by Elisa Spain2 Comments

2013-10-20 Good Job iStock_000012669753XSmallAppreciation as a leadership action. As leaders, we focus on big things so naturally when it comes to appreciation, we think big; the sales contest, the celebration parties, etc. As humans, we most value specific appreciation that is directed just to us. And, most of us find it difficult to do this. We celebrate the team, we complement the team, yet we rarely notice and communicate with simple appreciative words, a carefully selected card or a note selected just for one person.

Here’s an example:

Instead of, “you did a good job on the status report”; why not say, “You did a good job creating the status report this week. I like that it was succinct and included the due dates. It helped me see what was pending and how much was due at the same time”.

The great thing about it, this simple appreciation doesn’t take any planning and costs nothing. It only takes a moment and can be done in the moment.

Who will you give a specific appreciation to today?

Elisa K. Spain

Stay The Course…

Stay The Course…

by Elisa SpainNo Comments

2013-10-13 Hand on Ship iStock_000010063419XSmallStay the course….

How often have we heard this phrase, and at same time, how often do we react to what is happening in the moment and as a result lose sight of where we were heading?

Most of us want to be flexible and responsive to our constituencies be they employees, customers, shareholders, family or friends. And when we set a new direction or introduce a new idea, the reality is, we are often met with resistance. Change is hard and most of us resist change. When met with resistance, it is tempting to retrench.

In my experience, when I resist this temptation and stay the course, I have been rewarded.

Just recently, a speaker was presenting a new concept.  Some folks in the room were able to see the relevance to their business, but a few were not. The ones that could not spoke up and what the speaker heard was “my content isn’t relevant, I need to move in a different direction”. And when he and I spoke during the break, we agreed instead to stay the course. In the end, we were glad we did. In talking with the members afterwards, the vocal ones explained, “I just wasn’t getting it. All I wanted was help in making it relevant”. The others said they found great value in what they heard.

And, then Diana Nyad, gave us the best reminder of all. She had a goal, she stayed the course, despite folks telling her, “it couldn’t be done” and she was too old. And, after several attempts, tweaks along the way, she did it!

Huge leadership lesson here for me: When the vocal minority speaks up, listen, evaluate, help them understand the mission and then stay the course. The flip side, is not to listen when they see you are on a collision course, and that is a topic for another blog.

Elisa K. Spain

When Making The Counter-Intuitive Choice…

When Making The Counter-Intuitive Choice…

by Elisa SpainNo Comments

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I have often heard our Vistage economists, Brian & Alan Beaulieu say, “the time to invest is late recession, early recovery”. And it is one thing to say this in theory, and quite another to actually have the courage to do it. Not unlike the recommendation to buy more equities when the market is down. While we all understand the “buy low, sell high” adage, natural risk aversion causes many of us to do exactly the opposite.

And yet, the Beaulieu’s advice works. As an example, I had the pleasure of watching Baird & Warner, the 2nd largest real estate company in the Chicagoland area. With two of their top executives as members of the Vistage Advisory Boards I lead, I have a close connection to Baird. And while Baird, like everyone else, made tactical cost saving efforts such as closing offices and increasing efficiencies; at the same time, they were also investing in the future, making capital investments and key hires.

The result: as the real estate industry continues to recover, Baird has earned its unfair share of the market. Outperforming the competition on every key indicator, deals written, deals closed, etc.

When I spoke with Steve Baird, his response was “while everyone else is hunkering down – I took the opportunity to double down”.

Here is Steve’s summary of what it takes to build, and sustain (in his case for 5 generations), a world class company. Food for thought as the current economic cycle matures:

  • investment
  • reinvention
  • continuous feedback loop
  • commitment /stick to your principles
  • time is an asset
  • you have to do it for years – not just ride market share up and be really good
  • not just a great product – need a great business
  • building world class is not building to sell – be clear
  • be careful of sacrificing profitability for the sake of more business

Elisa K. Spain

Given The Opportunity, Create An Experience…

Given The Opportunity, Create An Experience…

by Elisa SpainNo Comments

Group of young people applauding and looking very happyEarlier this week, I spent two days with one of Vistage’s top speakers, Tom Searcy. Tom’s workshop is about Hunting Big Sales; What to do to Filter and Win the Big Deals. Filter, as in, know which ones to pursue and then what to do to win.

Our members take turns hosting meetings and the second day Tom joined us, the meeting was hosted by Shane Dittrich, CEO of T&D Metal. In reflecting on the day we spent at Shane’s location in Watseka IL, we were all struck by the experience he created for us. And for me, the connection between creating an experience and winning big deals.

Here’s what I observed.
The entire day was intentional and orchestrated – starting with the night before – where to stay, where to eat, the setup and planning of the meals, the transportation, and the tour. Instead of PowerPoint for a prop, Shane used vans from one of his businesses and gave a plant tour. When it came time to give his presentation, he just stood up in front of us and told us his story. And, he didn’t do it all himself, he delegated to several team members. As a result we were able to feel the culture of T&D.
‘Learnings’ for me from this…
-Intentionality yields results
-Given the opportunity to create an experience, do it
-Use real “props” rather than PowerPoint to tell your story
-Bring in your team in ways that demonstrate your culture

Elisa K. Spain

 

Oops, I Was Thinking Out Loud…

Oops, I Was Thinking Out Loud…

by Elisa Spain4 Comments

2013-08-11 iStock_000025261076XS2mallHow often have we said this to ourselves and discovered unintended consequences. As leaders we know that others are always watching what we do and listening and reacting to what we say. And, when we are with the folks in the office, in the factory or in the field, most of us are conscious of what we say and how we show up.

I wonder though, if we have this same awareness as leaders when we are with our leadership team. Or for that matter, when as members of the leadership team we are with our bosses and our colleagues. You may be thinking (silently?) so, are you saying I want to be aware of what I am saying all the time? Yikes!!

My sense is the answer is yes. When we think out loud, sometimes we create expectations, alarm or even actions that we did not intend. Recently, one of my clients shared this story: “I was sitting in my office with my VP of Operations and I was thinking out loud, wondering what we needed to do next to get to the growth goals I have. I was going on and on about my frustrations and concerns. Next day, he came back into my office and asked me if I was planning to sell the company. He apparently had gone home and thought about what I had said all night”.

I find that if I have the presence to simply say, “May I think out loud for a moment?” or “Can I just vent for a moment?”, that frames the conversation. Sometimes this pausing reminds me that it is best to simply ‘zip it’.

What has been your experience?

Elisa K. Spain

 

Leadership Development: Not Just For Women

Leadership Development: Not Just For Women

by Elisa SpainNo Comments

2013 06-03 Elisa Spain Women in Business Blog PictureLeadership Development: Not Just for Women

As part of our leadership development, my Vistage groups frequently select a book to read as a group. Recently, my Vistage Inside group chose the book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, by Sheryl Sandburg.

 

On the day we discussed this book in my group, the first person to speak was a man. His comment was “This is not a gender issue. This book resonated for me and the challenges I have in my career”.

This book has garnered both praise and criticism and certainly puts to rest the question of whether a book can spark a debate.

The debate centers around two issues. First, given Sheryl’s wealth and position, is she truly able to advise young women? And, is she placing too much of the onus on women who are already struggling to fulfill impossible demands, and too little on government and employers to provide better child care, more flexible jobs and other concrete gains.

Having begun my career in the 1970’s, for me the book initially was a reminder that the more things change, the more they stay the same.  While certainly gender neutrality has occurred in many jobs, the executive suite is one where the numbers say otherwise.

That said, I wonder, is the question really about gender neutrality or is it about the challenges that women and men face as they navigate the path to career advancement?

I wonder if the real questions that Sheryl is suggesting we, women and men, ask are:

  • What is the path to a “seat at the table”?
  • What risks must I take?
  • What personal choices must I make to achieve career success (i.e. choice of mate, where I live, who my friends are)?

And, finally the most key question,

  •  What must I give up, to get what I want?

For more on this topic, see previous post,  Laws of Success: Perfection of The Life or Perfection of The Work

 

Elisa K. Spain

 

Last Of The Series – Leadership View #13: Balance Your Life

Last Of The Series – Leadership View #13: Balance Your Life

by Elisa SpainNo Comments

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I began this series as a tribute to my friend, Marsh Carter, whose leadership has been an inspiration to me for at least 25 of the 45+ years covered in his View of Leadership. As I have written these blogs each week, using Marsh’s topic lines, it has been interesting to me how relevant Marsh’s large company experience is to the entrepreneurs  I work with each day.

For the final post in this series, I decided it is fitting that Marsh author the post, drawing this time from his experience rather than mine. 

Leadership View #13:  Balance your life – 3 legged stool analogy (balance between work, family and a strong outside interest for yourself)

Many people we’ve all known, including ourselves at times, have a tendency to regard our careers or jobs as the most important aspects of our life—this is especially true the last few years where hand held devices link us 24/7 to the office, our bosses, our employees and coworkers.  It may be more necessary now than ever before to try to balance our lives—that is, maintain a balance between our work, our families, our religion, and for our own mental health – an outside interest that treats us as an individual.

Think of your life as a three or four 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 what the third leg, a completely different activity that is our individual interest alone comes in. Your third leg may be jogging, sailing, running in marathons, coaching a child’s sport, skydiving, piloting airplanes, pottery making, yoga, stamp or coin collecting…..whatever you enjoy that’s separate from work and family.

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 building and leading an Army of 8 million men and women.

Think about it—

  • How do you personally, if only for a short period of time, balance the pressures of work and family?
  • What is your third stool leg to balance your life?

Elisa K. Spain