From the Mouths of Babes…What Can You Learn From Kids About Leadership?

Do You Micromanage?

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been accused of micromanaging on an occasion or two.

You think you’re just being helpful.  You just want them to get it “right”…as in doing it your way.

Working with adults, this approach works eight out of 10 times.  Other times it’s a disaster.

Oh, the Joy of Kids!

Dealing with kids, you learn (through banging your head against a brick wall enough times) that just telling them what to do and expecting them to do it isn’t always the best approach. 

Think tantrum’s, smashing things, just ignoring you, talking back, or doing the opposite just to test you.

Training Days

Today I went fishing with my Dad, brother and son.

It was my son’s second time fishing ever.  So you could say he’s like your baby-faced new recruit with lots of energy and little experience.

My brother baited up the line and casted it out.

When a fish bit, he set the hook and then handed the pole to my son to reel in.

My son eagerly reeled it in and landed the fish.

Step Back for Better Results

What happened next was more interesting.

After watching several fish being caught, my brother and I were chatting briefly.

During our conversation we heard my son say, “I’ve got a fish!”

We turned and see him setting the hook and cranking the reel’s handle like a pro.

…I never showed him how to set the hook.

…I never told him to reel in the fish.

He just did it.

How Do You Manage?

Now think about the people you manage.

Isn’t it great when they just get the picture and figure it out from your brief instructions?

Don’t you like it when they take initiative to get things done without your prompting?

Wouldn’t it be great if all your direct reports were as full of initiative and creativity?

It CAN be that way.

Sometimes it just requires you to step back and give them some space to figure it out on their own.

Sometimes giving them the big picture and walking away, instead of micromanaging, will get better results.

Hire the Best and Get Out of the Way

That’s why you hire good people with initiative and potential.

Don’t squash it before it can bloom.

10 Things I Learned In 2009...That Could Make Your 2010 The Best Ever

1)      Persistence pays off…sometimes just showing up makes all the difference.

2)      Be transparent and develop relationships…people can’t trust someone they don’t know.

3)      Hire people who are better than you…you’ll be glad you did.

4)      Track Results…you’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish in a year.

5)      People crave acknowledgement…you can’t give too much.

6)      Great people have options…make your option their best option.

7)      People buy based on emotion and justify with facts.

8)      Pictures are better than words.

9)      Stories overcome objections.

10)   Great creation comes from collaboration.

To a fantastic 2010!

Mocha, please. Whip? Christmas Blend Coffee (50% Off Today Only)? Free Song Download?

My daughter and I ran into the Snoqualmie Starbucks to pick up a mocha for my wife, before heading to a birthday party in Seattle.

Waiting in line to place my order, I take in the ambiance (say marketing masterpiece) that is Starbucks.

Sweet rolls dripping with frosting call to me through the glass.

Fresh brewed coffee wafts towards me.

Soft holiday music soothes the soul …

I feel I’m in a hypnotic trance as I move towards the counter.

Mocha Please

I place my order – Grande mocha, no whip, extra hot.

Upsell #1

“Would you like our Holiday Blend Coffee with that?  It’s 50% off today only.”

It just rolled off her tongue so pleasantly (Great use of Commitment and Scarcity persuasion elements).

I decline the offer and stroll over to the pick-up counter and wait.

Deferred Upsell #2

What’s that thing?  Looks like a business card.

I check it out.

Low and behold, it’s a free Andrea Bocelli singing Silent Night, iTunes download.

I read the card and find out that a new card comes out each week with a new song/artist for free download.

So Irresistible

Now I know my wife loves Andrea Bocelli and has one of his CD’s.

And she just got an iPod that still needs some songs loaded.

So of course I pick it up.

What Just Happened?

Now let’s think about this for a moment.

Do you think when my wife or I get on iTunes to download this one song we’re going to only download the free one?

Do you think iTunes will make it that easy?

Reciprocity In Action (Upsell #3)

Or do you think they’ll politely suggest another holiday tune from Andrea?  Or another artist?

Now maybe the first time we will.  But as you know, the law of Reciprocity says that there will be a burning desire to make things right.  To buy something, just because.

And how about the other side of the equation?

Easy Upsell #4 (and the Power of Consistency/Commitment)

Do you think there is any likelihood that if you like to get new music from time to time for your iPod that you won’t somehow make it into Starbucks at least once a week (a little something on the weekend wouldn’t hurt…just treating myself…I deserve it) to pick up your next week’s free tune?

And if you’re going in to Starbucks to pick up the card, of course you’ll buy some coffee…and maybe a scone or…

And of course, the law of Consistency/Commitment indicates that once you start picking up these free weekly downloads you’ll keep going each week.  And because of the law of Scarcity, you’ll be motivated to make your weekly pilgrimage to avoid missing any of your weekly downloads.

What Does This Show?

This is a great example of a win-win host (Starbucks)-beneficiary (iTunes) relationship.

Starbucks provides the distribution.

iTunes provides the product.

Both win.

How Does This Translate To You?

Do you have distribution?  Could you find someone else’s product or service to run through your distribution pipeline?

Or do you have a great product without the distribution?  Could you license your product or sell it through their network for a share of the profits?

In this recession, tactics like these can easily drop big dollars to your bottom line.

Get to work!