AN ONLINE SURPRISE

Lately I’ve become excited by EVERNOTE, program/app that helps me organize my various thoughts and ideas. When trying to learn it however, I was confused by the material supplied by the company. Then I discovered a series of six outstanding, albeit amateur-looking, 10-minute YouTube videos done by a real user, not officially by the company; in minutes I learned how to maneuver around the program and now use it every day.

This week's question:

Is your product/service so valuable to an individual user that he/she might take to the web to promote it, describe it, endorse it, train others to use it? Does anyone blog about your service, tweet about your offerings, introduce outsiders to you on social networking sites? Do you even know? How will you find out? Then what?

THE CLUTTERED LIFE

I’ve talked about “busy” on numerous Monday mornings. Busy is seen by some as a badge of honor. For others, busy arises from an inability to delegate and/or trust. Still others just can’t say “no.” Yes, for most “busy” is a choice.

This week's question:

How much of your sense of “busy” is really a function of the clutter you’ve allowed in your life? What clutter will you jettison this week? Name three specific things.

WHO STARTS THE CONVERSATION?

We lead by talking with people. And talking means listening. Most of us think we are good listeners. Ok, then take this test -

This week's question:

How often do your people initiate meaningful conversations with you? Are you open to let them take your time, are you available to hear them talk about things that matter for them and for your organization even when those things are not on your radar right now? Do your team members see that in your actions, your responses?

PREPOSITION PRESCRIPTION

Leadership is about people. It's about working with people, for people and through people. "With" them to show you'll put out as much as you ask of them. "For" them to assure them they have the resources, the training, the scope and the authority to do their jobs. "Through" them to focus everyone's efforts on achieving the set and the shared goals.

This week's question:

Which preposition gives you the most angst -- with, for or through? Do your people see that you are "with" them? Do they know that you are "for" them? Do they share the goals you've communicated to them providing confidence you are effectively working "through" them? What do you need to work on today?

RIGHT ANSWERS

It seems like we are obsessed with answers. Innovation and creativity are not founded on great answers; they arise from challenging, unique, insightful, bold, even irreverent questions. We must spend more energy shaping our asks and less struggling with the responses.

This week's question:

What must you do to give up the notion of right and wrong answers and focus on each specific question? What changes for you this week if you evaluate your people based on their questions not on their responses? What changes for them?

LEAD 'EM LIKE THEY'RE VOLUNTEERS

Businesses and bureaucracies can learn a lot from the volunteer sector. Think about the challenge non-profits face - the volunteer always owns their own time, not the employer. Yet, there are thousands of highly successful volunteer driven organizations making major differences in our communities; huge numbers of people give their time, show up every week and work hard, to make a difference. Why? They feel relevant. They feel empowered. They feel supported. They feel appreciated.

This week's question:

For your paid staff - what must you do to build a work environment that successful voluntary organizations have created: relevant, empowering, supportive, appreciating? What might you expect from team members in that new world? How might your results be impacted?

THINK. REALLY THINK.

Here’s a big think. What is more important - your clients needs or your business model?

This week's question:

Over the holiday season think seriously about your clients. Ask - what would make their lives easier? What would make them more successful? How do they need help? And, here’s the catch - DON’T TIE WHAT THEY NEED TO YOUR BUSINESS MODEL; just think about them. What insights might you come up with? What might that mean for 2012?