Values, Not Just a Decoration! #WisdomWednesday #LipstickOnAPig #Leadership #Values

Enron is the poster child of espousing tremendous corporate values with words that were displayed in public places like on websites, reception areas and on conference room walls but were ignored behind closed doors by a select few.  In all fairness, the overwhelming vast majority of the people working at Enron were highly ethical and devoted to work, family, and community and many I call my friends to this day.

Values are often defined by organizations in good times as the organization is just forming, growing or changing in a positive way.  And while values are created in good times, they are tested in difficult times.  They should not be feel good words, phrases or sentences that become decoration, but they should guide, ground and direct each individuals behaviors and actions. 

As a leader, this week look at your organizational values from a different, more critical lens.  Do I see those values guiding decisions at all levels.  Are they grounding us to always do what is right no matter what, and finally do they direct our actions and activities every interaction, every day?

Just for a moment imagine if the un-imaginable happened.  Your organization is challenged in some way publicly by the media, or a government agency challenges some business practice of yours, or an unpredicted and very severe business downturn happened. Can your organization not only survive but thrive because our values are strong, lived by every individual daily and while created in good times stood the test in bad times?  So what do you value?

Rolling with the Punches! #WisdomWednesday

There are times in leadership when things are just out of your control, nothing seems to be going your way, and you just have to roll with it!  So this video is for all of those rolling with it this week! 

-Ken

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sEazfbKwf8

Do You Make a Difference? #WisdomWednesday #LennyRobinson

Some inspire children by dressing up and becoming a superhero to them. Providing hope and smiles to get through to the next day.  Some inspire us by dressing up as a superhero and reminding us to think about our legacy.  What will people say about the impact we had and the difference we made?

Please watch the video to see a true difference maker:

Lenny B. Robinson, the Good Samaritan who visited children in hospitals dressed as Batman and entered the public spotlight after police pulled him over in costume, died August 16, 2015 after a car hit his custom Batmobile on a Maryland interstate.

What an amazing legacy….. a life lived with purpose!

Management vs. Leadership - Which is more important? #WisdomWednesday

This has been the subject of more discussion and debate then just about any business topic.  You can do an internet search and come up with 7,600,000 hits on the topic!  So everyone, and I mean everyone, has an opinion or position.

All I do know for certain is, people don’t want to be managed!  Don’t believe me? Ask any group, in any organization (which I have done for over 15 years, so thousands of references points) this question, “How many of you want to be managed?” and not one person will say they want that.

What they do want is to be led with clarity, support, coaching, recognition and a meaningful purpose to their work.  You do that and they will thrive.

However, projects, timelines, priorities, and goals need to be managed to ensure a level of sustained organizational success.

Bottom line, both sets of activities and behaviors are important and need to be developed and refined….never stop learning.  But what is even more important and please don’t forget this;  Don’t mistake your people for projects or timelines, they don’t want to be managed!

-Ken

A New Beginning! #WisdomWednesday

There is something exciting about starting something new.  Our legacies while founded on the past, are created new each day.  When we wake up, we can build upon whatever legacy we want by how we act, what we do, and the impact we have no matter how small or large.

Today we start a new legacy, CornerStone Learning.  It has been over 20 years in the making and carries on the tradition of CornerStone Leadership, but with changes in technology and a whole new generation of future and current leaders and high potential talent that are learning differently, they want an experience in addition to great content.

CornerStone Learning evolved from our passion to develop leaders and individuals at all levels of an organization with various degrees of experience and a common desire to become better.

Now using technology to take the learning and results to levels never possible in the past, our interactive learning experiences are designed to inspire and educate.  Our surveys and assessments are designed to create awareness and provide enlightenment for both individuals and organizations to know where they stand currently and provide a benchmark for measuring future progress.  

Our dedicated and experienced coaches share a passion to accelerate an individual’s professional and personal development by providing a level of expertise, support and accountability that in the past has been reserved for a select few at the top of an organization.

You can start your development anywhere with us, it can be one interactive program or one assessment but we will be there to go everywhere with you. Our legacy will be defined by you and your success.  

Be on the lookout each week for more information and opportunities to learn something new from us.

Thank you for your past trust and support and welcome to the next generation of leadership learning…..CornerStone Learning, it’s only the start!

#wisdomwednesday

-Ken