Leaders

Lead With Your Heart, Not With Your Head!

The title above was the title of a speech I gave just two weeks ago. I’ve actually had this title for the past year. However, I’ve realized that your head must always be involved. When I was little, my siblings and I were watching an episode of The Brady Bunch. This particular episode had a story line where the parents were friends with their kids. Afterward watching the show, my siblings approached my mom and said, “Mom, we want to be your friend!” My Mom responded, “I can’t be your friend. I’m your mother. Friends do things you want. Parents do things you need. Our relationship is much closer than being friends.”

 As leaders, our employees need us to lead them. This means giving a strong focus to the future and steering the ship. I used to always say to my staff, “Figure it out.” I realize now that this response isn’t fair. Although we want our staff to think for themselves, we also need to guide them and lead the way. Our employees don’t need more friends—they need something much more relevant: They need leaders.

 I’m not sure what my new speech title will be, but it definitely will be changed!

 Joe Kiedinger

 ACITON PLAN: Next Thursday, May 24^th, our Servant Leaders of WI meeting will be held at The Marq from 3-5 p.m. The focus will be on “The How” of Servant Leadership! All are welcome. It’s free. Let me know if you can make it!

It takes great leaders to help us raise our kids!

My son, Alex, recently started his first job as a bagger at Festival Foods. His leader, Mary Kay, just held a three-month review on his performance. When Alex told me he had a three-month review, I thought, Already?  His review lasted about 15 minutes and afterward he found me in the store doing some shopping. He had a smile that said “CONFIDENCE.” I asked him how it went. He said, “I’m a rock star!” and then gave me a broad smile. Later he told me how Mary Kay pointed out specific things he was doing right. She even gave examples from other leaders who noticed positive behavior. After building Alex up, she asked him a very powerful question: “What can I do to help make your employment here more enjoyable?”

This gave Alex an open door to share with Mary Kay how he likes variety and would be interested in learning how to be a cart runner and to be able to do both duties for a healthy variety. Mary Kay said, “I can do that.” She also asked him, “Where do you see where you can improve?” Alex shared his thoughts and Mary Kay made him feel that it was OK to make mistakes as long as we learn from them. I’ve been telling him that for years, but it took Mary Kay to remind him as his leader and direct him on how to improve for it to sink in.

Thank you to all leaders like Mary Kay who not only take the time to coach but take the time to listen. The leaders who have the guts to ask the most powerful Servant Leadership question, “What is it that I can do to help you?” Parents like me are depending on you to join our village and help our teenagers transition into becoming responsible adults.

Joe Kiedinger

ACTION PLAN: Seek the feedback you need to help others you care about!

Do you remember your first job?

My son, Alex, just landed his first real job! He is working at Festival Foods, a grocery store here in our hometown. Alex ran downstairs when he got the call for the interview. Afterward when I asked him how it went, he said, “I nailed it!” Seeing his pride and confidence was intoxicating for me.

I know that I can’t raise this kid alone. I need real leaders stepping up to help shape the values we’ve instilled in this young man. Yesterday, my sister and my wife, Danica, and I were reminiscing about our first jobs and what we learned.

I was lucky and had great leaders as bosses when I worked for the city of De Pere. Both John Zegers and Jerry Perkofski taught me to be excellent or go home. Whether you’re cleaning a city park restroom or cutting grass on a boulevard, be excellent or go home. I took these early lessons in the form of discipline and compassion and carry them with me every day.

I’m excited for Alex. I’m hopeful that he has leaders who care enough to hold him accountable and teach him what it means to be excellent!

Joe Kiedinger

Action plan: Be excellent every day by helping people realize their potential!

The unexamined business isn’t worth owning!

Recently, I was reminded of this powerful quote by Roy H. Williams, author of The Wizard of Ads. He said, “Socrates was right, ‘The unexamined life is not worth living’… He could just as easily have said, ‘The unexamined business isn’t worth owning.””

With the fast pace of business, it’s so easy to get caught up in the day to day routine. There’s so much to get done in such a short period of time! Trust me, I understand the feeling!

But as leaders we really need to step back every now and then and take a look at our businesses. I’m not talking every day—maybe once a week or once a month is right for you. However you decide to go about examining your business, I find it helps most to get a fresh perspective. Talk to customers and associates for their feedback. They can help you determine what areas are water-tight and what areas may have a leak.

But most importantly, take action when you find those leaks! Don’t let them get worse, but instead decide on a course of action right away.

You’ll find that a frequently examined business is a healthy one, because even small maintenance here and there makes a big difference in the overall health of your company.

Well, the same goes for the unexamined leader!

As Servant Leaders, we owe it to our associates, our businesses, and ourselves to continuously ask: “How am I doing as a leader?” We need to face our challenges and find out how we can be better at what we do. What are our strengths and weaknesses? What changes need to be made?

But most importantly, what small, attainable steps can be taken to make sure these changes are successful? It seems like this is where most folks fall off track. Be realistic with yourself here! You can’t go from being a non-runner to doing a marathon in one week—it takes lots of short, slow sessions to build your endurance.

The same goes for goal setting. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment; set yourself up for success!

Joe

Action Plan: Are you willing to evaluate yourself honestly and take some small steps this week?