Most of us will either ask to or be called upon to roll out a new initiative sometime in our careers. My guest Christina Kull Martens and her team successfully launched the greeNG initiative at the Northrop Grumman Corporation. Today, you’ll learn how they did it. Guest: Christina Kull Martens Manager, Manufacturing Integration Northrop Grumman Corporation Community Feedback CoachingforLeaders.com/96 USA: (949) 38-LEARN feedback@coachingforleaders.com Twitter: #CFLshow Episode #100 (and the two year anniversary of this show) is just around the corner. On episode #100, the show is going to be about success stories from our community members. That’s you! Please call (949) 38-LEARN to record a contribution or visit coachingforleaders.com/speak to submit by computer. Tell me three things: What’s one thing you’ve discovered from listening to this show? How did you apply it? What was the result? Want a mid-week booster shot? I send an email article out every week via email. Just go to coachingforleaders.com/subscribe

The more successful we become, the more likely we will get distracted by other people and priorities. Every effective leader learns how to manage distractions so they can be more productive. Lynn Coffman and Michael Valentine from Coffman Valentine & Associates bring their expertise to help us discover 10 things we can do to become more productive. Guests: Lynn Coffman & Michael Valentine Coffman Valentine & Associates (951) 677-8203 To a knowledge worker, productivity means effectiveness. It’s time to shed the idea that creative, innovative, and evolving work fits neatly into a tightly controlled assembly lined approach. Today’s work is collaborative, often iterative and needs coordination in real time in order to meet the demands of the market. It is fast paced, ever evolving and 24/7/365. Now it’s about doing the right work at the right time in the best way. Are you overwhelmed yet? With so many things pulling you in multiple and competing directions, it is critical to develop focus. It’s easier said than done, but here are 10 practical ways to eliminate distractions and really focus on getting the outcomes your business and you must deliver. Turn off self-interrupting technologies. Silence the ding of email/text/IM/Social media notifications. Corral your communications. Email is not the only communication channel in town. Know what channels are available to you and use the best tool for the job. For example, email is great for handing off information that is not time sensitive. A phone call is better for developing a relationship and understanding. A live meeting may be better for decision making and consensus building. Use space as a tool. Everyone needs a place to do focus work. Close your office door. Go to another location - on or off- site. In an open office environment, put on headphones to indicate you are not to be disturbed. Close loops. Once you start a task, take it through to a natural conclusion. If you open an email, read it, decide what to do with it and do it. If a project is closed, write the after action report and put all papers back into the file and file it. If you make a promise to someone, write it down and note on your calendar when to follow up. Honor commitments to yourself, as much as you honor them with others. Block the time. After all, they pay you to work. Schedule your work first and then allow others to schedule work with you. Know where you are at all times. Use lists, calendars, spreadsheets or other thinking tools to know what work you (or your group) need to do. It is critical for balancing workload to be able to see both the short term and the long term view of your work commitments at any moment. Multi-tasking is a myth. You may be able to do it, but it will take you 30–100% more time. It lowers quality of work, speed of delivery, and may be dangerous. Build quiet time and play into your day. After all, knowledge workers are paid to think. Reflect, absorb, and solve problems. If you are mentally tired, take a break! Roll with the punches. Work is messy. It never goes exactly to plan. Change your expectations to meet reality. Know how to stop, start, and redirect tasks to keep focus and reach goals. Sharpen your skills saw. Technologies are constantly evolving. Schedule the time to learn new ways of working. Community Feedback CoachingforLeaders.com/95 USA: (949) 38-LEARN feedback@coachingforleaders.com Twitter: #CFLshow Episode #100 (and the two year anniversary of this show) is just around the corner. On episode #100, the show is going to be about success stories from our community members. That’s you! Please call (949) 38-LEARN to record a contribution or visit coachingforleaders.com/speak. I suggest a three-step outline: What’s one thing you’ve discovered from listening to this show? How did you apply it? What was the result? Thank you to Angie Garcia, Diane Fowks, Kevin Steger, Peter Trudelle, Bob Burg, Frank Drake,

You simply can’t manage without the appropriate amount of authority. In this show, I walk you through six things you can do if you find yourself in this situation. In addition, this is a good check-point for ourselves as leaders to ensure we aren’t putting others into this situation. The most important thing to know? You can’t manage without authority. 1. What’s likely the scenario? Poor communication? Organizational politics? Discomfort area of the leader? Is it you? Do you really need authority in this area? 2. Watch and record what happens (or anticipate what could happen). 3. Connect your objectives and evidence to the bottom-line or organizational mission Almost always there is a cost factor What does it keep you from being able to do? Speaks to the logical minds of many leaders (task-oriented, people-oriented) 4. Make the request Be clear on the problem you are trying to solve and what you need Have a plan (timeline, steps, etc.) Show evidence that you have a plan Be prepared to get something different than you asked for - and ask yourself if it still solves the problem? 5. If necessary, ask to be removed from that project/responsibility 6. If all else fails, find a new position or employer Here’s a quick check-in for all of us: Are we putting anyone into this situation right now? Community Feedback CoachingforLeaders.com/94 USA: (949) 38-LEARN feedback@coachingforleaders.com Twitter: #CFLshow Thank you to Gary Takacs, Brian Isaacson, Wendy Isaacson, Jermey Geigle and Jhon Bibar for following me this week on either Twitter, Facebook, or Google+. If you’d like to stay connected as well, simply go to CoachingforLeaders.com and find the social media icons on this page. Thank you to Alex J. for your very kind written review on iTunes. If this show has been valuable to you as well, please leave a written review on iTunes by visting coachingforleaders.com/itunes Want a mid-week booster shot? I send an email article out every week via email. Just go to coachingforleaders.com/subscribe

Gary Takacs: The Thriving Dentist Gary Takacs has been helping dentists become better business leaders for virtually his entire career. He is an expert in professional practice management and helps dentists to learn how to grow and develop their business and leadership skills so they can better serve patients and grow their practices. Gary is also the host of The Thriving Dentist podcast. Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Leadership is often most challenging when the path forward is not clear. In this week’s episode, I talk with Barry Schwartz, author of the book Practical Wisdom: The Right Way To Do the Right Thing to help us discover how we can make better decisions as leaders. Guest: Barry Schwartz Author with Kenneth Sharpe of Practial Wisdom: The Right Way To Do the Right Thing Here are Barry’s TED Talks: Our Loss Of Wisdom Using Our Practical Wisdom The Paradox Of Choice Barry also mentioned the book The Blessing Of A Skinned Knee by Wendy Mogel Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Mark Goulston from Real Influence shares insights on listening skills: Three-step process to handle venting - frustrations, anger, worries. Techniques from his books 'Real Influence' and 'Just Listen'. Strategies for handling difficult people, setting boundaries, and confronting conflicts. Importance of values, leadership clarity, and supportive networks.

On episode #89, I welcomed Steve Dosier, a StrengthsFinder expert formerly of Gallup and now with Blue Star Intel, to teach us about the history of CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder). This week, he takes Bonni and I through our StrengthsFinder 2.0 results so you can learn more about the value of utilizing your CliftonStrengths report. Guest: Steve Dosier Blue Star Intel Questions Steve asked of us: Individual Questions How closely do you feel your Top–5 Strengths match you? What do you agree strongly with? Are there any areas that don’t quite sound like you? Relationship Questions What Strengths do you feel you both connect upon and why? What Strengths do you find complimentary to your own and why? How do you leverage each other’s Strengths to get the best from each other? (You get the best of me when…) I feel this Strength helps me provide a unique contribution to our relationship… (My contribution to this relationship is….) Now that you know each other’s Strengths as defined by the Clifton StrengthsFinder Report, what do you better understand and appreciate about each other? (Was there a point of conflict or disagreement that StrengthsFinder has helped you better understand and manage?) Bonni’s Strengths: Relator Achiever Connectedness Futuristic Strategic Dave’s Strengths (link to Dave’s report): Futuristic Relator Intellection Learner Responsibility Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) is one of the most popular instruments utilized in corporate training and coaching programs. In this episode, I welcome Steve Dosier, a StrengthsFinder expert formerly of Gallup and now with Blue Star Intel, to teach us about the history of CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) and help us discover how we can get the most value from the CliftonStrengths assessment. Guest: Steve Dosier Blue Star Intel Here are some of the resources we discussed during the show: StrengthsFinder 2.0 book* (a code is included in this book for the instrument) Now Discover Your Strengths* (also includes assessment) Living with Your Strengths book (also includes assessment) StrengthsFinder training for individuals and teams* (use code CFL10 for a 10% tuition discount) You can purchase a code ala carte to take the StrengthsFinder assessment at this link without purchasing the book. Community Feedback CoachingforLeaders.com/89 USA: (949) 38-LEARN feedback@coachingforleaders.com Twitter: #CFLshow Thank you to Regan Kakoschke, Malik Tayyab, Zouré Basnewendé, Nakhli Habib, Daniel Crispim, Chyane Grantchyane, Tareq Islam, Jeremy Walsh, Raul Diaz Lomeli, and Helen Hutton for following me this week on either Twitter, Facebook, or Google+. If you’d like to stay connected as well, simply go to CoachingforLeaders.com and find the social media icons on this page. Thank you to Lead 1st for your very kind written review on iTunes. If this show has been valuable to you as well, please leave a written review on iTunes by visiting coachingforleaders.com/itunes Want a mid-week booster shot? I send an email article out every week via email. Just go to coachingforleaders.com/subscribe

Meaning and significance goes way past how much money you make and the title you hold. Most lasting happiness is tied to the larger picture. In this episode, Bonni and I look at the importance of goal-setting and life planning, in order to help you get on track to maximize your full potential. Community Feedback USA: (949) 38-LEARN Global: +1 (949) 385-3276 Twitter: @DaveStachowiak #CFLshow feedback@coachingforleaders.com Guest: Bonni Stachowiak What does a life plan give you? Clarity around what is important The ability to better manage priorities and balance your time Better sense of what to say no to… More of a sense that you are truly living "Contrary to popular belief, great things almost never happen by accident. Great accomplishments are planned. Sadly, much of the planning we do goes into accomplishments that leave us feeling empty in the end." -Donald Miller How to phrase a goal: SMART goals Careful of negatively-focused goals, such as I want to lose weight... Focus on what you will gain (as in what will the benefit be…) Increase the likelihood of following through on goals Put them somewhere where you'll see them Track your progress along the way Share them with others Create an ideal week that aligns with your life plan and your goals See Michael Hyatt's book on Creating Your Personal Life Plan Other resources we mentioned: Remember the Milk Hope for the Flowers Thank you to Mike Farrow, Gay Pickner, David Bazan, Eric Furlong, Elmer Turner, and Olivia Cascante for either liking our page on Facebook, following me on Google+, or following me on Twitter. Want a booster-shot mid-week? I send a weekly article via email so you can stay connected with our community and keep getting ideas and tools that will keep you moving forward. If you're not already receiving the weekly articles, please subscribe at this link.

Almost everyone who leads is doing more influencing of people through technology. Many of us are even working remotely or managing others who work remotely. In this show, I welcome Loren Kousaie from Microsoft to speak about his extensive experience in leading people virtually over the years - and to offer us suggestions and what we can do better when communicating and leading from a distance. Community Feedback USA: (949) 38-LEARN Global: +1 (949) 385-3276 Twitter: @DaveStachowiak #CFLshow feedback@coachingforleaders.com Guest: Loren Kousaie, Microsoft Here are the questions I asked of Loren: Tell me about your role at Microsoft and how you're physically spaced from your team. What's a typical day like for you? Also, what kind of tools are you using to connect with your team? What is different about leading people working virtually than leading in other venues? How do you set expectations with your team about what a remote relationship with you will be like? When you started leading virtually, what was the biggest mind shift you had to make? What would you like to have known about leading virtually that you didn't when you started? Leadership can be lonely. Leading virtually can be even lonelier - what do you do to stay in community with others, either professionally or personally? What's a discovery you've made about yourself along the way that's contributed to your success? “In order to arrive at what you do not know You must go by a way which is the way of ignorance. In order to possess what you do not possess You must go by the way of dispossession. In order to arrive at what you are not You must go through the way in which you are not. And what you do not know is the only thing you know And what you own is what you do not own And where you are is where you are not.” -T.S. Eliot Thank you to Bill Croby, Tom Otley, Rick Becerra, Adroana Clemat, Ben Gharbia, Sandra Perez, and Mariam Tsitsilashvili for either liking our page on Facebook, following me on Google+, or following me on Twitter. A special thank you to David Soler for the kind review on iTunes. If you'd like to leave a written review as well, please do so at this link. Want a booster-shot mid-week? I send a weekly article via email so you can stay connected with our community and keep getting ideas and tools that will keep you moving forward. If you're not already receiving the weekly articles, please subscribe at this link.