Twitter #LeadWithGiants Tweet Chat: Leading Difficult People (Monday, August 17, 2015)

At 7PM Eastern every Monday evening the #LeadWithGiants tweetchat occurs on Twitter.

Every week a different topic. On the evening of August 17, 2015, the topic was Leading Difficult People.

I present the questions and  my answers and a little bit more. Please enjoy.
If you can, please joins us next week. Look for the #LeadWithGiants hashtag every Monday evening (and throughout the week) or follow @LeadWithGiants on twitter to get the questions..

Leading Difficult People


Q1. How would you describe a difficult person? #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: I would describe a difficult person as someone that is not 100% aligned with what is going on in the organization or personal life.
To be a bit clearer, a difficult person is someone that either does not want to be a positive participant in what the group, section, team, department or organization is doing as part of doing business.

Q2 What is your greatest challenge in leading difficult people? #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: Greatest challenge is maintaining dialogue while avoid the trap that is their monologue.
When it comes to leading difficult people the trick is to keep them and everyone else on the team focused. Keeping everyone focused is made even more difficult when difficult individuals want their story to be the only story to be told. A leader’s work is hard enough without having to deal with the negativity. However, a great leader will work through the problems and do everything she can do to keep everyone focused.

Q3. Describe a time where you successfully/unsuccessfully dealt with a difficult person. #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: First time leading soldiers in the Army. It is like a rite of passage for them to be difficult.
Yes, all first time leaders will be tested. They must be tested all the time. Testing is how leaders become good and how good leaders become great! The sooner a leader deals with a difficult person (or people) the sooner he can begin down the path to leadership greatness.

Q4 How have you seen a difficult person disrupt a team or group? #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: When the elements are not cooperating, the situation is SNAFU, one bad apple can morale hit rock bottom very fast.
When the situation is less than favorable and the team is already, teetering on the brink of complete shut down all it takes is one negative comment from the most difficult/negative person on the team to bring morale down. That’s why as a leader it behooves you to constantly maintain a level of professionalism and consistently apply morale boosting techniques to avoid any undermining by those difficult individuals.

Q5. How do you get a difficult person to change? #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: Training to fill in knowledge gaps, Make individual responsible for part of the results, work with them or cut them loose.
As a leader there is only so much you can do to motivate anyone. Difficult people typically feel underappreciated and may just need a little boost or opportunity to have them show their stuff. However, when they don’t have what it takes or flat out refuse to become active, positive members of the group well of course it may be time to cut the line and set them adrift (hopefully, into the sea of their own misery).

Q6. Can a difficult person actually be good for the team? #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: Yes, they can motivate in reverse. Do good just to put the difficult person in his place.
By having the team work together and complete the assigned task the difficult person gets what he or she was NOT expecting. The team used the negativity against that individual to not only motivate themselves but to drive the difficult person back to his/her dark place (until the next project comes along).

Q7. Why are some people difficult to work with? Where does it originate? #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: Some feel that based on tenure, education, or their own ego that they can do better than who is actually in charge and resentment begins.
Many individuals believe because they have the education they deserve to be leaders. When they do not get their way they start to resent the leaders that are deserving of the title of leader. See, going to school or staying with an organization for a long time does NOT automatically make anyone a leader. It is what those individuals do with their education or tenure that makes them the real leaders. There is NOTHING automatically given for getting a Bachelor’s Degree or outlasting your co-workers, it has to be earned, especially the title of Leader.

Q8 Why is “avoidance” a poor choice in dealing with a difficult person? #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: The problem person will only be encouraged because others will avoid the problem. Nip it in the bud! Nip it!
When problems are set aside or ignored, outright that is when the real trouble begins. Therefore, the sooner a problem is addressed, the sooner it can go away and never be dealt with again. It is better for the future of the leader, the difficult person, and the team when problems are handled effectively and expediently.

Q9 When the Leader is the difficult person, what then? #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: That is when other leaders MUST step in and handle the situation or risk complete leadership failure.
All the leaders in the organization are there for each other. That’s what being a leader is all about; to make things better for everyone. When one has a problem, it is the duty of all the other leaders to step in and help correct the situation. When they don’t step up and step in is when bigger problems occur and that is not a good thing for anyone.

Q10. If the entire team is difficult to work with, what might be the problem? #LeadWithGiants
My Answer: Lack of top-down communication, which did not create a buy-in by the stakeholders. Communication is king! 
The leader must ensure that communication is flowing in both directions to ensure that everyone understands what the situation is, what it isn’t, what must happen, and most importantly, who is going to do what. I understand it sounds that simple but it is harder than it looks. However, that should not discourage anyone from trying especially any leader worth his weight in salt.


Thank you,
David Guerra

I invite you to follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra • visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of Great To Follow: Amazon paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble paperback
To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

Here are some Tags: Tags: • The Walking Leader • Great To Follow • ###### • ##### • ##### • ##### • Leadership • Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Leadership Development • Professional Development • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Ready, Fire, Aim! • If it ain't broke, break it. • Hire Crazies • Ask dumb questions • Pursue failure • Spread Confusion • Ditch Your Office • Read Odd Stuff • Avoid Moderation • Higher, Admire, Desire, Require, Satire, Inquire, On Fire, All Possible Scenarios • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero

a • ware • ness / Do you have what it takes?

Do you have what it takes to be constantly and continually aware?

Being aware is one thing. Having the wherewithal of being constantly aware is something else.
The ability to see, feel, and acknowledge all that is going on around is a trait that many people THINK they have, few actually do, and a miniscule amount can actually master.

Those that master it, do so after many years of trial and error. Just like anything that we master, it does take time. However, the ones that are naturally aware of all that is around them usually don't know it and let that skill fall by the wayside, never to be fully utilized.


However, by being cognizant of the fact that it is something that comes naturally (remember, survival of the fittest and survival of those that can adapt to change) they stand a chance at achieving greatness. Don't worry you do as well.

I am not going to pass along the secret to raising your awareness in every situation and in any setting:
Keep your eyes, ears, and mind open all the while keeping your mouth shut.

(definition courtesy of Google.com)

Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra
visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

Here are some Technorati Tags: • The Walking Leader • Awareness • Leadership Principles • Success • Leaders • Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Leadership Development • Professional Development • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Ready, Fire, Aim! • If it ain't broke, break it. • Hire Crazies • Ask dumb questions • Pursue failure • Spread Confusion • Ditch Your Office • Read Odd Stuff • Avoid Moderation • Higher, Admire, Desire, Require, Satire, Inquire, On Fire, All Possible Scenarios • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero

LEADERSHIP: TEMPTATION AND INTEGRITY / A Tuesday Night with Lolly Daskal (06/10/14)

It's that time of the week. That's right, this past Tuesday night and every Tuesday evening from 8PM to 9PM EST, I participate in the #LeadFromWithin tweetchat hosted and led by Lolly Daskal, author of "Thoughts Spoken From the Heart: Over 500 thoughts that bring meaning to your life"

I invite you to join us every Tuesday evening.

On the evening of TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 2014 the topic was "LEADERSHIP: TEMPTATION AND INTEGRITY"

Here are Lolly's Questions and My Answers:

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Q1. What does the word "integrity" mean to you? #Leadfromwithin

A1. Integrity determines what is right and how we use that to empower ourselves & others by leading by that example #leadfromwithin

COMMENTS: Doing the right thing especially when no one is watching is excellent because people are always watching whether you know it or not.

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Q2. How would you identify "Temptation"? #leadfromwithin

A2. That which entices us to do something we don’t normally do. (it doesn’t have to be a bad thing) #leadfromwithin

COMMENTS: Temptation is everywhere. There are things that we don't normally do that others do. If it appeals to us at some level then it should be approached with caution.

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Q3. As leaders how do we balance temptation and integrity? #leadfromwithin

A3. We have to weigh the options of the temptation with the skills, knowledge and wisdom we gained in life #leadfromwithin

COMMENTS: Each temptation brings something new to our lives. Think about it, if it wasn't new then it would not be a temptation.

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Q4. When is temptation good and when is temptation bad? #leadfromwithin

A4. Let your moral compass guide you to determine what is a good and bad temptation #leadfromwithin

COMMENTS: Only you can tell when temptation is good or bad. Everyone is different and everyone's interpretation of what is good or bad is different. Respect that.

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Q5. Our integrity comes from where? #leadfromwithin

A5. Integrity is a culmination of past & current experiences, how we were raised, and what we choose to do with all that #leadfromwithin

COMMENTS: It is that simple. It is our free-will that makes our integrity righteous or not-so righteous. Remember, you and only makes integrity happen.

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Q6. What temptations should we not resist? #leadfromwithin

A6. Temptations that we know are good for us, but most importantly good for those that call us leader #leadfromwithin

COMMENTS: Remember, there are some temptations that are good for us. However, we should not be selfish with those temptations. If it is good for the team, then go for it. 

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Q7. When can “Integrity” be merely a projection of our ego? #leadfromwithin

A7. When we tell ourselves that the temptation is not a temptation #leadfromwithin

COMMENTS: It is when we tell ourselves and others that we can handle it, knowing fully well that we haven't a clue on how to handle it. That's when ego is in charge and not common sense.

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Q8. How do we establish a guide for Temptation? #leadfromwithin

A8. For everyone it will vary. We are all cut from a different cloth and none of us are exactly alike. Respect and all is good #leadfromwithin

COMMENTS: A guide to Temptation is not a cookie cutter. What works for one might not work for someone else.

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Q9. How do we harness Temptation to enhance Integrity? #leadfromwithin

A9. We slow down to look at that temptation from all angles and approach with an open mind (avoid hasty decision) #leadfromwithin

COMMENTS: Avoiding the Hasty decision making will lead us down a better path. Sure something might look nice and, at first, may have what appears to be a good outcome but as we all know, looks can be deceiving.

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Q10. What wisdom to you have to share – balancing temptation and integrity? #leadfromwithin

A10. Listen to your inner voice. It is usually right. If you don’t want to listen then simply walk away #leadfromwithin

COMMENTS: Trust yourself.

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Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra
visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

Here are some Technorati Tags: • The Walking Leader • Lolly Daskal • Lead From Within • Twitter • TweetChat • Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Leadership Development • Professional Development • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Ready, Fire, Aim! • If it ain't broke, break it. • Hire Crazies • Ask dumb questions • Pursue failure • Spread Confusion • Ditch Your Office • Read Odd Stuff • Avoid Moderation • Higher, Admire, Desire, Require, Satire, Inquire, On Fire, All Possible Scenarios • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero

THE MIDDAY NUGGET: Ethics of the Business Owner

This one I have been thinking about for quite a long time. It is the ethics of being a business owner. There are some that get it and do the right thing all the time. Then there are some that get it and do the right thing some of the time. There are others that get it but do not do the right thing any of that time. Then, there are those that do not get it and do not do it any of that time.

For this midday nugget, I am talking about everyone, except for those that get it and do it right all the time. Because they know and they truly understand what it takes to be an ethical business owner. Everybody else there is no excuse.

What I am about to tell you is the truth and nothing but the truth.

Behind the building, that I work in is another building. Between both buildings is an alley. One afternoon I was walking from my building to the other building, which happens to be one of those small post office type shops. You know, the kind that you can walk up to buy stamps mail something, and it also has about eight or nine separate offices within that building that the owner leases out to various small businesses. I was on my way up to buy some postage stamps and as I crossed the alleyway, I saw somebody filling up one of those blue 5-gallon water cooler containers. Big deal right? There was no big deal if the guy was using his own water faucet but he was using my water faucet. That's right, the owner of the building behind my building was using my water faucet to fill up his 5-gallon water cooler container.

I stopped and looked this older man right in the eye and asked, "What are you doing?"

He said, “Nothing."

Expecting me to ignore what he was doing. I did not ignore it. I stood there and look at him and watch them until the finish filling his 5-gallon container of water, shut off my faucet, and return back to his building.

I just could not believe that this guy was blatantly stealing from me and really expected me to ignore it.

Now, as I am writing this the anger returns. I know it should not as this happened about 8 months ago but it still bothers me. It bothers me so much that I am writing this blog post now, all this time later.

What makes it worse is that this guy sells insurance, annuities, and financial packages to regular everyday people. These people come to him with the expectation that they can trust him to do the right thing by them.

Aside from owning the building, this individual also owns the post office contract and the service provided. He has done well for himself. However, after getting that response from him, I have to wonder at what cost? What or who did he sell out to get to where he is at? Who suffered so that he could be where he's at? Who was thrown under the bus and how often so that this individual could feel no shame, have no problem, and could care less about crossing the alley and taking water from someone else's faucet.

Now, I understand there are some that will say what’s 5 gallons? After all, isn't that the neighborly thing to do?

You are correct, what is 5 gallons? It’s just 5 gallons of water and it is the neighborly thing to do if he had ONLY bothered to come and ask for permission! He did not. That is certainly NOT neighborly.

He took it upon himself to do what he wanted to do and he did it.

Everyone, the take away here is to NOT be that guy because you will be caught! Do not try to cut corners because the corner is there for a reason. You are supposed to go all the way to the end and then turn. You cut corners and somebody is shortchanged. When you cut corners, you are cheating.

Since that day, eight months ago, the individual has yet to look me in the eye. I can only suspect that it is because he knows that I know who he is, what he is, and what he did. I can only imagine how long he had been taking the water without so much as asking. For the three years, I was there prior to this incident, he never asked for permission to use the water faucet to fill up his water cooler bottle. The water cooler bottle that his employees drink water from. I am not saying that tap water is bad but I am saying is that it came from an outside faucet. You tell me, who got shortchanged on that one? I wonder if the employees know where their water cooler water came from?

How do you think you would feel if you found out your boss was making you drink from the water cooler that he filled with tap water from the neighbor's alley water faucet? and did so without asking for permission.


Thanks for your time,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra
visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

Here are some Technorati Tags: • The Walking Leader • Business Owner • Ethics • Character • Values • Morals • Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Leadership Development • Professional Development • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Ready, Fire, Aim! • If it ain't broke, break it. • Hire Crazies • Ask dumb questions • Pursue failure • Spread Confusion • Ditch Your Office • Read Odd Stuff • Avoid Moderation • Higher, Admire, Desire, Require, Satire, Inquire, On Fire, All Possible Scenarios • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero

MANAGING CONFLICT WITH PEERS / A Tuesday Night with Lolly Daskal (06/03/14)

It's that time of the week again. That's right this past Tuesday night and every Tuesday evening from 8PM to 9PM EST, I participate in the #LeadFromWithin tweetchat hosted and led by Lolly Daskal, author of "Thoughts Spoken From the Heart: Over 500 thoughts that bring meaning to your life"

I invite you to join us every Tuesday evening.

On the evening of TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 the topic was "MANAGING CONFLICT WITH PEERS"

Due to a family event, I was not an active participant in this week's #LeadFromWithin tweetchat. However, I am still going to answer Lolly's questions.
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Q1. What causes conflict between peers? #leadfromwithin
A1. Conflict comes from misunderstanding one another due to lack of thorough 2-way communication #leadfromwithin
COMMENTS: Misunderstanding due to miscommunication is the root of all conflict.

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Q2. When is conflict good between peers? #leadfromwithin
A2. Conflict is good when focused passion about what's important is at the center aka problem solving not problem creating #leadfromwithin
COMMENTS: Conflict is good when focused passion about a subject that is important to all is at the center (problem solving not problem creating) #leadfromwithin

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Q3. When is conflict destructive between peers? #leadfromwithin
A3. Conflict is destructive when the “us vs. them” or the “with me or against me” mentality is all that everyone has #leadfromwithin
COMMENTS: The destruction comes from forcing others to choose sides and if they choose the "wrong" side then there is no turning back. Having an open end discussion, where no one is right or wrong, then the destruction is minimized.

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Q4. Why are emotional conflicts between peers uncomfortable? #leadfromwithin
A4. Emo-Conflicts will bankrupt any emotional bank account faster than any other conflict because it is rooted at a personal level #leadfromwithin
COMMENTS: When the conflict gets deeply personal then raw emotions are exposed and stressed to a point that the relationship may never recover.

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Q5. What are some goals to achieve when in conflict with your peers? #leadfromwithin
A5. Some goals to achieve when in conflict are: 1) Win-Win 2) a definitive plan to achieve the win-win #leadfromwithin
COMMENTS: Everyone wants to win. However, in a conflict every opportunity to create a win-win situation must be exploited.

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Q6. How do your values affect conflict? #leadfromwithin
A6. Values affect conflict in type, level, duration, and collateral damage #leadfromwithin
COMMENTS: The individual's value system will determine to what extend and depth they want to take the conflict.

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Q7. How does power and politics affect peer conflict? #leadfromwithin
A7. Much like everything else, those with the power & politics will set the example for the rest to follow in a conflict #leadfromwithin
COMMENTS: If those with the power want to set the right example on how to handle conflict then they will do so every time.

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Q8. What is the difference between bullying and peer conflict? #leadfromwithin
A8. It’s a fine line between bullying and peer conflict. One leaves people intimidated from trying something different the other encourages it #leadfromwithin
COMMENTS: It is a fine line and sometimes the line is blurred. A leader must do what he or she can to keep the line well defined and to stay on the right side of that line.

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Q9. What are some good processes for managing conflict with your peers? #leadfromwithin
A9. Knowing that conflict is expected and can be good. Leaders must encourage “controlled” conflict & not an all out free for all #leadfromwithin
COMMENTS: Realizing that conflict will happen a leader must do what she can to create positive results from the conflict and never let it get out of control.

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Q10. Do you subscribe to FORGIVE AND FORGET yes why or no why not ? #leadfromwithin
A10. I subscribe to Forgive and Move On. Bullies want people to forget so they can start up again. Don’t forget but don’t dwell either. #leadfromwithin
COMMENTS: You can never forget. You can however proceed with caution.

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Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra
visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

Here are some Technorati Tags: • The Walking Leader • Lolly Daskal • Lead From Within • Twitter • TweetChat • Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Leadership Development • Professional Development • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Ready, Fire, Aim! • If it ain't broke, break it. • Hire Crazies • Ask dumb questions • Pursue failure • Spread Confusion • Ditch Your Office • Read Odd Stuff • Avoid Moderation • Higher, Admire, Desire, Require, Satire, Inquire, On Fire, All Possible Scenarios • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero

TIME MANAGEMENT FROM INSIDE OUT | A Tuesday Evening with Lolly Daskal (May 27, 2014)

It's that time of the week again. That's right this past Tuesday night and every Tuesday evening from 8PM to 9PM EST, I participate in the #LeadFromWithin tweetchat hosted and led by Lolly Daskal, author of "Thoughts Spoken From the Heart: Over 500 thoughts that bring meaning to your life"

I invite you to join us every Tuesday evening.

On the evening of TUESDAY, MAY 27, 2014 the topic was "TIME MANANGEMENT FROM INSIDE OUT"

Due to a family event, I was not an active participant in this week's #LeadFromWithin tweetchat. However, I am still going to answer Lolly's questions.

Q1. Define good time management _____________ #leadfromwithin
A1. Good time management is the holy grail of all time management. It can be attained but at what cost? The ability to properly manage time is a skill that may take a lifetime to master. If I had to give an answer then time management gets as good as the individual that is willing to commit to getting their unique situation under control.

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Q2. What are some obstacles that hold us back from managing our time? #leadfromwithin
A2. An obstacle is our inability to say "No" when we are already booked solid. We start adding things to our already busy schedule and we start to drop those things we originally added to our schedule. Then who suffers?

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Q3. What are some suggestions for managing time with our busy schedules? #leadfromwithin
A3.  Sharing your calendar and keeping a public calendar for all too see will (hopefully) help when others want piece of your time. We can wish they will be considerate and schedule time that is good for you and them. Hopefully!

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Q4. How does procrastination become time management's worst enemy? #leadfromwithin
A4. Procrastination leads us down a path paved in urgency. Procrastination puts us in a place that creates problems because we cannot give the appropriate time, energy and effort to any task. Once we are in that place, it is extremely difficult to get out of and then that put everything else, down the calendar, at risk.

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Q5. What are the common mistakes when it comes to time management? #leadfromwithin
A5.  The most common mistake is that we truly "believe" that we can be all things to all people.

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Q6. In your opinion what is the best method for time management? #leadfromwithin
A6. I have discovered that the best method for time management is to actually create un-breakable events on your calendar that are solely for the purpose of catching up with overdue projects, email, meetings, and when all caught up (or close to it) you can use that scheduled time as personal time to reflect, meditate, and inspire yourself.

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Q7. What are some tools to get us back on track? #leadfromwithin
A7. Have ONE unified calendar. Having multiple calendars defeats attempting to "manage" anything. It's like trying to cook the entire Thanksgiving day meal in three hours. It just won't work. Plan, Share that plan, then stick to that plan but also have room to be flexible.

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Q8. What are your habits regarding time management? #leadfromwithin
A8. One habit is to create a list of things that must be done, every day. The list is comprised of the items in my calendar and those things that pop-up throughout the day. Completing the items on the daily list leaves you with a great sense accomplishment.

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Q9. What does time mean to you? #leadfromwithin
A9.  Many believe time is money. I believe that time is just a measure of our lives. We spend X amount of time sleeping, Y amount of time working, and "not enough time" spent with family and loved ones. If we can take less Y and we can create more time with family. However, the unfortunate reality is that there will be something that is perceived to be of great importance to fill in the Y.

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Q10. How can we value our time more? #leadfromwithin
A10. We can value our time by overtly and constantly work towards creating more personal time without professional time suffering. By putting greater value in that which is important we can minimize creating "urgent" situations because we are working towards addressing those "professional" issues quickly and effectively.

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Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. Tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra
visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

Here are some Technorati Tags: • The Walking Leader • Leadership Coaching • Lolly Daskal • Time Management From Inside Out • Every Tuesday Evening • Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Leadership Development • Professional Development • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Ready, Fire, Aim! • If it ain't broke, break it. • Hire Crazies • Ask dumb questions • Pursue failure • Spread Confusion • Ditch Your Office • Read Odd Stuff • Avoid Moderation • Higher, Admire, Desire, Require, Satire, Inquire, On Fire, All Possible Scenarios • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero

HOW TO COPE WITH LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES | A Tuesday night with Lolly Daskal (May 13, 2014)

It's that time of the week again. That's right this past Tuesday night and every Tuesday evening from 8PM to 9PM EST, I participate in the #LeadFromWithin tweetchat hosted and led by Lolly Daskal, author of "Thoughts Spoken From the Heart: Over 500 thoughts that bring meaning to your life"

I invite you to join us every Tuesday evening.

On the evening of TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014 the topic was "HOW TO COPE WITH LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES"

Here are Lolly's question and my answers.


Q1. What are some specific challenges that leaders face? #leadfromwithin
A1. Communication issues: misunderstanding, not enough listening, & disregard for comprehension worst still it’s two sided #LeadFromWithin
COMMENTS: Communication issues can be traced as the cause many of the problems we encounter in life. If we can resolve the misunderstandings and miscommunication then there is no challenge that any leader can't overcome.

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Q2. What is the best way that leaders can cope with challenges? #leadfromwithin
A2. Accept the fact that challenges are always there. Work with mastermind group to overcome challenges as they come #LeadFromWithin
COMMENTS: The best way for any leader to cope with and overcome challenges is to use what Napolean Hill called "a mastermind group" in his book "Think and Grow Rich". The mastermind group is "[t]he coordination of knowledge and effort of two or more people, who work toward a definite purpose, in the spirit of harmony." In this case, coping and overcoming.

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Q3. As a leader, would you rather avoid challenges or seek them out? #leadfromwithin
A3. Everyone always wants easy path, however below still waters there is always something churning. Deal w/ it NOW not later #LeadFromWithin
COMMENTS: I am a long time believer that beneath still water there is something churning. Call me a pessimist if you must but there are always something about to happen. So why not, get ahead of the problem and seek out those challenges before they become too big. Be Proactive!

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Q4. As a leader, how can you continuously improve in times of challenge? #leadfromwithin
A4. Plan, Prepare, & Practice for those times of challenge. It works for disaster planning it'll work for challenged leaders #LeadFromWithin
COMMENTS: The United States Armed Forces do it, Professional Football Teams do it, the National Weather Service does it, and it behooves you to plan, prepare and practice to improve in times of challenge.

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Q5. Asking for help can be difficult what is the best way to seek help?
A5. As you work your way up, as a leader, you will have mentors and you will mentor others those are the first to seek help from #LeadFromWithin
COMMENTS: You will need help and when you need it is good to have a trusted group of individuals that you know can help.

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Q6. As a leader, what are some ways we can challenge others to do better? #leadfromwithin
A6. #LeadFromWithin is a great way to challenge others because it is the purest form of “DO AS I DO”
COMMENTS: Self-explanatory.

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Q7. Do you like or dislike challenges and why? #leadfromwithin
A7. I like challenge it shows me my proficiency, where I have to grow & most of all, it shows me who I am at that moment #LeadFromWithin
COMMENTS: Basically, Challenges = Gut Check (put up or shut up time)

_____
Q8. What habits keep us blocked in our challenges? #leadfromwithin
A8. A nasty habit of lack of focus. It along with bright shiny objects makes any challenge that much difficult to overcome #LeadFromWithin
COMMENTS: Of course, there are other habits that keep us blocked but I have found that lack of focus (yes, it's a nasty habit) is one of the greatest inhibitors of overcoming our challenges.

_____
Q9. What is the biggest challenge you have taken on recently? #leadfromwithin
A9. Hiring someone because others didn’t want to work more hours. Once hired, the others wanted more hours #LeadFromWithin
COMMENTS: It is not a big challenge but it is a reality that many business owners have to deal with. There are have been other greater challenges this is just the most recent.

_____
Q10. Leave us with your best leadership tip for handling challenges____________ #leadfromwithin
A10. Keep your head down, put pen to paper, seek out others, work it and the solution is within reach #LeadFromWithin
COMMENTS: Nothing more to add here.

_____
Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
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visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

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The MIDDAY NUGGET: RESET YOUR PASSWORD NOW

Welcome to the Midday Nugget. The purpose of the Midday Nugget or its mission is to communicate to you about what is on my mind today. The one thing that weighs heavily with me today and we will go from there.

Today's Topic: RESET YOUR PASSWORD NOW

Today, May 21, 2014, we heard that eBay was hacked two months ago and everyone involved in cybersecurity is not asking but telling us to reset our eBay password now?

I know, too little too late. Why wait two months? It seems that "[t]he hackers grabbed the customer database between late February and early March." Then "..it wasn't until two weeks ago that eBay discovered employee credentials had been stolen", and it goes like that. It goes like that because quite often we don't know about a problem until it becomes a problem (usually a big one).

Back when farming was big business, the farmer didn't know there was a problem in the hen house until there were chickens missing and with a little investigating there was a trail of feathers leading to the fox's den. All was until the fox got into the hen house. There was no problem until the breach in the fence was discovered. However, after having enough hens go missing old Farmer Brown would make a conscience effort to check the fence around the hen house on a daily basis.

The same applies today but with our digital fences. If you don't do so already please start checking all your digital fences on a regular basis. If the digital fences (your passwords) are too old (anything over 6 months) then it is time to change them.

Now I won't go into details as to what to change your password to but I will say this:
DO NOT CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD TO
  - ABC123
  - 1234567890
  - ABCDEFG
  - your phone number
  - your date of birth
  - your kid's name
  - your spouse's name

Don't even think about it.

When you go to your websites that require a login password, use their recommendations on how to create a password. If the site you are using does not have a recommendation, then it may be time to close that account. If they don't care enough to give their clients/customers a little guidance on what to do and how to do it, then they don't care, at all. OK, maybe they care a little bit and it may be just enough to take your money from you. Is that a good thing?

The take away here is to be prepared, be vigilant, and above all be consistent. It is your private information that is at stake and you have to do what you can to protect it. So, get out there and protect it before someone else uses it.

Thank you,

Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
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visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

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Midday Nugget: Relevance / EVERYBODY IS RELEVANT!

Welcome to the Midday Nugget. The purpose of the Midday Nugget or its mission is to communicate to you about what is on my mind today. The one thing that weighs heavily with me today and we will go from there.

Today's Topic: Relevance (Being Relevant)

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines relevance as  "1. a: relation to the matter at hand
b:  practical and especially social applicability :  pertinence
2:  the ability (as of an information retrieval system) to retrieve material that satisfies the needs of the user."

It seems that in 2014, well into the 21st Century, there are still people that believe that there has to be "CERTAIN" people that matter. They truly believe that only a few people that matter. They can't comprehend that there are more than a couple of people that are relevant. They truly believe everyone else is irrelevant or do not matter. Incomprehensible I know.

Völlig UNFASSBAR! / Totally Incomprehensible

Why am I talking about today's subject. Well, there are two reasons. The first, was at a recent function at my daughter's middle school I was witness to something most disturbing. A set of parents approached the school principal and interrupted his conversation with the school's lead custodian to say Hello and shake the principal's hand. The principal then proceeded to introduce the man to the parents however, they wanted nothing to do with him. The parents then looked at the custodian as if he was leper and completely dismissed him. The man had obviously had this happen to him before shrugged it off and went about his business.

A little bit later the parents were working the room. Stopping at the tables of the parents that were in their opinion "people that mattered" and were introducing their daughter to the other parents. Sure, there is nothing wrong with meeting new people and introducing them to your family. However, how they went about it was not something that I want to teach my children to do. I know that everyone has their own way of doing things. However, try behaving this way in the business world and see how far it get you in 2014 and beyond.

Also I was shocked when I saw this video of a Gary Vaynerchuk Q&A session at South by Southwest earlier this year in Austin, Texas. When you watch the video you can see that even Gary Vaynerchuk was taken back by the question.



I like Gary's response and he hits the nail right on the head with it. His answer is spot on. Everyone is relevant and if you stop to figure out who has relevance and who doesn't then in the 21st Century you can rest assured that you are not going to get what you want because you are not getting with the right people.

The right people?

Yes, I wrote "the right people" and they are everyone involved with the people that were once perceived as the the "relevant" people.  In 2014, the right people are the gatekeepers, the next door neighbor, the bank clerk, the receptionist, the janitor, the high school security guard, EVERYONE. Those are the relevant people and EVERYONE IS RELEVANT!

Trust me, those are the people that can do more for you than the the lawyer, the doctor, the high school principal, or any "top dog" can. The thing is that everyone else will work with you, vouch for you, and ultimately be in your corner while the lawyer, doctor, principal or "top dog" is too busy, too self-important to give you any time or attention. Thus defeating your original intent.

A word of warning: if you are using someone just to get to that "top dog" then rest assured that the individual you were schmoozing will not work with you, not vouch for you, and most certainly they will leave you standing in your corner by yourself.

Be genuine and authentic with any one and everyone you deal with and things will work themselves out. Fail to see everyone as relevant then you get what you deserve: Nothing.

Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra
visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

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Midday Nugget: Communication

Welcome to the first Midday Nugget. The purpose of the Midday Nugget or its mission is to communicate to you about what is on my mind today. The one thing that weighs heavily with me today and we will go from there.

As the Midday Nugget is about communicating to you, my first set of Nuggets will be about COMMUNICATION.

There comes a time when everyone wants their voice heard and no matter how hard they try sometimes, no one is listening. For example, sometimes somebody walks into a room and does not look to see that others are not paying attention or paying attention to something or someone else. You want your message to be heard but it is not coming or getting across to the intended recipients.

WHAT THEN?

It is all about SELBSTDARSTELLUNG (or Self-Presentation)!

“Self-presentation is behavior that attempts to convey some information about oneself or some image of oneself to other people. It denotes a class of motivations in human behavior. These motivations are in part stable dispositions of individuals but they depend on situational factors to elicit them. Specifically, self-presentational motivations are activated by the evaluative presence of other people and by others’ (even potential) knowledge of one’s behavior.” (Mullen, B. (1987). Self-Presentation Theory: Self-Construction and Audience Pleasing. Theories of group behavior (p.71-87). New York: Springer-Verlag.)

Basically, it is all about how you carry yourself, how you project the image of yourself, when you project it, what image of yourself you choose to project and most importantly, how others see you.

If you feel that your self-presentation is not helping your message get to its intended audience then it may be time to step back and work on that presentation. I know I have to work on it constantly because CHANGE is the only constant.

Until The Next Midday Nugget, Have A Good Day!
Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
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visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

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re • straint / Do you have what it takes?

Do you have what it takes?


Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra
visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

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te • nac • i • ty / Do you have what it takes?

Do you have what it takes?

(definition courtesy of Google.com)

Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra
visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

Here are some Technorati Tags: • The Walking Leader • Tenacity • Leadership Traits • Leadership Principles • Do you have what it takes? • Leaders • Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Leadership Development • Professional Development • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Ready, Fire, Aim! • If it ain't broke, break it. • Hire Crazies • Ask dumb questions • Pursue failure • Spread Confusion • Ditch Your Office • Read Odd Stuff • Avoid Moderation • Higher, Admire, Desire, Require, Satire, Inquire, On Fire, All Possible Scenarios • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero

sup • port • ive / Do you have what it takes?

Do you have what it takes?

Are you supportive? Do you show your followers just how supportive you are of them?

Trust me on this one, if you are supportive of them, then they sure as heck fire will be supportive of you. In the end, isn't that what every leader wants? Mutual support!

(definition courtesy of Google.com)

Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra
visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

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self • a • ware • ness / Do you have what it takes?

Do you have what it takes?

Are you self-aware? Do you really know your values, what your character is made of, what your hopes, dreams, desires are? Do you?
By being self-aware you achieving a higher understanding of yourself. You will know your limitations and by knowing your what your limitations are you will be better prepared to move past them. Once you create new limits you can then move past them and then you create new limits.

Have self-awareness and you will go places!

(definition courtesy of Google.com)

Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra
visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

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re • spect / Do you have what it takes?

Do you have what it takes?

Leaders give it! Managers demand it.   Do you give it? or do you demand it?

Giving respect is one of those leadership traits that had an almost immediate return on investment. By giving someone respect they will either give you respect back or give you nothing. It is almost faster than a video going viral, you will know.

Now just because someone chooses to not respect you is no reason for you to go off and not respect them. It could be they have never been treated with respect and they don't know any better. No matter what show them respect. Always!

(definition courtesy of Google.com)

Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra
visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

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pas • sion / Do you have what it takes?

Do you have what it takes?

Do you have the passion to lead? Do you have that uncontrollable emotion to your followers? to your organization? to yourself?

There is a fine line between Passionate  and Emotional. One is what you are before and up to the point you are doing something. The other is what happens afterwards. Now, while some emotion is good, getting overly emotional is NOT. However, you can be 100% passionate 100% of the time and that is perfectly acceptable.

Passion is essential to any business operation, to any leadership style. You must have that commitment and exude passion every day. The day you give 90% is the day you are giving 0%. Again, this is an all or nothing.

(definition courtesy of Google.com)

Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra
visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

Here are some Technorati Tags: • The Walking Leader • Passion • Leadership Traits • Leadership Principles • Do you have what it takes? • Leaders • Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Leadership Development • Professional Development • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Ready, Fire, Aim! • If it ain't broke, break it. • Hire Crazies • Ask dumb questions • Pursue failure • Spread Confusion • Ditch Your Office • Read Odd Stuff • Avoid Moderation • Higher, Admire, Desire, Require, Satire, Inquire, On Fire, All Possible Scenarios • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero