Why Should a Leader Care About Employees?

Partnering for Profits: Personally Responsible

Read at risk of anger: I wrote about organizations using the Scanlon Plan for employee equity sharing in my first book titled, “The Art of Partnering;” pick up a used copy at Amazon. With the Scanlon Plan, both employees and leadership are equally responsible for the organization’s success.

In these difficult economic times, leaders are still responsible to their employees to ensure jobs and livelihood. Over the last decade, many leaders have unfortunately proven to be scum; taking huge bonuses or severance payments and leaving employees to fend for themselves. Does the word “Unions” have a meaning here?

You may disagree with me on this, and you have the right to be wrong; if you are a leader, you are responsible!!! If you are a leader in your organization and you are working 60 hours a week leading the charge, God bless you—you are a true leader. If you are in a leadership position and are taking vacation time, time off, and generally MIA, you are NOT a leader but rather a parasite on the organization. Sorry if the truth hurts, but it’s the truth.

Hourly employees cannot be expected to be organizational rain makers. For if they were, they would not stick around as hourly employees. Leaders are expected to be rain makers, and to provide for their employees. And that’s why leaders get the big bucks.

When you are ready for the “Ed Rigsbee Experience” in your organization, give me a call at 800-839-1520.

Executive Presentation Skills: Confidence

I hope you enjoy what my good friend, Randy Pennington, CSP, CPAE, has to say about confidence:

1. Confidence in my material and expertise. I know that what I have to say is important and relevant to the audience's needs. I have done my research and know what I need to do. The work has been put in to ensure I can be confident in what I'm going to say before I ever walk on platform.

2. Experience and confidence in my skills. There are very few situations that I haven't seen over the years. The comfort in knowing that I have previously succeeded in difficult situations gives me confidence that I can handle anything that comes up.

3. Obligation and duty. The audience and the person who hired me expect a level of confidence from me. It is part of the package for the fee I am paid. To show less than a level of confidence that increases the opportunities for success is taking money I didn't earn.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Nobody's Going to Do It for You

Partnering for Profits: Personal Responsibility

Just recently I was chatting with a friend that is a partner at a professional services company. His firm has been hit particularly hard in this economy because of the firm’s dependence on the construction industry. He was telling me that his firm is in the “survival” mode. After a few questions, I told him that I disagreed, and that his firm was really in the “vacation” mode.

The reason for my assessment is because the partners merely cut the hours they would work in an effort to save money by reducing their income. And, they have had to lay off a number of employees. While there is much to discuss in this company’s situation, for you the leader of your organization, there is an important issue to consider.

When times are tough, does the leader of an organization throw up his or her hands and say there is no business, and just go on vacation? Hell no! The leader(s), especially in small to mid-sized companies must lead by example. Leaders must accept personal responsibility for letting their company fall into the tail spin by working more hours and perhaps for a period of time, receiving less (Fortune 500 CEOs seem to be exempted).

For any organizational leader, simply working less hours for less pay is criminal in my opinion. More on this next week…

You can read more about my perspective on the fine points of alliance development at:

http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint my articles is also there.)

Executive Presentation Skills: Charisma

I recently asked some of my professional speaker buddies to give me their take on charisma and I think you’ll enjoy with what Jim Cathcart, CSP, CPAE had to say:

“There are three elements in every aspect of speaking success: Mindset, Skills and Systems. Charisma starts with Mindset. You must cultivate a respect for and admiration of your audience. Without this your speech will simply be a delivery of information. With it your emotions will reinforce your message positively.

The skills of charisma have to do with understanding and adapting to differences in groups and individuals. You've got to know your audience: the organization, the situation, the culture, and the individuals as much as practical.

Your systems need to include the efficient gathering of data about the group, your assignment and their goals. Have a great preprogram questionnaire to help you learn what you need to learn. Also, your personal system or habit pattern in preparation for each speech has a great deal to do with charisma. Be sure you get yourself into the attitude and mood to be the best you can be for them.”

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.