Kristin's Blog
The Courage to Take the First - and the Last - Step
As many of you know, my first book, “Is This Seat Taken?” was released this week on 11/1/11. This story book is a collection of highly personal vignettes from my life as a global traveler over the years. My intention in remembering and sharing these stories is simply to highlight the wisdom of the many virtually invisible people who cross our paths each and every day. The only prerequisite to benefit from these individuals is for us to be awake in the present moment to hear and see what is right in front of us. These insights helped me on my own individual road to alignment.
But writing a book is not for the faint of heart.
Smart, Candid Power
Over the past few weeks, there have been front cover articles on two of the world’s most powerful women: Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton. These leaders serve from opposite sides of the political arena, yet, I believe that they possess several of the same leadership qualities which have no doubt served them well. What can we learn from them?
What Can We Learn from Entrepreneurs?
Several of my clients are what I would call true entrepreneurs. The characteristics are the same, regardless of the playground on which they are playing. There is a fabulous book which actually does a phenomenal job of capturing common behaviors, or “rules” as the author frames them, which offer the ripest ground for entrepreneurial success. This book will leave you inspired by three extremely successful entrepreneurial stories of Harvard Business School graduates, and their deviation from the standard path toward success.
I believe we can ALL learn from these perspectives, regardless of what our chosen career path may be.
The 10 Commandments of Steve
Newsweek published a fabulous article on Steve Jobs’ creative genius a few months ago. The top 10 tips from his playbook follow. They are very insightful, and can be helpful for any of us embarking upon a opportunity which commands “out of box” thinking and management of a creative process. These tips are not for every situation within an organization; however, when trying to stimulate and inspire new “green field” ideas, they are spot on…
The Art of Being Inclusive
Whether you are the CEO, a product manager, a team leader, or an individual contributor, I have found the most successful individuals are those that actively and sincerely solicit input, help and ideas from others in their organizations. Now, this is not the proverbial “obligated ask” – I am referring to those individuals that seek out and get additional heads and hands on board with their initiatives.
This takes time, effort, patience and a true desire to BUILD A TEAM from all levels of the organization. Many attempt to do this, perhaps because they have been told they “need to.” However, the leaders who master the art of true inclusiveness will build a network which will become a tremendous asset in their careers if done with purity of intention. A few tips:
What is the "X" Factor in Business?
What really is the ‘X’ factor in business? We all know there is one – it is that “thing” that successful executives and leaders have that simply sets them apart from the pack. It is more than just solid performance, track records, and business acumen. It is that extra “something.”
Leading Through Enthusiatic Participation
Over the past several months, I have lead numerous leadership development workshops for my corporate clients. We have discussed many different aspects of how to effectively lead through building and implementing strategically aligned plans, unifying our boards, leadership and sales teams, embracing and leading through transformational change, and how we as leaders need to stay centered and aligned to set powerful examples. It has been incredibly rewarding. We all learned from one another and shared insightful experiences around the topic of leadership.
Little Roy and Big Fred - Customer Service on Steroids
While recently visiting my parents, I had the opportunity to witness the utmost of customer service in action. What frightened me is how surprised I was – when did expecting stellar service go by the wayside?
The simplest of exchanges resulted in a raving fan and delighted customer. It is amazing what happens when an individual LOVES what he/she does and is committed to being the BEST in the service he/she provides. What so many of us could learn from this example! If this is the standard approach of a Sears delivery team, this could perhaps be a turnaround in the making.
Basic Business for Our Country - Really?
The crisis of the U.S. debt ceiling has taken over all our media channels. It is an issue which cannot be avoided or ignored. The inability of our country’s leaders to come to an agreement on how to move forward threatens the stability of our economy, our security, our credit rating, and potentially even the strategic financial future of the world.
As a business person, I can’t help but wonder why basic business principles can’t be applied to this situation. Those of us in business (and those managing our own households) must embrace reality regularly. We have to make brutally tough decisions every day. Funds are not unlimited; trade-offs must be made and faced. There is no magic button to push…no giant bank in the sky from which to borrow.
A few basic business thoughts for our government leaders to consider:
Facing Reality
Our world is facing indisputable and daunting challenges. When we bring these issues home – to our own organizations, teams, and personal scenarios – they become even more real. Our security, on every level – our freedoms, our financial well being, the future for our children, and our own professional directions – stands at risk. Today I talk about how passionate curiosity, battling hardened confidence, team smarts, a simple mindset, and fearlessness play a role in leading change and achieving success.