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If You Want to Connect, Proactively Help Others

Proactively Help Others

#74 Proactively Help Others

Seize opportunities to help others. Send your colleagues any information you come across that affirms the organization’s Vision, that may help them do their jobs better, that relates to a topic they are interested in, or that may help them in some way outside of work.

This is the seventy-fourth post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights language, attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the language, attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.

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San Antonio Spurs’ Culture of Sustainable Superior Performance

Gregg Popovich

Image Source: Flickr Spurs-Magic080

As seen on Fox Business

Earlier this month, Gregg Popovich, head coach of the San Antonio Spurs basketball team, won his 1000th NBA basketball game, making him the 9th NBA coach in history to achieve this feat. Popovich adds this to a long list of achievements including five NBA titles with the Spurs and three NBA Coach of the Year honors.  This is his 16th season as the Spurs head coach.

How has he been so successful?

Like all great leaders, Popovich creates a culture that produces sustainable superior performance.  Here are four factors that contribute to making the Spurs’ culture a source of competitive advantage.

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To Connect at Work, Do Not Yell or Dominate

Yelling in Meeting

#73 Don’t Be a Yeller or Dominator

Yelling and dominating is disconnecting. Don’t do either of them if you want to connect at work.

When he was the head coach of the Chicago Bull’s basketball team, Phil Jackson once told a young Michael Jordan that Jordan needed to pass the ball more to his teammates. Jackson explained that everyone needs time in the spotlight to shine so that together the team would win. When Jordan complied, it helped the Chicago Bulls team win six NBA championship titles over a period of eight years. 

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To Connect, Make Compensation Fair

Compensation should be fair

#72 Compensate Fairly

Compensation alone will not sustainably connect with and engage people so that they give their best efforts. However, the perception that they are not fairly compensated will undermine connection and engagement.

When someone perceives he/she is not fairly compensated, he/she will feel taken advantage of and devalued.  Establishing a well-thought-out compensation process and taking time to communicate it is wise.

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Connect Outside of Work

Happy People

#71 Connect Outside of Work

Individuals have different levels of felt need for connection. Some people require a much greater quantity and quality of connection than others in order not to feel alone.

If you need much more connection than most people, it may be unreasonable to expect that your need for connection will be fully met in the workplace. In such cases, it may be wise to seek ways to meet your need for connection outside of work. Consider becoming involved in community groups and developing a group of friends with whom you regularly interact.

This is the seventy-first post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights language, attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the language, attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.

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To Connect, Reflect Before Offering Improvements

Reflect before offering improvements

#70 Reflect Before Offering Improvements

Author/executive coach Marshall Goldsmith recommends that when someone offers an idea, suggestion, opinion or plan, take time to reflect before offering a suggestion to improve it. Many people are in the habit of quickly adding their better idea by saying “but…” or “however…” Habitually doing this undermines connection, commitment and engagement. When it’s the other person’s idea, he/she will implement it with greater enthusiasm and energy so consider if your enhancement really matters before offering it.

This is the seventieth post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights language, attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the language, attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.

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Leaders Need to Walk the Halls

Visiting Employees in the Field

#69 Walk the Halls

Howard Behar, the secret weapon of Starbucks, tells leaders to “walk the halls.” Howard, former President of Starbucks North America and Starbucks International, played an instrumental role in growing Starbucks then came out of retirement to help turn Starbucks around when it went off course. “Walk the Halls” is similar to “Management by Wandering Around,” or “MBWA,” a term coined by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman in their book In Search of Excellence. Walking the Halls is all about getting out of your office, getting to know the people you are responsible for leading and listening to them.

This is the sixty-ninth post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights language, attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the language, attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.

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Advice to Taylor Swift on Sustaining Success

Taylor Swift

Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia User MyCanon

As seen on Fox News

Taylor Swift has successfully managed living in the frying pan of fame for nearly a decade now. That is a difficult thing to do, especially for singers who come on the scene in their teenage years (ahem, Britney, Miley and Justin). Personally, I think she may become the Queen of Media who reigns for decades, akin to the first Queen Elizabeth who ascended to the throne of England at 25 and ruled England for more than 40 years during its Golden Age and was beloved by many.

Because I advise leaders, I took a moment to imagine what it would be like to advise Ms. Swift about maintaining her realm, just as the faithful and wise William Cecil, Lord Burghley advised Queen Elizabeth I.