— Nina Bhatti, Founder, Kokko Inc. “Opportunity does not come gift-wrapped. You must take risks.” — Nina Bhatti, Founder, Kokko Inc.
Lead From Where You Are
Transitioning from Doing to Leading
— Lisa Walsh, VP, PepsiCo Sales You have probably built success as a specialist who is adept at knowing your topic or your area of the business. It is one of the reasons you have gotten promoted. As you go higher, you will be valued for understanding the business and how various pieces of the business integrate into the whole. — Lisa Walsh, VP, PepsiCo Sales
Transitioning from Doing to Leading Executing Subject matter expert Tactician Your success Envisioning Thought leader Strategist Team’s success
— Dona Munsch, VP Cloud Operations, NetApp My “get ‘er done” mentality—as the go-to person, and the only one who knew how to do certain things—got in my way of moving ahead. I couldn’t step out of my own role to take on new opportunities. — Dona Munsch, VP Cloud Operations, NetApp
Your time portfolio: Analyze your calendar Take a look at the last month Color code activities: are they strategic or tactical? — Dona Munsch
Transitioning from Doing to Leading What do you need to let go of? What will you do more of?
52% agree. 14% strongly agree. From the prep survey I am able to motivate and engage others, regardless of whether they report to me. 52% agree. 14% strongly agree. Q10. I am able to motivate and engage others, regardless of whether they report to me. Strongly disagree 0.00% Disagree 0.00% Neutral 33.33% Agree 52.38% Strongly agree 14.29%
6 steps for leading others, with or without direct authority
Great Leaders Ask Great Questions
“Good questions wake people up. They prompt new ideas “Good questions wake people up. They prompt new ideas. They show people new places, new ways of doing things. They help us admit that we don’t know all the answers.” “Good questions wake people up. They prompt new ideas. They show people new places, new ways of doing things. They help us admit that we don’t know all the answers.” — Michael J. Marquardt, Leading With Questions. — Michael J. Marquardt
What mindset would you need to be in to lead others by asking questions?
A Leader’s Mindset for Asking Questions Build trust Be curious Be non-defensive Be open to diverse and challenging viewpoints Truly listen Clarify what you’re hearing Make it a conversation Ask follow-up questions Act on what you hear and learn
6 steps for leading others, with or without direct authority Shared vision or goal Co-create clear expectations Co-create accountability
Questions for Setting Goals, Expectations, and Accountability What is our shared goal? What’s our ultimate purpose behind this goal? How will we know we’re successful? How will we measure success? What steps must we take, to get there? What are we accountable to delivering? What piece of this will you own? How will we hold ourselves accountable? How will we respond if things go off-track?
6 steps for leading others, with or without direct authority Shared vision or goal Co-create clear expectations Co-create accountability Turn them loose Frequent check-ins Celebrate success!
If things go off-track: Return to the list of six steps. Assess which one step is missing, and take action. If you have exhausted all of these options: Escalate.
See yourself as a leader now. Leadership is an action, not a position. — Dr. Cindy Pace
Influencing Upward
From the prep survey I am able to influence my management and senior executives. 67% agree. 5% strongly agree. Q11. I am able to influence my management and senior executives. Disagree 4.76% Neutral 23.81% Agree 66.67% Strongly agree 4.76%
To be an effective leader, you have to be a strong communicator. One of the most important areas of leading and communicating is with your own management. — Lori Carlin Proctor Senior Retail Supply Leader, Procter & Gamble
Influencing Upward
1. Understand your leaders and their goals. Influencing Upward 1. Understand your leaders and their goals.
Everyone makes decisions differently Everyone makes decisions differently. The better you understand your leaders, the easier your life will be and the more successful you will be. Understand their business, their goals for their business and their decision-making style. — Kim Brown Strickland VP of Finance, Merchandising and Marketing, Walmart
1. Understand your leaders and their goals Learn what business goals they are responsible for Check in with them frequently to keep up to date with their most important goals and challenges Understand what motivates them Identify their communication and decision-making styles.
1. Understand your leaders and their goals. Influencing Upward 1. Understand your leaders and their goals.
Influencing Upward 1. Understand your leaders and their goals. 2. Communicate in a style that they find persuasive.
— Linda Nordgren VP & GM of Merchandising, Safeway Inc. Take time to understand your leader and their preferred communication style. Observe how others communicate effectively with them. — Linda Nordgren VP & GM of Merchandising, Safeway Inc.
Founder, Ayuda Heuristics Don't be afraid to ask your leader how they want to be communicated with. — Cyndi Mitchell Founder, Ayuda Heuristics
2. Communicate in a style they find persuasive Do they prefer to communicate via email, IM or in person? Schedule time to speak, or catch them in the hallway? Do they want a high-level overview, or a deep dive into data? The whole story or just the bottom-line? The entire plan or the end result? Do they make decisions quickly or think it through? Are they a lone decision-maker or do they crowd-source decisions? When is the best time to bring them bad news?
Influencing Upward 1. Understand your leaders and their goals. 2. Communicate in a style that they find persuasive.
Influencing Upward 1. Understand your leaders and their goals. 2. Communicate in a style that they find persuasive. 3. Pre-sell your big ideas
Never underestimate the importance of the meeting before the meeting!
3. Pre-sell your big ideas Does this make sense to you? Do you agree with this? Do you think this is a smart way for us to be investing our time and money? Does this align with the initiatives in your area? And if it does, will you back me up when I give my presentation?
Influencing Upward 1. Understand your leaders and their goals. 2. Communicate in a style that they find persuasive. 3. Pre-sell your big ideas.
Influencing Upward 4. Know when and how to challenge your leaders. 1. Understand your leaders and their goals. 2. Communicate in a style that they find persuasive. 3. Pre-sell your big ideas. 4. Know when and how to challenge your leaders.
— Linda Nordgren VP & GM of Merchandising, Safeway Inc. Don’t tell me what you think I want to hear. Be your authentic self, and challenge direction with courage and good grace. — Linda Nordgren VP & GM of Merchandising, Safeway Inc.
4. Know when and how to challenge your leaders It’s all about consistently delivering good results — and having credibility Make sure it’s the right time Have all your facts together Speak high level about the situation but answer detailed questions The more solid facts, the better your chances Know when to pick battles and when to let go. — Kim Brown Strickland
The key is having a good case and not backing down if at first they don’t agree. Be politely persistent. — Kim Brown Strickland
Influencing Upward 4. Know when and how to challenge your leaders. 1. Understand your leaders and their goals. 2. Communicate in a style that they find persuasive. 3. Pre-sell your big ideas. 4. Know when and how to challenge your leaders.
“Time spent understanding people is never wasted.” — Cate Huston
Going for a Promotion
What’s the easiest way to get a raise or a promotion?
Accenture surveyed 3,400 executives in 2011. 37% had asked for a raise, promotion or job change. } Of those that asked, 65% said it helped. Women overall were somewhat less likely than men to say they have asked for pay raises (44 percent versus 48 percent) and promotions (28 percent versus 39 percent) Reinvent Opportunity: Looking Through a New Lens, Accenture’s 2011 survey of 3,400 business executives from medium to large organizations across 29 countries. 37% had asked for a raise, promotion or job change “Reinvent Opportunity: Looking Through a New Lens,” Accenture, 2011.
What happened when people asked for a raise? In the overwhelming majority of cases, people who ask for a raise are at least thrown a bone. And in a significant number of cases, folks who ask for a raise actually get more money than they were expecting. - CBS News MoneyWatch, March 9, 2011 http://www.cbsnews.com/news/easiest-way-to-get-a-raise-and-promotion/
What happened when people asked for a promotion? 10% of the time, nothing happened. 5% of those who asked for a promotion got new responsibilities instead. 10% got a new role, but not the one they asked for, and not a promotion. 42% got the role they asked for. 17% got a new role, and it was a better one than they'd hoped for. 59% of people who asked for a promotion got one! - CBS News MoneyWatch, March 9, 2011
LinkedIn surveyed 954 professional women in 2013. } 75% of women who asked for a promotion got one. Today’s Professional Woman, LinkedIn’s 2013 survey of 954 professional women. “Today’s Professional Woman,” LinkedIn, 2013.
What’s the easiest way to get a raise or a promotion?
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1. Don’t underestimate your READINESS.
Don’t underestimate your READINESS On a scale of 1 to 10, how capable do you think you are of performing that job today?
An internal study at HP found: Women will apply to a job when they believe they meet of the job requirements. Men will apply if they think they meet just of the requirements. 60% 100%
1. Don’t underestimate your READINESS.
1. Don’t underestimate your READINESS. 2. What are the REQUIREMENTS?
Senior Software Engineer
What are the requirements? I am interested in becoming [name the role]. What are the requirements? Listen, then paraphrase back: If I understand correctly, the requirements to become [role] are a, b, c, d. Check that you have their agreement.
1. Don’t underestimate your READINESS. 2. What are the REQUIREMENTS?
1. Don’t underestimate your READINESS. 2. What are the REQUIREMENTS? 3. Is now the RIGHT TIME? R
The right conversation can be held at the wrong time (for example, when your boss is in bad mood or the person you're talking to is the wrong person.) It doesn't matter how good your request is if you do it at the wrong time. Timing is everything. — Donnell Green Global Head of Talent Management and Development, BlackRock.
When is the wrong time to ask? When is the right time to ask? Is now the right time? When is the wrong time to ask? When is the right time to ask?
1. Don’t underestimate your READINESS. 2. What are the REQUIREMENTS? 3. Is now the RIGHT TIME? R
1. Don’t underestimate your READINESS. 2. What are the REQUIREMENTS? 3. Is now the RIGHT TIME? 4. Make your REQUEST.
Make your request I understand the role requires a, b, c. I believe I am the ideal candidate for this position because x, y, z. Check for their agreement. What are our next steps to move forward If you sense any hesitation: Is there any additional information you need, to consider me as the ideal candidate for this position?
Additional tips Know what you want Know the trade-offs you’re willing to accept Know how the other person absorbs & digests information Make it easy for them to say “yes” Don’t take “no” personally Think through the “no” and continue to move conversation forward If necessary, ask to follow up at a better time. — Patricia Bovan Campbell
Personal Action Plan
Feedback Survey
This presentation is available at BeLeaderly.com/sep25
with everything you’ve got. Lead from where you are with everything you’ve got. — Tara Jaye Frank