Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet It’s the season of preparation…for the holidays, for the new business year, for your personal progression the coming year. If you’re a big fan of spontaneity, then preparation can be dull and tedious; but to be successful in whatever you do, it is an essential skill that generates quantifiable benefits. Would you attend a meeting unprepared? Or visit a customer? Or approve an investment? Not if you want to succeed. For …
Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet Credibility is the number one reason people choose to follow their leaders. That credibility is based on the leader’s behaviors, transparency and accountability. How they walk the talk, keep promises, lead from the front. To build a vibrant organizational culture, leaders must go first. They are the first to make sacrifices, the first to take risks, and the first to feel consequences. They are the first to model the company’s values, first …
Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet Leaders know that coaching their personnel produces a “markedly positive” impact on performance, culture and results. Yet coaching is one of the tools least used by leaders. Why? The common excuse is that there is no time for the slow, tedious work of teaching/mentoring employees when trying to succeed in our competitive, high pressure economy. Another explanation is that coaching can be complicated and involved, and there’s concern about failing at …
Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet There can be no reward, no change initiative, no return on investment, no relationship, no success until someone first takes a risk.Life is uncertain; risk and reward is the natural order. Whether we succeed or fail, we learn by continuing to go forward. Shrinking from risk only creates a false sense of security. Manage risk assessment by considering: 1. What benefits will be missed if the decision is made not to proceed? 2. …
When I see three or four folks sitting around a table, each interacting more with a phone than with one another, I wonder why they have chosen to meet. Why is being together not valued more highly? Where’s the conversation, the laughter, the stories? What’s the nature of their relationship? If there were no phones to distract them, how would they react? Experts have confirmed that our increasing dependence on technology creates a corresponding rise …
For trust to begin growing, the right intent must be readily apparent. Sharing a valuable insight, without expecting to get anything in return, is a natural first step. When no insistent ulterior motive is involved, the kindness of the offer is appreciated. Making the offer implies sacrifice – it took an investment of time and resource to discover the valued information that is now shared, with no repayment expected in return. The wrong intent is sensed …
Culture is the glue that binds an organization together, and it’s the hardest thing for competitors to copy. Your story, your purpose and your values are what make your business distinctive. When culture is carved into a unique identity, with an uncommon brand promise and a clear set of behavioral expectations, your people learn how their contributions help the organization succeed. Culture is what enables your people to evolve as your most sustainable competitive advantage. Yet some companies continue to think that the aim of strengthening culture …
Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet Pursuing mastery in the workplace can take several forms. It can refer to an extraordinary competence, related to technical excellence or subject matter expertise. Under this perception, masters are those who have the highest level, a “state-of-the-art,” understanding and technique in a given discipline. There is a compulsory set of specific skills to be learned and applied. But for leaders, encouraging their personnel to pursue the mastery of a function or …
Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet Recently, my awareness was raised about the great diversity of customer service experiences we encounter every day. During a recent hotel stay, my perception of exceptional service was redefined. Every staff person I met at this facility – at the door, at the front desk, in the restaurant, in the hallways and in a meeting room support role – shared a common purpose of sustaining their guests’ comfort and satisfaction. They …
Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet When we need help to resolve a problem, none of us wants to be sold; but we do appreciate the opportunity to explore what we value and why, without the high pressure tactics.A customer may have a good handle on his or her specific challenge or goal to be achieved, but often there is less clarity about why achievement is important. Resolving the problem may address a visible, troubling short term pain point, but could the …