Work Smarter, Be a Better Leader Ebookette

8/6/2019 Work Smarter, Be a Better Leader Ebookette

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WORK SMARTER:

BE A BETTER LEADERFOUR WAYS TO LEARN AND GROW

BY HELEN ANTHOLIS AND DIANA ANTHOLIS

WORK SMARTER: BE A BETTER LEADER

2011 Performance Advantage Inc. www.anditsonlytuesday.com Page 1 of 30
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Cover photograph taken by Ernest Antholis WWW.ANTHOLISART.COM

WORK SMARTER: BE A BETTER LEADER is an ebookette based on the expertise and knowledge ofHelen Antholis and Diana Antholis. It is free and does not contain affiliate links.

Please share it under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0

Unported License. 2011 Performance Advantage Inc.


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WHAT THIS IS ABOUT!4HOW TO REACH US!6WHO WE ARE!7WHAT YOU WILL LEARN!8WHO THIS IS FOR

!8

WHY THIS WILL BENEFIT YOU!9WHAT YOUR ROLE IS!10HOW YOU START!12WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!14

LISTEN with compassion!14ENGAGE with empathy!14ACT with respect!14DARE to change!14

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO!16HOW DID I DO? - L.E.A.D. JOURNAL!17WHY YOU NEED EXAMPLES!18LEADing BETTER IS...!19

L is for LISTEN with compassion!19E is for ENGAGE with empathy!22A is for ACT with respect!24D is for DARE to change!26

THANK YOU!!30



PLACEHOLDER

THE BIG PICTURE


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WHAT THIS IS ABOUT

We want to be better at what we do at work We want to innovate, contribute, and share ideas We want to be recognized and encouraged We want to learn and growBut something is holding us back. We want to take the time to listen better,

engage others, act our best, and be open to change. And we want others to do

the same. But were frustrated. And its only Tuesday.

Does this sound familiar?

Youre finding that difficult situations and challenging employees make you tense and short-

tempered. Maybe you act before you think or maybe you resist new ideas. Maybe you haveno time to develop others when youre concerned more about yourself. Maybe the businessis not doing well and the pressure is on you to change that. Maybe you feel inadequate orinsecure. Maybe you see no way out and are hanging on to old ways. Or maybe youre tiredof going through life dissatisfied with the way things are. You know work can be a better place. But you dont know how or have the time to figure it out. If only there were somesimple guidelines to follow each day to guide you.




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Well, here they are, short and sweet. We believe that the right set of

communications and interpersonal skills will make a better workplace. Yes,

work can be very frustrating and overwhelming at times. Weve all wished thatwe didnt have to work at all.

But wouldnt it be great if the workplace was filled with people who really liked

being there and performed at their best?

Thats where we come in. If everyone applies the four basic principles outlined

here, people will create a better workplace. Most people have no time to attend

seminars and read dozens of books. Work Smarter: Be a Better Leadersaves

you valuable time. It offers four ways to communicate better and feel less

stressed at work. It is the first of many ebookettes, aimed at providing brief,

powerful ideas about working smarter and performing better.

Read on.

We value your opinion; let us know what you think.




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HOW TO REACH US

Email us at: [email protected]

Blog: www.anditsonlytuesday.com

Comment at: www.anditsonlytuesday.com/ebookette

Tweet at: www.twitter.com/worksmarta

Click here to have our posts delivered to your RSS reader.

Click here to sign up for our email newsletter.As an email subscriber, blog

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to your inbox. You will also hear about some of the craziness that happens

behind-the-scenes at Performance Advantage!


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WHO WE ARE

We are a mother and daughter team - a boomer and a millennial.Who said different generations cant work together? While we haveour differences, our viewpoints allow for interesting perspectives onwork.

After a combined 45 years in various industries, we have workedfrom the bottom up in various positions. Weve been managers,trainers, OD consultants, media planners, college administrators,editors, publishers, and business owners, to name a few. Weveworked in banking, advertising, manufacturing, higher education,and nonprofit administration.

As consultants to businesses and organizations interested inimproving productivity and increasing profitability, we guide clients

through the reorganization process and train staff. Our broadermission is to help others learn and grow from what weve learnedalong the way to help them build better relationships and betterworkplaces.

Thank you for joining us on this journey! To learn more about us, clickhere.


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WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

You will learn four ways to be a better leader. Memorize these four principles

and use them daily to make your life better and your work easier.

WHO THIS IS FOR

Whether you are a supervisor who needs to get work done through other people

or an individual contributor, these principles are universal and will help you make

better choices by concentrating on what is important.

Review the principles each day and assess your progress.

If you need guidance, email us at [email protected]. Wed be thrilled to hear from you.


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WHY THIS WILL BENEFIT YOU

Follow these principles and you will learn to:

Be more content and less stressed

Get more done in less time

Feel better about yourself

Be a better communicator

Be more skilled at interpersonal relationships




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WHAT YOUR ROLE IS

Nothing will change if you dont take responsibility for your behavior. At the end

of each day, write in your Journal about the principle you followed, the action

you took, and your view of the consequence (theres a template on page 17.)

Was the consequence what you intended? If so, congratulate yourself. Think about other ways to apply the principle.If not, make a more conscious choice the next day. Whats great is that you get another chance to be better tomorrow.

After all, thats what this is about... another chance to learn and grow.When you start your journey of personal reflection, youll notice that you have

choices about how you think, feel, and act. By starting withyourself before you

try to change others, you will be working on the one best person you CAN

control. Once you change, youll find that others will change too.




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Socrates:

Know thyself.

Shakespeare (Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 3):

To thine own self be true.

Einstein:

Its not that Im so smart, its just that I stay with problems longer.

Einstein also said,

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting

different results.

Lets try something different.




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HOW YOU START

Before you read further, take this pre-assessment.

1. Rate yourself from 1 to 10, with 10 being highest.

2. Then, read this ebookette.

3. After one month of Journaling (page 17), retake this assessment to see how

much youve learned and grown.

Do I... 1 to 10L Look at the other person; maintain eye contact ______I Initiate questions; watch for nonverbal clues ______S Share thoughts; not dominate ______T Tap into the meaning behind what they say ______E End misunderstandings by asking more questions ______N Never interrupt ______




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E End monologues; share the stage ______N Nod in recognition; encourage the speaker ______G Get over myself; put myself in their place ______

A Ask more questions to clarify; use open-ended questions to learn more ______G Give the speaker my full, unbiased attention ______E Energize the conversation with enthusiasm ______

A Answer questions with patience and caring ______C Choose words carefully; consider if they hurt or help ______T Treat others with respect and courtesy ______D Decide to learn and grow ______

A Adapt to new information and ideas ______R Refrain from being narrow-minded ______E Expand my thinking; make conscious choices ______




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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Better leaders follow these four principles to work smarter:

1. LISTEN with compassion

2. ENGAGE with empathy

3. ACT with respect

4. DARE to change




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Notice the acronym L.E.A.D. Listen, Engage, Act, Dare.

Much has been written about leadership. If we recognize that we are all leaders,we can assess how well we are leading...at work, at home, in our community,

and in the world.

For now, lets focus on work. Whether we supervise others or not, we all have

the opportunity, with each interaction, thought, or idea, to lead others. We dont

need a formal organization chart with boxes and lines (straight ordotted) to

empower us to lead.

We can do it every day in every way we connect.

If you are compassionate, empathic, conscientious, and open-minded, then you

have the power to listen to others, engage them in your quest, act with respect,

and dare to change.

In one word, LEAD.




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WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

Follow three simple steps:

1. Learn, memorize, and live by these principles

2. Compare each days actions to them

3. Set goals to maintain or change your actions

If it takes 21 days to form a habit, give yourself one month to:

Apply these principles each working day

Evaluate yourself each evening

Give yourself a new goal each day to improve

To track your progress, use the Journal on the next page.




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HOW DID I DO? - L.E.A.D. JOURNAL

DAY # _____

Did I LISTEN with compassion? (1 to 10) ____ Cite an example:

Did I ENGAGE others with empathy? (1 to 10) ____ Cite an example:

Did I ACT with respect? (1 to 10) ____ Cite an example:

Did I DARE to change? (1 to 10) ____ Cite an example:




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WHY YOU NEED EXAMPLES

Your Journals examples need to be authentic, regardless of the rating, because

the goal is to get better and work smarter. By keeping a record, you will create

your own personal development plan.

Change doesnt happen overnight. It may not happen in 21 days either. Do give

it a chance, though. It may be challenging. If you need support, please contact

us for assistance.

Or you may wish to tell a friend that you are doing this. It will make it more real

to you and build in personal accountability.

After all, there is no scale at the end of this to tell you how successful youve

been. You will need opinions. Start with your own and those of a good friend.

A better leader self-reflects by journaling to find ways to improve.




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LEADing BETTER IS...

L is for LISTEN with compassion

What kind of leader inspires you? Who do you want to follow? Kouzes and

Posner (2007) say that admired leaders are:

Honest; Forward-looking; Inspiring; Competent.How does listening fit with each characteristic?

Without listening to others, you operate in a vacuum. You lack the truth; you

lack a broader vision; you lack others viewpoints; you lose your inspiration; you

limit your competence. Listening well to others opens you to ideas never

dreamed; it lets you abandon plans that would not work without the support of

others.

A better leader listens to build a broad vision that embraces supporters.




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How does compassion fit with each characteristic?

Without compassion for others, you are unlikely to be honest, forward-looking,inspiring, or competent. Would you follow someone, or even want to work with

someone, who doesnt have these traits?

Ensuring that you act without inflicting pain and suffering on another person is a

place to start.

What kinds of words do you use when you communicate?

What is your tone of voice?

Does your body language give away a different thought or feeling than

what is actually said?

Moving to a place where communications are in the emotion-free zone (both

given and received) will go a long way toward building leadership qualities.

A better leader listens with compassion to engage supporters.




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LISTEN forms its own acronym. Here are more quick tips.

L

Look at the other person; maintain eye contact.I Initiate questions; watch for nonverbal clues.S Share thoughts; dont dominate.T Tap into the meaning behind what they say.E End misunderstandings by asking more questionsN Never interrupt. Its impolite, shows disrespect, and shuts down dialogue faster than no eye contact.Do you LISTEN with compassion?




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E is for ENGAGE with empathy

Working with others requires a certain degree of empathy to assureengagement. Without engagement for the task, activity, or goal-at-hand, people

may work against each other. That is wasteful, both in time and productivity.

How often have you heard, We dont understand how to get this done. or

How am I supposed to get this done in so short a time?

Empathy requires putting yourself in the other persons place to gain greater

understanding and appreciation of obstacles.

Without it, engaging becomes demanding and that is never well-received.

A better leader engages others by building empathic relationships.




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Engage forms its own acronym. Here are more tips.

E

End monologues; share the stageN Nod in recognition; it encourages the speakerG Get over yourself; put yourself in their placeA Ask more questions to clarify; use open-ended ones to show empathyG Give the speaker your full, unbiased attentionE Energize the conversation with enthusiasmDo you ENGAGE with empathy?




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A is for ACT with respect

Sometimes we say things we dont mean or we say it in ways that are hurtful.Whether verbally or in writing, words matter.

If we remember that everything we say and how we say it affects others, and

ultimately ourselves, we raise our consciousness to be thoughtful and

intentional.

Think about your day and what your dinner conversation is like. Is it filled with

anecdotes of inspiring and rewarding stories about staff or supervisors? Or is it

spoiled with emotional stories and miserable feelings?

A better leader thinks and plans actions before interacting with others.




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ACT forms its own acronym. Here are more quick tips.

A

Answer questions with patience and caringC Choose words carefully; they can hurt or helpT Treat others with respect; courtesy matters in building trustDo you ACT with respect?




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D is for DARE to change

Its fairly apparent that to work smarter there needs to be some change. Ifeverything were perfect, wed never think twice about this. Yet human nature

guarantees that there will be plenty of opportunities for improvement.

Whether you are willing to change because of current frustrations or you are on

a learning trajectory to be your best, take the time to consider how you feel

about change. Are you for it or against it? If youre for it, you can be proactiveand influence it. If youre against it, youll find that things will change anyway.

Do you initiate change or do you let it happen to you?

Leaders influence the future in positive ways. Being open-minded is critical to

learning and growing.

A better leader willingly explores new ways to work smarter.




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DARE forms its own acronym. Here are more quick tips.

D Decide to learn and growA Adapt to new information and ideasR Refrain from being narrow-mindedE Expand thinking and make conscious choicesDo you DARE to change?




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Here, we have described the principles and behaviors that will improve your

communication and interpersonal skills.

LISTEN with compassion, ENGAGE with empathy,ACT with respect, and

DARE to change are four ways to be a better leader.

The choice is yours. Will you start today?

Feel free to print copies of the Journal (page 17). Place them on your desktop,

in your travel case for your commute home, or in your home office.

At the end of the day, use the L.E.A.D. Journal to reflect, learn, and grow.

In one month, re-take the pre-assessment on pages 12-13. Tell us how your

self-perception has changed. What did you learn? How did you grow?

We would love to learn from your examples.And then...




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Ask yourself:

Did I make a positive difference in my actions?

Did I help others to be better?

Did I contribute to building a better workplace?

Did I LEAD by:

Listening with compassion?

Engaging with empathy?

Acting with respect?

Daring to change?

Congratulations. You are on your way to a better tomorrow.

For tonight, have a great dinner conversation!




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THANK YOU!

We hope you enjoyed this ebookette as much as we enjoyed writing it for you.

Thank you for taking the time to read it. You are our inspiration.Now, we need to hear from you. What did you learn? What will you do

differently? How has this ebookette has helped you? Please...

Post a comment at www.anditsonlytuesday.com/ebookette Email us directly at [email protected] greatly appreciate your support for our efforts to help others. Share this with

others by having them go to: www.anditsonlytuesday.com/ebookette

Be like the Cypress Tree on the cover that grows despite the odds against it.

Find your path to success:

Know Yourself, Work Smarter, and be a Better LEADer.

Best regards

Helen and Diana


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Work Smarter, Be a Better Leader Ebookette