When I was in 6th grade we watched some of the Watergate Hearings at school. I remember seeing the President breakdown, resign and say he was sorry on TV. I tried to understand why it was necessary to “cheat” – violate the law, ethics and integrity as a leader – to make sure he won. I was in 7th grade when Ford pardoned Nixon 35 years ago this week. I wondered why Nixon wasn’t held more accountable for his actions. Was this fair and just?

Why was there mixed support for our current president, Obama, to address school students this week? My daughter is starting 7th grade and I feel much better about Obama’s messages than Nixon’s.

Forget about political agendas. How powerful is it for a child to receive a message from someone who embodies what they are asking you to do? Blessed with exceptional oratory skills, Obama has a way of sharing his personal story in “kid currency” with examples of Harry Potter, Twitter, Facebook, and Celebrity status to inspire and deliver a balanced message. Here are the cliff notes:

[The story of America is people who don't quit when things get hard...Do not allow the circumstances of your life to be an excuse for not trying your best...your destiny is in your hands...being successful is hard work...you must be disciplined...ask for help, and learn from failures. I'm doing my part in trying to get you what you need for a good education but you must do your part.]

What parents doesn’t want their child to get this message? As we lag behind other developing nations in high school graduations, our children need good roles models who actively demonstrate this kind of encouragement.

We are a world struggling to unite amidst crisis – If not for yourself, then be hopeful and resilient for our next generation of leaders. How do you actively cultivate children – your own or others – to develop their talents and gifts?

Copyright 2009 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC            www.sagelead.com

Do I know Obama Personally? No. But “he” sent me an email.

He is the first President who has ever sent an email to me (and thousands of other people too!) to share his thoughts and feelings about a leader who has left the planet.  Getting a “personalized” email has a different feel than seeing him talk on TV or even You Tube news clips. This epitomizes the age we are in – one that allows for a different kind of relationship with our leaders – an informal and immediate direct communication from anywhere around the world at anytime – even if your the President and you’re on vacation. If you haven’t gotten with the program, it’s time.

In case, you didn’t get the email, here is it is:

Susan –

Michelle and I were heartbroken to learn this morning of the death of our dear friend, Senator Ted Kennedy.

For nearly five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well-being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts.

His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives — in seniors who know new dignity; in families that know new opportunity; in children who know education’s promise; and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just, including me.

In the United States Senate, I can think of no one who engendered greater respect or affection from members of both sides of the aisle. His seriousness of purpose was perpetually matched by humility, warmth and good cheer. He battled passionately on the Senate floor for the causes that he held dear, and yet still maintained warm friendships across party lines. And that’s one reason he became not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy.

I personally valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague. I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the Presidency. And even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness, I’ve benefited as President from his encouragement and wisdom.

His fight gave us the opportunity we were denied when his brothers John and Robert were taken from us: the blessing of time to say thank you and goodbye. The outpouring of love, gratitude and fond memories to which we’ve all borne witness is a testament to the way this singular figure in American history touched so many lives.

For America, he was a defender of a dream. For his family, he was a guardian. Our hearts and prayers go out to them today — to his wonderful wife, Vicki, his children Ted Jr., Patrick and Kara, his grandchildren and his extended family.

Today, our country mourns. We say goodbye to a friend and a true leader who challenged us all to live out our noblest values. And we give thanks for his memory, which inspires us still.

Sincerely,

President Barack Obama

Visibility.

…And its effects. Desired. And not Desired.

Because of unprecedented talent in his industry, Michael Jackson’s private life became fodder for the media, the public wanted to know more – like a feeding frenzy of a school of fish on a piece of meat.

Did problems in his private life cause spillage into his public life or did his public life and lack of privacy cause him personal problems? No one but Michael Jackson can answer this question. All we have are stories and interpretations. The media coverage goes on and probably will for years.

Once you assume a leadership position you have a certain visibility you didn’t before. Others now look to you and at you differently. You are now privy to certain information and others have a heightened sense of awareness of your every move – It’s like dating. Seemingly inconsquential things take on greater scrutiny by your audience. A senior vice president at a Fortune 50 company once told me he mentioned something in passing like, “wouldn’t it be nice if…” and then discovered weeks later he had unknowingly “kicked off” multiple streams of work to investigate this “what if,” setting back timelines on other key deliverables.

It becomes more important to consider the impact you want to have on your constituents and authentically manage yourself accordingly. Suddenly having lunch with your longtime friend Joe in the company cafeteria now spurs a different kind of conjecture about what Joe is working on with you.

Copyright 2009 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC   www.sagelead.com

Yes, there are statistics on how jobs are actually found. ..and you will get lots of opinions on this.

Many of you probably know that the number way jobs are obtained is through networking. If you are talking about a straightforward job search in this economy then we are talking upwards of 80-90% chance you’ll find your next job by networking – through someone you know or some who knows someone who knows someone you know.

If you are talking about a CAREER search – then that is another matter altogether. Career searches require some soul searching, informational interviews, and a clear assessment of your skills, experiences and interests.

With both, you need to get out there and TALK to people. Not just network on social media sites. These are best used for introductions and points of contact but they DO NOT replace HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS and FACE to FACE contact. Yes, we live in a virtual age but we are still humans.

Copyright 2009 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC  www.sagelead.com

Conscious leadership means you have a keen awareness about your strengths and development areas. You understand yourself and what drives you. You understand the people around you and the impact you have on them. It’s about controlling your thoughts and observations so you are intentional about how you leverage and manage your emotions. Authentic emotions are a necessary asset in business. They give you your connection to your employees and customers. Any emotional charge can be contagious. You want to make sure you are sharing ease vs. dis-ease.

This means capitalizing on the positive emotions – you know the ones that move and inspire people because you are energized and excited about a new product or client relationship. And it’s neutralizing the negative emotions so as to minimize any adverse impact. You know the ones where you react and get angry because one of your managers just told you the last order was misplaced and you have an irate customer.

It’s about keeping perspective amidst the very real pressure cooker of deadlines, deliverables and dollars. We all have our hot buttons – those things that hook us into forgetting that we are conscious, compassionate, competent and work well with people.

A number of years ago, one of my employees routinely did not proof and spell check reports that went to the President of the company. This is a seemingly simple thing – and it really irked me. I had to remind myself that few people make mistakes intentionally. I had to step back and manage my response in a way that allowed the individual to save face yet get clear feedback and direction for what needed to change. And I wrestled with how many chances  do I give someone who is earnestly trying but not getting it before I reassign or fire them?

It is as simple as understanding and managing yourself so you bring out your best self which invites others to apply their best selves to the task at hand. So why can it be so hard? What presses your buttons? How do you keep yourself in check? It absolutely requires that you are able to seek and listen to feedback and information that you may not want to hear. THIS is what you get paid for.

Copyright 2009 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC www.sagelead.com

I just finished reading Crazy For The Storm, a memior by Norman Ollestad. It is an incredible story about leadership, love and courage found by an 11-year old boy – the only survivor of a plane crash in which his father and father’s girlfriend were killed. He shows how dedicated focus can help you achieve your goals, in his case it meant life or death. I was riveted and read it in one sitting. It is also incredibly well-written as he explores his relationship with his father. Great father/son bond book.

We all have stories where we have had to face difficult challenges that give us inspiration and learnings to help us conquer other obstacles. Maybe your story hasn’t been as dramatic but it is important to know and embrace your story. This gives you information about what motivates you and where you can dig deep to find your strength and optimism when you need it.

Who has been an inspiration to you? Where have you been tested? What skills and personal traits helped you overcome your toughest challenges? How can you you call upon those resources today?

Copyright 2009 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC www.sagelead.com

The other day, I came across this term: “Managing Authenticity” and was quite perplexed by it. If you need to think about managing authenticity, then you are not being authentic! What would cause someone to have to “manage” who they really are?? Has our world become so “corporatized” that we have to manage our real self – our souls – to navigate our being accepted by those around us?

Even in a corporate environment, I say that, over-management doesn’t serve anyone – of course it doesn’t serve you but it also doesn’t ultimately serve the corporation. If you are putting up a front for what you think or feel about something and not being honest with yourself, your management or your employees, where will that ultimately get you?

Of course, there is always the tradeoff of managing the short and long-term wants and needs. Now if what is meant by “Managing Authenticity” is balancing the what with the hows, then I get that. In other words, it’s not so important WHAT you say as HOW you say it. So, it may not be such an issue THAT you have to bring up something uncomfortable or difficult but HOW you navigate the conversation. But if you don’t discuss something that is important to “who you really are” or “what you really think” then you aren’t being authentic. This kind of behavior can go on for years in our professional as well as personal relationships but ultimately no one wins this game. This kind of behavior has contributed to why we collectively are bailing ourselves out of a financial crisis.

So I stand in contradiction to myself – if “Managing Authenticity” is about learning the nuance of how to have the authentic conversations so you and the person in dialogue with you can stay engaged and full-on really hearing each other – then I am all for it! Navigate away.

Copyright 2009 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC www.sagelead.com

Yesterday a friend said to me, “Why does everything have to be about marketing today? What happened to focusing on relationships?” She made this comment in reference to a high school reunion we are planning on attending in July (year excluded:) ).

Being the daughter of a Madison Avenue sales executive, I have always cringed at anything that sounds too “salesy” or marketing-hyped. And yet I have learned that social media networks can give a leader or entrepreneur access and dialogue to their constituents in ways that has the POTENTIAL to create real dialogue, connectedness and relationship.

I propose if one is truly connected with their relationships - in life or business - then there should be a minimal need to “market or over-market.” We have lost sight of the original intent of marketing. Fundamentally it is about finding out what a customer needs, filling that need, and then letting them know that you have what they need. Often we confuse wants with needs. To meet our agenda for revenue, we try to force-fit our product or service and lead the customer to believe they need something they don’t actually need or want. 

Integrity is compromised. The customer may question – “are they really out to serve my best interests or to make a buck?” A great litmus test is – have you ever told a customer that you don’t have what they need or directed them to a colleague or a competitor? This is the sage leader at work, exercising wisdom and strength when the short-term pressures are great in the current climate. This choice places the long-term relationship view over the short-term pressures.

Yet reality hits – with increased competition and fewer spending dollars how do you get heard and noticed above the crowd? How do you leverage social media for business purposes – to stay connected and informed with your constituents versus using them in ways that others may view as violating to their sense of “right” relationships? I say it starts and ends with intent of purpose, being transparent and clear about a genuine desire to SERVE vs. get. When relationships become all about marketing then there are problems in the relationship. When marketing is about developing relationships of service both parties can benefit enormously. The key is keeping reciprocity in mind: ensuring that those who have a need have access to you and you can hear them as well. What do you think?

Copyright 2009 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC www.sagelead.com