In this increasingly complex world we live in, it is easy to lose the heartbeat of what business is all about. If your day is peppered with talk of calibrating expectations, disruptive innovations, multi-scenario building, multi-tasking, holistic approaches, impact analysis, thinking outside the box, paradigm shifts, organizational transformation, streamlining, crystallization, derivatives, integrated marketing solutions, logistics, low hanging fruit, off-shoring, on-shoring, right-shoring, ROI, quick wins, bricks and clicks, convergence, netiquette, nextgen, sensorization, workflow… it is easy to forget what is at the heart of it all. Amidst this stream of noise, empowering leadership cuts through to focus on what really matters. These skills allow leaders to rise above the buzz (and buzzwords) to guide with clarity, purpose and commitment to the team’s success.

Connections Build Growth

“When you connect to the silence within you, that is when you can make sense of the disturbance going on around you.”

– Stephen Richards

To navigate the technologies, distractions, multiple agendas, and bring about meaningful results, leaders need to get quiet and connect to the truth:

• The market = the customer (people)
• Technology trends = emerging applications (people)
• Operational strength = team effectiveness (people)
• Opportunities = potential new markets (people) and partnerships (people)
• Sales = growth and focus (people)
• Marketing = consistent communication of your intent (people)
• Profitability = management of operational expense and sales (people)

Today’s leader must love and enjoy the constant dance of working with and through people to accomplish a powerful and meaningful vision and dream. The steps to the dance are always changing and to learn them the answer is always in “the people.”

It’s all About People

It is hard work to maintain the focus on the heart of business being people when there are so many complexities that support and take good leaders away from the simple truth. If the concept resonates for you, try the following practices to get back to center:

• Walk in nature
• In conversations, listen with the intent of understanding. Studies indicate that most people can recall only 50% of what they hear immediately after hearing it. As time passes, our ability to remember continues to drop. By the next day, our retention is usually down to about 25%. One way to combat this tendency is to make your goal in a conversation understanding rather than just remembering facts.
• Take 10 deep breaths. Ask yourself, “What is the next most important area I need to focus on to support the dream or the vision?”
• Practice a daily leadership reflection
• Remember that you are people too, and you need time away from the busyness and business.

Stay Centered,

Bobbie Goheen