Let’s examine our own decision making in the workplace. We are faced with multiple challenges everyday that require judgment, wisdom, and fairness. Nothing is ever simple and easy, and almost nothing is ever exactly as it seems. So often, the heart of the issue is only partially visible as if we are viewing through a fog. Some of us may find ourselves vacillating, incapable of rendering a verdict that we are comfortable with. The passionate leader whose integrity is ingrained makes the decision based on the leadership values you have defined – simple principles of right and wrong. Sometimes the most complex issues can be sorted out simply by asking yourself: “What is the right thing to do here?” Once you answer that question in private, you can then begin to formulate your answer for public consumption and devise a working plan to facilitate that decision.

Personal and professional integrity can be thought of as the guardrails on the road of life. As long as you stay the course, operate between the guardrails, and can sleep well at night, you are most likely making most of your decisions with integrity. We do occasionally lose our way and get on the wrong track, but the single most important thing to do if you get lost, is to retrace your tracks and get back on the correct road. Reflect on your leadership values and identify what’s missing or where have you not been acting in alignment with your values. Short cuts are not recommended here.

One final thought about making decisions with integrity concerns the expected outcome. Certainly, it is imperative to consider the consequences of any decision before making it public. But the consideration must be given based on who it impacts, what the impact is, and how this decision will be perceived in the public forum. The least concern should be how it reflects on the decision-maker. Katharine Graham made decisions about what to publish in the Washington Post based on her readership, how badly they needed to know, and what the consequence would be if that information were kept secret. She did not make those decisions based on how it would shape her legacy.

As each of us is faced with a similar predicament, let’s hope that we make our decisions based on the simple concepts of right and wrong, rather than if we think we will look good wearing it.

“Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not.” – Oprah Winfrey

Here I am in beautiful Breckenridge, Colorado. The sun has been shining, the mountains are in the background and I am surrounded by good people. What’s not to like.

It is always fun (and more than necessary) to get out of the ordinary day to day operations. I find it very refreshing to get out of my normal environment – it stretches me to change a routine, to observe things in new places and have conversations with new people.

A little downtime now and again can really rejuvenate me. I can use some quiet time to think – no tv, minimal cell phone conversations and little computer work. It makes for my mind to settle.

The place I am at is called the Entreprenuer’s Retreat. A place for entreprenuers to come and share their ideas and gain new insights. Here is a picture of me out on the deck of this peaceful setting with those Rockie Mountains in the background.

Plan a little downtime for yourself and see how rejuvenated you can feel.

The election is over. Hooray! The language of political elections, mostly the rhetoric and the constant slams of the opponent, drives me crazy. Negativity is something I avidly try to avoid.

Now, however, our nation plans for change. Our first Black American President – a historic moment many thought was years off and now is a reality. With each newly elected President there is a new level of anticipation. President-elect Obama will now be selecting his team; reaffirming goals and setting milestones for execution of his plan. He has a little over 2 months for further preparation. I can only imagine the action list and delegation activities he will oversee.

My hope for him, as with any new executive, is that he:
1) selects his team well, finding the value in diversity of opinions and styles;
2) sets the expectations for their performance and communicates these expectations for clear understanding;
3) shares an inspiring and motivating vision for all to align; and
4) is clear about his values and knows how to stay grounded as the challanges of our times will demand much of him.

So many naysayers, so much negativity – with the political election campaigns and the uncertainty caused by the recession – it is easy to find yourself dwelling or drowning in all the negativity.

The worry grows from so many questions:
Who will lead our country, the good ole’ USA – can we regain our power?
Who is leading our financial institutions – can we trust our banks, stocks?

To the really personal questions:
What is my company’s management doing – will I have a job?
What do I need to survive – do I have enough savings?
When I am drowning with more work and fewer employees – how do I stay ahead of the game?

Day after day, I speak with employees and managers both who feel the burden of uncertainty and speak of being in a vicious circle, feeling out of control.

I recall the turmoil of feelings I experienced when I thought I was going to lose my job – it was awful! The letter came one day to my office. One of the owners of the company was unhappy with the actions I had taken in pursuing new business and stated in this letter that I was insubordinate and could lose my job as President. Several years ago now but the economy was almost as bad as today.

Wow, what do you do?

Cry, yell, scream, quit, bury my head and hope it is all a bad dream. . .

It was very difficult not to dwell in the negativity; it was hard to pull myself out of a funk and take action, seek support.

It was this very event that caused me to make a critical decision and take ownership of my career. I had to move on; I had to have a plan; I had to contribute in a way that others would value…

Let me assure you, there is a way out of all the negativity! You can get your life back and gain momentum once again.

Please I urge you to click on the link below and take a moment to learn
How To Lead With Greater Ease and Confidence

Let’s move beyond the negativity together,
Susan

Every day, we all face moral and ethical dilemmas. These dilemmas may be as small as making it to work on time or as significant as keeping confidences shared in the workplace. The passionate leaders, because of their deeply ingrained values, default to decisions made with integrity. These decisions are rendered quickly and effectively because their moral and ethical compass points the way.

Passionate leaders live their lives with dignity and integrity. That translates into their professional lives seamlessly and effortlessly. It is not how they behave. It is not what they practice. It is who they are.

When asked about the role of the print media in modern American, Katharine Graham responded, “We are not here to be popular. We are here to be respected and above all, to be believed.” With Graham at the helm, the Washington Post was respected and believed and served as American’s moral compass during the turbulent post-Vietnam era. Graham firmly believed the coverage provided by her newspaper should not be influenced by government nor intimidated by bureaucracy. The Washington Post was a bastion of journalistic integrity and set the bar for their competitors. Katharine Graham was a passionate leader whose personal integrity dictated her professional decisions as well.

Learn more about Katherine Graham

We are probably all aware of some very small breakdowns that eventually lead to a monumental collapse. We may have even committed one or two small mistakes of our own at work that resulted in huge failures. We are made aware of small mistakes in the workplace in a misguided attempt to combat imperfections and failures. The downside of managing to avoid mistakes is that it is a lot like playing NOT to lose. Rather than forging ahead and nurturing greatness, we tend to focus on flying under the radar, grateful that we made it through another day without anyone mentioning our name in conjunction with some pending disaster. A passionate leader recognizes how stifling and uninspiring this can be and discourages dwelling on mistakes. A passionate leader cultivates inventiveness and assertiveness, and delights in acknowledging achievements.

Can you name the last time you created a significant celebration over a fairly insignificant achievement? This doesn’t happen in the workplace very often, if ever. But the passionate leader recognizes two things. First, focusing on victories, whether large or small, impassions and empowers the team and its players. It fosters joie de vivre and encourages creativity. The ability to work without the encumbrances of potential failure is liberating!

Secondly, the passionate leader appreciates the value of public recognition for direct reports. Public acclaim for seemingly unimportant tasks lets your direct reports know how much you understand the minutiae of their job, and it announces to the entire company that you have a talented and effective department. Your direct reports will welcome and respond favorably to this opportunity for them to distinguish themselves from the crowd.

Celebrate small victories!
We all can get caught up in the daily tasks – the daily challenges and forget how far we have come. I love taking a few moments each month to see how I am doing. I look to see if we satisfied the customer, reached a milestone in a project or learned something new. I do not need much to celebrate! A toast to a job well done with the click of two coffee mugs, a bit of chocolate to share, a thank you note to a team…take the time this month to celebrate the small victories!

Two weeks ago tonight, I met a new friend, Anne Fleming. Anne is the founder of Women-Drivers.com
a resource dedicated to providing women drivers with valuable information to assist them in purchasing a vehicle. She wants to revolutionize the experience women have at dealerships and is collecting information on womens’ satisfaction and women-friendly dealerships.

I asked Anne how from a background in market research, retailing and product management and marketing, she found herself in the Automotive space. She shared that when she had purchased a new car herself, she without realizing it, had “given her power away.” Just as this simple comment made me say sit straighter and wonder how many times have I done this, it inspired Anne into action.

How many other women were giving their power away, their negotiating power, by not having enough information to be prepared or to select the people they would like to do business with? A new idea born! Anne with her background in retail and market research set off on a new endeavor put her knowledge and skills to great use creating Women-Drivers.com

I encourage you to visit Anne’s webpage, peruse the valuable information, share your dealership experiences and checkout the personality test. It is fun – I am a Bold Babe. What are you?

The response to the Leadership survey was tremendous. I have been reading through all your comments and organizing the data. When ranking your interest in these four topics, the responses of  “most interested to least interested” were as follows:

1. Personal Development – self improvement, training, workshops
2. Work/Life Balance – demands of family/personal needs versus your job
3. Career Advancement – transfers, promotions, lateral moves
4. Career Change – changing jobs or fields, losing your job

Other topics you told me you are interested in included:

“Spiritual development”, “Running my own small business”, “Bringing out the best
from a work colleague”, “Selling skills”, “Management of ethics”… to state just a few.

Sounds like we are going to have alot to talk about over the next few months 🙂

More to come on the Leadership Survey Results…

If you are wondering how Madeleine Albright feels about the Bush administration and our place in the current global setting, just pick up a copy of her latest book, Memo to the President Elect: How We Can Restore America’s Reputation and Leadership.  Former Secretary Albright speaks forcefully and authoritatively in her new book, directed at whomever we vote into the presidency later this year. 

In addition to delivering a scathing critique of the current administration, Albright gives a few insights into her own rise to power.  But her greatest contribution comes via the insights she offers based on her years of international service. She shares her lessons learned as an executive leader in world affairs.  The knowledge and experience gained as our Secretary of State for President Bill Clinton, as well as her tenure at the UN serve her well as she dissects global politics.   This book serves as a primer for those who are aware of our role in international politics but can’t seem to tie together all the loose ends.  Albright is a great teacher, but an even better patriot.   She implores our next president to act with intelligence, compassion and authority to return the United States to our rightful position as a global leader.

I truly enjoyed reading this book! Claim your own copy here – Memo to the President Elect

And if you would love to read more about Ms. Albright, visit the World Leaders Biography I wrote – Madeleine Albright

Thank you to all of you who responded to last week’s leadership survey. The response has been amazing!

Your insights and sharing of information was great. I am really looking forward to sharing the results with you in my upcoming teleclasses. You have given me great ideas on what I can focus on to continue to provide you with valuable information for achieving your leadership goals!

For those of you who have not taken the survey, here’s your last chance. The survey will be closed this today August 27, 2008. Please take a few moments to complete the survey found at the link below. It is made up of 10 simple questions.

There is a special FREE BONUS for you upon completing this survey. Complete the survey and you will be immediately directed to the website where you will receive your FREE BONUS!

Click here for the Leadership Survey-
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=axTlevLnTF1SavijZ9VT3g_3d_3d