Tag: leadership

Professionalism #1: The Standard You Carry

Everyday Is an Interview

Professionalism isn’t a job title; it’s a daily decision. It’s how you speak when frustrated, how you prepare when no one reminds you, and how you follow through when no one’s watching. It’s the consistency behind your name.

Good habits are the quiet engines of professionalism. They provide the reps that make composure automatic and excellence repeatable. You don’t rise to the occasion, you rise to your level of consistent habits.

Professionalism shows up in the small things: being on time, finishing what you start, preparing for meetings, double-checking your work, and showing respect even when you disagree. Those small things build big reputations.

When people trust your consistency, they stop checking your work and start depending on you. That’s when opportunity grows because professionalism breeds credibility, and credibility breeds leadership.

Carry your standard like it’s part of your uniform. When your habits align with your values, professionalism becomes effortless.

“Your habits write your reputation. Professionalism is how you prepare when no one’s looking.”

#EverydayIsAnInterview #WWKDD #Professionalism #HabitsForSuccess #Leadership #Consistency #Discipline #JustBeBetter #IOwnTheMorning #StayStrongStayHealthy

#7 – Meetings

I am not a fan of unproductive meetings. The main culprits are unprepared participants. Attending or leading a meeting you did not prepare for is disrespectful to yourself and others. It is even worse when an unprepared attendee wastes everyone’s time participating in the meeting.

Don’t waste my time, don’t waste others time, don’t waste your time. Be prepared.

#Just Be Better

#Stay Healthy, Stay Strong

#Be Prepared

#iownthemorning

Be Prepared: The Expert

When someone asks me a question about my area of concentration, I expect to be able to give them a great answer. I pride myself on being the expert on my topics. When I cannot provide a great answer, it is because I am unprepared. I strive to be the expert in the room on my topic, and I work on this daily.

Preparation is the key to success. The more you prepare, the more you develop your expertise. Keep working so that others can rely on you as their expert on your topic.

#Just Be Better

#Stay Strong, Stay Healthy

 The point

I hate meetings that have no point. There are too many people who, by holding a meeting, are powerful. It is true that when someone calls a meeting that I am compelled to attend, the person has power over my time. However, I will only give them the power to use my time effectively. 

Meetings should be on-point and concise. The leaders should encourage discussion and debate but be focused enough to keep the discussions on point. I’ve seen too many meetings devolve because the leader is either reluctant to or fails to recognize this issue. It takes a creative participant to redirect the conversation.

Do not waste other people’s time. Come to a meeting prepared and ready to work. Expect your colleagues to do the same.

Just Be Better

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.

Don’t Waste Their Time

If I am doing my job, each charge should know the feedback they will receive at their annual evaluation meeting before it occurs. Through my actions and communications throughout the year, each employee should know what I expect from them, how I view their performance, and what changes they need to make. If I am doing my job well, my staff should never be surprised by the feedback they receive at their evaluation meeting. The meeting will digress and waste time if I do my job poorly.

Evaluations should be about growth. I want the feedback I give and receive to focus on changing behavior and improving performance. It’s the meeting that sets up our goals for the New Year.

Prepare and work to get what you want out of every meeting. Nothing less. Ensure your staff knows what you think of their performance and focus on the desired result you want them to achieve

Just Be Better

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.

Another Man of Character

I always considered HR departments to be the mysterious office space that those on the outside hardly know. As an administrator, I work closely with our HR Director to handle staffing issues. I also negotiate contracts with the HR director on behalf of my colleagues. However, I never get to see what goes on behind the scenes. 

I do not envy their job. Most of the time, HR Directors and their staff have to have difficult conversations with people and tell them that they cannot have what they want. Their functions are often surrounded by negativity, and few ever talk about how great their HR director is. 

Many years ago, when my wife and I had only one son, who was still in a stroller, we were shopping at Brooks Brothers. I never shop for clothes without my wife as she has a keen insight into what clothes will look good on me. While we were shopping, our district’s HR Director at the time was also shopping at Brooks Brothers. I was not in administration yet, and I had only met him briefly two or three times over two years. He came over to us, greeted both my wife and me by name, and knelt down to say hello to our two-year-old son. He got up, told us that we had a beautiful child, and said goodbye. I was touched that he took the time to say hello, that he knew our names, and that he told us what every parent wants to hear about their child. I hardly knew the man, even though he was a colleague. I would not have thought twice if he did not recognize us in public. We have over 400 employees in our district. He made a significant impression on me in that short interaction at Brooks Brothers.

Always treat others that you know with value and respect. The HR Director has retired and moved on to other adventures. He probably forgot about that day at Brook’s Brothers. The interaction he had with us has influenced me ever since. He is another man of character and one I genuinely admire.

Just Be Better.

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.