Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

OCTOBER 13, 2014

'In a recent Huffington Post article, Ford Motor Company chairman Bill Ford and former Google.org director Larry Brilliant are described as business leaders who advocate mindfulness. The article then goes on to list ten executives who meditate regularly. It’s easy to assume mindfulness and meditation are the same. A recent Forbes article describes other activities being taught in the workplace, such as spending 5 minutes each day doing nothing and taking time out for reflective reading.

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Class Article Execution Productivity 251

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

FEBRUARY 10, 2014

'Guest Post by Peggy Holman Like a great wave, cultural stories carry us along, creating a coherent view of our world. For example, the phrase the “American Dream” evokes a story that has inspired generations to believe that no matter who they are, by working hard, they have the opportunity to succeed. When such a narrative peaks and starts to decline, no longer living up to its promise, a new wave of possibilities begins to churn.

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Organization System Examples Leadership 248

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

SEPTEMBER 8, 2014

'Guest Post by Ted Coiné, Co-author A World Gone Social. What used to seem very good leadership practices in the Industrial Age was good, or at least efficient. But the Industrial Age is over. And it’s not coming back. It’s the Social Age now, and it will be for quite some time to come. New age, New rules. We humans are social down to our very core – it’s not just what we do, it’s what we are.

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Letter Efficiency Industry Tips 245

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

SEPTEMBER 23, 2014

'Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone thanked you at the end of the meeting and told you how glad they were to have been there? How likely is that to happen? A recent study found that for the second year in a row, workers reported meetings as “the biggest distraction and waste of time presented by the workplace.” Did you know that time spent in meetings has skyrocketed?

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Seminar Report Review Team 243

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

JANUARY 14, 2014

'Walk into a business planning meeting, visit a customer, look at a forecast and all we see is uncertainty on the horizon these days. Coupled with unpredictability, the sheer complexity of global business and the speed of it all, and it feels like we’re living in chaos. Trying to figure out which way to go, it’s easy to get lost in overanalyzing everything and end up feeling stuck, overwhelmed and unable to move forward.

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Leadership Uncertainty Globalization Resources 243

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

NOVEMBER 25, 2014

'If you are tired of “us vs. them” attitudes… if you are feeling frustrated or hopeless about those who don’t agree with your views… if you are concerned about the polarization in this world today… if you are waiting for leadership that unites instead of divides…. … the best place to start is by taking responsibility for yourself. Polarization is Self-Reinforcing.

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Leadership Information 239

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

AUGUST 20, 2014

'When you agree on your team values, you increase trust and create a language for working together most effectively. Values are deeply held beliefs about what is right and good and evoke standards that you care deeply about. They drive your behaviors and decisions. Most often your values influence your behavior unconsciously. High performance teams are clear about their values and consciously make decisions based on them.

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Team How To Influence Organization 238

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

APRIL 23, 2014

'What makes a high performance team? The characteristics are described in The 6 Benchmarks of High Performance Teams. But what can you do as a team member to help your team achieve these benchmarks? There are 12 team behaviors that directly affect the quality of your team’s results, the ability to make smart decisions and the commitment to implement them.

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Team Benchmarking Teamwork Participative 238

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

FEBRUARY 26, 2014

'Your character is your greatest source of influence, no matter what your role or position. Your character is the expression of who you are. And influential character is built on a foundation of integrity. I have never facilitated the process of identifying values where some form of integrity didn’t end at the top of the list. Why? Because integrity sets the stage – it is the commitment to consistently act on your values.

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Influence Commitment Process Positioning 238

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

JUNE 9, 2014

'During a break in the meeting, Dan pulled me aside and whispered, “No more ‘p’ words, please.”. “What are ‘p’ words?” I asked. “You know,” he replied, “Words like process, perspective and paradigm.”. Dan is results-driven. There were way too many “p” words in this meeting for his comfort … planning … process … people … participation. At one time or another, many of us have felt like Dan – that it is so much easier to do the work than take the time to involve others in the process of

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Process Leadership Participative Planning 237

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

NOVEMBER 13, 2014

'Last week I had the honor and pleasure of co-chairing the Berrett-Koehler Authors Cooperative annual retreat, attended by over 70 people – ranging in age from 25 to 83, and enriched with authors from Slovenia, Singapore and Australia. Each year I look forward to this retreat where I gather with fellow authors and community members to exchange ideas, connect around issues, and deepen friendships.

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Delegation Cooper Participative Commitment 236

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

OCTOBER 20, 2014

'I am honored to host this guest post by Marcia Reynolds, author of the new bestseller The Discomfort Zone: Mastering the Art of Turning Difficult Conversations into Breakthroughs, and to offer the opportunity to win a free copy of her book. Leave a comment and winners will be randomly drawn on October 24th. As a leader, there will be times when the people you lead or coach get stuck when dealing with difficult decisions and relationship issues.

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Books Leadership 235

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

DECEMBER 3, 2014

'The secret to greatness lies in the small actions we each take every day. Although we won’t all be recognized by history, each of us is capable of achieving greatness through our everyday actions. Most of the good in the world is built on the accumulated efforts of ordinary people doing small things in a great way. 7 Keys to Greatness. Be clear that your actions serve a higher purpose, and are not simply self-serving.

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Learning-by-Doing Leadership 235

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

DECEMBER 8, 2014

'Why are so few companies values-driven? Even when they start down that path, why do they wind up dead-ended? A 2012 study shows “employees want their organizations to display honesty and integrity in business activities,” and “when leaders behave consistently with the core values, they earn employees’ trust and confidence.” More so, it makes good business sense – research shows high-trust companies significantly outperform those that aren’t in the marketplace

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Company Organization Leadership 233

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

'Organizations need people who know what they’re doing, where they’re going, and have the skills to get there. We call that “talent.” It’s frustrating to try leading an organization without the right talent. You spend a lot of time spinning your wheels. Unfortunately, there’s a common misbelief that the best way to get talent is by “stack ranking,” and then weeding out the bottom 10% of your workforce to make room to add talent.

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Welch Collins Development Skills 230

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

MAY 7, 2014

'“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” – This popular quote is attributed to Peter Drucker. But what does it really mean? Do you muscle your way into the future, constructing your life as though it’s a project? If you try to do that, you’ll be disappointed. The real meaning behind this statement is that we need to assume responsibility for our lives and the future we want to impact.

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Drucker Construction Project Leadership 230

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

FEBRUARY 3, 2014

'Where Do You Sit On the Scale? Do you over-delegate? Are you a control freak? Do you delegate too much? Are you an absentee manager? Are you erratic in doing both? Are you a seagull manager? If you under-delegate, you will eventually become over-worked and stressed. Everyone is dependent on you, and you’re the only one staying awake at night thinking of solutions.

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Delegation Absenteeism Stress Quality 228

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

APRIL 28, 2014

'As more organizations are becoming flatter, the looming question is whether it’s possible to “do more with less” or whether it’s necessary to rethink the distribution of power and control as described by Peter Drucker, Peter Block and Gary Hamel among others. Emergent Leadership Topples the Pyramid shows why a non-hierarchical view of leadership makes the most sense in today’s complex world.

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Organization Hamel Succession Drucker 227

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

AUGUST 12, 2014

'Do you wish senior leaders would make some changes in your organization? Instead of waiting and wishing for someone from above to provide leadership, you can make a significant impact no matter what your role is. According to Steven Covey said, “Most people think of leadership as a position and therefore dont see themselves as leaders.” The assumption that organizational change has to start at the top is wrong.

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Senge Covey Process Planning 226

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

JUNE 25, 2014

'Just because technology makes it possible to be always available, doesn’t mean you should be. There’s tremendous pressure on us to be “always on.” But it’s not healthy, and in the long run you will be less productive. Even if you understand this, it can be hard to resist the pressure unless you make intentional decisions to create “off time.”. Here are 7 habits that can help. 1.

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Resistance Technology Productivity Products 224

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

MAY 19, 2014

'Victor’s team had recently delivered a couple of large projects, and he was pleased with their performance. But there was feedback that they were feeling burned out, and two people had recently requested transfers. When I suggested creating a Team Charter, he told me, “Planning is fine, but I’m all about action. I’d rather see people take action and feel ownership than set up a bunch of rules that slow things down.”.

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Team Project Planning Succession 223

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

MARCH 4, 2014

'The Internet has opened the door for cross-cultural communication. Where the United States was once isolated because of its size and location, you can now easily communicate with people in other countries, for work or networking, without having to leave home. If you work for a global company, your team might be located in the United States, Germany and India, but you can easily communicate via email and can have face-to-face team meetings through video-conference.

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Tips Conference Video Globalization 221

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

SEPTEMBER 4, 2014

'We moved from New England to the San Francisco Bay Area in the end of July. Three weeks later, I was awakened in the middle of the night by the largest earthquake in 25 years. It felt like the house was right next to a train track and a train was going by. The vibration lasted about a minute and then stopped as suddenly as it had started. No one else in my house stirred, not even the dog.

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Media Training Leadership 219

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

MARCH 17, 2014

'Does your team share a real vision? Is everyone on your team moving in the same direction toward a shared vision? Does your vision really make a difference? Answer these 10 questions to find out. First rate each of the questions on a 1 – 5 scale. Then total your responses to find your score. Look below the questions to find out what your score means and some ideas for what you can do to help your team.

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Team Motivation Strategy Leadership 220

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

OCTOBER 28, 2014

'Mark was upbeat at the end of his first day at his new job as a programmer for a small tech company. He was shown around, introduced to his coworkers, and given a desk and a computer. He had spent most of the day alone and settling in, which was fine with him. A few days later, he wasn’t so upbeat. He had been given an interesting assignment, but he wasn’t sure how it fit with the overall project, and he wasn’t sure how to do some of the work.

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Tips Project Organization Leadership 216

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

OCTOBER 7, 2014

'You’re clear about where you want to go. You made your plans. You’ve started on your journey. Maybe you landed your dream job, or found your soulmate, or have a vision for how you can make a difference in the world. So now, you simply need to focus on execution – on implementing your plans. Right? Wrong! Sadly, it’s not uncommon that at some point in the future, you might take stock and wonder how you ended up where you are.

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Course Crisis Planning Execution 216

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

JULY 30, 2014

'This is the last week as the Executive Director of the Berrett-Koehler Foundation. My involvement began two years ago when Steve Piersanti, president of Berrett-Koehler Publishers, asked me to help create a new organization that would further their mission in a way beyond what a publishing company could do. I began by facilitating a design team. After research and serious consideration, we determined the focus would be to support the next generation of leaders in putting into practice the syste

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Execution Leadership Tools Strategy 216

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

AUGUST 4, 2014

'Guest Post by Dick Axelrod. Are meetings in your organization places where productivity goes to die? If you answered yes, you are not alone. There are 11 million meetings a day in the U.S. alone. Half are ineffective. The problem with most meetings is that meeting leaders and participants do not think of them as places to do productive work. An efficiency mindset prevails.

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Video Efficiency Participative Productivity 212

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

APRIL 14, 2014

'“Bad news isn’t wine. It doesn’t improve with age.” –Colin Powell. One of hardest tasks in management is how to give your boss bad news. After all, you want to show you’ve got everything under control, are making the right decisions, and are executing flawlessly. As a leader, you want to shine the best light on your team—it’s hard when that light reveals a big mistake.

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How To Execution Team Leadership 209

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

DECEMBER 29, 2014

'I have come to look forward to my annual end of the year review of my blog. It’s an opportunity to take my own advice and reflect on the big picture before I jump into the new year. It always provides some insights and some surprises. The past two years, I have written my review sitting in a cozy chair by a fire in my New England home. Although this year I am in a new home in California, here I sit again by a fire.

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Review Blog Advice Report 207

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

JANUARY 7, 2014

'If you are tired of “trickle-down” change, consider using a collaborative change process where a large slice of your organization comes together for real conversation and to make decisions about your collective future in real-time. This kind of high-involvement process was used by Southern New England Telephone to prepare for deregulation and the emergence of competition.

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Hotels Process Power Organization 205

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

JULY 15, 2014

'Guest Post by Dan Rockwell @LeadershipFreak (Jedi Master of leadership lessons in less than 300 words). I thought vision casting was about me. Jesse Lyn Stoner taught me that vision is about us. I used to craft the vision and spring it on my team. I’d declare, “Here’s where we’re going.”. It’s the only model I ever saw. Casting vision as a solo act reflects top-down, disconnected leadership.

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Leadership Team 200

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

MARCH 10, 2014

'Guest Post by Rebel Brown Whether you’re a small business owner or an executive of a large corporation, you are leading humans and their minds. The two are inseparable. Did you know that the words man and mind come from the same Sanskrit root? The sum of our individual selves is housed within our mindware, the programs we’ve created throughout our life’s learning and experiences.

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Leadership Motivation Strategy Execution 197

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

JULY 2, 2014

'I was delighted to catch up with Jake Jacobs, the creator of Real Time Strategic Change (RTSC), the approach that brings hundreds of people together to make collaborative decisions about their organization in real time, which I described in Try Collaborative Change for a Change. I had an opportunity to ask Jake about how change has changed since he first developed RTSC.

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Books Organization Leadership Development 193

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

DECEMBER 15, 2014

'I had the pleasure of interviewing Scott Eblin, one of my favorite leadership experts, about mindfulness – the focus of his excellent new book Overworked and Overwhelmed: The Mindfulness Alternative. Mindfulness is getting a lot of attention these days. A number of Fortune 500 companies, including Google, AOL, Apple and Aetna, now offer mindfulness classes for employees.

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Class Review Books Blog 191

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

FEBRUARY 20, 2014

'Guest Post by Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans Celebrating the release of the 5th edition of the bestseller Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em: Getting Good People to Stay by Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans, which provides twenty-six strategies to keep talented employees happy and productive. In addition to updating and revising all information for the fifth edition, the authors have included more international stories and statistics.

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Incentives Strategy Career System 191

Jesse Lyn Stoner Blog

JUNE 2, 2014

'I had the honor of being invited to guest host the India HR Twitter Chat this past week, with two of my favorite leadership experts Tanmay Vora and Tanvi Guatam. The #IndiaHRChat is attended by many experienced business leaders and HR professionals who tackle meaty issues around leadership. The topic for this Chat was “Emergent Leadership.”. In the Chat Preview, the Chat questions were listed and articles for pre-reading, including First Fire All the Managers by Gary Hamel and Emergent Leadersh

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Hamel Leadership Organization Article 175