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How Do You Compliment and Recognize Introverted Personalities?

April 19, 2015 By

Last week, I shared with you my embarrassing experience of finding out that I did not know as much about motivating people as I thought I did. So what does work and with whom does it work best?

COREMAP(tm) teaches us that introverted personalities, Organizers and Relaters, respond best to specific types of recognition …

  • Organizer personalities prefer private forms of recognition. They are much more comfortable with a quiet side conversation that acknowledges their achievement; and, because they are very detail oriented, they value the compliments and recognition when they are very specific. Example: working with a counselor that we’ll call Lisa, it was always a pleasure to see her when she arrived at work and I wanted to let her know that. I could have told her, “it sure is great to see you every morning”. It would have conveyed the essence of the compliment. Instead, one morning when she was the first to arrive, I went to her desk and said, “I sure am glad to see you in the mornings. You always have a smile on your face and your whole attitude conveys that you’re excited about what you do. You make it a great day for everyone you talk to”. How do you think Lisa responded? If you guessed that she perked up, smiled, and said thank you, you’re partially right. She also made it a point to be the first to arrive each day thereafter and greet each of her co-workers with a smile.
  • Relater personalities, those people who are all about building relationships and helping everyone get along, prefer recognition that provides an act of service or quality time. Sales rep Joe was a Relater personality and his desire to do what was best for both his customer and the sales team he was part of was a key reason that he was a top sales person. Wanting to recognize Joe’s contributions, the account manager, Alex, went to him at the end of the day and told him simply that he was going to buy Joe’s lunch the next day. They ordered sandwiches and spent the lunch hour talking about Joe’s participation in a little theater company and the role he was going to play in its current production. Needless to say, Joe was thrilled by the lunch and the conversation … in fact, he did not realize that Alex knew anything about his activities outside of the workplace.

Great Leaders take the time to get to know the members of the team that they are privileged to lead. They take the time to determine what is important to each team member and they convey their appreciation in ways that are most valued by each individual. Have you worked with a Great Leader who took time to really find out what was important to you? Click “Comment” and share that experience. – OR – Click “Comment” and share how you like to be recognized for something well done.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com

Filed Under: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, How personality type impacts leadership, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , ,

When It Comes to Compliments, “One Size Fits All” Fits No One

April 12, 2015 By

Newly promoted into sales management, I was given the opportunity to attend management training classes. Of course, being young and full of myself, my thought process was, “what do I need training classes for … I know how to motivate people”. Fortunately, the trainer (his name was John) at one of the first classes I attended volunteered me to role play a situation with him where it was my job to recognize his achievements and compliment him.

After John had set the scene, he sat down in my seat in the meeting room and told me to begin the exercise. I announced that I had a plaque to present him and called him to the front of the room. He quietly told me that he had a wall full of plaques, more than he could count, and that they really did not excite him. He’d rather not get another plaque.

I asked him to come up anyway so that I could tell everyone about his accomplishments. He quietly told me that he was really a shy person who felt it was his job to do the best he could and being glorified in front of people really made him uncomfortable.

At this point, John let me off the hook and told me that not everyone likes to receive recognition in the same manner; and, that not everyone wanted to receive that recognition in the same way that I obviously liked. That experience of standing in front of a roomful of my peers and learning that I did not know everything started me on a quest to learn all that I could about what motivates people and how they want to be recognized for their achievements because John was right … different personality types have very different preferences when it comes to recognition and compliments.

Are you curious to know how different personalities want to be recognized? Next week, we’ll take a look at what works well with introverted personalities.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com

Filed Under: Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, How personality type impacts leadership, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , ,

Just Enough or A Little Bit More?

April 5, 2015 By

How many times have we heard someone use the phrase, “it’s good enough”? How many times have we used that phrase ourselves?

Great Leaders know that “good enough” is never good enough. They know that excellence requires that each of us do just a little more. For example …

  • The average sales representative who is making cold calls quits when he/she decides that they’ve called enough. The sales rep who is driven to succeed and be a leader makes the same number of calls and a few more.
  • The average athlete performs the required workouts and then quits for the day having done enough. The athlete who is determined to become a champion performs all of the required workouts and then invests additional time working in areas where he/she knows that improvement is needed to excel.
  • The average author and editor review the proof of a new book and find a few minor mistakes but decide to publish it anyone assuming that it is “good enough”; that no one will notice. The author and editor who will be superstars insist that the errors be corrected because they noticed and know that true professionals have a responsibility to their readers to put forth their very best efforts.

Great Leaders do not accept “average” or “good enough” from themselves or their teams. They have the drive and the determination to ensure that their customers all receive the very best product that can be delivered; and, that team members receive the very best guidance, assistance, and leadership that the Great Leader can provide … they give it everything they’ve got and a little bit more.

Click “Comment” to share your experiences when you had the good fortune to work with a Great Leader who gave his/her all + a little bit more.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com

Filed Under: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , ,

“I’m Not Your Friend … I’m Your Boss”

March 29, 2015 By

While watching a movie the other evening, I heard one character shout this line to another character. It got me thinking … can a leader be a friend to team members; or, must there be a line separating the leader from the team?

To answer this question, let me begin by repeating something that those who regularly follow this blog already know … there is a significant difference between being a leader and being a boss. As my first agency manager, Ray, always reminded us, “A boss is just a Double SOB spelled backwards.” Bosses are typically authoritarian figures who often demonstrate the negative traits of whatever their dominant personality type might be.

  • Bossy, controlling, argumentative, overly aggressive, insensitivity, thoughtless.
  • Suspicious, uncompromising, constantly on guard, accusatory, distrustful.
  • Easily hurt by criticism, feelings of helplessness, poor coping skills.
  • Excessively emotional, overly dramatic, whining, loud, boisterous, scattered and hyperactive, self-centered.

Great Leaders recognize that there is room for friendship but also recognize where they may act less as a friend and more as a leader.

  • Because they are the leader, they must sometimes deliver bad news; but, they do so in a manner that communicates the importance of the message while avoiding belittling any person or delivering the message in a demeaning way.
  • Because they are the leader, they must sometimes take corrective actions; but, they do so in ways that honor the good intent of the follower even when the action was unsatisfactory or inappropriate.
  • Because they are the leader, they must make hard decisions; but, they make those decisions with an effort to deliver the most positive outcomes for the team.

Can a leader be a friend and a leader? I believe the answer is yes so long as all parties recognize and acknowledge that there will be times when the Great Leader must act less like a friend and more like a leader.

Have you had the experience of working with a leader that you also considered a friend? Share your experience, where things went well and times when the friendship was tested, by clicking on “Comment”.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com

Filed Under: Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , ,

What Is the Key to Successful Leadership?

March 22, 2015 By

Have you ever heard someone tell another person to just “tell ’em what to do … they’ve got to do what you say … you’re the boss”? Of course, we have all heard a statement that, while it may not contain those exact words, certainly relies on the concept of a job title for its authority. Leaders who rely on their job title for their authority are, at best, mediocre leaders. They are relying on what is often referred to as “position power”.

Great Leaders, on the other hand, rely on what is known as “personal power”. This is the influence that they have on others; the authority that they derive from their followers, the people who have recognized traits or characteristics that they have chosen to ally themselves with and to willingly follow. These include …

  • Professional expertise – this is simply the recognition of a level of knowledge that surpasses the norm.
  • Business acumen – the leader has established a reputation for making the right decisions at the right times.
  • Experience – while very few can truly say that they’ve seen it all, experience is a vital component of personal power. Past experiences can help leaders make better decisions, pursuing paths that lead to success while avoiding actions that, in the past, have created more problems than they have solved.
  • Personal loyalty – the leader has demonstrated loyalty to team members, supporting them in their times of need; accepting responsibility when outcomes have not met expectations while deflecting blame away from the team; crediting the team for successes.

Great Leaders understand that they can have a tremendous influence on outcomes, not by issuing orders but by offering suggestions; by asking questions that lead team members to the answers that they seek; by guiding inquiries and actions.

Click “Comment” and share your experiences working with a Great Leader who influenced you and helped you grow personally and/or professionally.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com

Filed Under: Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Lead from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , ,

Do Great Leaders Rely on Facts or Trust Their Intuition?

March 15, 2015 By

Last week, we looked at the decision making process of the Organizer personality who is a sensing, logical, thinker who relies on facts, figures, data … things that can be seen, touched, felt, and studied when making decisions. This week, we will contrast this with the decision making process of a Commander personality.

COREMAP(tm) teaches us that the Commander personality is an intuitive, thinking, logical, decision maker who is quite comfortable relying on his/her “gut feelings” when making decisions. In fact, even when presented with facts, figures, and demographics in support of a specific course of action, the Commander personality will often counter with the statement that, “while the facts and figures may say that we should do A, my gut tells me that we should do B. I’m going with my gut on this”. To the Organizer personality, this tendency to rely on intuition and “gut feelings” is uncomfortable and feels irrational.

However, this willingness to trust “gut feelings” empowers the Commander personality to be decisive and provides both the confidence and the willingness to take the lead and accept the responsibilities of leadership in order to ensure that the desired outcome is reached. Their decisiveness and confidence will frequently command the respect of others; but, it can also intimidate the less confident and the more introverted personalities.

Great Leaders who have a dominant Commander personality are quick thinking and level headed in times of stress and emergencies. Great Leaders also recognize that they cannot do everything themselves and are good delegators who find the right person for the job and inspire that person to greatness. Great Leaders are highly motivated to see those that they lead succeed in their own right. They are always willing to listen to the ideas of others and implement those ideas when they provide a better way to reach a goal; and, they give full credit to the one who provided the suggestion. At the same time, they have the self-confidence to reject those ideas that are contrary to their own ideas of what is right and what is wrong, what will work and what will not.

Have you had the privilege of working with a Commander personality and witnessing his/her decision making process? Click “Comment” and share your experiences.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com

Filed Under: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, How personality type impacts leadership, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, Personality Assessment, Personality types, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Is That Pause Indecision or a Moment to Consider the Facts?

March 8, 2015 By

“Now wait … let’s think this through.”

Do these words sound like the reaction of a Great Leader to someone’s suggested course of action? If you are like most people, you’re probably thinking that these words sound indecisive; like the words of an individual who has little or no self-confidence. However, they could well be the words of a Great Leader who has a dominant Organizer personality.

COREMAP(TM) teaches us that Organizer leaders are sensing, logical, thinkers who rely on facts, figures, data … things that they can see, touch, feel, study when making decisions. They think things through rather than go with their “gut reactions”. To know that they have made the right decision, Organizers need to know that they have considered all possible courses of action; have thought about all of the benefits that can be derived from the decision or the potential for unintended consequences of each course of action.

When given the time to weigh all factors, Organizer leaders are able to be decisive and rock-steady in their pursuit of the determined course of action. If the ultimate decision is different from their original idea, they are able to endorse the other person’s idea with conviction because they have weighed the benefits versus the costs and are convinced that it is the best course to pursue. Likewise, if they truly believe that the actions proposed by another are not in the team’s best interest, they can voice their opposition with graciousness and in a manner that shows the proposer that his/her suggestion has been heard, considered, and acted upon.

Great Leaders make every team member feel valued and know that they have been heard. Great Leaders who have Organizer personalities do this especially well for all of the reasons listed above. If you’ve worked with an Organizer Great Leader, click “Comment” below and share your experiences.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com

Filed Under: Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, How personality type impacts leadership, Lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , ,

Can a Great Leader “Play to Win” and Still be Ethical?

March 1, 2015 By

I once worked with a man who had an interesting way of viewing all potential actions. He asked himself if the action was ethical. He explained himself this way …

“Some will ask if a course being considered is legal. Many things are legal. However, just because there is no law prohibiting an act does not make that act ‘the right thing to do’. The more important questions must be ‘is it the right thing to do … is it the way I would want to be treated … does the course of action improve the lot not only of my business; but, does it benefit or harm the other party?”

This person is a Great Leader. Great Leaders in business recognize that they must “play to win”. They understand that, in the final analysis, the company must show a profit in order to succeed and survive.

Great Leaders also recognize that a reputation is a double-edged sword. Those who always choose to do the right thing … to make certain that deals truly benefit all parties … will have customers who are loyal and return time and time again; plus, those customers bring others with them and recommend that their friends do business with the firm as well.

Conversely, the individual who looks only at the immediate, short-term, picture will say and do anything to “do the deal”. This individual does not care if the customer truly benefits, only that the company does this deal. He or she will get a reputation for caring only about his/her own benefit and customers will look to do business with someone else … someone who is working toward the customer’s benefit.

Great Leaders win in business and in the game of life because they make ethical choices and do the right thing.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com

Filed Under: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Integrity, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Great Leader’s View of Character

February 22, 2015 By

Presidents’ Day morning. My “In Box” contains a quote from a Great Leader, President Abraham Lincoln, about a person’s character and reputation. Lincoln wrote, “A man’s character is like a tree, and his reputation like its shadow; the shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing”.

Reputations are funny things. In some instances, they are based entirely on facts. In other cases, they are based on perceptions held by individuals or groups of individuals. By way of comparison, let’s look at two fictional individuals that we will call Clay and Stone.

Clay has a reputation for being a real savvy businessman. He always seems to be in the right place at the right time; a guy who can turn a profit no matter what he does and no matter how adverse the situation may appear to be. It’s as if he has an “inside track” on information that no one else has … because he does. Clay has built his business and his reputation by using inside information to the detriment of those he exploits to his own personal benefit. If Clay were in the securities industry, he would be guilty of insider trading … of using information that is not available to the general public for personal profit … a criminal act. Clay has a reputation for being in the right place at the right time. But, his character is lacking a strong moral compass. In Clay’s mind, what he is doing is wrong only if he gets caught. If history teaches us anything, it teaches us that the sun moves; the shadow shifts; and, ultimately, the deeds done within the shadows of unethical behavior will be exposed and the wrong-doer will be caught.

Stone, on the other hand, has character. As a Great Leader, Stone is “the real deal”. When presented with opportunities, he first checks his personal moral compass and asks, “Is it legal; is it ethical; does it treat others as I would wish to be treated?” If the answer to any of these questions is “no”, he abstains and allows the opportunity to pass him by. Great Leaders such as Stone know that if they conduct themselves and their businesses in a manner that never calls into question their character or their morality, the world will beat a path to their doors for the opportunity to associate with them, to work with them, to do business with them. They will be presented with more opportunities than they will be able to handle; opportunities to grow personally, professionally, and financially.

Reputations are mere shadows of the person they purport to be; always shifting, intangible, subject to the shifting tides of opportunism and “what’s in it for me?”. Character, when it is grounded with a strong moral compass, is unyielding in the face of temptation. When the character of a Great Leader is consistently asking the three questions above, constantly and routinely reminding itself to do what is right both morally and ethically, it is then that this character stays away from temptation and keeps itself morally straight. Great Leaders present their character in their daily conduct and allow it to speak more loudly than any reputation can.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com

Filed Under: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Integrity, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, Uncategorized, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

How Does a Leader Differ From a Boss?

February 15, 2015 By

I love serving as a member of an Eagle Scout Board of Review. The view of true leadership, stated by a young man who has spent up to seven years studying and demonstrating leadership skills, is both insightful and awe inspiring. A question that I like to ask the candidates is simply, “What is the difference between a leader and a boss?” While no two candidates have ever given the same answer, here is brief summary of some of the answers I’ve heard.

  • Bosses – Bosses sit back and tell others what to do. They seldom do the jobs themselves. In fact, it’s very possible that they’ve never done the job they’re telling others to do. Bosses pass judgment … a lot. They seldom tell someone what they’ve done well; but, they can always tell that person everything that’s been done wrong. Bosses find fault and have a unique ability to crush a person’s desire to improve or create something.
  • Leaders – Leaders, on the other hand, tend to be very hands-on. They’re not afraid to dig right in and help get the job done. They don’t ask others to do things that they are not willing to do themselves. Leaders look for opportunities to provide genuine and deserved praise. Genuine praise is specific about what was well done (i.e., “you did a great job of identifying that client’s need and showing them how it could be met by our product) rather than an insincere and vacuous “nice job” or “you did good”.  When something has not been done well, leaders will typically help the team member review the job or situation, asking “what do you feel you did well? what do you think you could do differently/better next time?” They help team members discover solutions for themselves by asking guided questions and commending the team member when he/she comes up with the solution.

Great Leaders may be in charge of a project but they are not bosses. They do all of the things that leaders do above … and then some. They find ways to go the extra mile to help the team reach and surpass a goal or objective.

Click “Comment” below and share your experience with a Great Leader who led rather than bossed.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com

Filed Under: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, How personality type impacts leadership, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , ,
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