Dale Furtwengler - The Invaluable Leader: March 2008

The Invaluable Leader by Dale Furtwengler

Devil's Advocate
Monday, March 31, 2008

As lonely as the Maytag repairman?

It doesn't have to be that way.

I had the good fortune to present my 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE program to the Gateway Association of Payroll Professionals. They were one of the most delightful audiences I've ever experienced.

When I presented Step 4, Developing a Contrarian Mindset, a member of the audience said "I do play devil's advocated in our office and I do use the questioning technique you suggest, but it doesn't make me very popular."

I'm sure that most of us have experienced that reaction. To avoid being viewed as a naysayer, use this simple technique. Preface your question with the phrase "Help me understand..."

This simple phrase:

creates a mindset of openness within you - openness to the possbility that you may have overlooked something
changes the tone of the question by indicating exploration rather than challenge
creates openness in others because you're not challenging their ideas
affords others the opportunity to "enlighten" you

It's counter-intuitive, but the devil's advocate can be treasured. If you want to be treasured instead of trashed, say "Help me understand..."

Please let me know which topics you'd like me to address. Email me at dale@furtwengler.com.

Great Ideas...Poor Implementation
Monday, March 24, 2008

Is poor implementation a characteristic of idea people?

Not necessarily.

Two business owners recently told me that they were great at generating new ideas, but were "poor implementers." Was theirs a fair judgment?

Not really. A few questions uncovered the fact that their poor implementation related only to work they didn't enjoy. Isn't that true for most of us?

It's counter-intuitive, but when you're not implementing great ideas, stop judging yourself! Outsource or delegate that work to someone who does enjoy it. You'll enjoy the best of both worlds - the joy of seeing your ideas implemented without the pain of doing the work.

Please let me know what topics would help you enjoy greater success in your business. Email me at dale@furtwengler.com.

The Training Trap
Monday, March 17, 2008

Why does so much training have a poor ROI?

It's the training target.

A very astute young manager, who is on a great career path, recently bemoaned the fact that his company invested heavily in training those who are underperforming in his group and was offering nothing to those who performed well. Sound familiar?

Generally, poor performance is a function of having a person in a job they don't enjoy. Most of us have made poor hires; it quickly becomes obvious when we have. The vast majority of mismatches occur because, in today's fast-paced world, the job requirements change. In the example mentioned above, the employees were hired to take and fill orders. They were now being asked to generate sales. Two very different skill sets.

It's counter-intuitive, but before investing heavily in training to boost performance, take a few minutes to learn what your employees enjoy and what they dislike about their jobs. To the extent possible realign the workload to take advantage of their strengths and limit your and their risks. If your organization isn't large enough to realign work, counsel them on the type of position that is right for them and encourage them to contact companies that value their skills.

For more information on how to go with your strengths and help others do the same read Marcus Buckingham's book, Now, Discover Your Strenthgs. You can find it at Borders.com.

Help me help you in your business. Let me know some of the challenges you face, particularly in this difficult economy. Email me at dale@furtwengler.com. As I'm sure that you've noticed, I never divulge sources of questions in The Invaluable Leader.

The Value Of Perception
Monday, March 10, 2008

How can you add teeth to your internal controls?

Three examples.

In an interview with Bisk Education, Barry Wehne, who was convicted of embezzling $1.25 million dollars, tells business owners and CEOs "Make your employees think that you are paying attention and concerned...If you keep them on their toes, you are going to keep them honest."

Last evening on 60 Minutes, Carl Icahn, the corporate raider whose preferred style of making money has historically been buying underperformning companies and selling them off in pieces, said that his interest in a company usually "spurs management to action." Indeed, he claims to have made hundreds of millions of dollars per deal for himself and billions of dollars for the stockholders of companies simply by demonstrating an interest in taking control of the company.

In my youth, when I was the CFO for a major residential homebuilder, I would pull the files of four subcontractors each week, select an invoice (I didn't bother to check whether or not it was accurate), call the contractor and challenge the invoice. It was amazing! For weeks after the phone call, I'd get calls from those subs letting me know when something unusual was happening on a job so that they didn't get another call from me. It not only kept them honest when invoicing the company; it kept them honest in the bidding process as well.

It's counter-intuitive, but you don't need to spend a lot of time in oversight to have effective internal controls. You just need to give the impression that you're paying attention.

Please let me know what topics you'd like addressed by posting a comment or sending me an email at dale@furtwengler.com.

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream...
Monday, March 03, 2008

Convert your dreams to reality.

It's easier than you think.

Before I launch into this week's counter-intuitive thought, Charlotte and I would like to thank all of you who offered your kind wishes for a safe and enjoyable extended vacation to New Zealand and Australia. The trip was FABULOUS! As you'll see in the following commentary, your kind wishes helped make it so.

Too many of us leave our dreams to chance for one very simple reason, no one taught us to dream effectively. In recent months, I've gotten some great insights into how to more effectively convert dreams to reality. Here are the seven steps to dreaming effectively:

Dream with contentment! Before visualizing your dream, recognize and appreciate the good fortune you already experience.
Dream with clarity! You'll know that your dream is clear when the mere thought of it brings a smile to your face. It's the clarity that allows you to experience the joy of a dream fulfilled.
Dream with intention! Visualize your dream at least twice a day. Take the time to experience the joy you'll feel when it's a reality.
Dream with action! Don't merely dream and expect it to happen. Take steps in the general direction of that dream even though you don't know how exactly where the path is.
Dream with a deadline! So far all the dreaming involves the conscious mind. The deadline provides the subconscious with a timeframe for making the dream come true.
Dream with awareness! Be aware of and open to new opportunities. Dreams seldom arrive in exactly the way we'd envisioned.
Dream publicly! Let all whom you meet know what your dream is. How else can they help you achieve it?

It's counter-intuitive - dreams aren't to be left to chance; they're to be LIVED.

If there are topics you'd like addressed, email me at dale@furtwengler.com

Dale Furtwengler

Dale Furtwengler is an internationally acclaimed author whose work is recommended by:

University of Glasgow
University of New South Wales
Australian Institute of Management

If you'd like to make your life easier while creating enviable results, subscribe to my special reports for step-by-step instructions on becoming invaluable. Back issues are available.

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	Devil's Advocate Monday, March 31, 2008 As lonely as the Maytag repairman? It doesn't have to be that way. I had the good fortune to present my 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE program to the Gateway Association of Payroll Professionals. They were one of the most delightful audiences I've ever experienced. When I presented Step 4, Developing a Contrarian Mindset, a member of the audience said "I do play devil's advocated in our office and I do use the questioning technique you suggest, but it doesn't make me very popular." I'm sure that most of us have experienced that reaction. To avoid being viewed as a naysayer, use this simple technique. Preface your question with the phrase "Help me understand..." This simple phrase: creates a mindset of openness within you - openness to the possbility that you may have overlooked something changes the tone of the question by indicating exploration rather than challenge creates openness in others because you're not challenging their ideas affords others the opportunity to "enlighten" you It's counter-intuitive, but the devil's advocate can be treasured. If you want to be treasured instead of trashed, say "Help me understand..." Please let me know which topics you'd like me to address. Email me at dale@furtwengler.com. 0 comments Great Ideas...Poor Implementation Monday, March 24, 2008 Is poor implementation a characteristic of idea people? *Not necessarily.* Two business owners recently told me that they were great at generating new ideas, but were "poor implementers." Was theirs a fair judgment? Not really. A few questions uncovered the fact that their poor implementation related only to work they didn't enjoy. Isn't that true for most of us? It's counter-intuitive, but when you're not implementing great ideas, stop judging yourself! Outsource or delegate that work to someone who does enjoy it. You'll enjoy the best of both worlds - the joy of seeing your ideas implemented without the pain of doing the work. *Please let me know what topics would help you enjoy greater success in your business. Email me at dale@furtwengler.com.* 0 comments The Training Trap Monday, March 17, 2008 Why does so much training have a poor ROI? *It's the training target.* A very astute young manager, who is on a great career path, recently bemoaned the fact that his company invested heavily in training those who are underperforming in his group and was offering nothing to those who performed well. Sound familiar? Generally, poor performance is a function of having a person in a job they don't enjoy. Most of us have made poor hires; it quickly becomes obvious when we have. The vast majority of mismatches occur because, in today's fast-paced world, the job requirements change. In the example mentioned above, the employees were hired to take and fill orders. They were now being asked to generate sales. Two very different skill sets. It's counter-intuitive, but before investing heavily in training to boost performance, take a few minutes to learn what your employees enjoy and what they dislike about their jobs. To the extent possible realign the workload to take advantage of their strengths and limit your and their risks. If your organization isn't large enough to realign work, counsel them on the type of position that is right for them and encourage them to contact companies that value their skills. For more information on how to go with your strengths and help others do the same read Marcus Buckingham's book, Now, Discover Your Strenthgs. You can find it at Borders.com. *Help me help you in your business. Let me know some of the challenges you face, particularly in this difficult economy. Email me at* *dale@furtwengler.com. As I'm sure that you've noticed, I never divulge sources of questions in The Invaluable Leader.* 0 comments The Value Of Perception Monday, March 10, 2008 How can you add teeth to your internal controls? Three examples. In an interview with Bisk Education, Barry Wehne, who was convicted of embezzling $1.25 million dollars, tells business owners and CEOs "Make your employees think that you are paying attention and concerned...If you keep them on their toes, you are going to keep them honest." Last evening on 60 Minutes, Carl Icahn, the corporate raider whose preferred style of making money has historically been buying underperformning companies and selling them off in pieces, said that his interest in a company usually "spurs management to action." Indeed, he claims to have made hundreds of millions of dollars per deal for himself and billions of dollars for the stockholders of companies simply by demonstrating an interest in taking control of the company. In my youth, when I was the CFO for a major residential homebuilder, I would pull the files of four subcontractors each week, select an invoice (I didn't bother to check whether or not it was accurate), call the contractor and challenge the invoice. It was amazing! For weeks after the phone call, I'd get calls from those subs letting me know when something unusual was happening on a job so that they didn't get another call from me. It not only kept them honest when invoicing the company; it kept them honest in the bidding process as well. It's counter-intuitive, but you don't need to spend a lot of time in oversight to have effective internal controls. You just need to give the impression that you're paying attention. Please let me know what topics you'd like addressed by posting a comment or sending me an email at dale@furtwengler.com. 1 comments To Sleep, Perchance to Dream... Monday, March 03, 2008 Convert your dreams to reality. It's easier than you think. Before I launch into this week's counter-intuitive thought, Charlotte and I would like to thank all of you who offered your kind wishes for a safe and enjoyable extended vacation to New Zealand and Australia. The trip was FABULOUS! As you'll see in the following commentary, your kind wishes helped make it so. Too many of us leave our dreams to chance for one very simple reason, no one taught us to dream effectively. In recent months, I've gotten some great insights into how to more effectively convert dreams to reality. Here are the seven steps to dreaming effectively: Dream with contentment! Before visualizing your dream, recognize and appreciate the good fortune you already experience. Dream with clarity! You'll know that your dream is clear when the mere thought of it brings a smile to your face. It's the clarity that allows you to experience the joy of a dream fulfilled. Dream with intention! Visualize your dream at least twice a day. Take the time to experience the joy you'll feel when it's a reality. Dream with action! Don't merely dream and expect it to happen. Take steps in the general direction of that dream even though you don't know how exactly where the path is. Dream with a deadline! So far all the dreaming involves the conscious mind. The deadline provides the subconscious with a timeframe for making the dream come true. Dream with awareness! Be aware of and open to new opportunities. Dreams seldom arrive in exactly the way we'd envisioned. Dream publicly! Let all whom you meet know what your dream is. How else can they help you achieve it? It's counter-intuitive - dreams aren't to be left to chance; they're to be LIVED. If there are topics you'd like addressed, email me at dale@furtwengler.com** 0 comments	Dale Furtwengler is an internationally acclaimed author whose work is recommended by: University of Glasgow University of New South Wales Australian Institute of Management If you'd like to make your life easier while creating enviable results, subscribe to my special reports for step-by-step instructions on becoming invaluable. Back issues are available. March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008