Challenge
On a mountaintop, way up there, something waits. It’s too far and too foggy to see. What is it? What is it waiting for?
The trees change as you climb. Elevation is a funny thing, what with the thinning air, the huffing and the puffing, the natural selection. Yeah, elevation, and the climb itself, are funny things.
There are signs along the way. Some provide directions, some warn of challenges, some just offer encouragement. Imagine the climb with no signs, or worse yet, with signs that lie.
Coming down past us is what seems to be a constant stream of attempts. They are dressed in different ways and they have different attitudes, and they just keep on coming. How should that make us feel?
Isn’t it annoying when you want to keep moving, the clock is ticking, the daylight deadline approaches, but you find you have a rock in your boot and you just have to stop? It’s not enough dealing with the hilarious climb, the signs of dubious character, and the ticking of the bomb, but then you get to struggle with something that matters so little but can’t be ignored!
But even though the climb seems impossible, the fog is finally clear, and the goal is finally in sight. Who could have known that on that mountaintop was nothing but an excellent view above the clouds?
I wrote that poem in 1999 while I was trying to decide on my future – I didn’t leave my life as a corporate leader until 2002. I have thought about this poem many times over the years.
It pleases me to look back and realize that, even then, I was able to understand that the journey is life. Even when it’s annoying, the journey is life.
Life is not rewards – it’s not what society tells us we’ll find on the mountaintop.
I see happy people in my life who are focused on living the journey, and living every relationship along the way. I guess it’s no surprise that many of them seem to also receive rewards of many kinds.
In recent years I have found that the view above the clouds, as well as the exercise of the climb, are really good things. I realize that it’s all just a part of the journey. Perhaps it can be even better if I can share a smile, or better yet a helping hand for the folks going by me every day. Now that is an inspiring idea!
A very close friend of mine has had a huge loss to deal with recently – it makes me realize how good I have it. I see that friend handling this with such extraordinary grace and peacefulness – thereby inspiring and reassuring everyone touched by the truly generous way this friend is choosing to live. I’d like to suggest that this is the kind of “helping hand” I hope to offer. If my truly generous friend can do it while recovering from a great loss, then I know I can do it.
Perhaps we all can. Generously helping others may be the greatest source of rewards we’ll ever find. Happy helping to you all.
Thanks for sharing time with me; as always, I welcome your thoughts and feedback and please feel free to pass this message along to others who may find value.
A Quick Business Update – Growing business confidence is clearly reflected in our firm being very busy right now. I am personally very pleased with the successful completions over the past few weeks of the 4 great search projects listed just below. I’d welcome the opportunity to help you or companies you know with key leadership additions.
Sincerely,
Jeff Black
Partner, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Cell: (714) 356-1949 Office: (949) 753-1700 ext. 310
2 Venture, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
black@mbsearch.net http://www.mbsearch.net/ http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffblackmcdermottbull http://www.jeffblackmcdermottbull.blogspot.com/
Monday, August 01, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
A Relationship Story - The Geek's Secret
Are you inspired or are you bored? What makes the difference?
I remember when my kids were growing up around their nut of a Father and I’d say “It doesn’t matter if you are passionate about the things I am…just make sure you are passionate about things!” Not having cool things to be fascinated with seems like a path to being bored; unfortunately, this might also mean “boring”, and it’s hard to get ahead that way. Some great geek examples include:
- My friend who is reading all the Pulitzer Prize winning novels…
- Traveling with my buddies to Miami & Atlanta to visit two more Major League ballparks (my 35th and 36th), to Daytona Beach where Jackie Robinson first played as a pro, and to Birmingham for a game at the oldest ballpark in the country where my Dad sold concessions in the 1930’s…
- My friend who has painstakingly catalogued forty years of amateur music “jam” recordings he has made with his best friends…
- The OC non-profit youth theater Producer sitting in the audience to see her former prodigy student starring in Wicked on Broadway…
-Spending six hours with three other geeks listening intently to each of our carefully selected rock/pop/R&B/jazz/folk songs from the 60’s and 70’s – and discussing and/or laughing about each one…
-My history-teacher daughter who zooms off to Washington D.C. on her Spring Break because she “needs” to see all the American history sights…
Not all necessarily important…but also not boring. I’m sure you have your own examples.
However, this concept applies to business as well. A favorite client of mine, Panda Restaurant Group, puts a ton of importance on curiosity and lifelong learning as critical characteristics for people on their team. I believe this fascination with new ideas and insights is closely aligned with people’s tendency to be passionate and fanatical about their interests. The concept of “can’t get enough” is what comes to my mind in both cases.
Another way that our passions can really matter is reflected in the “real” contributions of many successful people by volunteering with non-profit and charitable causes. It’s easy to write a check, but sharing your time and insight with a cause calls for true passion.
I feel fortunate, through my roles on the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Orange County (http://www.ymcaoc.org/) and through my involvement with the Ethical Edge (http://www.ethicaledge.org/), to be around many inspired contributors who are professionally successful and also devote time and energy to making a difference. Both of these groups welcome new volunteers – just let me know if you’re interested.
The “passion effect” of being involved in a cause is powerful, but for me, the impact is even greater because of the shared energy of being around other passionate people. Try it if you don’t know what I mean.
Perhaps, like me, you’re among the lucky ones who are truly passionate about the work they do. Even if that’s not true for you here’s to each of us getting to spend time doing things we really love – we’ll surely be better at our day jobs when we also get to feed our passions. Do it for fun, and do it to make a difference too, and perhaps some of our “have-tos” can start to feel more like “get-tos”.
Thanks for sharing time with me; as always, I welcome your thoughts and feedback and please feel free to pass this message along to others who may find value.
Sincerely,
Jeff Black
Partner, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Cell: (714) 356-1949 Office: (949) 753-1700 ext. 310
2 Venture, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
black@mbsearch.net http://www.mbsearch.net/ http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffblackmcdermottbull http://www.jeffblackmcdermottbull.blogspot.com/
I remember when my kids were growing up around their nut of a Father and I’d say “It doesn’t matter if you are passionate about the things I am…just make sure you are passionate about things!” Not having cool things to be fascinated with seems like a path to being bored; unfortunately, this might also mean “boring”, and it’s hard to get ahead that way. Some great geek examples include:
- My friend who is reading all the Pulitzer Prize winning novels…
- Traveling with my buddies to Miami & Atlanta to visit two more Major League ballparks (my 35th and 36th), to Daytona Beach where Jackie Robinson first played as a pro, and to Birmingham for a game at the oldest ballpark in the country where my Dad sold concessions in the 1930’s…
- My friend who has painstakingly catalogued forty years of amateur music “jam” recordings he has made with his best friends…
- The OC non-profit youth theater Producer sitting in the audience to see her former prodigy student starring in Wicked on Broadway…
-Spending six hours with three other geeks listening intently to each of our carefully selected rock/pop/R&B/jazz/folk songs from the 60’s and 70’s – and discussing and/or laughing about each one…
-My history-teacher daughter who zooms off to Washington D.C. on her Spring Break because she “needs” to see all the American history sights…
Not all necessarily important…but also not boring. I’m sure you have your own examples.
However, this concept applies to business as well. A favorite client of mine, Panda Restaurant Group, puts a ton of importance on curiosity and lifelong learning as critical characteristics for people on their team. I believe this fascination with new ideas and insights is closely aligned with people’s tendency to be passionate and fanatical about their interests. The concept of “can’t get enough” is what comes to my mind in both cases.
Another way that our passions can really matter is reflected in the “real” contributions of many successful people by volunteering with non-profit and charitable causes. It’s easy to write a check, but sharing your time and insight with a cause calls for true passion.
I feel fortunate, through my roles on the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Orange County (http://www.ymcaoc.org/) and through my involvement with the Ethical Edge (http://www.ethicaledge.org/), to be around many inspired contributors who are professionally successful and also devote time and energy to making a difference. Both of these groups welcome new volunteers – just let me know if you’re interested.
The “passion effect” of being involved in a cause is powerful, but for me, the impact is even greater because of the shared energy of being around other passionate people. Try it if you don’t know what I mean.
Perhaps, like me, you’re among the lucky ones who are truly passionate about the work they do. Even if that’s not true for you here’s to each of us getting to spend time doing things we really love – we’ll surely be better at our day jobs when we also get to feed our passions. Do it for fun, and do it to make a difference too, and perhaps some of our “have-tos” can start to feel more like “get-tos”.
Thanks for sharing time with me; as always, I welcome your thoughts and feedback and please feel free to pass this message along to others who may find value.
Sincerely,
Jeff Black
Partner, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Cell: (714) 356-1949 Office: (949) 753-1700 ext. 310
2 Venture, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
black@mbsearch.net http://www.mbsearch.net/ http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffblackmcdermottbull http://www.jeffblackmcdermottbull.blogspot.com/
Friday, February 25, 2011
Relationship Story - The Real Stuff
While listening to the radio recently I heard a press briefing by a U.S. Military Colonel leading troops in Afghanistan; it illuminated something really powerful about people like this Colonel – truly straightforward and unequivocal candor expressed by a leader whose decisions are significantly more serious than any I will ever make. He fields the toughtest of questions with a truthfulness and passion that allows me to almost see his steely-eyed gaze through the radio. He seems to know that everyone is best served by his ability to leave no doubts about his meaning or intent.
So, what does this truth and candor thing mean to our professional lives? After 20+ years as a corporate leader and the last 8 years as a retained search consultant, I’m amazed at how much I continue to learn about myself and about relationships. Looking back on my corporate life I doubt if I fully understood what real “truth and candor” meant. There often seemed to be a certain way of saying and doing things that didn’t always start with truth or candor – do you know what I mean?
During the past 8 years of great business relationships, over 100 successful search projects, and after growing up a little bit too, the real value of truly candid conversations with clients is becoming increasingly clear to me. Now don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t suggest that it’s always easy. After all, this was not the way I was taught to see the business process earlier in my corporate life, so it is certainly not automatic.
One particular client relationship from my first year or two in search still sticks with me – I have never felt right about how the relationship turned out. After our initial success working together, a problem came up and the ideal solution wasn’t clear. I guess it’s inevitable that things don’t always go perfectly, but looking back now I know that the necessary relationship-ensuring conversation didn’t happen.
Research on customer service shows that clients are much more loyal when there has been a problem that has been solved than if there had never been a problem; I realize that I may have missed the opportunity to earn loyalty by turning that problem into a mutually agreeable solution.
Over the past few quarters, as my search practice has been expanding by serving new and existing clients, challenges still occasionally come up on search projects – again, that seems inevitable in complex and nuanced business situations (probably, I suppose, a lot like your own situations). However, during the past several years, those vital challenging conversations are an increasingly valued part of strong client relationships.
It is more clear than ever how powerful the right “truth and candor” consulting can really be for clients…even when it’s hard. Clients (and we all have them whether we are service providers or corporate leaders) may not expect things to be perfect – but they certainly should expect the tough conversation will happen when it matters most.
And, after all, isn’t the real stuff of a Colonel in Afghanistan something worth believing in, and couldn’t we gain some perspective from it for ourselves?Thanks for sharing time with me; as always, I welcome your thoughts and feedback and please feel free to pass this message along to others who may find value.
Sincerely,
Jeff Black
Partner, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Cell: (714) 356-1949 Office: (949) 753-1700 ext. 310
2 Venture, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
So, what does this truth and candor thing mean to our professional lives? After 20+ years as a corporate leader and the last 8 years as a retained search consultant, I’m amazed at how much I continue to learn about myself and about relationships. Looking back on my corporate life I doubt if I fully understood what real “truth and candor” meant. There often seemed to be a certain way of saying and doing things that didn’t always start with truth or candor – do you know what I mean?
During the past 8 years of great business relationships, over 100 successful search projects, and after growing up a little bit too, the real value of truly candid conversations with clients is becoming increasingly clear to me. Now don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t suggest that it’s always easy. After all, this was not the way I was taught to see the business process earlier in my corporate life, so it is certainly not automatic.
One particular client relationship from my first year or two in search still sticks with me – I have never felt right about how the relationship turned out. After our initial success working together, a problem came up and the ideal solution wasn’t clear. I guess it’s inevitable that things don’t always go perfectly, but looking back now I know that the necessary relationship-ensuring conversation didn’t happen.
Research on customer service shows that clients are much more loyal when there has been a problem that has been solved than if there had never been a problem; I realize that I may have missed the opportunity to earn loyalty by turning that problem into a mutually agreeable solution.
Over the past few quarters, as my search practice has been expanding by serving new and existing clients, challenges still occasionally come up on search projects – again, that seems inevitable in complex and nuanced business situations (probably, I suppose, a lot like your own situations). However, during the past several years, those vital challenging conversations are an increasingly valued part of strong client relationships.
It is more clear than ever how powerful the right “truth and candor” consulting can really be for clients…even when it’s hard. Clients (and we all have them whether we are service providers or corporate leaders) may not expect things to be perfect – but they certainly should expect the tough conversation will happen when it matters most.
And, after all, isn’t the real stuff of a Colonel in Afghanistan something worth believing in, and couldn’t we gain some perspective from it for ourselves?Thanks for sharing time with me; as always, I welcome your thoughts and feedback and please feel free to pass this message along to others who may find value.
Sincerely,
Jeff Black
Partner, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Cell: (714) 356-1949 Office: (949) 753-1700 ext. 310
2 Venture, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
Monday, November 29, 2010
Relationship Story -- Leadership by Getting Out of the Way
I have the best job in the world – I get to meet high perfoming, fascinating people all the time – clients, candidates, partners, leaders of all kinds - and learn their unique success stories. I always want to know what kind of business environment gets the very best out of people and teams. The answer is almost always a version of the same theme:
“Give the people what they need to succeed and just let them do it”
In the great new leadership book, TOP Box Leadership by William C. Sproule, these themes are explored in a highly compelling fashion. The book informs, teaches, and entertains as Sproule captures the essence of macro-management by showing how gathering the best Talent, setting the right Outcomes, and defining clear Parameters for team decision-making leads to great teams and exceptional results…and then the leader needs to get out of the box and let people do their jobs. I strongly recommend this book to leaders in any environment.
Sproule’s book highlights a subject that totally fascinates me – the conscious choice about the culture within a company. This is one of the most compelling learnings for me as I work with all kinds of companies in helping them build and improve their leadership teams. I believe that the culture of a company, and I define that as “what really matters here”, is fully under the control of the leaders in a company. Sproule’s book suggests a disciplined way to establish a successful culture, and it starts from the leader.
It seems to me there is nothing more important than creating enough freedom for smart people to do what they think is right. Now, admittedly, this is a bit hard to argue…a little like saying “freedom is a pretty good thing” (a quote from my favorite movie – Field of Dreams). However, it’s the source of organizational freedom that I think really matters, and why I believe that culture is in the control of true leaders.
If a leader wants to allow his people to think freely, and thereby get the most from their contributions, it’s not enough to just empower them (do you notice we don’t hear that word a lot any more in business writing?) It goes further than that. The leader has to really trust the people on his team – to genuinely believe that everyone is pursuing the same goals. If there is a doubt about this alignment, the result is the dreaded disease we all hate in business…politics!
Think of the image of pulling a rope together. A leader’s job is to LEAD definition of the rope and what is on the other end (process and goal, or Parameters and Outcomes according to Sproule). Also, there must be clarity on the makeup of the team pulling the rope (Sproule’s concept of Talent). However, I believe the key ingredient for this to actually work is a prevailing trust that binds the people with each other, along with both goal and process.
A leader who cannot engender trust is likely afraid of losing something – perhaps it’s control, maybe it’s credit, or it could even be identity. However, any of these reasons means the leader will never really be able to get the heck out of the way and let people be great. In seeking outstanding results and long-lasting success, focusing on process will never get us to the promised land unless a foundation of trust keeps the sands from shifting under our feet. Trust begets greatness.
I’d love to hear what you think about this. After all, everybody sees important things like this in their own distinctive way, and thank goodness for that or things would be really boring!
Thanks for sharing time with me; as always, please feel free to pass this message along to others who may find value.
Recommended Resources: TOP Box Leadership – William C. Sproule www.topboxleadership.com
Sincerely,
Jeff Black
Managing Principal Consultant, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Cell: (714) 356-1949 Office: (949) 753-1700 ext. 310
2 Venture, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
black@mbsearch.net www.mbsearch.net http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffblackmcdermottbull http://www.jeffblackmcdermottbull.blogspot.com/
“Give the people what they need to succeed and just let them do it”
In the great new leadership book, TOP Box Leadership by William C. Sproule, these themes are explored in a highly compelling fashion. The book informs, teaches, and entertains as Sproule captures the essence of macro-management by showing how gathering the best Talent, setting the right Outcomes, and defining clear Parameters for team decision-making leads to great teams and exceptional results…and then the leader needs to get out of the box and let people do their jobs. I strongly recommend this book to leaders in any environment.
Sproule’s book highlights a subject that totally fascinates me – the conscious choice about the culture within a company. This is one of the most compelling learnings for me as I work with all kinds of companies in helping them build and improve their leadership teams. I believe that the culture of a company, and I define that as “what really matters here”, is fully under the control of the leaders in a company. Sproule’s book suggests a disciplined way to establish a successful culture, and it starts from the leader.
It seems to me there is nothing more important than creating enough freedom for smart people to do what they think is right. Now, admittedly, this is a bit hard to argue…a little like saying “freedom is a pretty good thing” (a quote from my favorite movie – Field of Dreams). However, it’s the source of organizational freedom that I think really matters, and why I believe that culture is in the control of true leaders.
If a leader wants to allow his people to think freely, and thereby get the most from their contributions, it’s not enough to just empower them (do you notice we don’t hear that word a lot any more in business writing?) It goes further than that. The leader has to really trust the people on his team – to genuinely believe that everyone is pursuing the same goals. If there is a doubt about this alignment, the result is the dreaded disease we all hate in business…politics!
Think of the image of pulling a rope together. A leader’s job is to LEAD definition of the rope and what is on the other end (process and goal, or Parameters and Outcomes according to Sproule). Also, there must be clarity on the makeup of the team pulling the rope (Sproule’s concept of Talent). However, I believe the key ingredient for this to actually work is a prevailing trust that binds the people with each other, along with both goal and process.
A leader who cannot engender trust is likely afraid of losing something – perhaps it’s control, maybe it’s credit, or it could even be identity. However, any of these reasons means the leader will never really be able to get the heck out of the way and let people be great. In seeking outstanding results and long-lasting success, focusing on process will never get us to the promised land unless a foundation of trust keeps the sands from shifting under our feet. Trust begets greatness.
I’d love to hear what you think about this. After all, everybody sees important things like this in their own distinctive way, and thank goodness for that or things would be really boring!
Thanks for sharing time with me; as always, please feel free to pass this message along to others who may find value.
Recommended Resources: TOP Box Leadership – William C. Sproule www.topboxleadership.com
Sincerely,
Jeff Black
Managing Principal Consultant, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Cell: (714) 356-1949 Office: (949) 753-1700 ext. 310
2 Venture, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
black@mbsearch.net www.mbsearch.net http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffblackmcdermottbull http://www.jeffblackmcdermottbull.blogspot.com/
Relationship Story -- Being Ourselves – Bravery or Necessity?
Is it brave to be real? We all have a choice to make every day – are we going to be ourselves, or are we going to fake it?
Many of you may have read my last story, “Our Legacy in the Stories People Tell” (copied below); a comment from a dynamic entrepreneur really hit home as the perfect topic for a follow-up to that story. He said: “Interesting how you are so open personally with your client base and referral sources - definitely brave of you!”
I thought about this a while and realized that sharing thoughts and observations about my life, the business world, and the great relationships I have is, in fact, rather personal. But why do it this way?
I was reminded of three people who have influenced me with their unique ability to be themselves – maybe they will make you think of similar people in your lives:
There was Captain Ed Whelan who I worked with when I was just getting started as a business unit leader in my corporate life. He had been a career officer in the Navy and I was lucky enough to benefit from his mentorship during his second career. I still remember how comfortable he was in his own skin – he naturally made everyone around him comfortable as well. He tried hard to help a fairly clueless young leader understand the benefits that authenticity might offer me – clearly he believed that was the kind of leadership people really wanted. While I wish I’d been able to listen better back then, I have never forgotten his message.
Then, over the past 12 years, I’ve been learning from the passionate and authentic leadership of Janice Kraus, the Founder and Producer of the nonprofit Stagelight Family Productions, a youth theater program in Orange County. My daughter and thousands of other kids like her have received a huge confidence boost from the experience of performing and being part of a great team effort, so the benefits for the kids are unmistakable. However, it is Janice’s authentic and uniquely personal leadership that makes the program a true community. The experience is not just for the kids – the unique culture of trust that Janice creates is inspiring to parents and kids alike.
And now, in recent years, I have been able to work alongside a great volunteer leader who inspires me with his own special brand of authenticity - Rick Donahue, the Board Chairman for the YMCA of Orange County. Rick has an uncanny way of allowing his natural realness and seek-no-credit approach to bring out the best in everyone. He is always able to laugh at himself – he obviously has great self-awareness and quiet confidence – and he disarms much of the anxiety that can easily arise in such a group. Also, because of his passionate external focus on our charitable mission, he makes everyone uniquely comfortable and inspires a common passion in all of us.
So, is it brave to be real or must we be real to be truly effective?
These three examples are a lens for looking at ourselves and they help me know why being personal is a necessity for me – besides it just feeling right, I also know I’d be a terrible fake (I’m not a good enough actor!)
Give yourself the gift of thinking about people in your world who are great at being authentic. You never know, there just may be a nugget of brilliance there that can teach a great lesson.
Thanks for sharing time with me; as always, I welcome your feedback and please feel free to pass this message along to others who may find value.
Resources:
Stagelight Family Productions – www.stagelightproductions.com
YMCA of Orange County – www.ymcaoc.org
Sincerely,
Jeff Black
Managing Principal Consultant, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Cell: (714) 356-1949 Office: (949) 753-1700 ext. 310
2 Venture, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
black@mbsearch.net www.mbsearch.net http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffblackmcdermottbull http://www.jeffblackmcdermottbull.blogspot.com/
Many of you may have read my last story, “Our Legacy in the Stories People Tell” (copied below); a comment from a dynamic entrepreneur really hit home as the perfect topic for a follow-up to that story. He said: “Interesting how you are so open personally with your client base and referral sources - definitely brave of you!”
I thought about this a while and realized that sharing thoughts and observations about my life, the business world, and the great relationships I have is, in fact, rather personal. But why do it this way?
I was reminded of three people who have influenced me with their unique ability to be themselves – maybe they will make you think of similar people in your lives:
There was Captain Ed Whelan who I worked with when I was just getting started as a business unit leader in my corporate life. He had been a career officer in the Navy and I was lucky enough to benefit from his mentorship during his second career. I still remember how comfortable he was in his own skin – he naturally made everyone around him comfortable as well. He tried hard to help a fairly clueless young leader understand the benefits that authenticity might offer me – clearly he believed that was the kind of leadership people really wanted. While I wish I’d been able to listen better back then, I have never forgotten his message.
Then, over the past 12 years, I’ve been learning from the passionate and authentic leadership of Janice Kraus, the Founder and Producer of the nonprofit Stagelight Family Productions, a youth theater program in Orange County. My daughter and thousands of other kids like her have received a huge confidence boost from the experience of performing and being part of a great team effort, so the benefits for the kids are unmistakable. However, it is Janice’s authentic and uniquely personal leadership that makes the program a true community. The experience is not just for the kids – the unique culture of trust that Janice creates is inspiring to parents and kids alike.
And now, in recent years, I have been able to work alongside a great volunteer leader who inspires me with his own special brand of authenticity - Rick Donahue, the Board Chairman for the YMCA of Orange County. Rick has an uncanny way of allowing his natural realness and seek-no-credit approach to bring out the best in everyone. He is always able to laugh at himself – he obviously has great self-awareness and quiet confidence – and he disarms much of the anxiety that can easily arise in such a group. Also, because of his passionate external focus on our charitable mission, he makes everyone uniquely comfortable and inspires a common passion in all of us.
So, is it brave to be real or must we be real to be truly effective?
These three examples are a lens for looking at ourselves and they help me know why being personal is a necessity for me – besides it just feeling right, I also know I’d be a terrible fake (I’m not a good enough actor!)
Give yourself the gift of thinking about people in your world who are great at being authentic. You never know, there just may be a nugget of brilliance there that can teach a great lesson.
Thanks for sharing time with me; as always, I welcome your feedback and please feel free to pass this message along to others who may find value.
Resources:
Stagelight Family Productions – www.stagelightproductions.com
YMCA of Orange County – www.ymcaoc.org
Sincerely,
Jeff Black
Managing Principal Consultant, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Cell: (714) 356-1949 Office: (949) 753-1700 ext. 310
2 Venture, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
black@mbsearch.net www.mbsearch.net http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffblackmcdermottbull http://www.jeffblackmcdermottbull.blogspot.com/
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