Leader Blog
Must-Have Tools for Employee Engagement
Communicate, Then Ask For a Response One of the best CEOs I know sends out a company-wide email every Monday about an issue, concern, or opportunity. It is a short message that expresses his concern regarding the topic. He invites employees to respond via email with...
Get Out of Your Bubble
One of my suggested methods for engaging employees and uncovering feedback sounds simple, but is not a common practice. Leaders and managers must make an effort to spend time with all employees at all levels of the company. Universally, senior leaders exist in a...
The Ultimate Guide to Employee Surveys
Sales-oriented companies spend huge amounts of money to understand the thought process of customers and prospects. This meaningful data communicates how well or poorly they are satisfying the customer’s needs. The same rationale applies when engaging employees to...
A New Way to Solicit Feedback
A company cannot operate without feedback. Feedback comes from both outside and inside the organization. External feedback arrives in the form of customer surveys, emails, phone calls, and comments about your company in the trade press and social media, and from...
Employee Engagement: Making the Invisible Visible
CEOs and all senior executives need employees to Keep them apprised about what is going on; Offer ideas and suggestions; Share their concerns; and Express their opinions. However, CEOs are frequently dismayed that employees are unwilling to engage in these behaviors....
2 Crucial Principles of Productivity
Increasing Productivity Chris Champion, the CEO of Raelco Products, Ltd., a fast growing distribution company, looked at the company’s recent financial statement. The company, while having great margins, was constantly running in the red. The biggest expense item, as...
What CEOs Want
I have researched, advised, and interviewed CEOs for over 30 years. I can summarize what the CEO wants from you and offer suggestions about what to do with this insight. CEOs want their accountant to speak their language. Therefore, ask yourself: What does the CEO...
Professionally Educated
A primary service of the High Road® Institute is providing continuing professional education to business executives. I have been teaching these classes for over 35 years, and over the last decade, my classes have been transitioning from live, face-to-face sessions...
Risk Management and M&Ms
Protecting Company Value The M&M candy is one thing universally loved and enjoy. Years ago, their catchphrase was “Melts in your mouth, not in your hands.” The protective shell insured that the inner chocolate would not soften in the warmth of your hands....
Great Expectations
Issue: No one on the team wants to take responsibility. When people on your team defer taking on responsibility, it is a clear indication that you have failed to set expectations. Accountability only exists when the leader defines what behaviors are acceptable and...
An Unmanaged Culture
Do I always have to stay on top of my organization’s corporate culture? What happens if I don’t want to or have time to? An unmanaged culture never gets better – it only gets worse! I know that sounds harsh, but it does not lessen the importance of this fact. The...
Developing Trust
Issue: I do not believe that I am trusted by some people on the team I lead. What is your proof that you are not trusted? Have you done something to hurt the trust that existed? Did you ever have people’s trust in the first place? Trust is a quality that is earned...
The Rules
Issue: No one on the team wants to take responsibility. When members of your team are not taking responsibility, it is an indication that there are no consequences for shirking their responsibilities. One of the most difficult tasks for an emerging leader is to hold...
Delaying Retirement, Retaining Intellectual Capital
As I travel around the country conducting leadership coaching, I frequently get posed interesting questions. I would like to share one of those questions and my response: “How do we retain the intellectual capital that resides in our baby boomer work force? I’ve heard...
10 Ways to Show Employees You Care
As I travel around the country conducting leadership training, I get asked interesting questions. Allow me to share one of those questions with you. “I recently took over as CEO for a manufacturing company. Their culture is very toxic. The former management group did...
Down the Drain Without a Leadership Pipeline
Crisis in Leadership - Reluctance to Develop As I travel around the country conducting leadership workshops and speaking about the Reluctant Leader™ syndrome, I frequently get asked interesting and enlightening questions. Allow me to share one of them with you. What...
Learning Leadership
Every year, I get the privilege of speaking in front of many people on various aspects of High Road® leadership. Quite often, I am asked this question: “Whose leadership philosophy or model do you follow?” The person then offers examples of leadership gurus such as...
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Issue: I am the team's leader, but I do not get everyone's respect. People usually disrespect an ideal, a stance, an attitude, or character trait before they openly disrespect an individual. You need to assess if you have done or said anything to create disrespect. It...
Leadership Credibility
With credibility, you will be taken seriously. Sam was angry and frustrated. It seemed that no matter what he said to his employees, he could sense many did not believe what he was telling them. This morning, at an all hands-meeting, he announced that he would improve...
A Good Business Model Means You Never Have to Say “I’m Sorry”
Cancelled Flight Last week, while speaking in Michigan, I got stranded when the airline cancelled all flights out of Grand Rapids because of a snow storm. I thought those were everyday events in the colder regions near the Great Lakes. Close the airport for...
Use Your Brand to Honor Another
One key to having a great brand is consistency. Reminding consumers and customers of your uniqueness in exciting and intriguing ways increases awareness and add buzz. Then, if your brand adds value to another brand, you win the trifecta of branding. We witnessed an...
An Irresistible Leader
When a group resists having a leader, this is an indicator that the leader is viewed as someone without authority or influence. Work on building trust with each person. It is important that you explore what sort of boss they had in the past. Jumpstart by asking each...
How a High Road® Leader Deals with the Grapevine Problem
Your Grapevine The grapevine will always exist in the workplace setting. Get used to it. Dealing with the grapevine is never easy. The quality and vibrancy of your firm’s grapevine is a byproduct of your culture. Why the Rumor Mill Exists Employees use the grapevine...
How to Influence the Creative Generation
Imagine that you could travel back in time with ease. You decide to travel to the 15th century before Gutenberg invented the printing press and then move ahead four centuries to learn about its widespread impact. Next, you travel to 1760 when most people in the US...
Avoiding the Leader Label
Leadership is not a title or position on the organizational chart. Leading is about taking charge, not being in charge. It is accepting a role that will influence the outcome for the better. It is a desire to guide other people’s actions. Leading is being a go-to...
Stick to the Plan
Wild Landing of Flight 1549 There is an outstanding story that held the attention of people for nearly a year, back in 2009. The story I am referring to is Flight 1549, the US Air jet that landed safely in the Hudson River. The February 23, 2009 issue of Newsweek...
5 Tactics to Transform Distrust into Connection
The issue of trust crops up in nearly every presentation I give on leadership. The leader’s concerns commonly are, “I feel like I cannot trust my employee,” or “My employee doesn’t seem to trust me.” Some leaders wonder if this lack of mutual trust is similar to the...
A Concern for All Good Leaders: The End of Why
“I didn’t know how to fix the door lock so I found a video on YouTube and discovered how” my friend Jon reported to me recently. When my son-in-law and daughter decided to paint the interior of their house—something neither had ever done before—I expected them to call...
An Employee Who Won’t Lead
You can never assume that a person knows how or when to lead. Most reluctant leaders do not own the obligation or see the need to stand up and say, “I’ll do it.” If you want employees to serve as a change agents, influencers, or leaders, you must start by asking if...
The Leadership Tree
Mark LeBlanc, who assists entrepreneurs in growing their business, recently told an audience that building a business can be viewed as a fir tree decorated for Christmas. He explained that the trunk of the tree represents the core...
The Reluctant Leader
Imagine that you are on top of your game. You are the CEO of a fast growing $7 billion technology organization. The company you head has delivered double-digit growth over the last three years. You helped engineer a turnaround that saved this company from bankruptcy....
Driving Leadership: Lessons from Route 2439
Republic Services wants their employee-drivers to be safe and create safety around them. To accomplish this vital goal, they created a safety program that every driver must buy into. Driving a 50,000 pound vehicle through residential streets filled with...
Obtaining Employee Engagement
Nearly every leader shares this concern: ‘how do I obtain and keep my employees engaged?’ While it can be difficult to obtain engagement if it does not already exist, if you as a leader work on it every day, soon your employees will be better contributors and...
Do Not Make a New Year’s Resolution until You Read This!
What are your thoughts regarding New Year resolutions? Do you make them at the beginning of each year? Do you feel guilty if you don’t make them? Do you make them and then feel bad for not keeping them? Do you believe making them is a waste of time? Allow me to...
Commit to Christmas Every Day
What would your world be like if every day was Christmas? As you can imagine, we would all experience more - Sharing - Cooperation - Peace - Courtesy and kindness - Smiles and laughter - Joy, and (something everyone craves)...
7 Leadership Lessons from the Conductor
The music was amazing! Listening to a polished Seattle Symphony playing theme music from several memorable films was just what I needed to relax. I was mesmerized while observing the Symphony in action,...
One Hundred Years of Sustainability
Will your organization still exist 20 years from now? How about 50 years or even 100 years into the future? There are clear indicators right in front of you that serve as clues to the probability that your company will...
Bound to Be True
What is integrity? An up and coming professional at the beginning her career recently asked this question. This is how I responded. Every leader I have met, interviewed, and worked with has a different...
See-Through Paycheck
Would you like to know how much money your co-workers and bosses make? Would it be acceptable for your co-workers to know your salary? Usually this information is confidential, but a handful of companies are...
Summertime Blues
Do you or your coworkers suffer from ‘Vacation Deficit Disorder’? According to a recent Glassdoor Employment Confidence Survey, this problem is faced by employees who feel that they have too much work and cannot take a vacation. Companies will languish when...
Lack of Accountability
“Why do employees believe they can get away with murder?! Why aren’t they taking responsibility?” These are questions I receive all the time. It’s a condition that negatively impacts many organizations, and this condition grows worse each day. If the culture of...
Feedback Engages Employees
How often should we evaluate an employee’s performance? Two novice leaders recently asked me this question after a speech. They had just been promoted as department heads and (obvious to me) not been given much guidance. I responded, “every week.” This clearly...
The Unwanted Stuff
“Forcing yourself to do unwanted stuff is a high friction enterprise. You may feel like it makes you noble but it doesn’t. It just makes you numb.” Thomas J. Leonard The trick is figuring out what is “unwanted stuff.” Busy, Busy, Busy Our workdays are filled with...
Donald Sterling is not a High Road Person
If you paid attention to the news in the last few weeks, you know that Donald Sterling, current owner of the Los Angeles Clippers basketball franchise, made some very racist statements, which were caught on tape and submitted to the media. This is not the first time...
Why is integrity important in leadership?
Let us start with what integrity means. Imagine a magnificent 14 carat gold ring; one that has no breaks in it, such as a man’s wedding ring. It is a completely unbroken circle. The ring’s completeness and strength as one solid piece represents integrity, which means...
Taking Employee Ideas Seriously
The best ideas don’t necessarily come from the executives or research and development. The best ideas can and do come from the front-line employees, if the executive leadership team is willing to listen and implement. As described in this article, AT&T uses a tool...
Women’s History Month
March was dedicated to honoring and celebrating women. Let’s extend this effort to recognizing and encouraging the women who lead us every spectrum of life. The best place for a woman to start leading is where she is right now.
Leaders and Possibility
If you are a leader, you make things happen. You get things accomplished with people. If you desire to be the best leader you can be, become a possibility thinker. Possibility thinking allows you to be open to the world and its diversity. New things, creative ideas,...
Prejudices and Possibility Thinking Do Not Coexist
Every person has prejudgments. Everyone has their biases. It is a human condition, and yet you must not let these feelings and opinions close off opportunities that appear in front of you. Imagine that an exciting new person shows up in your life, someone who could...
Breaking Through the Glass Ceiling – Not a Big Deal?
Mary Barra recently became the CEO of GM. I was surprised and pleased to hear this, as the auto industry is not known for having many women in leadership positions, but Barra doesn’t share the opinion that her gender in relation to her new job is a big deal. In a...
Forgiveness
Nelson Mandela took the high road in many ways, but one instance that particularly stands out for me is his ability to forgive. When he was released from prison after 27 years "for the 'crime' of wanting, and fighting, to be free" he forgave the people who abused and...
From Prisoner to President
When I talk about high road leaders, the leaders are often CEOs or other business leaders. But we must not forget world and political leaders. We must appreciate how difficult it is to take the high road when so many others, especially those in power, are against you....
Leading to Results
The only way for a leader to get results is through the followers, the people that work for and support the leader. Of course, every leader desires to produce first-rate results, but it is the process of getting these results that identifies the leader’s...
Negotiation
Every time I turn on the radio or the television to catch up on the news, I hear the terms “negotiation,” “horse trading,” “give and take” and many others in relation to the government shutdown. For many years I have taught negotiation skills to finance professionals....
Negotiating
Every time I turn on the radio or the television to catch up on the news, I hear the terms "negotiation," "horse trading," "give and take" and many others in relation to the government shutdown. For many years I have taught negotiation skills to finance professionals....
Webcast and Books
Talking about leadership via webcasts is not a new thing for me, but on October 11, I will be presenting a webcast on leadership, specifically for human resources professionals, through HR.com. I also recently completed a draft of the first book in a series of...
9/11: A Day of Leadership Awakening
In the early morning of 9/11 (2001) I was driving to a client's office to present a newly developed seminar on leadership. Listening to the fast-breaking news as I drove, a thousand questions tumbled through my head. What's going on? Is my family safe? Are we...
Leadership: Up the Down Escalator
What do these companies have in common?CircuitCity, Fannie Mae, Sears, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Chrysler, A&P (grocers), Kmart, and United Airlines These were all great companies at one time, reaching the pinnacle of success and admired by their peers (and...
Free Sample!
A free sample of one of my eBooks, The Traits of Today's CFO, is available: http://www.cpa2biz.com/AST/Main/CPA2BIZ_Primary/ManagementAccounting/PRDOVR~PC-PCG1203EF/PC-PCG1203EF.jsp
It Is Not My Fault that I Am Not Accountable
“People behave exactly the way the culture teaches and reinforces them to behave.” Ron Rael, Leadership Coach Accountability Principle 1: Everyone is born without an understanding of accountability. We learn it from the people around...
Bankruptcy and the High Road
The city of Detroit has filed for bankruptcy, and there has been much speculation in the news lately about the valuable artwork at the Detroit Institute of Arts, and whether the artwork can be sold to pay the city's creditors. I am not a legal expert, and therefore...
Follow the Leader
Leadership is always about the followers. The leader creates a special relationship with each one of his or her followers. This bond must be built on mutual trust and mutual admiration. The leader has a significant impact on a team because for the team to be...
Leadership Door
Everyone has access to the leadership door yet few people walk through it. Each day there are situations where you are asked to serve as leader, whether it is to take charge in a crisis, serve on a board, head up a team or committee, organize an event, start a family,...
If The Price is Right
Some brief survey results presented in USA Today caught my attention. According to the research conducted by Monster.com, this question was posed: “Would you reveal company secrets for money?” The responses were 40% said “No, my company is not interesting enough.” 35%...
The Gray Zone
Edward Snowden was recently dismissed from his contract systems administrator position at Booz Allen Hamilton for not complying with their ethical code of conduct. Some people call him a hero, while some label him a traitor. While this story is fresh in our minds, it...
Leader’s Unique Role
There is no definitive or widely accepted job description for a leader. The typical role that calls for a leader is specifically about the duties and responsibilities that go hand-in-hand with a position of authority. The leadership aspect of a job is something that...
Can We Learn to Be Leaders?
Can Children Learn to Be Leaders? A charter school in Utah focuses their curriculum on entrepreneurial skills, math, and capitalism. Listening to this story reminded me of a question I often ask: Are leaders made, or are they natural born leaders? If you could place...
Leader’s Original Goal
In all situations where someone is in a leadership position, the primary goal was to get something accomplished while taking charge of a group of people. He or she did not ‘intend’ to be a leader. There is always a purpose behind the reason you either will become or...
J.C. Penney and Strategy
When I am preparing CFOs who want to move into the CEO position, one of the essential topics I educate them on is strategy – choosing the strategy, executing the strategy, and measuring the strategy. This recent NPR story about retailer J.C. Penney got me thinking...
High Road® Institute featured in article
A senior editor from CGMA Magazine recently contacted me. He was writing an article about productivity, and I shared my thoughts with him. Here is the finished article: http://www.cgma.org/magazine/news/pages/20126737.aspx
More about leadership traits
Integrity Credibility Honesty Communication Trustworthiness Ethical commitment Compassion Courage The theories of leadership fall apart without integrity and credibility because these vital traits are the most visible elements of your character. These are also the...
High Road® Leadership Philosophy part 2
Leadership - Both Art and Science Leadership is a known, common, and universal role, yet despite decades of study and analysis on the art of leadership, how to consistently and adeptly lead is filled with mystery and wonder. Leadership is really an attitude and a way...
High Road® Leadership Philosophy, part 1
Every leader can and must lead with his or her mind and soul. Using a balance of caring and power, everyone who has a leadership role can and needs to be the catalyst for positive change using the personality of the business. Since a leader is the visible...
Shut out the noise and listen
Each weekday morning, before I get mired in my to-do list, I head over to yoga class to perform a series of poses and breathing exercises, with the intention of tranquility and control over mind and body. I have always advocated that leaders take 10 or 20 minutes each...
Roam Around the Workplace
A high road leader I know, Israel, is constantly reminding other managers to "walk the floor." He has plenty of paperwork to complete in his office, but it is important to him to be out among his employees and customers, to observe what is going in his retail store...
Defining and Increasing Productivity
Chris Champion, the Chief Executive Officer of Raelco Products, Ltd., a fast growing distribution company, looked at her company’s recent financial statement. The company, while having great margins, was constantly running in the red. The biggest expense item, as with...
Leadership Credibility
First let me say that the High Road® Institute is not endorsing any candidate or political party. I am merely using a photo of former president Bill Clinton because no one can deny that he has charisma, one of the key ingredients for leadership credibility....
Who moved my book?
Last night, while watching Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, I was impressed by Holmes' and his archnemesis' ability to not only quote from literature, but to apply the quotes in a way that fit the plot of the movie. Of course, the actors were merely reciting the...
Next Generation of Accountants, Not Bean Counters
In 2008, the American Accounting Association joined the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) to study the future of accounting education. This venture, named the Pathways Commission, recently released its final report (pathwayscommission.org)....
Evaluate Employees More Often
Some novice managers recently asked me how often I give performance evaluations to my employees. I responded, "Every week." This clearly surprised them. I believe they were expecting me to say, "annually" or "quarterly." Feedback is the most important tool we have...
Lure of the Low Road
Why are people attracted to the low road? The low road is known as the path of least resistance. Human beings tend to follow the path of least resistance because it is easier and often safer. While it may not be the most ethical path to take, we are naturally drawn...
Take this job and BLEEP it!
As if communication and professionalism in the workplace doesn't have enough hindrances, I heard this story http://www.npr.org/2012/07/27/157467279/last-word?sc=emaf on the radio about swearing at work, and how it can hurt your chances for promotion. Are there...
Trustworthy Negotiator
Today I have seen many status updates, tweets, and headlines regarding the passing of Stephen Covey. His influence is far-reaching, and I thought it would be appropriate to include a quote from him, one I use often when training leaders on the art of negotiating. High...
Lesson from M&Ms
M&M candies are universally loved and enjoyed. Years ago, their catchphrase was “Melts in your mouth, not in your hands.” The protective shell insured that the inner chocolate would not soften in the warmth of your hands. Enterprise Risk Management applies a...
When to Take Charge, and When Not to
Wouldn’t it be great to own a magical device that would tell you, the leader, when to take charge and when not to? This device would be what I call a Step-in Step-out Meter (SISOM). Experienced high road leaders already have their own SISOM. Emerging leaders are in...
When the Leader Cat is Away . . .
Suspend your reality-based mindset for the next few minutes while I take you on a mental journey. I give you a potion and suddenly you are invisible. I drink it and soon I am too. Even though you exist in every other way, no one can see you. In our invisible state, I...
10½ Ways to Color Outside the Lines without Crossing the Line
As a leader, you want employees to “color outside the lines.” This means that they are creative, open to new ideas, and think for themselves. As a leader you do not want employees to “cross the line.” This means the person does something that goes against the spirit...
Compensation and Women
We hear from many sources the three oft quoted reasons why women earn less than men in comparable jobs: The person making the hiring and pay decision is usually male. Women’s contributions in the workplace tend to be undervalued. A woman is traditionally not as adept...
Recipe for Sustainable Profits
With these five powerful and expansive ingredients you can build a business organization that will last for decades if not centuries. 1. Start with the Leader Building a business with sustainable profits starts with a high caliber and courageous leader. 2. Roll out...
Doing the Right Things for the Right Reasons
High Road Leaders universally have a specific trait, which I admire. They do the right things for the right reasons. I will describe what I mean by the word “right.” Each letter of the word stands for the reasoning behind a tough decision and what makes it the...
19 Traits of High Road Leaders
Leaders are the moral center of the group or organization they lead. We most often hear about unethical leaders who don’t have a moral center or who prefer the low road. Thankfully, there are people serving as leaders who take the high road. How do you identify a...
Preventing Leadership Hubris
“Ron, what do you think about the situation with CFOs who are hiding things from the CEO? Do you think the CEO should have known?” As an objective observer—coach—to my clients, I try to avoid expressing my opinion. As a facilitator, my role is to get my clients, the...
Success in Spite of Ignorance
Recently I was asked this question:“Why do some companies succeed even though they ignore the best practices of successful companies?” When the sun is out and the wind is calm, every boat stays afloat. When the storms come only the good boats stay afloat. A company...
Quitting in a Big Way
I've been writing lately about character and standing up for what you believe in, in regards to leadership. A whistleblower is often punished for speaking out. Greg Smith's op-ed piece in the New York Times is a form of whistleblowing. When someone quits their job in...
The Economic Outlook and Low Road Leaders
The current economic conditions we are experiencing will test many leaders. During the boom years, no matter how good or bad your company was, you had to be really awful to fail (see Bear Stearns)! This economic downturn separated the competent from...
Following Rules
“Rules are made to be broken!” No truer words were ever spoken by someone who prefers the low road. Rules have their place. A society would not survive without rules; we call these cultural mores. Organizations could not exist without rules; we call these the...
Naomi, the Stairs and Leadership
One of my major worries as a grandfather and father is when children get hurt. Hurting comes with exploration and (unlike adults) children usually recover quickly. When Naomi began crawling she discovered a way to challenge herself – stairs! Our house has...
Motivating and Inspiring Today’s Employees
As I travel around the country conducting leadership training, I frequently get asked intriguing questions that have universal impact. I want to share one of those questions with you: “I have a hard time finding good employees to replace the ones I have who seem...