Mary Rauchenstein – Page 5 – The Leadership Edge Solutions LLC

Where Were You?

It’s almost unfathomable to me that in less than a month we will memorialize 15 years since the attack on the World Trade Center Twin Towers, the Pentagon and United Airlines Flight 93 which crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

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Like me, I’m sure you remember where you were when the first plane crashed into the first tower; then the second. As the horror unfolded, one thing became quite clear; we were there for each other and our patriotism was unwavering. Our pride for the red, white and blue was not deterred by the horrific actions of a few.

I remember courtesy, compassion and kindness manifesting itself on the road, in the grocery stores and generally any opportunity we had to reach out to others to lend a hand. I also remember tears falling down my face the first time I heard Alan Jackson’s song, “Where Were You” (when the world stopped turning).

We need that same sense of unity, pride and purpose now and it comes from leadership. You’ve heard me say a million times that anyone can lead from where they stand. It’s time for Hillary and Donald to take off the boxing gloves and stop the vitriolic jibes at each other. It’s time for each of them to tell us exactly what they will do to bring us together as the potential leader of the free world and not drive a wedge between us.

We shouldn’t need horrific acts like 911 to remind us that we live in the greatest country in the world. Maybe we do need to be reminded that we have brave men and women who serve, who have served and who’ve lost their lives to fight for our freedom and the rights we often take for granted.

Maybe we need to be reminded that first responders put their lives on the line as part of their job responsibilities and thousands of them are struggling with disease as a result of their heroic efforts on September 11, 2001.

And we definitely need to be reminded on the chance that Donald and Hillary are incapable of getting their proverbial acts together, we can reach out to those who are different from us; listen more than we speak; and make comments like, “tell me more”. When we seek first to understand, I’ll bet we’ll see that what we have in common far outweighs our differences. That’s a cornerstone of a great leader.

Where will you be this September 11 and how will you choose to lead?

Photo courtesy of puttsk@freedigitalphotos.net

Had Your Oil Changed Lately? – Part 1

Some of you may be heading to a garage this weekend to change the oil in your car. Why? So your car can run more effectively and efficiently. When was the last time you changed the oil in your emotional tank?

Even if you were treated horribly by your former employer – let it go. Unless you’re planning to sue them for discrimination or harassment, get your mind in the right place. Get help from a professional therapist or psychologist if needed.

If you’ve just gone through a divorce or a break-up of a long-term relationship, see above. Do not tell others who are trying to help you network, or someone who is interviewing you, that you hated your last boss and you broke up with your partner three weeks ago. Get rid of this emotional baggage and those nasty Facebook posts. It’s tough stuff, but you won’t have others rushing to introduce you to future employers if you can’t present a positive, professional image.

images courtesy of stock images at freedigitalphotos.net

Good Leaders Practice What They Preach

How many times have we criticized others or been criticized ourselves for not practicing what we preach? Well, I had two unbelievable experiences recently that I have to share.

As a business consultant, I am starting to create e-learning solutions for some of my clients. No big deal. However, YouTube has some great content that appears free for the taking, but it’s not. I just finished a training module for a client titled “Brand Ambassador” training. There were two videos on YouTube that clearly illustrated characteristics of Brand Ambassadors. So, I reached out to Mark Sanborn, speaker and author (The Fred Factor) and James Lloyd, humorist and speaker. I asked if I might use a respective video from each to show in this e-learning module. Both got back to me within minutes – yes within minutes. And both were extremely gracious.

Contrast this with a request I made of another (somewhat famous) author and sales trainer a year ago, who told me I could use a quote from one of his books, for $10,000 – and that was after I reached out twice within a week, as I didn’t hear back from him initially. Even after I explained that I was doing the work pro-bono… his price remained unchanged.

If you are looking for great speakers on the subject of “exceptional service” or even “brand ambassadorship” I would highly encourage you to contact Mark Sanborn or James Lloyd. These guys are the real deal and they practice what they preach!

NBA Finals Puts Leadership on Display

Great leaders throughout history have been visionaries who’ve positively influenced the right outcomes and subsequently achieved what they dreamed or envisioned.

Great leaders throughout history have been visionaries who’ve positively influenced the right outcomes and subsequently achieved what they dreamed or envisioned. I’d always hoped I’d experience such a leader in my lifetime and I’m fortunate to say that I have indeed. And as of June 19, I have another example of the power of great leadership. Tyronn Lue, LeBron James and the entire Cleveland Cavaliers team are just that example. In Tyronn Lue I see a true serving leader who knows when to shine the light on others and let them navigate. In Lebron James, I see a man, though criticized by many, promised to bring a title back to his beloved Cleveland, and he managed to lead a team to do just that. In Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving and everyone else whose feet touched the court in Oakland… you led from where you stood. And this is tough for a girl from the steel city of Pittsburgh to say… but I’m proud of Cleveland and I’m proud of the Cavaliers! Great leadership, great job!

Coaching vs. Mentoring

As a coach, I’m often surprised at the number of people who confuse mentoring, and consulting with coaching.

As a coach, I’m often surprised at the number of people who confuse mentoring, and consulting with coaching. Each has application in the right circumstance, but if you’re looking for a coach, don’t expect them to give you the answers. Coaching is about helping others identify and move beyond the limiting beliefs that are impeding their capacity to perform or thrive. Coaches don’t talk about the good old days or advise others what they would do in a specific situation. That’s mentoring! Mentors can indeed be helpful, but they’re definitely not coaches. Consultants, like mentors offer a prescribed solution for your problem. Again, maybe that’s helpful, but it’s not coaching. Coaching is based on the premise that the best solutions lie within YOU and through effective probing and inquiry, you uncover them. Mentors give you their solution while coaches help you uncover your truths!