Leaders are often viewed as the trusted go-to person who can correctly answer any question, including but not limited to, questions dealing with our industry, personal finances, governmental regulations, company holidays, how many calories are in a can of Coke. . . and on and on it goes. Great leaders earn the respect of those who follow because they are trusted advisors who both know and share the right answers. But how do great leaders continue to expand their broad base of knowledge despite their busy schedules?
During a recent BTA FIX service management seminar I was teaching, I handed out a list that my co-instructor (former BTA National President) Rock Janecek and I had compiled of our personal favorite Websites and free email newsletters. We explained that these sites are not endorsed by BTA, nor were we suggesting that they should subscribe or visit them. We were merely sharing some sites that we find helpful in our job and life. The information continually helps us keep current on helpful information. One of the attending students immediately asked, “How do you have time to read all of these each day?”
I smiled and explained, “Often it only takes a few seconds to scan the page and determine there is nothing of personal value. Other times the information I receive is extremely relevant and important to my overall understanding of the industry or the world in general.” Consciously making an effort to stay enlightened on the thoughts of others is part of my personal job description. The more information I can gather on a regular basis, the greater my value to my employees, business, and financial wellbeing. I continually work at gaining the knowledge that enables me to be the go-to resource for relevant information within our company.
At the end of this same BTA FIX seminar, another attending service manager came up to me after class. He simply asked, “How were you able to answer every question that was asked of you during the past 8 hours?” I smiled and replied, “I read a lot of books, magazines, informational Web sites and online newsletters. I listen to NPR (National Public Radio), and never take anything I hear or read at face value. I am constantly internally sorting the information I receive each day against the challenges I encounter.”
I approach thinking in a similar manner to the way I used to trouble shoot a service problem back when I was a field tech. I look at each part of what I read or hear and systematically dissect it in order to ascertain if it logically can be true. If the basic concept makes sense, I then try to weave the information into something I am directly familiar with or currently encountering. I rarely have a superior, original thought. But I am able to transfer other people’s ideas into practical (usually no cost) ways I can improve a situation at work or in my personal life. This ability to synthesize the information I process is what keeps me ahead of the game.
Neurological scientists report that the brain is always processing. Some people are able to just sit and think. I am too Type A to sit around and hope for inspiration. I find that monotonous daily activities such as walking the dog, driving, jogging, cleaning the house, etc. enables my brain to get into the habit of NOT consciously thinking about anything more than the repetitive task at hand. This allows the brain time to subconsciously think about the daily challenges of your life.
Your brain is often able to connect the dots of your past knowledge and experiences to create new ideas and solutions to the current issues you are subconsciously dealing with. It is the same concept as when a tech walks away from the machine to have a smoke, get a part from their car or takes a bathroom break. The brain needs some down time to process the situation. I find I can’t determine exactly when or how a great idea will appear, but it happens on a regular basis.
Another way to keep a fresh perspective is to read. I usually prefer reading non-fiction books, especially books written by or about great leaders. Through the years in my ENX columns I have commented on books by Colin Powell, Ben Franklin and Phil Jackson. Normally I do not read ‘business’ books. I find most traditional business books are written as part of a business plan for the author to make money. Books written by great innovators with leadership qualities have more personal value to me.
A few books that I have recently read or listened to include Big Data: A Revolution that will Transform How We Live, Work and Think, The Shallows–What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains, Lean In, The River of Doubt, and The Price of Justice. Each was entertaining as well as expanded my knowledge by providing an alternate way of thinking. None of these books had anything to directly do with our industry. Yet each provided a wealth of leadership and management ideas I am currently using in my daily work. All were borrowed from the public library. Most are available in electronic form, on CD, in hardback and paperback. All can be purchased on Amazon and eBay, new or used.
From time to time I even read books about people I do not agree with, especially politicians. I am curious about what are the thought patterns of someone who thinks completely different than I do. I want to view the world from their perspective. This helps me to be an empathetic leader in my business life as well as being able to transcend my thinking process from the seller to the buyer’s point of view. Learning to broaden your perspective is always a positive.
I even enjoyed reading Rumsfeld’s Rules: Leadership Lessons in Business, Politics, War and Life. Rumsfeld was a nemesis to Colin Powell in President Bush’s first term cabinet. On page 1, Rumsfeld mentions the success of Xerox’s CEO Ursula Burns, the first African American female CEO of a Fortune 500 company, who started out as a summer intern at Xerox. Considering he mentioned Mrs. Burns, a personal favorite of mine, I decided to read on. Rumsfeld includes many useful one liners throughout the book such as:
- Talent hits a target no one else can hit. Genius hits a target no one else can see.
- A’s hire A’s. B’s hire C’s.
- If you foul up, tell the boss and correct it fast.
- Disagreement is not disloyalty.
- The first consideration for a meeting is whether to call one or not.
- If you expect people to be in on the landing, include them for the takeoff.
- People count up the faults of those who keep them waiting. Be on time.
- New ideas often receive a negative reaction at the outset, regardless of their value.
If you want a little more to THINK about, ENX readers can request my list of Ben Franklin’s ideas, my list of favorite Web sites and an easy to reference list of the books I mentioned and their authors. Email ronellei@msn.com and request something to THINK about.
