Are You A Hero Leader?
Thursday, November 13th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Are you a “hero leader?” Do you like to swoop-in and save the day? Do you see yourself as the white knight who can solve any problem or challenge? If you do, you have what I refer to as ”hero leader syndrome.” Any leader’s belief that he or she can do everything better than anyone else (even if it’s true) is a root cause of inhibiting workforce productivity. Creating unnecessary dependencies between leaders and team members, while often unintentional and/or well-intended, is nonetheless a far too common practice for the “hero leader.” In today’s post we’ll take a look at the myth of the hero leader…
Managing Outlook
Tuesday, November 11th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Managing Outlook is nothing short of a pain in the *** if you don’t pay attention to it. In coaching top CEOs and entrepreneurs I find that one thing they all have in common is an over abundance of e-mail. When e-mail was originally labeled as the “Killer App” it was because e-mail was thought to be the ultimate productivity enhancement tool. Regrettably, I believe e-mail has become the “Killer App” for most executives because it actually kills their productivity. The truth of the matter is that e-mail in-and-of-itself is not the problem, rather it is how you utilize it that determines whether or not e-mail is an asset or a liability. In today’s post I’ll share the same tips and techniques that I use myself to handle the constant deluge of e-mail…
Facing Challenges
Monday, October 27th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
As you travel the path toward success there will be many obstacles in your way. You will face physical, mental, financial, and resource challenges among others. Instead of beating yourself up or giving in, it is critical that you develop the ability to learn from setbacks. In today’s post I will take a brief look at the beliefs that cause some to succeed where most fail. In a nutshell, dealing with barriers, obstacles, and setbacks is much more about attitude than aptitude. So my question is this; Do you have the attitude to thrive under pressure and to succeed, or will you implode when faced with a challenge?
Corporate Reengineering
Wednesday, September 17th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Times are tough, and they’re likely to get tougher, so my question is this; Should you, or should you not consider a move toward corporate reengineering? Whether directly or indirectly, your business will likely face negative repercussions of the struggling economy at some point, and there will be tough decisions that need to be made. The mere discussion of corporate reengineering can cause fear, anxiety, and in some cases even panic. This is so much the case that some CEOs will avoid restructuring initiatives at all costs. There are even some business theorists (see “Rethinking Good To Great“) that warn against undertaking complex restructurings because of the great risks involved. My question is this…since when have fear and avoidance become prerequisites for success as a CEO? Give me real leaders who possess courage, vision, and a bias toward action, and spare me the timidity of mediocre managers posing as leaders. In today’s post I’ll examine the benefits of, and the need for corporate reengineering…
Tenure
Friday, August 15th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
If your business highly values tenure as a measure for employee evaluation, it is time for you to consider updating your talent management practices and procedures. So, what’s wrong with tenure you ask? In principle very little; but in practice virtually everything. Think of any organization that has mediocre talent, where management has frustrated you with consistent under-performance, or where cavalier attitudes and a sense of entitlement overshadow the focus on customer centricity, and I’ll show you an organization that embraces tenure…
Focus on Performance
Thursday, August 7th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
While many of my posts tend to be motivational in nature, today’s message is going to be direct, and to the point…focus on performance. One of the drawbacks of being a professional advisor is that I’m bombarded by voluminous amounts of incoming rhetoric and jargon on a daily basis. Sometimes I just get so tired of all the management speak and self-help propaganda floating around that I want to choke someone. Fear not, rather than resort to violence I’ll just do what I do best…simplify the complex. You see, the formula for success is really quite simple…PERFORM.
Why Coaching Works
Sunday, August 3rd, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
If you watch this video clip and don’t walk away with a complete understanding of why coaching works then there may be no hope for you…All kidding aside, we all need a coach whether we realize it or not. As a CEO Coach my mission is to help clients become better and accomplish more than they could if they were left on their own. The simple truth of the matter is that coaching works. Regardless of how some people spin their story, there are no self-made individuals, and everyone is better-off with someone in the corner pulling for them. I hope this video encourages you to move past your comfort zone and be your best…
Read The Full PostTeam Building & Equality
Thursday, July 31st, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
In recent months I have observed a decent amount of politically correct discourse on the topic of team building and equality. The gist of the argument seems to be that for teams to be productive, employees have to feel “empowered” by having an equal voice. I can sum-up my feeling on this in one word…ridiculous. To be blunt, the concept of equality in the workplace has only made team building more difficult as employees seem to have a sense of undeserved entitlement with regard to their roles and responsibilities. And as odd as it may sound, one of the greatest impediments to building productive teams is practicing management by consensus. In today’s post I’ll share my thoughts on team building and equality…
Michael Jordan and Failure
Friday, July 25th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Michael Jordan “Failure” Nike Commercial
In a previous post entitled “Don’t Quit” I espoused the benefits of staying the course and not giving up. In today’s post I wanted to share a short video with you in support of the concept that it is acutally those who have the fortitude to work through failure that often have the most noteworthy success. While this video is just a Nike commercial it nonetheless proves that when you look behind the public face of success you will most often find quiet determination, persistence, and a refuse to lose attitude…
Read The Full PostBoosting Personal Productivity
Wednesday, June 25th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Has the speed at which business is transacted in the 21st Century completely overwhelmed you? Do you find yourself flirting with disaster by constantly brushing up against deadlines? Are your work hours increasing without a corresponding increase in income or satisfaction? Do you wish you had more time in a day? If you answered yes to any of the aforementioned questions your personal productivity is likely not where it should be. Boosting personal productivity is virtually the only way for professionals to meet their earnings expectations, keep their sanity by maintaining a balanced life, and meet customer expectations. In today’s post I’ll provide some tips for how to manage your day instead of having your day manage you.