Barry Schwartz shows us examples and clearly states that the key to “practical wisdom” is the development of character. This has to begin in the classroom and teachers (and parents for that matter) must embody character. The question remains – what constitutes “character”?

It Takes More Than Competence

Everyone is talking about competencies, which are a combination of knowledge, skills, experience, and abilities that have been acquired over the lifetime of a leader’s career. Competencies are critical to performance and are indicative of the CAN DO aspects of the leader. We believe that competencies are the standard expectation today and leaders won’t survive long without them. But, there is something very important missing from the equation if the primary focus is all on competencies.  Most of the competency models out there are missing a comprehensive approach to the aspect of leadership that is MOST critical to sustainable leadership success…namely, who you are being as a person in fulfilling your leadership role.

Rapid change, demands a leader who has character…

The world of work has dramatically changed in the last decade. Leaders with good character are the ones who will make it during a tough downward cycle so those are the leaders we are looking to. Tilt is the only leadership 360 measuring trait-based character strengths.

We are  pleased to announce 1-Focus International as a fellow with Tilt Inc. as a Preferred Independent Consultant in Europe.

If you want to improve your communication skills, build solid teams with your co-workers, enhance your communications, leverage the relationships you have with others, or accomplish a myriad of other goals, The Platinum Rule™ will help you do that… and more. So look around the Assessments Now site and enjoy. But, to fully experience the magic of The Platinum Rule™ take your personalized Assessments Now Communicatons Style Assessment.

You will receive a 33 page report and can ask others to complete the assessment on you, confidentially in less than 5 minutes.  You will see the eGraph develop as your results are plotted.

Career Workshop for family members and members of household for U.S. Embassy, Berlin 

Our thanks again to Stacy for volunteering and we are pleased to offer her a complimentary communications style inventory. For family and friends of the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, just above the credit card information, do not forget to put in the 4 digit code given out at the workshops.  The 50% off will be automatically calculated.  This special user code will be valid until the end of the year – with our thanks.

Assessments Now a division of 1- Focus International

Their organization systemically encouraged operating in silos and through the use of individual style assessments, it was clear that the individuals were not by nature ones who were inclined to working together in a team setting.   In the words of one member, “We get the results in spite of ourselves.”  Thus on the surface they had “two strikes” against them. However, each one recognized the value and synergies of building and committing to working as a team.  More importantly, they had a leader who was willing to admit her mistakes and be vulnerable in front of the team.  With her modeling, each one slowly began to open up more about themselves, their needs and their values.  For the first time the team was able to discuss a highly emotional situation and come to a conclusion.  This represents just the beginning for them in their quest to become a cohesive team.

Team builders will, at one time or another, face the challenge of fostering group harmony in groups where there is inevitably going to be flaws due to human nature. According to author Patrick Lencioni, human beings are inherently dysfunctional. Too often, leaders try to unite dysfunctional teams. Therefore, team builders must recognize and drive groups to overcome certain behavioral tendencies, many of which are negative and can bring down an entire organization.

The purpose of our program is to align the team under a common vision and direction while taking into account different objectives and needs. As stated in the Participant Material of Five Dysfunctions of a Team, the objective is simple: To make substantial progress to becoming a more cohesive team.

1-Focus International is using the workshop material and assessment based on The Five Dysfunctions of a Team.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team Program may appear to be a two-three day workshop, but it is, in fact, based on practical needs and results. It has been designed by the author of the book to provide a structure and methodology for senior teams to become high performing. It is based on a simple and proven model using exercises that Fortune 500 companies have found useful.

For an excellent review of both the book AND the model check out this posting from the Practice of Leadership Blog.

Stress Tips of the Month

Inner Massage–Outer Glow: Laugh Yoga or LoL

Our bodies are impacted not only by what we see by also by we hear and feel. When we laugh, we are massaging our inner organs and raising our body’s ability to fight disease.

You might have noticed that everyone has a range of sounds they make when they laugh…hee-hee–hee, ha–ha—haa, ooooh—-ooooh–oooh, eye—eye—eye, ho–ho–ho; aye—aye–aye–aye, uuuh—uuh—uuh.. all effect different muscles and organs in our body.

Sit down comfortably or better yet, stand at ease and simply choose a sound (preferably a vowel sound) and for 20 seconds to 1 minute practice laughing it. Leave plenty of room around you in case you find yourself doubling over laughing. As you get more comfortable, you might want to practice longer and for several times a day.

You can pick a sound a day to experiment with or combine sounds for example, haa-haa–haa–hoo-ho-ho–hee-hee–hee; or he-ha-ha,he-hee-ha–haa; and keep repeating them for a minute.

At first, you might notice some discomfort in some part of your body. After a week of just a minute or two a day (an hour is better, of course,) your whole system will feel better… and your interaction with others may take on a more positive persona.

We are launching a new series next month called 30 Second Relief and will send out a short stress tip each week. If you are interested in presubscribing, please send an email to : 30secondrelief@aweber.com If you don’t receive the confirmation email within 5 minutes of registering, please check your SPAM box and be sure to whitelist aweber.com .

Out sister AssessmentsNow ezine also was sent out for September and you missed some tips on how to avoid the typical “labeling” that goes on when assessments are used in an organization. Roberta also listed her Case Studies. One that might be of interest to you is: Changing Demands and Competencies.

Sure, third party feedback is important. But what do I do with it?

I hate getting feedback. I know, how dare I? Isn’t the business that we are in at 1-Focus all about feedback? Perhaps… but who wants to take a bitter pill, even if others say it’s good for me? Generally, I think feedback can be devastating, especially if I feel the person giving the feedback has an agenda. It’s easy for me to get defensive. Besides, I don’t always know what to do with it. I just don’t like it, even when I could benefit from it.

People, organizations and social systems need to continually evolve and adapt to our environments if we wish to thrive and grow. According to Peter Senge, information is essential for this process:

Human beings learn best through first hand experience… But “learning by doing” only works so long as the feedback from our actions is rapid and unambiguous.

Unfortunately, few of us have valid, honest, open feedback available to us. Nor do we know how to get it.

The use of assessments, particularly 360-degree feedback instruments and climate surveys, may hold the key to receiving useful and practical feedback. The output of assessments provides data that is packaged in a personal but non-judgmental format. Most of the instruments used in personal development do not have a right or wrong answer. They usually provide information about someone’s interests, preferences, behavioral style, or motivations, to name a few. Individuals then have a solid basis to understand how they might come across to others, especially when third party observer input is added to the mix. Any psychometrically sound assessment, used in conjunction with a skilled administrator, will provide clients with the opportunity to check their self-awareness. This information can be processed and used to develop action plans to improve emotional intelligence.*

But don’t be misled and fool yourself into thinking that assessments are completely neutral. Most of the assessments on the market are self-rater — so people are just giving feedback to themselves. Multi-rater feedback processes and climate surveys, while much more behaviorally sound, still rely on the perceptions and biases of others. We only think the assessment is objective because we get a lot of statistical numbers and averages or fancy looking computer-generated reports. The Platinum Rule™ used by 1-Focus graphically displays our own perceptions along with the anonymous observations of friends and colleagues on our communications and relating style.

We have to deal with millions of separate pieces of data or information every day and we do it quite effectively and simply. The trick is to ask ourselves: “What is important here?” Otherwise we will suffer from information overload. I think that the same is true of feedback.

So what is a person to do? Here is a perspective that will work for you when facing feedback, especially when using assessments. Constantly remind yourself: “This is just one more piece of information. It is just data; you can do whatever you want with it.” Use it to build self-awareness, use it to create action plans, or decide it’s not relevant and set it aside.

So dear friends, unless I ask, don’t give me any feedback. And even when I ask, think twice.

Copyright 2005, Roberta F. Hill, AssessmentsNow.com Used with permission. This article first appeared in Business Coaching Worldwide (Issue 1, 2005).

* Consultants and coaches at 1-Focus are certified and trained in a number of well established assessments.

To listen to the original article click below:

In Jim Collins’ landmark book, Good to Great, one of the most surprising results of the research of good-to-great companies was in the discovery of the type of leadership required to turn a good company into a great one. One might think that such companies are led by high-profile leaders with big personalities, those who make headlines and become celebrities. Yet, those leaders who seek and thrive in the spotlight do not exude what can be termed “Level 5 Leadership”. Leaders of this type — those who combine extreme personal humility with intense professional will — shun the attention of celebrity, channeling their ambition toward the goal of building a great company. Those leaders might run different companies in different markets, but they exemplify the same basic set of qualities.

Good to Great studied 1,435 companies and discovered six leadership behaviors that produce extraordinary results. TalentSmart® created the first and only test of the six leadership skills from Good to Great two years ago. Researched and validated with leaders worldwide, this Good or Great test lets leaders know where they stand on the road to greatness, and where they should invest energy in improving.

I don’t know anything about this specific assessment but somehow I feel that it slightly misses the intent of the book. Collins originally did not want to address leadership as a criterion for what makes a great company. Interestingly, his researchers could not avoid this as a key component – but not the only factor. Secondly, very few leaders reach the Level 5 and an instrument that measures only this level and which is self reporting seems to me rather questionable. I think that it would have been more prudent to identify different behaviors at each of the five levels and then report how an individual shows up on each of the separate levels.

Level 5 Hierarchy

Level 5 Executive

• Builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will.

Effective Leader

• Catalyzes commitment to and vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision, stimulating higher performance standards.

Competent Manager

• Organizes people and resources toward the effective and efficient pursuit of predetermined objectives.

Contributing Team Member

• Contributes individual capabilities to the achievement of group objectives and works effectively with others in a group setting.

Highly Capable Individual

• Makes productive contributions through talent, knowledge, skills and good work habits.

I think that the five levels represent a relatively good flow of typical and traditional hierarchies found in organizations. Unfortunately, they do not reflect the current reality and movement towards both personal leadership – with or without “formal” authority and the need for collaborative leadership in our complex world.

At 1-Focus we have taken the time to research the literature and identify the leadership competencies that we think are needed in the future that focus on the collaborative nature of leadership as well as address the fundamental skills.

Click on the Assessments page to find out more.

Chris saw himself as independent, a strong leader and a real go-getter. He led an active life and knew he simply didn’t know everything he needed to run his company. Keeping up on everything would take too much time away from his customer and team relationships and overall management responsibilities and would leave no time for his personal life. Friday mornings (more often when needed)2 -4 hours were set aside for a conference call and a half a day-full day once a month for a face-to-face meeting with his team. Not our typical staff reporting, but rather staff sharing and brainstorming took place. As situations arose, lessons learned, problem resolution, impact awareness, new tactics, even customer needs and employee scenarios were discussed together with everyone on his leadership team who could attend.

Sure, he had an open door policy, but in a fast-paced, complex environment like his, coupled with his travel schedule, who had time to just drop in? He needed to keep abreast of what was happening and needed his whole team to stay on top of things and participate in decision making. Solutions to challenging and complex, as well as mundane issues were derived from the input of his whole team. Everyone knew what was going on. How they each went about implementing changes was often a mystery to him, unless something needed to be discussed or shared. He trusted that once they were clear on what needed to be done, team members would then do what they needed to get the job done. If they needed help they would ask for it. When projects impacted cross teams they worked together and formed focus groups when they needed to. Could he tell you the details and inner working of each project? NO! But, when he needed information, he knew who to ask and the info. was readily available.

The styles of both leaders – Paul and Chris — were very different –and fostered different leadership styles in their subordinates and different results. The first, for a young, up and coming leader on a first major project might have been just the developmental support that was needed to succeed. However, if continued too long, it may not necessarily help the new leader develop the self- confidence to make her own decisions and inspire others on her team. Her brainstorming and problem solving skills were strengthening with these one on one interactions as was her relationship to her boss. However, the management team as a whole was rarely informed of each other’s activities beyond memos and didn’t have the opportunity to benefit from synergistic problem solving. The second team had the benefit of being kept regularly informed as a whole and could always tap into the collective imagination of the group, often going beyond pure problem solving. Not only were new ideas created, but product and process innovation, and on occasion, new markets were created.

• What type of management style does the work you do require?
• Which style better suits you?
• What changes might you make in how you manage your team?
• How might making these changes enhance your outcomes and environment?
• What might be getting in the way?
• What steps can you take now?…and in the future?

At 1-Focus International we have a strong emphasis on leadership from a collaborative perspective.  That said, we know that various cultures and personal styles influence the most effective strategies.  Find out more by visiting the tabs above on Assessments.