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Leadership topic - Bands

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management Values

management Values

Mar 9, 2021 | , ,

I guess I actually DO have a nickel for every time I stood up in front of a new team, as the “New Guy” and said, “Hi, I am Mark House, and here is what I am about.”  Actually compounded over the years, it’s what allows me the freedom to do this crazy new career, helping others have THEIR speech ready for that opportunity when it comes.  And I actually stole most of mine from other great leaders along the way, who I suspect stole theirs from others.  Because managing with Values actually works… because people can normally tell what your Values are (or aren’t)… before you can.

The Value to engage

The Value to engage

Mar 8, 2021 | , ,

As the New Year is now entering the end of the 1st Quarter, the pace of work is picking up – both as the crisis appears to be receding, but also a normal part of each year.  Budget’s being finalized, and most of the year-end Performance Reviews completed, businesses and leaders are now making decisions on where to focus.  What projects need to be accelerated, those that may need to be slowed, and staffing that needs to shift.  Simultaneously, employees are engaged in the same decisions – is this really the place for them now… or?  And key to both is … Values. 

Celebrating renewal

Celebrating renewal

Mar 7, 2021 | , ,

After the encouragement of my roommate, and after trying other ways of renewal that were less fulfilling, I found the group at our local church to be the major hub for activities and renewal. We would gather for meals occasionally during each week, and particularly on Sunday, with literally 12 guitar players, leading singing for maybe another 20-ish.  Friday nights were often go-kart racing or other fun activities, including one Halloween party that we are all glad there were no cell phone cameras for – no real bad activities, but some that, seen 45 years later, might be judged differently…

Celebration execution

Celebration execution

Mar 6, 2021 | , ,

Politics, or trying to not write about it, had a hand in starting these columns years ago.  After being active in High School, begrudgingly, I tried to stay out of it in college, but to no avail.  I was spotted by a junior in my sophomore year, and he wanted to groom a successor.  There was a Student Senate, and the Engineering School needed someone to be on it, and he suggested I ran – which I did and served for 3 of my 4 years.  He also wanted me to take over the Student Engineers Joint Council (SEJC), the student leadership group for the School, which I also did.  This was one reason I was standing in the middle of the road on a Friday night, missing a shoe, waiting for my girlfriend to pick me up… and likely be executed… 

wonder how to Celebrate?

wonder how to Celebrate?

Mar 5, 2021 | , ,

Parental Advisory – Explicit Content.  ;-)… so I have wanted to write this post since I started writing these – literally.  It is one of the greatest musicians, with the greatest names, and bundled into one of the best live bands ever… and there will be a lot of double and triple entendres and allusions that you will get, and some will probably miss… but whatever.  Here we go, and I am indebted to my friend for suggesting we talk about J Geils – as I now have an excuse… as with newspapers, those of you reading this on LinkedIn and FaceBook will have to wonder what happens under the fold… 

Celebrate or observe?

Celebrate or observe?

Mar 4, 2021 | , ,

Explaining my empower framework to people, they will often ask me ‘Which one is the most critical?’  And like picking your favorite child, it is a fool’s errand as it mostly depends on the situation you are in.  Pressed hard, it is a toss-up between today’s observe and tomorrow’s wonder.  The interesting paradox to Celebrate this week is that the songs were literally released on the same single in 1971 – this is the A-side, and tomorrow’s is the B-side.  Both were huge hits, but this was their first top 40 hit – cracking it at 39.  And both were on the album titled, The Morning After… which makes the story today even more poignant… 

partners to Celebrate

partners to Celebrate

Mar 3, 2021 | , ,

Yes, that picture is Faye Dunaway, and no that is not Frank Zappa.  I always enjoy finding odd things to Celebrate about the artists, and try to tease just enough that if you really want to know more, you can.  And with today’s theme being “partner”, this seemed like a perfect place to slot in a story about one of the other major players in the band, and also a short story about partners that I still Celebrate from those days at SMU in the ’70s…

managing Celebrating

managing Celebrating

Mar 2, 2021 | , ,

Realizing that no one was actually listening made me question why I was giving my nights and weekends to being a college radio DJ.  So after a few weeks, I stepped down, but what to do with my time?  A few guys on the floor were starting to play guitar in the evenings, and I managed to bring mine back after a weekend at home.  Politely, one of them that I was tutoring through Physics pulled me aside and suggested that I might want to switch over to Bass …. as I was actually never going to be good on guitar… honest feedback that many years later I still Celebrate… 

Celebrating by engaging

Celebrating by engaging

Mar 1, 2021 | , ,

As I headed west from Tyler, my destination was Dallas where I engaged in the fall of 1976 on my path to become an Electrical Engineer.  One thing about engineering was once you picked which type (EE, ME, IE, etc), your class schedule was mostly set.  To get through it all in 4 years, you had to take 18 hours a semester, and the classes were sequenced so your “planning” was mostly just filling in a few “electives” that were like ‘free spaces’ on the Bingo card.  And being a good student, I ripped into the classes, including an 8 am MWF Statics class – a tough ME class required for all engineering majors… 

Performing and renewing

Performing and renewing

Feb 28, 2021 | , ,

After that jarring start yesterday, let’s take a more restful approach for today’s conversation.  It is difficult to tell what is real and what is Performing, particularly as you consider another’s or your own stance on faith.  Paradoxes of what is said versus what is done can be a conversation that goes in directions that are not renewing for anyone.  For me, it has helped to realize it is more a dance, and sometimes the steps are not clear or easy, and balance is hard to hold…

executing the Performance

executing the Performance

Feb 27, 2021 | , ,

So who are you… really?  A jarring way to start a Saturday conversation, but one that could be well-timed.  Freed from your 9-5 commitments, what do you pick up and execute … first?  As I have mentioned repeatedly, doing is what I do… Performing and acting.  Resting happens only in the process of actually executing something to be completely honest.  A weekend is best ended when there are activities that have been completed, things built, people entertained… you get the idea.  Performing and execution go hand in hand in my world…

wonder who is Performing?

wonder who is Performing?

Feb 26, 2021 | , ,

In my world, we talk a lot about Authenticity.  Ironic as we also talk about Performing… and Presence… and lots of other catchphrases that are offered up as insights to help people become “better”.  It is a wonder that we make any progress, with over 15,000 books published – each year, and the countless “self-help” blogs, video blogs, and writers like me giving you their pearls of wisdom to make it sound simple.  I can offer this insight – it is not easy… but the trick I have found is don’t lose the ability to wonder what it is that makes you Perform at your best.  There is always someone to help you in ways you can’t even imagine… 

Your Partners in Performing

Your Partners in Performing

Feb 24, 2021 | , ,

The First 90 Days is one of my favorite topics to work with new leaders on.  That time is when they are at their freshest to see things that can really help business change and grow… and also are at the highest risk of stepping into things they are just starting to understand.  As it is early in the year, I have a number that are on day 20-30 of that transition, and are feeling the compelling push to Perform – do SOMETHING… and another of my least favorite management “truisms” that is patently false – “Quick Wins”.  They are rarely either, and most often damage your reputation with at least one partner.