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Leadership is..."The Man in the Arena"
Not Lost In Translation: Cendrine Marrouat
10 Reasons Why Small Businesses Fail

Posted: 19 Dec 2012 03:15 AM PST

Leadership is what? What qualities do the leaders in this world have that sets them apart from bosses, management, functionaries, politicians and other would be leaders. Can these qualities be thought, can they be learned.

In one of his great speeches, Citizenship in a Republic, delivered in the Sorbonne in Paris on the 23rd April 1910, US President Theodore Roosevelt, spoke of "the man in the arena". To me it epitomizes what a leader needs to do; the risks, the vulnerability, the failure, the success, the pain, the joy, the sorrow. Below is the quotation in full.

The Man in the Arena

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

This has become a famous and often used quotation. One of my great golfing heroes Tom Watson used it to motivate the 1993 US Ryder Cup Team on the Saturday night before the singles matches on Sunday. The US were away from home and facing defeat, the players were inspired and went on to record an unlikely victory.

US President Nixon referenced The Man in the Arena, during his resignation speech as a result of the Watergate scandal in the early 70's. Nixon equated himself with the man, with his face marred with dust, sweat and blood. Watergate was not Nixon's finest hour.

Brene Brown: Listening to Shame

In the second of her TED Talks; Listening to Shame Brown quotes "the man in the arena" as she attempts to link vulnerability, shame and courage, three of the main emotions that her 12 years of research has led her to believe distinguishes a group of people she has identified as "the whole hearted".

Brown's research shows this group to be made up of people that have the greatest ability to connect with others. "Shame and Vulnerability is the birth place of Leadership, Innovation and Creativity" according to Brown. The whole hearted have the courage to expose themselves to rejection or ridicule, again and again, because they believe that that is the only way to live life.

What has this to do with leadership?

"Leadership is not magnetic personality, that can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not 'making friends and influencing people', that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a person's vision to higher sights, the raising of a person's performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations." - Peter Drucker.

Leaders must process the ability to connect with others, above all else this is what sets them apart. That ability has to be allied to a skill set. The following ten points are to me, what differentiate leaders from management.

connection
authenticity
empathy
values
principles
ethics
vision
gratitude
courage
vulnerability

"To lead people, walk beside them ... As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honor and praise. The next, the people fear; and the next, the people hate ... When the best leader's work is done the people say, 'We did it ourselves!'" — Lao-tsu

Leadership is...Getting people to make a Leap of Faith.

Both Peter Drucker and Lao-tsu believe leadership is not about the leader, the leader will understand this intuitively; it is about the team that the leader surrounds themselves with. It is about how the leader sells his/her vision for the organisation and brings the team along for the journey. According to Drucker the performance levels of the team increase to levels they would have not previously believed they could attain and as Lao-tsu says, the team believe they have accomplished the raising of these personal standards on their own.

Leadership is...Facilitation

So a Leader has to

facilitate
coach
mentor
initiate structure
initiate methods
processes
culture

To quote Theodore Roosevelt again,"The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good people to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it."

Conclusion

So facilitation scores high in the abilities of the leader, along with the other bulleted points above. The leader has to have the vision, the belief to stick to this vision and carry the team with him/her. We have all worked in organisations that have had the second, third and forth type, mentioned in the Lao-tsu quote above.

How many of you can say you have worked with the first type, the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence?

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Images: "Background concept word cloud illustration of leadership / Shutterstock.com"

The post Leadership is..."The Man in the Arena" appeared first on Tweak Your Biz.

Not Lost In Translation: Cendrine Marrouat

Posted: 18 Dec 2012 04:48 AM PST

I first came across Cendrine Marrouat and her Creative Ramblings on Bizsugar. After reading her post the first time I have since always made a point of looking out for Cendrine's posts as they are always so interesting. We got chatting on Twitter and have since kept in touch on a regular basis - it's possible I'm even being included in her new eBook.

I think it was after a few months of "chatting" that Cendrine told me that English wasn't her first language and that she often had to stop and think about how to write it in English. I was shocked as throughout all our online chats and reading her posts I noticed they are word perfect....in English. This, of course, made me fascinated in how she wrote in, what is to her, a foreign language. After all, many of us struggle to write in our native language, never mind a foreign one. Cendrine explains this to me plus who her social media idols are and lots more, including some brilliant tips for blogging.

You are French born but now reside in Canada – how did that come about and when did you move?

At the beginning of 2003, after almost six years of university, I needed a change of scenery. I wanted to travel and experience new cultures.

My best friend, who is Canadian, was a few months away from leaving France, where she had spent an entire year. She mentioned that Canada would be a good start for me and offered to accommodate me if need be.

I was only supposed to stay there for a few months. However, within a few days of my landing in Winnipeg, Manitoba, I knew I had found a new home. I have never looked back since then.

What is your background relating to Journalism and writing?

I am a former English major and hold a bachelor's degree in English to French translation. My favourite subjects were linguistics and phonetics.

I had no real background in journalism when I started in 2010. But, it worked out well because I have an inquisitive mind and love doing research. Plus, I enjoy unbiased reporting.

How did you get into the Social Media scene?

I have had several incarnations in my career. One of them is as an independent artist. I was a poet for a few years, and after releasing my first three collections, I realized that the path to good exposure was paved with challenges.

At the time (2006), I had no one to help me. First, I joined Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and spent some time observing how successful people leveraged the sites. This led me into reading a lot of articles on social media and "meeting" professionals involved in the field.

When I had acquired sufficient knowledge, I began sharing through discussions with people. They advised me to start blogging, which I did. And that's how I got into the social media scene. I have been involved in it full time for four years now.

As French is your first language how do you adapt to writing in English?

In my mid-teens, when I developed a passion for the English language, I decided to train my brain to switch between tongues whenever I needed it. The challenge quickly turned into a game, which allowed me to learn quickly and effectively.

When I write in English, I think in English. Of course, a French word may pop up in my mind occasionally, but that's about it.

Do you use any special translation tools to make it easier?

I only use a bilingual dictionary or do some research on the Internet. I also know I can count on a couple of friends who have a very good knowledge of grammar to help me if I really need it.

Who are your Social Media idols and why?

I have quite a few favourites, but the two on top of my list are Seth Godin and Chris Brogan.

When it comes to marketing, Seth is the best. He says it like it is and the tips he shares on his blog work for every industry.

The same goes for Chris, who coined the phrase "human business". With him, it's all about using social media to communicate and build relationships with audiences. It is something on which I strongly focus in my work as well.

For anyone getting into blogging and Social Media what would be your top 5 tips?

Start by asking yourself the right questions. For example: "What do I want to achieve?", "Who is my audience?", "What are my audience's needs?", "What are my strengths and weaknesses?", "Where do I see myself in five years?"… Your answers will allow you to create a strategy.
The next step is to establish your expertise. Provide content that is useful to your audience – and in your own voice. Build a community of advocates.
Do not post everything you write on social media sites. Instead, share teasers and invite people to read the rest on your blog. That's always where traffic should end up.
Don't forget to treat others the way you would like to be treated. Be approachable and human, and most importantly, practice gratitude as often as you can. Acknowledging the little things others do for you will always go a very long way.
Finally, be consistent AND patient. Things do not happen overnight – not even in six months. There is a lot of competition out there!

What is next on the agenda for Cendrine?

I have been working on an eBook on social media strategies, which I hope to release in 2013. Earlier this year, I asked readers of Creative Ramblings, to share their best tips for a successful social media strategy. The responses were so overwhelming that I decided to include my favourites in the book. There will be one quote (with full attribution) at the end of each chapter. For those interested in following my progress, you can check out Creative Ramblings.

I also have a ton of social media workshops lined up for 2013. And if time permits, I would like to organize a few webinars in both English and French for my audience.

I hope you enjoyed this interview and for me it just goes to show if you work hard you can be successful and in any language that you choose. I'm sure Cendrine would be happy to answer any questions you wish to ask below.

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The post Not Lost In Translation: Cendrine Marrouat appeared first on Tweak Your Biz.

10 Reasons Why Small Businesses Fail

Posted: 18 Dec 2012 04:14 AM PST

Running a small business is an exciting venture that can lead to the financial freedom simple employees work their whole lives to attain. However, with the great rewards come great risks that can lead us small business owners to financial failures.

I have witnessed friends and family members pursue their own entrepreneurial dreams only to see them shattered not a year into their short-lived careers, mostly due to a number of fatal but avoidable reasons. Let's take a look at some of them.

# 1. No Business Plan

Knowing what your business will be and how you will sell your products or services are not enough to keep it running. You need to have a business plan written out, including (but not limited to) the following:

your short and long term goals;
the business' finances for labor, production equipment, etc.;
your target markets; and
marketing.

Having one which outlines every detail will guide your business to the right path.

# 2. Wrong Reasons

Starting a small business simply because you want to be rich can lead to an unfulfilling experience, where you will always be looking for schemes that can bring you fortune. Before you do, think first about your own interests and passions. Do you believe you can give something of value to people at large? Are you driven enough to overcome the many inevitable obstacles an entrepreneur will face?

# 3. Inefficient Management

Small business entrepreneurs usually come into their industries with little to no knowledge of handling the multiple facets of a business such as financial management, employee relations, advertising and other essential responsibilities. Educate yourself through short business and finance courses, or hire managers who have expertise in the fields where you are lacking.

# 4. Lack of Capital

Some entrepreneurs think they will be making profits for their beginning operation cycles, spending most (if not all) of their resources immediately, only to find out later that they will not have enough funds to start the succeeding cycle/s. Consider every possible cost (overhead, production, equipment, etc.) and save enough money that can be used for at least one fiscal year despite poor sales.

# 5. Bad Location

It is not enough to set up a store at a location with high human traffic or with a very cheap lease. Opening a restaurant near a school campus can seem like a good idea, but don't expect too many customers if the food is expensive and there are much cheaper alternatives around.

You need to consider your target market and their habits, as well as the direct competition in the area. Don't be afraid of spending on prime location, as the increased rate of customers coming into your store and making a purchase will make up for the initial cost.

# 6. No Online Presence

In this age of high-speed information, people expect to find just about everything on the Internet with their computers and mobile devices. Not having a website or at least a social media page will render your business virtually invisible to a great majority of the world's population.

You can hire professionals to create a website for you or put up the website yourself. Make accounts for your business on Facebook, Twitter and other leading social media platforms where your target market can usually be found.

# 7. Uncontrolled Growth

Growth is a good thing unless it is left unchecked and your generated revenue can't keep up with the expansion. If your business experiences great success, do not be overeager to spend your profits by immediately buying more equipment or opening up new stores. Stick to the strategies you have set so you can still grow without bankrupting the business.

# 8. Financial Neglect

Cash is the lifeblood of any business, and there will be no business once that runs out. Therefore, it is imperative that small business entrepreneurs practice strict financial record-keeping so that every penny is duly accounted for. Knowing exactly how much money is going in and out of your business will correctly guide every decision you make.

# 9. Lackluster Execution

Having a great business plan will amount to nothing if each objective is tackled with incompetence. Employees who are lazy, dull, bad-mannered and unmanageable will not just cut down on productivity, but will also have a negative effect on the work environment and customer/client relations. Follow strict hiring guidelines and subject your hires to rigorous training to ensure quality output from each one.

# 10. Poor Marketing

A small business needs to market its brand considering the tough competition it will face against more established businesses. You need to invest enough resources into promoting your products through the right channels. This is so your target market knows exactly that you can fulfill its needs. Online marketing is a must these days, but you should not ignore the physical reach of traditional marketing methods such as brochures, flyers and business cards.

Ultimately, it is a matter of planning out your overall strategy, assessing your own strengths and weakness, and keeping a good eye on all of your resources—be it financial or human. Consider each of these possible pitfalls, and you can find your small business not just surviving, but thriving in this competitive world.

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Images: "Locked door on a business that has gone bankrupt / Shutterstock.com"

The post 10 Reasons Why Small Businesses Fail appeared first on Tweak Your Biz.

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miercuri, 19 decembrie 2012