Positive Leadership: A Celebration of Steve's Life

Apple's Senior Vice President of Industrial Design, and a key figure behind the Apple 'revolution, is Englishman, Jony Ive CBE.

Here, he speaks about Steve Jobs at the recent Apple celebration of Jobs' life.

For more, see - http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/10oiuhfvojb23/event/index.html#

Positive Leadership: A Celebration of Steve's Life

Positive Leadership: Helping Others Shine

Earl Miller, a neuroscientist at MIT says, “Success has a much greater influence on the brain than failure.” 

Ned Hallowell comments in Shine: Using Brain Science to Get the Best from Your People: "While of course mistakes need to be acknowledged and, one hopes, learned from, it may be more likely, from a purely neurological point of view, that a person will learn more from a success than a failure.” The brain’s plasticity—its ability to grow and change throughout life—means that none of us are stuck with who we are. With the proper attention we can learn to perform better. “All people want to work hard and will work hard, given the right job and the right conditions, because it feels supremely good to excel.”

Hallowell points out that acknowledgment or recognition serves two important functions. Of course there is the familiar purpose of giving the recipient encouragement, motivation and greater confidence, but recognition also promotes moral behaviour through connection. Hallowell explains: “When a person feels recognised and connected to the larger group, she knows viscerally, not just intellectually, that she has made a contribution others value. Not only does this motivate her to do more and try harder, but it instills a desire to look out for the larger group…. It leads a person to do the right thing even when no one is looking.”

Showing appreciation and giving recognition is part of the Cycle of Excellence process he calls 'shine'. In our busy culture it is easy to overlook opportunities to acknowledge others. Noticing the positive is a daily challenge.

In Shine, Hallowell offers these ten tips for promoting shine with the people you influence:

• Recognise effort, not just results. Of course, you want the results, but if you recognise ongoing effort, results will more likely ensue. Cheerleading works.
• Notice details. Generic acknowledgment pales next to specific recognition.
• Try, as much as possible, to provide recognition in person. E-mail packs much less of a punch than human moments.
• In meetings—and everywhere—try to make others look good, not bad. Scoring points off the backs of others usually backfires.
• As a manager, you should know that the self-esteem of each employee is perhaps your most important asset. Recognition is a powerful tool to preserve self-esteem.
• Acknowledge people’s existence! Try always to say hello, give a nod of the head, a high five, a smile in passing. It’s withering to pass someone and feel as if that person didn’t even see you.
• Tap into the power of positive feedback. Remember that positive feedback often consolidates gains better than learning from mistakes.
• Monitor progress. Performance improves when a person’s progress toward a goal is monitored regularly.
• Remember, as a manager, the more you recognise others, the more you establish the habit of recognition of hard work and progress as part of the organizational culture.
• Bring in the marginalised people. In most organisations, about 15 percent of people feel unrecognised, misunderstood, devalued, and generally disconnected. Not only is recognition good for that 15 percent to help them feel valued, it is good for the other 85 percent as well, as it boots the positive energy across the organisation.

Hallowell reminds us that “recognition is so powerful because it answers a fundamental human need, the need to feel valued for what we do” and as leaders we are in a unique position to offer or withhold that recognition. 

Positive Leadership: Helping Others Shine

Appreciation Works!

Your organisation feels the economic difficulties. Your team knows that you have to make savings. You want to keep spirits up, but budgets are tight and getting even tighter. Everyone feels overworked, tired, and taken for granted. You are tense and irritable yourself.

Now is the time for a magnanimous but totally basic gesture. It is simple and free, and will lift your spirits too. It is so simple but it works.

The gesture: Send notes of appreciation to the people on your team telling them specifically what you value about each of them as colleagues. Surprise them with something they might not know that you notice. No form letters. Preferably handwritten notes, to stand out in the impersonal email clutter.

If you are not the big boss, you could also ask the next level above you to send a letter to your team acknowledging their contributions.

Some of the best CEOs are known for their handwritten notes. When Jeannette Wagner headed Estee Lauder, she always had stationery with her on trips to keep getting out those notes, sometimes sent in the next hour after a meeting. U.S. Presidents have built their goodwill banks of future supporters through handwritten notes (not the ones generated by machines).

In organisations and professions where a show of emotion is rare, recipients might secretly treasure the note because it is unexpected. Your own mood will improve as you think positive thoughts. This is scientifically proven. 

Appreciation Works!