Rothacker Reviews

High Impact Middle Management

Quick, when is the last time you read a book targeted to help middle managers hone their craft?  A magazine article?  Information on middle management is often over shadowed by the Amazonian volume of material directed towards company leaders.  Leadership can plot the course and sometimes steer the ship, but it can't coordinate all the functions necessary to keep a large ship steaming the seas.  It takes middle management.

Lisa Haneberg wrote High Impact Middle Management to provide a systematic process for implementation of planning, goal setting, performance management, problem solving, process improvement, relationship building, analysis, communication, budgeting and decision-making.  This process is called the H.I.M.M. system and is built on principles lasered at what is unique about middle management and how this professional can produce significant results.

The Engine's Oil:  Producing Results

I love RORs!  Results-oriented-responses are oil.  Lisa injects RORs into the middle manager's work.  No matter what the process, RORs will help to peak performance.  Examples are:

• Being an owner
• Being active
• Generating
• Keeping promises
• Influencing through enrollment
• Being service oriented
• Being coachable
• Practicing quality dialogue

Success

H.I.I.M. is also a great educational experience for the middle manager's manager.  When success is defined by middle managers:

• Being accountable and taking ownership
• Making a positive contribution
• Being outstanding role models
• Obtaining results
• Being flexible and nimble
• Managing people for optimal productivity and satisfaction
• Being responsive to other's ideas and concerns

When viewed this way, how could the manager's manager not want to invest in the educational process?

The Playbook

This is sweet!  Lisa has developed outlines for a business playbook, which she likens to playbooks used by sport teams.  Think of planning for your department, goals, implementation, tracking, measuring performance and optimizing workflow - all laid in simple fashion.  She also provides downloadable templates from her Web site. 

Mucky Muck

This sounds like something nasty and smelly that you step into at work.  It is.  I used to call middle management, a position that I've personally held for over twenty-eight years, the fire hydrant.  Picture your reports and bosses as dogs.  Enough said.  Lisa provides invaluable insight into keeping your own fire hydrant dry! 

Smooth

Whole chapters are devoted to organizational alignment, work flow inhibitors, time management, management myths and optimizing individual performance.  This is nuts and bolts management, stuff that you can actually use.  No fish, cheese or minutemen here.

To Coach & To Be Coached

Lisa provides clear information on the art of coaching along with some most excellent questions to help the coaching process.  And to coach you must be coachable.  Lisa says, "Coachability is the degree that you are open to what your environment can offer, or the extent to which you will accept and consider input and ideas."  Lisa offers a fresh and unique perspective here.

Go Buy The Book

High Impact Middle Management isn't one of those books you can read and retire to the den bookshelf.  Not if you're interested in improving as a manager, that is.  Stop by Lisa's Web site Management Craft for links to her book and volumes of more useful information on management.

Slow Leadership, Time & Expectations

I have tortured myself over expectations not meant in the time frame that I allotted.  Who the heck am I?  Someone invented seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years.  Everything in this universe is related to time.  Problems arise when we try to jam it into these neat little boxes of seconds, minutes, etc. 

Dave, I'm on your philisophical wave length brother.  The problem is when my boss starts to jam things into the neat little boxes.  Or when the bill collector tries to.  Or when our kid's activities do.  You hearing me man?

I do hear you.  I wouldn't mind doing away with the boxes.  Could you envision a world without clocks and calendars?  The only emphasis would be on our obligations.  Do them to the best of our abilities and move on.  Without the boxes to place time in, things just are.  I have a hunch the Master of yours and my universe operates in such a manner.

Earth to Dave.  Earth to Dave.

Sorry.  I started wandering outside of my borders again.  God I love to do that!  Okay, let's begin by just thinking about the stuff that we as individuals have to get done.  Let's define it as leadership of our lives.  And then let's think about its effect on others.

This is where I hand the discussion off to Adrian Savage  .  Adrian has created a Web site called Slow Leadership.  Here is the Slow Leadership mission:

To help people claim the time they need to develop leadership skills and practice them enough to become proficient.                

To help build businesses that last because enough time was taken to perfect their design and build the foundations right.

               

To help develop future generations of leaders through encouraging organizations to give time for them to learn effectively and create new visions based on their learning.

Adrian has created a refreshing outlook on leadership!  Slow Leadership is a must read!

Kevin Eikenberry: The Gift of Experience

I have had the most awesome privilige of reading the manuscript for Kevin Eikenberry's new book, Vantagepoints on Learning and Life .  Kevin's book is due out mid November.  Check back at his Web site for updates.

I will do a more formal review in the future, but I can say with enthusiasm: Buy the book!  I am going to tell you today what Kevin's chapter titled Go Tell It on The Mountain has caused me to think about.

Kevin writes about watching a sunrise with his family on a mountain top in Hawaii.  He leaves little doubt of the experience's personal impact.  He goes on with advice on how to help us remember such meaningful experiences.  Near the essay's end, Kevin says, "I know that my description of the moment I experienced can't do justice to it and for that I apologize."

I have two thoughts.  The first is about the writer's journey to clarity.  I am not talking about the ability to crystalize a scene for our prose.  I am talking about the ability to articulate something that rattles our soul.  In reality, the only person Kevin is apologizing to is himself.  I understood that this event was extremely meaningful to him.  But his words paint even deeper self-meaning.   I made the same statement to my own self last week.  I felt so little.  I couldn't match the right words to an awe inspiring experience.  This both frustrates me and challenges me.  The writer's journey is to keep diligent in pursuit of clear expression and for me personally, I love this trek.

My second thought lies in what creates this experience.  Yes such an experience makes us feel good.  But dig deeper.  Why?  I'll get better describing such events because I have a passion to.  But for me, when I asked the question of why, a brilliant light shone on my path.  Please allow me to share.

I wrote about Sabriye Tenberken last week.  This girl took my breath away.  Thanks to Kevin, I dug deeper and asked why, why was this experience so meaningful to me?  I knew in a nanosecond.  It was the commitment she made to her cause.  My love for the commitment and follow through that people make to an endeavor is right there with Kevin's sunset!  This is a big day in Dave's life.  I am sure when I get better, I'll be able to describe it to you :-)

Update to story on Sabriye:  EM Sky told me that she contacted Sabriye's organization and offered free consulting services - to design a fund raising plan.  Turns out the Oprah exposure opened a floodgate of help for Sabriye.  If you get a chance, check out EM's Web site.  She is a special person who you need to know more about!

Dr. Bill; Can You Help Me?

I have a problem when it comes to taking a stance.  The problem doesn't surface when deciding to choose between right or wrong.  It sneaks into my conscious when I am able to see both sides of a story or point of view.  I do have the ability to subvert my problem and make a decision when necessary.

Carla:  "Dad, can I borrow your truck to go to the movies?"

Me:  "No."

I understand Carla's desire.  The truck allows independence and freedom.  I want my girls to be independent and pursue freedom.  I am sure in three years, when Carla is old enough to drive, I will give the request serious consideration.

My problem Dr. Bill, becomes the most difficult when each side offers so many possibilities of thought and potentiality.  It is at this point where I secretly hope I am not asked to take a side.

Dr. Bill; Do I have a problem?  Can you help me?

Postscipt:  I am camera shy and ask that you do not invite me to be a guest on your TV show.  Thank you.

Westshore Yacht Club & Connecting

"That's the expert over there.  Talk to Rosemary from Amtrust Bank."

It was like laying down plywood over a path of broken glass.

My doctor's appointment and Rosemary's business function fell on the same day, same side of town and  half an hour apart.  Since Rosemary stopped letting me go unsupervised to the doctor, I tagged along to her function.  I thought this doctor business would happen much later in life, you know, when I was old and forgetful, but that hasn't been the case.  I can't remember when either Vickie (oldest daughter) or Rosemary began to accompany me. 

Following the doctor we drive to the Westshore Yacht Club located on Tampa's Southwest side.  The Westshore Yacht Club is a community being developed by WCI .  The event that day was a luncheon designed to bring together WCI's Community Representatives (cool name for salespeople), area Realtors and WCI's preferred lenders.  WCI needs to sell their tower condos, homes, town homes and estates.  So they bring in the Realtors, give them some food and assault their visual senses with elaborate and richly constructed architectual renderings of the buildings.  Visual stimulation and presentation is paramount for developers like WCI.  I need to talk more about this in the future.

Rosemary is on a first name basis with all of the Community Reps and is greeted with warmth and friendliness.  We grab a plate of food and move off to look at the main condo tower model.  Soon, a table across the way fills up with five or six smartly dressed business women.  Richard, one of the reps walks up and begins to talk with them.  A few minutes later he says, "That's the expert over there.  Talk to Rosemary from Amtrust Bank ."

Rosemary is a great conversationalist (because she listens), is a stone cold expert when it comes to residential mortgages (client's needs first), always talks in simple terms and never pushes her company or self on anyone.  She does however, find breaking the ice with folks awkward.  Richard's thoughtful gesture did break the ice and Rosemary moved right in.  Hopefully she was able to answer a few questions and establish new business contacts.

Sometimes connecting folks can be as simple as Richard's two sentences.  The next time you are at a function, give it a try. 

"Psssst, that's David over there.  Did you hear his wife won't let him go to the doctor by himself?"

To Be Interesting

Dale Carnegie, in his book How to Win Friends and Influence People, says, "...to be interesting, be interested."

I can't comment on the action "intend to be interested."  I don't have to intend, pretend or portend to be interested in people.  I am naturally wired that way and I thank God for that.  I could listen to folk's stories all day long.  When you want to accomplish something with someone though, you can't always afford to listen.  Sometimes you have to open your mouth.  When you do, sometimes your partner in conversation expresses a certain look.  It is this look that I would like to discuss today.

Your Partner in Conversation

Their shoulders droop, their eyes drift from yours, their facial muscles head in a southerly direction, they tap their fingers, they look at their watch and they begin to do the cha-cha in their seat.  What in the world has come over your partner in conversation?  They stopped talking and you started to. 

"Hey Dan, could you tell me about that hole-in-one again?"

You stopped in midstream and offered to inflate Dan's head back up.  You wonder when you can talk again.  Could you possibly spit out what you need to, before Dan's air drops to a dangerous level?

I really don't enjoy this part of the conversation.  It's not an exact science.  When I see my partner starting to drift off to La-La Land, I do speed up my speech.  I also whip out the air hose and fill-er-up when necessary. 

Obviously not all people recognize that you are giving them center stage for the majority of the discussion.  Those who do will usually listen to you without letting the world know their hemorrhoids are busting out of their drawers.  Ironically, this is the exact facial expression that some salesmen exhibit when you tell them no.

Short of whipping out the Preparation H, what do you do when faced with this situation?

Sabriye Tenberken

STOP!  If you are power surfing Web sites now,  filling your bowl even as it spills over, please continue right on surfing.  If you are interested in Sabriye, and you will be if you are a human being, you'll need about twenty minutes.  Sabriye, one of the most amazing women I have ever encountered, deserves your undivided attention and no less.  I will brief you on Sabriye, link to an article, link to her Web site and show you the area of the world in which she works.

Sabriye (pronounced Sah-bree-yah) is thirty-four years old and was born in Germany.  She studied Central Asian Studies including Tibetology at Bonn University.  At first Sabriye had a problem with Tibetology, a problem that never confronted one soul in the university's history.  Sabriye couldn't read Tibetan.  So she set about inventing a method that would allow her to read.  Her method worked so well that she thought others could benefit as well...specifically, children in Tibet . 

Now, if you would, kindly visit Rosemary Mahoney's article about Sabriye.  Then, visit a spell with Sabriye at her Web site.   Then, come on back.

Bet you didn't see that coming, did you??

I first saw Sabriye yesterday on the Oprah show.  The minute this young woman opened her mouth was the minute in my mind, she separated herself from nearly every other person who I've ever heard speak.  (The clip on her site just doesn't do her justice)  I have heard folks with a cause and underlying passion speak before.  I just have never heard the passion fill each breath so completely!  It was an experience that I will never forget!!

In his book, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill talks about Frank W. Gunsaulus.  Frank was a preacher who publicized a sermon on "What I Would Do if I Had a Million Dollars."  Then he gave the sermon.  Famous businessman Phillip D. Armour was in the audience.  Armour forked over the million bucks for Frank to start up an educational institution where young people would learn to do practical things, and at the same time develop their minds. 

If ever there was a person who could benefit from such benevolence and apply that donation to multiply good in the world, even for a cause greater than Frank's, it is Sabriye!  Anyone know anyone with some bucks?

Oz is the Yellow Brick Road

Hanna Cooper, master architect of Making a Difference , combines coaching, life's journey and the Wizard of Oz in her post The All Powerful Oz .  Hanna talks about demystifying the perception that coaching will somehow lead to glorious revelations.  That, in fact, what is truly needed and forthcoming is already inside of us.  I must say, Hanna's post caught me in the cross hairs as I was skinnying on down the road this morning.

About eleven years ago I ramped up an already in-gear effort to improve my business skills.  My effort involved more reading, more networking, more industry associations, more effort.  I really pressed.  After about five years I realized internal growth, but on paper my ROI would've bankrupted any company.  This caused me to rethink a thought that I had carefully tucked away in the recesses of my mind:  "What did I want to be when I grew up?  Or, more precisely, what could I do now that I was grown up...sort of?"  For the next three years blood trickled from my ears as I pressed even harder.  I was a mess.  I began to think, "what had I been missing along the way on this insane march to such a vague destination?" 

I have always had an infatuation with the movie The Wizard of Oz.  Hence one morning the line, "Oz is the Yellow Brick Road" popped up in my journal.  I've used this thought to turn down the ultimate career question noise.  I've used it to help internalize the life-is-a-journey mindset.  And, I've used it while recently seeking employment.  I think it's relative to Hanna's statement, "coaching is taking a journey to find our own truth inside."

Back to the cross hairs...I came across a coaching opportunity a couple of weeks ago.  There might not be a better job on the planet in which I am suited for.  This particular position would have me working with managers - doing the job I did for twenty years.  The rarity of this position in my industry defies desciption.  The rarity of the owner's business philosophy and culture in my industry defies the thoughts that would even precede description.  We connect.  The problem following our initial conversation was that they had just brought a gentleman on and couldn't bring me on.

The very next day after our conversation, one of the company's other coaches came across an opportunity.  It was an assignment where a client had a need that I could immediately address.  They had to do some legwork to see if they could pull it off.  That's where we stand today.

Why bring this up other than the "coaching coincidence?"  Coincidence might best explain it.  There are so many good things available to us on our journey down the Yellow Brick Road.  Friendships, hope, trust, faith, integrity, love...serendipity.  As serendipity somewhat brought this company and myself together, I hope she'll continue to follow with me a little ways longer down the road.

Nine Lives of Leadership: Sally Hogshead

I read a few more stories into Lisa Haneberg's book Nine Lives of Leadership and ran right into another beauty:  Radical Careering by Sally Hogshead.

Before going further, I'd just like to say:  I am not familiar with the coin trail, but somebody better be filling Lisa's pockets for her Nine Lives effort!  Her description of the book contents along with her conversation with the authors, is making me want to suck up all of these books!

I am not going to repeat what Lisa has already said about Sally.  Just download her e-book.  (links below)  What I'd like to tell you about is Sally's manifesto over at Change This.  It is titled Cherry Bombs:  A Supplemental Kit to Radical Careering.

Cherry Bombs is not a replication of Sally's book.  It stems from research she was conducting - why do people succeed right now, amidst the insanity of today's workplace?  Sally uncovers three trends that explain.  The trends break down to personal or organizational paralysis.  Cherry Bombs blow up paralysis.  If paralysis is something like toliets, I can say that Cherry Bombs will work pretty well.

Go to Change This and read Sally's Cherry Bombs right now.

Lisa Haneberg
Nine Lives of Leadership
Change This: Cherry Bombs
Radical Careering.  Sally's Website

Nine Lives of Leadership: Keith Ferrazzi

I tore into Lisa Haneburg's new book, Nine Lives of Leadership and got stuck in the first chapter titled Go Deep Fast.  This chapter is about Keith Ferrazzi's book Never Eat Alone .  I have yet to read Keith's latest book so pardon me if I get a little excited. 

Lisa relates that Keith says to "get past the idle chitchat and dive into topics that mean something."  This is quite possibly my greatest business pet peeve!

"Hey Tony, how ya doin'?"

"Great Franky, how you doin?"

"How's business Tony?"

"Great Franky, how's your business?"

"Weather's bad Tony."

"Yeah Franky, weather's bad buddy."

I used to try and take conversations with Franky's and Tony's beyond the idle chitchat.

"Hey Davie, how ya doin' man?"

"Great Tony.  Hey man, I just heard about a guy who offers this great cutlery service.  He comes into your restaurant and services your knives and silverware.  Bob over at the Hambone says he's never seen anyone deliver this kind of service.  You ought to check him out."

Tony's eyes begin to glass over.  His body sways from side to side.  Just when he looks like he's about to go into a complete epileptic fit, he inhales deeply on his stogie, regains his balance like a champion fighter and says,  "Hey Davie, how's business man?"

It never fails, the Franky and Tony's of the world are like wind up dolls.  Crank em' up and let em' go.  Sure, they'll hit the wall.  They just bounce off it a couple times until they are turned around and go their merry way. 

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhh!!

In all fairness to Keith, I had heard the buzz about his book before.  It's been on my "to buy" list for sometime.  I do believe that Lisa has just rekindled that buzz.  I can hardly wait.