Consistent Cam and Dependable Dorothy …

Consistent Cam and Dependable Dorothy … – By Arnie Wohlgemut

Bob worked for a facilities management division of a government agency. Every day as he walked into the office he would stop and greet the receptionist. Part of his routine was noble. He really was a pleasant man.

But there was an underlying strategy to his morning routine; he was really figuring out which “boss” was in the office. This would help him plan his day. If the grumpy boss was in, he was out. If the congenial boss, warm to his ideas, was in, he was in.

This really happened. It’s not a story I made up (names are changed!).

All I could think was: “What the Heck?!”

This team deserved more. The emotional moods of the boss should not determine the effectiveness of the team. Bob’s boss made no effort to leave the problems of the home life at the door. His emotive roller coaster left the whole team on edge.

Consistency, consistency, consistency!

Issues of the day can’t always wait until you’re in a better mood. People need a consistent leader to follow. One they can count on; one whose decisions are predicable; one who clearly knows that people matter.

In my experience, consistency builds trust. A leader who is consistent in decision-making is one that staff will trust. They know each decision will stick and they are empowered to make their own decisions based on that consistency.

They are not afraid to take action.

Who are you when you show up at the office?

Growing with Organic Leadership

Growing with Organic Leadership by Arnie Wohlgemut

I’m sure you’ve heard this a hundred times:  “Leave the place better than you found it!”

But at its core, this mandate is a fundamentally flawed.  We assume our improvements will stand the test of time, even long after we are gone.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we should not improve things.  That is what strong leaders do.

But we need to understand that leadership is organic.  Leaders change environments.  Subsequent leaders, if they are truly leading, will continue to change that environment.

I regularly have coffee with my best friend.  One day he shared his deep disappointment in his former team as the procedures and policies he put in place were ignored and even violated after he retired!  This really bothered him.  And I admit, I’ve had similar experiences.

The truth is, we can’t expect our way of doing things to make sense to those who follow in our footsteps.  They bring their own experiences to their personal leadership style.  And they may have completely different directives than we did.  Yet our human response is to become discouraged as we see “our legacy” dismantled.

“Leaders change environments.”

In the much the same way, we can’t expect people to change unless they want to.  If the workplace becomes unpredictable or even toxic, many people lapse into survival mode to avoid pain or grief.  That’s human nature – we put more effort into avoiding pain than pursuing what is good for us.

I believe we need to revise that opening statement to: “I made this a better place to live, work or play while I was there, because I valued the people I worked with.”  That is a better way to acknowledge that we can make a difference…EVERY DAY!

“Hey Boss, Cut Back on the Coffee!”

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“Hey Boss, Cut Back on the Coffee!” By Arnie Wohlgemut

I’ve been thinking; how many staff members have the courage to say that?

About 20 years ago, I was visiting my friend at his home.  He and his wife were hosting an open house before Christmas for supporters and friends of his newly formed ministry.  While at the refreshment table, a young fellow I’ll call “Matt” offered me a coffee.  I declined.

A brief conversation continued where Matt made the case: drinking coffee at events like this was a social convention.  “You should try it sometime!” he said.

Well I did, not that day, but soon after. I quickly learned to love my coffee. I’ve been enjoying it for a long time now. I love it bold, with cream no sugar.  Yes – I’m sweet enough! LOL

A few years ago, one of my staff boldly pointed out that I might be drinking too much coffee.  You see, “Jim” was always a straight shooter and he noticed what was happening.  Apparently, I get jittery and short with people after several cups.  Who knew?!

It was a wakeup call, but not for the reasons you think.

I have always practiced simple but critical values.  I love helping people become more than they thought they could be and I want to be consistent in how I treated people at work.

Coffee – too much coffee – changed my behaviour and that was NOT good. 

Being short with people, not giving of my time when they needed it was not adding value or contributing to their success.  From then on, I was keenly aware of how much coffee I drank.  You see, it was important for me to be me. But it was even more important to those who worked for me!

I challenge you: What prevents you from being who you say you are?

Thanks “Jim”!

 

Arnie Wohlgemut is the Senior Coach and President of KP Mylene | Building to Lead.  A leadership development company passionate about supporting new or emerging leaders with unique and exciting resources that inspire them to reach their potential.

Hello World

The Story behind the Name: KP Mylene

KP Mylene honours my history and my life aspiration.

Let me explain.

KP:  Karl Petri, my maternal grandfather, was a man of great courage and unreasonable faith.  He and his young family came to Canada after WW2 with virtually nothing except a vision, hope for a better life and tremendous courage to start over.  He led his family as a man of faith, honouring God through hard work and honesty.  God honoured their faith and their success beyond what they could have ever imagined.  This heritage of faith, hard work and honesty impacted who I am today.  In honour of my parents and grandparents, I chose to use the initials of the only grandfather I knew.

Mylene:   Mylene (mee-LEN) is French.  It means Mercy.  I chose it to remind me of who I choose to be.  Being a leader is never easy – I know, I have been in leadership roles for the past 35 years.  But the rewards are inspiring.  True leaders are open and vulnerable.  In my own experiences, I came across team members, jealous colleagues and even my own bosses, who have attempted to destroy my reputation and character.  Leaning on the lesson learned from my parents and grandparents, I choose mercy, even in times of unfair and unreasonable attacks to my integrity.

Arnie Wohlgemut