Category: Lead Others

Repost from CNBC Make It!

By: David Novak, Co-Founder & CEO of David Novak Leadership

Think about the motivational books you’ve read, the inspiring Ted Talks you’ve watched or even the articles you’ve found on Make It. Have you found yourself inspired to make a change? We all have.

But be honest: how many of those inspirational tips have you actually implemented? Three? One? None?

I believe one reason for the lack of success is not closing the Intention-Action Gap.

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Failing to turn your intentions, or plans, into actions means you are living in what experts call the Intention-Action Gap. This gap occurs when you have great intentions about making a change in your life, yet you fail to do what it takes to make that change.

As CEO of Yum! Brands, I became passionate about our customers and shared my plans about becoming Customer Maniacs with others. Guess what? Not everyone was on board. In fact, some were shocked that I wanted our team members to become obsessed with customers. I had a choice to make… live in the Intention-Action Gap because not everyone was on board or turn my intentions into action.

I decided to go public with my plan and took action. We trained all our restaurants around the world on Customer Mania. We taught our team members to exceed customer expectations. We gave our front-line team members permission to solve any customer issue that was under $10 without talking to a manager. Our team members learned how to listen to the voice of the customer. They learned how to recover from mistakes.

And guess what? Turning my Customer Mania plans into action paid off – because when you get people capability right, then you are going to satisfy more customers, and that’s how you make more money. That’s the formula for success.

I went public with my plans because it’s a great way to give yourself that extra motivation to see it through. Why? Because if you don’t do what you say, you sacrifice your integrity, you lose credibility, and people will not believe you when you say things. To be a good leader, you have to put pressure on yourself, so if it’s important for you to get something done, take a public stand on it. That’s why I’m a firm believer in “going public so you can’t go back!”

Another thing to keep in mind is our intentions and words without actions and follow-through are meaningless. In fact, this quote from Walk the Talk by Eric Harvey and Alexander Lucia can be quite enlightening. “We judge ourselves mostly by our intentions, but others judge us mostly by our actions. People hear what we say but they see what we do, and seeing is believing.” That’s a powerful insight. In fact, it’s a cornerstone behavior that we teach you in my Essential Leadership Traits Program.

You can choose to stop living in the Intention-Action Gap today. Ask yourself: What’s one intention you have that you want to turn into action? Who can you “go public with” so you can’t go back? Answering these two questions can help you cross the bridge from intentions to action.

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Are you willing to take the first step?

David Novak created David Novak Leadership to help people become stronger leaders. He is co-founder and former CEO of Yum! Brands and a New York Times bestselling leadership author. He has been recognized as “2012 CEO of the Year” by Chief Executive magazine, one of the world’s “30 Best CEOs” by Barron’s, one of the “Top People in Business” by Fortune and one of the “100 Best-Performing CEOs in the World” by Harvard Business Review.

Don’t miss: The one skill that helps you get ahead regardless of your degree

Here’s a secret every leader should know: success isn’t a one-person show. Behind most big successes is a team of great people. A leader’s job is to empower their team to achieve great results, and a strong leader knows the importance of delegation in reaching their business’ goals.

When used correctly, delegation is a powerful tool that helps employees feel more engaged. Plus, goals are much more attainable when one person isn’t accountable for all the work.

It can be difficult to let go of work when it seems easier to do it yourself. But there’s great benefits to giving your team a chance to grow and take on new responsibilities. It’s important to know when to delegate though.

If you’re unsure about how you can best implement delegation, follow these guidelines:

• The art of leadership is knowing when to give people total accountability, and knowing when they need a little coaching and help. Autonomy is an earned right. Don’t turn someone loose on something until they demonstrate they have the capability to do it right.
• You want your people to feel empowered. Once you take the joy of the decision away, you take the joy of the job away. As soon as your new team members demonstrate that they have the capabilities to make the right decisions, empower them by giving them more responsibility and influence.
• Delegation involves knowing when to let go. You don’t want to hover over them and micromanage to the point that they can’t take flight. Let people fly a little bit earlier than you think they might be ready for. By doing so, you show trust and are giving them the opportunity to rise to the occasion. In Jonathan Blum’s podcast, he shares how his boss gave him a huge responsibility early in his career. Find out how that paid off for Jonathan by listening here.

When you delegate, not only do you allow yourself to focus on other things, but you also make your team feel needed and useful. When employees feel like their work matters, they are more productive and work hard for better results. It’s a win, win! How can you start delegating today?

Becoming a better leader isn’t easy, and David Novak Leadership is here to help! Check out our website for leadership advice, blogs and podcasts, all designed to help you become the best leader you can be.

Have you ever started a job with high hopes only to be surprised by the reality of your responsibilities? Maybe your current job is taking you in a direction you hadn’t planned for yourself, or perhaps you feel stuck and aren’t sure if the organization you work for is a good fit.

How you navigate these unexpected surprises matters. And getting advice from others who walked this road before you can help.

First, keep in mind that the path to success isn’t always straight forward, and more than likely you’ll end up taking a few pit-stops before you reach your destination.

In the early days of his career, David Novak never imagined he would become the CEO of a multinational company. Like many, he started at the bottom and worked his way up. Whenever he was presented with a new opportunity, he jumped at it.

If you’re like David and want to reach the next level, it’s important to keep getting better at what you do. Read up on the latest trends. Discover better methods. Know what works well and hone in on that. This is called being an avid learner. Choosing to be an avid learner will not only help you grow in your knowledge and skills, but it will also help you grow as a person and a leader.

Everyone worries about their future at some point; however, it’s important to stay focused. Throughout your career, you will probably deal with obstacles and anxieties, but trust that time and experience will take care of everything.

When faced with unexpected twists and turns on your career path, keep pressing on because you never know what you’ll be capable of. Always aim to be the best you can be, and maybe one day you’ll find yourself in a position beyond anything you’ve dreamed of. Then it will be your turn to share your wisdom and advice with others so they can learn navigate the unexpected surprises too.

By: David Novak, Co-Founder and CEO of David Novak Leadership

Number one on my list of lessons for leadership is to “be yourself.” Yes, you’ve heard this a million times, but it is the only way to gain trust and keep people on your side. Authenticity breeds trust, which will take you pretty far.

Consider the times you’ve seen someone on TV or even in person that you could just tell wasn’t being authentic. It happens all the time with politicians, business leaders, salespeople, and even teachers and parents. They try to be someone or something they aren’t and most often, they will trip up and get caught in the act. Once people see through the show, the trust is broken.

In leadership, you need to realize that everyone is scared of letting their weaknesses show, especially in the business world. By showing your vulnerable side, you can let others know that you’re just like they are. It helps you gain their trust and allows them to more easily open up instead of feeling intimidated by your role or title. It helps you help them be authentic.

As a leader, you need to know yourself in order to help others get better at being themselves. It may take some self reflection for you to realize who you are and where you’ve been. Take a long, hard look at your own past and what events shaped you. Pay special attention to the lessons that weren’t easily learned and how you gained knowledge and grew. These insights will help you further grow yourself and relate to your teams.
To help you teach others to open up and be who they are, consider these tips:

• Believe in all your people. Celebrating their individualities while keeping them working toward the same goals can be challenging. But by having respect for their styles and values, you can still lead everyone toward success.
• Give them individual development plans. Appreciate their strengths, and take time to find out what makes each person tick. Then, you can help them find ways to be more effective at what they do.
• Provide a safe haven for input. Include everyone in discussions and make it easy for them to feel comfortable speaking up. When they disagree with you, listen to their points and thank them for sharing their side.

Remember, we are all works in progress. We are each individuals with unique strengths and weaknesses. Showing your team that you are always working to better yourself can help them accept their own challenges and work on them, too.
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