Tag Archives: Google

Trustworthiness: Easy as Pie

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There are two kinds of people, eaters and bakers.  More on that later…

Recently I started using Google+ as an alternative to Facebook.  So far I love it and I invite you to check it out too.  As I am learning how to use Google+ I found an on-line introduction book written by Guy Kawasaki.  He is a writer and long-term tech guru type.  He wrote a chapter on “How to Achieve Trustworthiness” to help with writing good posts and commenting  on other people’s posts.  His list is terrific for all of us involved with social media through our own writing and how we interact and comment with others.

What struck me though is that his rules of the road are not unique to blogging and social media interaction.  These rules are important for all of us even if we never turn on a computer.  As a leader these items are more critical.  Trustworthiness is a cornerstone of leadership.  Leadership is a process of influence and how can you pull folks forward if they do not trust you?

Guy’s writing is creative and fun.  His list, while not directly written for leadership development, does indeed serve that purpose.  I paraphrase his words to position them for leadership and not as he wrote them for using social media:

    • Show up: You get points in life for just showing up.  Do share and interact with others.
    • Make the community better: Try to help someone each day. Give without expectation of return.
    • Don’t be an orifice: Don’t attack others.  Stay positive. Stay uplifting. Or stay silent.
    • Keep it clean: Frequent profanity is the enemy of trustworthiness.
    • Trust others first: You trust, then you are trusted.
    • Disclose your interests: Watch the hidden agenda.
    • Gain knowledge and competence: People trust experts.  Don’t speak on what you do not know.
    • Resist bad means: Bad means to achieve good results is a slippery slope.
 
and then my favorite …
 
  • Bake a bigger pie: There are two kinds of people, eaters and bakers.  Eaters see the world as a zero-sum game and they eat more and leave little for others.  Bakers see the word differently and just bake more and bigger pies.  Everyone can eat more.  People trust bakers and not eaters.

Happy Friday and plan to bake your own pie and of course, share it with others.  No worries, plenty for everyone.

 

Don’t Be A Sissy

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I try, I really try not to be a sissy.  My problem is I am not an asshole.  No worries, I think I am okay here.    In our world today (certainly here in the United States) there is too much polarization.  You are on the left or the right – there is no middle ground.  Thus, if I am not an asshole, I must be a sissy.  I need to choose one end of the spectrum.  I will not; I can care and be tough.  I focus on service in my role as a leader.  I see the positive in EVERYONE.   Yet, I know when to be tough and direct. I never forget that we have a job to do and goals to accomplish.

I was reminded recently (by another blogger)  of one of my earlier posts, Two Sides of the Same Coin, highlighting the importance of both strong leadership and strong management.  We can not lose sight of the job at hand and the goals we want to meet.  Our balance point is being productive and results-oriented along with a commitment to show respect and compassion.  This focus on balance takes us away from the extreme position of this end of the spectrum or the other end of the spectrum, neither a sissy or an asshole.

From here I want to link to a post on the site for Eagle’s Flight.  These guys have outstanding experiential training and I have facilitated several of their programs in the past – great actionable stuff for learning.  Anyhow, on their post they refer to Google’s “Eight Good Behaviors” and assign each to one of their experiential learning programs.  I invite you to explore the Eagle’s Flight catalog and also the Google Eight Good Behaviors.  I admit #4 was the inspiration for this post, yep “Don’t Be A Sissy”.

Google’s Eight Good Behaviors:

  1. Be a good coach
  2. Empower your team and don’t micromanage
  3. Express interest in team member’s success and personal well-being
  4. Don’t be a sissy: Be productive and results-oriented
  5. Be a good communicator and listen to your team
  6. Help your employees with career development
  7. Have a clear vision and strategy for the team
  8. Have key technical skills so you can help advise the team

There is nothing new here really, but these eight behaviors are powerful through execution and accountability.  If this is indeed a common language at Google, then they can be opening addressed and folks can be held accountable.

I guess I could have focused on one of the other behaviors as a basis for my post today, but that sissy thing spoke to me.  Really, I am not a sissy.  I feel better now.

Remember the balance folks – compassion and results.  What do you think?