Leadership, the Great Results Puzzle

Quotes:

“So, I think if you’ve already started to come into a leadership role, people are starting to gravitate to you. You’ve already figured out you have to deliver, and it’s not about you. It’s about delivering to somebody else. What do they need?” – Jim Robinson, (3:58)

“Delivery of service at your very best level is the only thing that matters…There’s all kinds of things that come your way only when you’re authentic and being your best.” Jim Robinson, (8:19)

“I think good leadership really is showing people how important they are and giving them some dignity in their job…if you want great results, you have to make sure employees feel that they’re being heard and they’re being seen.” Shawn Black (31:34)

“We need to recognize that at a small level, it doesn’t need to be the big… but we need to acknowledge those small wins with consistency and those small wins lead to big wins.” Jim Robinson, (39:48)

Achieving Results from Improved Actions

On this episode of FM Evolution, host Shawn Black was joined by Jim Robinson, who is the CEO of CGP Maintenance and Construction Services, as well as an author, speaker, certified business coach, and chairman of a nonprofit. Throughout Jim’s 37 years as CEO of CGP Maintenance and Construction Services, he has strived to be an active listener and to understand the individual needs of each of his employees. In this episode, Shawn and Jim discussed the best way to get results for your team, how to be a better listener, and learning from your mistakes.

Leaders Who Get Result vs. Those Who Don’t

Leaders that get results are the ones that are able to inspire individuals and get them to respond to something that needs to be delivered to somebody else. It’s all about meeting the needs of others. When leaders get stuck in the self-serving area, their delivery doesn’t match up with what is expected by the customer or the client. People that are becoming leaders have most likely figured this out, which is why they are becoming leaders in the first place. They understand the importance of inspiring change by meeting others’ needs instead of their own. People gravitate towards those who are not self-centered and who concern themselves with the wellbeing of those around them. When leaders address the needs of their employees or teammates, they are able to connect and help them because they take the time to understand what actions will best serve that person at that moment in time.

“So, I think if you’ve already started to come into a leadership role, people are starting to gravitate to you. You’ve already figured out you have to deliver, and it’s not about you. It’s about delivering to somebody else. What do they need?” – Jim Robinson, (3:58)

How to Be an Active Listener

The best way to be a better active listener is to ask better questions. You have to ask good questions that are specific to the individual that you’re engaging. Your good questions are all predicated on what knowledge you have from listening to them. It’s important to be present in the conversation and focus on what the individual is saying at that moment, instead of worrying about what you’re going to say. Then once the conversation is finished, don’t just leave it at that, set a time to follow-up with them and see if anything has changed or improved from the last time you spoke. It’s essential for leaders to follow-up quickly on any of the promises that they make because it shows that they listened to what was being said, comprehended what the problem was, then provided a way to remedy anything that needed a solution that they had the ability to provide. Following up with your team is an important step in getting results because it provides clarity on what expectations are, and it provides a routine that sets a precedent on what the team’s processes are.

The Impact of Your Inner Circles

As the quote goes, “Who you surround yourself with is who you become.” This is why who you allow to be in your inner circle is critical. Your inner circle is composed of a smaller group of people, and beyond that, you have your secondary circle. Your secondary circle includes colleagues and acquaintances. Then your third and outer circle has the connections of your colleagues and acquaintances and maybe clients. It’s important to be able to identify what aspects of your life each circle serves. Your first circle is tightest, most innermost confidants where the pain, frustration, elation, excitement, etc. gets discussed. Circle number two has more individuals that are not like minded because that’s how you diversify and grow your inner circle. Then the third circle is the people you are serving and that’s the circle you learn the most from because this is the space where you start to understand their needs and how you can better serve them. Your circles are a constant work in progress and it’s imperative that you’re conscious of how they affect and influence you. Moreover, you have to be intentional with shifting your circles around because if you aren’t, it’s too easy to become stagnant.