Michelle Ray

Business and Leadership Keynote Speaker

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Want to be a good leader? Be ‘real’ and genuine

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Narrator: Michelle Ray is a highly regarded international business keynote speaker, consultant, educator, and author. She speaks knowledgeably and passionately about the importance of outstanding leadership in the workplace, and the responsibility of positive communication and influence.

In this segment, Michelle explains leadership and how to become a good one.

When you think about leaders being real and you consider, for example, Generation Y, the latest generation in the workplace, their ability to filter people being real or not real is really high. They have been exposed to so much they can tune out very quickly when they hear a message that doesn’t feel authentic. And that’s because they are the generation that’s been most marketed to generation, if that’s a word, on earth. They’ve seen so many television commercials over their lifetime. I believe the statistic is by the time they are twenty-one they’ve seen at least half a million television commercials. They know what’s real. They know what’s fake. And they crave that authenticity and they expect it when they come into the workplace, so you can’t pull the wool over their eyes. They want (management) to be genuine, and the minute they feel that someone isn’t, they aren’t being real and genuine, it’s a turnoff straightaway.

Humility, admitting when you’ve made a mistake, or admitting when you could have done something differently, is a very attractive quality. ‘Humility’ should never be confused with ‘humiliation’.  So when people see you being real my definition of that is people see you being like this with people (hands even to each other) and you’re not being like this with people (one hand above the other) and put yourself on the same level, then it’s really attractive to someone to feel like they are your equal. Often people in a leadership role feel they need to impose their authority; so, if we can act without imposing our authority, we’re going to do a lot to attract people to feel comfortable.

Other titles in this series:

It’s the intangibles that keep employees happy

Organizations need to become more ‘employee centric’

Organizations need to become more ‘employee-centric’

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Narrator: Michelle Ray is a highly regarded international business keynote speaker, consultant, educator, and author. She speaks knowledgeably and passionately about the importance of outstanding leadership in the workplace, and the responsibility of positive communication and influence.

In this segment, Michelle explains why organizations need to become more “employee-centric”.

I think what’s really important for organizations and sometimes hard in more traditional situations, is for an organization in every description to say, “What is it that people want when they come to our organization? What is appealing about our business that would attract them into our organization?” That’s what is called being ‘employee-centric’  And I really believe that many organizations have a grip on what it is our customers want, maybe not everybody, but certainly, “What do our employees want? What do the future employees want? What do young people want? Why would they want to work for our organization?” And some of the reasons are pretty obvious.

They want flexibility. They want the room to be creative. They want to be challenged. They want to know, ultimately, that what they are doing is making a difference. So if organizations can learn about the values young people have towards work, every generation has different values around work and life; and the more we can understand each other, the more we can build our business with those values in mind. That’s what we can ultimately do to attract each other people. What is it that is important to them, not just what is important to us.

To Post or not to Post? That is the (social media) question

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This morning I discovered an ad for weight loss on my Facebook Timeline. A few weeks ago, a professional colleague added a post to my post promoting his services. I did not invite their participation into my social media presence. Nonetheless, there they were. These unwelcome intrusions have given me cause to reflect on our rationale for using social media effectively and more importantly, whether we are using it purposefully.

For several years I resisted creating any social media accounts, simply because I felt that the requirement to “say something” on line was yet another task to add to my already jammed to-do list. I did not want to learn how to use the applications and I initially resented the notion of doing so because I’ve never been a fan of the herd mentality. Yet, I succumbed to the idea and began blogging and posting my thoughts. Although I do enjoy reading about the latest happenings with family and friends, I admit that I still have a lot to learn about maximizing the benefits of social media for commercial purposes.

I have come to the conclusion that for personal use, social media is a fun tool to stay in touch. I do not need to have any particular objective for posting a status update.  However, I am mindful about what I choose to broadcast. For business, social media is proving to be a very powerful tool, provided I have a clearly defined strategy. The instantaneous and very public nature of each post demands that I give thought to every word.

In a recent New York Times article “The Flight from Conversation”, psychologist and professor Sherry Turkle says: “We use technology to define ourselves by sharing our thoughts and feelings as we’re having them…In order to feel more, and to feel more like ourselves, we connect. But in our rush to connect, we flee from solitude, our ability to be separate and gather ourselves.”

What began as a means to connect on a personal level has morphed into a force that is beyond our imagination.  Social media has changed the face of human interaction. We now feel the urge to broadcast our innermost thoughts. Each medium is a now a movement that has given the word “socialize”, or indeed the word “friend”, a new connotation that has transcended personal boundaries, changed political landscapes and revolutionized way we do business.

Do we value our virtual social networks; whether they are for personal or business use, as highly as our “real” connections?  Are we creating and posting status updates to impress, or to leave an impression? Are we giving thought to our broadcasts, or are we indulging our egos with endless self-promotion?  As  the world has become a smaller place due to technology, these are important questions for both individuals and organizations to consider.

 

Taking the lead with your multigenerational workplace

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Taking the lead with your multigenerational workplace…Alberta’s Best Workplaces

Categorizing, generalizing and stereotyping are the most common reactions to working within a diverse, multigenerational environment. In many organizations, there is rarely a day that goes by without co-workers and managers hearing a disparaging comment about the values and attitudes of different generations, despite the fact that companies are investing heavily in educating leaders and teams at every level to develop collaborative relationships. The enlightened ones recognize that their future depends on creating an atmosphere where everyone, regardless of age or background, feels motivated to stay, contribute and enjoy their workplace.

As part of my preparation for my keynote presentation at the 5th annual “Best Places To Work in Alberta” event, held by my client, Alberta Venture, I interviewed several companies that are doing things right when it comes to leading the generations.  Many companies throughout the province participated in a rigorous application process to be judged in twelve different categories of excellence including: “Best workplace for health & safety”, “best workplace for diversity”, “best workplace for training and development”, “best workplace for perks and incentives”, best workplace for benefits”, “best workplace for working parents”, “best workplace for the millennial generation” and best workplace for volunteerism & community involvement”, just to name a few!

The common denominator in terms of the success of these companies can be summed up in one word: Flexibility. For example, these leaders understand that they cannot adopt a cookie-cutter approach to benefits and recognition programs. They have embraced a retention philosophy that minimizes turnover by offering individual employees personalized remuneration and health benefits packages. When it comes to adopting personalized incentive programs, whether they take the form of tangible benefits or work-from-home arrangements, one finalist described their leadership approach this way: “No is not our first answer”.

One VP in the financial service sector explained that employees can choose how to allocate some of their benefits by taking out gym memberships, purchasing sporting equipment, or claiming a significant portion of their benefits for massage or chiropractic services, while maintaining basic coverage for dental and prescription medication. This applies to more than 1,000 staff. The payoff? Higher levels of engagement, customer service and job satisfaction.

Their benefits also extend to their own products. For example, all employees receive a deposit bonus into their savings accounts at 1.5% above posted rates. Spouses receive the same benefits even if they aren’t working for the company.  In addition, staff can secure mortgages at a preferred rate; realizing significant savings over the long term. Financial benefits also apply to retirement savings, matching RRSP contributions as well as a formal dinner upon retirement with $1,000 cash recognition for service to the organization.

Another leader of a large engineering software company stated that flexible work schedules have resulted in increased productivity because employees know that they are trusted. Their firm takes work-life balance seriously and recognizes the priorities associated with family responsibilities. Their culture and solid client relationships are a reflection of putting these values into action. This year their company is vying for the best workplace in the “working parents” category. With over 60% of employees under the age of 40, they know that their business model can allow for staff to work from home, telecommute or take extended leave of absence during the quieter, summer months. Most importantly, the founders of the business believe in putting values into action. Therefore, all employees appreciate the fact that a company that accommodates personal demands outside of the workplace rewards their professional attitude and hard work.

In the category of “best workplace for the millennial generation”, competition was fierce.  These companies recognize that ongoing labour shortages as a result of on-going baby boomer retirements means that they need to keep their pipeline filled with younger employees and future leaders.

Encouraging innovation and educational learning experiences is an integral part of the philosophy of the award contenders in this category. They are consistently ahead of the game when it comes to maintaining a presence at recruitment fairs; building relationships with pre and post secondary educational institutions, encouraging the use of social media in the workplace (as well as for recruitment purposes) rewarding employees with a finder’s fee regarding peer hiring, frequent off-site brainstorming retreats to build teamwork and foster creativity, “bring your parents to work days”…the list is endless.

To effectively take the lead with your multigenerational workplace, the finalists are succeeding primarily due to the fact that their leadership; from the owners to the executive level, are supportive of every initiative. They realize that in order to maintain talent and build their future leaders, creating and sustaining the type of workplace atmosphere where people can simultaneously excel, learn and have fun means walking the talk. There is no doubt that the new generation of employees will consistently seek out workplaces of choice. When your organization stands out from the crowd with a “best place to work” designation, it makes the entire recruitment, engagement and retention that much easier.

Are you taking the lead with your customers?

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A friend of mine went to pick up his dry cleaning last Friday. While this isn’t exactly headline news, be assured that the dry cleaner in question has no idea that he is the main story of my blog. He doesn’t know that potentially 1,000’s of people are reading about his example of appalling customer service right now.

Most of us expect that if our dry cleaning is tagged for pick up on a particular day, it will be ready. When my friend went to the store, he found a sign on the door that read: “Closed Fridays”. He had several suits waiting for pick-up…the only suits he owned. He needed them urgently and was left high and dry. When he was finally able to pick up his clothes and asked the dry cleaner why he tagged his clothes for Friday, the owner of the store tersely replied: “What do you want me to do about it”? Wrong answer.

The cleaner offered my friend a 20% discount. Although he had not asked for one, the offer made no difference. He had already made up his mind that he would not be coming back. False promises and the owner’s attitude were enough for him to make the decision in a split second. The dry cleaner failed to realize the implications.

Unfortunately, these situations play out every day, worldwide. Businesses of every description often fail to realize the consequences of poor communication as the fundamental reason for people deciding to invest their dollars elsewhere. One “faux pas” can destroy the relationship permanently. This truth applies to transactions at the highest level…from the board room to the mail room. Millions of dollars are being lost due to the absence of a Lead Yourself First mindset.

The tone of your communication is your responsibility. When you say or do the wrong thing, when your advertising is misleading, when your clients question any inconsistencies, listen and apologize immediately. Otherwise, you and your business may may find yourself front and centre on a very popular website known as “I’m-not-happy.com”.

“The Mighty Have Fallen”…Lessons from a Generation of Mentors

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Eleven months ago at 90 years of age, my father’s voice fell silent. My brother and I watched him take his last breath as he departed the world for another place to join my mother. The enormity of the loss is still with us as we unveiled his headstone this weekend in Sydney, Australia.  Many from his generation exemplified the greatest examples of overcoming tremendous adversity during their living years and I know that their legacy lives on in me.

Growing up in the safety and security of Australia, it was often difficult for me to comprehend the situations that my parents endured; although I have no doubt that their experiences had an indelible impact on my identity and perspective on life.

As I remember my father, I think of the stories he told regarding his upbringing and the tumultuous years he spent as a prisoner of war on two occasions. First, in a forced labour camp in Hungary, only to be liberated by his future captors who placed him in a Russian prisoner of war camp until after the Second World War. He went home to discover that many members of his family had been murdered in the concentration camps.

Like many who faced the reality of a world changed forever, my father’s survival skills prevailed. He emigrated to Australia in 1952, arriving with a small amount of cash and big dreams. He seized the opportunity to forge a new beginning and saved his earnings to return to Europe. While attending a trade show in Vienna he saw an automated knitting machine and recognized an opportunity.

With his hard work ethic, endearing personality and strong sales skills, my father was able to secure the necessary financial backing and ultimately sell the machines to the largest department stores in Australia and New Zealand. Dad was the first to introduce knitting machines to the southern hemisphere and became wildly successful with his new business venture.

Despite the horrors of war and loss everlastingly etched in his memory, he was nonetheless a risk-taker extraordinaire and entrepreneur before the words became popularized. Above all, his eternal optimism triumphed over his darkest times.

Even though he experienced numerous ups and downs in business, including the collapse of the knitting machine venture (as Dad put it, the Australian public’s fascination with the introduction of television took over from their first love affair with his knitting machines,) he would always persevere.

When faced with the biggest test of his personal life…the role of caregiver for my mother at the age 80, he rose to the occasion despite a breaking heart, witnessing her demise to the cruelty of dementia.

One of the greatest lessons I learned from my father was this: In order to rise above our challenges of any description, we need to focus on developing a resiliency mindset. It is a business and life strategy that many individuals and organizations must adopt in order to deal with adversity as well as uncertainty.

My father also taught me about the willingness to dig deep and gain strength from past experiences. We can overcome seemingly impossible challenges in the present by drawing upon our own inner resources.

The most striking words from his eulogy came from one of my father’s business associates. When describing his generation, he reminded the mourners: “the mighty have fallen.”

There will never be another generation that resembles my parents’. We have much to learn and appreciate from their timeless legacy.

The Age of Leading Yourself First

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“To thine own self be true,” said Polonius in the play Hamlet, by Shakespeare. It is highly likely that Shakespeare had not intended for his character to be the spokesperson for humanity on the subject of living one’s truth (indeed, he was portrayed frequently as a foolish old “goat”.)

Nonetheless, his ramblings remain legendary; renowned through the ages for their wisdom. This quote epitomizes the essence of leading oneself first: i.e. practicing personal leadership. To lead ourselves first means that we can differentiate our values without holding any attachment to another person’s idea of whom we are supposed to be.  When we are true to ourselves, we know ourselves and we understand our place in the grand scheme of things. We have discovered our unique purpose and we regularly tap into our intuition in order to make decisions of all kinds.  We are successfully practicing “me” management in every situation or challenge.

When we think of “leadership skills”, we usually associate these with individuals who are in a management or supervisory role. Leadership rhetoric has its roots in a variety of management theories espoused over the ages. What is missing, however, is the idea of taking charge of oneself. It has been commonplace to think of a leader in terms of “position”, generally associated with being in charge of others. However, a title on a business card or a placard on a desk or door does not automatically make someone a leader. It may give the impression of self-importance and achievement, however, the title alone is not enough. Neither is a job description that notes functions associated with managing people.

The importance of practicing personal leadership is everyone’s personal responsibility. Attaching importance to what we do for a living is often recognized as a yardstick for measuring success. However, the manner in which we conduct ourselves has far greater significance and impact in the long-term. Therefore, the meaning of leadership denotes character, above all else. It has nothing to do with a job title.

 Definition of leadership

 A leader is someone who recognizes that character is the greatest test of true leadership. A leader is someone who is clear about their values and applies them on a regular basis. In other words, having values and living by one’s values are two distinctive propositions. This has very little to do with moving up the management ladder into a leadership role. Furthermore, one doesn’t have to be in a workplace to be a leader.

Be the best version of you with others

 Honing this specific talent is more noteworthy, because human beings progress further in life by mastering the capacity to appreciate, relate to and communicate with the vast array of personalities, cultures and demographics, without judgment or discrimination. A business title conveying “leader” is no proof of having acquired this gift.

 Experience the totality of the moment 

According to physics, the earth’s average orbital speed is around 30,000 mph. Our planet is spinning so fast, yet we don’t even feel it.  One could say the same thing about numerous interactions that occur on a daily basis. Do we truly experience them? It is an interesting dichotomy, although the reality is that it is precisely because of the speed at which we live, we happen upon human encounters that have a fascinating potential to provide a quantum leap in our own learning, yet we shrug them off.  Rarely do we stop to consider their impact.

Conclusion

Leading yourself first in your organization, your career and your life requires commitment, desire and discipline. Recognizing the true essence of leadership is the first step. We are experiencing a unique period in our history where it is possible for anyone to be thrust into the spotlight, either through our own efforts or via the plethora of social media. Therefore, at any given moment, we have the opportunity to demonstrate leadership on a daily basis, regardless of vocation or position, in all that we do.

Michelle Ray is the author of  “Lead Yourself First”, coming soon!

“Money doesn’t talk…It swears”

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“Money doesn’t talk…It swears” – Bob Dylan

In my upcoming book, “Lead Yourself First”, I dedicate several chapters to the subject of values. Values drive our behaviour and decisions, as well as our professional and personal relationships. Making values – based decisions in business and life aren’t always easy, even when we feel that we know ourselves well. One of the most difficult areas pertains to money and finances, especially if we find ourselves at the crossroads regarding career change or making an investment in a new business venture. Although there are some simple truths such as having your finances in order prior to taking such bold steps, conversations around money are often emotionally- charged due to the fact that our values also come into play.  Therefore, the subject isn’t merely about numbers, being practical or even logical.  Going through the process of ascertaining what lies behind the rationale to leave a job or stay, to invest or not to invest; to save or spend is an important exercise because we discover more about what is actually influencing such choices. In addition, the manner in which we justify our course of action is also a reflection of our principles.

The financial values dilemma is not only felt at an individual level. It happens in corporations on a daily basis. If you listen closely, you will hear people frequently professing values-laden statements regarding their workplace or direction of their organization. It isn’t unusual for leaders to experience conflict in this arena, especially during these times of uncertainty. While working with one client recently, one member of the senior leadership team was frustrated due to the push-back he was experiencing from his colleagues. He wished to maintain the status quo in terms of staff retention…in contrast to a number of his peers who he felt were reacting by taking an ultra cautious approach; entertaining cutbacks and terminations. Critical business decisions such as these may appear to be based on fiscal evidence. However, the values of a core leadership team are often driving the process.

Is it possible to be completely objective regarding where one may stand on financial values, or indeed our entire values system?  The challenge lies in the fact that we have all been influenced in varying degrees by the standards of others, be they family members, peers, associates, coaches or well-intended friends. Therefore, the sample inventory exercise below will reveal the extent to which you have allowed yourself  to be governed by accepted morals or ethics that perhaps hinder your professional and personal direction. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers. Rather, your responses reflect your current position and beliefs and illuminate information regarding your financial values that my surprise you. 

Values inventory clarification – Money

  1. What does financial freedom represent to you?
  2.  Do you subscribe to a scarcity or abundance mentality?
  3.  Were you taught to manage your money at an early age?
  4. When you think of the term “financially responsible”, how would you define it?
  5. What were some of the prevailing attitudes around money in your family?
  6. How has the recent economic volatility impacted your career? If you have not been affected directly, have you witnessed the effect on colleagues, business associates, and clients?

Leading yourself first in your organization, your career and your life requires clarity around questions such as these. Can you lead your team with confidence regarding business decisions that impact them directly? Do you trust yourself to take the necessary commercial risk to grow your business into a viable entity? Are you ready to take the leap of faith associated with a career change? When we truly understand that our values underpin everything about us that makes us tick, we are able to approach the crossroads with greater conviction.

Michelle’s book, “Lead Yourself First”  is due for worldwide release this year.

Do you give credit to those who take the lead?

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“It’s never crowded along the extra mile”…Poet unknown

This week, my new website went live. Invariably, there were glitches as the site moved from one hosting company to the other. Building a website is not my forte, however I have learned a lot about what happens behind the scenes from my web developer, Carrie  Haggerty.  Several months ago I decided that it was time to make changes regarding my website. Carrie, who has known me for almost three years, encouraged me to build this website in Word Press and was passionate when it came to helping me make the necessary changes. As this week drew closer and the launch day approached, I became aware of some of the potential technological hurdles that could arise. For example,  although I knew that it could take 2-48 hours for my new website to be visible, I did not know that there would be a delay in terms of where the website could be seen. Carrie knew that my new website was live, however she could not see it as her server wasn’t picking it up. No matter how many times she clicked “refresh” or cleared her “cookies”,  my new website would not show. During the early hours of the launch day, Carrie left her office and took it upon herself to find a location with an internet connection so she could upload critical files and index the website correctly. She barely slept because she knew that that there was a possibility of something going very wrong that could affect my wesbite and as a result, my business. Carrie went above and beyond to take the lead in order to ensure that my project succeeded. In fact, it would be more accurate to say “our project”.   Although many of us find frequently find ourselves at the mercy of technology at work, how often to we stop and say “thank you” to those who support us at work to make sure things go smoothly? We rely on the internet more than ever, therefore it times of high stress and change, having the right elements in place can mean everything. If you have people on your team who constantly go the extra mile to make you look good at the back end, acknowledgement of their efforts to take the lead on your behalf comes with the territory.

Lessons learned about leadership from my visit to Washington DC

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During my trip to Washington DC last week, I had the privilege of hearing Sam Horn, the Intrigue Expert, who spoke on the topic: “How to turn your Passion and Purpose into a Serendestiny organization.”  The most profound question Sam posed was this: “Is the light on in your eyes? Are you doing what you love most and do best?” It caused me reflect on the difference between those who lead themselves first, versus those who wait for their world to change.

One of the enduring impressions of my visit was witnessing walking talking examples of individuals who are leading themselves first. They have launched organizations and taken the lead. Sharing the platform with Sam were Lawrence Williams, founder,  United States Healthful Food Council, Vice President for Strategic Relations at Space Exploration Technologies (Space X), Allan Horlick, President of  CBS Washington DC,  Kathy Korman Frey, Founder of the “Hot Mommas Project”, an organization that houses the largest collection of women’s case studies in the world, Michelle James, founder of the Center for Creative Emergence , Cynthia de Lorenzi, CEO of the phenomenal success network “Success in the City”,  pizza innovator and serial entrepreneur, Miki Agrawal, Alex Horn, Executive Director of Dreams for Kids DC and founder of the Ability List, and renowned Social Media expert, Jennifer Abernathy, Author of the “Complete Idiots Guide to Social Media” and founder of  The Sales Lounge.

These impressive leaders have one thing in common. They are passionate about life because they have aligned their personal mission with their respective careers; taking a fearless approach to their work and their causes so that others can succeed as well.

Can you imagine the possibilities when you make the decision to take the leap and lead yourself? By doing so, you will achieve a deeper sense of life and career satisfaction. There is a difference between intuitively knowing what to do versus making it happen! The success stories that I heard in Washington DC left a significant impression on me as each speaker demonstrated that leadership is first and foremost a state of mind. Self-imposed, self-manufactured beliefs that limit potential are the only roadblocks that stand in your way of living your life’s purpose. Are you ready for NOW?