Important Questions for Malta and the Capital Region

Events vitally important for our area were set in motion some time ago. The idea was to bring a new era of prosperity to our community through economic development. Now it is coming to our town, our county, and our region, and it is coming in a rush. It is like a series of trains, very big trains, already moving fast and picking up more and more speed every day. For local business leaders and entrepreneurs it is important to recognize the impact those trains will have, and to ask the right questions so we may make the most of the value they carry.

The “construction train” which brought GLOBALFOUNDRIES to Luther Forest was just the first one. It is now being followed by the first “passenger train” bringing both local labor and transplant labor for the plant--approximately 1,400 people. After that comes the expanded administrative facilities train bringing maybe another 1,500 people. Then comes the “related businesses” train carrying--hopefully--some 100-plus businesses and potentially another 4,000 to 6,000 more people, maybe even more--and those are just the workers. Those figures do not include the family members. If multiply all that by about 2.5 we get over 30,000 people.

They (and we) will be looking for more services: more restaurants, more dry cleaners, more service businesses of all types and sizes. That means increased demand, which translates to more jobs, more opportunities, and a more vibrant economic base to build our communities on.

With all this growth comes questions. Questions for every sector of our community, our town, our county, our region. Questions that demand leadership at every level.

On a town and community level, political leaders need to be asking equally daunting and probing questions. “Are our processes supporting the economic growth opportunities that we are blessed with?” “Do we have a view of the future in mind that is guiding our planning, or our we committed to living in „yesterday‟?" “What are the innovative and viable alternatives to the way we‟ve always done business?”On a citizen level we also need to be asking a series of questions: “Are our political leaders asking the right kind of questions for our future?” “What is my role in voicing my desires for the future, and the future of our children and grandchildren?” “How can I be involved and make sure we have a solid foundation for the economic viability of future generations?” “How can I best take part in enhancing our town, county, and region, in ways that create a positive living legacy?”

And on a business level, every business owner and operator must be asking and finding the answers to questions like: “What are my opportunities with this coming growth?” “What kind of growth can I expect?” “What kind of growth am I equipped to make to support the local and regional growth?” “What new services or products can I add to my business?” “What do I want my business to look like in 3-5 years?” “Do I have what it takes to be a player in this new and growing economy?” And the list goes on.

All of these are serious questions we should be asking ourselves on a daily basis. Some things are already done deals; the “trains” are coming, at our invitation, and soon. The questions we ask and the answers we give will determine the resulting actions we take and the ultimate impact they will have on our community. For businesspeople this is an opportunity to step up and demonstrate leadership both in and beyond our own self-interest. It is a choice, a choice that we either will make, or one that will be made for us.

We in business tend to shy away from participating in discussions like these. We are far more likely to simply accept conditions--or complain about them--and try to find a way to work with them than take a hand in shaping them. But it is part of the job of the entrepreneur and business leader to create the conditions for prosperity. It would be a mistake to think of those conditions only in terms of what happens within our businesses. And it would be a mistake to let the train roar by to stop at another station.

Join in on the conversations or start some of your own at: http://www.izoca.com/groups/malta-ny/discussions

This article is a reprint by permission of The Boardroom Ballston Journal (http://www.theballstonjournal.com/news/local_business/) article, April 14th edition.

Leadership - Appreciating the Difficult

The following was published in The Ballston Journal, March 25th.

In my February 4th article, “Business – It’s Complicated (and Personal)”, I wrote about appreciation and personal relationships both inside and outside your business.

Writing and reflecting on that article started me thinking about the difficult situations we encounter in business and in life. Can we really appreciate the difficult? And if we can, how do we do it?

It may be helpful to look at some examples – in this case, all business-related. Let's start by first looking at the difficult employee.

The first step in appreciating the difficult employee is to separate yourself from the emotion of the moment and take the existing moment in context with other prior moments. Evaluate how these moments connect and what they have in common. You may see a pattern emerging that really indicates the employee is having difficulty grasping the task at hand or the process or procedure for performing what is expected. This gives a good indication the employee may need additional training or additional skill sets. In this way, you're truly appreciating the employee's perspective and difficulty that they have in performing the particular duties or tasks, which you expect.

On the other hand, if connecting those moments yields the feeling that the employee just doesn't care or isn't trying or doesn't want to make the effort, then you have a different situation. In this case, to appreciate the difficult employee, you have to help the employee see that you are not doing anything to them; rather, they are doing it to themselves. Their actions and behaviors are not yielding the desired performance or results; instead, their actions and behaviors say they are working to give their job back to you. As a conscientious and fair manager or leader, you have an obligation to take that job back and give it to someone who wants it.

I realize this sounds a bit simpler than it really is. Human relationships are complicated, and to truly appreciate the difficult as well as the non-difficult, you really do have to appreciate people for who they really are. And of course, you cannot change people, particularly if they do not want to change themselves. In appreciating the difficult employee, it is always best to start by focusing on the positive aspects they bring to the workplace. From that perspective, you can then evaluate and appreciate what you find difficult about their actions and interactions. Also make sure you have built a positive workplace, by making sure that employees are supported and appreciated, provided with training and education, and supported by processes and procedures. Knowing that, even in the most positive workplace, you may still have difficult employees..

In the book First Break All the Rules by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman, the authors describe the catalyst role for managers as what great managers do, not how they do it. They detail four steps or core activities of a catalyst role:
• When selecting employees, select for talent - not simply experience, intelligence, or determination.
• When setting expectations, define the right outcomes - not the right steps.
• When motivating, focus on strengths - not on weaknesses.
• When developing someone, find the right fit - not simply the next rung on the ladder.

The authors also point out that great managers and great leaders treat employees fairly, but not necessarily equally. I believe this point supports truly appreciating employees, both the great and the difficult. Take an appreciative approach, and realize as managers and leaders our primary role is to support and enable employees to get just what they're working for. If they're working to excel, you need to do everything you can to help them excel as fast as possible. If they are working to give their jobs back to you, you don't have a choice; you have an obligation as a leader/manager to take it and give it to someone who wants it.

A similar perspective can be applied to the difficult customer. How do you appreciate the difficult customer? If you focus first on the positive aspects of what the difficult customer brings to your business, you may find they are bringing us rich and valuable information about your business. Perhaps you are not serving them well. Perhaps you are not providing them a great product or a great service. By appreciating their real message, you can find some keys to improving your products and service, and thus your business. Your difficult customers may in fact to be the key to taking you from good to great for all of your customers. If you truly appreciate your difficult customers, and realize, just like you might with your employees, that they are working to move their business elsewhere, then you can also help them achieve what they are working for. Said another way, the best approach in this situation is to help the difficult customer find someone else or some other company that can serve their needs better than you can. In many cases, this just might be the best way to manage these “moments of truth or difficulty” with your difficult customers.

So, the question remains. Can we truly appreciate the difficult? I believe we can. I believe you can, and it starts by truly appreciating the perspective and the situation that the employee or customer is presenting to you and your business. Appreciation starts from a position of attitude. In order to truly appreciate both the positive as well as the difficult, you need to be in a position of positive attitude and looking for the best possible outcome. From that position and perspective you can help everyone achieve exactly what they're working for.

Stop Lights to Roundabouts - Analogy for Leaders

Happy Thanksgiving to all! In these times of "ups and downs" and "round and round", I thought about an analogy for one of the more recent developments in the NY Capital District area. Take a look at the article found at: http://www.consultingalliance.org/Default.aspx?pageId=271820&mode=PostView&bmi=87055 and then please "join the conversation" on my http://capconsult.blogspot.com- Thanks!

Exciting things are in the works at Capital Consulting Group, llc

Be on the lookout for some exciting new developments at Capital Consulting Group, llc.

We are about to launch a new web site! We are also expanding the use of social networking to enhance our reach into the digital marketspace.

We are working with our collaboration partners, Jim and Pat Francek of TAVA Full Circle, LLC, (www.tavafullcircle.com) and Dr. Michael Kelly of Advanced Management Catalyst, Inc (www.amcinc.com) on new executive and corporate education offerings "Leading from and Emerging Future", and "Appreciative Leadership - Understanding Yourself and Developing Your Positive Leadership Core".

Collaboratively, we are also developing and will soon be announcing workshops for Appreciative Living.

We are certainly living in interesting times, and they are as rich with opportunity as any time has ever been! What will we make of them? It is truly up to each and every one of us to find the positive and create the emerging future that we truly want for ourselves, our children, our grandchildren, and the next seven plus generations!

Ray