Peter Drucker, the father of American management, believes that 60 percent of all management problems are the result of faulty communications. I believe the 80% of our failure deals in our failure to communicate. Listening has become a lost art. The question is …

• Who do you listen to?
• Listen to the people doing it to learn how to do it better
• What do you listen to?
• Listen to solution-based people on each side of the fence
• Why do you listen?
• You listen to learn, to understand, to appreciate, to share, and to respect.

It matters not if you are the President of the USA, president of a large or small company, president of an organization, or the president of your household – it is imperative to listen to the voices of the people.

Petey asks…
What is your ratio of listening vs. talking?

Petey suggests:
Read Peter Drucker’s books.

To book Petey to deliver her keynote Stop, Look and Listen to your group, or for a copy of her book Body Language and Soulful Thoughts, click here.

Effective leaders, like Sam Walton, always rise to a challenge. That’s one of the things that separate winners from whiners. Walton rose above it by solving his problems with creativity and tenacity.

I personally allow myself 30 minutes a day of negativity. That includes whiney bucket people, negative news, unhealthy situations etc. Whiney bucket people are people who just like to complain but have no intention of changing or improving their lot in life. I’ll walk away from a conversation, TV program, and telephone call if it appears not to be solution-based or helping with the process of making it — whatever it is. Now – don’t confuse whining continually over and over again about the same problems with someone sharing their heart, fears, joys, concerns with you because they know you love them – would do anything in the world to help them – and they’d do the same for you. I am talking about the position of misery loves company. Well – my happy self just doesn’t love misery.

“The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year.” – John Foster Dulles, Former Secretary of State

Petey asks…
What is your tolerance level? How much negativity do you allow into your life per day?

Petey suggests:
Read The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader — Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow by John C. Maxwell.
Want to learn what leadership is and isn’t? Book Petey for your next seminar or event.

Colin Powell says, “Management is easy. Leadership is motivating people, turning people on, getting 110% out of a personal relationship. You’re a good leader when people follow only out of curiosity and they trust you. Trust comes from believing in your competence, character, courage (moral, physical, mental, spiritual), loyalty, confidence, selflessness, sacrifice, and empathy.

It seems to me that very few people know the difference between leadership, management, and coaching.

• A leader generally is a visionary and INSPIRES others by their core values and ethics. They create the mission and value statements.
• Managers manage people and processes. They create the policies and guidelines of ‘what needs to happen to get it done’ in the strategic plan
• Coaches become the mentors and trainers. They get people ready to implement the tactic used to ‘make it happen’

So – what do you call yourself and why???
Petey says…
Read The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell by Oren Harari.
Besides consulting on this subject, I can present a keynote and/or seminar. Visit my Web site for more information on leadership.

Jeff Dyer of Brigham Young University was quoted in the Editors’ Blog of the Harvard Business Review: “The first skill (humans learn) is what we call “associating.” It’s a cognitive skill that allows creative people to make connections across seemingly unrelated questions, problems, or ideas. The second skill we learn is questioning- an ability to ask “what if?” “why?” and “why not?” questions that challenge the status quo and open up the bigger picture. The third is the ability to closely observe details, particularly the details of people’s behavior. Another skill is the ability to experiment – the people we studied are always trying on new experiences and exploring new worlds. And finally, they are really good at networking with smart people who have little in common with them, but from whom they can learn.”

I love the question, “Why?” It leads into so many different directions and solutions:

• Why can be the prologue to “Why not?”
• What happens if you do vs. what happens if you don’t?
• Why can be the resistance to good and bad ideas?
• It is a skill of its own to be able to evaluate and create a positive spin on even the logic of why it’s a truly bad idea.
• Why can be the inquisitive mind of a child?

By the way, someday you will be old and perhaps have a little loss of memory and YOU will be asking that child (grandchildren) WHY? Be as patient with them now as you expect them to be with you later. Eh?
Why can be the drill digging deeper to the REAL reason for decision making.
I use this one word relentlessly when I’m in a consulting mode with my incredible clients; I always dig for the core reason and motivation before settling for a stock answer or vague objection:

Why can designate that status quo is NOT good enough

Leaders and innovators inspire us to think beyond the obvious. Good is never enough for them. Is it enough for you?
Innovators ask these questions on their way to finding imaginative worlds for the rest of us to live and work in. Let’s hear it for these courage folk!!!

What about you?

• When do YOU ask “why?”?
• Why do YOU ask “why?”?
• What do you do with the answers you get?
• Are you intimidated or innovative with new thought processes?

“All effective innovations are breathtakingly simple.” Peter Drucker

Petey says…
Read anything by Peter Drucker. Those of us who’ve been in management for a long, long time consider him the Big Daddy of all knowledge and he still remains “Right On” in the world of innovative business..

To hire Petey for consulting services, go to PeteyParker.com