Some Families & Little Kids Need YOUR Help!

Let's face it - you're pretty fortunate. You're reading this by accessing the Internet over your laptop while sitting in the comfort of your home drinking your Starbucks quad shot venti caramel macchiato. Imagine NOT being able to pay for Internet access. Imagine NOT having your laptop. Imagine NOT being in your home because you no longer have one. Pretty grim, huh? Well that's EXACTLY the situation some folks I'd like to help are in.

The Ohio State Psychology Club is sponsoring the Giving Tree Project, through which we all can help needy families during the holiday season. The families being helped are the victims of domestic violence. They've escaped from some terrible situations in their homes sometimes with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. They've found shelter and protection at Turning Point Domestic Abuse Shelter. They need YOUR help.

Thanks to everyone who contributed. We've closed the contribution window but you can still reach out to the shelter using the above link and help them out on your own.

Due to a difficult economy, the project to give them a happy holiday has not raised as much money as they'd like. I'm asking your help to solve that problem. I'm asking you to donate whatever you can to this great cause. All funds will be used to purchase items these families desperately need.

Some of the gifts the families have requested are socks for a six year old little girl whose favorite color is purple (yes... she simply wants SOCKS for Christmas!). Another is a size 14 boys coat (the child only wants to be warm). The mothers asked for items for their children such as underwear, socks, shoes, shirts, pants, boots, and coats but didn't ask for much of anything for themselves. The only thing a couple of them requested was a set of pots and pans for when they get a place to stay. As far as gifts outside of necessities, some of the kids are hoping for i-pods (there are a few teenage boys), bikes, toy trucks, light up toys, hair bows, etc. It would be nice to be able to give these children a holiday with gifts other than basic necessities as they are already going through a very tough time.

I've tried to give you a lot through this blog (articles, ideas, guest bloggers, etc.). I've never asked anything of you other than to read it and enjoy it for free. I'm asking for something now. It's not for me - it's for a six year old girl whose toes are cold. Please be generous. Please donate. Thank you so much for your generosity - I truly appreciate it.

I wish you all a blessed, safe, and happy holiday season. Please help me give that same blessing and happiness to others who are in need.

- Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

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Train Them Now or Lose Them Later

A friend of mine was lamenting the current economic environment. He bemoaned budget cuts at his company and the lack of opportunities for professional development. He also said something truly alarming:

"Our management team is so focused on just making the numbers that they're not investing in developing their people." (Incidentally, I think making the numbers can be stupid). He added "But it's really not a huge deal because in this economy, no one is going to quit over lack of training or development, y'know?"

After I reattached my head to my body, I thought about this painful comment. I think we might have actually reached the point of myopic leadership destruction where leaders get so focused on the short term that they forget the future. They become so narrow in their view they miss the point that their people will have choices before them after this crisis. Sure you can skimp on your people today and they'll sit there and take it. But as soon as the economy turns, they'll be bugging out on you and heading to a better job faster than you can say "leadership FAIL."

So all this got me thinking. Tight budgets. Lack of training dollars. Yearning for professional development. As I noodled on these ideas, I fortuitously had a great conversation with Jack Windsor and genius struck. He handed me a solution to these problems on a silver platter. I would love to hear what you think about this...

Imagine being able to get together with a small group of professionals from other organizations. They'd be of similar level of responsibility as you (e.g., managers/directors with other managers/directors, etc.). You'd meet with your group face to face every month and cover new critical business topics (like the ones we cover on this blog). This group would become your peer mentors. Your professional sounding board. Along with your group facilitator, this group will help you build your skills, your network, and your career.

And you'd interact beyond the monthly group meetings (think virtual classroom, webinars, etc.). Your facilitator? How about a stable of seasoned business executives who can help you tackle just about any problem or opportunity in front of you.

Now imagine having access to such a program at a price that would make even the stingiest training department say "Wow! That's really a good deal!"

That's what we've built and launched: the thoughtLEADERS mastermind Programs. We've created four targeted tracks designed for individuals in varying roles:

- The Enterprise Leader Track (CEO, COO, EVPs, etc.) (details soon)
- The Executive Leader Track (Sr. Directors, VPs, SVPs) (details)
- The Team Leader Track (Managers, Directors, Team Leads, etc.) (details)
- The Entrepreneur Leader Track (Start-up leaders, Small business leaders) (details)

We're enrolling now. We'd love to have you (or members of your team) as a member. You can learn more about the program content, structure, etc. in the downloadable packets above or on our site HERE.

Don't make the biggest mistake of the year by not investing in yourself or your people during tough times. The organizations who ARE investing in their people are just waiting for your talented folks to get frustrated and leave you so they can snatch them up after they quit your team.

I'd love your thoughts and reactions to this program. Just email me if you'd like more details or to get involved.

Even if you don't take us up on our invitation to grow and develop as part of our groups, I encourage you to sit down and explicitly identify how you're investing in your people. How are you making them better and demonstrating you value them? How will you ensure that when a competitive job offer comes along, they simply state "no thanks - I'm learning a lot right now and I'm happy where I am."?

Can you afford not to invest in your people or yourself? I don't think so...

- Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

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Happy Bloggiversary! A Leadership Principles Blast from the Past

Happy Bloggiversary! A year. Wow. This blog has been around for a year now (and I'm sure some of you will go check the original post dates and say "it started in OCT 07" but I backdated some of the original posts...). It's been a wonderful learning experience and I've met a ton of wonderful people (YOU!) along the way.

In honor of the bloggiversary, I'm thrilled to bring you the first series of posts I wrote here on a set of leadership principles you can use in your day to day job. If you've already read them (the original set, not the set we covered starting this past October), read them again - they never get old.

I'd also like to ask your help. If you've enjoyed this blog over the past year, I'm thrilled. In return for the tips, smiles, and perspectives we've provided you, I'd like to ask a simple favor. Our biggest challenge is attracting new readers (they tend to retain extremely well once they get here). I'd ask that each of you let a few of your friends or colleagues know about us and invite them to join our ranks of readers (almost 400 subscribers now). I'm not asking a lot - I'm simply asking you to spread the word. I thank you in advance for your help on this. We've typed over 100 posts for your enjoyment - we're asking you to type a few emails to return the favor (I'm good at the guilt thing - I was raised in an Italian Catholic household).

Now to the good stuff. Straight from the archives, here are the original leadership principles we published here.

I've led and been led in many situations. The military as a tank platoon leader (one of the funnest jobs you can have as a 22 year old man - four tanks, fifteen soldiers and a job description that reads "blow stuff up and run stuff over."); as a director of a large call center organization; as a consultant team leader; as an executive in premier organizations. I've also been fortunate enough to learn from and work with many leaders and followers in all those organizations (both good ones and bad ones).

Sure there are plenty of leadership books out there (available at fine book stores everywhere!). The thing is, I haven't come across any that are down to earth and practical in the advice they give. To that end, I see a problem and therefore I own it (one of the principles on the list). I'd like to offer the following basic principles as a perspective on some of the things it takes to be a genuine leader.

Knowing and leading yourself:

• You see it, you own it


• "He's under the tank, sir"


• "I'm going home. You're doing my job so you don't need me and should take the cost savings."


• "He knows more than I do"


• The Human Crapshield

Knowing and leading your people:

• His name is Angel


• He drinks 7Up


• "But he's never done that job." "I know."


• They know what I know


• Kick up, kiss down


• The thank you note

Yes. Many of the above points are cryptic. Some are self evident. I'll expound upon each of these principles in separate posts.

- Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

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Upcoming Event: thoughtLEADERS Webinar Series

I'm happy to announce a four-part series of webinars being presented in partnership with The Ohio State University Alber Enterprise Center! The webinar series is Universal Business Skills That Advance YOU and Your Organization. Back by popular demand, we're offering the first webinar in this series again on October 3 at 2:30PM EST! The best part is, this first webinar is FREE! Click HERE to add it to your calendar.

Sure, there are the “hard” skills taught at every organization. These are the tactical and technical skills required to perform ones’ daily duties and responsibilities. Much less common, however, is training on the more critical “universal” skills: how to think, how to lead, and how to explore and innovate. While the former “hard” skills make the business run day to day, the “universal” skills are the ones that propel the organization (and your career) into the future.

Join me as I cover these critical “universal” skills in several topic areas. During the webinars, you will:

- Learn about a skill that’s rarely taught but drives more decisions than any other: how to think in a structured and logical manner
- Hear about a simple method for articulating your fundamental leadership style and approach
- See how you can push the thinking of your organization beyond “because that’s the way we do things”

The webinars will be held on 10/3 (FREE!), 10/17, 10/31, and 11/14 (we'll cover a different topic during each session). Once again, to register for the first webinar, you can add it to your calendar HERE. More details will be available soon on the second, third and fourth sessions - just hold those dates at 1PM EST for now. I hope to "see" you during these sessions! Remember - the first one in the four-part series is FREE!

The Alber Enterprise Center is a campus-based corporate education center of The Ohio State University, providing work force training, organization development, and performance improvement techniques. It is a resource, research, and education tool for business and industry.

- Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

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New Book Recommendation - The New Gold Standard

Heads up all of you who love to better understand customer service as well as those of you who love to read! Dr. Joseph Michelli (author of The Starbucks Experience) has released his newest book on The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.

The book is called The New Gold Standard: 5 Leadership Principles for Creating a Legendary Customer Experience Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. I actually had the privilege of attending the same training session at the Ritz-Carlton as Dr. Michelli did when he was doing his research. I'm even quoted in the book (you have to read it to see what I had to say)! As all of you know, I'm pretty big on customer service, so this book is a must read from where I sit.

I know you'll value the insights he provides because I was there when he was gathering them. The Ritz-Carlton is a unique place we can all learn something from. Rather than me trying to explain what you'll be getting out of the book, I'd rather let the professionals do it so here goes:

Discover the secrets of world-class leadership!

When it comes to refined service and exquisite hospitality, one name stands high above the rest: The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. With ceaseless attention to every luxurious detail, the company has set the bar for creating memorable customer experiences in world-class settings. Now, for the first time, the leadership secrets behind the company's extraordinary success are revealed.

The New Gold Standard takes you on an exclusive tour behind the scenes of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. Granted unprecedented access to the company's executives, staff, and its award-winning Leadership Center training facilities, bestselling author Joseph Michelli explored every level of leadership within the organization. He emerged with the key principles leaders at any company can use to provide a customer experience unlike any other, such as:

- Understanding the ever-evolving needs of customers
- Empowering employees by treating them with the utmost respect
- Anticipating customers' unexpressed needs and concerns
- Developing and conducting an unsurpassed training regimen

Sharing engaging stories from the company's employees - from the corporate office and hotels around the globe - Michelli describes the innovative methods the company uses to create peerless guest experiences and explains how it constantly hones and improves them.

The New Gold Standard weaves practical how-to advice, proven leadership tools, and the wisdom of experts to help you create and embed superior customer-service principles, processes, and practices in your own organization.

I hope you'll grab a copy. You'll be glad you did!

- Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

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Forbes Business and Finance Blog Network Update

The Forbes.com blog network launch is approaching. Here's some "official" information from the Forbes team.

NEW YORK, NY (March 24, 2008) – Today Forbes.com, home page for the world’s business leaders, announced the creation of a Business and Finance Blog Network, comprised of a community of pre-screened, influential business and financial blogs. (Mike's editorial comment: kind of makes me wonder if all the pretty logos I pasted on the site have distracted the editors from the pointed and snarky commentary in the posts...).

The Blog Network’s content will focus on senior business decision makers and high-net-worth investors. Topics will be relevant to the banking, trading, hedge fund management, affluent investing, and senior business decision-making communities. Participation in the network is by invitation only, and all blogs are vetted by Forbes.com editors for appropriate content, and to ensure that they are in keeping with the Forbes editorial brand.

The network will allow advertisers to target a highly engaged, exclusive niche audience of senior business decision makers and affluent investors easily and effectively. Four hundred-plus blogs have already joined the network, with many more expected to sign on before the official launch in the next few weeks.

“There is no denying the growing importance and influence of blogs within the media landscape,” said Forbes.com President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Spanfeller. “Forbes.com can ensure advertisers are reaching a hard-to-find and very desirable audience within safe, well-lit environments by exclusively inviting ‘best of breed’ business and investing bloggers to our new Business and Finance Blog Network.”

About Forbes.com
Forbes.com (http://www.forbes.com/), home page for the world’s business leaders and the No. 1 business news source in the world, is among the most trusted resources for senior business executives, providing them the real-time reporting, uncompromising commentary, concise analysis, relevant tools and community they need to succeed at work, profit from investing and have fun with the rewards of winning. Throughout the business day Forbes.com publishes more than 3,500 articles, delivering the best of Forbes journalism and that of its selected partners with all the immediacy, depth and interactivity that the Web allows. Affiliated sites include: ForbesTraveler.com, ForbesAutos.com, Investopedia.com, RealClearPolitics.com and Clipmarks.com.

- Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

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Upcoming Event: Leadership Excellence 2008 - Chicago April 30 - May 1

Mike will be speaking at the Jacob Fleming Leadership Excellence 2008 Conference April 30th/May 1st in Chicago. The working title of the presentation is “You can’t lead if you can’t communicate!” The presentation is on the first day of the conference. thoughtLEADERS, LLC is a co-sponsor of the event.






This five star conference will bring together senior level executives from leading fortune 500 companies to benchmark best practices, success stories and do’s and don’ts. Join them to hear practical advice on creating an effective leadership plan. Listen to exciting case studies on developing emerging leaders, overcoming challenges, and how to build a leadership legacy. Take home valuable know-how that can help you master day to day tasks and draft a strategy to take you to the next level.

Click below to learn about who should attend and how to join us in Chicago!

Who should attend:

Vice Presidents, Heads, Directors and Senior Executives of Leadership Development, Leadership Management, Global Leadership, People Development, Organizational Development, Learning and Development

There are some great speakers lined up and some really neat topics many of you will find interesting. For more information visit the Jacob Fleming Leadership Excellence 2008 website.

thoughtLEADERS is proud to co-sponsor the event. Feel free to pass this information along to colleagues who might be interested in attending as well. I hope to see you in Chicago!

- Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

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Upcoming Event April 4th in Columbus!

If you enjoy the blog, come see me speak live! I'll be presenting a session on thoughtLEADERSHIP at Sparkspace on Friday, April 4th from 8AM to 10AM. The best part - admission is FREE! For more information on the session and to learn about how to register, click "Read more!" below.

The session is on thoughtLEADERSHIP. Here's an overview as written by the fine folks at Sparkspace:

Have you ever been told to “be a thought leader” or to “think outside the box” and “push the envelope” but you’ve never been shown exactly HOW to do that or what that means? Join us on April 4th for thoughtLEADERSHIP: Creating Creative Opportunities presented by Mike Figliuolo, Managing Director of thoughtLEADERS, LLC. During the session, you’ll learn:

- What is thoughtLEADERSHIP? (the quick answer: a thoughtLEADER is someone who delivers business results by agitating for and leading change)
- What characteristics do thoughtLEADERS possess?
- What are the tools a thoughtLEADER uses to push the thinking forward?
- How do you “blow up your business” and why is that a good idea?
- How do thoughtLEADERS convey their ideas in a clear and compelling manner?

During this session, Mike will cover all of these concepts and you’ll have a chance to try them on for size. You’ll walk out of the session with some practical thoughtLEADERSHIP tools you can immediately put to use in your business or organization. You’ll finally have the practical means to drive insights and think outside the box.

Register now by sending an email to thoughtleader@aweber.com. After sending your email, you will receive an email asking you to verify your registration. For more details, visit the event HERE. I look forward to seeing you there and hope you can make it.

- Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

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Come Check Out The thoughtLEADERS Blog

I'm forwarding you a great professional development resource you should definitely check out: the thoughtLEADERS Blog. Come check out the practical, realistic posts on leadership, strategy, communications, career, customer service and a host of other relevant business topics at the thoughtLEADERS Blog.

Even better - you can sign up for blog post updates via email by clicking here and following the instructions. Then, every week you'll get 1-3 updates that take all of 3-5 minutes to read. There's no faster way to get a great professional development "fix" every week and signing up ensures they won't miss a single one.

Tell another friend to give the blog a quick look - it's one of the best places to learn quickly while having a laugh or three!

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Hello and Welcome!

Welcome to my blog. I hope you find it useful, informative, practical and humorous (sometimes). Consider these writings the textbook for the school of On The Job Training. While many of the concepts you'll find here have been flogged to death in "business books" and "professional journals" I believe you'll be hard pressed to find the practical and realistic aspects in those works that you'll find here.

All my posts are grounded in reality - much of this stuff has really happened. It's always easier to learn from stories than from textbooks. Some of the best teachers and mentors I've had over the years led by example and taught through experience. They shared their mistakes, their successes and their careers via entertaining stories over a lunch, a beer, or a cup of coffee. I'll do the former (and if you happen to be traveling through Ohio, maybe the latter).

I'd love to hear from you. I welcome comments and questions about existing posts or requests for perspectives on new topics. If I know something about it, I'll be happy to pontificate. If I don't, I'll say so and try to refer you to someone who does. Thanks again for visiting. And please, let me know your thoughts.

- Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

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