Creating a Positive Organizational Culture Event - October 11th

SOS Leadership Institute, Concordia University, and campus2careers are thrilled to invite you to:

Creating a Positive Organizational Culture
on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 from 5:30-8:00 pm
on the beautiful campus of Concordia University in Austin

Register today!

This exciting event will tackle the highly debated topic of how to create a positive organizational culture. What does it take to engage employees and build morale? How do you turn around a toxic culture? What role does your leadership team play in creating a dynamic, employee-focused culture? Featuring two dynamic keynotes and a panel discussion, this is an evening of learning, information sharing, and networking that you don’t want to miss.

Event Agenda:
5:30-6:00 pm Networking Reception
6:00-6:30 pm Opening Keynote by Dr. Don Christian, Dean of the Concordia University College of Business
6:30-7:30 pm Panel Discussion facilitated by Nathan Green, President of campus2careers
Panelists include:
- Angela Loeb, Owner at InSync Resources
- Brett Rodgers, HR Manager, Anue Systems
- Angie Cartwright, PHR, Owner, Potentiality Coaching and Consulting
- Shane Sokoll, Assistant Professor and Director of the HR Management Degree Program, Concordia University
7:30-8:00 pm Closing Keynote by Bill Moyer, Leadership Expert and Co-Founder of SOS Leadership Institute

This program has been pre-approved for 2.0 (Specified -Strategic Business) recertification credit hours toward PHR, SPHR and GPHR recertification through the HR Certification Institute.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $20 at the door.
Register online at http://soscoaches.ticketbud.com/positiveculture

p.s. If you're a student and would like to attend the event for free, please email Amber Fogarty from your school email address, and she'll provide a discount code.

Living Courageously

When we think of people with courage, we have images of soldiers and firefighters, the brave men and women we’ve read about in our history books, those who give their lives for a cause they believe in…real heroes. But do we ever picture ourselves? How about a family member or friend?

What does it mean to live courageously in our everyday lives?

The thought-provoking words of Mary Anne Radmacher ring true, “Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is that little voice at the end of the day that says ‘I will try again tomorrow.’"

We are courageous when we love unconditionally.
We are courageous when we give without expecting anything in return.
We are courageous when we dare to prioritize what matters most in our lives.
We are courageous when we dream big dreams.
We are courageous when we set goals.
We are courageous when we achieve our goals.
We are courageous when we abandon a goal that is no longer important to us.
We are courageous when we lead.
We are courageous when we follow the right leader.
We are courageous when we try again.
We are courageous when we learn from our mistakes.
We are courageous when we apologize with sincerity.
We are courageous when we forgive.
We are courageous when we choose significance over worldly success.

What would you add to this list? In what ways are you living courageously right now?

The best movie you haven't heard of

Last week I attended a special screening of a new movie that will hit 1000 theaters on October 21, 2011. You probably have not seen any advertisements for it on television. You probably haven’t seen any ads for it online or anywhere for that matter, but unlike all the movies with more publicity, The Mighty Macs (Quaker Media) is well worth the investment of time and money.

The Mighty Macs is about what we crave in America, an underdog who overcomes numerous obstacles to achieve a dream! The movie is based on the true story of the 1971-72 Immaculata College Women’s Basketball team that became the first Cinderella story in the women’s game, winning the National Championship as a 15 seed.

The Immaculata team was led by Cathy Rush, a woman who had the courage to break through the cultural norms and be who she wanted to be, not who the world told her to be. Her leadership is the reason for the success of her team. She was strong, confident, and had the fire in her to motivate her team to greatness no matter the odds.

Cathy Rush is the type of leader we all should strive to be, and she is one of the many reasons you should see The Mighty Macs. The movie has a strong faith component as Immaculata College is a Catholic School that was run by nuns. The faith component makes the movie even better. It is for all ages, for all denominations, women or men, boys or girls. The story is true and unlike many Hollywood movies, the filmmaker (Tim Chambers) did not stretch the truth.

The Mighty Macs is the female version of Hoosiers. The story is that good. It will have you on the edge of your seat. If you are like me, it will bring a tear to your eye. It will make you want to overcome the odds and accomplish your own dreams! Do not miss out on the movie!

The Golden Rule is wrong

Quite often, I go to events where someone speaks about how they have become successful. Sometimes it is a keynote and others time it is a panel discussion format. One thing I have noticed is the way the majority of people answer a certain question. When they are asked to talk about how they are so successful or about what makes them a great leader, they often respond by saying they live and work by the Golden Rule.

For those who do not know the Golden Rule, it states that I must treat others the way I would like to be treated. I completely disagree with the Golden Rule! It is a myth. I believe it leads to poor communication, bad leadership, failed organizations, and even failed marriages.

You see, the Golden Rule is wrong. I should not treat others the way “I” want to be treated; I should treat them the way “THEY” need to be treated. Let me give some examples:

In an organization, should a manager really treat all of he or she’s team the way he or she wants to be treated? What if the manager prefers to be communicated with through email? What if the manager likes to be recognized with a pat on the butt? Does that mean the manager would recognize every employee that way? An effective manager is also an effective leader, and an effective leader knows their people. What motivates them? What is their communication style? Do they need to be told they are doing a good job? An effective leader treats others the way that person needs and wants to be treated.

Relationships are the same way. I am getting married in November. What if I treated my future wife the way I want to be treated? I am a guy. I don’t need to talk through things. I think things through. I don’t talk about my feelings, nor do I want to. But what if she does? What if she is more of a feelings person? Do I need to change? Does she? The answer is both yes and no. I should not completely change myself, nor should she. But I should work to treat her the way she needs to be treated. I should know that when there is a problem, she will need to talk about it. She should know that I need to think things through first. I think treating your partner the way you want to be treated is one of the reasons the divorce rate is so high.

So remember that the Golden Rule is wrong. Think about that this weekend. How can you treat your spouse the way he or she needs to be treated? How can you treat your employees the way they need to be treated? Together, I know we can change the meaning of the Golden Rule. It’s about time.