Workplace growth expert Cheryl Cran’s newsletter for leaders and business owners

Recommended Reading- Go buy Vince Poscente’s new book The Age of Speed Now!

We either come to terms with the age of speed or become overwhelmed by the more-faster-now world we live in. Here is an informative excerpt.

New one hour DVD of “Say What You Mean- Mean What You Say” now available go to

Cheryl’s latest book “The Control Freak Revolution” being published by Career Press is due for release in January 2008 click here to find out more!

Sign up for the teleseminar coming Wednesday September 26th see details below!

Cheryl is conducting a teleseminar on Wednesday September 26th

“5 Ways to Lead & Love It’.
This teleseminar will be held on Wednesday September 26th at 10:00 am PST and will run for 60 minutes including Q & A. The details are as follows:
Find out how to revive your energy as a leader, how to create more time in your day, how to have better relationships with the people who work for you, how to manage your boss and how to fit time for you into your role as a leader.
Get rejuvenated, inspired and motivated to boldly grow you to the next level.

Topic: 5 Ways to Lead & Love It
Date: September 26th
Time: 10:00 am Pacific Time 1:00 pm Eastern
Cost: $29.00 per person

To reserve your spot email our office and call confirmation details will be sent to you.

Email Cheryl’s office to register info@cherylcran.com

Dear Cheryl: I have a very successful company, we currently gross over twelve million a year. We are a sales environment and typically our sales leaders are also managers of sales teams. I myself as an owner continue to hold on to a sales clientele. My challenge is that I know I personally should be giving up my sales clients to focus more on supporting my leaders and I also feel my leaders cannot support their team because of their focus on sales as well. I am swamped, tired of the grind and have lost my focus. What can I shift?

Dear What Can I Shift: Your challenge is not a unique challenge, since companies are focused on lean operations there is a phenomena I call, “squeezing the joy”. Organizations want leaders who get the results and yet many times the structure that has been set up creates a push/pull effect. We want to keep our sales up, often the person who gets promoted to leader is someone who was exceptional at their sales goals. Unfortunately the skills that make a great sales person are not the same skills that make a great leader. So we promote the sales minded individual into leadership and expect them to still sell large volumes while also managing others to reach their sales volumes. Something’s got to give. Any time we rely to heavily on one or two people’s sales results we put the company in jeopardy. The goal needs to be to train, teach and support all those in sales to get top grade results. Then when we lose a sales person to a competitor we are not so vulnerable to a major drop in sales. This means those who are in leadership need to make the choice to lead others to high sales volumes or to remain a high sales volume person. In your case as the owner the mixed message to your sales team is that you are focused on your own sales while supposedly interested in helping them with theirs. My opinion: let go of your sales, pass them on to your team, grow them to get stellar results and everyone one wins. If you are really brave take away your leaders sales and reward them on the results they get through their team sales results.

"I don't care what people do. I don't care how people remember my albums. I do them for my own reasons."
- Fiona Apple

Can you think of a leader in your life that made a lasting impression? Was it a teacher from when you were in school? Was it someone you admired and read about? Was it a leader you worked for?

It is likely that you have had at one person in your life that stood out as a leader that you admired and wanted to emulate. Each of us has had an interaction with someone that forever shifted how we saw things and ultimately it shifted our behavior. I often tell the story of my boss Ron when I was in banking and in my early 20’s. Ron was a brave leader, he told the truth and he cared deeply about his people. The impact Ron made on me was life changing. Often the leaders themselves don’t even know the impact they had on others unless we take the time to let them know.

Ron gave me tough feedback when I was in my early twenties and told me that if I didn’t shift my behavior from being highly aggressive ( I am and have been for years now a recovering aggressive) to being more approachable and collaborative that I was going to stop my career. It was tough to hear but boy it was a good kick in the seat of the pants.

Over twenty years later and I have never forgotten Ron AND I tell the story hundreds of times a year. So what makes an unforgettable leader?

#1- Care
Unforgettable leaders care deeply about their role, they take it seriously. They care about people and specifically the people they lead. I am talking about caring on a very personal level- care about you as a person your goals and ambitions and they want to help you get there. They care about your family life and your happiness. They care about your impact on the team and they care deeply about helping you succeed.

#2- Bold
Memorable leaders have the courage to tell the truth. They do not sugar coat it but they do know how to adapt the truth to the individual and deliver it in a way that can be heard. The reason they tell the truth is because they care about helping you to be the best. They know that telling the truth to you has far more impact then letting you believe that things are okay as they are.

#3- Secure
A solid self esteem is the bedrock of an unforgettable leader. They are not afraid that you are going to take their job away; they in fact want you to succeed because they know that if you succeed they are succeeding. The secure leader also knows that although they are in a leadership position they do not have all of the answers and they are okay with that. They are secure in knowing what they know, learning more and tapping into the talented resource of their people.

#4- Imperfect
The most revered and loved leaders are those who are willing to both show and admit their imperfections. It is easy to trust someone who we know is not just trying to look good or to fit into the corporate profile. When a leader shows their vulnerability we find ourselves relating to them as a real person an authentic person and we want to support them and work hard for them.

#5- Joy
Joy is unforgettable and memorable. When a leader cares, tells the truth, is secure and authentic they can truly operate from a place of joy. Even in times of stress and high volume demands their foundation is so solid that they remain joy like even in the most challenging environments and situations. We remember the leaders who show up strong, supportive and collaborative in both the good times and the difficult times.

As a leader it is easy to become complacent and even apathetic. We may feel that no matter what we do it is not making the impact we hoped for. The truth is we are constantly making an impact we just may not know to what extent. It is one thing to have the title of leader and to be a leader it is quite remarkable to be an unforgettable leader.

This article may be reprinted in your company newsletter or publication as long as you use the following:
Cheryl Cran, CSP (certified speaking professional) is the author of a new book published by Career Press called, The Control Freak Revolution and 50 Ways to Lead & Love it as well as Say What You Mean- Mean What You Say. Cheryl works with top performing organizations and their leaders to help them boldly grow a workplace of choice.
Through keynotes, seminars and coaching Cheryl provides solutions and ideas for increased results.
Find out more at info@cherylcran.com

Permission to reprint: You may reprint any items from this monthly newsletter in your own printed publication or e-newsletter as long as you include the following:

Reprinted with permission from Cheryl Cran's monthly e-newsletter www.cherylcran.com. Cheryl Cran, CSP is an author, international speaker and and consultant.