All Posts by Ann Tardy

0 Would You Beatbox on Stage for Your Team?

His students call him Cantaffa.

Joe Cantaffa is the Music Instructor at Howell High School in NJ and the Founding Director of the RockNRoll Chorus, a touring a cappella choir.

And he exemplifies the art of leading.

I witnessed him in action Saturday leading a performance of the RockNRoll Chorus on their 2016 tour. But Cantaffa didn’t lead these talented high school students from back stage or from the orchestra pit.

He led them on the stage.

Why? Because a choir member was absent. And they needed someone to beatbox. (Beatboxing: vocal percussion mimicking drum machines using your mouth, lips, tongue, and voice, ex: bum-bum-bum-bum-cha-cha-shush-shush).

As evidenced by his career, Cantaffa’s passion for music is indisputable. But it’s his relentless commitment to his students’ success that struck me as remarkable.

• He didn’t care that he was twice as old as everyone else on the stage.
• He didn’t care that he was on stage beatboxing.
• He didn’t care that the spotlight was shining not on him but on his students.

And he left it all on the stage – we could hardly distinguish Cantaffa from his students, or his work from his play.

Are you jumping on stage in a flurry of work and play to help your team be fabulous?

(For more information on the RockNRoll Chorus, go to www.rocknrollchorus.com)

0 Shifting Consent to Cement

Consent is like mud. It’s unstable and easily affected by circumstances, like the weather. But cement is steadfast and impervious.

When people consent, they may agree with an “OK,” they might even smile and nod, but they do not own that commitment, because they did not create it.

When people are involved in creating a commitment, they own it. And therefore they are more likely to act consistent with that promise by following through and executing in spite of circumstances.

People cement the commitments they help to create.

We can actually facilitate their shift in commitment:

1. Instead of summarizing everyone’s action items, have people verbalize their promised deliverables to the group.
2. Instead of sending people a list of responsibilities, have them document their own responsibilities on a project and distribute to the group.
3. Instead of dictating commitments, have people declare their own commitments in writing and in meetings.

Through active and public declarations, people shift their commitments from wavering consent to anchored cement. And this invariably increases their success in following through and executing, which inevitably fuels their self-respect, self-esteem, and self-confidence.

Less mud, more cement!

0 It’s Just a Bullet on a Resume

Our resumes are dotted with bullets. These bullets highlight our jobs – our roles, our responsibilities, and our results.

But we don’t get bullets for dealing with drama, agonizing through murky meetings, navigating difficult bosses, and enduring politics.

We get no extra bullets for suffering. Imagine if we did:

• Survived bad boss, backstabbing peers, and inefficient corporate policies

Mistakes, miscommunications, and martyrdom happen between the bullets. They only matter when we make them matter.

Every day we get to choose how we function between the bullets: with contention or with intention.

With contention, we are ensnared by crisis, personally offended by others’ actions, victimized by their missteps. We operate as if we don’t share a common goal.

With intention, we are enchanted by possibility and potential, intoxicated by the difference we can make with and for others, regardless of our title. We are cognizant that our interactions are meaningful and collaborative.

Our job is just a bullet on a resume. What we do in between the bullets is actually all that matters.

0 Bedazzled by Because

Dorothy sang it, “…because of the wonderful things he does!”

Kids demand it, “…but why?”

We all want it: a good rationale.

Research shows that people are significantly influenced by reason. They are more willing to accept a request when we tell them why.

But typically when we make a request, we assume the other person already knows why, so we don’t bother offering a reason. And that’s a missed opportunity.

• “I need that report immediately.”
• “I need to cancel the meeting.”
• “I need to cut in front of you in line.”

The pace of our communications often causes us to neglect the why. Inadvertently, we rely on, “if we’re asking, they must know it’s for a good reason.”

But “because I said so” doesn’t satisfy children, and “because I’m the boss” doesn’t ignite enthusiasm or action in adults.

People want to feel part of the process.

By simply sharing the reason for our request, we include them in the process, while demonstrating that we are partners, not their parents.

This not only elevates the execution of our requests, but fuels trust and accelerates engagement. Why? Because we finally said so!