"Putting the Fan Experience Back in the Golf Game" --Published in the Ventura County Star

Joan and I thank the Ventura County Star for publishing our joint article about professional golfers and increasing their acknowledgment of the gallery and volunteers. It's what "Real Leaders" do.

Here is the link:  http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/mar/24/ritch-k-and-joan-eich-putting-the-fan-experience/?opinion=1

Our appreciation is extended to Laurie Barkman for her very complimentary review of Real Leaders Don't Boss.

Passionate Performance

Real Leaders Don’t Boss

Posted by lbarkman in Leadership on March 19, 2012

Leaders don’t just tell people what to do; they lead by example. Leaders inspire those around them to try harder. Leaders are passionate about what they do and the people they serve.  Leaders recognize their own skills and abilities, as well as the skills and abilities of those around them. They also recognize their own weaknesses. Leaders don’t hide their weaknesses, but instead actively look to work with others whose skills and abilities fill their own gaps.  Leaders are strong yet humble. They recognize and value their peers, their employees, their friends and their family.   They are honest and they look for opportunities for others to shine and grow.

What a long list and perhaps a little intimidating.  I had the opportunity to read “Real Leaders Don’t Boss” by Ritch K. Eich.  This book provides a comprehensive description of leader attributes and real life examples of the difference between a boss and a leader.  The reality is there are a lot of bosses out there, but not nearly as many leaders.  As Ritch points out in his book, leadership is not limited to corner suite executives.  No matter what role a person has in life, we all have the opportunity to lead and inspire others.

Bosses, on the other hand, care more about themselves and their success than the success of those around them. Many believe they are “too important” to do the work of the “little” people.  They expect those around them to provide excellent service to customers but don’t provide that same level of service to those they are supposed to lead. Favouritism, inconsistency and lack of trust and respect de-motivate those around them.

As I read the book, I distinctly remembered some bosses and leaders that I have had the opportunity to meet. Early in my marketing career, my boss asked me to create a strategic marketing plan for the department I was working in.  I felt honored and excited about the opportunity and poured my heart and soul into doing the best job I could.  Can you imagine the betrayal and anger I felt when my boss then took my hard work and submitted it to her boss with her name on it?

Contrast that to my grade ten physics teacher.  Mr. Lysager expected each of his students to show up for class ready to learn.  There was no fooling around in his class and everyone knew it. But that didn’t mean the class was boring.  Mr. Lysager loved what he did.  He had a passion for teaching.  Mr. Lysager challenged those who grasped the concepts easily and provided the additional time for those who didn’t.  Mr. Lysager respected each student and inspired his students to be the best they could be.

All of us have the opportunity to lead in some capacity. As a parent, a spouse, a friend, a peer, a supervisor or a corner suite executive, recognize the value that others bring to your life or your business, demonstrate integrity in all you do, and help those you serve find their true potential.  Then stand aside and let them shine.

(In the interest of full disclosure, I was provided a complimentary copy of the book “Real Leaders Don’t Boss”.   As I read through the book, I pulled out my highlighter and “stickies” so I could quickly return to areas that stood out for me.  This book will continue to be a resource for me and is a recommended read to anyone looking to lead others.)

Investor's Business Daily Online Spotlights Ritch's Book

Our gratitude goes to Michael Mink and Investors.com for spotlighting Real Leaders Don't Boss published by Career Press last month. Here's their article:

Published in Investors.com

MANAGEMENT

LEADERS & SUCCESS

Retain Top Employees Via Compassionate Leadership

By MICHAEL MINK 

Posted 03/20/2012 01:15 PM ET

           

Only a third of middle managers say they will remain with their employer two years from now. So says Ritch Eich, author of "Real Leaders Don't Boss." He poses this question on compassionate leadership: "What are you doing to keep your top talent and avoid losing your organization's competitive edge?" Tips on doing so:

• Stay engaged. The most effective leaders are connected to their companies, no matter how widely dispersed an organization is, Eich says. A C-suite executive must set an example by sacrificing first for the team, while also never asking others to do more than that executive is willing to do.

• Think big picture. Top companies invest in people by having a leadership program in place.

"The CEO and executive team must teach regularly in it and expect the same of their subordinates," Eich told IBD. "It must be incorporated into the ethos of the business. Creating it isn't enough."

• Be accountable. Do what's right for the organization and for others. "Never, ever, under any circumstances, cave on your integrity; it cannot be recovered," Eich said.

• Give feedback. Employees want to know where they stand and how they're performing. "Evaluate people candidly, honestly, regularly and fairly," Eich said.

To have a successful company, employees must "perceive themselves as integral, valued members of a team who will then go the extra mile to support their organization and teammates," he said.

• Delegate. It's not only efficient for leaders to do this; it also empowers employees. Eich says executives must understand when to get in the trenches with their team and when to get out of the way. With the right team in place, the results will probably be winning ones.

• Hear well. Effective listening is an active endeavor, not a passive act. Grasp what the person sitting across from them is saying and feeling. "Aim for 80% listening and 20% active questioning when interacting with others," said Bernard Ferrari, author of "Power Listening: Mastering the Most Critical Business Skill of All." "Those I've observed who are the star business leaders are always asking questions, probing for information and listening for surprises."

• Show respect. Assume people have something important to say. In addition, don't begin speaking the nanosecond the other person stops. That creates the impression you were waiting for him to stop talking so you could make your point. "You will be surprised at what nuggets of information come forth if you give people a chance to take a breath," Ferrari said.

When interacting with employees, give your undivided attention to them. A rule Ferrari uses is no external distractions such as smartphones on a table or in his hand.

"We have become device-rude," he said. "Let's stop."

He points out that the best leaders know that important information can come from any source and at any time. "Being dismissive of people is a sure path to being an information-deaf manager," he said.

• Be on. A leader who is trying to connect with employees is like a performer onstage. Ferrari said be aware of your state of mind: "I recognize that if I'm angry or threatened, my ears are useless. If possible, I just find the closest exit and spend the time necessary to resolve what is upsetting me before moving back into the fray."

• Manage your culture. The environment that compassionate leaders create helps determining how the best employees flourish and stay with a company. "Don't tolerate others who might undermine performance and morale," Eich said. "Help those who are underperforming."

Learning Leadership Blog Highlights Ritch's Book & His Tribute to Carol Tomlinson-Keasey

The Learning Leadership Blog by Christopher Scott kindly described my book, Real Leaders Don't Boss, and posted my recent article about the late Carol Tomlinson-Keasey, the founding chancellor of the University of California, Merced.  I had the privilege of working with her while serving on the UC Merced Foundation Board of Trustees.

I call it "Real Leaders As Trailblazers" and this marvelously gifted female leader was that and then some. I hope you enjoy the article as we need more leaders like Carol T-K.

Real Leaders As Trailblazers

Circumstances beyond our control sometimes require leaders to be trailblazers. I had a once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity to work with one such person who easily could have been the CEO of a major Fortune 500 company, the commodore of a flotilla of ships or a university chancellor. Fortunately for the students at the University of California, Carol Tomlinson-Keasey chose the last one.

As I suggest in my just-released book, Real Leaders Don’t Boss (Career Press, 2012), when you’re in charge you must be willing and able to assume a role much like that of a quarterback by calling the signals, initiating the plays and being able to execute while continuously earning the trust and respect of your fellow players. But as any quarterback worth his salt will tell you, it takes a full team effort of fiercely determined players to win and to keep winning. Tomlinson-Keasey was an inspiring, vibrant and easily approached strategic leader-- a woman of indomitable spirit and personal strength to whom people naturally gravitated. She was, for a time all too brief, our quarterback.

Her initial team was comprised of only a handful of faculty and staff but augmented by growing numbers of volunteers, all of whom were fully engaged and completely dedicated to helping her attain the goal. She was willing to tackle challenges no matter how daunting or how many obstacles lay in her path. And, the roadblocks she had to confront were numerous (including a very personal one of battling breast cancer diagnosed during her second year as chancellor). At the same time, she also realized that one of her major responsibilities was “to mentor” so that her team would continue to grow professionally at each step along the way.

The herculean task handed her in 1998 was to plan, secure funding for and later open a new campus, the University of California at Merced, in the middle of California’s rich agricultural and culturally diverse San Joaquin Valley. With higher poverty levels, lower education levels, worsening air pollution and an increasing medically underserved population more problematic than other parts of California, a new campus was needed, one that would become a powerful economic engine for the valley and the state. In 2005, it became the 10^th campus in the UC system, the first new research university in the 21^st century and she its founding chancellor and the university’s first female to occupy the top spot at any UC branch.

The fact that the campus was even built is practically a miracle, as it required every bit of her indefatigable spirit, high energy, stamina, unwavering belief in youth and it came at great personal sacrifice. Reluctant state legislators, working with four different gubernatorial administrations, nagging environmental issues and a state budget crisis that delayed the opening of the campus by a year confronted her at practically each step along the way. And so did fierce competition on the part of other UC campuses and the California State University (CSU) system vying for state appropriations and private monies, as well as often-provocative central valley pressure groups, a skeptical media and formidable construction challenges. Her story of perseverance in successfully spearheading the founding of a major research university in a huge underserved part of the country is a tour de force. Where others saw a Merced field with cotton growing or cows grazing, Tomlinson-Keasey envisioned students of immigrants, farm families, and others (often first generation college attendees) becoming tomorrow’s leaders in science, technology, medicine, engineering and the environment.

The great former University of Notre Dame president, Father Theodore Hesburgh, said: “The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.”

Carol Tomlinson-Keasey’s vision was clear, easily understood, often repeated and withstood the test of time. She was a distinguished psychologist and author, a highly ethical, exceptionally bright and persuasive woman who built effective relationships with all. But, as importantly, she was fun to be with, had an infectious sense of humor, was a humanist, a mother, a spouse and a compassionate leader who made you feel special and valued—no matter who you were, what you did or where you came from.

Those of us who served with Carol T-K (as she was affectionately known) on her staff or, in my case, as a founding trustee on the UC Merced Foundation Board, were privileged to be a part of her team. When she died in 2009 of breast cancer, three years after the opening of the University of California, Merced campus, our country lost a real leader-- a true trailblazer. She may be gone but she is not forgotten.

Good Boss vs. Bad Boss on Baseline Magazine plus eSlideshow: Ritch's Book Featured

A special thanks goes to Dennis McCafferty and the kind folks at Baseline Magazine for writing about my book, Real Leaders Don't Boss, and for developing their 10 illustrative slides.

 

Good Bosses v. Bad Bosses: Know the Difference

By Dennis McCafferty 

Very few people in this world answer to no one, and knowing who you're working for can make the difference between having a positive work experience and wanting to quit for good at quitting time. How can you tell if you've got a micromanager or a genuine team leader who's interested in the success of his or her team? In "Real Leaders Don’t Boss: Inspire, Motivate and Earn Respect from Employees and Watch Your Organization Soar" (Career Press/available now), author Ritch K. Eich outlines ten “good boss/bad boss” scenarios, many of which you probably recognize from bygone gigs. As you advance in your own career, Eich contends, stay mindful that real leaders aren’t born; rather, they evolve over time, learning through trial and error. Not ever bad boss, he says, is destined to stay a bad boss. Now founder/president of Eich Associated, Eich has held leadership positions at Stanford University Medical Center, Blue Shield of California and the University of Michigan, among other institutions. He also has served in the Pentagon, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, NATO (South), the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets (Commands), as well as other joint commands.

http://www.baselinemag.com/c/a/IT-Management/Good-Bosses-v-Bad-Bosses-Know-the-Difference-529394/

Ritch's book a "HIT" on several leadership blogs

Many thanks to Jim Estill (http://www.jimestill.com/) for his thoughtful review of Real Leaders Don't Boss in a recent blog.

ceo blog - time leadership 
by Jim Estill

I read a great book with a title that really resonated with me "Real Leaders Don't Boss" by Ritch Eich. The subtitle is Inspire, Motivate, and Earn Respect From Employees and Watch Your Organization Soar.

The gist of the book is captured in the title. I have long suggested that leaders ask not tell. And inspire - not demand. Doing this though is tremendously subtle. What is the how of how to do it? This book attacks just this problem.

I particularly liked the chapter on "Real Leaders know the difference between character and integrity". Character is about values and our moral compass. Integrity is about doing what you say you will do. Both are critical leadership traits.

It is a good book that should be a must read for any leader. My wonder is if the ones that will read it are the ones that do not need to and the ones that should read it don't.

Business News Daily Quotes Ritch On Leadership

Three Steps to Becoming a Better Leader

By: BusinessNewsDaily Staff

Just because you're the boss doesn't mean you're a good leader. Just ask your employees. Being a leader isn't easy and it isn't always something that comes naturally.

Ritch K. Eich, owner of Eich Associated, a California-based leadership, marketing and communications firm has a few tips designed to help you become a better leader. Eich's book, "Real Leaders Don't Boss," (Career Press, 2012), is out this month.

Eich's three steps to becoming a better leader are:

Pick the right people. Real leaders, especially executives of small businesses and startups, are wise to surround themselves with people who are smarter, have more versatility, are more talented and are less bound by conformity. You should choose people who can rally around your vision.

Have a clear message. Having a clear, easily understood and oft-repeated vision is essential to being a real leader. As the great former president of the University of Notre Dame (Father Ted Hesburgh) said: "The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision. You can't blow an uncertain trumpet."

Be humble. Real leaders are humble, aren't afraid to show their humanity, their genuine concern for their employees. Real leaders create a culture of "belonging" — one where associates feel important, desired and valued.