I was working with a business owner recently who was complaining that he didn't know about something that was happening in his business. His consternation highlighted a leadership truth that many leaders don't realize: the higher you go, the less you know!

For various reasons, the more senior a leader is, the less he or she is knows about what is going on in their organization. That's not to say that they aren't well versed in the day-to-day operation of the company, or that they don't have a broader view than subordinates. But, the more senior a leader is, the less likely they are to know about things like personnel issues, problems in subordinate divisions, small issues with suppliers (before they become big issues you do learn about) and the host of other things that you used to be aware of when you were in a more junior position.

I first learned this lesson when I was in the Air Force. A person in my squadron, call him Nick, had come to me seeking counsel concerning a medical procedure. The procedure involved major neural surgery and therefore entailed a high level of risk, but doctors had told him that there was also a high probability of success. The surgery was necessary, but could have been delayed for several years. He came to me a week or so before the surgery, thanked me for listening to his concerns, and said he felt pretty good about his decision to do the surgery and would see me afterwards. The doctors later told me the surgery was uneventful and they don't know why he died in recovery. After the funeral, I was speaking with several of his co-workers when one of them mentioned that Nick did not think his chances were good and he most likely would not survive the surgery. I was shocked! I mentioned that he had told me the opposite and they said Nick had told me that because he felt I had enough to worry about and didn't need to be concerned about him. I've never forgotten that lesson. While that particular case was a bit extreme, I began to observe that there were other things I didn't know or mistakenly believed. Reflecting on that, I also realized there were things I kept from my boss as well. I believe there are three reasons subordinates keep the boss in the dark.

1. Subordinates sometimes feel the boss is too busy for a particular issue. They believe they can handle it and the boss doesn't need to be bothered with it. That's often true.

Does Training sit at the kid's table at your company?
Why are so many businesses not addressing training as a valued process for employees?

By Glenn Pasch

Lately, I've been going to a lot of events. I just hit my 3rd in two weeks. At each event there are breakout sessions and roundtables to discuss relevant issues to business.

I've been in sessions about Social Media, Workforce Management, Outsourcing, Inventory Control, Cloud Computing, Government Affairs, Vendor Management and about 10 other topics. But not one table dedicated to training.

Okay, so maybe one event skipping management training is okay, but all three?

Then I've been going over the list of topics and speakers for yet another event and when I asked if training would be considered, I got a polite "That's a possibility" response.

I know, performance consulting is my thing, but still I wonder, why are so many businesses not addressing training as a valued process for employees? Is it because training is not flashy? It's not the shiny new object like "social media?" Is it because the ROI is more long term and not a quick fix? If you look more closely, you'll find case study after case study of companies who confirm that a laser focus on employee training is an integral part of their long-term success. And there are just as many, if not more, case studies of companies who fell apart because they did not place any importance on a consistent training strategy.

What is holding your company back from committing to support and improve your employees with consistent training? Maybe you think the financial cost is too high. Maybe you are afraid that if people are training, they're not selling, not producing, not putting the foot on the gas.

Alzheimer's Disease is feared by many as they pass middle age. The fear of losing one's mind has a great many people searching for solutions and examining scientific studies of the intricacies of the human brain. Joining the fray is an offering from Readers Digest titled No More Brain Drain. The book, edited by Marianne Wait, compiles the work of several writers and multiple studies in an effort to help you improve your brain. The promise on the back cover says "Never Forget Again!" A rather bold declaration to be sure, especially since this book isn't just about memory.

In fact, the book presents ways to improve the human brain's functionality and prevent the mental decay that sometimes occurs as humans approach the final decades of life. It starts with the encouraging discovery that the brain is constantly growing new brain cells (neurogenesis) and that using your brain for different things increases its capacity. Much like physical exercise for the body, making the brain work by seeking to learn new things and staying active can keep it functioning well into old age. The bad news is that mental agility (but not capacity) begin to decline at about age 24 and so we must increasingly work at exercising it as we age.

One of the biggest concerns about the brain is memory. Humans have a short-term memory and a long-term memory. Short-term memory holds information for a short period of time, then either deletes it or transfers it to long-term memory. Many excuses for memory lapses aren't valid, though some, such as high stress, bad diet, or drug use can be. Memory can be improved by paying closer attention to whatever it is one wishes to remember, and by practice and repetition. Memory is not infallible though, in fact everyone will remember a particular incident a little differently because memories are affected by individual perceptions.

You emphasize both strategic planning and training managers to be good leaders. Does one take precedence over the other?

This is a chicken and egg type of question. I believe that good leaders need a plan so they know where to lead. But, a good plan is worthless without good leaders. So, don't hold off on one because you think there's a need to emphasize the other. Attack them both and excel!

Please send your comments to comments@planleadexcel.com

PLAN - LEAD - EXCEL