As a leader, you shape the culture of your team. You have the opportunity – and responsibility – to transform a collection of individuals into a high-performing group.  

As much as you may want to, you know that you can’t mandate teamwork. Plotters and schemers can undermine your efforts, unraveling not just your team’s performance, but your customer relationships as well. The reality is that every organization is inherently a political entity. Some team members will vie for attention, resources, and positions.

That’s why culture is crucial – and why it begins with you. A key part of your leadership role is to identify and influence the interpersonal dynamics of your team so that it thrives, not implodes. 
Assume nothing.

How do you influence a culture?

1. Your Style Is Their Style. Be aware that your style cascades throughout your team. An open, genuine presence based on your values is your best asset. If team members fear your reactions, self-preservation kicks in, dominating attitudes and leading to the withholding of information. Nothing reinforces behaviors more than rewards. Integrate your values into your HR process so positive actions are measured and rewarded.

2. Balance Participation. Some of your team members will try to dominate meetings, leaving others silent. Once this imbalance of participation is in place, it’s hard to reverse. Watch for non-verbal signs that silent members want to contribute. Intervene if a few individuals do the lion’s share of the talking, preventing differing points of view from being heard.  Balanced participation will help you make the best leadership decisions possible.

3. Squash Suppression.   Some people may be reluctant to tell you the truth because of your seniority. Others just don’t want to be associated with bad news. The bottom line? Suppressed disagreement is deadly. The last thing you want is for team members to censor strong negative feelings. These feelings nearly always resurface as defensiveness and irrational criticism against you or other team members. Your role is to get hidden viewpoints on the table before they morph into damaging private agendas.

4. Prevent Groupthink. A complete lack of conflict when discussing important decisions can be just as dangerous as suppression. It may signal that people are afraid to confront each other in an effort to preserve harmony. Groupthink often occurs in teams with minimal turnover. To counteract it, encourage rigorous discussions. Model candor. Invite it. Reward it.

5. Manage Mistrust. A culture of mistrust is a downward spiral that will derail your leadership. In the absence of trust, people question and resist even the most innocuous suggestions. A clear and compelling agenda, delivered with transparency, shapes a trusting culture.

A frank and free-flowing culture will mobilize and influence your team to meet its goals.

Man and the machine are converging in today's media-centric world. If you're a leader, you're now a broadcaster. Or at least a narrowcaster with consequences. Soon, you'll be called upon to record crisp messages for both your organization's intranet and the broader Internet.

Here's the rub: You've seen enough politicians reading prompters poorly that you have a skewed perception of how they work. You don't want that deer-in-the-headlights display that you've noticed. No zig-zagging of your head as you lock and load the words from the mirrored devices. No swigging from tiny bottles.

Here are a few steps to help improve your executive presence while Teleprompted. They'll help you deliver your messages faster. Bolder. More influentially.

Step One: Paper Training

1. Practice with the paper script first. Read it into an app like iTalk on your cell phone or another recording device.
2. With a highlighter pen in hand, listen back to the recording and mark the words that you should emphasize. Don't be surprised by how you off base your first reading sounds.
3. Some sentences are probably too long. Convert them into shorter ones. This simple act is very powerful.
4. Record the script again emphasizing the newly-highlighted words. Listen without the script in front of you to experience the message like your audience will. Is it crisp enough? Bold enough? If not, tweak the script and record it one last time.

Step Two: Prompter Training

1. The prompter operator gets involved here. He/she should make the script changes that you want in the prompter software.
2. Have the operator build the word (PAUSE) in all caps around key messages. This will give you control, helping you appear natural. It prevents you from being led by the machine.
3. Check the font size - it it optimal for you? The smallest you can handle will fit more text on the screen. This will help ensure that words don't fly off the screen too fast for you.
4. Choose an accent color like yellow or occasional italics or ALL CAPS for words you want to emphasize.

Step Three: Mastering the Machine

1. The only way to appear natural is if you feel in control of the script.
2. Coordinate a hand signal with the operator to adjust the speed if needed. I use palm up for faster, palm down for lower. Whatever works best for you.
3. Gesture naturally to optimize your vocal variance and pace. Quiet your lower body below the waist so your head doesn’t slip out of camera frame.
4. Ask the camera operator to adjust the camera to your eye level. That will prevent you from looking haughty or sleepy-eyed.

Reading a prompter is nuanced. But once you master the machine with these three steps, you'll deliver a message with maximum impact. Your message will be bolder, crisper and delivered to your audience with the thought and care that it deserves.

And no comics will make fun of you on late night television!

As an executive coach, I’ve noticed that many of you are grappling with some loaded questions: Do I have influence with my peers? How do I add value? And how do I handle the conflicts that arise when strong-willed leaders butt heads?

Here are a few ideas to ponder:

1. Listen on Purpose. Solving problems is embedded in your DNA. Most executives have been rewarded for advocating and executing plans. Is it possible that your listening skills are underdeveloped? I’ve found that many leaders don’t truly hear each other. They nix ideas before hearing others out because they slip into “Here’s my two cents” mode. Listening is the desire to hear. The more vantage points you hear from smart people, the better. Better listening leads to better speaking and adds more value to your team.

2. Choose Cooperative Over Competitive. Peter Drucker likened senior leadership teams to football squads because each member plays a fixed position. Therein lies the problem. Executive teams must overcome the inherent fragmentation when each member has his own role to play. You’re competitive ... and you should be. But look beyond the mission of your individual unit and ask yourself, “How can I cooperate with my colleagues in pursuit of a common goal?”

3. Allow Mutual, Fluid Influence. You can’t be an influencer unless you’re willing to be influenced. Power-sharing is crucial when take-charge movers and shakers gather. When it’s time to make things happen, chemistry is as critical as experience and expertise. Everyone craves respect – which means you need an extra dollop of self-awareness around other senior leaders. Stay open to mutual influence and adapt to the fluidity of the group.

4. Help Them Help You.
 Connect the dots for your fellow leaders. Guide them to see the big-picture issues of your unit. Share the macro before the micro. Don’t assume that they know how your group rolls. Help reduce fuzzy vision by sharing compelling stories rather than ambiguous, text-laden presentations.

5. Make It Virtually Possible. Global teams have the compounded challenge because you’re collaborating across multiple time zones, often by telephone. Contextual cues such as facial expressions and body language are wiped out when we communicate cross-nationally. Reciprocal adaptation and respect for different styles are vital to developing trust and ensuring that critical viewpoints are heard.

Senior leadership teams who reach their potential understand
 that a unified agenda is key.

Much has been made of the interruptions during the recent Vice Presidential debate. I believe it’s indicative of the “communication interruptus” that’s been breaking out everywhere – from board rooms and meeting rooms to lunch rooms and chat rooms.

We’re living in an impatient, impulsive, instant gratification world.  Interrupting, interjecting and talking over others has become the new norm. Seems everybody wants to get a word in edgewise.

Isn't it frustrating to be plowed over by someone who thinks the only voice worth listening to is his own?

I'd like to offer a few reasons why more people are cutting you off, how to prevent it, and how to handle a relentless, habitual interrupter.

1. Why it's happening:

Your first step is to figure out why people are cutting in. Are they rude or are you inadvertently inviting interruptions? Face it, some people are boorish. Always have been, always will be. But these old school interrupters are now joined by a brand new breed of interrupters. I’ll call them “The Chronically Impatient.”

Buoyed by instant technology and addicted to speed, “The Chronically Impatient” are having a tough time tolerating the long-winded. Pragmatists value time, clarity, and action –and they want you to get to the point, pronto. If you dilly-dally, they'll either nudge you with a brief interjection or they'll outright overpower you by butting in as if your words don't matter.

2.  How do you prevent it?

• Sound confident. If you speak with conviction, people are more likely to show their respect by listening instead of dismissing you and talking over you.

• Don’t be long-winded. Lengthy explanations invite interruptions; so get to your point as quickly as possible. One technique is to frontload your messages to meet people's specific needs and values. Busy people want you to convey brief, meaty ideas so they can get back to the gazillion others things on their to-do lists.

• Don't hog the floor. Sometimes people interrupt because it's the only way they feel they can get a word in edgewise. Do you dominate discussions? If so, that may induce interruptions. Watch for signals and be aware of when others want to contribute.

  3.  How do you to handle a habitual interrupter?

• The polite but firm retort. Sometimes you must return the dirty deed with a polite “right back at ya”, with something like, "Excuse me, Tom, but I didn't get to finish. I'd like to add that..."

• The private chat  If a problem persists, privately inquire, "Did you realize that you frequently interrupt me? Is there something I can do to help solve the issue?" Pragmatic people are used to being rewarded for being contributors and may have no idea that they're hurting your feelings.

• Establish meeting rules. In some organizational cultures, meetings are a free-for-all that invite and reward interjections. Why not work out a system to take turns? If people know they'll have an opportunity to talk, they're more likely to wait their turn.

If you’re dealing with a relentless interrupter who just won't stop, it’s time to do what you witnessed during the Vice Presidential debate: FORGE AHEAD. Add a bit more volume to convey an unmistakable message.  

The good news?  Your audience will often respond for you.  Most people are so turned off by rudeness that they’ll start pulling for you – even if they didn’t particularly support you before.

While you may not be Tim Cook leading Apple Inc. through an uproar, the old saying "There but for the grace of God, go I" may come to mind.

Every executive can learn from Cook's corporate contrition. An effective executive apology can influence others, mitigate damage and maybe even bolster your credibility in the long run. The trick is to understand the art of the apology and follow the right steps. Here are three steps to generate goodwill through contrition:

• Own your mess.  In today's Internet age, the knives come out quickly, so get out in front with your mea culpa as soon as possible. You know that your competitors are salivating to capitalize on your misstep. If you fail to act swiftly, you'll hand your competitors an open invitation to take charge.
• Zero in on the hot button. Openly take responsibility for your customers' satisfaction. Focus specifically on what's bugging them the most or they'll be convinced that you're out of touch or insensitive. They should feel that you fully understand the impact your mistake has on their purchase – and their life.
• State the solution. If there's a remedy to your transgression, share exactly how you're going to make it right. Stay out front until it's solved. This can prevent future arrows from being slung at you.

The key to a successful executive apology is to handle it as swiftly, sincerely and directly as possible.

But what if it's not a company flap? What if it's your own interpersonal error, such as a misunderstanding with someone on your leadership team or even your associates that requires an apology? The same three steps apply, but add these:

• Don't blame the victim. You'll sound pompous and insincere. Don't begin with "If I offended anybody..." That sounds like you're blaming a resentful person for being overly sensitive to remarks that you feel you obviously didn't intend as an affront. Instead, take responsibility. Say something like, "I offended you – and I'm sorry."
• Don't inflict wounds. Ridiculous qualifying words like "No offense, but..." and "Don't take this personally, but..." are passive-aggressive. You're saying one thing, but you mean the opposite. What you're about to say is personal and yes, it's likely to offend. So instead of qualifying your contrition, be honest and get to the point kindly but decisively.
• Don't over-apologize for a small act. Dripping with contrition for a minor issue can damage your credibility. One sincere "I was wrong about _____ and I apologize..." can mend a small mistake. Think of this like antibiotics – apologies become ineffective with misuse.

Let's face it – we're all human. We're all prone to messing up from time to time. Hopefully your transgression won't be as public as Apple's. But if it is, you'll tackle it head-on with honesty and grace.

That's why you need to master the Teleprompter.

Man and the machine are converging in today's media-centric world. If you're a leader, you're now a broadcaster. Or at least a narrowcaster with consequences. Soon, you'll be called upon to record crisp messages for both your organization's intranet and the broader Internet.

Here's the rub: You've seen enough politicians reading prompters poorly that you have a skewed perception of how they work. You don't want that deer-in-the-headlights display that you've noticed. No zig-zagging of your head as you lock and load the words from the mirrored devices.

It doesn't have to be that way. I've dedicated the last deacde to transforming leaders into influencers.  Prior to that, I spent 20-plus years mastering Teleprompters in the television news industry. I'm here to make the case that by applying the following three steps, you can master the prompter. It will improve your executive presence and make delivering key messages faster. Bolder. More influential.

Step One: Paper Training

1. Practice with the paper script first. Read it into an app like iTalk on your cell phone or another recording device.
2. With a highlighter pen in hand, listen back to the recording and mark the words that you should emphasize. Don't be surprised by how you off base your first reading sounds.
3. Some sentences are probably too long. Convert them into shorter ones. This simple act is very powerful.
4. Record the script again emphasizing the newly-highlighted words. Listen without the script in front of you to experience the message like your audience will. Is it crisp enough? Bold enough? If not, tweak the script and record it one last time.

Step Two: Prompter Training

1. The prompter operator gets involved here. He/she should make the script changes that you want in the prompter software.
2. Have the operator build the word (PAUSE) in all caps around key messages. This will give you control, helping you appear natural. It prevents you from being led by the machine.
3. Check the font size - it it optimal for you? The smallest you can handle will fit more text on the screen. This will help ensure that words don't fly off the screen too fast for you.
4. Choose an accent color like yellow or occasional italics or ALL CAPS for words you want to emphasize.

Step Three: Mastering the Machine

1. The only way to appear natural is if you feel in control of the script.
2. Coordinate a hand signal with the operator to adjust the speed if needed. I use palm up for faster, palm down for lower. Whatever works best for you.
3. Gesture naturally to optimize your vocal variance and pace. Quiet your lower body below the waist so your head doesn’t slip out of camera frame.
4. Ask the camera operator to adjust the camera to your eye level. That will prevent you from looking haughty or sleepy-eyed.

Reading a prompter is nuanced. But once you master the machine with these three steps, you'll deliver a message with maximum impact. You'll save time and lower stress for everyone involved. Your message will be bolder, crisper and delivered to your audience with the thought and care that it deserves.

Same with influential leaders and presenters.

After a decade of coaching executives, I've learned the key is to manage your anxiety, not try to control it. Managing and controlling are two different mindsets. If you manage your anxiety, you'll stay focused, which radically reduces your stress and improves the outcome. If you try to control it, you give the anxiety too much power. Trying to control your nerves while delivering a presentation makes you vulnerable because it robs you of focus and puts you in a victim state of mind. It allows self-doubt to creep in and sap your energy, therefore putting the outcome in jeopardy.

Think of your next presentation as a golden opportunity to influence. If you struggle with sweaty palms, a racing heart or brain freeze, how do you manage your anxiety when it matters most like A-list athletes and leaders?

Here are 3 quick tips:

1. Think P&L: Prepared & Loose. Did you notice how playful Usain Bolt was before he broke records? For most of us, a sudden swirl of feelings cultivates anxiety. Staying loose requires emotional regulation, especially if you're a perfectionist. If you want to boost your cognitive performance, simply tell yourself that you are fully prepared. And that being tense will work against you. Give yourself permission to create an almost playful state of mind. P & L: Prepared and loose.

2. Opt-Out of Anxiety. Gabby Douglas of the U.S. women's gymnastics team did this prior to making history winning the all-around gold medal. She willed herself to opt-out of her anxiety. Later, when she faltered during her individual routines, she said the pressure of expectations got to her. Perhaps you gravitate towards pre-presentation anxiety. Maybe you do it because it's familiar ground. An anxious frame of mind may be unpleasant, but it's familiar. Maybe you think you should feel anxious. Ask yourself, "Is it possible I've become addicted to feeling anxious prior to presentations because that's the state I've always known?" Truth be told, maybe you'd feel like a slacker if you had a sense of calm. Please don't get high on anxiety. Opt out of anxiety and in to a calm state in order to shine in the spotlight.

3. Go the Extra Smile. Again, let's look at the Olympic gymnasts. There's a reason they flash those radiant smiles prior to their routines. They don't start with the now famous "McKayla is Not Impressed" facial position that McKayla Maroney displayed when she disappointingly received her silver medal. A brand new research study from the University of Kansas says that smiling lowers your anxiety because it lowers your heart rate. According to the study, even a forced smile can reduce your stress level. So the next time you find yourself tense, check your face. Turn that grin upside down. Give a Gabby, not a McKayla. You'll close your energy gap and lower your anxiety.

In another post, you'll discover why all smiles are not created equal. I'll share something I've taught my executive clients for years. I call it "The Magic Move.®" According to the Kansas study, this particular facial position gives you a tremendous edge because it dramatically lowers your stress. Even better, my research shows that "The Magic Move®" triggers the top response from others. And that is the truest metric of your influence.

What you may not know is that these five teenagers also provided a winning template for any group who delivers presentations.

Think about the last group presentation you attended. I’ll bet it felt disjointed and sloppy. There was overlap or, even worse, conflicting information. At least one person in the group seemed terribly unprepared and may have offered an apology, saying something like, “Sorry - we’ve been too busy to get together.”

They wasted your time delivering a half-baked presentation. More importantly, they blew an opportunity to influence you to take action on their idea.

Let’s fix that for your next group presentation. Here are five ways the Fab Five can make your team more successful at the front of the room. (Minus the sparkly red leotards, of course!)

1. Create a Schedule.  The U.S. gymnastics program became wildly successful after it created a semi-centralized system. Here’s how it works: Each athlete trains with her personal coach in her home gym;  the team then joins together regularly for a group training session. You can use the same approach. Make it a priority to meet regularly prior to your group presentation. No excuses. Even if your team members are in different cities or halfway around the world, create a schedule to meet via telepresence or telephone. Don’t allow each other to blow it off.

2. Think Bouquet.  Bela Karolyi, who coached the gold medal team in 1996, called the team "a beautiful bouquet of individuals." That's how your audience experiences you.  Each one of you is a different flower. Perhaps there’s a rose, a daisy – and maybe even a thorn. But together, you're a bouquet. If possible, appear together as a team at the beginning. After all members are introduced, the first presenter remains front and center to open the presentation. Which brings me to the next point…

3. Start Strong. In the Olympics, the notoriously difficult vault came first. This was the Fab Five’s secret weapon. Their strategy was to rocket down the runway and rack up high numbers to create a cushion in their score. It worked. They built a buffer going into their weakest event, the uneven bars. You can use this strategy with your group presentation. Lead off with your strongest element. Frontload your presentation with the material – and the team member – that resonates best. Today’s audiences are impatient, demanding and quick to tune out. Nail the open so they don’t start fiddling with their electronics.

4. Own Your Role.  Only one member of the Fab Five, Gabby Douglas, performed in all four events. Three of them, Jordyn Wieber, Aly Raisman and Kyla Ross, performed in two events. McKayla Maroney performed in only one. Her role was to make it the best vault of her career in order to rack up a huge lead. Perhaps you noticed that team captain Aly Raisman sat idle for the first hour because her two events were last. Each member of your team should play to their own strengths, which in turn fuels the other members. Don’t make the mistake of divvying up delivery as if it’s equal slices of a pie. You might as well stick a banana peel on the balance beam if that’s your approach. Some of you will have bigger delivery roles than others, depending upon your specialty and the audience’s needs. One member may be there only to handle technical Q&A, for example.

5. Stick the Landing. Captain Ali Raisman’s floor routine was the team’s exclamation mark. She nailed it and cemented a very plump five point margin. You can do the same thing. End with a bang, not a whimper. Most presentations end with Q&A – that’s where hearts and minds are won or lost. Plan how you’re going to stick this landing.  Know who will handle what kind of questions. But don’t end there. After Q&A, your team captain should re-close the presentation with a specific call to action.

If you’ll do these five things, you’ll be flying high. While your team may not end with medals around your necks, you will influence your audience and make things happen. And that is pure gold.

Everything.

When you present, you are up against a competitor who's been on your tail for years. A competitor who can get inside your head and bring you down. You are competing against – YOU. Is it finally time to conquer your own  demon?

Let's take a lesson from Lochte.

Ryan Lochte says he conquered his Phelps demon by visualizing the perfect race. You can conquer your presentation demon by visualizing your perfect presentation and applying three tips.

Here's what Lochte told NBC News that he visualized, prior to his win:

"You are at the Olympics, it’s pretty much your time to shine. Time to prove to the world who’s best. The starter says, 'Swimmers, step up'.  I look over at Phelps and we have a little stare off. We’re just staring at each other like, 'Who wants it more?' And then the starter says 'Take your marks,' and boom, we take off."

"I head off into the water like a rocket. And I’m not looking back. I swim my own race. I don’t swim off anyone else. Going into the last turn, we both go underwater and we look at each other because we’re dead even. It’s a close race and I destroy everyone off the last wall."

"Going into the home stretch, I touch that wall and I know. I’m like,  'Yeah!'  My muscles are bulging, I’m flexing, I’m going nuts. I get out. I have my whole family right there in the stands cheering for me. They have Lochte t-shirts and they’re all going nuts, all twenty or thirty of them. And to me, that is the best way I can put a race."

Whether you're anxious about presenting or a seasoned pro, here are three ways to apply Lochte's lesson:

1. Identify your ideal outcome. What do you want to happen as a result of your presentation? This outcome is your metric. It should never be something as generic as "I just want them to understand."  Make it concrete. Identify a specific, ideal outcome. Is it a sale, approval of an idea, or perhaps a next meeting with the elusive decision maker? In order to win, you must identify your own version of "touching the wall."
2. Untether confidence and self-esteem. Confidence is the expectation of a positive outcome in a specific situation; self-esteem goes much deeper. Don't allow your mind to race back to an old presentation where you were anxious or ill prepared – that's your self-esteem hijacking your brain. Untether short-term confidence and long-term self-esteem. Like Lotche, visualize a positive outcome in a specific situation.
3. Swim your own race. Perhaps you don't feel charismatic enough as a presenter. Resist the urge to compare yourself to others. Authenticity is the courage to show up as yourself. You're most influential when people feel they've experienced the real you, not your presentation stunt double. You can and should add energy to your performance like an athlete, but don't try to morph into another person when you're on the starting blocks.

Turns out, your toughest competitor isn't standing next to you. It's inside of you. If you will step out of your own shadow, you will be the presenter you want to be – and you'll create a must-see moment for any audience.