When army officers issue an operations order, they include a statement in the order called "Commanders Intent." The purpose of this statement is to provide people with guidance so that decisions can be made and action can be taken in the face of ambiguity.

The same can be applied in the work place. If you are a leader, make sure your people understand the overall purpose of the task at hand. If you are a team member, take responsibility for understanding how your task fits into the bigger picture.

Add clarity in the face of ambiguity. Understand your "manager's intent."

Leaders are called upon to do many things, and those things often conflict with each other. They require a unique balance of sometimes opposing characteristics.

The first set of characteristics that I believe is required to be a successful leader is the balance of courage and humility.

We all perceive the world according to our own reality. The experiences we have had in the past and the experiences we have today all create the perceptions that we hold about other people. Those perceptions influence our biases (and we all have biases), which in turn influence our behaviors.

Sometimes our biases are so ingrained that we don't even know they exist.

To be successful leaders and successful team members we have to become aware of our biases and how they influence our interactions with others in the workplace.

Have you or your team members experienced frustration because a colleague, boss, or customer misunderstood your tone and approach?

How many times have you walked away from an interaction not fully understanding if your communication was effective?

"I am who I am."

I can still remember sitting in front of the TV after school watching my favorite spinach-eating character flexing his "musKles" and saving the day.

But, my perspective of Popeye's quote, "I am who I am" recently changed when I heard a client use the phrase to describe people who had no interest in adapting and no interest in working with others who were different from them. "I am who I am, and if you don't like me - who cares."

People often look to time management techniques when forced to do more with less. But, consider a different approach. Consider engaging in conflict to save time.

When budgets are tight, training often gets reduced. But, what happens when the economy turns around (and it will!)? Will your people and your organization be poised for success?
For those companies with limited resources, here are some ideas on how to continue training:

I think one of the most important characteristics of successful leaders and people – regardless of their role – is that they embrace change.

It’s not good enough to just be comfortable with change. It’s not good enough to just recognize that change happens. That breeds complacency and comfort.

People who embrace change thrive on uncertainty. They do not need every detail to make decisions. You rarely hear them say, “as soon as (FILL IN THE BLANK) happens, I am going to (BE HAPPY, DO THIS, ACHIEVE THAT, FILL IN THE BLANK) .

I recently learned a new concept from a colleague Amy Tolbert at ECCO International. Actually, it wasn't a new concept but it was just framed in a way that really resonated with me. It is called Mattering or Marginalizing.

• Develop awareness of how you treat others. Our perceptions and biases are often so ingrained that we don't recognize how they impact our behaviors. Spend some time considering how you treat people who are different from you. Go beyond gender and ethnicity and consider how you treat others who are older, younger, with varying shapes and sizes, etc.
• Involve others in solving problems and making decisions. Don't try to solve a front line problem without asking asking/involving someone who works on the front line.