Smart Business Magazine, December 2014

24 Smart Business Cincinnati Northern Kentucky Winter 2014 MICHAEL FEUER TIPS FROM THE TOP How do others see you Try swallowing hard and looking in the mirror BLOG Read Michael Feuers blog on The Benevolent Dictator at www benevolentdictator biz MICHAEL FEUER Co founded OfficeMax and in 16 years as CEO grew this retailer to sales of 5 billion in 1000 stores worldwide Today as Founder CEO of Max Ventures his firm invests in and consults for retail businesses Serving on a number of boards Feuer is a frequent national speaker and author of the business book The Benevolent Dictator His long running nationally syndicated magazine column Tips from the Top has received over 10 awards for excellence mfeuer@ max ventures com As a boss you need to know what your constituents really think of you even if its painful This is when its time to swallow hard and do a self assessment using a mirror as an important tool because what you see in your reflection is usually how others view you To begin this inventory process start with some serious due diligence Ask close friends associates your spouse or significant other open ended questions urging them to be brutally honest about how others see you This exercise is typically an eye opener albeit sometimes demoralizing If you ask the right questions however a pattern will emerge that will help you improve Keep good notes from each inquisition After the interviews are complete head to the bathroom No its not because you might get sick its because these rooms typically have very large mirrors in which you can see yourself from a variety of angles just as others see you Next read your notes aloud while you watch your facial expressions This can be a bit unnerving but that magic mirror is a great lie detector allowing you to see if what your recitation of how others described you as is spot on way off the mark or most likely somewhere in between Next is the tough part Once you have separated fact from fiction about how others see you its time to start practicing being the new and improved you If youre considered a clod it might just be because of your body language the way you dress or certain annoying habits such as always using the first person instead of the royal we or us As you continue gazing in the mirror try changing your facial expressions word selections inflections and general demeanor Perhaps youll quickly see that you spend too much time looking down instead of looking people in the eyes when youre speaking to them Maybe you dont give people your full attention when youre talking one on one suggesting that theyre boring you or you dont really want to hear what they have to say With a little effort you can start to change your persona making this self evaluation exercise a routine part of your day A mirror is not just for the narcissistic putting on makeup or shaving Instead it can prove to be a valuable device to continue to hone your theatrical presentation skills as well as monitor how you are perceived as a top executive and a person None of us are born leaders instead it requires a multifaceted skill set that must be nurtured and fine tuned based on actions not just perceptions Most top executives see themselves differently than those who work with them The vast majority of leaders like to believe their associates consider them omnipotent benevolent and charismatic not to mention strategic and insightful Frequently however theres a big leap between perception and reality Employees and associates many times view this same executive as insipid selfish and lucky to have the top job