Paul Poirier’s Post

Focus on Those Who Will! In sports, the best teams are built on players who don’t wait for the coach to push them—they drive themselves and their teammates forward. These teams have leaders who accept personal responsibility for their performance, and that mindset is what turns them into champions. The same holds true for your business. Great teams don’t need a leader to hold them accountable. They have individuals who take ownership of their roles and rise to the occasion. As an SME owner or leader, your time should be spent fostering this type of leadership. It’s time to change the paradigm. Spend 98% of your time focused on those who are committed to success—the ones who will take personal responsibility and deliver results. For the other 2%, focus only on helping your team free up the careers of the ones who wont. By shifting your focus in this way, you’ll build a culture of high performers who don’t need constant oversight but instead thrive on personal responsibility. True leadership is empowering those who will lead themselves. #leaders #careers #performance

Leaders, are you unknowingly affecting your team's well-being? The answer might be simpler than you think. SME owners and leaders, Tobi Oluwole’s post hits the mark. The data backs him up—this is not just his perspective. If you want to learn more about how you're influencing your team's health, take a look at LeaderFactor’s work on psychological safety—it’s invaluable. Remember, the pressures of your role should never compromise the well-being of your people! #leaders #careers #psychologicalsafety

Reactive vs. Proactive: Transforming Leadership It’s time to shift the accountability paradigm. Traditional accountability, which is reactive, requires constant oversight and places the burden on leaders to ensure expectations are met. This approach isn’t sustainable for SME owners and leaders aiming for long-term success. Instead, the focus should be on cultivating a proactive culture rooted in personal responsibility. This shift begins from day one with the hiring process. It’s not just about filling a role; it’s about onboarding an internal client who understands their role in driving both their own career success and that of the business. The foundation of this culture is an Internal Client Success Guide—what many know as the employee handbook. This guide should set clear expectations for self-leadership, proactive problem-solving, and continual growth. When personal responsibility is embedded from the start, the need for accountability measures becomes a rare event and should only take place when the disciplinary process has begun. Leaders can focus less on enforcing compliance and more on empowering their teams. This proactive approach not only reduces the need for micromanagement but also enhances engagement, productivity, and overall success. It’s time for SME owners and their leaders to move beyond the reactive model of accountability and build a culture where internal clients take ownership of their growth and contributions. This is where sustainable business cultures are built. Connect with me on Monday when we celebrate leadership. #leaders #careers #personalresponsibility

If it isn't objective, it costing you! SME Leaders and Owners: Understanding how your internal clients make decisions is crucial to the success of your organization. The way decisions are formed impacts engagement levels, innovation, and overall business performance. A team that bases its choices on objective truth—facts and evidence—is far more likely to drive meaningful, sustainable outcomes than one that blends personal or political perspectives. Your role as a leader includes using the MEACT approach (Mentoring, Educating, Advising, Coaching, Training) to guide your teams effectively, particularly if your goal is to establish self-directed teams. Leaders who prioritize objectivity not only create a culture of transparency but also foster a foundation where internal clients feel confident to innovate and contribute to the organization’s success. Reflect for a moment: Are you being truly objective in your own decision-making process? How often are you letting personal or political truths influence critical business decisions? #leaders #careers #truth

Do you work with toxic people? An interesting post by Rob Dance. I most certainly agree with Rob about the need to do something about toxic leaders. However, I suggest that the focus must be expanded to TOXIC PEOPLE. Whether you're dealing with a toxic leader or a toxic individual, both clearly indicate a cultural problem in your workplace. Such individuals only thrive in poorly managed organizations where the culture fails to prevent toxicity from taking root. Understanding the root cause of the cultural problem will guide you on whether to invest your energy in trying to change the individual or to seek better opportunities elsewhere. Choose your course of action wisely, as it will significantly impact your career and overall happiness. #leaders #careers #culture

No matter your age, this post is for you. A great day is any day you wake up above ground. When you consider the alternative, it becomes easier to approach life with an attitude of abundance and gratitude. Sure, we all have rough days—that’s part of the journey—but it’s important not to waste a single day. Focus on the one thing in life you do have control over: your decisions. I’m turning 65 soon, and there’s still no shortage of what I can accomplish. I have so much more I want to do, so there’s no time to dwell on “what ifs” or regrets—that’s just a waste of energy. No matter where you are on the age spectrum, surround yourself with great, supportive people who help you stay focused and achieve your purpose. If you have that, take small steps every day toward your goals, and the rest will take care of itself. Here are 5 real-life examples of people who accomplished amazing things well after 50: Colonel Sanders: At age 62, Harland Sanders founded KFC after his fried chicken recipe was rejected 1,009 times. He turned it into one of the most recognizable fast-food chains in the world. Vera Wang: The famous fashion designer entered the industry at age 40, but her career truly took off after 50. She went on to become a global icon, renowned for her bridal and evening wear designs. Ray Kroc: At 52, Kroc purchased a small chain of restaurants called McDonald’s and turned it into one of the most successful fast-food franchises globally. Laura Ingalls Wilder: Known for her Little House books, she published her first novel at age 65. Her series later became a cultural phenomenon and a beloved TV show. Diana Nyad: At 64, Nyad became the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage. She achieved this incredible feat on her fifth attempt, demonstrating perseverance and strength. I'm sure you have examples of your own. Forget about age and focus on your purpose and enjoy the journey! #leaders #careers #purpose

If you or your internal clients aren't happy, this is a good place to start for asking the right questions. Colby Kultgen, thanks for sharing, very nice. SME owners and leaders, I believe the following should be your take aways: 1. You and your business most certainly play an important role in the happiness your internal clients enjoy in their lives. 2. Take special note of #5 - Purpose and #7 - Work Relationships 3. Integrate a happiness education component into your business' formal knowledge transfer and retention program. If you don't have a formal knowledge transfer and retention program, what are you waiting for? #leaders #careers #happiness

Lead your people with kindness. Build your business with kindness. Succeed with kindness. Where do you stand as a leader or internal client? #leaders #careers #success

Career & Life: Get busy living or get busy dying. Business: Get busy succeeding or get busy closing your doors. Opportunities are limitless when you have the right mindset. Every day, people show that remarkable achievements are possible well into their 50s, 60s, and beyond. No matter your age, find your passion and make the rest of your life count. And remember, this applies to everyone. None of us knows what tomorrow holds, so embrace today fully with an attitude of gratitude and abundance. #leaders #careers #innovation

Are You Weaponizing Performance Measures? STOP! Performance measures in business are most often weaponized, used to criticize or penalize rather than elevate. Compare this to how athletes use performance metrics: they track their progress to improve and reach peak performance. The data empowers them—it doesn’t shame them. In many organizations, performance metrics become tools of fear, driving internal clients to “hit the numbers” at any cost. This mindset suppresses creativity, long-term success, and even worse, creates legal challenges for a business. If you're an SME owner or leader, are you using performance measures to drive improvement or to punish? True performance improvement begins with systems and standards. Systems create consistency, and standards ensure quality. When these are in place, performance data becomes a tool for growth, not blame. Change starts when leaders shift their mindset and focus on the systems that allow their teams to succeed. If you work for an organization, not as a leader, and performance measures are used as a weapon, free yourself from the abusive relationship by seeking better opportunities in life. #leaders #career #innovation