Leadership Excellence

Isolation : A carcinoma on the management team

Went to church today and heard a sermon about isolation: physical isolation: how we decide not to interface with people becasue we don't have time, or accomodations, or dislike the other person: and how we remove ourselves from others.

This got me to reflecting about some of the isolationistic ( is there such a word?) executives I've coached over the years.  There is information isolationists... those who don't share the firm's economic data with employees.  Employees who are nervous and jittery and whose performance is impacted because of what they see and hear on TV, or blogs, or twitter .. Yet executives maintain that production workers aren't capable of understanding economic indicators and data.  Such a fallacy.

Second is the executive who hides in their office... composes emails and memos.  Comes ealry : stays late: and fears, yes fears, the concept of management by walking around: Fears that he/she will get emotionally involved with an employee:  Fears employees will ask a question to which he doesn't know the answer.  Fears they will find out who he is as a person.

These isolation examples permeate the organization:  Communication breakdowns, customer service issues, errors going unreported: you get the picture.

Lessons from the Health Care Town Meetings

Whatever your political persuasion, or indeed your position on health care reform (or is it health care insurance reform), the town hall meetings are instructive as applies to leadership and meetings.

Beginning with a diverse and divisive group of attendees, the moderators are faced with the challenge of gaining and maintaining trust with the audience.  Ouch ! Trust has broken down in many of these venues because the politico has one agenda -- to defend health care legislation - and the attendees have more than one topic on their mind.

Secondly, and this is the critical issue. One of the components of a successful Q and A is the ability of the moderator to be concise, accurate, knowledgeable, and to connect with the audience.  In the absence of these criteria being met, an audience or a group of employees, with either tune out the speaker or turn into a surly, antagonistic mob.   In fact, with a suspicious audience in tow, the listeners become adversarial with objectivity and respect having left the premises.

Lesson learned: as a corporate leader, come to the meeting prepared to identify the needs and wants of your audience, knowledgeable about the topic at hand, and with the skills to related to your audience.

Good is not Good Enough

Every so often the contents of a book resonates: indeed opens ones eyes to a divergent point of view.  Manfred Kets de Vries in his " The Leader on the Couch" takes a clinical approach to changing people and organizations.  He slices, dices, moves the pieces of the human psychological puzzle around in delineating how leaders come to be.

In addition, de Vries closes "  with a call for authentizotic ( how's that for a new word) organizations where leaders walk the talk, people feel alive and all are called to give their very best.

Ah yes, my current mantra -- " Good is not good enough"...

Leaders Who Give to Charity

The Great Plains suffered through a 10 day period of near zero web chill index temperatures. Some people stayed home from work. Others hid out in the malls. Still others climbed aboard the snow bird express and fled to warmer climates.

Then there are the leaders of charity and good works. Those brave individuals who stand in the cold, some for consecutive hours, to ring the bells for the Salvation Army. For many this is an annual crusade. They may keep their charity giving on a low key basis for most of the year.  Not now -- the poor need them.

Some volunteers are financially successful -others not: Some are well known in the local community - others not. Here in the midwest it gets dark and cold early -- but the bell ringers carry on: some for year after year.  An amazing portrait of America emerges from among the givers. We as a society teach our children at a very early age  the value of givng: of putting coins and rolled up dollar bills in the kettle.. Those who drive by to the parking lot in cars with rust: belching engines, leaky mufflers -- they come back and contribute --more than they can afford.

So let's hear it for the volunteers and givers -- America has a generous heart.

snowblowers and peer pressure

Friday morning arrived with 35mph winds, 16 inches of snow: abandoned cars: closed banks: and on again off again electricity.

A "I can do it myself " role model for the neighborhood, I've put off purchasing a snowblower. After all $500.00 for a machine used 5-8 times during a year? A little back ache? Besides the exericse is good for this aging carcas.  Mother Nature told me yesterday - enough is enough!. The 3rd pass by the municpal snow plow foisted 3 feet of solid ice and snow on the end of the driveway:  Two hours of shoveling and a path just wide enough to slide the car through was created. You guessed it -- straight to the hardware store -- met with the owner- A Rotary Club associate : humbly paid my bill : and plowed the driveway, and walks etc etc. 

My neighbor, not so modestly, pointed out I have given in to peer pressure. The last hold out in the cul de sac to purchase a mechanised snow thrower.  What does that say about my leadership?  Vanity: Self centered: pride is more important than expediency:  What a reflection -- it's easier to help clients improve their management methodology than cure one's self.

Dr Martin Luther King Jr-a leader for us to follow

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is recognized as one of the true leaders of the 20th century in the USA. In the midst of the Civil Rights movement which gave voice to many leaders, how did Dr. King stand head and shoulders above others. 

Was it his speech making skills? The ability to create vivid imagery? The capacity to create a mood among 10s as well as 10 ,people -- to be one with the audience---and them with him? His mezmerizing cadence -- the capactity to speak lyrically with the music and drama of the moment.

Was it his ability to enage the haters and bigots in places like Skokie IL? Knowing that without risk there is no gain--and knowing he was protected by a Greater Power... The sheer force of his will that he superimposed on lesser beings.

Was it his unflinching vision.  Aware of what he wanted: where he was going, and aware of the ultimate price he might have to pay.

Connectedness.  The phrase " walk the walk and talk the talk".. His modeling behavior drew millions to his side.

Think about it --- Martin Luther King Junior possessed and exemplified the characteristics of what makes a successful leader... he can teach all of us many lessons.

Leadership and Vision

Organizations sometimes struggle with the idea of putting their "vison" into written form.  There are numerous reasons,not the least of which is the fact that the organization really has no vision -no look at the future.

However, I'd like to submit that the vision struggle also relates to "values". Business and political leaders refer to " Judeo- Christian" values" or Protestant Values.  Take one of these leaders aside and query them - what do you mean: common responses are " hard work, honesty", Drilling down - what do they mean -- do they actually know the bases on which these values reside?

I held a visin brainstorming session with a group of executives,  Their starting point of vision --- " to make more money in the next 5 years". This was very accurate. They treated employees, customers, suppliers with this point of view --it is all about money.

Vision matters -- never doubt it for a minute.

Leadership and the Dress Code Model

The New York Times carried an interesting article " The Flip Flops In the Next Cubicle  by Matt Villano    " in the business section of the October 15,2006 edition.

Discussions relating to "dress codes" have been around for ever.Statements in employee handbooks regarding appearnce range from the generic to the specific ( no tank tops, spandex etc etc). 

Why do some firms have "issues" regarding dress codes and others do not? Ever since struggling with " short skirts and DA haircuts" as a school administrator in the 60's, I've thought about the "why".

Metal fabrication plants, IT think tanks. medical clinics,etc... these disparate groups can be included in a singular observation.   ( I know - a colleague of mine will read this and ascribe my findings to "task orientation)....dress code parameters and their implementation are established by senior leaders.  Do senior leaders dress in a manner to be modeled by employees? SOMETIMES....  Do senior leaders in those firms where there is no " dress code issue" communicate dress code parameters in an authentic, believable, and trusting way ? ALWAYS .... Don't do as I do only as I say works ONLY where there are legitimate, believable reasons for the differential.

No volumne of policies: or company meeting speeches will change dress code behavior if leadership is not believable.  Hiring people who subscribe to the principle of responsible followership is a viable starting point... hire rebels and you get rebellious behavior ( this is not the same as hiring people who think differently than the interviewer).  If you don't permit purple hair -- it is recommended the leader not have purple hair - or nose rings etc etc.

Selecting Leaders

A client recently admitted that his hiring practice revolved around the concept that he could train anyone to do anything --including becoming a leader.  Is this a reasonable premis?

Most are familiar with the "Peter Principle" -- wherein individuals are promoted to their level of incompetence.  On its face,  this sounds like easily identified, clearly marked quicksand which can be easily walked around and avoided.   Not so fast -- this quicksand entraps us especialy when we selection decisions are made in the darkness known as lack of information.

So what do executives look for when surveying the employee landscape to select managerial talent?  Technical excellence - absolutely and sometimes this is the primary and only criteria. Adherence to project time frames and budget parameters -- absolutely critical to project management success. Present and prior leadership success? - Ah this is where the rubber hits the road.  In many scenarios the "individual performing allstar" is assumed to be able to grow into a leadership role. Factors such as successful leadership roles on the job, in school, on academic or athletic teams, in social and service clubs are sometimes not considered. 

The point here is --leadership is a skill. Can it be learned- yes: Can the skills be instantly acquired - no. Are there individuals who are natural leaders - absolutely. Are there individuals who are not and never will be leaders - yes.

Leaders have identifiable, specific to the work environment, levels of energy, cognitive abilities, assertiveness, independence, socialbility, and manageability ( and lack thereof) as well as a combination of interests which generally include industry knowledge and financial/administrative .  It's best to empirically measure these aspects of the individual BEFORE promoting them into a leaderhsip capacity.

Leadership & Anger

Emotional intellegence gurus have helped us understand the waving red flags, measure our body temps in times of stress, etc etc.  These signals, penetrated by the little person in our head givng us messages as to what is going to transpire next if we continue to react to situations in a variety of ways are road maps to sensible behavior.

Every once in a while we ignore the crossing gates and plow head on into an oncoming train.  That's where Bill Clinton and I have something in common.  Last week both of us released our anger in public.

I can only speak for myself. At least 24 hours before my personal volcano erupted, the " little voice" was warning me. Oh yes, I heard it.  Getting ready to conduct training whcih involved a recalcitrant client,  the warning signs said - you know the project is late, you know the client's representative has been less than forthcoming, and most of all -- you know how you react negatively to those whom you suspect are sandbagging  on purpose.

Well, I didn't listen... And I blew a fuse.. And then I had to apologize. And then the client team members said it was ok -- they finally saw me as also being human.  The messages -- as a leader I probably have been less than human in the past. 

The other message ... I suggest you GOOGLE the topic " Leadership and Anger". The listings are predominately negative.  We all know that fear is the least effective motivator... so continuous or even minimally regular outbursts of anger are counterproductive.  Does controlled anger ( is that an oxymoron) have the capability to demonstrate to the receiver that you care?  Passive, non reactionable behavior leave the follower cold, at drift, not sure of where the leader stands.  Anger, on the other hand can show what the recipient does and says really do matter to you.

Hmmm -- this is definitely a platform for ongoing discussion ... Your thoughts???