Leadership Excellence

Leadership Legacy

MPTV carried an extended video documentary regarding the run for the U S House of Representatives by John Smith, 29 of Missouri.  When the votes were counted he lost to a legacy candidate -- the son of a former office holder.

In Chicago, Mayor Daley ( son the late Mayor Daley) won another term with 72% of the vote -- with a spate of corruption scandals stalking him.

A question -- why do voters opt for the known quantity -- in both these cases a legacy?  Are the winners bona fide leaders?  I'm not taking a position whether they are or aren't. It seems we lean towared the known reather than unknown... the devil we know is better than the one we don't./ What does that say about our ability to  make objective judments based on the facts -- or are we willing to be submissve  rather than take risks?

Hmmmm- Any comments/

Who is YOUR leader of the Year?

So who is your leader of the year?  Let me rephrase the query --- what criteria do you use to choose YOUR leader of the year? 

Is it the difference the individual made in your life --or the life of your organization? What kind of substantative difference (rather than a change in style of superficials)?

Perhaps it's because the leader challenged you (subtly, directly, discreetly) and took you to heights and places in your career and professional life that you never thought possible.

Or did the leader have that emotional intelligence sense to let you alone == to observe from a distance -- to trust you and give you the space and opportuntiy to grow, succeed, and yes, sometimes fail (  my 1st true mentor was like this -- l'll always be indebted to the late Anne Rodgers)

Let's give some serious consideration to who made a difference this year and why..perhaps using them is a model for 2007 is a worthwhile resolution as well.

_..

The Christmas Leader

A Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukhah to everone.  Who embodies of the Spirit of Christmas in your organization.   Do certain people immediately come to mind?  What qualities of faith, hope and charity make them stand out among the crowd?

Yes, I'm asking introspective questions today.... The answer usually given by corporate leaders is some one other than themselves.  Are these role models too bashful or self conscious to name themselves. Or, is this an accurate reflection ....if YOU are not the Christmas leader in your company --- WHY? Perhaps a kind hearted, purposeful look in the mirror could be the starting point for a new sense of personal direction in the New Year.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Bob

Thought Provoking Ideas

Amazing how time changes ones perspective... Looking at the mast head for this blog.... the phrase thought "producing" hit me like a bucket of cold water..... An advocate of " Servant Leadership", I wonder why the phrase " thought provoking" wasn't the preferred text.

The author (me), doesn't want to produce  ideas, the goal is to provoke thought, conversation, discussion, disagreement, invention, a new perspective. The phrase "thought producting" implies a certain effite snobbishness... almost an authoritaran phrase of being able to create and generate ideas...  Servant leadership is aligned with the concept both of employee empowerment when it comes to ideas, as well as implementing these concepts.. For better or worse, the mantle of provoking is the pulling along of people versus the push,

How egalitarian I've been.......

Leaders Struggling to Be Followers

Sportscasters often talk about a manager's challenge of coaching a group of prima donnas...those who have excelled, believe they have certain entitlements because of their accomplishments, and bask in the public spotlight.

Sounded like an interesting situation ...until encountering it in the workplace. A recipe for excedrin headache #1- take a group of leaders, close the door, and observe them tackle a problem --no rules, no holds barred, no formalized leadership chart.  Yes, eventually a singular individual rises above the rest... but at what cost?  This is where the rubber hits the road.... Can your management team be a problem solving team wtihout self destructing in the process??

If it can't -- you need to look in the mirror and reevaluate your leadership skills.

Leadership and the Seasons

We've had the good fortune to live and work in a variety of climates and locations around the world.. Today finds us in a locale of 4 seasons - Wisconsin. This is the early stage of winter: grey skys for 14 consecutive days: ice scrapers busy at work in parking lots: rabbits and squirrels scattering about with ever increasing rols of fur and stomachs filled for hibenation.

Most of all -- this is a time when nature has gone asleep. Taken a breath from the active days of summer and fall.. Recuperates. Reenergizes. Then falls into a slumber as the snow and ice comes rumbling out of the Rockies onto the great plains. Notice, nature has gone to sleep -- she has not died.

Our roles as leaders can learn parallel lessons from nature.  Obviously there are times for preparation ( research, vision building, training), planting the seeds of new ideas and modifying the directions of an organization, harvesting the rewards of leadership, then comes fall and winter. A time when delegation leads to others grow, experiment, learn, and gather in the rewards for their efforts.

Leaders need to take a back seat.. Being observent, applauding successes ( like the sun which shines brightly on intermittent days here in the winter), and indeed being in the background able to provide mentoring assistance.  Followers  benefit -- they learn to succeed against difficult odds ( the ice and snow of winter), become innovative, and learn to ask for assistance ( when the snow i too deep for them to shovel alone) when they are overwhelmed.

Yes, we can learn from the cyclical nature of the seasons

Leadership - Listening to Your Own Voice

This edition is in tribute to Fr. Daniel Sanders of St Benedict's Roman Catholic Church in Fontana. Daniel Joseph Sanders is a unique kind of leader.  An exceptional orator,he brings his audience to spells of silence, or tears, or applause.  Dan shares his personal struggles --and triumphs.

As an observer of leadership, I have observed him for several years ... as he pushes rather than pulls: as he deftly, and always with purpose, challenges the establishment. Which brings me to today's blog.  Fr Dan is a believer in educating adults, keeping them involved in their faith, and ensuring they are responsible for their actions.

A member of the board of a study group, he tells of going to meetings and being the 5th wheel... with the implication this board study issues, studied issues, and apparently became a waste of his time.... he's an action kind of guy.

SO? Dan decided to marshall resources, start an on-line study group: form a group to meet face to face and discuss issues which confront parishoners... beyond that which they were taught in elementary and junior high school.

SO? The implication for leadership --- strike out on your own: listen to your own voice: break the mold: and when you have established a track record of trust with your employees, constiutents, etc... they will follow. Also, the resources you need will become available as you network and discuss your dreams.  Lead on is the message -- don't be bashful --take the risk.

Halloween & Leadership

Scary isn't it? Leadership I mean. Leaders look in the mirror - not out the window. Trick or treaters come to the door: They look up in anticipation>> hopefully they leave with a yip in their step -- as compared with droopy shoulders and sadness beneath that cute little mask.

How simple -- some candy or fruit and off they go - a bit of joy to their lives.  Do we as leaders  treat (no pun intended) a well.  Do we respond as positively when they come to our office for help? for solace? for advice? Or are they sent off into the night - a little more humbled because we retained the power to deny them a reward?

Think about it -- who is wearing the mask this evening? The Halloween revelers - or the leader behind the screen door who won't let strangers into his/her life???? What part of your culture will they grow up and emulate?- or will they become the Scrooge of Christmas future?

Random Acts of Kindness and Corporate Values

One of the precepts of Rotary International is " Service Above Self"... the obligation of each member to engage in meaningful actions where service to others is paramount above oneself.

A popular offshoot is the " Random Acts of Kindness".. Providing succor, help, resources to another without an agenda or predisposiiton of personal gain.  This can be as simple as helping get a box down from a too high shelf at Home Depot: or sharing your birthday cake with a stranger etc etc etc. 

What if... organizations and corporations openly encouraged random acts of kindness. No rewards, no plaques, no speeches at employee appreciation dinners... Just an atmosphere of employees helping each other springing from the idea of being kind. Kind is a word somewhat out of vogue... even more out of vogue is our civility to each other.. Kindness doesn't obviate our capitalistic desire to be independent: to be gatherers, to be winners. It does require each of us to move out of the passing lane and let the EMT vehicles pass while on their missions of mercy.

Just think -- if our companies had a sign above the threshold which said " Kindness starts here".

Dissing Performance Appraisals

Researching material for a seminar presentation on Performance Management, I came across an illustration of why some information dispensed by "experts" on the internet are to be taken with, well shall we say, a questioning mind.

The attrributes of various performance appraisal situations is always a bell ringer. Evaluative criteria, halo rankings, lack of training by the manager, two way frankings etc etc.  For many employees it's their 15-30 minutes of fame per year. They get to sit with the boss and hear how much of a salary increse they will receive -- plus the good and bad news about their performance.  The boss may be unprepared but both parties suck it up and go on about their business. a perfect system --no way... Better than no system - absolutely. 

A renowned consultant on the internet recommends goal setting, a sophisticated 360 evaluation process for all employees in every type of work with every degree of education and training.  Give me a break.  The best appraisal is often noted as being a blank sheet of paper -- the employee and manager have a frank discussion about work performance and life goes on.  I don;t recommend this approach for admin, technical, and mangerial positions where goals, MBR, and 360's are invaluable. But let's give production supervisors and workers a break... well designed evaluative criteria, year long documentation and an honest discussions are the critical elements.