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.

Winter's Leadership

The silence of snow piled high in the woodlands: drifting snow creating hazards for squirrels, and salmon red surise and sunsets create  a almost indescribable landscape. Benaeath my snowshoes are the frozen lakes with languid bass and blue gills,

Leadership of two different types are necessary to servive the 6 months long winters.... the strong, adaptabile type that has a recurring vison of what the fututre brings... and begins to prepare 6 months in advance for the changes to come..... The second is the quiet, observant leader who keeps to themself... remaining below the suface..while getting stronger and surving through the life threatening chaos of an unpredicatable season...

Which leader are you  ?????( let's hear from you)>

Leadership & Martin Luther King Jr

One of the characteristics to be considered in evaluating potential leaders is " risk". Specifically- is the individual willing and able to " take risks"?  Or are they risk adverse --they avoid taking chances. Obvioulsy there are many different types of risk: capital investment, marketing strategy, hiring decisions, etc etc.

These risks all pale into comparison with the risk Martin Luther King Jr. knew he was taking. He knew from the taunting reception received in places like Skokie Il that not only was his message controversial --- he also knew his life was at risk.  But he kept on walking the walk.

So when clients express their concern about risks --one of the outcome related questions -- what is the worst case scenario..... Martin Luther King gave us a new definition of risk.  May he rest in peace.

Civic Leadership Run Amuck

News reports coming from the reputable print and TV media in Milwuakeee indicate the schools system ( MPS _ or MY POOR STUDENTS) averages 61 calls for police assistance each day. Yes, folks that comes to over 11.000 calls per year. 

So where is the leadership.  Teachers are intimidated by thugs in the schools as well as school regulations barring physical contact in disciplineing a student: expulsions are minimal: fights now regulary involve outsiders invading the schools ( contacted by students using cell phones) etc etc.

So where is the leadership?  The current response is to assign 2 policemen to specific schools on a trial basis .

As a consequence: the drop out rate exceeds 50%.... violent crime in the city is up 20% from last year: students are not learning.... and flight to the suburbs gains momentum.

I ask again: where is the leadership?

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

Take Less -- To Survive

Hiring managers today ( let's forget about the myth of the growing economy) receive significant numbers of resumes from "overqualifed candidates". Individuals who have been downsized, laid off, had their jobs outsourced, etc... in other words they have bills to pay, families to feed, and no income.  They are, in a word, desperated.

Conventional wisdom held that these individuals would take a new job and then leave when a position opened that more closely matched their skill base.  Therefore, recruiters put the resumes on the " see you later" pile. Sometimes, interviews took place... again, employers deferred, not taking a risk with "overqualified" managers and executives who pleaded for a job in sales, or a 2nd-3rd tier position in manufacturing management.

Outsourcing has increased. Here in the upper midwest major layoffs occur as companies relocated to warmer, non union environments. The upshot is many jobs will never reappear. Housing prices are unstable: families have been in the area for generations with deep roots. The result -- a surplus of overly skilled workers.

What would you do if you were an employment manager?

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.

OutSourcing - Leadership and Management

Kyle McFarlin commented on my recent blog which discussed the purchase of a snow blower. Interesting- Kyle put forth the idea of "outsourcing"  the snow removal operation.  Hadn't thought of that -although the only teenager on our block was haranged by his father to get out of the house and help clean the driveway.

In a broader sense, though, Kyle has an excellent point.   My "snow removal world " ((( remember Who Moved My Cheese))). is about 3 blocks square. I could have advertised in the free local paper in September .... or put up a note in a local restaurant or church etc etc.The point is .... leadership is acting outside of the norm: standing on a higher ladder to look out over the rooftops... bringing more project team members into the conversation to collect more viewpoints.

Yes, our nieghborhood has changed... a generation has graduated from high school and moved onto college and professions... but winter continues to arrive and snow is inevitable.... What are you doing to prepare and lead for the next inevitable challenge at your workplace or in your life?

Thanks Kyle

OutSourcing - Leadership and Management

Kyle McFarlin commented on my recent blog which discussed the purchase of a snow blower. Interesting- Kyle put forth the idea of "outsourcing"  the snow removal operation.  Hadn't thought of that -although the only teenager on our block was haranged by his father to get out of the house and help clean the driveway.

In a broader sense, though, Kyle has an excellent point.   My "snow removal world " ((( remember Who Moved My Cheese))). is about 3 blocks square. I could have advertised in the free local paper in September .... or put up a note in a local restaurant or church etc etc.The point is .... leadership is acting outside of the norm: standing on a higher ladder to look out over the rooftops... bringing more project team members into the conversation to collect more viewpoints.

Yes, our nieghborhood has changed... a generation has graduated from high school and moved onto college and professions... but winter continues to arrive and snow is inevitable.... What are you doing to prepare and lead for the next inevitable challenge at your workplace or in your life?

Thanks Kyle

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.