Tag Archives: leadership

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

I’ll tell you where to go

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I came across a quote the other day that really resonated with me.

“If you tell people where to go, but not how to get there, you’ll be amazed at the results”. – George S. Patton

Personally I really like the part about telling people where to go.  I do that as often as possible.  In reality though, this direction is the key to strong and effective leadership .

The Leader Within

Typically, powerful groups, whether bound by culture, geography, beliefs or common goals operate most effectively when everyone exhibits leadership capabilities.

This is a rare circumstance with the strong leader at the front and the flock following behind.  Unfortunately this autocratic style can be effective to some degree and is easier on the sheep.

Intuitively though, if everyone on your team knows where they going (the goal) exhibit strong communication skills (both outgoing and incoming), and continuously leverages self awareness and personal accountability, strong results will be the outcome.

Single Leader Not Required

Some find it hard to envision a group environment that is not structured like a triangle or pyramid with a single point at the top.  To operate otherwise must lead to chaos.

On the contrary, in fact, a group of individuals each utilizing their inner leadership skills is much more powerful than a single leadership point operating on the “monkey see, monkey do” concept.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Lets Figure it Out

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Organizational and group cultures are dependent on many factors.  Things like what is the organization trying to achieve , what things are most important – i.e., clients, profit, team members satisfaction and so on.

Typically the organizations leadership set the direction, influence and impact how the group works together.  Basically this lays the foundation for how the culture develops over time.

Meeting the Organizational Goals

When managing by objectives, the intent is to achieve defined and measurable goals.  In that case, the key method of determining if the culture is effective lies in monitoring of goal achievement.

This is most effective when done continuously enabling identification and remedying of the root cause of issues ongoing.  In this model there is no right or wrong culture , only effective ones.

We’ll figure it out

Consider a culture where the focus is on, respectful conversations, where everyone’s opinion matters, anyone can affect any decision and the overriding  approach is “we’ll figure it out”.

Sounds a bit too anarchistic for most organizations (whether Corporate, Non-profit or Government).  Surprisingly the results produced from such a culture can be of a high quality.

That being said though this type of culture is hard to work in and requires strong leadership to ensure results are achieved.  In fact, this type of culture demands strong leadership to work.

It is key though for leadership to be mindful of the manage by objective concept (i.e., results) and keep their eye on this ball.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Organizational Behavior

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Regardless of type (e.g., charitable, corporate, social, government, etc.) organizations all share a set of common traits.  These influence the way the organizations members behave.

Heirarchy

This always exists in some form.  The structure could be pyramidical (most common) or relatively flat with shared authority and accountabilities.

The details of organization vary depending on type but ultimately there are rankings of authority (leaders, managers) and various other member levels.

Overall the relationships and authorities associated with the organizations members are defined .  This may be crystal clear or vague, either way, whether strictly defined or loosley defined a structure will exist.

Culture

The organizations leaders and managers, those recognized to have greater power, together with the organizations stated goals and objectives set the tone for how the members behave.

The Individuals

The organizational culture is further influenced by the capabilities and personalities of the entire membership of the organization.

Group Behaviour

The combination of the influences of the heirarchy (leadership structure, cultural and individual members personal traits) dictates the basic overall personality of the group (i.e, the group behaviour)

This ultimately impacts the organizations effectiveness.

When the combinations of structure, culture and individuality gel effectively, typically the organization itself over achieves. A key point here is no one factor alone can influence success.

For example having  effective leadership or an open and vibrant culture or a group of individual super people alone does not necessarily make for greatness.

Real success lies in the balance and integrated combination of all the above factors playing off each other like an orchestra.

Typically great leaders, skilled resoures or a stellar environment alone will not succeed unless the balance exists that binds them  and enables them to work seemlessly in concert.

 

 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

The Leadership has Spoken

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I had a interesting discussion about ethics at lunch today.  I was not alone, so this post is not about me talking to myself but actually dialoguing with others.

Follow the Leader

Often in our societies its the government that provides (dictates?) our morality and thus the associated ethical behaviour.   The crusades goal of recapturing Jerusalem was obviously moral and ethical (obvious to the leaders and their pions).

Conclusion, murdering others is a moral and ethical behaviour if the cause is just.  Justice as defined subjectively by the leader and accepted by their followers (pawns?)

Really!!!!

My wife does not agree with this assessment.  Perhaps the winners of a conflict will position themselves as moral practioners of ethical behaviour but this is in fact just self justification. War is wrong!

Checking in with the Greeks

Plato postulated, at it’s core,  human nature was based on three main objectives:

  • seeking knowledge
  • seeking power (victory/reputation)
  • seeking wealth (money, material gain)

By there very nature the practice of these behaviours clouds humans abilities to define morals in a consistent and sustainable way.

We each have a different mix  of beliefs underpinned by our very natures.  That is our individual  drive for knowledge, power, and material gain.

There are of course infinitesimal ways these attributes can be weighted.

The Result

Murder is morally wrong, my ex colleague opined at lunch today.  At least we can agree on that.  My counter is “except in self defense or pursuit of a just cause”

And so the slippery slope of morality and ethical behaviour begins.  Is it within the realm of human beings to solve this difficult question definatively.

I like Plato’s answer,  in essence he said, we can seek to define and achieve morality but we will never attain that goal.  The three fundemental aspects of human behaviour make it impossible.

Disclaimer

The aforementioned  philosophical discussion about plato and comments from my lunch companions and wife are my interpretations and may not accurately reflect their feedback.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Experience Matters

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I had an interesting discussion today which touched on the topic of experience.  Education, personal skills/ ability and your experience make up your capability quotient.

Experience Required

Doctors, lawyers, plumbers, painters heavy equipment operators, pilots are professions that all require both education and experience  before you are deemed a professional that can stand alone.

Accountants often require three years of apprenticeship experience before being certified so these experience period can cover a significant time frame.

A Japanese sushi chef studies for up to eight years before being certified to prepare poison blowfish (fugu fish).  The certification process is quite stringent, you need to prepare and eat a fugu – if you live you pass.

Why Internships

It’s clear (based on experience) that in order to do many jobs safely you not only need to know how (training) and have the personal ability (skill) but to do it right some experience is critical.

The higher the risk associated with errors in execution (e.g., airline pilot) the greater the experience requirement before turning someone loose on their own.

Leadership and Experience

Good effective leadership requires training, skill and experience.  This goes against the argument that leaders are born.  Some aspects and underpinnings of leadership skills can be inherited but training and experience cannot.

Does this mean I cannot be a great leader without experience; my opinion is definately yes.  Can I be a leader without experience, of course but great leaders are experienced.

That is you are not born into it, you must develop the capabilities over time.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Exploring self awarness

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In the context of a leadership or personal power skill (i.e., earned power) self awareness is not just conscious knowledge of ones own character, feeling and desire.

More importantly is using this knowledge coupled with the feedback  cues from those you are interacting with to achieve the best result.  This results in good feeling s all around about the interaction.

In brief,  the more critical aspect of this skill is not the awareness about your own motivations, feelings and reactions, rather the impact these are having and how you use it for everyones benefit.

Awareness enables you to leverage this knowledge about yourself in real time to make every encounter positive and memorable for the others.  It is also the more effective approach to becoming the catalyst for the desired reaction.

Enabling others to do things they did not know they could

Your earned power is very dependent on using your self awareness effectively.  This is a critical skill in your behavioural toolbag to attain and maintain respect.

By optimizing your interraction with others it becomes more likely they will exercise their own leader within.

In a team environment the use of self awareness broadly by all team members simply feeds on itself creating a harmonious and hugely effective group. You can set the example to get this going.

This is leadership not from the front, but rather from within. The actions of the catalyst in the mix prompt the self awareness practice   to commence universally and ultimately it feeds on itself.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

What Leadership Looks Like

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A seminar I attended on leadership, years ago, started with a simple task.  Each participant was tasked with selecting the greatest leader they knew and then writing down all the reasons they were a great leader.

Then the class as a whole reviewed all the identifying traits each person had recorded about their leader.  The purpose of the exercise was not to share thoughts on great leaders by name (historic or otherwise).

Rather the intent was to demonstrate how  leadership traits are a short and distinctive list.  Of the ten things I had noted, all were on others lists as well.

What does it take to be a leader?

Leaders are not distinguished by singular skills or capabilities.  The list of people that can run a mile in four minutes or less is very small.  This is a fabulous skill limited to a few individuals.  It is a great capability and admirable but it’s not a leadership trait.

Perhaps surprisingly, leadership traits are really things anyone can do.  They require conscious effort and motivation, but unlike intrinsic skills you are born with (e.g., musical ability) you can train yourself in the art of leadership.

So what does leaership look like?

Here is the short list of key behaviors uncovered in that seminar based on observation of sucessful leaders from real life .

  • Self awareness – understanding yourself and others demonstrating true empathy
  • Knowing where you are going – if you don’t know this how can you plan to get there and how will you know when you do.
  • Communicating full on both sending and recieving.  Others know what you mean and you know what they mean – “clarity”
  •  Both the need forand practice of values is obvious because they are lived by example.  Others embrace them naturally.
  • Seeking anwers never thinking the goal has been accomplished or there is no more opportunity
  • Unwavering belief, not over-confidence or confidence just for its own sake but showing belief in self.
Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Leading from behind

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I have posted before about the values of leading from behind.  This is not a new concept nor my own.  It is however captivativing to me because it really exemplifies the value “everyone is important”

Some credit  Nelson Mandela with popularizing the idea.  Many others  (Indian leader Ghandi for example) have practiced and espoused the concept so I personally don’t accrue excessive credit to Mandela.

On the whole public figures that are clear proponents of this concept get my admiration.  Additionally,  each has had great success in seeing their strategies both implemented and sustained.

Managing outside of organizational heirarchy

Leading from below; that is a someone in a lower level of an organizational heirarchy, using their leadership skills to influence, guide and assist those with great organizational power.

Kudos to those defined leaders within the organization for not only embracing this type of behavior but encouraging it.  Managing upwards is a key behavior in collaberative organizations.

Lest you get concerned I am not recommending anarchy.  Structure is needed.  Balancing is a key element required to avoid anarchy. In fact leveraging leadership skills (i.e., expecting leadership skills) from all is a defining attribute of high performing organizations.

Managing Upwards

A common failing of this model is when a leadership void exists in the higher levels of an organization.  This then becomes more an abdication of accountability by the appointed leaders.  To some degree it often leads to endemic frustration throughout a unit.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Shakespear Beacon

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A collegue who has a bit of a theatrical background recently wrote the following ditti on the white board by my desk.

“To be or not to be
That is the question
Whether it is responsibility or accountability
Dig Deep and take a look inside
It’s all about you.”

I am pretty sure it was a tongue in cheek comment about my oft expressed views on personal accountability.  Although there may have been some sarcasm intended, the sentiments resonated with me.

Dig deep and look inside

So often we blame circumstances for our behaviour.  For example, one of my favorites ” You made me angry so it is not my fault I yelled at you and we argued”

In fact it was your choice.  Anger is an emotion, yelling is a behaviour.   One can influence the other but in the end your behavior can only be decided by you.

Take Control

Never having regrets about how you behave could be a personal value, objective or life style choice.  Whatever context you frame it within, the idea is very powerful.

It is easily measured.  When you have a regret about the way you acted or if you apoligize for your behaviour – count it as a fail.  Keep track.  Frequent misses probably mean you want to change something in how you handle yourself.

Conversly long strings of success, that is no regrets, not only feels good but it raises your esteem in the eyes of others.

 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Leading from Behind

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The concept of using leadership behaviors out of the spotlight (leading from behind) to influence others to breakout their own leadership behaviors (the leader within) are not new, nor am I the originator of these ideas.

I do, however, really buy into these concepts.  Most of us can name a historical figure that represents our concept of a great leader, but that does not mean well known leaders are the only great leaders.

Leaders don’t need to be in front of their followers

Let us define leadership as a specific set of behaviors, which results in great achievement.  Achievements which are not possible to attain by normal behavior.

“Lead from behind” is a very cool concept because it is more about facilitating success by providing the framework for a group of people to behave as leaders.   A critical mass of leadership behavior is achieved and becomes a powerful force of positive change/achievement.

Consider American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s

Martin Luther King is often named as a historical figure and a key leader of the black civil rights movement.  The reality is Mr. King was a catalyst for hundreds of leaders who were not in fact following Mr. King but leaping ahead of him.

Names like Claudette Colvin, Aurelia Browder, Susie McDonald, Mary Louise Smith and Rosa Parks all are good examples of this.  Their actions strongly contributed to the changes in civil rights laws as they pertained to black people, and their actions are founded on key leadership behaviors (things like knowing the objective, self awareness, confidence, and so on).

Leading from behind Martin Luther King acted as a catalyst for these leaders as well as thousands of others.

The Gandhi Example

One of my favorite stories about leading from behind is true story about Gandhi.   During the campaign for Indian independence, Gandhi left the middle of a press conference in mid question.  The reporters were asking about his views on the peaceful separation of India from England.  As a large demonstration passed the press hall, with signs praising Gandhi,  he stood and stated, excuse me I need to go and catch up with my followers.

It’s not about you

A key take away from this concept of leadership is that it is not about you.  Strong effective leaders recognize the power lies with others, the leader is only the catalyst.