archive: leadership

Individually AND Together

Monday, February 1st, 2010

Karthik's Photo

“Individually and Together” — three words I heard this weekend from Will.i.am being interviewed as he fondly remembered the journey of success for his group The Black Eyed Peas. Yes, I am over 40 and a fan of the Black Eyed Peas! As a writer, sometimes you hear a group of words in one context and your mind instantly relays them to another and you know that somehow you must capture that connection on the page. For me, these three words hold the keys to success in the 21^st Century for any business, large or small, local or multi-national. When I was growing up, if a member of a band did something on his or her own, it was basically viewed as defecting. Today, the Black Eyed Peas show us that band members doing their own thing and great stuff with the group is actually great for business. Maybe the Cold War really is over.

How does one reconcile the dichotomy between a world increasingly focused on the individual and simultaneously asking its citizens to work in greater collaboration for the greater good? The problem lies in seeing the two forces as a mutually exclusive. The minute we begin to see them as more alike than unalike we begin to tap into their power. By individually pronouncing ones passions and desires and focusing on what really drives you forward, you are more able to contribute to joint tasks in a selfless manner. It is difficult for many of us to see this because society dictated for much of the last century that you are either out for yourself or you are for the good of others, and never the two shall meet. The missing link is the belief that somehow left to our own devices, we are pre-programmed for choices and behaviors that are unsuitable and against what is good in this world. Based on my experience, this could not be further from the truth.

Leaders today are challenged with how to allow maximum individualism while maintaining a strong thread of common vision between every person in an organization. It’s a bit like the challenge that search engine companies are facing today: how to put a context around what any individual is searching for (based on their individual profile) such that they find exactly what they are seeking and perhaps something even better that they didn’t know existed . . . all the while maintaining some semblance of privacy. When the figure it out, it will be a game changer.

It’s about giving employees back their power of creativity, permission to fail in search of excellence, and the respect that every person on the planet deserves regardless of their role. It’s about leadership with less ego and more personal confidence creating the skills necessary to embrace and lead any group of individuals to their highest potential. It’s about tapping into the personal energy of every member of an organization such that the energy of the group expands beyond the sum of its parts.

In another part of the same interview, Will.i.am spoke of inspiration, indicating that when it calls, you don’t hang up . . . you give it directions to your house. Unfortunately, most of us hang up on inspirational thoughts and chalk it up to another wrong number from Mr. Impossible Dream. When, in reality such inspiration can at any moment become a pivotal point in our lives leading us to create a life full of impossible dreams that come true every day. It’s a mindset that I have been aware of in my own life for sometime now and have slowly been shifting toward, and I will tell you that its power is immeasurable.

So, what does it really take to be a successful 21^st century leader that can relate to each individual and then relate them all to each other? It takes courage to love who you are, to love who everyone else is (regardless of where they are in life), to believe your team can connect the un-connectible dots, and the sincerity and vision to bring everyone together. It takes the courage to know when to go for it and when to do more research. It requires a willingness to take personal risk by really putting yourself out there.

Be the energy . . .

Posted in Courage, business, creativity, leadership, success | 1 Comment »

Being the Best vs. Constant Improvement

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

kaizen

Just as we must be careful of the words we use with ourselves, so as not to unintentionally sabotage our own motivation; we must also be careful with the words we choose to exemplify our commitment to excellence inside our businesses. There is a big difference between a goal of being the best and one of constantly improving and learning. On the surface one might guess that being the best is always the best option, but I beg to differ. The difference is in the mindset. Being the best is a place to get to while always improving is a place to come from.

If your goal is to be the best, then what is there for you to strive for once you’ve reached that plateau? In the 20^th century, being the best was a title much easier to hang onto once attained because change occurred at a much slower pace. Today, you could loose such a tile in a day from one disgruntled customer who was savvy enough and creative enough to reach one million viewers on you You Tube with a story of how he was wronged by your firm. And the kicker . . . it doesn’t even matter if it is true.

If your goal is to be the best, then how do you and your employees feel when you are not the best? You probably feel as though you are failing in some respect. Sure, that bit of anger and resentment toward the one who is the “best” may fuel some extra time at the office, but it is also affecting your mindset and your ability to really come up with that next great idea that might in fact land you top of the heap.

If you goal is to be in a state of constantly improving and forever learning, then it really doesn’t matter who is perceived as the best on any given day, you and your team are always looking for that next edge. There is no anger, no resentment, and no feelings of failure to cloud anyone’s mind, judgment, or motivation.

Excellence comes from doing the ordinary things extraordinarily well with energy and enthusiasm as if they were the most important job in the world. This is the key to excellence. Everything counts no matter how big or small a role it plays. Little things add up to big things. Your energy when you complete the ordinary will dictate your energy with the extraordinary opportunities come your way. It’s the same reason why some people seem to get all the opportunities? They don’t really; they are simply ready to greet them when they arrive.

Never loose your desire to learn, or tire of improving yourself ~ from artist Jane Farr who has joined Ancora Imparo (Italian for I am still learning) and Kaizen (Japanese for being in a continual state of improvement) in the beautiful drawing above.

Posted in business, creativity, leadership, success | No Comments »

Can the US be the Kind of Leader the World Needs?

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

bric3

It depends really on the US’ ability to recognize that the type of world leader required in the last century is quite different than the world leader that is needed in the 21^st century. Just as in business, what qualifies as effective leadership changes over time as the constituents being led change not only demographically, but also in what they value the most. Successful leaders of the 21^st century will be the ones that are more inclusive than exclusive; the ones put their egos aside; the ones that lead more by relationships than through control; the ones that recognize that every person and every country has their own story and though on a different scale they may in fact be doing the best they can. Leaders of the future are not afraid to give credit where it is due, and in some cases they must step aside and let others lead.

Last week I attended the US-China Business Forum Green Texas 2009 in Austin Texas, organized by the US Department of Commerce, US Chamber of Commerce, and the Austin Chamber of Commerce, among others. The overwhelming take-away for organizations wanting to take advantage of the tremendous business opportunities in China was that you must be willing to make a long term commitment that is centered on relationships, alliances, trust, and respect. If you think you are going in as the big, intelligent, egotistical American, you will likely be in for a big disappointment. We heard from folks that have done business in China for decades and newcomers that are still on their journey, and the most successful are open, respectful, and go in knowing that they will learn a lot from the Chinese. It can be a wonderful win-win for both countries.

We may not always agree with the ways of the Chinese government, but the reality is that they are doing a lot more than the US in getting the world’s economy back on its feet. They may not have an open political system, but they are very far along in an open economy and that is a massive step forward and certainly one in the right direction. They may have substantial environmental issues to contend with, but considering where they started, they are definitely moving forward. We cannot support immoral activity, but we can and should, in my opinion, support what they are doing well and their commitment to an open economy. Political change will eventually come from within when the growing middle class become large enough and courageous enough to speak up for what they want. Listening to a talk on China by James Mills of the Economist, this growing middle class and the political implications it may bring is a big concern for the Chinese government.

It would not surprise me if China eventually leads the world in the rate of environmental change. They are starting at a much lower position than the rest of the developed world, and they will be able to leapfrog the stage we are in and go directly to the latest technologies with the best results. Despite the large size of their country, their ability to make large sweeping changes is greater than any democracy because they simply lay out the new rules and begin demanding change. I am certainly no advocating communism, but it is hard to ignore that in the case of environmental clean up in China it will likely be very effective. My personal opinion is that slowly over many decades China will continue to take on more and more democratic practices in an effort to maintain peace and stability within their own country.

If we do not keep our eyes open, acknowledge and embrace the changes that our own country needs, and are not willing to support other countries in their struggles to become leaders themselves, we will miss the proverbial boat. We will wake up one day and realize that the US is behind the times and has lost an important and powerful opportunity to continue to lead the world to success, out of poverty, and to a peaceful existence.

We must be proud of countries like Brazil, and be proud that they have one the recent bid for the 2016 Olympics. Though we all wanted Chicago to be chosen, if we dig deep down in our hearts, we know that Brazil needed it much more than we did. They now have a goal to work toward to clean up some of the violence, and prop up some of the infrastructure. I only wish we could have see that before and perhaps graciously asked that Brazil be the winner. Instead, we have confirmed what much of the world thinks of America; that we are selfish and sometimes a bit of a bully. What a lost opportunity!

According to last week’s Economist (special report on Brazil), “Brazil has long been known as a place of vast potential. It has the largest freshwater supplies, the largest tropical forests, land so fertile that in some places farmers manage three harvests a year, and huge mineral and hydrocarbon wealth. Brazil could easily be one of the 5 largest economies sometime this century. Shouldn’t we be asking them what they would like to create and how can we help? Instead we always seem to be saying, “Here’s what you need to do.” Shouldn’t we be helping our own entrepreneurs do more business with Brazil? A strong and successful Brazil means wealth and stability for a large chunk of South America . . . and that has to be good for the spread of democracy and the globally interdependent economy.

It’s clear that later on in the century the US may loose it’s first place standing in some measures, or at least loose it’s massive lead. We can either sit around worrying about how we can keep our edge in whatever measurement the media is focused on at the moment, or we can become true global leaders and help our comrades become leaders themselves and in their own right.

This is the exact same struggle that large corporations are facing today. They can continue their hard-line ways of controlling their employees and making sure that all the decisions are kept close to the chest at the top of the pyramid, or they can realize that tomorrow’s greatest companies will come about through a new kind of leadership. Leaders that genuinely deflect the limelight, constantly support their customers and employees, and believe in people enough that their full potential shines through. These are the companies that will attract the best and brightest employees that design and develop the best products and services. People will gravitate to companies where they can become themselves at the office and aren’t forced to go down a certain path or abide by a certain set of rules.

As the US learns how to help countries without dictating, and listens to what they really need, and has the compassion to put others first on occasion, then, and only then, will we deserves to be the leader the world can truly look up to.

It’s simple really. When you gain their trust and have compassion, then you have a chance to really create a positive influence. Without trust, you will, at best, maintain the status quo.

Posted in business, economy, global, leadership, political | No Comments »

Innovation From the Inside Out

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

Innovation Mindset If your company is following suit in a growing trend and starting an Innovation campaign, beware of the pitfalls. Many companies assume they can create a few goals, advertise the idea, provide a bit of training, and expect that greatness will appear.

If it is unbridled success you are after, and you are trying to create a stark competitive advantage, it is critical to start by innovating your management strategy. Asking employees to be innovative and contribute to the next competitive advantage while employing a management strategy left over from the Industrial Revolution is like asking your 1960’s percolating coffee maker to give you a triple shot skinny vanilla latte with extra foam. You will be lucky to get a decent cup of joe and a monstrous mess. However, if you are willing to entertain at least some components of a 21^st century management strategy, you will likely be blown away by the creativity that in many cases lies dormant.

Many modern companies employ management strategies based on command and control techniques designed to encourage employees to do only what they are asked, which translates into turning off their creativity as they enter the building. Hierarchical organizations, not matter how progressive, generally promote a unidirectional flow of information. The clock watching tendencies of most managers and requirements to account for every minute of every day, do nothing to build a culture of trust. I know how it made me feel to be a grown woman (having put myself through graduate school, and learned how to do business in 6 different countries with little direction) forced to ask permission to take my child to the doctor and watching my “boss” decide whether or not it was convenient for him.

There is no shame, blame, or guilt intended here. We’ve all been doing as we were taught in business school when in comes to organizing and managing companies. The difference now is, we know there is a better way and with it comes higher productivity, greater enjoyment, and less turnover.

Without creativity, a collaborative flow of information in all directions, and trust, all attempts at suddenly becoming an innovative firm that is competitive in the ever-changing world of the 21^st century will likely fail. The essential ingredient for creating an innovative work environment is the courage of the folks at the top to change the rules of the game. With that one ingredient, everything else will come naturally. Not without hard work and dedication, but without friction. Your team will amaze you, inspire you, and keep you humble enough to savor every moment, even the ones that aren’t so great. It is possible to create an environment where failure is understood to be a key to success and support is as normal as gossip is today.

If you want employees to think creatively, design solutions to fix problems beyond the ones you know about, collaborate, and generally bring their A-game, you must be willing to give them the freedom to do those things in their own way and with their own style. People are only going to give you as much as you believe they can deliver and no more. If you believe your team is invincible and you tell them often, then that is what they will aspire to be.

Posted in Courage, leadership, management, strategy | 2 Comments »

No Lights, No Signs . . . No Deaths

Monday, October 26th, 2009

A Business Lesson from the Dutch

traffic1

The Dutch town of Drachten removed most of their traffic lights and traffic signs with remarkable results. Intersections previously adorn with traffic lights and directional signs have been replaced with round-abouts (traffic circles) and all signage removed. Deaths related to traffic accidents zero since the program started seven years ago. Residents claim that now it is much quicker and much easier to get around town. The stopping and starting at traffic lights no longer exists and drivers are now fully engaged and more aware.

I encountered a similar phenomenon in Bali last year while on vacation with my family. There are a few traffic signs and lanes painted on the roadways, but largely they are ignored. The roadways are littered with mopeds carrying anywhere from 1 to 5 passengers, creating up to 15 lanes at a time. Infants are carried in their mother’s laps as they sit sidesaddle behind their husband who is driving with another youngster in front of him. At first glance you would call it chaos and certainly dangerous. Not surprisingly, I immediately cancelled the car I was planning on renting as soon as the driver dropped us off from the airport. After a while, though, you realize that it is a very orchestrated dance, with motorists essentially creating their own rules of the road on the fly. Horns are used strictly in a positive sense to warn other drives that you are coming by. Not once did I see an angry, put all of your force behind the heel of your hand, make an ugly face and stick out your tongue horn blow. Nor, did I see an accident in the 2 weeks that I was there. Were the rules followed, it would be a lot less efficient.

Why do you suppose that traffic without mandated bureaucratic rules is so successful and apparently much safer? It is simple really, and it directly applies to business too. THE MORE RULES ENFORCED, THE LESS PEOPLE THINK. It’s an automatic response. When we are forced to follow someone else’s rules, there is no reason to think about the best way to get something done. It becomes easier to simply follow the rules. We’ve all had that boss who gave us an assignment and then proceeded to tell us each and every step to getting it done. And generally, the boss will get exactly what was requested, never anything more, and occasionally a little less. Never will they enjoy the full potential of their employees.

Now, consider that truth, and compare it to your workplace and its management strategy. Does your company ask for creativity, collaboration, and innovation while simultaneously providing a rule, process, or procedure for every conceivable scenario that could possibly occur? Most likely there is an alignment issue between the desired outcomes and the environment designed to promote those outcomes. This is the most common ailment for corporations today, and one that will largely determine their success in the future. The trouble is that it is difficult to self-diagnose. Not because those looking for ways to promote success are daft, but because the diagnosis and the cure fly in the face of everything we’ve ever been taught about organizing and managing a business. It won’t fit in any box, or even outside a box. Also, once acknowledged, the cure will bring a landslide of change that seems daunting, overwhelming, and downright scary. Therefore, it is easier to rationalize that the management strategy is fine, but more training in leadership and innovation is what is really needed. This is the very situation that many CLOs (Chief Learning Officers) are faced with today. I met many CLOs of Fortune 500 companies last week at a CLO Summit put on by Marcus Evans, and I have to say they are some of the brightest and most determined individuals I have ever met. Most are astute enough to know what the real issues are but are guided by leadership teams that do not. I commend them for their ability to persevere despite their circumstances. They all chuckled each time one of the presenters joked that, “The key to successful corporate learning is picking the right CEO”.

When considering such ideas, don’t forget to consider the consequences of choosing the status quo. Companies embracing this new perspective are enjoying phenomenal results. Companies like Patagonia report thousands of resumes for every job opening and ivy league MBA graduates applying for shipping jobs just to get a foot in the door with a company that believes in valuing their employees, customers, and the environment more than anything. Dutch Brothers Coffee is opening stores, while Starbucks is closing them, simply because they focus on relationships and it is shining through to their bottom line.

Over time, as more and more companies adopt a 21^st century management model that is aligned with desired outcomes, as well as employee and customer values, a shift of the best and the brightest employees will follow. As the next business cycle heats up, the effects of this shift will become more noticeable. If you are waiting for a clear sign that you are loosing your best talent because your management strategy is left over from the last century before making a change, it will be too late. Unfortunately, we are likely to see a few iconic companies get left behind.

Competitive advantages in the near future will come more from revolutionary changes in management strategy than they will from other more traditional sources such as efficiency and cost control, population growth, and increases in standard of living.

Posted in business, leadership, management, strategy | 1 Comment »

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