Leadership is a Verb ™

The return of Charlie

2012-01-22T22:00:00.002-05:00

In July I blogged about meeting Charlie, the over-confident kid that brought his game to the local basketball court. I said at the time this kid was one to watch.

Well, Charlie showed up at the local Sunday pick-up games. He was about a foot taller and told me he made the local high school freshman team. Charlie was confident as ever, but he was playing his game the same way he played it when he was at the lower level. He was reaching on defense rather than moving his feet. He was watching his shots rather than crashing the boards. He was jogging the fast break rather than running full out.

Charlie will be fine, but it made me wonder if anyone actually told Charlie the game at the next level is different than the one he dominated. This situation happens all the time in the workplace. As if experienced managers want the newly promoted to learn by mistake the way they did. What a waste of time and resources. I always try to inform the newly promoted the two or three things they have to change on day one at the next level. I identify the things that made them successful which will cause them failure at the next level in the organization.

Do you pro-actively guide the newly promoted to navigate the pitfalls you know they will encounter? What are the few you have noticed are the most helpful?

Do you know your “handling fee”?

2012-01-15T18:00:00.002-05:00

Have you ever making an on-line purchase and during the check-out process a surprise “handling fee” turns you off so much you cancel your purchase?

I heard a commentary this week on the radio where the commentator (sorry, I did not catch the reference to give appropriate credit) compared this handling fee to the “baggage” we are bring into the workplace. You know, “John is an amazingly smart guy that delivers the goods, but he can be...” Whatever our handling fee, we should what it is. How much work do we create for our leaders? Jack Welch refers to this as using up our “political capital” in his book “The 4E’s of Leadership”. In baseball this is referred to as the player’s contribution in the clubhouse.

I suppose some of us think we are just super people that are effortless to lead. Something tells me this is just not the case. I thought about myself. I really do not want much from my leaders. That said, this in itself might be a challenge because there are very few external motivators that influence what or how much I do. It is all internal.

As leaders, how do you balance the great work of a teammate that has a high handling fee? Do you know your handling fee and are you worth it?

The return of Dr. Rosling

2012-01-08T18:00:00.004-05:00

Whether you are presenting an accomplishment, negotiating for more budget or selling a great idea, the effectiveness of your message often ties directly to your ability to summarize and present your data. Data is only mildly interesting until it becomes useful information.

In March 2009, I posted a blog (“Turning data into information”) about Professor Hans Rosling’s work at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. While his TED video was about national statistics, it was his ability to present information that captivated me. Dr. Rosling is back and with some technology friends. Together, they are really pushing the edge of effective presentations.

It appears LiaV was not the only group to recognize his keen ability. He had made the transition from impressive researcher to effective presentation guru.

What techniques have you seen help smart people improve their presentations?

Gifts that matter

2011-12-18T19:30:00.004-05:00

Gifting in the workplace is a tough topic on many levels. When you are a true leader, the task is difficult because so many people help you accomplish anything you achieved.

I figured out the answer for me. Gifts that take effort or help someone or something greater than you are always a good thing. So, I determined a small token of appreciation that also supports a non-profit organization could be noticed as an interesting and educational way to thank co-workers. About ten years ago I learned that the annual fund raiser for the Canine Assistance Program of Utah was a hand crafted goat milk soap sale. Since that time, we buy “CAPSOAP” product in bulk and divide it up as appreciation gifts. It sends a nice gifting message, educates and helps an important cause. Everybody wins.

Have you discovered our holiday solutions leaders might use in the workplace?

“I can make it right”

2011-12-04T18:00:00.002-05:00

Given all our complaints about customer service, could you imagine a company only hiring “C” students and giving them the power to make management decisions to make situations right for the customer?

I’ve been a fan of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car hiring and service model for a long time and their most recent TV ads say it all. The ads have Enterprise teammates stating that if a customer ever has a problem, “I can make it right.” If you have ever dealt with Enterprise, it is true. Enterprise is family owned, hire highly social, C students with leadership potential. They train them, put them in charge and let them make decisions. Seems like such a simple concept.

Do you give your teammates the decision authority to get their job done? Do they know what decision power they have? Do you cause non-value added checks and balances?

I love bad news

2011-11-27T18:30:00.000-05:00

Probably not true. A mentee asked me once, “Why do managers not like bad news?” While the answer seemed obvious, I took a moment to understand the question.

It was clear from the question that this person (and probably many people) had not been rewarded for telling their boss something bad that they needed to hear. Often the bearer of bad news becomes associated with the news itself. Shooting the messenger is a common trait of leaders with limited emotional intelligence. I once lead a quality organization and it became clear to me that I was the grim reaper of constant bad news. I had to purposefully starting inserting good news stories to avoid that “dark shadow in the doorway” image. Mature leaders of high emotional intelligence are able to encourage their teams to bring them news of all types without over reacting.

Do you act or react when people give you bad news. Do you reward people for keeping you informed or punish for being the messenger? How have you been able to overcome the desire to shoot the messenger?

Can government work be cool?

2011-11-13T19:00:00.005-05:00

Why is it we love our mailman and hate the DMV? Could it be your mailman’s autonomy makes them more customer-oriented or flexible?

What would you do if you were responsible for the work policies of the federal government and President Obama gave you the goal “to make government cool again by developing flexible, results-oriented Human Resource policies and working to change how Americans view their public servants“? That was exactly the assignment John Berry, United States Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) got in early 2010. His first strategy, was to make The Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–292) a reality because it provided the authority to develop flexible policies, tools and training.

I heard about this charge and the progress being made by the Mr. Berry and explored their website (www.telework.gov). The US government has collected many best practices used throughout industry for virtual work programs. It subscribes to the belief that successful virtual work is a “90% people challenge and 10% technology.” Written agreements, goal setting, frequent communication and strong performance management are cornerstones of the program.

How formal have you implemented your virtual work programs? Did you fundamentally change your leadership style to lead a virtual team?

How late can we celebrate?

2011-10-16T20:00:00.002-04:00

On 26 September 2011, Boeing delivered the first 787 Dreamliner to airline ANA after a three year delay. The aircraft is a technological achievement unmatched in aerospace and will create a customer flying experience like no other. The event was celebrated.

The 911 Memorial officially opened on 11 September 2011 after ten years of debate, design, coordination and construction. “The Memorial is a national tribute of remembrance and honor to the 2,983 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993.” The event was celebrated.
This weekend, an international team under my leadership achieved an aerospace manufacturing milestone of large implication, significance and meaning. While the project concluded one year late, it has the potential to change the face of aero-structure assembly for years to come. The event was celebrated locally with no fanfare or drama.

Should a significant accomplishment be celebrated in the same way whether on time or significantly late?

Artificial Barriers

2011-10-09T17:00:00.001-04:00

One of the occupational consequences of working international projects is an abundance of long flight hours with time to kill. Once all the possible staff-work is complete and I’ve read as much as possible, the airline movie marathon starts. I categorize movies based on if I’d be willing to pay to see them at a theater, willing to pay to Netflix them, willing to watch them for free on a plane and last, movies I cannot even to watch for free. Sometimes I’m pleasantly surprised by a movie I’ve never heard of.

“Cold Souls” (2009) starring Paul Giamatti was very odd and a nice surprise. An interesting scene in the movie involved a doctor explaining to Giamatti the concept of tying a young circus elephant’s ankle to a tent spike to stop them from wondering off. When young, the spike is strong enough to stop the elephant. The elephant “learns” that they cannot over-take the constraint. As the elephant grows bigger and stronger, they never question the power of the constraint. Of course the spike is no match for the large elephant, but they never try to over-power it.

This made me wonder what constraints we artificially apply to ourselves and/or what barriers our people believe that really do not exist. How often have you heard “we have never done it that way” or “this will never work?”

What artificial constraints can you remove for your people? What items can you fix that have really bothered the teams reporting to you?

Vision accomplished

2011-09-25T17:30:00.003-04:00

Each of the days following Hurricane Irene was the same for us. We would come home from work to find no power. We would BBQ dinner outside and once it got dark we would walk downtown where some street lights and stores had electricity. Starbucks was one of those with power and the first night there were about 10 folks there getting a charge and internet fix. By day two, there were about 25 people at Starbucks getting a charge and the nightly internet fix. Day 3 saw the crowd grow to over 50 and then even more the next. People brought power strips, shared open outlets and we all sat around together. It was the night time community social area.

I’m not the biggest Starbucks fan, but I just finished reading Howard Schultz book “Onward”. It is the CEO’s story of Starbucks since the beginning, but with special focus on the turn around since 2008. Schultz says he was not trying to create a coffee place for people, but a people place that served coffee. The Starbucks Experience has many elements and free internet and power are a part of the formula. I hate to give Schultz too much credit, but our local Starbucks met his goal in the days after Irene and I suspect he would have been proud. Very seldom do vision and results ever match as closely as this.

Have you ever seen a leadership vision and results align this closely? What was the situation?

Power On!!!

2011-09-05T17:30:00.002-04:00

Where has LiaV been? It has been four weeks since we last heard.

Simple enough, a week vacation and week in China and a week in India and a week in Irene! Just got power and internet back a little while ago. We got hit pretty hard, but much less than many on the coast line and in Vermont so I’m not going to tell you it was really bad. It was an event and there were few lessons.

First – we do not need much of the stuff that we have. I lived out of a suitcase for 3 weeks and then in the post-Irene world for a week. It is not a big deal. Being without power for five days made the house a quiet and dark place, but totally livable. The BBQ was going each night and everyone was helping each other. We should have started a multi-day Monopoly game.

Second – Web 2.0 technology has morphed from something for kids and shopping to a basic communication tool for those needing to get and give information. The city of New Canaan had one-way communication on their web site but their Office of Emergency Management established a Facebook page early. This allowed for two way communication and created an environment for people to communicate with each other. It made a big difference in causing everyone to work together and be part of the solution. What was the single technology that allowed this leap – the smart-phone. It does not require connected power or internet access.

There are lessons here for leaders of all types. What do you think we can do with these lessons?

When do leaders risk it all?

2011-08-08T18:00:00.002-04:00

After a beautiful week of surf and fun in Huntington Beach, CA, it came down to the finals of the men’s Nike US Open of Surfing competition with reigning 10-Time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (Cocoa Beach, FL) versust Yadin Nicol (Australia) at the iconic Huntington Beach Pier.

Slater had been surfing well all week. Nicol had been making average waves into big scores for 9 days. So, what does the contender do to overcome the champion? In this case he took a risk and tried something new. Nicol went out deeper than he had all week, became extremely patient and waited for the big wave to catch an awesome score. Unfortunately for him, there was no perfect wave Sunday afternoon and he went the 30 minute segment without surfing a single wave. Slater won with a few decent scores on average waves. The fans were disappointed and Nicol was not a happy camper.

This does beg the question about when is the right time to take a risk and try something different. In a serious situation, do you go with the familiar or try something completely new? Do you go for the big score or win the old fashion way?

If this surfing championship were a business situation, what approach would you have taken? Has it worked for you in the past?

“Vibe Tribe”

2011-07-24T21:00:00.002-04:00

“We can’t paint the plant exterior this weekend because the hippies are coming to town.” Say what? Dave made this statement in a Facilities review a week ago. What could he possibly be talking about? It was the 4 day Gathering of the Vibes Music and Art Festival at Seaside Park in Bridgeport, CT. I figured for sure, there was some stereotyping going on. I blogged a couple weeks ago about the Clearwater Music Festival and I did not think any event could bring out more hippies.

I’ve shared the leadership lessons from Coachella, Austin City Limits and Clearwater. Generally, these festivals offer us all an opportunity to experience diversity. The Vibes was no exception. This was a celebration of the 1960’s era along with more contemporary. Many world peace organizations had platforms and booths the share information about their causes.

What out of the ordinary experience did you have this weekend?

PS – Anyone LIAV members been to Bonnaroo? That’s next.

Do you create Charlies?

2011-07-17T21:20:00.001-04:00

This skinny kid with wavy hair and bright eyes wandered down to the end of the court where my nephew and I shooting hoops. This kid is probably only 13 years old and says “you guys want to play some twenty-one or something?” As it turns out, the kid has game but struggles against our size and experience.

Charlie tells us he caddied at the golf course early this morning and played hoops in his drive most the day. He was bored playing by himself so his mom drove him to the city court. Turns out, we were the only guys playing that hot evening. Charlie was headed to basketball camp the next week and planned to play freshman high school ball when the school year starts. This kid has passion for what he is doing. Can you imagine a work team with the passion of Charlie? “Drive – The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” by Daniel H. Pink asks the question, “why will we do something for free that we would not do for pay?” Part of the secret is to align the individual’s passion with the available assignments.

How do you capitalize on the innate passion of your teammates? How do you keep your own passion aligned?

Cereal Killer

2011-07-04T18:00:00.002-04:00

Ok. I admit it. I am a self confessed “cereal killer.” I have been since as a teenager I could devour a whole box of Cheerios at one sitting. If you were hearing this admission rather than reading it, this would be a very concerning blog post. This phenomenon happens all the time with the English language and even worse when communicating with someone whose English is a second language.

It happened one time when I was mentoring a young Chinese born manufacturing professional as I and asked her if she “ever planned to enter a cleaner side of the industry?” Her reaction was obvious and I came to learn she thought I was insinuating she might enter the dry cleaning industry. It happened internationally a couple weeks ago when the words “blame” and “hold accountable” were used interchangeably. They definitely have difference connotations in the United States. The funniest wording mix-up I’ve heard came from a friend that publically said she forgot her “pants” instead of “trousers” while in the UK. That brought a lot of smiles.

Have you learned from an important mistake? Does it happen within the United States too?

Hippy Power

2011-06-19T21:00:00.003-04:00

The tickets never arrived. They were using a home grown system. The help line was overrun and they could not keep up with email traffic. We were deciding whether it was worth driving to the show and not getting in. We did and it was no problem. We explained the problem to the hippy at the “ticket solutions” tent and he sent us into the festival.

I’m talking about the Clearwater Music & Environmental Festival at Croton Point Park in New York. The music drew us to the event, but the diversity of thought at this event was stimulating. In April 2009, I posted a blog about forcing yourself to become immersed in Gen Y diversity. This weekend was about being overcome by Boomer diversity. Clearwater has an interesting way of exposing one to a world displaying where all the hippies landed. The event was “zero waste” and energy neutral. The 30 plus activist booths included knowledgeable and passionate people of many causes. It was an eye opening experience.

What did you do this month to meet a group of people outside you normal sphere? Can you inquire and learn from people you do not necessarily agree with?

Ignoring a problem is accepting it

2011-06-05T19:00:00.002-04:00

This weekend, my brother, nephew and I laid 300 square feet of Connecticut gray slate in the back yard. They were heavy, awkward and dangerous. We wore the proper hand and eye protection and there were no injuries.

As a leader, every time you walk by an unsafe working practice you are accepting it? We do not get the choice to ignore it. Sooner or later, someone gets hurt bad.

The safety pyramid was brought to my attention late last week and appreciated its simplicity. For every so many bad practices something will happen. For so many events happening, a something really bad happens. And so on. H.W. Heinrich, a pioneer of occupational safety, came up with the original accident pyramid in 1931.

Do you speak up when you see something unsafe or done dangerously?

Never give up

2011-05-31T21:30:00.005-04:00

The 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 was this past Sunday. 500 miles in 200 laps around a 2.5 mile, 4 turn historic track.

I can’t bring myself to watch two full hours of racing, but I definitely like the finish of this race given the distinguished field of international racers. There were the normal contenders and the new hopefuls. At the end of it all, rookie J.R. Hildebrand had the lead going into the last lap. He was ahead by a lot and simply had to stay on the course to win. Sounds easy, but it didn’t happen. On the last turn, Hildebrand slid out and crashed into the wall allowing Dan Weldon to slip by within 100 feet of the finish line to take the victory. Weldon had not led the race for a single lap up to that point. He had no hope of winning and most of the afternoon was about staying in the race. Can you imagine the coaching Weldon got that afternoon during the long two hours from his crew in the pit.

Often as leader, you have to coach your team to stay the course, plow ahead and good things will happen. Even the most insightful lead does not know for sure that perseverance will pay off, but we do know without it, we are doomed. Weldon stayed in the won.

Have you had to coach in what seemed like a losing effort? How did you motivate the team? Did the victory ever jump from the jaws of defeat?

Sometimes leaders do have the answer

2011-05-22T21:00:00.002-04:00

It was getting late Friday afternoon and time to go home. That’s when Jamal stepped into my office and asked if it was ok to close the door. Jamal is a hard working young professional that has a lot of promise. Unfortunately, he looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

After beating around the bush for what seemed like forever, he shared what was bothering him. He said the situation was keeping him up at night and making him ill. Without going into too much detail, his challenge was one of being pursued by multiple managers while balancing loyalty to his home department. There more details. Once I had the pertinent facts, the answer and approach Jamal had to take was clear. Of course, clear to me given 30 years of organizational experience. “Great performers get choices and other may not.” I explained to him how I would handle the situation to maximize everyone’s satisfaction. You could see the weight removed. It is true, sometimes leaders do have the answer and they must simply share it. I wondered as I drove home, what Jamal would have done this weekend had I not been available or had not taken the time to talk.

As a leader, do you give direct and unambiguous opinion when appropriate? Do you tell it straight even when it may not be what someone wants to hear

Jimmy Olsen or Superman?

2011-05-15T18:00:00.003-04:00

I got an email this week from a project element leader stationed overseas that provided the performance results. It was the third month in a row performance was below plan and the three month trend was negative. The note came with a simple “here are the results.” No explanation of why or what was going to be done to put the project on track.

Remember James Bartholomew Olsen (Jimmy Olsen) from the Superman TV shows and movies? Do you know the difference between Jimmy Olsen and Superman? It is simple – Jimmy Olsen reports history and Superman changes it! Olsen sees a situation, collects information and runs back to tell “the Chief” (the newspaper editor). Superman sees a situation, assesses it and takes action to change the outcome. If leadership is really a verb, then leadership is action and not a report. This lesson is especially important to leaders located in geographically dispersed places (virtual leaders). It is hard to see the leadership action of a teammate 9,000 miles away. People only see the action implied in the communications they provide. So, the next time you are providing an update to the project you are leading, consider the message you are sending.

How do you demonstrate action in the remote communications you provide? Have you considered methods to improve them?

Blackberry drained the pool

2011-05-01T12:00:00.001-04:00

“You know what killed our ability to develop young leaders don’t you?” Dave said as he held up his Blackberry. “It used to be that we had to make the hard decisions when our bosses were away. Now, you just email your manager in Timbuktu and she emails the answer back in seconds.”

Whether you are recruiting it, developing it or just worrying about it, talent is the life blood of the role of leadership. Early in our careers we were put in situations where a decision had to me made and there was no one to ask. This made us think through the ramifications of the alternatives and select one. Sometimes we picked the least risky and other times we decided to double down. Sometimes we were right and others times we were off base. We learned from the wins and even more from the failures. If we were lucky enough to work for a true leader, they would return and “coach” us in private. If not, we learned the error of our ways in front of the full team. In either case, we learned how to make the tough decisions.

Dave and I talked about learning to swim (lead) by being tossed into the deep end of the pool and how leaders that are not careful can end up draining the pool. How we use our Blackberry is a decision we make. We as leaders choose if and how we answer subordinate inquiries. We choose whether we let them develop their reasoning and decision skills or just give them the answers. We have the option to respond, “Make a decision and I’ll support you when I return.”

Are you letting you Blackberry drain the deep end of the leadership development pool? How do you make sure it does not?

Snake solution

2011-04-24T12:00:00.002-04:00

Why not so much a leadership topic, this is why you have not heard from LiaV lately.

After decades of travel, I finally had a close call. I came down with what we call the "Jingdezhen hack" (like a smoker's cough) while in Jingdezhen China. The local "pharmacy" gave me "999" to resolve the symptoms. I found out later it was some kind of ground up snake parts! The condition got worse. I often try to exercise in cases of a cold so on Saturday morning I did two laps around Century Park in central Shanghai. It did not seem to help and the condition got worse so I went to an expat clinic in Shanghai. At first they thought it was pneumonia and did not want me to fly to India that afternoon. They did an x-ray, gave me drugs and let me fly to India. A day later the Shanghai doctor emailed me saying it was pneumonia and to be very careful. I was feeling a little better but still had a deep chest cough that continued the week.

I got back to CT yesterday and saw my local doctor. She confirmed pneumonia and said it was amazing I'm not down ill. She gave more meds and told me not to exercise until the breathing straightens out.

Leaders – travel safe!

Are you solving puzzles or mysteries?

2011-03-20T21:00:00.002-04:00

To be a successful leader on an international stage you have to be extremely curious. Sure, you must have great technical skills, understand cultures and languages and excel at virtual leadership capabilities, but having a healthy curiosity brings it all together.

I’ve shared this time and time again and drive it into the international organization I now lead. While I knew it to be true, I did not have a firm basis for my belief. While reading Malcolm Gladwell’s latest release this weekend (“What the Dog Saw and other adventures”) it all came together. The Million-Dollar Murray chapter discusses in depth the different between solving a puzzle and solving a mystery. Gladwell’s theory suggests that solving “puzzles are transmitter dependent and mysteries are receiver dependent.” One of Gladwell’s examples was the difference between Watergate (Deep Throat was the transmitter) and Enron (reporters and analyst were the receivers and found the issues in the public accounting statements).

For the international leader, this means a successful business relationship is not as simple as reading a book. It involves taking the huge amount of disparate data points and painting the successful approach. It is your role as the leader to interpret what you are given.

As a leader, do you try to solve puzzles or focus on mysteries?

Jim, Tim and Earl have character!

2011-03-13T20:00:00.002-04:00

Jim Burr, Tim Higgins and Earl Walton made a mistake. They missed a game ending Big East Conference second-round basketball call at Madison Square Garden that ended the Rutgers University season prematurely. It was obvious and misfortunate.
Here is the big difference that makes me bring it to the attention of the LiaV community. Referees Burr, Higgins and Walton took complete ownership in their error and removed themselves from the rest of the tournament. They administered self discipline. There was no investigation, review or committee. They recognized their mistake, felt a huge sense of injustice and decided the right path forward without any further consideration.
As leaders, we are going to make mistakes. We need to own them, do the right corrective action and move forward. Admit to your shortfalls before others do and take your own corrective action. I wanted St. Johns to win this basketball game, but t not this way. The self action of the referees renewed my faith in the refs that made the error.
Have you seen a leader take ownership for an error? How did it make you feel?

R u stdyg us as mch as we r u? (2)

2011-03-06T20:00:00.002-05:00

We met Josh and Elizabeth in downtown NYC for an evening of good food and conversation. The four of us had mutual professional interests but viewed the world from very different perspectives. Two of us were just starting our careers and the other two were enjoying the benefits of successful careers Around that table (other than some gray hair) you could not tell who was who.

A few years ago, I posted the question “Are you studying us as much as we are you?” The hypothesis was that boomers were spending a lot more effort learning to be successful working with Gen Y’s than they were on how to work with us. The comments to the posting indicated that those in leadership roles had the responsibility to do the learning. One person even commented that the boomers need the Gen Ys far more than the Gen Ys need them. Well, my faith has been restored. QR codes, social networkings in the workplace and knowledge management solutions were tossed around the table with excitement. The table was vibrating with curiosity as we shared different perspectives. The visit was a blast and one well worth the effort.

As leaders, how are you staying current with work place technology opportunities? Who are your Josh and Elizabeth 25 year old mentors?

LiaV™ recognized again – Thank you

2011-03-02T21:00:00.001-05:00

On-Line University.net has selected “Leadership is a Verb™” as one of the best fifty leadership blogs on the web. The list includes many others that are worth your viewing – some professional and other amateur.

Thank you for the encouragement and making our community successful.

Are U Happy?

2011-02-06T20:00:00.003-05:00

A leader that knows what makes them happy is far more likely to understand what makes others happy. The 17 June 2004 article by James Montier in Global Equity Strategy tilted “The Psychology of Happiness” outlines where happiness comes from.

Here is Montier’s top ten list for improving happiness (in no particular order)

1) Don’t equate happiness with money.
2) Exercise regularly.
3) Have sex (preferably with someone you love).
4) Devote time and effort to close relationships..
5) Pause for reflection; meditate on the good things in life.
6) Seek work that engages your skills; look to enjoy your job.
7) Give your body the sleep it needs.
8) Don’t pursue happiness for its own sake, enjoy the moment.
9) Take control of your life, set yourself achievable goals.
10) Remember to follow the rules.

How many of these ten do you do?

http://www.trendfollowing.com/whitepaper/happiness.pdf

Mildly interesting, not relevant

2011-01-31T21:30:00.002-05:00

I had the opportunity last week to hear a senior Army officer speak about his priorities and the importance of contractor performance to them achieving their objectives. He was quite focused and knew his topic. On a couple occasions during the talk he described certain information as “mildly interesting, not relevant.”

So many things are mildly interesting and not relevant. It often seems like a leaders job is to sort through the mildly interesting to find the relevant. In fact, some experts would say that is a key skill a true leader must have. I would suggest the same skill is critical for team members to understand when communicating with their leadership. Everyone is busy. To be an effective communicator, one must thoroughly determine what is fluff and what is important. If you can do this, your message will get through.

How do you teach your teams the difference between what is mildly interesting and what is truly relevant? Has it worked?

Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle

2011-01-23T21:00:00.000-05:00

“In quantum mechanics, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle states by precise inequalities that certain pairs of physical properties, such as position and momentum, cannot be simultaneously known to arbitrarily high precision. That is, the more precisely one property is measured, the less precisely the other can be measured.”
I first starting web searching this topic today because there was reference to it in the New York Times. The way the author there described the principle seemed to be relatable to our leadership topic. So what did I learn? First, look up information you read to see if it is true. Second, quantum mechanics is very interesting and complex.
What does it have to do leadership? Simply that we all balance priorities, resources, effort and attention. While the quantum folks are balancing position and momentum measurement accuracy, we tend to balance quality and speed. In past posts (“Understanding the blind spots”), I’ve shared the decision model for leaders that has urgency on the Y axis and importance on the X axis. Simple guidelines like this can help leaders focus.
Hopefully none of you are professionals of quantum physics and able to tell how much I butchered Mr. Heisenberg’s work.
What tools or guidelines do you use to prioritize your time and focus?

Refrigerators and Microwaves

2011-01-16T20:00:00.004-05:00

The first manufacturing management assignment I had (called a foreman back then) was assembling the MD-80 upper aft fuselage. It was loud, dirty, had plenty of shortages and the parts did not fit together very well. Lean was not cool yet. You’d think the team I was responsible for would want my help fixing these issues, but they did not. They told me in no uncertain terms that they needed a new refrigerator in order for productivity to improve. I got them a refrigerator. The next group needed a microwave oven. I got them an oven. Another group needed filing cabinets. I got them. An exhausted Supplier Management team just needed a day off. We took the heat and shut down for a holiday weekend. Time and time again, leaders need to help teams with the fundamentals before moving to the more complicated.

The funny thing is these are not new concepts. Abraham Maslow (Hierarchy of Needs - 1943) and Fredrick Hertzberg (Motivation-Hygiene Theory - 1963) have been taught for years. I formally learned them in 1980. Sometimes in our quest for the “new and exciting” we do not give proper credence to the tried-and-true. Bottom line, it is unlikely a team of people can do fantastic work when their basic needs are not being met. Key here is that the leader does not select what the basic needs are or if they are being met. The team or the customer selects.

We all want to work on the latest and greatest, but we need to ensure the “refrigerators and microwaves” are in working order first. Where have you seen this done well?

Leaders find opportunity

2011-01-09T18:00:00.003-05:00

It was November 1999 and Cheryl asked her team to develop a list of all the IT applications that they believe had no real use. The assignment created a list of over 500 reports and summaries. The IT team was authorized to turn all of them off over the holidays and was instructed that if any of the users speak up, simply mention Y2K and turn the report back on immediately. Interestingly, the only person to inquiry was the courier that carries the report, not the actual user!

Each year, the holiday break allows me to rethink my leadership and team interface approach. This ensures I make the adjustments needed to be the most effective. This year was no different. As leaders, we need to be open to seeing change as opportunities for improvement. While the rest of the work force might fear the upcoming new environment, leaders have the ability to see the future and how the change will help them achieve their objectives.

What recent changes have you used to your team’s advantage? Do you re-assess your leadership approach at least annually?

Leadership 2011

2011-01-01T21:30:00.002-05:00

Thank you to all that participated in LiaV in 2010. It was an exciting year with lots of leadership topics discussed and lessons learned. You made this forum what it has become.

Please let me us know if you have ideas for improvements for 2011.

The seating of leaders

2010-12-19T18:00:00.002-05:00

I attended two year-end senior leadership events in the last couple weeks and something became very obvious. People notice where leaders sit.

The first was a senior leadership objectives alignment meeting where the top leadership filled the front row of the venue. Each had a speaking role and this did make the transition between speakers smooth. The second was a large holiday celebration party where the senior leadership gathered together at a front and center table with their significant others. In both cases, the seating was “expected.” People shared two thoughts on the seating of leaders. Many traditionalists felt they wanted their leader at the front table to show the importance of the organization in which they work. The newer teammates would have liked to have seen their leaders sitting with their teams to learn about them as people rather than executives. From my perspective as a senior leader, it reminded me of all those years sitting at the kids table on Thanksgiving, only to become old enough to be “promoted” to the adult table to find the old table was a lot more fun!

Where would you like to see your leader sit at large company function? Where do you sit as a leader?

Leaders have to set the standard

2010-12-05T21:45:00.003-05:00

The University of Oregon football team has developed a new approach that moves very quickly and keeps its opponents off guard. They have not lost a game this season and will play in the national championship game.

This, unfortunately, has brought out some of the worst of its competition. On November 13th, Aaron Tipoti (#40) of the University of California at Berkeley was instructed by his coach to fake an injury an effort to slow down the Oregon team. It became obvious from the YouTube video watched by thousands that Berkeley Coach Jeff Tedford delivered the instructions for the ruse.

We continuously to hear and see poor sportsmanship in college and professional sports. We normally think of it as something linked to spoiled, overpaid, over-hyped athletes. This case the coach instructed the athlete to cross the ethics line. Then, to make matters worse, Aaron Tipoti did the unethical act. As leaders, the standards we set ripple throughout the team. Whether it is actually instructing unethical behavior or role modeling it, people do what we indicate is ok.

How do you ensure you leadership messages so up to standard that you would like thousands to view them on YouTube?

A leader’s willingness

2010-11-28T21:00:00.002-05:00

At the end of a recent trip to India, I relived a valuable leadership lesson originally learned when I was fourteen years old.

We were having dinner and one of the team complemented me on the wide variety of skills I have picked up over the years working international aerospace projects. My comment back to him was that “it is less what I can do than it is what I am willing to do.” Many people know how to do certain tasks, but far less people willing to do the travel, work the time zone differences, read the cultural books, work the relationships and learn the customs. Coach Ed Noel taught me this lesson when I started playing organized sports. He told me there would always be players better than me, but none of them should put in more effort. Doing the extra sprints, foul shots, defensive drills, dribbling exercises and taking those darn offensive fouls will pay off in the end. It was all about what effort you are willing to put out.

People see what their leaders are willing to do. It makes a statement to the whole organization and those around it. Some call it being a role model, but I’m talking about something more extreme. It is the attitude that nothing is beneath you or beyond your reach. It is effort and being willing to do whatever it takes.

How you demonstrate your willingness to your teams?

Do U “CBM”

2010-11-14T20:00:00.002-05:00

Greetings from India.

Remya was taking a lot of notes as her bosses practiced their tour explanations. She was plotting the flow and observing the gestures. Everything had to be perfect. The CEO’s of two of the largest companies in the world were going to visit and this was their opportunity to demonstrate their accomplishments.

After about 15 tries, one of the senior executives and I noticed that she was always the one with the correct answer to any of our questions. We looked at each other and decided to let her give us a tour and she how she did. She did amazingly. She had been studying and really nailed it. Later that evening, the other executive mentioned to me that Remya had a real “CBM” today. I asked what that was and he replied, a “Confidence Building Moment.” What a great concept.

As leaders, we have the ability to create CBMs whenever we want. We can make people feel bad about their mistakes or we can use them to build talent and confidence. We can let our people stretch into new assignments or hold them back. We can encourage our people to grow or we can smother them with administrative tasks.

What CBMs have you given your people this week?

Death by Blackberry

2010-10-31T18:02:00.000-04:00

Every once in a while, Leadership is a Verb makes a very simple observation and recommendation. Below is an email I sent to my team concerning safety:

“A car travels approximately the length of a football field in 5 seconds. The same amount of time as that to glance at an email on the Blackberry. Using a Blackberry while driving is against the law and VERY unsafe. It is not a sign of your robust virtual skills.

I believe some of you are doing it to be efficient, timely or just boredom. Please stop. Someone is going to get hurt.

Thank you for your support on this important safety topic.

John”

As a leader, how often do you coach your people in such simple and clear manner?

“Unconscious Incompetence”

2010-10-24T21:00:00.003-04:00

Over the last year, I’ve noticed a trend in how certain drivers react to runners. The final half mile of my regular run takes me by the A&P grocery store. I’ve noticed there are basically four types of drivers coming into and out-off the driveways. There are those that are completely oblivious (these folks are very dangerous), those that purposefully cut you out, those that see you and slow down and those that approach cautiously as if they always drive with care. So you ask, what does this have to do with leadership?

Last week, a Human Resources professional shared the “Stages of Professional Development” provided to him by Tulin Diveriteam Associates. It also appeared in an old blog post by Benjamin Ellis on Redcatco. The model describes the continuum of professional develop in term of “consciousness” and “competence.” The order triggered with me because it completely matched the skill and/or attitude of the drivers I’ve been encountering (1. Unconscious Incompetence, 2. Conscious Incompetence, 3. Conscious Competence, and 4. Unconscious Competence). I like it when my observations are later explained based on a model. This model seems particularly helpful because it points out the importance of providing people feedback.

What are your thoughts of this continuum? Do you have situations where it applies?

David P. Tulin – President & Founder, ©2010 Tulin DiversiTeam Associates, 215-870-0349, dtulin@diversiteam.com, http://diversiteam.com/

Redcatco – Social Technology for Business - Benjamin Ellis – April 12, 2007 - http://redcatco.com/blog/leadership/learning/you-live-you-learn-learn-to-learn-learn-to-live/

Tribes

2010-10-17T21:00:00.003-04:00

The Austin City Limits Music Festival brings together 100,000 of your closest friends to enjoy a wide variety of music, art and entertainment. In the midst of the mass of humanity enjoying music on five stages, there were an unusually large number of flags being flown. There were state, university, product and homemade flags. Observing closer, they were being used to help groups find their home base and the advertise something about the group.

People within a very large organization want to be in their local tribes. They need to be part of something they understand and with like minded people. Whether it is a large concert event or a large company, leaders need to create the "esprit de corps” of a smaller team. While this runs counter intuitive to the goals of some CEOs, it is something leaders at the working level must understand and achieve.

What do you do for your team to help them be a part of something smaller?

Defend the crazy?

2010-10-11T13:00:00.003-04:00

I was a superintendant of MD-11 Major Structures Production back in the days when that was not a very friendly place. The requirements of the position were extreme and it always seemed like people were thinking of reasons to cause us to fail. Long hours and seven day weeks wore on us all. Quality was to slow. Tooling never worked. Engineering designed the impossible. And, those Supplier Management guys lost the parts on purpose! Of course none of this was true, but unfortunately we believed it at the time.

One day my director came through and I was expecting the same butt kicking I normally got. This day was different. He asked me if I would be willing to take an assignment in Supplier Management to “straighten out those parts guys.” I was told earlier in my career to be careful what you complain about because someone will select you to fix it. Funny what happens in situations like these. The same people that thought they would be fired taught me the way I ran production caused many of the problems. I quickly learned there were good people all over trying to do the right things. I could not believe how quickly I could help the new team and improve performance. They were surprised this “crazy production guy” would actually defend them in public.

Have you experienced a change were you moved to a team you did not much respect only to find you had an incorrect perception of their capability and intend? What did you do?

Another case for great talent

2010-09-26T06:00:00.002-04:00

Yes, I’ve been on the road with limited on-line access for a while!

Things always seem to break when you need them most. You know, the car does not start the day you are running late to work for an important event or to the airport for a flight. What if you had a 100% effective back-up plan for all possible contingencies?

A week ago, I got a new executive boss. There was no doubt he would be very curious and inquire about everything. I, on the other hand, was headed out on an international supplier Program Management Review cycle through Poland, Czech and China. Following my return, we were headed out on a two week holiday road trip.

So how does one deal with such a combination crisis? Easy, develop and recruit people more talented than yourself. (Remember - A’s hire A’s and B’s hire C’s.) The team is handling the transition without a bump in the road. The team we grew is ready to lead without me and is performing amazingly. Each individual is more talented than I with great combined capability.

Would your organization be able to cover your four week absence? Would you trust them to break-in your new boss?

Outdated

2010-08-29T20:00:00.002-04:00

Last week was an exciting week in Hyderabad, India. It included the typical day old meetings, team building dinners, equipment and hardware reviews and lesson after lesson of culture.

But this visit had very special meaning. For the last year, the drive from the hotel to the facility has been an exciting 75 minutes of twists, turns, pumps, jumps, transitions, traffic, construction, obstructions and general discomfort. No more. A number of new roads opened and a smooth ride resulted.

So what does this have to do with old habits you might ask? A few of these newly opened roads also have new sidewalks that are level, clean, unobstructed and unused. Everyone was still walking in the streets. I asked why and generally the answer revolved around the idea that sidewalks are generally not the cleanest and level of places to walk. But this case was different. The sidewalks were clear and ready to be used. It made me think of what old leadership habits we all have that are no longer relevant. Things we do from habit whose basis is gone.

What do you do from habit that you should stop? Have you caught yourself lately doing some no longer relevant?

12 year old priority

2010-08-22T19:00:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago we talked about the “major league mentoring” Gloria James provided her son. While this story got a lot of comment, less famous moms are providing great advice to leaders all the time.

Gerry was trying to make a very difficult career decision. It was a common question of balancing career and work with family and health. In reality, the answer to the question is so simple. Family and health need to be in line or your career and work performance will never be maximized. Unfortunately, it is often hard to see the obvious and we need someone to help.

In Gerry’s case there were young boys and a wife all in need of his assistance. Once Gerry came to what I’ll call the obvious decision, I asked him what helped him come to the right conclusion. He said he sought the coaching and advice of many people he trusted, but the thoughts from his mother weighed heavily. Gerry’s said his mom only asked him, “What do you think I would have done when you were 12 years old and needed my help?” From that point forward, Gerry focused on the critical issues and is back to his career in a much more balanced manner.

Do you have that person you can depend on for honest guidance? Do you take the trust others give you to provide guidance as seriously as you should?

Banana nut attitude

2010-08-15T21:00:00.002-04:00

This was a good Sunday morning. I woke up to warm banana nut muffins and hot coffee. The muffins were made healthy, except perhaps for those little chocolate chips.

A few hours later, I went for my Sunday “long run” preparing for the New Haven 20K race in a few months. The first three miles went fine. I was a little full from those great muffins, but ok. Around mile five the muffins were becoming my enemy. In mile five I was mad at myself for having eaten more than one, wondering why my wife had made them, concerned my race preparation was going poorly and hoping I would make it home in one piece. Mile six made me walk for a bit.

While I was walking with these negative thoughts it occurred to me that it was really nice outdoors, there were plenty of other people walking the path with me and I had a whole Sunday off in front of me. Within a moment, my attitude changed and all was good. As leaders, we owe it to our people to help them see the bigger picture. We are not hiding the truth, but putting the situation in perspective. Within a moment, I changed mine and enjoyed what I was doing. I’ll do fine in the race in a few weeks (thank goodness I don’t run for a living!).

Have you caught your self-attitude in the past and “decided” to be satisfied? Do you believe satisfaction is a decision away?

Watch out Gen Y – Delaney is coming

2010-08-08T18:10:00.001-04:00

I got to hang out with my niece during a recent trip to California. Knowing I like music and live performances, Delaney wanted to share her favorite song with me. She ran and got her mom’s iPhone from the purse, surfed the icons and music directory and played “Delaney talks to Statutes” by Jimmy Buffet. The song was classic Jimmy Buffet but that was not the special thing.

After playing the song with a big smile, I asked Delaney if she could spell her name. She then surfed the icons on the iPhone again, found the keyboard and typed “Delaney.” So what you might say, but Delaney is THREE YEARS OLD and not capable of holding a pencil steady enough to write clearly. As leaders, if you think GenY’s are a different breed, just wait until Delaney and her friends enter the workforce. This is going to be something really special.

Another way of thinking about this lesson involves your personal skill set. Are you doing everything within your power to stay current and relevant? Do you learn the lessons the kids are teaching?

What would your museum say?

2010-07-26T11:04:00.003-04:00

After the US Coast Guard flag ceremony while driving through the back roads of Connecticut looking for the two big casinos, we stumbled upon the “John Bishop Museum.” Build in 1810; it was far ahead of its time in terms of building techniques.

Think about this concept. What would be in a museum dedicated to you? What if someone secretly watched over everything you did, then collected the stories and artifacts and assembled them into the museum of your life for all to see? What would the museum say about you? What would your life stand for? Would the good supersede the not so good?

The idea of having your personal museum was originally brought to my attention by John Strelecky in his best seller “Big Five for Life.” The concept makes you think about your priorities.

Would you want to visit your own museum? Would others?

Major league mentoring

2010-07-18T21:15:00.003-04:00

Thursday morning started out pretty much as normal for Gloria. She woke, had breakfast and read the paper. Perhaps she watched the news or a morning TV show like millions of Americans. When her son called, it was not a surprise.

But this was not going to be a typical day. Her son was making an important career decision and she was about to be asked her opinion. Many of us in leadership are asked by junior colleagues our opinion about career decisions. Generally, we do our best to provide honest and credible advice. Gloria did the same. She coached her son to make the decision that would most make him happy. To take the path that best meets your needs. Gloria’s advice gave her son the freedom to make a very significant change.

Gloria James had no idea the reaction Lebron’s decision would create. Her advice was sound and the rest is history.

Have you ever been asked for career guidance and under estimated the result? How did you react?

Lost and Found

2010-07-05T21:00:00.002-04:00

I hope all our LiaV community that celebrate the July 4th Independence Day did so safely.

We certainly did and have a leadership lesson from it. The evening of the 4th was spent at Waveny Park in New Canaan for the fireworks display. It was your quintessential New England small town event. There were lots of families, food and blankets laid out in the park.

As we walked around, I noticed this child wondering aimlessly alone. The kid was probably about 2 years old and there was definitely no one watching her. This seemed a little odd to me so I pointed it out to my wife. Barbara went immediately into action, catching up with the child, attempting to talk to her and taking her by the hand to the nearest police officer. It was interesting how much different we each reacted in the same situation. I noticed something unusual and pointed it out. Barbara analyzed the situation, found it to be unacceptable and took action. It was an interesting leadership lesson. Observations are easy. Taking action is harder.

Have you ever observed a serious situation where someone else took action? What was it that held you back?

“Leadership” double-speak

2010-06-21T21:29:00.003-04:00

“Aren’t leaders supposed to coach and teach?”

I’ve been authoring posts about practical leadership concepts and observations for a many years. I aim to be entertaining enough to keep your interest and educational enough that you learn. Leaders must be teachers, coaches, people developers, visionaries, risk takers, role models and decision makers.

The last point here is critical for today’s thought. Leaders must be able to make the tough decisions. There is a sensitive balance in determining whether a team member needs coaching and development or more serious action taken. Generally this is a delicate skill learned over many years. I’ve learned over time that often when I get frustrated over something not being completed to an acceptable standard, it is a teaching opportunity. What if after many missed commitments and several coaching opportunities an individual actually goes on the offense and says, “Aren’t leaders supposed to coach and teach?” This would clearly be a misinterpretation of what LiaV is about.

The risk of stating your leadership theory in public is it can then be turned back on you. It is a risk I have been willing to take.

Have your coaching words ever been taken out of context and used back on you? How did you resolve the situation?

Rules of the road

2010-06-13T21:00:00.003-04:00

Cruising North on CT Route 7 on Saturday morning was a blast (except for a little rain). Terry, Joe and I were motorcycling to the Rhinebeck Grand National Super Meet at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, NY. One of the benefits of a country road motorcycle ride is the time to think and reflect.

I did not solve any worldly problems, but it did occur to me that many of the rules of the road for motorcyclists are the same as those for work teammates and leaders. Here are a few of them:

- Arrive on time and ready to go.
- Know the laws and abide by them.
- Keep a safe distance between riders.
- Be prepared for the unexpected.
- Point out road hazards to those that follow you.
- Continuously monitor the situation and react accordingly.
- Be courteous and tolerant of other riders and traffic.
- Remain focused. Safety first.
- Never leave a rider behind.
- It’s all about having a good time.

If motorcycle rules of the road are so applicable to work teams, I would guess the same is true for many other team based events.

Where other than work do you gain guidance for good teamwork from?

The big forgive

2010-06-06T21:00:00.001-04:00

Many friends and colleagues have asked me the leadership lesson to be learned from the “imperfect game” thrown by Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga. It was clear from the video replay that veteran umpire Jim Joyce blew the call at first base causing Galarraga to miss a chance at baseball greatness by throwing a perfect game (MSF – that would be 27 consecutive outs).

The problem was I could not find the lesson. Joyce immediately stepped up and took full responsibility for the error and apologized. The media made mania out of the “theft” to no avail. Baseball’s commissioner confirmed the umpire’s field decision would not be reversed. It all seemed cut and dry until a colleague from Bangalore emailed me the ESPN phone interview with Armando Galarraga. Baseball immortality was stolen from this guy and he completely forgave the umpire and said he could have made the same error given the high level of intensity at the moment.

I can only hope to act the with the same dignity when my chance at greatest is taken from me. His maturity and ability to forgive should be a lesson for all leaders.

Have you ever made a significant error and you boss forgive you? How did you feel?

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=5245331

Who’s party is this anyway?

2010-05-31T21:00:00.002-04:00

At dinner the other evening, a friend told us about the New Canaan, CT Memorial Day parade. We asked how big it was and she said, “Big.” Coming from Southern California, this could mean hours long.

We packed up our chairs, a small cooler and walked into town. We should have known being that New Canaan has 14,000 residents and Huntington Beach has 400,000 our definition of big was likely incorrect. The parade was about 45 minutes long and included veteran organizations, community volunteer services, youth groups (many with American Indian names) and fire trucks.

Walking back, I reflected on the fact that the Veterans were first and were the most recognized. They were the parade. The others were for fun. As a leader it made me think about how often we are invited to participate in events and the importance in preparing. I was at a high level meeting the other day and another leader introduced a new team member as “having a master’s degree from Syracuse or someplace.” That certainly minimized the accomplishment.

How to you ensure you are prepared and recognize the right accomplishments?

PS – Thank you to all our LiaV veterans.

Another Switzerland

2010-05-23T21:00:00.002-04:00

Coming from very large families and generally staying out of the fray of disputes has granted our home the status of Switzerland. It is a neutral place where all baggage is left behind and good time can be had by all.

This weekend we attended the graduation ceremony for my nephew from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) in North Adams. MA. It was a nice celebration in the gymnasium of the Trailblazers. As with most graduations, the bleachers were full of family and friends. In our case, my nephew’s father drove up for the event from Tennessee and participated in the graduation party thrown by my sister. While I’m always neutral, it was fantastic to see everyone drop their differences for the sake of a significant achievement and celebration.

It made me think about the environments we create for our people as leaders. Do our teams think of us as Switzerland? Do we foster environments that bring people of different thoughts and opinions together, or drive them apart?

What do you do to foster an environment of inclusion and safety?

It’s Payback Time

2010-05-16T21:00:00.003-04:00

Take yourself back to mid 2008 for just a moment. The great recession was in full bloom. Friends and relatives were losing their jobs. Hours were being cut back. Company 401K match contributions were being canceled. Insurance co-payments were being raised. Pensions were being eliminated. Employees were putting up with it all because they had to.

Fast forward to time now. While unemployment remains around 10%, companies have started to hire. Consumers have started to buy. Industrial orders have increased. The word “career” has crept back into our vocabulary. My college nephew even got a summer internship.

Why did companies and management do all those things over the past few years? Because they could! Employees did not have a choice. The power in this relationship is about to shift and employees are going to remember those decisions. While the definition of compensation may have changed, the way teammates were treated during hard times will not be forgotten. It’s payback time. Those unilateral decisions over the last two years are going to be paid back over the next ten years through attrition as teammates get options again.

Did you and your company play the game for the long term or take advantage of the temporary shift in power over?

“If it’s not a good time, it’s a good story”

2010-05-09T21:00:00.003-04:00

The last three weeks have been interesting global travels. The Poland and Czech Republic front end of the trip was rescheduled due to the volcanic ash cloud emitted from Iceland. The team was successful swapping all our events into virtual forums and we never missed a beat.

The China leg had the typical airplane delays. But, for the first time since I’ve been traveling internationally, a scheduled delay was canceled and the plane left on time. This really screwed up my quick rearrangements! The transition to India was relatively seamless. Of course that was when my traveling colleague lost her voice. She could only nod and smile for two days. That was when she wrote on a piece of paper, “If it’s not a good time, it’s a good story.” I thought this was a pretty positive perspective.

How do you keep a positive attitude during the worst of travels?

Is PowerPoint the enemy?

2010-05-02T21:00:00.002-04:00

Think of the last time you were completely bored in a PowerPoint presentation. If you are like me, your pulse lowers, your eyes glaze over, you think about other things and perhaps you do your email on the “crackberry.” Back in January 2009, I did a two part blog series on this topic entitled “The Heart Rate Test (Story-time Part I)” and “Death by Viewgraph…NOT (Story-time Part II).”

Last week a colleague emailed me an article from the New York Times (26 April 2010) entitled “We Have Met the Enemy and He Is PowerPoint“ by Elisabeth Bumiller. It discussed the use of PowerPoint in the military and how it does not properly articulate the message to leadership. While the article does present the topic in a fair manner, I do not agree PowerPoint is the issue. It is the user that over uses the tool to avoid really engaging. The presentations you give are far more than the charts presented. You need to understand your audience and their motivations. You need to appeal to all of the audience’s senses and make them be a part of the session.

Is PowerPoint running a “muck” in your organization? What have you done to correct it?

Respecting Babe’s House

2010-04-18T22:00:00.004-04:00

We went to the New York Yankees – Texas Rangers game this weekend in the new Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. Yep – home of the Bronx Bombers. The House that Babe built. Wait a minute. We were in the new stadium and walked by the demolished remains of the old stadium that Babe built in 1923.

I will say up front that I understand many people have an affinity to the old stadium and the many important things happened there. That as a given, I thought the designers and builders of the new stadium did an outstanding job respecting the past and incorporating it into the design while providing a world class, modern sporting venue.

It made me think that evening about what a leader’s role is when they follow a legend into the position. It is likely the team loved your predecessor and they were not looking for someone new. In a situation like this, it would seem the best approach would be the same as the new Yankee Stadium. Incorporate the history and best elements of the past, speak well about what was and the future that will be, and go boldly to a new place.

What lessons can you share about following a great leader into a position?

Unwanted milestones

2010-04-13T20:00:00.001-04:00

LiaV (Leadership is a Verb) reached a couple interesting new milestones in the past weeks. Unlike the competition last year where we placed 2nd in the “Best Leadership Blogs of 2009,” we were informed that an independent researcher identified LiaV as in “Top 150 Management & Leadership Blogs. It is an ordered list, created using statistics from Google PageRank, Bing, Alexa, Technorati, Twitter Grader, PostRank and FeedBurner.” I guess this is ok enough.

The second category we achieved was the arrival of multiple public relations firms volunteering to send me free copies of their client’s recently released books to read and blog about. First, LiaV is not for sale or influence. You can bank on the fact that the posts you will read on LiaV are original, uninfluenced and simply the way I observe the world.

All in all, these were unwanted milestones and ones you achieved more than me based on your hits and comments. I respectfully declined each of the offers, but suspect they will continue.

What would you do with these if you were me?

Boomer 61, Gen X 59

2010-04-06T21:00:00.003-04:00

I know a few of you cringe when I use a sports analogy, but having attended last night’s NCAA Final Four in Indianapolis you are about to read one.

Coach K (Coach Mike Krzyzewski of Duke University) is a 63 year old boomer that teaches classic basketball fundamentals. His team came out for pre-game warm-ups all wearing the exact same attire, doing the consistent team drills and acting very disciplined. He has now won four national championships and is a legend. Coach Brad (Coach Brad Stevens of Butler University) is a 33 year old Gen X that is on his second career (he started in corporate America in advertising for Eli Lilly). He understands basketball and really grasps how to build teams. His team participated in pre-game warm-ups dressed in all varieties of Butler wear, preparing in their individual ways, many wearing iPods and enjoying the moment.

While I’m probably more “old school” when it comes to sports fundamentals, I was reminded last night how important it is to adjust my believes as a leader based on who I am leading. While Coach K won, Coach Brad gave Duke more of a game than anyone thought they would. Teaching is one thing, but building a cohesive team is often more than simply providing direction. Sometimes you have to bend and let the team do some of “their” thing.

Have you needed to make adjustments to your leadership style to effectively lead Gen Y’s? What did you do differently?

Have you clarified your expectations?

2010-03-28T21:00:00.002-04:00

In November 2009, I shared a story about the downfall of not clarifying your expectations as a leader. The post was about Tim and was titled “Where is this new place that we are going?” I thought I would share the actual publication I produced. Have you clearly articulated your expectation? How do you react to the ones below?

JPB Expectations for team members (8 Nov 2009)

Leadership - Leadership is a verb, not a position. Everyone has a responsibility to lead.

Talent - Build world class teams of multi-functional, culturally diverse, multi-lingual talent. Develop/hire people more capable than ourselves. “A’s hire B’s. B’s hire C’s.”

Trust - Be honest. Don’t blame. Build the team. Help each other succeed.

Dependability - “Do what you say, when you say you will do it.” Over-deliver on commitments.

Virtual - Develop and demonstrate excellence in leading virtual teams. Master technology and improve people skills daily. Virtual is 10% technology and 90% people. “A successful virtual team is a geographically dispersed team that thinks and acts as if they were in one place.”

Relationships - Supplier and customer relationships are valued and proactively maintained. “Our performance is that of our supplier/teammates.”

Consistent - Predictable performance, rhythm, reviews, reports and meetings are valued. People can plan on our results.

Innovation - Continuous improvement is valued and lean is our toolbox.

Fact Based - Measure everything important using Malcolm Baldrige metric criteria. Have S.M.A.R.T. goals (Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Relevant & Time Phased). Make decisions based on a healthy balance of facts and intuition.

Standard Work - Once agreed, standard tools and templates are to be used. They save time and confusion. Improvements should be coordinated and deployed.

Recognition - Reward great results in a timely manner. Say “thank you.” Coach each other. Everyone should recognize everyone.

Have Fun - We are fortunate to be able to work on these amazing assignments. Everyone deserves to enjoy what they do. If someone is not having fun, help them find something they will enjoy doing.

Amazing what you don’t need

2010-03-21T21:00:00.002-04:00

Did you know that a full 50 gallon water heater can last for five brief hot showers and a few shaves without refill? Did you know that in a time of need, a standard window screen can be slipped into slots cut into a couple short of 2x4’s to create a fireplace screen? Did you know if you keep a fair amount of ice in your freezer that it will keep your food frozen for many days if you don’t open the door during a power outage?

Many of you know that I’m in the first year of our “Connecticut Adventura” (or as a SoCal friend calls it, living in the “upper right”). If you saw the news last weekend, many parts of Fairfield County CT was heavily hit by the storm and lost power. New Canaan lost power to over 56% of households. It was interesting at first, a pain later on and just life by the third and fourth day. There was a generator sign in the center of town providing residents with updates. It mostly said that schools remained closed.

What does this have to do with leadership? I was reminded how much we have we really do not need. America is a consumer nation. While power is something we do need, I was able to solve each of the challenges presented once I thought about it. I imagine the same is true in the workplace. We need to provide our teams with the tools to accomplish their jobs in an efficient manner. Some nice to haves are important. Too many are not required.

What types of things have you found fall into the “excess” category?

PS – Maybe later in the week I’ll share my staple inventory blog post.

“3 hots and a cot”

2010-03-07T21:00:00.002-05:00

Entitlement. It has been a topic we have discussed many times on LiaV. Generally, I’ve coached that the trappings of success for many can be the same things that cause them to lose touch with their teams and the real work being done in an organization. Big offices, reserved parking, office administrators and separate entrances are all motes disguised as perks.

The other day a colleague, a retired Marine gone executive, told me the only thing he needed was “3 hots and a cot.” The most basic needs to him were 3 hot meals and a place to sleep. It was such a simple statement and concept I thought I would share it more widely. Can you imagine how much more productive everyone would be if there was no effort expended on items of status?

Explorer or navigator?

2010-02-28T21:00:00.002-05:00

During a recent trip to India for business, I was reminded of the importance of trying things that have not been tried before. We were trying to determine how a certain business problem that we had not encountered before would be solved. We brainstormed and hypothesized. We negotiated and decided (over and over again).

In the misted of our session, my Indian counterpart shared that in times like this it is important to remember the most significant discoveries happened when the person was lost. They shared a common Indian quote, “the best explorers are the worst navigators.” They referenced Christopher Columbus discovering America as a prime example. It occurred to me that the same e the same is true in our personal lives. The things you discover on vacation when you get lost are often the most interesting and memorable.

How often do you allow yourself to get lost? Does it most always work out for the better?

Real cheese

2010-02-21T21:00:00.003-05:00

I am not a big Domino’s Pizza fan, but just might try it again. Can you imagine taking a successful product franchise and admitting to it being unacceptable? That is what the president of Domino’s has done. Now compare that to the situation facing Toyota. In the face of clear product safety concerns, the president has yet to emerge and speak to the public. Patrick Lencioni of Business Week noted that in his February 2010 article The Power of Saying ‘We Blew It’ that the common topic is vulnerability. Note how each leader is dealing with it differently.

Different leaders deal with vulnerability in the workplace differently, too. Leaders who are open to new ideas, ask questions, allow tough discussions and allow debate build loyalty among their teams. Command and control type managers might see these traits as weak and indecisive. This might have been true long ago, but the time has gone.

Have you seen a leader successfully place him or herself in vulnerable situations? How did it turn out?

Beware the indispensible!

2010-02-14T21:00:00.003-05:00

Tara was by far the most experienced and knowledgeable. She had the tribal knowledge of what happened since the project started. Everyone depended on her for everything. When she got an internal job offer to leave the department my management team said we must stop it and make a counter offer. I listened and tried to talk her out of leaving. It did not work. She left. And you know what happened? The performance of the total department increased. I learned a valuable lesson – sometimes the person that makes themselves indispensible actually holds everyone else back.

I saw it again a few years later at the senior levels above me. There was a SVP that was considered the indispensible and the next potential president. When he left because he did not get the job, the whole company grew and performed better. I thought about this and realized the leaders that make themselves indispensible hoard information, limit people’s potential and don’t allow teammates to make mistakes and learn from them. They instill fear to make themselves more powerful. For that time on, I study the dynamics of all organizations and when I find that so called indispensible person, I visualize how much the team is being held back and how well the team might be performing. Dispensable beware.

Can you remember a time when someone the organization just could not lose left and the whole team benefited from the exit?

Let them fly

2010-01-31T21:30:00.003-05:00

“... they sent me away to teach me how to be sensible, logical, responsible, practical...and they showed me a world where I could be dependable, clinical, intellectual, cynical…” These lyrics from the 1979 Supertramp Breakfast in America album (yes, back when an album was vinyl) stuck me while running the other day. The Logical Song was a hit single that questioned the idea we gain from the structure we learn in school and society. While we all certainly benefit, from this conformity and knowledge, there is something to be said for thought leaders.

Someone told me once that true leaders are lonely. They tend to be thought leaders and ahead of the pack. Is it possible that all the conformity the workplace requires actually causes the leader’s within us to cave to the organizational norms? We have all seen the fantastic things people can accomplish when management gives them license and let them fly. Often, our toughest job is getting out of the way.

What was the most impressive accomplishment you have seen achieved by empowering your team?

Your flight is canceled

2010-01-25T22:00:00.002-05:00

The wind and rain was so hard that it woke me a couple times during the night. It did not get any better in the morning as I caught up on email and prepared to leave. I checked the flight status on the airline website prior to checking in and driving to White Plains airport. What a surprise, the incoming airplane was diverted to JFK airport and our flight would be delayed “40 minutes.” Sure!

Then the all too common winter announcement, “flight 579 to West Palm Beach has been canceled.” For those of us that are people watchers, it is Super Bowl time. As if one could not have guessed it would happen, people got all spun up and pointed their aggression at each other and particularly the airline ticket personnel. As if they had something to do with the weather in New York state in the winter. As I remained in my normal state of “travel calmness,” the worst of people emerged. Does anyone really believe they get better service when they treat the service employee badly? If you were the airline personnel behind the counter, would you prefer to help the friendly customer in distress or the one yelling at you?

As leaders, we all have a choice of how we react to circumstances beyond our control. Do you let the situation control you or do you control your reaction in situations like this?

PS – Guess what – the same people were arguing with the luggage team upon arrival.

“I’m alright if you’re alright”

2010-01-17T22:00:00.003-05:00

The Felice Brothers are a folksy group of musicians that I learned about at the Austin City Limits Music and Arts Festival in October. Their song, “Take This Bread,” had a different spin that many of us in leadership could learn from.

In today’s diverse work world, we cannot assume that others want to be treated the same way that we do. It is important to take the time to understand the individual and to tailor your approach based on the priorities and desires of that person. I still remember the time we were thanking a college professor for his help during the summer. We thought he would like a company jacket. Come to find out, at his university, the professors all displayed the plagues and certificates they “earned” from their achievements. We quickly adjusted and the recognition went smoothly. It was important to realize that the better off he was, the better we were too.

When have you adjusted your plans to successfully meet an individual’s desires?

“Don’t take the bait”

2010-01-13T21:00:00.002-05:00

Joe was a talented guy on international assignment leading a factory start-up. He had years of experience and worked as hard as anyone I know. Betty was the actual leader responsible for the project overall. The project was behind schedule and the pressure was on. On a number of occasions, Betty became very frustrated with the implementation team and fired off finger pointing emails. On one occasion, Joe was the target of a particularly pointed email and many senior leaders were copied. As you might imagine, Joe was upset and about to flame out on email. The most senior leader on copy, forwarded the email back Joe and said four words, “Don’t take the bait.”

When Joe looks back on that sequence, he told me that those were the four most empowering words ever said to him. He knew from the statement that senior leadership knew he was doing the right things. He shared with me that this confirmation from management gave him license to make timely decisions, take risks and achieve objectives. This story made me think about the small comments leaders make on an hourly basis that either empower our people or create dissatisfaction. It is unlikely this senior leader even knows he had such an impact.

What little things do you say to empower your people on intense assignments?

"Where's the Gift?"

2010-01-10T21:00:00.002-05:00

It’s January. Plus or minus a few weeks and many people will sit with their boss and have a performance review discussion. Hopefully this was preceded by many candid conversations and career exploratory talks. While we will all be focused on the numbers or ratings, I’d encourage you to look for the real gift in the discussion – those 1 or 2 things you can do differently or better to really excel your performance. Nigel J.A. Bristow (“Where's the Gift? How to achieve phenomenal success by discovering the gift in all feedback”) shares that we often are not looking for the gift, sometimes do not like the way it is wrapped or we find it hard to identify in the packaging.

The two worst types of feedback are “you’re doing great, keep doing what you’re doing” or “you need to step it up” but without anything specific to improve. We need to want candid feedback. If your boss does not automatically provide it, ask for your “gift”. Just as important and as uncomfortable as it may seem, we need to make sure we make bosses feel the feedback is desired and we are going to do something with it.

How do you make sure you get real performance feedback?

“Where’s the Gift?”

2010-01-10T18:00:00.000-05:00

Enjoying the DMV?

2010-01-04T21:00:00.002-05:00

I put it off for as long as possible. It is something we all dread. I asked for and got plenty of advice on strategy to make the process as aimless as can be. Get there early. Go mid-week. Bring reading material. Don’t forget any documents. Be flexible.

People like to complain about the DMV. After putting it off for months, I had to get my new CT driver’s license and register the vehicles. It was not nearly as bad as I thought. The reason was simple. Anytime you approach a situation with an open mind and maintain a good attitude, things go fine. The workers generally knew their job. They probably treat customers in direct relation to how they are treated. People in the lines were friendly and were having a shared experience. For those that know me, you can be assured I was interviewing and recruiting talent during the waiting time.

Have you successfully approached a dreaded situation with a good attitude and found a good result?

You’re never above it

2009-12-29T21:00:00.003-05:00

An unexpected package arrived in the mail. I recognized the return address, but was not expecting anything. With my typical curiosity, I tore open the padded envelope to find a nice note attached to Tom Lydon’s new book, “The ETF Trend Following Playbook.”

Tom is a good friend, hoops buddy and well-known expert in the financial planning world. Earlier in the year, Tom asked me if I would review his manuscript and give him comments and insights. I was glad to help and certainly did not expect to be thanked in any meaningful way. So, was I surprised to find a full paragraph in the acknowledgements thanking me for my time and expertise.

This made me think about the power of a “thank you” and the fact that it can be delivered in any direction. Convention has told us that bosses thank team members. This is a very limiting view. Teammates should equally thank peers and superiors. The act of remembering to take the time to thank someone when they least expect it has powerful impact.

When have you thanked the unexpected with amazing results?

Say “Thanks”

2009-12-24T21:00:00.001-05:00

Thank you for all your contributions to LiaV in 2009. You have made it the success it has become. While others are focused on shopping and rushing around, I encourage you to slow down for a moment and say thanks to all those that allow you to do and be what you are.

John

Do you learn from watching?

2009-12-22T21:00:00.002-05:00

Ask any professional educator and they will talk about how people learn differently. There are those that read and understand. Then, some just put on the skis and do it. Last, there are those of us who watch someone else doing something and they get it.

Since so much of what is on the internet about leadership is based on our ability to learn from the written word, I decided to start a search of the websites that specialize in compiling significant videos of thought leaders. Following are three examples:

• TED – Technology, Education and Design - Riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world.
• MIT World Distributed Intelligence - MIT World is a free and open site that provides on demand video of significant public events at MIT. MIT World's video index contains more than 600 videos.
• The Leap - Hosted by David Belasco of USC Marshall School of Business to provide “Inspiration, empowerment and a kick in the ass.”
• eCorner – Stanford University’s Entrepreneurship Corner - Entrepreneurial thought leaders lecture series that take place every Wednesday during the academic year.
• Manager Tools - a weekly podcast talking about new tools and easy techniques you can use to help achieve your management and career objectives.
• YouTube EDU/Leadership - dedicated exclusively to videos from the more than 100 schools--ranging from Grand Rapids Community College to Harvard Business School
• iTunesU/Business/Management - More than 170 schools offer content free to the public on Apple's iTunes U, which originated in 2004 as a way for colleges to distribute content privately to their own students. (downside - requires you register for iTunes)
• Academic Earth/Entrepreneurship - Thousands of video lectures from the world's top scholars.

Please comment on this posting and add the URL links for the sites you believe add to this library.

SMART

2009-12-14T22:00:00.003-05:00

Many organizations get confused this time of year. A management ritual in December is to summarize the accomplishments of the team and start preparing annual performance reviews. We all want to be fair and reasonable. Some managers find it challenging to inform teammates they are anything other than fully competent. At same time, if the objectives are underclear or easy enough, anyone deserves a high rating.

I, on the other hand, have always felt December to be the most important month of the year because it sets the tone for the rest of the year. The team should dedicate quality time setting robust goals, definitions and metrics to be used the next twelve months. The S.M.A.R.T. criteria are well documented and have stood the test of time. (SMART = Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Relevant, Time phased). When leadership spends time creating buy-in and understanding, the next 12 months go much more smoothly. It also allows the team to perform self performance reviews. The facts and data will speak for themselves.

Does your leadership take the time to mutually develop robust goals with you annually? Do each meet the SMART criteria?

You own nothing here

2009-12-10T22:00:00.002-05:00

At the conclusion of a meeting the other day, I recommended to my team that they should use my office as a conference room when I’m on travel. With the amount of international travel I do, the office was being wasted. It is a valuable resource and should be utilized as such.

The team looked at me like I was from another planet. I shared with them that I do not own the office, the company does. It happens to be assigned to me and it should be used like any other company asset. While the concept was foreign to the team, they appreciated the gesture. It has been a few weeks and I doubt anyone has taken my offer yet. This whole situation caused me to wonder what it is that makes executive leaders categorize “things” as entitlements and something of their own. I think the team believes it is a sign of respect to give their leadership space, but this should not be at the expense of productivity.

What do you believe causes this entitlement mentality? Can a single leader change it?

Personal Leadership

2009-12-06T21:00:00.005-05:00

Guest blog post by Paul Mallory .

A few thoughts of my own on personal leadership from my Soul Work blog...

We hear all the time that we are living through a period of furious pace of change. One take on this can be seen in the (technology-centric) 'shift happens' video. (See http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Q)

Clearly, we can't stop change happening, nor slow it's pace...
Change is not a bad thing. It is inevitable, and it is fast.
Some things change and some things don't...

For me, personal leadership is about knowing who you are and what you are for, having a beacon to guide you through the storm of change. Many people today are clear what they are against... many people today find purpose and fulfillment from being against something, whether it be wind farms, nuclear energy or the prospect of an eco-town being built near their home. Another perspective is to decide what you are for in this world.

The good news is, we needn't be like a cork bobbing on the tide of popular opinion and ever-changing (not always for the better) societal values. Indeed, there is little virtue in just 'going along with the others'. As philosopher Edmund Burke is reputed to have said: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing".

We have the option to decide who we are, who we will be, what we are for, what difference we will make in this world. This is effortful work, requiring much contemplation and deep personal honesty (it comes from within). However, deciding our purpose and reason for being is the first step to discovering a level of passion and inspiration within ourselves that can lead to an extraordinary quality of life.

And, guess what, change begins with ourselves, as Gandhi memorably remarked: "Be the change you want to see in the world".

How much more fulfilling such a life is than living the life of a grazing cow...

Personal opinion! Paul

Paul Mallory is the host of the “Soul Work Blog” - http://soulworkblog.blogspot.com/

What’s normal to you?

2009-12-02T21:00:00.001-05:00

The Parlor Mob is not the typical band you would take your seven-year-old daughter to see. They play some serious alternative tunes and bring in the twenty-something crowd. I learned of them at the Austin City Limits this past October. While listening, I noticed this kid also enjoying the event.

But, what if you did grow up as a child experiencing major international music shows? You would learn many kinds of music, meet all types of people and view unusual forms of art. Your perspective on crowds, volume, self-expression and tolerance would be different than the typical kid.

The reason this question even occurred to me after seeing this kids enjoying the concert was it clearly demonstrated the differences among people. As leaders, we need to be very careful not to stereotype people into categories that might not fit. The more interest you take in the people you lead, the more likely you will learn something they can contribute that nobody else can. Ask questions and actually listen to the answers. It will pay off in the end.

Have you ever had a boss take an interest and have it result in a better assignment? Have you ever learned a detail about one of your teammates that allowed you to better use their unique skills?

From the General

2009-11-29T21:00:00.002-05:00

I have had the opportunity to work for and with a number of retired military generals who transitioned into industry during my career. Some have made the move relatively seamlessly and others it took a little more effort. Whenever I’ve had the opportunity, in a casual setting, I like to ask them, “What are the major differences you notice between leading major military operations and leading as a business executive?” As you might guess, the responses range from very insightful to rather bizarre.

The other evening, I had my first opportunity to ask the same question to a retired general from outside the United States. His answers were so insightful and honest I thought we all could learn from them. He said there were four main differences: 1) Decisions in the military tend to be more black and white:;2) The overall goal or mission is clearer to everyone in the military; 3) Teamwork is more natural and built into the military process; and 4) There is no runner up in a military operation! He shared that his role in business is to help instill these things within the business environment and gave some examples.

What do you think of these insights? Is there something we can all take from them?

Thanksgiving in NYC

2009-11-25T05:00:00.002-05:00

NYC, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, New Delhi, Shanghai, Jingdezhen, Beijing, Jingdezhen, Shanghai, Chicago, NYC.

Travel, business and building operations are great fun, but Thanksgiving weekend in NYC after all that is fantastic. Today’s is a lesson of remembering to have fun and recharge with friends and family.

Locked out

2009-11-22T21:00:00.003-05:00

So where the heck has John been? LiaV has not had a new post in days.

Greetings from Jingdezhen, China this evening (the porcelain capital). After days of being blocked from my own blog, I figured out a way of getting in. Sure many of the things you read about are true, many others are not. The team I’m with has been working many hours, hand-in-hand, with our business partners in the factory to achieve a major milestone. I’ve been providing “top cover” with senior leadership.

I’ve also met some locals. I tried my hand at an outdoor ping pong park for pick-up games and got my butt kicked by an old lady (she were good). I visited a student art exhibit and had tea with an English professor. Like many places, the people and the people in charge do not always share the exact same opinion. The same is true in the USA. We should not generalize or stereotype.

When you travel, do you take the time to meet locals and understand?

“They have chocolate in the States”

2009-11-13T11:40:00.003-05:00

After walking a new plant construction site in Hyderabad, India, we were hosted to share a traditional Indian lunch. The location was a nice hotel and the service was fantastic. There was a nice variety of desserts and I selected one. My traveling partner returned to his seat with a much more interesting and aggressive choice of desserts. He looked at my plate and said, “You can get chocolate in the States!” He was quite right and I caught myself following habit (yes, I got up and tried things I did not recognize).

The same can be true in how you lead and what solutions you apply to problems. Learning, wisdom and habits have many benefits, but if they cause a leader to avoid trying new techniques, styles and approaches, they become a hindrance. We all need to push ourselves out of our comfort zones and sometimes others do it for us. We just need to listen and hear them when they do.

When have you been reminded in a to stretch out of your comfort zone? How did you respond?

Where is this “new place we are going?”

2009-11-04T21:00:00.003-05:00

As leaders, every so often one of your team members asks you an honest question that makes you stop in your tracks and reconsider exactly what messages you are sending. Most of our LiaV community knows that I recently accepted a new executive assignment on the East Coast. It’s a great chance to use all I’ve learned in the last 30 years of aerospace manufacturing, supply chain and program management.

I arrived on the scene asking many questions, listening, meeting people and internalizing what I was hearing. These are all the things we talk about so often. After a fair amount of time, I came to conclusions of what was needed and started to point a vector in that direction. While we worked hard to find and deploy tools and processes, I also talked about the journey we are about to start. Progress was slow, but acceptable. That was until one of my long-time leaders, Tim, walked into my office very frustrated and said, “John, we understand that you are here to take us to some new place and we accept that, but can you just tell us what you expect from us?”

In a flash, it occurred to me that I was working hard within the organization on the detailed mechanics and with the leaders on the vision, but I was not as clear as I could be on what I expected differently on a day-to-day basis. It was an easy thing to correct by writing out some top-level expectations and having a team discussion. Thank goodness I took the time to build trust with Tim early so he knew he could share his frustration without risk.

Have you ever been “leading” so fast and hard that when you looked back, the team was not as close behind you as you thought? What did you do?

Pioneers are lonely

2009-11-01T21:00:00.004-05:00

Have you ever noticed that the first people to try something new are treated as outcasts? Think about it. This is particularly true as it pertains to teenagers, music and fashion. Think about the kids with the long hair, then the short hair, then the colored hair and the no hair. The first kids to wear grunge were considered bums. Nobody understood rap or gangsta to start and now it is some of the fastest selling music.

The same thing is true in business. Those who believed the internet would change the world were thought to be wasting their time. The first leaders that believed people could work from home were considered crazy. How would we ever keep track of them? The forward-looking leaders that first understood the importance of executing flawless complex supply chains were exiled. Now we all know the supplier chain management is a competitive discriminator. There are still many leaders that have not embraced the impact web 2.0 can have. Many of us already use it as the norm.

If you accept that these pioneers are lonely front liners, then that is exactly where we should always be looking for talent. Leaders need to look for what is new and where trends are headed.

How do you stay current and find fresh ideas, talent and trends?

“Wal-Mart killed the country store”

2009-10-28T22:00:00.002-04:00

It was about 1:15 in the afternoon and another rain shower was starting. There was only one stage at the Austin City Limits Music Festival that was fully covered by a tent, and we headed that direction. I had never heard of Reverend Payton’s Big Damn Band before that time, but I’ll remember them from now on. The band only includes Peyton, his brother and his wife, and they play an eclectic brand of self-published bluegrass “truths,” as they call them.

When they performed their single that is downloaded the most, “Wal-Mart killed the country store,” the crowd really responded. Even the people like me that had never heard the sound before were curious. I thought to myself, “I wonder if Wal-Mart leadership knows of this song?” They should. It is feedback. Then I wondered if many companies really make the effort to move beyond the recognized media to see what their reputation really is. There are plenty of blogs, chat rooms, web sites. There are even web sites like www.jobvent.com that specialize in allowing employees to expose culture and environmental factors about their companies. I know a businesswoman that uses information like this during the due diligence process when considering a merger or purchase of a company.

Do you believe this information reaches senior leaders? Have you ever found and used such information?

Dunk your leader

2009-10-25T21:00:00.002-04:00

Many companies have team building or charity fund raising events that include a dunk tank. There are typically all different kinds of people sitting on the dunk board. People pay small fees for the opportunity to throw a couple of balls at the target, resulting in the person dropping into the tank of water. It is always a fun undertaking, particularly if you are the one on the dry side of the tank!

My sister recently had the opportunity to dunk her boss in one of the events and posted some pretty funny pictures on our family web page. That started an interesting dialog on “boss dunking.” Many comments revolved around the idea of dunking the boss to gain some sort of equity for the way the boss treats others. Others thought the idea of boss dunking was all in fun.

I was asked if I would allow myself to be boss dunked if I knew the dunking was because I was not liked. Wow! That was hard to consider. While I know it is not reasonable to be liked by everyone, a leader has certain hopes they are at least respected. Having participated in dunk tanks in the past, I know the team building value. My guess is that managers that are generally not liked would not volunteer for this potential embarrassment.

Are you the leader that gets dunked for fun or pay-back?

Culture comes from someplace

2009-10-21T21:00:00.003-04:00

Whenever you travel a foreign country, there is the challenge of language. For some, this is so intimidating that they will never travel someplace too far off the beaten path. It does not seem to bother others.

While on a 3 country operations program review (including about 15 city stops) the importance of having a healthy curiosity cultures occurred to me. During one of my many flights, I debated which was more important – the language skills of the country visited or a healthy curiosity of the culture and history associated with the country. While the language helps you directly communicate, learning the culture helps you understand everyone. I concluded that language is a skill and culture is an attitude. A leader can hire or teach and skill, but it is more difficult to develop a curious nature. For this reason I chose cultural curiosity as most important.

Which do you believe is more improve for an international business person – language or cultural curiosity?

It’s the people stupid!

2009-10-19T21:00:00.003-04:00

New York, Munich, Ankara, Eskisehir, Ankara, Munich, Warsaw, Rzeszow, Mielec, Krakow, Krosno, Rzeszow, Warsaw, Helsinki. I’m half way through a half globe-trotting It has been a few months since I’ve been on a global supply building review trip, but like riding a bike, one does not forget. There are always plenty of planes, airports, factories, conference rooms and dinners. Who am I kidding? I wouldn’t do this profession if that was all I remembered.

It is about the people you meet with and along the way. The striped haired girl with piercings in the Rzeszow airport that explained to me what was being announced during the fog delay. The two young professionals in Poland that are taking the lead developing complex supply chain management metrics. The highly trained, Turkish machinist demonstrating the improvements on his statistical process control charts. And, the well intentioned waitress in Turkey that brought the boss a martini that was like no other. Sometimes we forget through the meetings and shop tours, but it is all about the people.

Have you found yourself at times focusing more on the task that the people? How do you remind yourself to refocus?

The road from Bethel

2009-10-14T21:00:00.003-04:00

A couple weeks ago, we took a motorcycle for a ride to a popular 2009 pilgrimage. Yes, this would be to Bethel, NY for the 40th anniversary of the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival. While it was an enlightening opportunity and the people of Bethel have a great job restoring the grounds and presenting the museum, it reminded me of an old blog posting titled “Freeze.”

“Freeze!

Leaders, stop! Freeze! Close your eyes. Go back for just a moment to 1969, or whenever you were entering the workforce. Do you think for a moment that the leaders of American industry were feeling comfortable about turning over the keys to us? Not likely. Well, they did and we are in charge. Some might argue, but it seems like we are doing an ok job. We are now ready because people took chances and put us in charge of projects, programs, work groups and teams to learn the leadership skills we need. We made early mistakes and learned from them.

We need to do the same with the Gen X and Y’s on our teams. You might believe your hands are tied by Human Resources or some other authority. They are guidelines and expect you to select the most qualified candidates. It is absolutely critical we follow our respective selection processes and select the best qualified candidate, but it is up to us to develop the skills to make these teammates ready. I personally disagree when people generalize that these folks are not loyal. They are loyal to being challenged, and it is our job to keep them stretched beyond what they even think is possible. This is fun stuff if you change your paradigm on what is possible.

Do you have an example of a Gen X and Y that over delivered in a leadership role?”

Half Century

2009-10-11T21:00:00.002-04:00

For the first time in almost two years, LiaV was not updated last week. While I had plenty of lessons and learning to share, I made a decision not to post as I was on a road trip celebrating my half century birthday. I was coached almost thirty years ago not to work on my birthday and years later started taking the full week off. Now this has matured to major travel and festivals where I can learn and experience new environments and cultures.

This year it was the Austin City Limits music festival. It was an amazing collection of bluegrass, country, rock, alternative, metal, folk, jazz and soul musicians. It also had a lot of rain and five inches of mud this year. Once you conceded that you were going to be a little wet and muddy, it was a blast. Even more important was the people we met and the experiences. We were learning all the time. Learning about Texas, music, people and crowd behavior.

Thanks for the week off and you’ll see some of the learning mentioned in upcoming posts.

Follow Virginia

2009-09-30T21:00:00.003-04:00

A very nice old woman in our building invited Barb and I to her art gallery a while back. We put it on our list and this past Saturday rode the motorcycle there. It was a nice, but odd, selection of art. But Virginia was extremely knowledgeable and nice as can be. The more we talked and listened, the more it became clear that Virginia was fairly famous in the NYC art and modeling world. She shared old news clippings of herself with famous artists of the times, and she was a beautiful young woman. She had that Marilyn Monroe look all dressed up.

As we talked more, she shared that her father was one of the first WWI Naval Air pilots flying amphibious planes out of Long Island, NY and then Pensacola, FL. POW. There it was! There were very few WWI pilots and most knew each other. Having just assembled a museum nomination for my grandfather (Fitzwilliam Dalrymple), I had a lot of information on this topic. We were both so excited to explore this topic more.

It makes me wonder how many people would have skipped the gallery invitation and never met such a fascinating lady and then made a family connection! Would you have?

Culture versus Climate

2009-09-28T21:00:00.003-04:00

A recent LiaV post entitled “Culture eats strategy for breakfast” resulted in over one hundred community comments. It was a record. They went in many directions, but one particular comment by Gail Johnson Morris made me think. Gail asked us to think about the difference between culture and climate.

This concept really caught my attention because in my last position, we took the results of employee surveys seriously. The team I led worked hard taking into account the real time “environmental factors” that would have an impact on our scores that were often outside the control of the team. Complex topics like the economy, company employment status, stock price, news articles and customer feedback on products fell into this category. Gail’s insight now provided me the ability to clearly rationalize the difference.

When you work on improving your workplace culture, do you consider climate? Have you confused good climate as good culture in the past?

Titans of leadership?

2009-09-23T21:45:00.003-04:00

It was a simple family home. A mere seventy-five rooms, walls gilded in gold and platinum, an entry way larger than many places of employment, enough exotic marble to be a place of worship, and fresh and salt running water to the bath tubs. While this was the biggest home in the neighborhood, it is among others of similar peers.

The mansion is called “The Breakers” and was the family summer “cottage” of the William Vanderbilt family in Newport, Rhode Island. We visited this fantastic location this past weekend and learned more of the accomplishments of the Vanderbilt family. William was the grandson of founder Cornelius Vanderbilt who created the shipping and railroad empire.

After the tour, I thought to myself, “what a great leaders the Vanderbilt’s must have been.” As I thought and walked around, it occurred to me that they were great businessmen, family patriarchs and community influences. But leaders, I wondered. If critical roles of leadership is building ongoing compelling visions and developing people, then the Vanderbilt’s do not measure up. If their initial vision of controlling the shipping and railroad lines had true life, it would not have faded once monopoly laws and alternative modes of transportation evolved. I looked more and was unable to find clear examples of great achievers that developed under the Vanderbilt system.

While paying respect to their achievements, do you feel vision and developing people are compelling enough reasons to keep the Vanderbilt’s out of the Leadership Hall of Fame?

137 MPH

2009-09-21T21:00:00.001-04:00

It started with the 9:12 AM train to Grand Central. Then the 9:56 to Long Island. Exit at Flushing Meadows. The net had the distinctive 6-inch center slope, there were six official line judges, six ball chasers stood at attention when not darting to recover wild balls, seventeen cameras focused from all angles and high-powered microphones picked up every whisper (yes, if they wanted us to know what Venus Williams actually said; we could know).

I’m not a serious tennis fan, but I was given the opportunity to attend the US Open last Sunday at Flushing Meadows, Long Island. It was a stark reminder that we should all take opportunities to try new things. The crowd was into tennis. They were polite and knew the competitors. It seemed like many of them had been there multiple times in the past. I even got to see Juan Martin del Potro crush a 137 MPH serve a few times.

I have blogged often about “staying out of the white aisles” and trying new things. Whether it is new work projects, making new friends or trying a new sporting event, all of us need to continuously expand our environment. Going to the US Open reminded me to follow my own advice.

What things are you doing to continuously expand your world?

Passion or money?

2009-09-16T21:00:00.003-04:00

“Take exit 29 off I95 North, turn right on Stratford, travel about a mile and turn left on Freeman, go a block and cross Connecticut Ave into the parking lot. Don’t mind the neighborhood, it looks more intimidating than is actually is. I’m on the 4th floor of the old brick building. I’ll have to come down and get you in the parking lot.”

From the parking lot, we walked up an old staircase, by many art, yoga, music and small business studios. We waited for the freight elevator a moment and decided to walk up the remaining stairs to Debbie’s fourth floor studio operation (Art Bags). It was not the cleanest I’ve ever seen but produced a quality product. The product was not something I totally understood, but one that has raving fans. The building’s tenants each did their own thing and lived special lives.

I have not seen Debbie in fifteen years. She was an aerospace executive colleague with the usual executive tendencies. I recently reconnected with her and visited her Bridgeport, CT studio. It was so refreshing to talk to someone with so much passion and personal fulfillment. Debbie shared that the business she was forging was not the most profitable in the world but brought her more enjoyment and personal satisfaction than any career up to this point.

Driving home that night, I could not help but feel good about Debbie and Art Bags. I also could not help but wonder how business leaders could assist their teammates find such passion in their professions and careers.

How do you help your teams feel Debbie’s passion in their work?

Who are your Whos?

2009-09-13T21:30:00.007-04:00

Independent of your role in life, we are all interested in gaining insights from those who have already achieved what we are trying to do. Over the last year, I have learned to stop asking people how to do things. The problem with this question is people are inherently helpful and will try to answer even if they don't always know the correct response. I have moved to asking do you know someone "who" has done something. This is one of the learnings from John Strelecky's "Big Five for Life” book.

"Dr. Sharon" is one of my whos. I originally met her in her executive coach role as she was working with a couple of my colleagues. We had mutual leadership interests, so when I starting building this blog and preparing material for a book, she was a multi-role “who.” I recently listened to her free download on discovering your purpose. I answered her five questions to determine WHO I was and WHO I was becoming. It was short, simple, fun and enlightening. I highly recommend you try it.

From the experience, I believe her “Heart's Way” Tele-workshop Program, Discover your Passionate Calling in nine weeks could be very helpful for anyone asking: 1) What am I here to do? 2) What is my next step? or 3) Why do I feel something is missing in my life? Her Tele-workshop begins September 24th - November 19th on Thursday evenings from 6:00 - 7:30 pst (all workshops are recorded in case you miss a class). It is an interactive 9-week transformative experience using an innovative telephone workshop format and and an even greater value if you use the website coupon.

So - I've shared a "who" with you. What "whos" would you like to share with others?

Note - Dr. Sharon Lamm-Hartman is the CEO, Inside Out Learning Inc., and adjunct faculty member with Columbia University. She was recently quoted in The New York Times and The Oprah Magazine. 480-502-4766.

R U Age Blind?

2009-09-08T21:00:00.003-04:00

Guest blog by David Armstrong:

As an older worker, I’m sensitive to hiring issues regarding people of my vintage, however, as a manager, I always thought that I totally disregarded age when I was hiring or evaluating employees.

Recently, I had two experiences that gave me a wake-up call to own perceptions regarding age as it relates to jobs.

The first was when we were introduced to a friend of my daughter, a bright, pleasant, intelligent young man who was reviewing for his annual flight simulator qualification. He is an airline pilot and daily is responsible for the safety and hopefully uneventful shepherding of hundreds of passengers across the country. He is 27. As we left the meeting, my wife and I looked at each other and said, “”He’s too young to be a pilot”.

The other occurrence was a call I received from my niece, an accomplished musician and who has been a substitute teacher in California schools. She now expects to be out of a job due to the California budget situation. She is 51. In her call, she told me she was applying for a job as a musician on a cruise ship. When I told my wife, we both said, “She’s too old”.

There is no question that each of these individuals is fully qualified and capable to pursue their respective career interests. Yet, my experience showed to me that despite by belief that I was age “blind”, I had stereotypical notions about the “proper” age for certain positions. I am now much more sensitive to my own perception and hope that with my awareness, I will not be judgmental in the future.

Have you have a perception that certain positions can only be filled by people in a certain age range? Did you act on that perception or ignore it? What was the outcome?

David Armstrong is a Principal at Inventory Curve and a member of the LiaV community.

To the boys in the hood

2009-09-02T21:00:00.002-04:00

Hi Guys,

The East Coast is not nearly as bad as you warned me about. Different from what you told me. There really are nice people and things east of the 405 freeway. I’m happy to report that the other hoop players did not actually punch me in the throat when going for a rebound. Everyone does not pack pistols and it only rains every other day. The hills in my four mile daily run are not the size of mountains and the mosquitoes are only large enough to carry small babies away!

You were right on a few things – it is really humid and there are far fewer convertibles and motorcycles.

While these were many of the jokes my basketball buddies razzed me about at my going away party, it does make one think about all the silly things people say and how important it is for each of us to sort out what we truly believe. If we take things too seriously we will lock ourselves into inaction and take no risks in life (or in our career).

Have you received silly advice and later found out it was not worthy of your consideration?

The truth about balance in life

2009-08-31T21:00:00.001-04:00

Guest blog post by Mohd Firdaus Bin Mohd Johari:

It was a normal morning, stuck in a traffic jam. Rude drivers cutting through traffic and I let them pass. A friend of mine who was carpooling to work with me asked, "Why do you let that happen?" I replied, "Are we in a hurry? We always leave for work at this time and we reach the office with time to spare." "But you cannot let people walk over you," he answered.

"I'm not." And I explained further. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was built to withstand earthquakes and storms. How? By being flexible where it can afford to, and being tough and stern where is must be. It also applies to our lives. In the case of my argument with my car pooling friend, I know I can afford to let some cars go by, because I have spare time to reach the office. But if it was a matter of life and death, then I wouldn't react in the same way. In a conflict you must know when to compromise and when to stand your ground. Sounds obvious right?

A lot of people talk about 'balance' as far as how they navigate conflict but it is these same people are the ones not being able to uphold this balance. More often than not, they themselves are the ones who get mistreated in conflicts. There is no perfect 'balance', it is not practical.

The 'balance' can be attempted, which ultimately brings us to an acceptable range. However, people fail to do this for three reasons:
• Lack of objective
• Lack of defining their thresholds
• Lack of self-awareness

When you do not know what you want in life, then you will not know what you need to achieve it. If you do not know that, you will not know which aspects of your life that you should prioritize and what you cannot compromise on. You would know your boundaries. All this wouldn't be a problem if you are honest and sincere with yourself, having a better understanding of who you are and what you want to be.

How do you balance your life?

Mohd Firdaus Bin Mohd Johari is from Malaysia, hosts the Beyond Uni blog and a member of the LiaV community.