Smart/Heart Leadership Training Now in Philadelphia!

The Russey Group presents the Smart/Heart Excellence in Leadership Seminar

Now in Philadelphia!

Friday, November 6th
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Temple University City Center
Room 308
15th & Market Streets

Registration Deadline - October 25th
Registration fee: First 50 receive discount rate of $125; regular registration $155.

To register go to: www.smartheartleadershippa.eventbrite.com
For more information contact: smartheartregistrar@verizon.net

This interactive seminar addresses a number of critical leadership topics including:
The "Big Six" Competencies of Leadership
Leadership Traits to Avoid (and Highly Effective Substitutes)
The New Century Template for Teams
How to Live Artfully and Intentionally to Prosper Professionally

Richard Russey is a veteran leader with over 30 years experience who has served in local, state, and national leadership roles for both the public and private sectors. Richard's approach to leadership blends the cognitive with the affective which results in a particularly winning style and methodology perfectly suited for creating success in these challenging times.

Here is what others have to say:

"Richard Russey's velvet glove approach to leadership training is a unique combination of business savvy, creativity, and common sense. He's a motivational breath of fresh air."
- Sue Kennedy, public relations executive, and screenwriter of ABC's Emmy winning
After School Special, "My Mom's Having a Baby"

"For those who aspire to lead with authenticity, Richard Russey's Smart/Heart Excellence in Leadership Seminar is an experience not to be missed."
- E. Dollie Wolverton, nationally renowned educator, Washington, DC

"Richard's approach to leadership is fresh, balanced, and much needed in the increasingly challenging environments in which we do our work. I strongly endorse the Smart/Heart Excellence in Leadership Seminar for anyone interested in honing their leadership skills, or for those who aspire to lead with distinction."
- Mimi Kenney Smith, Producing Artistic Director, Amaryllis Theatre Company,
Philadelphia, PA

The Liability of Lethargic Leadership, Part II

by Richard Russey

In Part I of the Liability of Lethargic Leadership I looked at a number of indicators that may act as warning signals or red flags that one’s leadership efforts are becoming a bit languid. On the bright side, I offered remedies that may be applied to get back on track and bring a degree of appropriate zest back into the role of a leader.

Part II explores a number of additional indicators of lethargic leadership and relevant recommended solutions, including: avoiding adjustments to work plans based on changing internal and external factors; inconsistent follow through on “walking the talk”; lack of desire to roll up one’s sleeves and jump in to work through heavy task loads with the team; lack of networking with peers and professionals in related businesses; lack of making contributions to your field of work by making presentations at professional conferences, writing articles, research, and other activities; letting your day happen to you, rather than taking charge in the creation of your day; and disengagement from forward looking resource management.

Avoiding Adjustments to Work Plans
Many well-intentioned leaders diligently construct work plans (goals, objectives, outcome expectations, even job descriptions) and then immediately fall into the trap of "concretizing" those plans with a strict adherence that disallows change due to internal and external factors. I previously mentioned that one of the most valuable concepts to embrace in business, indeed in life, is that “change is the only constant.” That concept definitely applies here. Without a doubt, both internal and external factors are going to change as you move into the action phase of your work plan. Dare I say, that concept writ large could be described as the universe – whether one looks at it from a scientific perspective or from the heart of a poet – the universe as a whole, as expansive as you can imagine it, is in a state of constant flux and change. Any attempt to struggle against the tide of change that WILL occur in every aspect of our lives (and business) is a futile and foolhardy exercise.

It helps, I think, to look at the potential change that may impact our work plans. It also helps to recognize the fact that change can be positive as often as negative. In fact, in my view, change is always positive – for in every change dynamic there is at least a kernel of opportunity for applying creativity, adopting a new outlook, and even learning to deal with disaster without becoming overwhelmed by negative circumstances. So, what are some of the changes, both mundane and extraordinary, that may impact our well-intentioned, carefully crafted work plans? It is a long list, so I’ll mention but a few: the always fluctuating economy (globally, nationally, locally, and your own bottom line); shifting demographics which serve to require constant attention to knowing your audience, constituency, or customers; the evolving characteristics of the available workforce (age, education and skill levels, and their expectations and dreams of fulfilling and rewarding work); natural disasters, including everything from hurricanes to floods to fires to very personal “natural disasters” such as illness and accidents that can effect your team; the presence or absence of other businesses or vendors that you may depend on to do your work; and finally, don’t forget that YOU change too – your mood from day to day, your energy around the work you do and your leadership efforts, your state of health, your personal economy, and other factors too numerous to mention. So, I think, point made – things are going to change. You have really only one option if you wish to remain viable in the work or business you are engaged in, and in life generally – that is to not only hang on for the ride, but to learn to effectively ride the wave of change, and take advantage of the exhilaration it offers.

On a very practical level, every team meeting agenda should include a bullet point that addresses change: what has changed that influences what we do? what is going to change in the near future?; how is change going to impact our organization?; and what can we do to address that change in an effort to stay abreast of it, or even better, anticipate it and begin to adjust before it occurs? Then, allow your team to participate in the conceptualization of addressing change. I promise you, if you’ve hired well, if you’ve brought people into your enterprise who have the requisite knowledge, skills, and experience to do the jobs they were hired for, they will be brimming with thoughts and ideas and will be extraordinarily valuable resources as you address change with the intent of making it work for you instead of against your well-considered plans.

Inconsistent Follow-Through on “Walking the Talk”
As is often said, “Talk is cheap.” Results are all in the implementation of the talk which we have come to know as the “walk,” that is, the action that follows talk so that it manifests in reality. Therefore, it is obviously important to be careful what you say in the first place. Your team depends on you for inspiration, intelligence, experience, creativity, motivation, and actions that support the organization as a whole, and their piece of the action specifically. So, don’t talk it if you can’t walk it! All that is required here is to be very mindful of what you allow to come out of your mouth (or pen, or computer). Think it through before you communicate with your team. Don’t make promises that you cannot keep. Be realistic with your team and give the "straight-up" every time you meet with them. Boastful talk, if not based on irrefutable fact will only be seen as arrogance. Asking your team to do things you would not do yourself is akin to asking them to walk the plank, to take the hit for you, and is seen as cowardly. Obviously, this does not mean that you could or should be able to do every job of your team members – after all you hired a team of experts, hopefully smarter than you in any number of ways. But, this does mean that metaphorically, at least, you are willing to stand side by side with your team whenever risk of any nature is involved – and isn’t engaging in just about any endeavor in these challenging times a risk?

Exhibiting the “I Don’t Roll Up My Sleeves” Syndrome
There are few actions that are more meaningful to your team than your willingness and even eagerness to jump into the work, sleeves rolled up (metaphorically or actually) ready to do the work of your organization. There should be no task that you would consider above your engagement. Does the receptionist need a short break to make a phone call to his/her child’s school, and there is no one else to cover? Jump in – it would be good to experience the life of a receptionist for a few minutes. What types of calls are received? How best to answer the phone? How to artfully juggle several lines at once? And, imagine the delight of a customer getting the “boss” of the organization on the first ring! Do you feel that you are above answering the phones for a few minutes? Then, I suggest you are not as authentic a leader as you imagine yourself. That is an example – there are many other times when your efforts to assist your team in getting the work done (without ignoring your own work) will go a long way in establishing a bond of respect and trust and gratitude. I don’t know of a leader who doesn’t want respect and trust and gratitude. But the reality is, it must be earned.

Another example is during times of heavy work load activity. For example, I served for a number of years as a project director leading teams in organizing and implementing training conferences for a major government client. My mantra was, “all hands on deck” starting about a week out from the event, and continuing until the event was successfully completed. I made an effort to be one of the first in the staff office at any given hotel in the morning, and to stay as long as there was a need to assist staff at the end of the day. This does not mean that I ignored my job as project director – I still served as the chief contact with the client, attended numerous meetings with the leadership of the client throughout the event, served as moderator for plenary sessions, and in other ways fulfilled my leadership role. But, I also distributed handouts prior to plenary or breakout sessions, unpacked boxes filled with supplies when they arrived at the hotel, and stayed to the very end of the conference and assisted the team with packing up, cleaning up, and making sure everyone on the team was thanked for their efforts during a final closure meeting.

If you do not do so already, “roll up your sleeves” and work alongside your team when the tasks at hand require it and you’ll be amazed at the dividends such actions will pay.

Lack of Networking Efforts
One sure sign of lethargic leadership is the avoidance or lackluster engagement in networking with peers, organizations, constituencies, vendors, and others who may serve to support your vision, mission, and goals. Perhaps the reasons for a lack of networking effort are numerous – from shyness, to lack of confidence, to fear of engaging the competition. However, I believe that meaningful networking in its many permutations is an essential leadership task. The good news is that “networking” as an activity covers a very wide territory, allowing you to engage in the kind of networking that best suits your personality and goals. The one factor that is a constant is that a good leader must initiate the networking effort. There are some “built-in” opportunities to network at professional conferences; and networking gatherings of like-minded professionals are increasingly common in many areas, including most major urban areas. Go the Internet to find them – if you are not already engaged in networking, you will be amazed at the variety of opportunities for networking that fill the calendar.

However, if chatting with a large number of your peers over cocktails and nibble food at the end of a long day is not your preference, consider the many alternatives: a coffee break; golfing or any recreational activity that is conducive to a balance of activity and talking; the gym; lunch or dinner meetings; arts events; one-on-ones in hotel lobbies during professional meetings; and professionally-related Internet chat rooms; and other forums of varied characteristics that allow you an opportunity to talk about what you do; listen (this is important!) to what others do; exchange business cards or contact information; and stay current with others out there who share some commonality relevant to your organization and its mission.

Follow-up with contacts made at any of the myriad forums is essential. In my experience the brief chat with an exchange of business cards or contact information typically ends there unless you take the initiative to follow-up with that contact. Perhaps the follow-up is as simple as a communication about enjoying the conversation and meeting a fellow leader engaged in work that has some connection or commonality with your organization. Or, the follow-up may be for the purpose of further discussion around an idea or exchange that would be mutually beneficial to both parties. Sometimes, the initial networking meet-and-greet leads to a beneficial long-term connection that is a win-win for both leaders involved and their organizations.

The Dearth of Making Professional Contributions
The lack of contributing to your field of work by making presentations at professional conferences, writing articles, research, and other activities is a slow professional “death.” Given the abundance of opportunities for contributing to your field of expertise, it is really an example of lethargic leadership if a leader fails to engage in adding to the robust and ongoing dialogue around any given area of work. There are all of the opportunities mentioned above, as well as writing a blog, writing a book, teaching
a class, and speaking before community or professional audiences. Of course there are other means of contributing to your field of work, the only requirement of you as a leader is that you find the appropriate means and venue to contribute. The technology of our age, with Facebook and Twitter, and a number of professional/social networking sites makes this an exceedingly easy leadership task to fulfill. Share your ideas and your thoughts about the work you do freely. The benefits can be significant, including a bump to your business and its bottom line.

Letting Your Day Happen to You
If you, as a leader, let your day happen to you rather than taking charge of the creation of your day via thoughtful planning, task lists, daily goals, and adherence to a schedule that is realistic to your particular situation then, yes, you are likely being a lethargic leader.

I’ve written previously on this subject, and refer you to my blog posting dated April 14, 2009, entitled “Creating Your Day.” In that article I referenced the paraphrase of a brilliant line written by Tennessee Williams for his play Suddenly Last Summer: “Carve each day as if it were a sculpture.” With that simple but profound concept, we have the opportunity to take control of our day rather than allow ourselves to be battered about by the chaos that can, and often does, threaten to engulf us and take us away from our intended goals, purposes, and expected outcomes. Without a carefully sculpted plan, we risk wasting time, being taken off course by a myriad of interruptions, and end up feeling frustrated and unfulfilled at day’s end.

A review of my article on "creating your day" rather than letting it happen to you reveals that there are a few major aspects related to the act of taking charge of your day(s): purpose; intention; goal orientation; organization; adaptability; passion; and inspiration. Rather than to insult the reader with a copy and paste of that previous article, I encourage you to go back to that posting and review the details that will allow you to be in charge in a very meaningful way. Suffice it to say here – you have a choice (of course I contend that you always have a choice). But, often it feels like we do not have a choice, that we are boxed in by events or circumstances that are beyond our influence. To that idea, I say “baloney!” One of the very most important qualities of leadership is, in fact, the act of boldly leading, forging pathways, sometimes paddling against the current, but doing so with a solid plan in place, a plan of your specific creation, a plan that supports your success.

Disengaging from Forward Looking Resource Management
This is one of the gravest dangers of lethargic leadership. Managing an organization’s resources appropriately, with an eye on trends and the future is one of the most important responsibilities of a leader. The good news is that there are only three major resources one has to manage: human (people – your team); time; and money. There may be many subsets of those three, but one way or another all resources boil down to people, time, or money. The challenging news is that these three major resource areas require constant attention; and the leader is always engaged in a balancing act requiring skill and experience to manage if there is to be any expectation of success.

A leader must engage in allocating resources with the right mix of addressing today’s needs while scoping the horizon for the need to restructure resource allocations for tomorrow. This requires constant vigilance and a strategic mind to manage effectively. It is a balancing act to be sure. When time is limited, often more financial and human resources must be applied to meet a deadline. Where money is insufficient, time frames may need to be extended (or shortened), but personnel may need to be limited. There are many variations of this balancing act. The point here is that a leader cannot be disengaged from the whole concept of resource management and expect to succeed over time.

Of course, this resource balancing act also requires in-depth knowledge about each one of these resources. What are the time factors that guide any given project? What levels of staff expertise exist to bring to a project? What is the budget allocated to the project, and if it is insufficient can additional funds be acquired? A leader cannot be unfamiliar with any of these resource areas and expect to put together the ratio of resources that will lead to the successful fulfillment of a task or project.

In summation, then, Eric Hoffer’s words ring so very true:

A “leader has to be practical and a realist; yet must talk the language of the visionary and the idealist.”

And, I’ll add my own caveat:

A leader must be fully engaged on both the practical and visionary level with zest and energy lest a dangerous and intractable lethargy become a major liability.

Announcing: Smart/Heart Excellence in Leadership Seminar

Smart/Heart Excellence in Leadership Seminar

Facilitated by Richard Russey

September 25, 2009

8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Bishop John Thomas Walker National Learning Center

701 Oglethorpe Street, NWWashington, DC

RegistrationNow through August 25 - $135

August 26 to September 11 deadline - $155

Bonus early bird opportunity for first 50 registrants - $125

This seminar addresses critical "Smart/Heart" leadership topics including:
- The Six "Big" Competencies of Leadership
- The New Century Template for Teams
- Leadership Traits to Avoid (and Highly Effective Substitutes)
- How to Live Artfully and Prosper Professionally

About Richard Russey

Richard Russey is a veteran leader with over 30 years experience who has served in local, state, and national leadership roles for both the public and private sector. He was a supervising educator for the fourth largest school system in the country and the creator and first director of its premier museum education program, the chief of statewide programs and education for the Museum of New Mexico, director of programs for an international nonprofit, and most recently served as the director of training and technical assistance for a major government contractor working with an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Richard's approach to leadership blends the cognitive with the affective, resulting in a particularly winning style and methodology perfectly suited to creating success in these challenging times.

"Richard Russey's velvet glove approach to leadership training is a unique combination of business savvy, creativity, and common sense. He's a motivational breath of fresh air." Sue Kennedy, Public Relations executive and screenwriter of ABC's Emmy winning Afterschool Special, "My Mom's Having a Baby"

"For those who aspire to lead with authenticity, Richard Russey's Smart/Heart Excellence in Leadership Seminar is an experience not to be missed."

E. Dollie Wolverton, nationally renowned educator, Washington, DC

"Richard's approach to leadership is fresh, balanced, and much needed in the increasingly challenging environments in which we do our work. I strongly endorse the Smart/Heart Excellence in Leadership Seminar for anyone interested in honing their leadership skills, or for those who desire to lead with distinction."

Mimi Kenney Smith, Producing Artistic Director, Amaryllis Theater Company and Executive Director, VSA arts Pennsylvania

To request registration form or get more information go to:

SmartHeartRegistrar@verizon.net

The Liability of Lethargic Leadership, Part I

By Richard Russey

When one approaches the responsibility of leadership with anything less that an all-out effort, with all pistons firing and high energy bubbling up from the cellular level, then one may be entering into a zone of liability that I call “lethargic leadership.”

Dating back to the 16th Century, John Maxwell, a Scottish noble and supporter of Mary Stuart, queen of Scots, said, “Leaders must be close enough to relate to others, but far enough ahead to motivate them.”

When a leader acts on the wisdom of John Maxwell’s words of nearly 500 years ago, that leader is acting with responsibility, vision and energy that are the antithesis of lethargic.

There are a number of indicators that may act as warning signals or red flags and fortunately there are solutions that may be applied to get back on track and bring a degree of appropriate zest back into the role of a leader.

Herewith are some characteristics of lethargic leadership that I will explore in Part I, along with remedies that may be applied to each.

Team meetings that are infrequent or too-frequent

The Problem: Both infrequent and too-frequent team meetings can be classified as lethargic leadership because what such scheduling reveals is that in either case time is being wasted. Infrequency of team meetings will often lead an atmosphere where team members are disconnected from one another. A great deal of catching up with one another, and updating of various tasks must be accomplished before the team as a whole can deal with issues at hand. But, interestingly and contrary to appearances, too-frequent team meetings can reveal lethargic leadership. Pulling team members away from their day to day tasks and work towards the successful accomplishment of objectives is an indicator that the leader is leaning too heavily on these frequent updates to stay in the loop. In this case, the leader should be connecting with individual staff members, or smaller work groups to get updates and to ascertain the progress of projects. This can be done without gathering the entire team.

The Solution: Create a schedule of team meetings that occur on a regular schedule that is appropriate to the work projects with which the team is engaged. Team meetings conducted once per week is generally a workable schedule. If at all possible the team meetings should be established as an expectation early on, and should be scheduled for the same day and time each week. Changing the day and time of team meetings creates confusion, staff that will be absent from the meetings because of other commitments related to their work. Of course there are always going to be exceptions, but they should be just that – exceptions.

Team meetings that are too short or too long in duration

The Problem: Most problematic are team meetings that drag on for several hours without sufficient focus to deal with the issues that are of concern to the team and that the team can help to resolve. But, team meetings that are too short may also be frustrating because they don’t allow time for in-depth discussions and problem resolution. It is probably clear that team meetings that are too long or too short have some relatedness to frequency issue discussed above.

The Solution: A general rule of thumb is that a team meeting should run about one hour. We’ve all experienced team meetings that are much shorter, as well as meetings that are decidedly longer. But, one hour should be sufficient time to obtain brief updates from the staff, to raise several pressing issues and engage in problem solving discussions, and review the agreements made during the meeting for action going forward. In order to assure a 60-minute staff meeting is functional and productive it is absolutely imperative to work from an agenda. A useful agenda includes three things: a list of topics to be discussed; the discussion leader for each topic; and a time-frame for each topic. Here is a very simple example:
________________________________________________________

ABC Company
Project Team Meeting
Date, Time

A G E N D A

Overview of Project Tasks*
R. Smith 10 mins.

Current Opportunities
E. Jones 20 mins.

Current Challenges
B. Right 15 mins.

Upcoming Events*
T. Jazzy 10 mins.

Review of Decisions/Closure
A. Starr 05 mins.

* See attachments

_________________________________________________________

It is critical to include attachments that may be helpful for the team to read in advance in preparation for the meeting.


Lack of balanced task delegation

The Problem: When a leader delegates too much or too little it is once again a red flag that lethargic leadership is taking place. Simply put, insufficient thought is being put into a well-balanced distribution of tasks among team members and those tasks that should be retained by the leader. When a leader feels it is necessary to handle nearly all tasks and holds onto those tasks with significant responsibility it sends a message to the team that they are not trusted by their leader. On the other hand, when a leader delegates practically everything, and doesn’t take responsibility for some significant tasks, the team members can feel overburdened and begin to question the leader’s role. This is another reason for transparent leadership – the team should always have a sense of what a leader is spending time doing on a day to day basis. It may be professional development activities being planned for staff or other HR issues; it may be participating in community, state, or national meetings with peers; it may be networking to increase business or collaborative opportunities; or it may be fundraising. Whatever the role of the leader – it should not be conducted in secret. That is not to say that the team needs to know all the details about everything as that could prove counterproductive for other reasons. But, the team should have enough of a sense of what their leader is engaged in to have a sense of trust.

The Solution: The leader of an organization should spend considerable time managing the tasks of the team, or working with the vice presidents and/or directors or managers in delegating task work equitably across the organization. This should include an obvious and visible responsibility for some significant tasks taken on by the leader or leadership team. This is often best worked out during the weekly team meetings. Often, you’ll find that your staff members are very willing to take on responsibilities – eager to demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and experience. It is helpful to take guidance from the wisdom of Robert Reich, who said,

“A leader is someone who steps back from the entire system and tries to build a more collaborative, more innovative system that will work over the long term.”

Deficiency of interest in the professional and career goals of team members

The Problem: Too often leaders view their world of work from an ego-centric place. This point of view does not make room for engaging in a real interest in the individuals who comprise their team, and are the backbone of their organization. Most employees of an organization are quite aware of the attention and interest (or lack thereof) of their leaders. When a “boss” repeatedly asks mundane questions about a staff member, it soon becomes apparent that listening is not occurring when the employee responds. This becomes more challenging where organizations have large numbers of staff – but it is part of the “homework” a good leader, that is a leader that is not lethargic, takes on. It is vitally important to take an interest in one’s team members, individually, and what their particular professional and career goals are, what there connection to the organization means to them, what are their motivators, and what are the issues they consider to be their challenges. When a leader expresses an interest in his or her team on that level, they will be building trust, dedication, and commitment – qualities that are to be treasured in team members.

The Solution: Simply put … develop a sincere interest in those that work for your organization. Every person who contributes their time, talent, and expertise should be compensated financially of course, but should also be rewarded with your attention, interest, and care. In fact, it a real test of an ego-less leader to care so much about the professional and career goals of individual team members that the leader will help those individuals reach their goals, even if it means that they help them grow out of their jobs and move on to a new organization or employer that is may better fit their desired professional goals and progress. Not to worry, there are always new, talented, smart and eager individuals to bring into your company and onto your team. It is a win-win all the way around. However, remember too, the possibility exists that a particular team member may have a strong desire to stay and grow within the organization, in which case the solution is the great value that comes to all parties by coaching and mentoring and sharing a sense of “ownership” with those employees motivated to stay within the organization. Dedicated, reliable, highly motivated individuals are worth a great deal to any organization and should be treated with the respect they deserve.


Stay tuned for the Liability of Lethargic Leadership, Part II. I’ll discuss a number of additional indicators of lethargic leadership and recommended solutions, including: Avoiding adjustments to work plans based on changing internal and external factors; Inconsistent follow through on “walking the talk”; Lack of desire to roll up one’s sleeves and jump in to work through heavy task loads with the team; Lack of networking with peers and professionals in related businesses; Lack of making contributions to your field of work by making presentations at professional conferences, writing articles, research, and other activities; Letting your day happen to you, rather than taking charge in the creation of your day; and Disengagement from forward looking resource management.

In Part II, I’ll conclude the look at lethargic leadership by examining the truth and wisdom of this statement by Eric Hoffer:

A “leader has to be practical and a realist; yet must talk the language of the visionary and the idealist.”

Announcing: Smart/Heart Excellence in Leadership Seminar

Smart/Heart Leadership Skills
for Challenging Times

Excellence in Leadership
Seminar

Facilitated by Richard Russey

September 25, 2009
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.



Bishop John Thomas Walker National Learning Center
701 Oglethorpe Street, NW
Washington, DC

Registration
Now through August 25 - $135
August 26 to September 11 deadline - $155
Bonus early bird opportunity for first 50 registrants - $125

This seminar addresses critical "Smart/Heart" leadership topics including:

• The Six "Big" Competencies of Leadership
• The New Century Template for Teams
• Leadership Traits to Avoid (and Highly Effective Substitutes)
• How to Live Artfully and Prosper Professionally

About Richard Russey
Richard Russey is a veteran leader with over 30 years experience who has served in local, state, and national leadership roles for both the public and private sector. He was a supervising educator for the fourth largest school system in the country and the creator and first director of its premier museum education program, the chief of statewide programs and education for the Museum of New Mexico, director of programs for an international nonprofit, and most recently served as the director of training and technical assistance for a major government contractor working with an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Richard's approach to leadership blends the cognitive with the affective, resulting in a particularly winning style and methodology perfectly suited to creating success in these challenging times.

"Richard Russey's velvet glove approach to leadership training is a unique combination of business savvy, creativity, and common sense. He's a motivational breath of fresh air." Sue Kennedy, Public Relations executive and screenwriter of ABC's Emmy winning Afterschool Special, "My Mom's Having a Baby"

"For those who aspire to lead with authenticity, Richard Russey's Smart/Heart Excellence in Leadership Seminar is an experience not to be missed." - E. Dollie Wolverton, nationally renowned educator, Washington, DC

"Richard's approach to leadership is fresh, balanced, and much needed in the increasingly challenging environments in which we do our work. I strongly endorse the Smart/Heart Excellence in Leadership Seminar for anyone interested in honing their leadership skills, or for those who desire to lead with distinction." - Mimi Kenney Smith, Producing Artistic Director, Amaryllis Theater Company and Executive Director, VSA arts Pennsylvania

To request registration form or get more information go to:

SmartHeartRegistrar@verizon.net

Emergence of a New Team Template, Part II

By Richard Russey

In this follow up to Emergence of a New Team Template, Part I, I’ll discuss a few more essential components of a new work team template – a template that is appropriate to the challenging times in which we now lead our organizations and hopefully work effectively with our teams. The principles to be covered in Part II include: assigning teams flexibly; expanding the resource pool (that is, expanding the idea of “team”); the very deliberate act of composing a team of people and resources; the art of leading teams towards change; providing ample opportunities for staff and team development; and the critical role of the leader as a hands-on team visionary and champion.

Assign Teams Flexibly
As has been previously stated, the difficult task of a leader in today’s world is to create teams starting with the basic tenant of flexibility. A leader works exponentially harder when building a team appropriate to a specific task, but the results are exponentially greater as well. Why? Precisely because any given project or assignment should be addressed by a team built to specifically address the unique requirements of the project tasks. Assigning teams flexibly means to allow oneself to metaphorically “color outside the lines.” But, it is critical to also recognize from the get-go that any team should be considered a “team” for only as long as its particular function towards the fulfillment of a specific goal is in the works. Once a task, a project, an initiative, or a mission is fulfilled satisfactorily a leader should already have a new configuration for that team in mind – looking towards the next project, the next objective, the next piece of an organization’s mission to be realized. A leader that performs with robustness of vision and action and takes the time to be deliberately flexible is engaged in good leadership, plain and simple. To do otherwise, as I have asserted previously, is sadly and simply lazy leadership.

It is extremely important that a leader establishes an environment of flexibility within their organization. It is important to note that teams should not be formed and reformed by surprise. Few things can be more dangerous to a stable work environment that leading an organization of people with the “bolt from the blue” factor. Instead, team staff should be coached to be willing and eager participants in the energy of flexibility that forms their work world. Team members must feel secure in the fact that they have been hired for their knowledge, skills, and expertise and for the fact that their unique qualities will be able to be applied to the many tasks and projects that are undertaken by the organization over time. Leaving one team and joining another, task by task, doesn’t mean leaving the organization or unemployment. It does mean an invigorating, challenging, growth environment that is satisfying and rewarding precisely because of the milieu of flexibility over that of a static and fixed atmosphere.

Expand the Resource Pool
A team should be regarded as a collective of assets that don’t belong wholly and completely to an organization. Rather, it is of significantly greater value to see a team as comprised of assets including full and part-time talented, skilled, and knowledgeable individuals, as well as resources that are cherry-picked from an infinitely inclusive basket of other talent to be drawn upon when necessary. This infinite resource supply may include that which is drawn from the world of academia, boots on the ground practitioners, the media, researchers, consultants of both broad and specific expertise, and of course the vast universe of the Internet. The point is that it is a wise leader who looks well beyond those human resources that are in their particular orbit. The more frequently a leader goes out of their familiar orbit, or extends their reach outside of their realm of familiarity, the greater the opportunities for creating an effective amalgamation of resources that are appropriate to addressing a particular mission-related challenge.

Once again, the team will need to be trained or coached to allow them to embrace the expansive viewpoint of a broad and deep resource supply that extends out beyond the original team membership. A leader needs to take great care not to threaten the existing team with the idea that outside resources can, or even should, replace them. Rather, learning to draw on the bountiful supply of external resources as part of the effective admixture of a team’s work is of great benefit not only to the organization but to the team and each of its individual members. This approach avoids the enervation that can often set in with static team compositions. Vitality is an important factor in team success, and static teams only serve to deplete the vigor and energy of the team members.

Now, here is a critical point: include the original team members (typically full or part-time staff that are ongoing employees of an organization) in the act of expanding the resource pool. Again, team members have hopefully been hired for their expertise, skill, and knowledge. Engaging them in the act of bringing in additional resources creates buy-in, acceptance, and ownership. The “threat factor” is subsequently reduced significantly.

Compose the New Team Deliberately
Some elements of the new team are prototypical. For example, most if not all teams require the leadership of a project leader and the support of content area experts. An organization’s leader may add to that mix in varying degrees of potency the functional personnel that bring strategic expertise, logistical ability, technology capability, evaluative or assessment competency, budget and fiscal responsibility, and marketing and public relations talent. Any number of other experts (such as linguists, health or medical professionals, disabilities specialists, and innumerable others) may be required to fulfill a particular mission or set of goals.

It is in the number of personnel that the composition of the “new” team may be strikingly different today than in the past. There is a great deal more opportunity to take advantage of in the highly skilled workforce of the 21st Century to both multi-task, and assign multiple responsibilities. For example, the project leader may also be the main source of strategic planning. The logistics coordinator may also serve as the marketing and public relations specialist. The director of evaluation and assessment may also serve as the fiscal authority. Of course it all depends on any given team of professionals. Clearly what is suggested here is that leaders of today should aspire to hire people in part for their multi-faceted abilities. The idea being to not allow talent in any given individual team member to lie dormant. Proficiency in a second language or in multiple areas of expertise is increasingly common. Experienced project directors in today’s work environments often have high levels of expertise in logistical and budget planning, projection, and analysis.

The “new” team may consist of as few as three or four individuals, but have the capability of serving six, seven, or eight distinct specialty areas. This use of personnel could certainly be seen as approaching exploitation; however it is the role of the leader to manage the work levels of their team and build a team of nearly equitable work responsibilities, where individuals may utilize the whole of their talents and skills. This approach can be significantly energizing to both the individual team members as well as the team as a whole.

Leading Teams to Change
An oft repeated refrain is “change is the only constant.” While that concept may cause discomfort and imbalance for some it is absolutely necessary to fully embrace the reality of change as being a constant in the world. This is where a leader’s role is crucially significant. If a leader is anxious or troubled by the idea of change, those around him or her are likely to adopt that same perspective. What changes? Everything! The social landscape, the work environment, the needs of an organization’s constituency, the economy, and team members themselves are changing day by day.

The key to success in rapidly changing environments is to engage in the change milieu with verve and anticipation of positive results. A leader would be wise to start team meetings with the question, “What has changed since we last met?” Undoubtedly that question will result in numerous responses, most of which will be related to the specific work tasks and environment of the team. That is a good start, but then a good leader should challenge their team to examine their “universe” more expansively. Questions such as: “What factors have changed about our constituency, audience, or client?,” “What resources have become available to us that weren’t available yesterday?,” “Has the mission or objective of our project shifted, however slightly?,” "What opportunities or threats have surfaced recently?," “Have our budgetary needs changed?,” “Who are some of the new players related to our project that we should be engaging?” and innumerable other questions related to exploring the change factor.

Addressing those change factors with your team is crucial to not only their comfort level around change but to the ultimate success of your team’s work. Facing change head-on will allow your team to engage their creative juices, plan approaches to address the change, and feel energized by the activity that is required to look at the change factors and be able to say, “We’re right there with you – maybe even a step ahead of you!” There is no place for lethargy in the organizations of today’s world. It is incumbent upon the leader to lead the way in addressing the constant of change, and to make it an exciting, vigorous, energizing endeavor. Looking back rarely does much good. The leaders of organizations operating in today’s extremely challenging environments must be change agents, and must coach their teams to be stimulated by change such that they raise their game to be excited by change and stimulated to higher levels of performance.

Provide Opportunities for Staff and Team Development
The act of learning never ever stops. Every waking moment holds the opportunity for growth and development in a myriad of ways. So, if learning is a given, the leader’s challenge is to focus and direct that learning for their team members. It is absolutely necessary to make professional development an important element of the work experience for every member of a team. Remember that I’ve written previously about the importance of each and every team member, whatever their relative status. The administrative assistant is as important to the team as the leader, and all members in-between. This very fact is why I chafe at the descriptors for team members too often used in the work environment: that of “junior staff” as opposed to “senior staff.” While it is true that there are varying levels of responsibility, decision making accountability, and authority, it is a much healthier work environment when every team member is valued and treated with respect. One way to value and respect team members is to allow them abundant opportunities for professional growth.

Engaging one’s staff in professional growth opportunities need not be expensively burdensome. While the occasional seminar, conference, or convention may serve a very useful purpose in the professional development of staff members, there are a number of other ways that training and professional growth opportunities may occur.

The first step is to individualize a team member’s need for specific training or professional growth opportunities. Too often, an entire team is required to sit through a “training” that isn’t specific enough to each individual’s needs or situation. It is true that some of these group trainings should be required for all, such as some related to the human resources arena. But beyond that growth opportunities should be individualized. How does that happen? First, it is important to have regularly scheduled meetings with each team member. In those “one-on-one” meetings a great deal can be discussed, and discovered, about an individual’s strengths, weaknesses, needs, and desires for professional growth. The job of the leader is to listen, then guide appropriately. In my experience, staff members know what they need to move forward and excel in their jobs. More infrequently they may need to be guided to that learning experience if they don’t recognize a deficit in themselves. But, again, if a leader or director/manager of a particular work group engages in conversations with individual team members frequently enough (I suggest once a week as a norm) the professional growth interests and needs will become apparent.

Once a leader has identified specific areas of need, action is required. There are a number of low cost ways that professional development action may be met. It may be as simple as suggesting an article, book, or web site to be read and explored; or a pairing of one staff member with another for the purpose of transferring skills and expertise; or engaging in coaching directly as a leader to a team member. Additionally, a short period of job exchange can invigorate and bring the opportunity for growth and a broader understanding of the organization’s various elements of work. Think about that almost limitless resource pool discussed earlier, and engage consultants, vendors, or content experts in an intern type situation, where your staff member spends a few hours or up to a day a week shadowing and working alongside a person who may provide the professional growth needed for a given staff member. Thinking expansively about professional development is wise, and the rewards are significant.

The leader’s job isn’t over – ever. Follow-up to training or professional development opportunities is a must. The weekly one-on-one meetings allow for ample opportunity to gauge the impact of training on individual staff members. Perhaps an adjustment will be required, or additional training will be an obvious need. But, in all cases where an effort has been made on the part of a team member to grow professionally, praise is not only warranted but an absolute must on the part of the leader. The idea, of course, is to reinforce the concept of growth and adaptability. When professional development is engaged in with a collaborative and supportive manner, individuals will thrive and become even greater assets to your organization and its ultimate success.

Serve as a Hands-on Team Champion
There is perhaps no greater act of selfless leadership than to be a hands-on champion for your team. The rewards of such action are almost rich beyond measure. Building trust, loyalty, willingness to go above and beyond basic requirements, and pride in the work of an organization is the job of a leader who is an engaged team champion. This is very different from days past when a remote leader could dole out tasks from a “head office” somewhere on an upper floor, today’s leader must be seen and must engage with their teams. An organization’s success is all about a spirit of “one for all and all for one” as trite as that may sound.

The role of team champion starts with simple everyday communications. Making an effort, no matter how busy one’s schedule to engage at least briefly each staff member (or work group if the organization is very large) is so vitally important. Remoteness doesn’t work, and any leader who sequesters him or herself in their office for days on end has no idea what kind of “talk” is going on among the staff. Frequently it will be of the “where’s the boss?” variety, which often leads to conversations that are decidedly negative in tone. So, engage! If the size of the organization only allows a group e-mail greeting each morning, that would be better than nothing, and would serve to let your team know that you are thinking of them and supporting their efforts.

Ratcheting up the team champion concept to the next level is a sign of a wise leader. What does the next level require? It is as simple and as complicated as diving into the work alongside your team, rolling up your sleeves (literally if needed) and supporting their work efforts. I think we’ve all been employees of leaders who bark orders and stand back somewhere while their “worker bees” hustle and bustle to get the work done. I suppose that is effective to a point; but it is leadership by coercion and fear. It is infinitely more effective to gather the team, explain a task, and speak in the collective of “we.” Then, demonstrate your support, if even for a short period of time due to other pressing obligations, by digging in with your team to accomplish a given task.

A wonderful example comes to mind here – and while I don’t wish to be political, it is the example set by President Barack Obama when he joins his wife and hundreds of military personnel in stuffing backpacks for children of the military serving overseas. Or, First Lady Michelle Obama, digging a garden plot on the White House lawn with several dozen school children. Neither one of them filled just one or two backpacks, or shoveled just the first clump of earth – they stayed and engaged for as long as they possibly could, demonstrating their interest and commitment to the success of the endeavors. Now, if the president and first lady can take the time to engage themselves in such a manner, surely the rest of us who serve as leaders can too.

One more very important point related to being a team champion must be mentioned. That is, giving credit where credit is due at every opportunity. I’ve written in previous segments about the fact that accolades accrue to a leader naturally, for everyone recognizes that it takes a good leader to create success. But, team members aren’t always accorded that same recognition. It is so very important to always recognize your team members publicly for the work they do and the accomplishments of their efforts. Avoid taking credit for the work of your team, rather pass it on to them – it is a simple act of generosity of spirit that will invigorate your team, allow them to enjoy the “fruits” of their labor, and will in turn pay significant dividends to the organization and its leader as well. I don’t believe a leader can say “thank you” too many times, as long as it is sincere and heartfelt. That is one of the essences of what I call “smart/heart Leadership.”

Emergence of a New Team Template, Part I

By Richard Russey

First, let’s be clear about what a “team” is in this post industrial, knowledge management-based public and private sector environment. A team is a collection of individuals cooperatively functioning around a specific purpose or task at a specific point in time. A team can no longer be considered an enduring, long-term tight-knit exclusive group. The early years of the 21st Century aren’t conducive to a climate of exclusivity in either the public or private sector. Our business landscapes are changing far too rapidly to expect that any given team is just the exactly right prescription for any given initiative or challenge. Rather, in order to survive and thrive in these challenging times, teams must be considered by leaders as fluid, ever evolving, reshaping, reforming, and constantly becoming something new and different in order to brave any particular business environment with pin-point specificity and clarity.

There are a number of archetypes for “team” that exist that may have been perfectly suited to addressing a given initiative, program, or challenge at a specific time in the past (and by that I mean yesterday and any time prior to yesterday). The problem with those teams, created around a standard exemplar or model, is that within a very short time they become concretized and rigid. That happens precisely because they were doing their job as a team. The problem is with leaders who then believe their job is finished after they’ve created a team and set them loose to fulfill the goals related to a project. That is all well and good up to the point when that particular project is finished. But, then upon accomplishment of a specific goal, project, or initiative the error many leaders make is to leave that very same team in place to address different goals, projects, or initiatives that do not have the same characteristics, needs, and outcome goals of initial project around which the team was originally created.

So, there’s the rub. Some team members will be able to adapt to a new set of goals or a new project. Some other team members will have the needed experience, knowledge and/or skills to apply to a new project. But, still others may not be appropriate to staff Project “B” even if they were a perfect fit for Project “A”. Specifically, the rub is that many leaders leave the same team in place, without change, to tackle a wide variety of projects or initiatives over the course of months or years that may seem similar on the surface but might, in fact, have important broad or even nuanced differences.

Why does this happen? The most obvious answer is that the status quo is an extremely powerful force, encouraging that which is established and institutionalized and resisting change. Living organisms (and a team can be described as such) fight mightily for survival – resisting any threats to their existence. There is also the comfort factor. It cannot be ignored. For, it is simply a great deal easier to leave an established team in place that has taken a great deal of time and energy to create. But, leaving a team in place because it has become institutionalized and because it is a comfortable group of folks to work with is, rather bluntly, lazy leadership.

The charge for the leader of today and tomorrow is to carefully analyze their teams, assess their skill sets, experience levels, and knowledge base. This analytical approach should be undertaken against a backdrop of a specific current and anticipated new project in mind. What are the specific staffing needs that will lead to a successful outcome of a given Project “C”, or “D”, or “E”, or “F”? The likelihood is that staffing needs for new projects will need to be tweaked even if only slightly. But the “tweak” factor is critical and must be considered for any new enterprise. It is in the tweaks that success may be supported and successful outcomes may be realized, or alternatively time and resources and people skills may essentially be misspent.

The Prescription for a New Team Template
So what does a leader do? Hire and fire new staff each time a new project lurks on the horizon? Of course that is not the answer because the human resource activity (hiring, training) of any organization is one of its most expensive, time consuming, and demanding elements that a leader has the responsibility to execute. However, the staff collective should be seen as having been hired because of their skills, knowledge, and experience that can be applied where appropriate and best suited. Additionally, it is short-sighted to consider full-time or part-time staff as the only resources available to an organization’s talent pool. These difficult economic times, but also new technologies, have led to a huge pool of talent that exists outside of your identified organizational staff. These outside resources include technological applications, consultants, vendors, and even volunteers that comprise a ready pool of unique and specialized abilities that may flow into and out of an organization based on specific need.

Herewith are some of the most essential factors of positive leadership considerations around the issue of establishing work teams:

Hire Smartly
It is the leader’s responsibility to hire people into the organization and onto the team that are smarter the leader him/herself. Hiring a group of people who don’t know as much as you do about your enterprise just doesn’t make sense in the highly competitive environments of today and tomorrow. A leader should be confident in his or her abilities to lead (see previous postings), and from that place of confidence hire onto the team those individuals who represent the best and the brightest, including skills and experience in specific areas that trump the leader by a mile. These challenging times (and they will remain challenging for as far as any of us can see into the future) demand ego-less leadership, with each new hire representing the very best and highest functioning employee that can reasonably be found.

Hire Broadly
In addition to hiring smartly, a good leader will hire broadly. That is, to approach team composition by embracing an expansive and far-reaching perspective that allows the most open and all-encompassing search for team members that will lend the appropriate skills, knowledge, experience, attitude, energy, wisdom, and distinction to the specific goals any specific team will be charged with accomplishing. It is with this approach and mind-set that “yes men/women” as potential team members are to be regarded warily. Certainly hiring team members that are excellent collaborators, willing participants in something greater than themselves (read: ego-less), and are energetic cheerleaders for the team’s greater mission is important. However, and this is a big “however,” it is a disservice to the organization any leader serves to hire narrowly, based on factors that are the antithesis of the qualities listed above. Having good soldiers on the team is a worthwhile goal; but developing a team of soldiers acting without independent thinking, serving only to please, afraid to ask tough questions of their fellow team members and their leader, and wishing for the security of anonymity is a danger to the potential for success of any given project, and to the very existence of the organization as well.

So the thing to do is to hire with the broadest sense of what is required to achieve success around a mission, goal, initiative, project, or task. While specific abilities and skills are contributors to potential success, so too are those less tangible factors such as an individual’s depth of thinking, ability to not be limited by traditional constraints, the courage to speak up even if their voice seems to go against the grain, and those with skills and experiences that may not appear to be directly relevant but which may add nuance and resonance to a team.

Lead with Precision
Far too often leaders present themselves to their teams with vagueness, lack of specificity, ego-centered personalities, fear of failure, and carelessness. The result of such leadership is often a state of confusion within the team, disagreements around the end goal, competition that is destructive rather than energizing, and ultimately inadequate goal fulfillment.

What is required of leaders always, but certainly in these very challenging times is precision. Essentially, that translates to leadership characterized by caring, truthfulness, meticulousness, diligence, and thoroughness. Once again, it is the difference between a highly engaged, visionary, positive, smart leader and those who can only be described as lazy leaders.

The more precise the leadership of a “person in charge,” the greater are the team’s chances for meeting stated goals within an established timeline, budget, and other available resources. Simply put, those who lead with great care are leader whose teams are supported best. Leading with precision, more frequently than not, results in missions accomplished with success and distinction.

In Part II look for the other essential components of the new team template – one that is appropriate to the challenging times in which we lead our organizations and work with our teams. The principles to be covered in this Part II include: assigning teams flexibly; expanding the resource pool (that is, expanding the idea of “team”); the very deliberate act of composing a team of people and resources; the art of leading teams towards change; providing ample opportunities for staff and team development; and the critical role of the leader as a hands-on team champion.

Living Artfully, Prospering Professionally

By Richard Russey

The thing about art is that it is inextricably linked to life in all its forms, variations, and manifestations. That makes the arts in all its forms (visual, dance, music, theater, media, including endless combinations and adaptations) a perfect reflection of life.

Writer John Cheever once said that “art is the triumph over chaos.” If that is true, the statement implies that there is an organization, an arrangement, or a configuration that can be applied to life that assists us in sorting out the chaos.

Those learned in experiencing art have long used a methodology for making sense out of art, thus life. It consists of a step by step approach that leads along a gradual path of gathering essential information, scrutinizing and considering that information, construing meaning from the analysis, and finally forming an opinion or deriving a conclusion from the process.

Gathering Essential Information
One can listen to a piece of music by Johann Sebastian Bach or John Lennon, experience a theatrical performance written by William Inge or Wendy Wasserstein, revel in a dance choreographed by Twyla Tharp or Alberto Alonso, or study a painting by Henri Matisse or Julian Schnabel, and the approach to experiencing the “art” is essentially the same. By attuning to the elements utilized in an art form (line and color, rhythm and pattern, words and point of view, tone and tempo) the essential components of artistic construction become clear.

Scrutinizing and Analyzing
Emerging from the wondrous blending of the basic artistic elements, the impact of one element on another begins to take on importance and serves to push the essential content of the work of art forward. It is this essential step that serves as the basis for construing meaning about the work of art be it a theatrical production, a dance performance, a musical composition, or a two-dimensional painting. One can look closely at the essentials that serve to comprise the art form, examining and exploring the “dance” of artistic elements such as line, color, form, texture, and rhythm. Meaning surfaces through the analysis of the artistic elements.

Construing Meaning
The miraculous result is that the meaning may be universally understood, or very personal to an individual. The significance and the consequence of one’s interpretation of the experience of art is as critical as it is to the interpretation of the experience of life writ large. Construing meaning doesn’t imply agreement or disagreement with the content of the artistic message – rather, solely that meaning has emerged and is apparent to viewer and/or listener.

Deriving Conclusions
Finally, one can derive conclusions related to the content of the message, one can form judgment. At this point the judgment is fairly derived, where it would have been premature to jump to judgment upon the initial gathering of visual and auditory information.

So What?
So, what does the experiencing of art have to do with prospering professionally? Is there an art-life connection that lives outside of the direct experience of an art form? The answer is as simple and as complicated as applying the same step by step approach to one’s everyday moments and professional life that can be applied to experiencing art in any one or all of its many forms. That is, to:

· carefully and expansively gather essential information
· scrutinize and consider that information through analysis
· construe meaning (interpretation) from the analysis
· form an opinion and/or derive a conclusion

Think about, and most importantly, practice this process. The one very important thing this does is to prolong the urge to form an opinion (or, judgment) until AFTER the necessary steps of preparation have been accomplished. The extraordinary amount of strife and discord in the world and workplace makes it clear that there is a huge tendency to jump to judgment rather than to engage in the carefully constructed practice of gathering and processing information prior to making judgments.

The next time you are enjoying a symphony, beholding a dance performance, sitting in rapt attention as a member of the audience at the theater, reading a particularly good novel, or standing in awe transfixed by a painting’s bold and beautiful message, make an attempt at s-l-o-w-i-n-g down the process of absorbing, analyzing, and interpreting the input received by your eyes, ears, heart, and mind. Then, consider how this same process can be applied to the experience of hearing a new idea in a business setting, meeting a new colleague (or better yet, a competitor), or handling a particularly challenging situation.

So “triumph over the chaos of life,” specifically your professional life -- you can indeed live artfully, and prosper professionally!

On A Clear Day: Creating Visions and Missions of Clarity

By Richard Russey

Volumes have been written about the importance of vision and mission statements, and related strategic plans with specific objectives outlining the way forward for any organization. So, what is there to add? Well, my personal perspective of course … having worked for and with a wide variety of public and private sector organizations over the course of thirty years. What I have to add is a listing of things that are wise to do, and things to avoid when it comes to developing vision and mission statements, as well as their corresponding objectives.

As many who follow my blog will expect, I will first and foremost urge a collaborative, inclusive approach to developing and/or reviewing and renewing an organization’s vision and mission statements. To use a rather well worn phrase, it indeed “takes a village” to accomplish the work you do, so it makes good sense to include that village in the development of the vision and mission … and critically important to the development of the objectives, tasks, or activities (different strokes for different types of organizations).

But, how is this accomplished without becoming unwieldy, hugely time consuming, and frustrating? There are some guidelines that I’ve learned as I’ve experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly of processes around writing vision and mission statements, then developing a precise set of objectives to accomplish them.

I’ll present my thoughts in the positive “do this” type framework, but will include the hazards that accompany a particular suggestion if you decide to take another track. This will become clear as you read through the suggestions that follow.

Inclusivity Rules!
Everyone, and I mean everyone, employed or having a stake in an organization should be included, at some point, in the development and/or review of the drafting of vision and mission statements, as well as the important listing of objectives related to getting the work of the organization (as related to the vision and mission) accomplished.

There are some leaders who see the development of the vision and the mission as the responsibility of the leaders of the organization, the so-called “senior staff” and perhaps the board. My take on that approach is that one immediately sets up (intentionally or not) an “us” versus “them” mindset that will only serve to diminish the effectiveness of the organization over time. Is it more difficult to include everyone in the process? Absolutely, yes, the task becomes more difficult. But, it is worth the extra effort to be inclusive? Again, the answer is absolutely yes! One would hope that the very idea of an organization’s vision and mission is not only to communicate to the audience, constituency, or the public at large about the organization’s raison d’etre, but to involve and motivate the good people who are in your employ, or are volunteers, or even members of your constituency. To develop a vision and mission in a vacuum is a sure path to trouble ahead. Trust me on this one: I’ve seen too many organizations struggle to keep their staff (their teams) motivated and engaged, all the while keeping the sum and substance of the organization’s purpose for being held tightly to the chests of only the most senior of staff members, and perhaps a few members of the board. I’m certain there will be many CEO’s, executive directors, and other leaders who will scoff at this idea of broad inclusiveness. I know, because I’ve seen it first hand. But, be warned, holding the deck with exclusivity may not bring your organization to its knees, but it will certainly manifest in any number of problems down the road.

Vision with 20/20 Preciseness
One of the mistakes frequently made when an organization sets about to write a vision statement is that by using the very principle I advocate above, inclusiveness, the whole kitchen sink gets dumped into the vision without the necessary trimming and cutting and word smith work that creates an appropriate vision statement – born of inclusiveness, but articulating the collective with precision.

Some of the very best vision statements are no longer than a single sentence. It really is the short answer of, “What are we here to do, and what do what the future to look like?” All the details of who, what, how, and why will follow in the mission, and related objectives, tasks, and activities. But, the vision should remain crystal clear, precise, and memorable. It is the oft-used “elevator ride” articulation of a vision that works best. That is, can you describe your organization’s vision in about 10 seconds – about the amount of time it would take to ride an elevator from one floor of a building to the next?

So, you see, a vision statement is limited to the most precise articulation of what an organization seeks to be in the world – often including a sense of what the future looks like vis-à-vis the corporate (or nonprofit) impact on the world.

The Mission, Map or Trap? Keeping the Collective “Eye” on the Prize
There may be some occasions where one could argue for developing or utilizing a vision born of a few individuals or even a single person (usually referred to as a “founder”) of an organization. I concede that there are some instances around which a vision, inspired by an event or circumstance in one’s life is best articulated by a single person or small group of people. However, passing the resulting vision statement by a cracker-jack editor is definitely a good idea.

But, the development of a mission statement that is intended to fill out the details of just how the vision will be made manifest in the world does indeed beg for a wider circle of participation. How can this be accomplished without chaos ensuing? There are a number of ways and means and no one size fits all. A facilitated meeting of all staff members, board members, and representatives of various stake holder groups can work well. Or, a series of smaller focus groups that are charged with breathing life into the vision can be effective, particularly where very large numbers of staff are concerned. But what is clear is that those individuals who will be charged with delivering on the intent of the vision and those stakeholder groups are rich sources of adding flesh to the bones of the razor clear vision. This collective, by whatever means the input is gathered, can help enormously in “keeping the eye on the prize” of the original vision. It is all too easy for the mission statement to grow exponentially as input is gathered from a broad group of interested parties or individuals. So …

Brevity is Best
Keeping the mission statement, along with the accompanying written strategies, objectives, or activities concise is critical as well. We’ve probably all seen mission statements that go on for pages and pages of text. But, I contend that no matter how complex and multi-layered the vision and mission of an organization the description of that work should be able to be boiled down to perhaps several paragraphs of very concise and precise language. An old adage definitely applies here: less is more. Embrace that concept, however difficult it may be to switch one’s thinking from the “kitchen sink” approach to writing a mission statement to the difficult but ultimately rewarding work of paring down the explanation of the mission to its most salient and pertinent points.

Review, Renew, Reward
Once a draft of the vision, mission, and objectives or task activities is completed be brave enough to let it be reviewed. That means sending it back through all the individuals that were involved in its development. Gather feedback, utilize a good editor, and look for ways to add nuance and specificity by the intentional selection of particular words and phrases and discarding other less precise language. Approach this process with an ego-less mind and heart; the result will be better for your bravery, and will be absent the limiting sense of singular ownership.

Plan for a regular review (at least annually) of the vision and mission in order to make sure it remains relevant to the rapidly changing environment in which we all do our work. Certainly in a year’s time there will have been significant changes in an organization’s audience or beneficiaries, in technology, in the political landscape, in funding opportunities (or lack thereof), and in opportunities and threats to the organization and its vision. Remember the truth of the admonishment: change is the only constant.

Be open to renewing your organization’s vision and mission to align with current realities. IF the vision was conceived and written with great care … it may live on without need for significant change for many years. However, it is likely that the particulars of the mission and the objectives required to “get the work done” will require some re-tooling regularly over time.

Finally, reward everyone involved for their efforts and their contributions to the vision and mission of your organization. I refer here to ALL staff, board members, the constituency or audience served, vendors, allied organizations, and others. If they are acknowledged and rewarded in some way that is relevant to your organization they will be all the more motivated to jump in the trenches as each new day dawns and do their all to keep that vision alive. The reward need not be monetary, and probably shouldn’t be – as all available financial resources ought to be going to the delivery of your organization’s purpose. But, it is amazing how impactful effective leadership can be in this regard (please refer to previous posts on this blog related to leadership).

Let the Vision Live … Each Day in Every Way
Then, let the vision and mission live! See the result of your dedicated work as having life that applies each and every day and that guides the minute to minute activity of the organization. One very effective means of doing so is to make sure the vision and mission is in full view of every member of your team, posted above their desks, printed on small cards that can be carried in a wallet or purse, emblazoned on t-shirts or coffee mugs, or otherwise kept front and center. In this way, one can judge whether every action performed in the course of daily work for the organization serves the vision and mission, or is straying off base. This is a particularly meaningful way to keep the vision alive, and all energies focused on its manifestation. It is a particularly useful time management tool as well. It provides the foundation to be able to reply with a “yes” or “no” to the barrage of requests or demands on the time that will be directed to both leaders and the entire team involved in any organization. Walk the talk and each day will be a clear day.

What Becomes a Leader LEAST?

By Richard Russey

As readers of this blog know, I’m inclined towards the discussion of leadership in terms that are considered positive attributes of leadership. But, there is power in pointing out some of the mistakes leaders make either willfully or benignly. Over the years that I’ve been led, or that I’ve served as a leader in a variety of settings, including both the public and private sector and non-profit organizations, I’ve observed a number of ways that leaders may deal with situations – specifically related to how they lead their team – that are not productive, and in fact serve to undermine the team and destroy esprit de corps of the staff collective. At other times some of these negative traits may zero in on an individual staff member creating problems ranging from disillusionment to extreme negativity.

Perhaps a meaningful subtitle for this article would be “How NOT to be a Good Boss.” So, with that in mind, I present my list of leadership behaviors to avoid:

Catch-22 Situations
Joseph Heller brilliantly coined the phrase and examined the seemingly unending Catch-22 situations people serving in the military face. But, it is not just military leaders who subject their teams to these no-win situations of contradictory options. Leaders of all stripes may inadvertently set up Catch-22 predicaments that fence their team in with illogical rules and regulations. The way to avoid Catch-22 situations where staff members find themselves in difficult, and often embarrassing circumstances is to strive to be logically clear in communications, provide appropriate and meaningful support, and to place yourself as a leader in your team member’s shoes regularly (at least as an exercise of the mind) to examine whether you have set up impossible Catch-22 situations.

Cavalier Attitudes
It is difficult to fathom that any leader would be cavalier, yet perhaps all of us can name a few we know who would fit that description, at least part of the time. I contend that it is not an option for any leader to be inattentive to staff needs, unconcerned with the welfare of their organization’s mission and their team’s ability to help them fulfill that mission, or exhibit any degree unengaged behavior. To allow a cavalier attitude to develop within oneself as a leader is strikingly dangerous – creating havoc within the organization, or apathy, or both. There is no time to waste in our march towards fulfilling the important goals of our organizations or to allow for the wasteland that a cavalier attitude may precipitate.

Amorphous Guidance
Confusion is the rule of the day whenever there is a lack of precise and well-articulated outcomes and goals to set the stage for team activity. Whether at the start of each day, or when commencing a project, a good leader will strive to provide direction that is not vague or poorly conceived. Without the direct and specific guidance necessary for the professionals on your team to move forward and do the work they are highly capable of doing, they are left to forge their own way towards a goal that is either not articulated at all, or is so nonspecific as to be virtually absent. Many actions taken by a good leader can ameliorate confusion. A solid strategic plan (that has been developed with the input of the team) is a beginning. Regular team meetings to discuss short, mid, and long-term goals will help to keep the team on track, and will allow for an airing of questions and concerns as they arise. A feedback loop is essential too, so that a leader is not cut-off from important issues that may come up during the course of the team’s work.

Querulous Demeanor
The idea of leadership is to motivate a team to move in the same direction towards the successful accomplishment of a set of goals or mission. All too often leaders, being the human beings they are, allow a querulous demeanor to intrude on their otherwise effective leadership style. To be specific – avoid small and petty complaints about your team’s style, work habits, or personality traits. Unnecessary nit-picking will lead your team in exactly the wrong direction – away from you and your organization’s mission. Of course it is important to have standards in place for workplace behavior, dress, and allowable actions and customs. But, it is important to remember that people who work under you leadership are not robotic, and will have their own traits, quirks, and styles. To the degree that these attributes do not serve to block the flow of successful task completion and the realization of stated goals – do not let your personal preferences about the style, personality, and habits of your employees interfere with success. Remember that a team is a group of individuals, and some of the great strength of a team comes from the uniqueness brought by each participating member.

Narcissism
Being obsessed with promoting oneself as leader rather than giving ample credit to both the team as a whole and individual staff members for small and large successes may likely create a climate that engenders apathy, reticence, and lack of innovation. When a leader grabs credit for many or all the work performed by individual staff members, or the team as a whole, the result is usually a team that moves from high performance to mediocrity. Team members will gradually learn that it doesn’t “pay” to give their all, to perform at top capacity. Staff will be reticent to bring new ideas to the table for fear that their leader is all too ready to grab the credit and attention. There is a simple fix to this narcissistic leadership trait: give credit where credit is due; give credit as publicly as possible; and praise the team for successful accomplishment of goals. Previously in other blog postings I’ve stated that positive attention accrues to a good leader naturally, as the world is set up to understand that the success of a team requires a good leader. So let the credit go to the team. Not to worry, the public, your board, or other’s that you are responsible to will notice the good work being done and will credit you, as leader, ultimately for that success. But they will understand, too, that as the leader of the team you have created an atmosphere for success.

Unilateral Vacuum
It is true that from time to time a critical decision must be made quickly and in a vacuum, that is without the benefit of advice and counsel and information provided by the team. However, a leader should strive to minimize those situations where decisions must be made unilaterally. Unilateral decision making by a leader should, in my opinion, be the gross exception. One of the reasons I use the term “team” more frequently than “staff” or “employees” is that it connotes collaboration and consultation among a group of individuals who all have their eye on the same goal. Of course it may be necessary to consult with different groups around different specific content – in one instance it may be the officers of the board, in another instance it may be a specific work team, and in yet another instance it may be with the entire employee group of an organization. But, to make decisions unilaterally is risky business unless the leader considers oneself as all-knowing (and that leads back to the trait of narcissism.)

Spurious, How Curious
One of the most important traits of a leader is authenticity. A leader must be squeakily genuine in their interactions with their team as a whole and with each individual member of that team. Truthful, honest communication is one of the benchmarks of authenticity. Acknowledging one’s idiosyncratic qualities and behaviors and being open about working to keep those behaviors from working against the greater good of the organization and the team’s purpose is another path towards genuine interaction with the individual’s in your employ. As every employee of an organization of any size knows, a spurious leader can be smelled a mile away! Authenticity rules the day!

By examining some of the more negative traits of leaders, I hope to have brought attention to a few of the pitfalls of leadership that may not be conscious and intentional. It does require strong initiative and drive to be an effective leader. Lacking the ability or the will to look at one’s leadership style or traits that may not be as productive as they could be is to be on a sure path of eventual leadership failure. The good news is that leaders of ability, energy, and openness can self-correct. It only requires honest self-reflection, and the desire and willingness to amend behaviors that may be preventing you from becoming the best leader you can be!

Why Good Leaders Must D.I.E.

By Richard Russey

Okay, I admit to hyping this blog post with a provocative title. But, stay with me if you will and I think you’ll see why good leaders must "D.I.E." Certainly, I am not referring to corporeal death, but to an acronym that represents qualities I believe to be essential to leaders of distinction.

The acronym “D.I.E.” stands for these significant “good leader” traits: the ability to be decisive; the wisdom to be introspective; and the grounding to be ethical. Adding these elements to the many leadership qualities I’ve previously explored in postings to this blog helps to round out the essence of what can only be described as extraordinary leadership. I’ve delved into many other qualities of leadership including these words of description that define an exemplary leader -- visionary, persuasive, intentional, likable, strategic, tactical, and focused. But, it is necessary to add the important “D.I.E.” descriptors that are the hallmark of leaders who stand out, leaders that are remembered for their positive impact, leaders who engender success through their approach and style, and leaders who are guided by intelligence and skill. All of these, I feel compelled to remind you, are learned traits. While a rare person may be born with an intuitive feel for leadership, even they must develop the skills and qualities that allow them to actualize their success in a leadership role.

Decisive
Essentially, a decisive leader can wrap their attention and thinking around an issue, and make a decision for the “greater good” of the mission of their organization even without possessing a complete set of data or information. They can do this precisely because they have honed the numerous other traits I’ve identified in my postings on leadership. Often there is limited time and/or certain market constraints imposed from the outside of a leader’s sphere of immediate influence. One reaction to these outside influences that can come without warning and with severity would be to freeze, to become transfixed by the challenge. But, one cannot be successful for very long by avoiding making decisions. The kind of leader I am discussing here works to develop a decisive nature, rapidly gathering all pertinent and available information, looking at the various perspectives of a situation, projecting scenarios of the outcomes of deciding in one way or another – then making a choice, making a decision.

There is perhaps no more powerful statement on the power of “deciding” than the famous words of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe who in the early years of the 19th Century said:

“I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration; I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person humanized or de-humanized. If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.”

Consider the incredible power of those words, which are the perfect segue to the next element of leadership in the “D.I.E.” acronym.

Introspective
A leader of positive consequence has the ability to be introspective. While much of a leader’s role is about projecting outward (to a team, a board, other leaders, and their organization’s constituency or audience) that outward projection must have a foundation in the ability of a leader to be introspective, self-examining, and “interior-aware.” It is the introspective element that is the foundation for the quality of intentionality that has been previously discussed in my postings on leadership.

I know what many readers must now be thinking … “Sounds good, but where will I find the time?” There are many answers to that question, and no one size fits all. The Buddhists would say that one can practice introspection in each moment. That is the famous “Zen” approach to life, to daily activity, and to personal engagement. My point here is that one need not go off on a retreat to be introspective. A leader cannot afford to delay introspection to another time or place. Introspection should not be separated from one’s moment to moment activity. Clearly, this is a learned skill that must be practiced consistently. And, for those queasy about “religious” practice or dogma, introspection isn’t just a Zen or Buddhist concept.

Another perhaps more cerebral approach to introspection is to develop the habit of asking oneself questions … all the time, about everything. Albeit, a very difficult habit to start, as it will seem intrusive and pesky initially, those questions asked of oneself can lead to new awareness, to “ah-ha” moments, and to different levels of thinking and thus, operating. Ask yourself all the questions you might imagine the outside world is going to ask of you as a means of starting an inner dialogue. Are the answers you hear forming in your mind satisfactory to you as a leader? If not, keep asking the questions – I promise you that your “inner-knower” will not fail you, because this provides the opportunity for the sum and substance of your intellect, your experience, and yes, your spirit, to come forth and provide the wisdom you are seeking.

Finally, when a leader fully engages in decisive and introspective activity, the corollary element of ethics comes into play.

Ethical
There is an element of ethical leadership that concerns the approach of being straightforward, direct, and truthful. Clearly, the act of being introspective can nudge one in the direction of ethical leadership. While there is an understanding around the word of ethics that is based in morality, I am not focusing on that aspect of the concept of ethical leadership here. Rather, I refer to decency and fairness, and leadership based on a set of principles. Again, no one size fits all. But, no leader can achieve the level of distinction that I believe we should all aspire to without ethical considerations being part and parcel of the leadership role.

Abraham Lincoln provides my guiding light on the issue of ethics, in part because his view was so simple and clear-eyed. He once remarked: “When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad.”

Clear, transparent, ethical behavior on the part of a leader is like a beacon of light that shines outward illuminating all. A leader’s team certainly is impacted by the modeling of ethical behavior. An organization’s constituency or audience is drawn to the unmistakable essence of “good” surrounding the mission and endeavor where ethical leadership is ever-present.

One can argue morality as it relates to ethics, but what seems unimpeachably true to me is that leading with a set of values, principles, and beliefs imbued with conscientious application engenders leadership of consequence and of distinction.

So, take one for the team … go out there and model how a leader should D.I.E.