By Richard Russey
Partnerships and collaborations are critical relationships between and among public and private sectors entities, grant makers and grantees, the non-profit community, donors, programmatic entities, educational institutions on all levels, and clients/audience/constituency, among others. Importantly, and in the context of the ongoing examination of effective leadership featured on this blog, is the critical element of considering and acting on the belief that one’s staff or team are some of the very best partners one can have to achieve organizational success. (More on the concept of leader/staff partnership later in this article.)
First, potential partners must consider some of the key elements that will lead to the success of any short or long term collaborative partnership. They include:
Developing trust born of a common vision
Frequently the challenge blocking the way to true partnership is the issue of trust. “Can I trust those individuals and organizations I bring into close alliance?” is an oft asked question posed by leaders of every type of organization. Perhaps it seems blatantly obvious, but it is important to underscore the fact that real trust between individuals and organizations, a trust that leads to enhanced progress and success for both (or all) entities in partnership, is born of sharing a common vision. Those in alliance “for the greater good” must share a vision, even if not a specific mission. The over-arching reason for an alliance, partnership, or collaboration must be that, in essence, the sum is greater than the parts, that a greater value can be achieved than by going it alone. Each participant in a partnership must obtain value (however that is defined by each participating partner) in order for the alliance to be one that is productive and enduring.
Clearly organizations have the goal of hiring a team of individuals who are enthusiastic proponents of the established vision. For example, let’s look at one of the most famous and pithy vision statements in corporate America’s history, Ford Motor Company’s “Quality is Job #1.” Undoubtedly, to achieve success Ford had (and has) an interest in hiring team members at all levels who believe in that vision. For that vision to become actualized everyone from line factory workers to middle management, to vendors, board members, shareholders, and the highest level corporate executives, a shared belief in that “quality” vision is absolutely essential. Maybe this is an over simplification, as I am not a business analyst, but from the perspective of looking at success based on shared vision, perhaps this is one reason that the Ford Motor Company is not in the same dire straits as other American car companies during the current economic crisis.
Embracing a diversity of perspectives
While sharing a common vision is a basic tenant of effective partnerships and collaborations, that concept should not be translated dogmatically. It can be assumed that anytime two individuals, much less two or more organizations, are in partnership there is going to be a diversity of perspectives. At least two results can come from this fact – one is that the partnership or collaboration is not successful and falls apart, or alternatively and more positively that the collaborative partnership is strengthened by the diversity of perspectives. In order to share a vision, we must not express a rigid and doctrinaire adherence to a single vision. Rather, I assert that it is healthy within the context of broad agreement to have a healthy debate around specific perspectives that relate to how to accomplish a successful collaboration. Utilizing strength that comes from the vitality of difference partners can truly achieve a sum that is greater than the parts being brought together.
Of course, this approach is not for the faint of heart, for it requires both fearless and ego-less leadership and cooperation by all parties involved. Where blocks may arise due to differing perspectives on how to accomplish goals related to a shared vision, it is best for all parties to step back and remember that there was (and is) a shared vision that brought together the collaborative partnership in the first place. Then, building a strategy that not only embraces the diversity of opinions and approaches, but ultimately produces the yield desired for all members of a collaborative partnership, is vital. Close and frequent communication is one key to success. Facilitation by a third party of the collaborative partnership may be desirable and should not, in my opinion, be seen as a weakness. As I’ve stated, true and meaningful partnerships at any level, between or among any two or more people or organizations is not for the faint of heart. Commitment, strong motivation, trust, and accountability must be hallmarks of the partnership. But, as in any true collaborative partnership that has its risks, the rewards can be great. Goals can be achieved that are very difficult if not impossible if attempted in the vacuum of “going it alone.”
Knowing the difference between short term and long term partnerships and collaborations
The success and effectiveness of collaborative partnerships is to know “when to hold, and know when to fold.” But, the difference between a partnership of organizational entities and a card game is that all parties should have an understanding from the outset what the parameters of that partnership should be as it relates to all. Partnership between and among a leader and employees (team members) may be considered to be long-term and enduring, at least in theory. As any leader knows, turnover is costly in terms of time and expense and morale. So, in the scenario of “leader-staff” the goal is a long term partnership where benefits accrue to all. It is relevant here to quote one of the great thinkers on this subject, Ken Blanchard:
“In the past a leader was a boss. Today’s leaders must be partners with their people… they no longer can lead solely based on positional power.”
But, what about other forms of collaborations and partnerships – how long should they last? Again, that question should be considered before entering into an associative relationship. The original shared vision certainly provides some guidance, but at this point it will be important to get into the details of mission and goals. What does each member of a collaboration or partnership want or need as a result of that association? What time line is projected for the accomplishment of shared goals? To what degree does the collaborative partnership benefit each of the members of that partnership and serve their audiences or constituency over time? One example of effective short term collaboration might be two or more nonprofit organizations partnering to produce a grant request to a funding entity that will produce the benefit of realizing specific short term goals – such as producing an event for a specific purpose and audience. Of course beyond the very shortest and simplest of collaborations there are innumerable possibilities for partnerships of increasing length and complexity.
Partnership is a process
It is important to remember that a partnership is a process requiring ongoing attention, commitment, monitoring, and, essentially, accountability from each partner member to all others engaged in the partnership. It is important to keep the lines of communication open and active, with regularly scheduled communications using a variety of methodologies appropriate to that partnership. Valuing the unique contributions each partner brings to the table is essential for success. Sharing “power” or even better, relinquishing the idea of power as useful to a collaborative endeavor is one component of success. To the same degree that a collaborative partnership is entered into with a great deal of thought, intentionality, and “tooling,” ongoing assessment and re-tooling of the relationship is critical. Previous postings to this blog have made the important point that the only constant in life is change. So, it stands to reason that change is going to impact any given collaborative partnership from day one. That fact does not need to be a daunting thought that prevents partnerships from forming and serving valued functions. Instead, it can serve as a motivator for communication and invigoration around the original purpose and goals of the partnership.
Whenever a stumbling block or bump in the road comes along, my advice is to remember two important things: one is the original shared vision that brought together the collaborative partnership in the first place; and the other is the mantra, “this is a process … this is a process … a process born of common purpose.”
Friday, April 24, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Let the Team Shine!
By Richard Russey
In my experience, one of the most critical factors of team leadership is best articulated by the wisdom of Lao Tzu, considered to be the “father” of Taoism:
"A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves."
Some leaders in our take charge, lead by shear force kind of world, will find the words of Lao Tzu anachronistic. Yet, I believe his thoughtful perception of a leader’s role vis-à-vis “the team” to be an enduring truism.
To bring his theory into the present, a recent client of mine was wont to say to me following a particularly successful delivery of a job: “Your team was superlative; but I know that a team cannot be successful without a good and effective leader.”
What are the elements of this approach to developing and leading a team of individuals towards group success? In my view the elements include:
Inclusiveness
Every member of a team is critical to the success of the team as a whole. You may recall that in one of my earlier postings on leadership I referred to my dislike for the practice of referring to staff by the monikers of “senior” and “junior.” You may also recall that I recognized that many hierarchical structures in organizations seem to have the need to sort out the positions of members of the team (staff) relative to one another. It is my view that we better serve our organizations and the people who work with us (rather than “for” us) by modeling true inclusiveness. This is done be recognizing and valuing the role that each and every member of the team plays. Some roles may involve more complex thinking, planning, and interacting, while others may be of a supportive and administrative nature. Nonetheless, ALL the activities of team members are critical to the successful outcome the group is striving to achieve. I submit that if a team member’s role is so unimportant as to not include them in all team meetings and communications and opportunities to contribute, then that particular position probably need not exist in an organization.
Leaders should ask themselves these questions: Do I regularly communicate with all of my team? Do I understand the value that each team member has the potentiality to play? Do I use the “team dynamic” to achieve the greatest level of success related to any given initiative or task? Do I treat team members as a group of equals, each with their own specific tasks to perform? Am I making the mistake of being supportive of some team members while being condescending towards others?
Communication
There are a multitude of ways to communicate with a team. As indicated above, it is critical to communicate with the team inclusively. Except in the rarest of circumstances that may involve extenuating circumstances, individual members of the team should not be left out of communications that will serve to support the team effort as a whole. No individual team member, whatever their role relative to the others should have to be in the embarrassing position of having to say, “But, I didn’t get that memo (email).”
Communicating with the team as a whole serves to reinforce the fact that every member of the team is important, and that all team members are expected to respect and honor one another as they work the path towards goal achievement and ultimate success. The methodologies of communication will vary depending on circumstances. The team leader’s role is to know when to communicate and what communication methodology is most appropriate for any given situation. There are times when an in-person team meeting is the most appropriate format to utilize. Typically, in-person team meetings are critical at the outset of a project, at certain milestone points during the project and at the point of a project wrap.
A number of factors will dictate how realistic the in-person meeting option is in reality. For example, are all team members co-located? Thanks to the wonders of technology, even teams that include members that are miles away may have productive group meetings via video-conferencing or phone-conferencing. E-mail communication should be used judiciously, as one of the commonalities all of us face in this new era of communication is overstuffed e-mail in-boxes. E-mailing is a time saver, but it must also be engaged in with great care. The nuance of communication experienced in face-to-face meetings is diminished in an e-mail. It is incumbent upon the e-mail sender to carefully construct a message that is clear, concise, and understandable. And, while it may be old-fashioned in this fast-paced “texting” oriented world, I am a proponent of utilizing whole sentences, capitalization, and correct punctuation in e-mail communications. To each their own style, of course, but my approach is that every time I communicate (either in person, via e-mail, or snail mail, or other) I am representing myself, my particular “brand,” to the outside world.
The larger point here is that whatever form communication may take; remember that as a team leader one has the responsibility to communicate inclusively, with specificity, and with conciseness. Anything less than that is less than the team deserves.
Macro-management
One common complaint by team members about their supervisor is that they are placed in a role related to specific tasks or activities that they are well qualified to perform but are then micromanaged by their leader to the point that they feel dispirited, undervalued, and inadequate. A leader serves their organization well to hire or position the best people to do certain tasks or groups of tasks then let them go to demonstrate their competence. This seems to be one of the most difficult things for some leaders to do because of their sense of responsibility to their supervisors, the CEO, the board, and importantly, the organization’s constituency. But, if a leader has confidence in the staffing choices made, then that should rollover to a sense of confidence that the team assembled has the right stuff to not only accomplish the tasks at hand, but to succeed with distinction.
So, leaders would be wise to get out of the business of micromanaging, and take on a new role, that of a “macro-manager.” That is, set forth the specifics related to any specific team goal (the scope of the work), provide the tools and resources needed by the team to do the job, facilitate the team dynamic, and honor the good work of the individual team members as well as the team collective.
Acknowledgement and Praise
A good team leader gives credit to the team frequently and publicly whenever and wherever possible. Good team leaders have the confidence to recognize that team success will inevitably accrue back to them. But, the really confident leadership trait to have is to draw attention to the team and not to oneself as leader. Again, following the idea that every team member is important and has value, this acknowledgement should at one point or another be shared with every person on the team. They all contributed, doing their part and accomplishing their tasks that led to the success of the overall team effort.
Acknowledgment and praise should not be shared only at the end of a project. Rather, the very first project team meeting should start with acknowledging the value of each team member, their particular role and unique contributions that are to play a part in the team’s success. A cautionary note: acknowledgment and praise should be sincere and specific; as the other side of that coin is that cynicism may be the reaction of team members if they feel that praise is inauthentic. If a leader has identified the right people to contribute to the team effort on any given task there will be copious opportunities to acknowledge individual and team efforts with authenticity.
Define “Team” Broadly
In today’s world of work, “teams” are fluid, flexible, and destined to change their make up and construction. Certain individuals may flow into then out of a team as different tasks and projects are undertaken. The leader’s job is to facilitate that flow and change, presenting it as exciting and energizing to an individual’s contribution to the organization. The entire staff of an organization should be led to recognize and value the idea of cross-teaming in order to address the needs of particular projects. The opposite of the excitement of fluid teams is an enervation that is destructive to individual and group morale.
Team members may include consultants, vendors, representatives from other organizations, individuals from an organization’s audience or constituency, and many other possibilities. Leaders would be wise to not restrict their concept of “team” too narrowly, as this leads to unnecessary constriction and deliverables that may be less stellar than they may be otherwise with the added influence and expertise of individuals outside an established team.
In Summary: The Tao of Team Revisited
Becoming a team leader that can facilitate the team dynamic such that the team will feel that they accomplished specific projects themselves requires a setting aside of ego that may be significantly challenging. However, in my view it is a requisite of effective team leadership. Remember, team success accrues to its leader naturally. One does not need to trumpet that news to the world, because the world is set up to “get” that leaders are acknowledged for the success of their organizations or teams.
Clearly, there is important work to be accomplished by a team leader: being inclusive in valuing and honoring every member of the team; communicating to all members of the team with modalities that are appropriate to a given situation; macro-managing by providing project goals and parameters, then letting go; and acknowledging and praising with authenticity and specificity.
The team leader’s role is not insignificant; but it is critical to recognize that the leader need not be the star. Let the team shine!
In my experience, one of the most critical factors of team leadership is best articulated by the wisdom of Lao Tzu, considered to be the “father” of Taoism:
"A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves."
Some leaders in our take charge, lead by shear force kind of world, will find the words of Lao Tzu anachronistic. Yet, I believe his thoughtful perception of a leader’s role vis-à-vis “the team” to be an enduring truism.
To bring his theory into the present, a recent client of mine was wont to say to me following a particularly successful delivery of a job: “Your team was superlative; but I know that a team cannot be successful without a good and effective leader.”
What are the elements of this approach to developing and leading a team of individuals towards group success? In my view the elements include:
Inclusiveness
Every member of a team is critical to the success of the team as a whole. You may recall that in one of my earlier postings on leadership I referred to my dislike for the practice of referring to staff by the monikers of “senior” and “junior.” You may also recall that I recognized that many hierarchical structures in organizations seem to have the need to sort out the positions of members of the team (staff) relative to one another. It is my view that we better serve our organizations and the people who work with us (rather than “for” us) by modeling true inclusiveness. This is done be recognizing and valuing the role that each and every member of the team plays. Some roles may involve more complex thinking, planning, and interacting, while others may be of a supportive and administrative nature. Nonetheless, ALL the activities of team members are critical to the successful outcome the group is striving to achieve. I submit that if a team member’s role is so unimportant as to not include them in all team meetings and communications and opportunities to contribute, then that particular position probably need not exist in an organization.
Leaders should ask themselves these questions: Do I regularly communicate with all of my team? Do I understand the value that each team member has the potentiality to play? Do I use the “team dynamic” to achieve the greatest level of success related to any given initiative or task? Do I treat team members as a group of equals, each with their own specific tasks to perform? Am I making the mistake of being supportive of some team members while being condescending towards others?
Communication
There are a multitude of ways to communicate with a team. As indicated above, it is critical to communicate with the team inclusively. Except in the rarest of circumstances that may involve extenuating circumstances, individual members of the team should not be left out of communications that will serve to support the team effort as a whole. No individual team member, whatever their role relative to the others should have to be in the embarrassing position of having to say, “But, I didn’t get that memo (email).”
Communicating with the team as a whole serves to reinforce the fact that every member of the team is important, and that all team members are expected to respect and honor one another as they work the path towards goal achievement and ultimate success. The methodologies of communication will vary depending on circumstances. The team leader’s role is to know when to communicate and what communication methodology is most appropriate for any given situation. There are times when an in-person team meeting is the most appropriate format to utilize. Typically, in-person team meetings are critical at the outset of a project, at certain milestone points during the project and at the point of a project wrap.
A number of factors will dictate how realistic the in-person meeting option is in reality. For example, are all team members co-located? Thanks to the wonders of technology, even teams that include members that are miles away may have productive group meetings via video-conferencing or phone-conferencing. E-mail communication should be used judiciously, as one of the commonalities all of us face in this new era of communication is overstuffed e-mail in-boxes. E-mailing is a time saver, but it must also be engaged in with great care. The nuance of communication experienced in face-to-face meetings is diminished in an e-mail. It is incumbent upon the e-mail sender to carefully construct a message that is clear, concise, and understandable. And, while it may be old-fashioned in this fast-paced “texting” oriented world, I am a proponent of utilizing whole sentences, capitalization, and correct punctuation in e-mail communications. To each their own style, of course, but my approach is that every time I communicate (either in person, via e-mail, or snail mail, or other) I am representing myself, my particular “brand,” to the outside world.
The larger point here is that whatever form communication may take; remember that as a team leader one has the responsibility to communicate inclusively, with specificity, and with conciseness. Anything less than that is less than the team deserves.
Macro-management
One common complaint by team members about their supervisor is that they are placed in a role related to specific tasks or activities that they are well qualified to perform but are then micromanaged by their leader to the point that they feel dispirited, undervalued, and inadequate. A leader serves their organization well to hire or position the best people to do certain tasks or groups of tasks then let them go to demonstrate their competence. This seems to be one of the most difficult things for some leaders to do because of their sense of responsibility to their supervisors, the CEO, the board, and importantly, the organization’s constituency. But, if a leader has confidence in the staffing choices made, then that should rollover to a sense of confidence that the team assembled has the right stuff to not only accomplish the tasks at hand, but to succeed with distinction.
So, leaders would be wise to get out of the business of micromanaging, and take on a new role, that of a “macro-manager.” That is, set forth the specifics related to any specific team goal (the scope of the work), provide the tools and resources needed by the team to do the job, facilitate the team dynamic, and honor the good work of the individual team members as well as the team collective.
Acknowledgement and Praise
A good team leader gives credit to the team frequently and publicly whenever and wherever possible. Good team leaders have the confidence to recognize that team success will inevitably accrue back to them. But, the really confident leadership trait to have is to draw attention to the team and not to oneself as leader. Again, following the idea that every team member is important and has value, this acknowledgement should at one point or another be shared with every person on the team. They all contributed, doing their part and accomplishing their tasks that led to the success of the overall team effort.
Acknowledgment and praise should not be shared only at the end of a project. Rather, the very first project team meeting should start with acknowledging the value of each team member, their particular role and unique contributions that are to play a part in the team’s success. A cautionary note: acknowledgment and praise should be sincere and specific; as the other side of that coin is that cynicism may be the reaction of team members if they feel that praise is inauthentic. If a leader has identified the right people to contribute to the team effort on any given task there will be copious opportunities to acknowledge individual and team efforts with authenticity.
Define “Team” Broadly
In today’s world of work, “teams” are fluid, flexible, and destined to change their make up and construction. Certain individuals may flow into then out of a team as different tasks and projects are undertaken. The leader’s job is to facilitate that flow and change, presenting it as exciting and energizing to an individual’s contribution to the organization. The entire staff of an organization should be led to recognize and value the idea of cross-teaming in order to address the needs of particular projects. The opposite of the excitement of fluid teams is an enervation that is destructive to individual and group morale.
Team members may include consultants, vendors, representatives from other organizations, individuals from an organization’s audience or constituency, and many other possibilities. Leaders would be wise to not restrict their concept of “team” too narrowly, as this leads to unnecessary constriction and deliverables that may be less stellar than they may be otherwise with the added influence and expertise of individuals outside an established team.
In Summary: The Tao of Team Revisited
Becoming a team leader that can facilitate the team dynamic such that the team will feel that they accomplished specific projects themselves requires a setting aside of ego that may be significantly challenging. However, in my view it is a requisite of effective team leadership. Remember, team success accrues to its leader naturally. One does not need to trumpet that news to the world, because the world is set up to “get” that leaders are acknowledged for the success of their organizations or teams.
Clearly, there is important work to be accomplished by a team leader: being inclusive in valuing and honoring every member of the team; communicating to all members of the team with modalities that are appropriate to a given situation; macro-managing by providing project goals and parameters, then letting go; and acknowledging and praising with authenticity and specificity.
The team leader’s role is not insignificant; but it is critical to recognize that the leader need not be the star. Let the team shine!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Focused, Strategic and Tactical Leaderhip
By Richard Russey
One of the world’s preeminent anthropologists, Margaret Meade, said:
“What people say, what people do, and what people say they do are entirely different things.”
Those words of keen insight, observance, and wisdom speak to assessing the competencies of leadership explored here. Do we as leaders speak and act with consistency? Are we as leaders focused on saying and doing things that are in concert with one another, indeed serve as two aspects of the same goal?
Too often, we say one thing publicly, and without negative purpose or malice end up acting in a way that doesn’t match our words. That is because, I think, it is likely easier to put our words out into the world than to follow those words with actions that are consistent with those words and that embody those words, making them real and measurable.
Focused Leadership
One way to bring our statements (what we say) and our actions (what we do) into alignment is an energy of focus brought to our leadership style. Focus can and should be an outgrowth of vision and mission (explored in the previous posting on leadership). This is where an established vision and mission gets actualized on a daily, moment-to-moment basis. Without appropriate focus we allow ourselves as leaders to be pulled in many directions simultaneously without accomplishing the specifics of our original vision and mission. Certainly, multi-tasking and the ability to keep a lot of balls in the air at once is one of the hallmarks of effective leadership. But, all those tasks and balls in the air ought to be focused on the original vision and mission that a leader is charged to bring to fruition.
It helpful and meaningful to engage in regular, frequent self-checks (self-assessments, if you will) as a leader, or indeed as a person at any level serving to contribute to an organizational endeavor. A few self-check questions to ask: Am I, as a leader, speaking and acting in alignment with my organization’s vision and mission? Are my words and actions consistent and supportive of each other? Does the outside world see a leader that represents their organization with clarity, convergence, and a sense of centeredness?
How is this accomplished? Examine the words used during your public pronouncements, speeches, and presentations. Look at your memos and other writings; be they simple email communications, or lengthy content-based articles. Then review your actions over a specific measure of time, whether it be moment-to-moment, daily, or weekly. What is the desired outcome of this self-examination? It is that on average, or more desirable even better than average, your words and your actions are in alignment. As Margaret Meade might hope to conclude: what you say you do, and what you do are in concert, seamlessly integrated into a consistent message to your board, team (staff), constituency, audience, and the broader world that is likely to be looking on and drawing conclusions on the effectiveness of your leadership based in part on your ability to focus; that is, to do what you say you do.
Strategic Leadership
Effective leaders are astute about their strategic approach to their endeavors. The ability to be strategic in ways that positively impact one’s organization involves a complex set of considerations, observations, behaviors, and actions. As I’ve acknowledged in previous postings on leadership, volumes have been written on the subject of strategic leadership alone. I’ll focus on what my years of experience have taught me, which will likely be familiar given they millions of words that have been devoted to the subject by many authors over time.
One of the first aspects of strategic leadership that must be looked at is the ability of a leader to be willing to examine with honesty the strengths and weaknesses of their organization. Many aspects must come under scrutiny, not the least of which is the leader of the organization and his or her style and approach. But, it is much more than that. There are, at the bottom line, really only three major categories of resources that we as leaders have to work with. They are time, money, and personnel. Think of your work, in terms of your ability to accomplish the established vision and mission of your organization. Is there anything there in terms of resource that does not fall into one of those categories? Remember, I’m speaking of resources to get the job done effectively; the job you were hired to accomplish. This does not discount the rich content (meaning) of your organization, the sum and substance of your work; but content expertise largely falls into the personnel category, whether it exists with full-time staff, or is brought into the organization through consultants, advisers, board members, your constituency at large, or even vendors.
Are the resources at your disposal adequate to the tasks established by your vision and mission? More than likely you will find, upon honest assessment, that there is lack in one or more of the resource categories over which you have some influence. Do you have enough time to meet your goals? If not, what needs to be adjusted in the objectives or strategic plan of your organization? Prioritization may be necessary if time seems to be the squeeze, unless you have an abundance of money and/or personnel to apply to the tasks to ameliorate any negative factor related to time. It is not a surprise, particularly in our current economic climate, that more often than not sufficient money to realize the vision and mission of our organization is an influencing factor. If that is true (and I haven’t learned of an organization yet where it is not) then the other two elements you have control over may need adjusting. That is, perhaps the time issue needs to be considered, or the staffing issue may need reworking. This all speaks to the need to develop realistic objectives based on the vision and mission of the organization. Otherwise, the strategic plan of the organization will be a set-up for failure, which is a completely unnecessary and unwanted outcome.
Strategic leadership involves much more, of course. Paramount among additional considerations is an analysis framework that is not of my creation … but has been around for a long time. Yet, it must be engaged in assiduously and with a sincerity that may seem breath-taking. I’m referring, of course, to the analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that both define and challenge your organization.
An effective leader is constantly scoping the environment in which he/she operates – looking for those strengths and opportunities that may serve to deliver effectively on established goals, and indeed lead to growth. At the same time an effective leader is on the lookout for weaknesses and threats (internal and external) that could cause major damage to the organization if not met head-on. An important point here is that while I named the leader of the organization as the person primarily responsible for these tasks of scanning the internal and external environments for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, it should be the ongoing task of the board and the staff as well. When all stake holders in an organization are involved the result is a far less threatening approach and environment. With just one of those parties holding the responsibility of examining the internal and external factors that may be strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, or threats, you will have at least two other parties that are feeling uncomfortable at the least, and “under the gun” at worst.
I believe in inclusive leadership that utilizes the human resources at hand, leaving no one out in the cold. Any important “meeting of minds” within an organization should include everyone that has vested their time and energy with that organization. Everyone on staff, and I mean everyone, has value and has something to contribute. To that end, I’ve always found it somewhat abhorrent to refer to “senior staff” as opposed to “junior staff.” This does not discount that in some organizations a necessary hierarchy exists. But, even the most rigid hierarchical structure does not mean that individuals at all levels of the organization should not be included in discussions around the welfare, direction, and purpose of the organization. In my experience, it is amazing what happens when everyone is brought to the table together when meetings are conducted that are specifically looking at strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats – and the resources available to address them.
Tactical Leadership
Finally, as a conclusion to this posting, we get down to the real nitty-gritty – sort of where the rubber hits the road to use a well-worn analogy. Tactical leadership includes the working concepts of engaging in intentional, deliberate, calculated, and planned activity. It is also oriented to the bottom-line (again, think of the resources available to you as a leader: time, money, and personnel). Tactical leadership utilizes data available, or seeks to establish a pool of data if it doesn’t already exist that will help with decisions about the direction forward. The thing about data, however it is gathered, is that is constantly needs updating. So, the endeavor of data collection, of fact-finding, of budget crunching, of identifying the consumers of your mission’s purpose (audience, constituency) is in need of constantly being brought current and reexamined. This brings us back to the purpose of the organization, where all the data collection and analysis, budget projections vs. actual expenditures, and other fact-finding will either support that purpose or serve as a red flag of warning that adjustments need to be made. Tactical leadership takes all these factors into account as a bottom-line means of measuring whether or not established outcomes are being reached, fulfilled, and satisfied.
Tactical leadership happens, again, by utilizing all the personnel available that have vested interest in the success of your organization’s mission. Board members, all staff, consultants, vendors, and importantly the audience or consumers of your organization’s mission should be included in both the data gathering and analyzing of that data. Similarly, representatives of all those subgroups should assist with budget development and analysis.
We often think of tactics in military terms … that is, secret for the purpose of engaging an enemy. Let’s redefine tactics with a more benign and “civilian” mind-set as a set of actions, based on facts, figures, data, and research that is openly and inclusively considered as a means to support the success of our organizations.
Effective leaders embrace openness and transparency as a hallmark of their leadership style, and understand the value of leadership behavior that is openly focused, strategic, and tactical.
One of the world’s preeminent anthropologists, Margaret Meade, said:
“What people say, what people do, and what people say they do are entirely different things.”
Those words of keen insight, observance, and wisdom speak to assessing the competencies of leadership explored here. Do we as leaders speak and act with consistency? Are we as leaders focused on saying and doing things that are in concert with one another, indeed serve as two aspects of the same goal?
Too often, we say one thing publicly, and without negative purpose or malice end up acting in a way that doesn’t match our words. That is because, I think, it is likely easier to put our words out into the world than to follow those words with actions that are consistent with those words and that embody those words, making them real and measurable.
Focused Leadership
One way to bring our statements (what we say) and our actions (what we do) into alignment is an energy of focus brought to our leadership style. Focus can and should be an outgrowth of vision and mission (explored in the previous posting on leadership). This is where an established vision and mission gets actualized on a daily, moment-to-moment basis. Without appropriate focus we allow ourselves as leaders to be pulled in many directions simultaneously without accomplishing the specifics of our original vision and mission. Certainly, multi-tasking and the ability to keep a lot of balls in the air at once is one of the hallmarks of effective leadership. But, all those tasks and balls in the air ought to be focused on the original vision and mission that a leader is charged to bring to fruition.
It helpful and meaningful to engage in regular, frequent self-checks (self-assessments, if you will) as a leader, or indeed as a person at any level serving to contribute to an organizational endeavor. A few self-check questions to ask: Am I, as a leader, speaking and acting in alignment with my organization’s vision and mission? Are my words and actions consistent and supportive of each other? Does the outside world see a leader that represents their organization with clarity, convergence, and a sense of centeredness?
How is this accomplished? Examine the words used during your public pronouncements, speeches, and presentations. Look at your memos and other writings; be they simple email communications, or lengthy content-based articles. Then review your actions over a specific measure of time, whether it be moment-to-moment, daily, or weekly. What is the desired outcome of this self-examination? It is that on average, or more desirable even better than average, your words and your actions are in alignment. As Margaret Meade might hope to conclude: what you say you do, and what you do are in concert, seamlessly integrated into a consistent message to your board, team (staff), constituency, audience, and the broader world that is likely to be looking on and drawing conclusions on the effectiveness of your leadership based in part on your ability to focus; that is, to do what you say you do.
Strategic Leadership
Effective leaders are astute about their strategic approach to their endeavors. The ability to be strategic in ways that positively impact one’s organization involves a complex set of considerations, observations, behaviors, and actions. As I’ve acknowledged in previous postings on leadership, volumes have been written on the subject of strategic leadership alone. I’ll focus on what my years of experience have taught me, which will likely be familiar given they millions of words that have been devoted to the subject by many authors over time.
One of the first aspects of strategic leadership that must be looked at is the ability of a leader to be willing to examine with honesty the strengths and weaknesses of their organization. Many aspects must come under scrutiny, not the least of which is the leader of the organization and his or her style and approach. But, it is much more than that. There are, at the bottom line, really only three major categories of resources that we as leaders have to work with. They are time, money, and personnel. Think of your work, in terms of your ability to accomplish the established vision and mission of your organization. Is there anything there in terms of resource that does not fall into one of those categories? Remember, I’m speaking of resources to get the job done effectively; the job you were hired to accomplish. This does not discount the rich content (meaning) of your organization, the sum and substance of your work; but content expertise largely falls into the personnel category, whether it exists with full-time staff, or is brought into the organization through consultants, advisers, board members, your constituency at large, or even vendors.
Are the resources at your disposal adequate to the tasks established by your vision and mission? More than likely you will find, upon honest assessment, that there is lack in one or more of the resource categories over which you have some influence. Do you have enough time to meet your goals? If not, what needs to be adjusted in the objectives or strategic plan of your organization? Prioritization may be necessary if time seems to be the squeeze, unless you have an abundance of money and/or personnel to apply to the tasks to ameliorate any negative factor related to time. It is not a surprise, particularly in our current economic climate, that more often than not sufficient money to realize the vision and mission of our organization is an influencing factor. If that is true (and I haven’t learned of an organization yet where it is not) then the other two elements you have control over may need adjusting. That is, perhaps the time issue needs to be considered, or the staffing issue may need reworking. This all speaks to the need to develop realistic objectives based on the vision and mission of the organization. Otherwise, the strategic plan of the organization will be a set-up for failure, which is a completely unnecessary and unwanted outcome.
Strategic leadership involves much more, of course. Paramount among additional considerations is an analysis framework that is not of my creation … but has been around for a long time. Yet, it must be engaged in assiduously and with a sincerity that may seem breath-taking. I’m referring, of course, to the analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that both define and challenge your organization.
An effective leader is constantly scoping the environment in which he/she operates – looking for those strengths and opportunities that may serve to deliver effectively on established goals, and indeed lead to growth. At the same time an effective leader is on the lookout for weaknesses and threats (internal and external) that could cause major damage to the organization if not met head-on. An important point here is that while I named the leader of the organization as the person primarily responsible for these tasks of scanning the internal and external environments for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, it should be the ongoing task of the board and the staff as well. When all stake holders in an organization are involved the result is a far less threatening approach and environment. With just one of those parties holding the responsibility of examining the internal and external factors that may be strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, or threats, you will have at least two other parties that are feeling uncomfortable at the least, and “under the gun” at worst.
I believe in inclusive leadership that utilizes the human resources at hand, leaving no one out in the cold. Any important “meeting of minds” within an organization should include everyone that has vested their time and energy with that organization. Everyone on staff, and I mean everyone, has value and has something to contribute. To that end, I’ve always found it somewhat abhorrent to refer to “senior staff” as opposed to “junior staff.” This does not discount that in some organizations a necessary hierarchy exists. But, even the most rigid hierarchical structure does not mean that individuals at all levels of the organization should not be included in discussions around the welfare, direction, and purpose of the organization. In my experience, it is amazing what happens when everyone is brought to the table together when meetings are conducted that are specifically looking at strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats – and the resources available to address them.
Tactical Leadership
Finally, as a conclusion to this posting, we get down to the real nitty-gritty – sort of where the rubber hits the road to use a well-worn analogy. Tactical leadership includes the working concepts of engaging in intentional, deliberate, calculated, and planned activity. It is also oriented to the bottom-line (again, think of the resources available to you as a leader: time, money, and personnel). Tactical leadership utilizes data available, or seeks to establish a pool of data if it doesn’t already exist that will help with decisions about the direction forward. The thing about data, however it is gathered, is that is constantly needs updating. So, the endeavor of data collection, of fact-finding, of budget crunching, of identifying the consumers of your mission’s purpose (audience, constituency) is in need of constantly being brought current and reexamined. This brings us back to the purpose of the organization, where all the data collection and analysis, budget projections vs. actual expenditures, and other fact-finding will either support that purpose or serve as a red flag of warning that adjustments need to be made. Tactical leadership takes all these factors into account as a bottom-line means of measuring whether or not established outcomes are being reached, fulfilled, and satisfied.
Tactical leadership happens, again, by utilizing all the personnel available that have vested interest in the success of your organization’s mission. Board members, all staff, consultants, vendors, and importantly the audience or consumers of your organization’s mission should be included in both the data gathering and analyzing of that data. Similarly, representatives of all those subgroups should assist with budget development and analysis.
We often think of tactics in military terms … that is, secret for the purpose of engaging an enemy. Let’s redefine tactics with a more benign and “civilian” mind-set as a set of actions, based on facts, figures, data, and research that is openly and inclusively considered as a means to support the success of our organizations.
Effective leaders embrace openness and transparency as a hallmark of their leadership style, and understand the value of leadership behavior that is openly focused, strategic, and tactical.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Creating Your Day
By Richard Russey
“Carve each day as if it were a sculpture,” is a paraphrase of a brilliant line written by Tennessee Williams for his play Suddenly Last Summer.
Tennessee Williams was speaking from the depth of his soul when he conjured up that phrase, one of the many lines of dialogue that made that play a classic. Certainly we can imagine ways to apply such wise advice to our personal lives. But, what application is there for our daily world of work, of our professional activities and pursuits?
There are a number of concepts that are applicable to the understanding of just exactly how we might “carve” each day … treating it as a sculpture of our own creation. Artists, be they playwrights, actors, painters, dancers, or sculptors “carve” their expressive pursuits with hearts and minds that we as business entrepreneurs, non-profit leaders, laborers, and professionals would be smart to mirror.
What are these concepts that enable us to “carve” each day as if it were our own personal living sculpture? Let’s explore a few of the approaches that we may apply to make each day truly of our own making, whatever particular storm of gladness or challenge we may be experiencing:
Purposefulness
One simply cannot look back on a day’s engagement in work or play and call it a success or a disappointment if the day didn’t begin with a purpose. We are allotted only a few short hours of wakeful activity each day. We may consider the purpose of our work or our lives writ large, but to the extent that we consider the purpose of each day, indeed each moment of each day, we are then creating our day – carving it as if it were a sculpture. The purpose can be simple or it may be complex; it may be riddled with challenges or an easy romp to the finish line. Nonetheless, to start out one’s day without a sense of purpose is like trying to live without food and water. Purpose provides the basic fuel for our direction forward.
Intentionality
A corollary to purpose is intentionality, but with added specificity. Intention provides the nuanced thinking that may result in action that helps us wield the carving tools necessary to successfully create each day. Intention involves complexities such as “meaning” and “objectives.” It is necessary to suffuse the broader purpose of each day with the details necessary to bring your daily purpose into fruition. What are the steps you will need to take to carve your day with both purpose and intentionality? In its most simple application, this may take the form of a “to-do” list. I remember when I was very young, perhaps no older than 9 or 10 years old; I kept copious “to-do” lists, and taped them to my small bedroom mirror. I began to worry that this was a sign of weakness; that my reliance of notes to myself must be an indication of a lack of memory. Worried enough to go to my father with my concern, his wisdom has helped me to this day. He said, “Son, the most successful people write, and work from, daily ‘to-do’ lists … keep your list, check off your successful completion of tasks, and you will be on your way to a lifetime of success.” So, we are wise to target each day with intention, lest we miss the mark at the end of the day.
Goal-orientation
Clearly goal-orientation takes purpose and intentionality one step further. Goals turn our daily ambitions and aspirations into concrete concepts that may include objectives as a sub-set. This is not to say that we need to actually write a specific list of goals for each day, but they should certainly be considered in one’s mind (and heart) in order to even begin to carve each day as our own creation. But, where is the time to engage in this thoughtful pursuit? One way to achieve this is to begin thinking about the next day’s intentions and goals as one prepares to rest and sleep at the end of the day prior. By setting into motion the powerful forces of purpose and intent, we allow our very complex brains to begin to plan and plot the goals and activities that will be necessary to carry out a successful day come morning. Another way one may approach goal-orientation is to take a few moments in the morning upon awaking and before getting involved in the myriad of goings-on that begin to rapidly steal our time. Over a cup of coffee or tea, as you are awaking to a fresh new day (a fresh new untouched piece of stone, a fresh new canvas), take a moment to jot a few notes that may serve as the blueprint for the day ahead. Formal objectives need not be written … a list of simple words may suffice. Your own personality and needs with dictate what your goal blueprint might look like.
Organization
Once your daily goals have been considered an even more challenging task lies ahead. That is, how do you organize your day so that your goals may be realized? There are about as many methodologies for organizing as there are people on the planet. That is to say, the only way that will really lead to successful application of organization techniques is to utilize those that work for you, considering your personality, style, manner, belief system, and approach to life. Your organizational system may be inspired by others, indeed it may be taken whole cloth from one of the thousands of books written on organizational techniques, or it may be your own unique version. I suggest perhaps a hybrid of the two would be the best path. One of the reasons that we devour book after book on organizing and time management and the like, and still find ourselves not quite hitting the mark is that we attempt to apply a system that works for someone else. I would advise that we be open to learn from the wisdom of others, but apply the principles of organization that work best for us and in our own personal and professional environments. Time management is a piece of the concept or organization as well. Consider how you use your time, and consider whether each action of your day is serving to move your sculpture forward towards satisfying completion.
Adaptability
Once you’ve approached your day with purpose and intentionality, and you’ve organized those broader concepts into actions, be ready for the unexpected. The old adage says that “the only constant there is in life is change.” The ever present possibility of being taken off track makes some people extremely uncomfortable. It is in this realm where our “sculpture per diem” is threatened the most. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. There are going to be many external, or indeed, internal forces at work that will challenge your neatly considered concept, purpose, intentionality, and organization of your day. Your response to those forces that come upon your well-considered purposes is what matters most. Be prepared to adapt. You must be willing to change to meet new requirements, to be willing to work the sculpting of your day with a different approach. Adaptability does not mean letting go of your greater purpose, intentions, or organization. It does mean that you must be at the ready to react to a changing environment, to new conditions, and to the unexpected. Remember, change is the only constant there is, so rather than being taken off track when change raises its head, use it with creativity and ingenuity to add meaning and flourishes to your sculpture in the making, that is, your day in the making. The thing is, with a solid grounding in purpose, intention, and organization it will be easier to adapt to the ever changing environment in which we operate and work, without throwing up our hands in utter despair. We can use the change that we are confronted with by adapting our plan to include it rather than to react by fighting it or fleeing to the relative comfort of old patterns.
Passion
Intense emotion and enthusiasm are two definitions of passion. Each unique individual relates to the concept and reality of passion in their own personal way. Yet, it is important to recognize that to truly create your day to day life with success; passion must be an ingredient in the mix. That is why it has been said, “follow your passion, and the money (read: success) will follow.” I encourage you to pick up any one of the thousands of motivational or instructive books written on business, professional development, and/or self-growth. You will find some aspect of “passion” within the pages. The word passion may not be used, but its definition will certainly be part of the text. It is precisely because you cannot have a truly satisfying work life absent the element of passion, of excitement, or enthusiasm. Sure, you can work. Sure, you can even achieve a certain modicum of success. But, at the end of the day, to be able to kick back in that easy chair or favorite place of comfort and reflect on your day with a sense of deep satisfaction, passion will have played a part in the creation and successful realization of that day. So, the key is to find some aspect of your work that you can and do truly feel passionate about. If passion is there, you’ll know it – it shines forth from you like a beacon to others (refer back to my earlier blog on leadership). Passion will give you the fuel to burn away the myriad of distractions and distracters that could serve to take you off track. The embodiment of passion will remind you that each moment is precious, that your goal completion for the day is paramount, and that the clock is ticking. Passion is also a quality of the heart that will allow a tear to come to your eye even after years of involvement in a particular endeavor. For example, I recently attended a press event for a major arts education initiative in my community. As the politicians and leaders made their speeches, I began to feel the emotion surge. But, when a group of first graders read their own letters of gratitude to the mayor, the tears flowed. Was I embarrassed? No! Rather, I was I deeply grateful to have such strong feeling about my life’s work even after decades “in the trenches.” Embrace passion; it is like booster fuel to energize your work and your life.
Inspiration
Finally, there is the elusive element of inspiration. Clearly one can only place all these concepts utilized to create your day into so much of a hierarchy. They are a complex set of concepts that are in actuality inextricably linked to one another. So, some may argue that inspiration must be at the top of the list. Perhaps that is true. But, as I’ve written here, much of this must be personalized, and adapted to fit your particular personal and work environment. For me, inspiration comes at me constantly. It is the “chicken and egg” enigma. I do not necessarily start with inspiration, and work through my day to its completion. I do start with purpose, and allow myself to be open to the small and large inspirations that flow forth almost constantly. What is required to be open to inspiration? Alertness, openness, and the willingness to learn from what you see, hear, feel, and experience is all that is required. A single word can inspire. A song can inspire. A conversation with a friend or colleague can inspire. Inspiration is often linked with beauty, as in “that beautiful flower inspires me to recognize my own beauty.” But, let me be very clear, inspiration can come from just about anything in your life. Trials and tribulations which are a part of life we all experience can certainly inspire. Experiencing negativity can inspire thoughts about ways to live in a world where all is not necessarily peaceful and beautiful. The important point about inspiration is that it is available to all of us, every day, and in many forms. With the simple intention of being open to inspiration we allow it to at the very least to drip into our consciousness in a gentle manner; but you may find a fire hose of powerful inspirations coming at you with such force that you may be knocked off your feet momentarily. In either case, grab a hold of that inspiration to create your reality.
Now, go out and create your day, and all of your days!
“Carve each day as if it were a sculpture,” is a paraphrase of a brilliant line written by Tennessee Williams for his play Suddenly Last Summer.
Tennessee Williams was speaking from the depth of his soul when he conjured up that phrase, one of the many lines of dialogue that made that play a classic. Certainly we can imagine ways to apply such wise advice to our personal lives. But, what application is there for our daily world of work, of our professional activities and pursuits?
There are a number of concepts that are applicable to the understanding of just exactly how we might “carve” each day … treating it as a sculpture of our own creation. Artists, be they playwrights, actors, painters, dancers, or sculptors “carve” their expressive pursuits with hearts and minds that we as business entrepreneurs, non-profit leaders, laborers, and professionals would be smart to mirror.
What are these concepts that enable us to “carve” each day as if it were our own personal living sculpture? Let’s explore a few of the approaches that we may apply to make each day truly of our own making, whatever particular storm of gladness or challenge we may be experiencing:
Purposefulness
One simply cannot look back on a day’s engagement in work or play and call it a success or a disappointment if the day didn’t begin with a purpose. We are allotted only a few short hours of wakeful activity each day. We may consider the purpose of our work or our lives writ large, but to the extent that we consider the purpose of each day, indeed each moment of each day, we are then creating our day – carving it as if it were a sculpture. The purpose can be simple or it may be complex; it may be riddled with challenges or an easy romp to the finish line. Nonetheless, to start out one’s day without a sense of purpose is like trying to live without food and water. Purpose provides the basic fuel for our direction forward.
Intentionality
A corollary to purpose is intentionality, but with added specificity. Intention provides the nuanced thinking that may result in action that helps us wield the carving tools necessary to successfully create each day. Intention involves complexities such as “meaning” and “objectives.” It is necessary to suffuse the broader purpose of each day with the details necessary to bring your daily purpose into fruition. What are the steps you will need to take to carve your day with both purpose and intentionality? In its most simple application, this may take the form of a “to-do” list. I remember when I was very young, perhaps no older than 9 or 10 years old; I kept copious “to-do” lists, and taped them to my small bedroom mirror. I began to worry that this was a sign of weakness; that my reliance of notes to myself must be an indication of a lack of memory. Worried enough to go to my father with my concern, his wisdom has helped me to this day. He said, “Son, the most successful people write, and work from, daily ‘to-do’ lists … keep your list, check off your successful completion of tasks, and you will be on your way to a lifetime of success.” So, we are wise to target each day with intention, lest we miss the mark at the end of the day.
Goal-orientation
Clearly goal-orientation takes purpose and intentionality one step further. Goals turn our daily ambitions and aspirations into concrete concepts that may include objectives as a sub-set. This is not to say that we need to actually write a specific list of goals for each day, but they should certainly be considered in one’s mind (and heart) in order to even begin to carve each day as our own creation. But, where is the time to engage in this thoughtful pursuit? One way to achieve this is to begin thinking about the next day’s intentions and goals as one prepares to rest and sleep at the end of the day prior. By setting into motion the powerful forces of purpose and intent, we allow our very complex brains to begin to plan and plot the goals and activities that will be necessary to carry out a successful day come morning. Another way one may approach goal-orientation is to take a few moments in the morning upon awaking and before getting involved in the myriad of goings-on that begin to rapidly steal our time. Over a cup of coffee or tea, as you are awaking to a fresh new day (a fresh new untouched piece of stone, a fresh new canvas), take a moment to jot a few notes that may serve as the blueprint for the day ahead. Formal objectives need not be written … a list of simple words may suffice. Your own personality and needs with dictate what your goal blueprint might look like.
Organization
Once your daily goals have been considered an even more challenging task lies ahead. That is, how do you organize your day so that your goals may be realized? There are about as many methodologies for organizing as there are people on the planet. That is to say, the only way that will really lead to successful application of organization techniques is to utilize those that work for you, considering your personality, style, manner, belief system, and approach to life. Your organizational system may be inspired by others, indeed it may be taken whole cloth from one of the thousands of books written on organizational techniques, or it may be your own unique version. I suggest perhaps a hybrid of the two would be the best path. One of the reasons that we devour book after book on organizing and time management and the like, and still find ourselves not quite hitting the mark is that we attempt to apply a system that works for someone else. I would advise that we be open to learn from the wisdom of others, but apply the principles of organization that work best for us and in our own personal and professional environments. Time management is a piece of the concept or organization as well. Consider how you use your time, and consider whether each action of your day is serving to move your sculpture forward towards satisfying completion.
Adaptability
Once you’ve approached your day with purpose and intentionality, and you’ve organized those broader concepts into actions, be ready for the unexpected. The old adage says that “the only constant there is in life is change.” The ever present possibility of being taken off track makes some people extremely uncomfortable. It is in this realm where our “sculpture per diem” is threatened the most. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. There are going to be many external, or indeed, internal forces at work that will challenge your neatly considered concept, purpose, intentionality, and organization of your day. Your response to those forces that come upon your well-considered purposes is what matters most. Be prepared to adapt. You must be willing to change to meet new requirements, to be willing to work the sculpting of your day with a different approach. Adaptability does not mean letting go of your greater purpose, intentions, or organization. It does mean that you must be at the ready to react to a changing environment, to new conditions, and to the unexpected. Remember, change is the only constant there is, so rather than being taken off track when change raises its head, use it with creativity and ingenuity to add meaning and flourishes to your sculpture in the making, that is, your day in the making. The thing is, with a solid grounding in purpose, intention, and organization it will be easier to adapt to the ever changing environment in which we operate and work, without throwing up our hands in utter despair. We can use the change that we are confronted with by adapting our plan to include it rather than to react by fighting it or fleeing to the relative comfort of old patterns.
Passion
Intense emotion and enthusiasm are two definitions of passion. Each unique individual relates to the concept and reality of passion in their own personal way. Yet, it is important to recognize that to truly create your day to day life with success; passion must be an ingredient in the mix. That is why it has been said, “follow your passion, and the money (read: success) will follow.” I encourage you to pick up any one of the thousands of motivational or instructive books written on business, professional development, and/or self-growth. You will find some aspect of “passion” within the pages. The word passion may not be used, but its definition will certainly be part of the text. It is precisely because you cannot have a truly satisfying work life absent the element of passion, of excitement, or enthusiasm. Sure, you can work. Sure, you can even achieve a certain modicum of success. But, at the end of the day, to be able to kick back in that easy chair or favorite place of comfort and reflect on your day with a sense of deep satisfaction, passion will have played a part in the creation and successful realization of that day. So, the key is to find some aspect of your work that you can and do truly feel passionate about. If passion is there, you’ll know it – it shines forth from you like a beacon to others (refer back to my earlier blog on leadership). Passion will give you the fuel to burn away the myriad of distractions and distracters that could serve to take you off track. The embodiment of passion will remind you that each moment is precious, that your goal completion for the day is paramount, and that the clock is ticking. Passion is also a quality of the heart that will allow a tear to come to your eye even after years of involvement in a particular endeavor. For example, I recently attended a press event for a major arts education initiative in my community. As the politicians and leaders made their speeches, I began to feel the emotion surge. But, when a group of first graders read their own letters of gratitude to the mayor, the tears flowed. Was I embarrassed? No! Rather, I was I deeply grateful to have such strong feeling about my life’s work even after decades “in the trenches.” Embrace passion; it is like booster fuel to energize your work and your life.
Inspiration
Finally, there is the elusive element of inspiration. Clearly one can only place all these concepts utilized to create your day into so much of a hierarchy. They are a complex set of concepts that are in actuality inextricably linked to one another. So, some may argue that inspiration must be at the top of the list. Perhaps that is true. But, as I’ve written here, much of this must be personalized, and adapted to fit your particular personal and work environment. For me, inspiration comes at me constantly. It is the “chicken and egg” enigma. I do not necessarily start with inspiration, and work through my day to its completion. I do start with purpose, and allow myself to be open to the small and large inspirations that flow forth almost constantly. What is required to be open to inspiration? Alertness, openness, and the willingness to learn from what you see, hear, feel, and experience is all that is required. A single word can inspire. A song can inspire. A conversation with a friend or colleague can inspire. Inspiration is often linked with beauty, as in “that beautiful flower inspires me to recognize my own beauty.” But, let me be very clear, inspiration can come from just about anything in your life. Trials and tribulations which are a part of life we all experience can certainly inspire. Experiencing negativity can inspire thoughts about ways to live in a world where all is not necessarily peaceful and beautiful. The important point about inspiration is that it is available to all of us, every day, and in many forms. With the simple intention of being open to inspiration we allow it to at the very least to drip into our consciousness in a gentle manner; but you may find a fire hose of powerful inspirations coming at you with such force that you may be knocked off your feet momentarily. In either case, grab a hold of that inspiration to create your reality.
Now, go out and create your day, and all of your days!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Competencies of Leadership
Competencies of Leadership
By Richard Russey
While volumes have been written on leadership, decades of being "led" by a wide variety of individuals across a spectrum of styles representing leadership competency, and having served as a leader in a number of capacities, I offer these thoughts on effective leadership -- focusing on a few of the competencies that are most critical.
It is difficult to create a hierarchy of these competencies as they are inextricably linked in a symbiotic way to one another. However, I will focus on several of the many factors that may be applied to those we would think of as competent, effective leaders. Certainly, VISIONARY must be near the top of the list. Effective leaders have a vision of the future, are able to persuasively articulate that vision to their team, board of directors, and their broader constituency. Vision is based on understanding the landscape and environment in which an organization operates certainly, but it is much more. Vision is the ability (skill) to be forward looking, to take into account not only present circumstances and realities, but to also have the ability to follow trends and forecast the probabilities of the future. Obviously this involves a much more complex process than gazing into a crystal ball. An effective leader gathers information from multi-layered sources, looking specifically for any and all elements that may impact the very heart of their endeavor, be it a business, a non-profit organization, or even an avocational activity. Gathering this information helps to form a picture of the future, and provides the necessary groundwork for developing the vision of where a leader wishes to take their organization. This must be engaged in with determination, passion, and the conviction to gather and process information as an ongoing part of each day, indeed each moment, as the future is shaped and formed first mentally and then out pictured and implemented in actions that truly provide for effective and exemplary day-to-day leadership. Sure, vision statements and mission statements are created to guide an organization and to fulfill its purpose. But, once created they exist as static text. Visionary leadership is the quality of constantly monitoring the present, imagining the future, and formulating the strategies necessary to take the organization forward with enthusiasm and wisdom.
Another critical leadership competency is the ability to be PERSUASIVE. Effective leaders can bring others to their point of view by including others in developing their point of view. Too often, leaders egocentrically lead from the vision they have developed without the buy-in of others. These "others" include the board, the constituency served, and very importantly, the team that works to bring the vision to reality (i.e. staff). Too frequently leaders attempt to persuade with intimidation (however softly it may be applied) rather than persuading through an inclusive and interactive process that honors every individual that is part of the team working to help bring the vision to reality. Leaders must use a variety of methodologies to persuade -- they include logic, reason, emotion, and the force of their personalities. But it is extremely important to motivate through positive persuasion rather than intimidation. In order to lead with persuasion, a leader must move outside themselves to a wider circle that will provide the necessary fuel to move an organization's vision forward. Persuasion must not be egocentric, rather it must be based on involving others in meaningful dialogue and activity that serves to develop a point of view that is commonly shared by all engaged in an enterprise.
There are many other critical leadership competencies including the ability to be strategic, tactical, decisive, focused, and ethical -- all of which I'll write about in future postings. But, I wish to close this segment with a quality that follows VISIONARY and PERSUASIVENESS as critical competencies of leadership.
Many leaders, in their zeal for success and to move their organizations forward forget the simple people skill of being LIKABLE. Many will scoff ... "what does likable have to do with competent leadership, doesn't that demonstrate weakness or tentativeness?" To that I answer with a resounding "NO!" Being likable as a leader doesn't have the effect of giving up power, rather it enhances and reinforces one's power. People (again boards, staff, and constituency) are drawn to likable leaders, and will often do all in their power to work with energy and enthusiasm for a likable leader (not to be confused with a charismatic leader, but more about that in another posting). The important point is that effective leaders are people-centric and they understand that interpersonal skills are paramount to their success. Consider that the alternative to being a likable and engaging leader is leading in an environment of excessive staff turnover, of dissatisfied board members not willing to go the extra mile for the good of the organization, and bottom line, of a constituency not eager to do business with your organization. Ask yourself this -- can I truly afford the risks of not being a likable leader?
Visionary, persuasive, and likable -- just three of many competencies that may contribute to the effectiveness of a leader. I've used the word "competencies" purposefully in this article. Competencies are, or can be, learned. They are skills that can be developed. One may have the proclivity for expressing these qualities, but they must be constantly honed and developed and then applied.
A good leader is not afraid. A good leader is not afraid to grow and develop and recognize that one of the most important endeavors of a leader is lifelong learning. But, that is yet another competency to be discussed in a future posting.
By Richard Russey
While volumes have been written on leadership, decades of being "led" by a wide variety of individuals across a spectrum of styles representing leadership competency, and having served as a leader in a number of capacities, I offer these thoughts on effective leadership -- focusing on a few of the competencies that are most critical.
It is difficult to create a hierarchy of these competencies as they are inextricably linked in a symbiotic way to one another. However, I will focus on several of the many factors that may be applied to those we would think of as competent, effective leaders. Certainly, VISIONARY must be near the top of the list. Effective leaders have a vision of the future, are able to persuasively articulate that vision to their team, board of directors, and their broader constituency. Vision is based on understanding the landscape and environment in which an organization operates certainly, but it is much more. Vision is the ability (skill) to be forward looking, to take into account not only present circumstances and realities, but to also have the ability to follow trends and forecast the probabilities of the future. Obviously this involves a much more complex process than gazing into a crystal ball. An effective leader gathers information from multi-layered sources, looking specifically for any and all elements that may impact the very heart of their endeavor, be it a business, a non-profit organization, or even an avocational activity. Gathering this information helps to form a picture of the future, and provides the necessary groundwork for developing the vision of where a leader wishes to take their organization. This must be engaged in with determination, passion, and the conviction to gather and process information as an ongoing part of each day, indeed each moment, as the future is shaped and formed first mentally and then out pictured and implemented in actions that truly provide for effective and exemplary day-to-day leadership. Sure, vision statements and mission statements are created to guide an organization and to fulfill its purpose. But, once created they exist as static text. Visionary leadership is the quality of constantly monitoring the present, imagining the future, and formulating the strategies necessary to take the organization forward with enthusiasm and wisdom.
Another critical leadership competency is the ability to be PERSUASIVE. Effective leaders can bring others to their point of view by including others in developing their point of view. Too often, leaders egocentrically lead from the vision they have developed without the buy-in of others. These "others" include the board, the constituency served, and very importantly, the team that works to bring the vision to reality (i.e. staff). Too frequently leaders attempt to persuade with intimidation (however softly it may be applied) rather than persuading through an inclusive and interactive process that honors every individual that is part of the team working to help bring the vision to reality. Leaders must use a variety of methodologies to persuade -- they include logic, reason, emotion, and the force of their personalities. But it is extremely important to motivate through positive persuasion rather than intimidation. In order to lead with persuasion, a leader must move outside themselves to a wider circle that will provide the necessary fuel to move an organization's vision forward. Persuasion must not be egocentric, rather it must be based on involving others in meaningful dialogue and activity that serves to develop a point of view that is commonly shared by all engaged in an enterprise.
There are many other critical leadership competencies including the ability to be strategic, tactical, decisive, focused, and ethical -- all of which I'll write about in future postings. But, I wish to close this segment with a quality that follows VISIONARY and PERSUASIVENESS as critical competencies of leadership.
Many leaders, in their zeal for success and to move their organizations forward forget the simple people skill of being LIKABLE. Many will scoff ... "what does likable have to do with competent leadership, doesn't that demonstrate weakness or tentativeness?" To that I answer with a resounding "NO!" Being likable as a leader doesn't have the effect of giving up power, rather it enhances and reinforces one's power. People (again boards, staff, and constituency) are drawn to likable leaders, and will often do all in their power to work with energy and enthusiasm for a likable leader (not to be confused with a charismatic leader, but more about that in another posting). The important point is that effective leaders are people-centric and they understand that interpersonal skills are paramount to their success. Consider that the alternative to being a likable and engaging leader is leading in an environment of excessive staff turnover, of dissatisfied board members not willing to go the extra mile for the good of the organization, and bottom line, of a constituency not eager to do business with your organization. Ask yourself this -- can I truly afford the risks of not being a likable leader?
Visionary, persuasive, and likable -- just three of many competencies that may contribute to the effectiveness of a leader. I've used the word "competencies" purposefully in this article. Competencies are, or can be, learned. They are skills that can be developed. One may have the proclivity for expressing these qualities, but they must be constantly honed and developed and then applied.
A good leader is not afraid. A good leader is not afraid to grow and develop and recognize that one of the most important endeavors of a leader is lifelong learning. But, that is yet another competency to be discussed in a future posting.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Informational Interview Approach to Job Seeking
Informational Interview Approach to Job Seeking:
(By Richard Russey)
Develop a goal … it should include as specifically as possible the kind of position (or job) you wish to engage in; the type of environment in which you wish to work; the nature of your own character and personality vis-à-vis working with others, in a small/medium/large bureaucratic or hierarchical system; and the lifestyle you are working to create (things like salary, location, benefits, and other options contribute, broadly, to the lifestyle you wish to create).
Research the landscape of opportunities that match your goal. Note that I didn’t limit the field to “businesses” or “organizations” as there are significantly greater numbers of ways in which people can “work” at the dawn of the 21st Century. Keeping your goal (let’s just call it a “dream job”) in mind, cast a wide net, but uses your goal specifics as a screen. The task here is to develop a list of 10 or more specific entities (companies, organizations, nonprofits, community leaders, and academia) to serve as a base for the beginning of the informational interview approach.
Contact these entities. Go as far up the staff chain as you can, so as to avoid being sidelined somewhere along the way by an erstwhile assistant or staffer. With a little ingenuity you can usually either figure out the email of the CEO or at least a VP level person if you are approaching a company sizeable enough to have those positions. Or, you can always write an old-fashioned paper and pen letter and snail mail it to the CEO of the company. It is rather amazing at how approachable many of these people are, but my experience is that they almost feel that it is a responsibility they have to give back to others with assistance and shared knowledge in gratitude for where they are in their careers.
Once you’ve made the contact, introduce yourself, quickly mention what your request is (I would like to request a brief amount of your time to ask you a few questions about the XXX industry in this area. I know that you have a good reputation in the XXX community, and I believe I would benefit greatly in my job search from your knowledge and experience.)
Do your homework before the informational interview. Go on the company web site; learn about the particular programs/initiatives/business of the company that you are most interested in. Be prepared with facts and figures demonstrating that knowledge, where appropriate, during your conversation. Google the company for news articles and associated information that may prove helpful. Make several resume files (see below).
During the informational interview itself, do these things:
Introduce yourself (even though you’ve already communicated to set up the meeting), and immediately thank the individual for the kindness of sharing their time with you.
When you are both seated, hand the individual a plain file that contains a copy of your resume, and any other very pertinent items, but keep it simple and straightforward.
Have a file of your own with a copy of your resume, a notepad, pen, and copies of anything you put into the file you made for the person you are meeting with.
State very clearly why you sought this meeting. Such as, “Thank you so much for your time Ms. Simmons. I am interested in speaking with you because I am aware of your contributions to the XXX community (whatever applies here, you are speaking to the reason you thought that person would be good to talk with, based on your research).
State that you have several goals for the meeting, such as “I wanted to introduce myself to you, let you know that I am currently looking for a position in the XXX field, and I am engaged in researching as much as I can about the current landscape (or state of the business, or whatever is appropriate here). I have some specific questions to ask. Also, I’d very much appreciate it if you might be able to recommend some additional people I should be talking with as I go about my research and as I seek employment.
The conversation will flow based on the interest level of the person you are talking to, so your background research on the company will come in handy here … to be able to lead into new areas of conversation, or ask intelligent questions about the field and the current environment. I try to be ready to wrap things up in 15 or 20 minutes … but often the person I am meeting with allows the meeting to go much longer. Show deference to their schedule of course.
As you engage in the interview (or conversation) be sure to be prepared to take notes, which means tablet and pen out and ready. This demonstrates your seriousness and interest. It will also prevent fumbling later when Mr. X spouts out a website or email address or an important name. Be ready. Write everything down that you will want to remember later … phone numbers, people’s names, other companies, organizations, resources. Do not worry about being rude here, your act of taking notes will assure the person you are speaking with that their sharing is very useful to you.
Be sure to ask at some point whether you may use Mr. X’s name when you contact the people he has recommended. And, ask if he’d like to be kept informed as a courtesy if you meet with others based on his recommendation.
As the meeting ends, stand and shake hands (if there are others in the room, shake hands with everyone). Thank Mr. X once again for his time, and as a summary, indicate you will follow-up in any ways you might have discussed (invariably these days, someone says, “please send me that web site, or email address”
Within 12 hours of the meeting (the sooner the better) write an email to Mr. X, thanking him again for his time, knowledge, wisdom, etc. Thank specifically for specific things whenever possible.
Within 24 hours send a hand-written note of thanks. (Many people will resist doing this old-fashioned task, but it still carries significant weight as a gesture of a professional and a person of manners – both good components of the positive image you should always be trying to portray during a job search.
And then … follow-up on all the leads that might have been gleaned from the informational interview. Use the same process (#1-10).
Have patience … it will work … plant seeds and they will grow. Informational interview networking, augmented by robust online social/professional networkng is the best way to plant seeds.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
