Richard's Writings

The Power of Change: The Attitude Option

2011-07-04T08:28:00.000-07:00

by Richard R. Russey

Transitions and change are imbedded in our DNA (think: cell division) -- as well as in our exterior world, both personal and professional. Yet as real and as constant as change is, we often experience it as an intruder -- unwanted, scary, and even debilitating.

The forward movement our own life can be experienced in a myriad of ways running along a continuum from transfixing immobility on one end to triumphant exultation on the other. Most of us experience transition and change somewhere in-between the two extremes of the transition continuum depending on the level these change occurances may take -- from the minor, almost unnnoticed hiccup of change, to the earth shaking, life alterning, highly impactful transfiguration of one's life. There is no doubt that for the most part we are creatures of comfort; we seek the familiar and are soothed and comforted by the known.

But, it is undeniable that within change great power exists. The paradox lies in the fact that the shape and form of change can be either enervating or energizing. Each person has the opportunity to decide how to experience the power of change. It is important to remember that there is always a choice in our reaction to the change experience.

One of the great global Renaissance women of our time, Maya Angelou, wisely contributed to the dialogue on change by declaring, "I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refused to be reduced by it." Clearly her mindset accepts change as inevitable, but something around which an attitude option exists as a choice. In Angelou's case, she embraces the power she possesses to be resolute about maintaining her balance and purpose -- to refuse to be diminished in any way be the change experience. In fact, when looking at Angelou's life, one could fairly accurately opine that she has embraced change in such a way as to extravagantly enhance her life (one outcome being wisdom).

Change happens. It is our reaction to it that determines a positive and healthy response, or something other. To recognize and embrace that we always have an attitude option is to intentionally see change as an opportunity for positive benefits and outcomes.

Looked at with another, but equally potent, perspective, the legendary basketball player and coach, John Wooten, who hailed from America's heartland of hoops, Indiana, has said that "Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be." Wooten's statement on change is wonderful in part because it acknowledges the fact that all of experience failure -- perhaps many times -- through the course of our lives, but that failure in and of itself is not fatal. But, with his simple words, he speaks powerfully about the great locomotive of life as being fueled by change, and to avoid, ignore, or seek refuge from change is a failure of intentional decision-making that could very well be fatal. Again, an attitude option is referenced, however obliquely.

So, the challenge that confronts us, indeed burns burns fiercely through our experience in this terra-firma environment is how we each individually decide to respond to the transition and change experience. Attitude options abound, and because the temporal experience on terra-firma is extremely limited I won't wallow in the negative options, but get right to the positive attitude options -- those that may help us successfully navigate the change experiences we are confronted with on an ongoing basis.

Five Attitude Option Guidelines:

1. Keep Your Eyes on the Horizon: It is easier to navigate the unexpected bumps and detours, and even major roadblocks, when you are looking ahead and keeping your focus on the big and long-term picture. Your destination goal (and you should have one in mind) can provide an effective antidote to the all too frequent transitions you will be challenged with in both your personal and professional lives. It is easier to allow onself to spend time in the weeds -- entangled by the minutia of day to day detail -- forgetting, in fact, that there exists a more global perch from which to view your world of experience, and how every piece (including the bumps and detours) fit together with purpose.

2. Always Have a "Plan B": Whether dealing with a shake up at the work place, a loss of a job (or change of jobs), the loss of a loved one, or any other "transition" it is always good to have a "Plan B." Remember, if there is nothing else at all you can count on, you assurredly can count on change being a constant in your life in ways both great and small. So, the question, "What do I do if ...?" is a valuable exercise indeed. If nothing else, it flexes your attitude option muscle. Think of this as your personal "emergency preparedness plan," your well-considered tool box of resources and actions you may employ should you need to in reaction to a life changing experience. Think broadly as you develop your plans -- how they will help sustain, nurture, guide, and inspire you as you traverse the changes, challenges, and proverbial bumps in the road.

3. Maintain Your Physical and Emotional Wellbeing: This is particularly challenging, particularly when the change you are experiencing is not one you have sought or desired. However, it is critical to the survival of your sense of self to maintain a relentlessly positive attitude and lifestyle. This requires a frequent (almost moment to moment) "weeding" of the mental and emotional garden of thoughts. It has been said that we humans have literally tens of thousands of individual thoughts per day. And, astoundingly, even when times are good, the vast majority of those thoughts are negative self-talk. So, the challenge to "relentlessy positive" is a great and serious one indeed.

Positive energy is supported in no small manner by the daily care and feeding of your corporeal vessel (yes, your body). Eating well and moving frequently are absolute essentials. The good news is that is doesn't take any special diet book or plan, or expensive gym memberships -- because unless you've been living in a cave you KNOW what it means to eat well and move your body enough to maintain flexibility and a healthy weight. Eat quality food, eat less of it than you might imagine you "need" and move your body in ways that bring you pleasure (walking, running, bicycling, swimming -- the options are endless, and most don't cost a thing!).

Depression is a very real reaction to unwanted change, particularly when it has anything to do with loss of any kind (job, relationship, death of a loved one). Often, the best option here is to seek professional support along with keeping your friendship network close. Don't be afraid to ask for what you need. Watch for signs of addictive behavior -- and this is not just about drinking or drugs. Many other activities can be addictive. Think of the amount of time you may spend watching television, plying the world wide web, or excessively shopping (retail therapy is helpful to an extent perhaps, but it can also be a real and debilitating addiction). The point is this ... to the degree that any activity pulls you away from interactions with family and friends, and becomes a substitute or a "needed" distraction from responsibilities, it may be an addiction that requires professional help to address. I hasten to add that I am not a doctor or health care professional of any kind -- but, I, like countless others, have suffered addictions and depression as the result of a sudden and unexpected change or loss. And, what I learned for myself is that it is very difficult to go it alone when dealing with such a major life imbalance.

4. Build Bridges and Networks: If you are fortunate, you have many bridges to provide pathway options to walk above the troubled waters you may be experiencing. However, all too frequently we are rewarded for "going it alone" and for demonstrating "self-starter" qualities. Fine in good times, not so helpful when what you really need to do is reach out to others. Asking for a helping hand, or advice, or a compassionate ear is not weakness -- it is strength of character that allows that vulnerability to be expressed. Engage your networks of friends and colleagues to help you navigate the change you are experiencing. Everyone has been there -- that is, in need of a supportive person to assist in a time of change and challenge and transition.

5. LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH: It is essential as an attitude option to use the power of laughter as Norman Cousins taught us many years ago, in his groundbreaking work, Laughter is the Best Medicine. In the many years since his first books were written many, many scientific studies have confirmed what he taught us -- which is that there is real, healing, therapeutic elements to laughter. Find what is is that brings a smile to your face -- or better yet makes you laugh out loud -- and you will be well on your way to a much healthier approach to the challenges of change and transition.

So, I'll end this posting with a quote by Robert C. Gallagher:

"Change is inevitable -- except from a vending machine."

The Power of Change: The Attitude Option

2011-07-04T08:25:00.000-07:00

And the Cow Jumped Over the Moon, Part II

2010-01-07T11:41:00.000-08:00

By Richard Russey

And now, in Part II of my exploration of the sometimes befuddling behavior of supervisors, managers, or leaders who would seem to either overtly or covertly, or passively or aggressively (sometimes passive aggressively) derail your best efforts at being a responsible, effective, and authentic leader yourself, the going gets tougher. We are entering into an arena of behaviors that are not as easily countered or dealt with successfully. Yet there are still means of at least attempting to counter the negativity of these behaviors:

Querulous Demeanor
In these times of greater understanding and enlightenment around HR principles, standards, and practices, not to mention the increasing number of formal complaints against supervisors who cross the line with their staff, there are hopefully fewer incidences of bosses who demonstrate a true querulous demeanor. Sure, everyone has a bad day now and then, but the manager stuck in behaviors that are characterized by voicing small and petty complaints about personality traits, work habits, and personal work space, or are unnecessarily argumentative and dictatorial are a species at risk of extinction – but let’s be realistic, they do still exist. One need only walk to the water cooler to hear the conversations, in hushed tones, that tell the horror stories of querulous bosses.

The normal reactions by a direct report to a supervisor who exhibits ongoing and over the top querulous behavior include: defensiveness; protective posturing; a distancing from the team; a sense of limitation and lack of desire to go above and beyond; and an erosion of the desire to make reasonable efforts at communication. Perhaps everyone reading this can relate to hearing a co-worker saying, “Uh-oh, the boss is coming down the hall, I’m getting out of here.” Well, managers at a certain level do the same thing when among their peers. When the behaviors exhibited by a leader are such that their direct reports (remember these people are leaders themselves) scramble to get away when they approach, something in that dynamic is terribly wrong. Sure, it is often the source of rich humor for the movies and television; but to live that existence day in and day out at one’s place of employment or in any situation where you report to a “leader” is disastrous.

Clearly, these reactions of getting out of the way, defensiveness, feeling limited, distancing from the team, and giving up on communications are understandable. But, they can be extremely toxic to oneself and to your “down-line” team. So the better course of action is to remain as positive as possible and attempt to respond with these approaches:

• Examine your behaviors, style, and work habits that may be either intentionally or unintentionally provocative in the work environment. There are certain organizational norms around behavior and dress. Often they are written into policy manuals and are therefore a condition of employment. The point here is to engage in a self-review to determine whether you may be displaying passive-aggressive tendencies that are unnecessarily provoking your supervisor into the querulous demeanor. This may not be the case at all, but a periodic self-check, particularly when you are dealing with stress and friction at work is an excellent starting point.

• If you pass that self-review (and in order to be really sure, ask a trusted colleague to provide you with feedback in this arena), then you can safely assume that the problem lies with the supervisor or some other mitigating factor. In that case, a direct approach is usually the best manner to deal with issues such as these. Make careful notes of comments made, behaviors observed, e-mails sent, or other indicators that your boss is undermining you with petty complaints. Now, unless you want a full-scale confrontation (in which case the staff person rarely wins), do not present your list to your supervisor in writing as that would only serve to ramp up the heat and may prevent you from resolving this situation more amicably. Rather, use your list of observations as the starting point for a conversation about your concerns. Avoid accusations, but do invite a discussion that opens a dialogue about what might be behind the petty complaints your boss seems to be directing your way. Is your work otherwise up to par? Have you missed deadlines or failed to deliver on tasks in a satisfactory manner? These are reasonable and non-confrontational questions to ask your supervisor. Remember to speak from the “I” perspective. You can only speak from your own experience and feelings. So, a structural beginning for this type of dialogue could be: “You did ABC, and I felt EFG.” This approach avoids accusations that put the entire onus on the supervisor.

• If your boss has criticized you publicly (a leadership no-no), ask that he or she meet with you privately to discuss critiques of your performance. Keep bringing the conversation back to performance related to assigned tasks and expected deliverables. The more you are able to have your boss focus on those factors that are reasonable measures of your effectiveness and success, the better to lead him or her away from petty complaints. This approach also indicates that you desire to do your best to serve the organization and its mission, and to make it as successful as possible.

Narcissism
Without question, narcissistic behavior abounds among the ranks of leaders for the very reason that promoting oneself over the interests of others is seen as one way of getting ahead of your competition. The regrettable result is a team damaged by the narcissism of their supervisor – lacking in motivation, drive, interest, and the desire to give one’s very best to the organization. Narcissism is easy to spot, and its result cuts deep. When you experience a manager or supervisor who is obsessed with promoting themselves over the team (i.e. grabbing credit and attention), withholds acknowledgement, and uses the personal pronoun “I” rather than the more inclusive “we,” you can be fairly certain you are dealing with a narcissistic boss.

Teams who experience this as a regular “diet” quickly become cynical, apathetic, and reticent to give fully of their talents and skills. The sad result is a team that moves from high performance to mediocrity, among other characteristics.

Again, this is a tough one, and may require much more that an individual or even a team “intervention” can fix. There are often deep insecurities behind the narcissistic personality. However, small changes may come about by:

• Not acting in ways that overtly threaten your supervisor’s self-esteem. Challenging their ideas publicly, particularly when done with an edge and an intention to strike back or get even, is a road to nowhere, except perhaps out the door.

• Do unto others … that is, turn the tables, and engage in the very kind of behavior you would desire from your boss. Give him or her credit for those things they do well, and give the credit publicly.

• Mentor your own team of direct reports towards success then acknowledge them publicly, while making sure your boss is informed of their success. Being seen as willing to share success and to acknowledge others without apparent damage done to your own career may be a valuable and subtle lesson for your boss to observe and hopefully learn from.

• There is an old adage that offers the idea that a behavior ignored will eventually disappear. This may or may not be successful, but the more you go about your business and don’t bring attention to the narcissistic ways of your supervisor, the less inclined he or she may be to continue to engage in behaviors that don’t bring them the attention they desire.

Spuriousness
The case of spurious bosses has to do with behavior exhibited by them that lacks authenticity, is misleading or deceptive, seeks to perpetuate a myth for the purpose of power or control, or is two-faced (that is, different things to different people) in a disingenuous way.

Following the model of being the best “boss” you can be for your team as a starting point, remember to be squeaky clean in your authenticity and genuineness; acknowledge your idiosyncratic qualities or behaviors (we ALL have them); seek to be transparent, open, and honest with your team; and finally, admit mistakes when you make them – then quickly correct them.

Then, there are a few things you can try when you are dealing with the spurious behavior of your boss. Remember, your goal is not to play “gotcha!” with your supervisor, but to intentionally and with appropriate protocol address the behavior as a block to your effectiveness, thus a block to the effectiveness of the team, department, or even the organization as a whole.

• When you doubt the authenticity of your supervisor’s behaviors, never confront him/her with that doubt publicly. As with most of this section, there is a very fine line to walk when attempting to amend the negative behavior’s of one’s own boss. It doesn’t take much for these attempts to backfire. So, careful, thoughtful, and slow going is the key. In this case, a private conversation that attempts to get at the specifics of any given situation is important. You can lead with comments such as: “Did I hear correctly?,” “Do I understand your directive fully?,” “Is there additional information that will help me meet my goal of delivering this task on time and on budget?” This is an important time to put yourself in your supervisor’s shoes, and walk around a bit. IF your boss doesn’t feel attacked, and believes from your approach that you are genuinely trying to improve your work effort, the chances are better for a productive dialogue and outcome.

• This is one of the times that humor might help a great deal. In order to demonstrate your willingness to observe and learn from your own idiosyncratic behaviors, mistakes, or actions, it might be time to pull out a “story” of a time that you realized an unproductive behavior or mistake, were able to laugh about it with your team, and then move forward towards a successful outcome. This may subtly give your boss the “permission” needed to get “real” and speak with authenticity and transparency.

• Once your supervisor has put voice to even a very small mistake, or lack of transparency, or lack of genuineness, react without drama, come up with an idea to help your boss “fix” the situation, and/or admit a similar mistake you have made, and toss off a line that takes the pressure down a few notches, such as, “thank goodness we have opportunities to live and learn” or some such acknowledgement of the supervisor’s attempt at changing their spuriousness behavior.

Obstructionism and Turf Protection
Sometimes the negative actions of the boss is all about undercutting the down line direct reports in order to protect turf, or obstruct an action that will bring positive notice to mid-level manager. In this more difficult case of dealing with your boss, remember one of the rules of “jumping over the moon” – that is, by engaging your boss fully in your idea, project, or activity so there is a camaraderie that is developed from the beginning. During this process, give the boss credit for leading the team so openly and with success for all as the measuring stick.

• Don’t give your boss a reason to feel turf needs to be protected. I know this may sound odd, but often without knowing it, we may say things that claim credit for an important piece of work, or outwardly demonstrates your mistrust of your supervisor.

• Again, see your work as that of a team, and that team includes your direct reports as well as your boss. If your boss doesn’t have the time to be part of your team in a physical way, make sure s/he gets updates regularly from you about the progress of the project. By holding back on information until a day or two before your boss has to report out on your project to the CEO or other higher level leader, you will only exacerbate the feeling the boss may have of needing to obstruct or protect turf. So, make sure you share information fully and regularly so there is nothing for your boss to fear or protect.

Savior Complex.
Finally, some supervisor’s or bosses feel the need to be the one who saves the day by swooping in at the last moments and “fixing” the problems that you were not able to see or handle. There is a narcissistic element to this complex too, of course, but it may be deeply more troubling because it often occurs at the very last minute. I’ve known leaders who will spring the savior complex on a direct report and/or their team at the most critical and/or embarrassing times – such as at a team presentation of a project to the CEO, or board of directors. The boss with a savior complex may wait until that moment to point out flaws, and correct mistakes.

There is not much that one can do in that moment to challenge the boss. So, the best way to prevent this type of behavior is to go back to some of the earlier recommendations – to engage your supervisor in sharing information about the project or task along the way, to seek input from your supervisor along the way, and specifically to do a “run through” of any presentation for the organization leaders before the fact so that you have the opportunity to incorporate your supervisor’s ideas and thoughts before the presentation. In fact, while presenting the project to the organization’s leaders it would be wise to say, where true and accurate, that your boss was pivotal and helpful at various specific points along the way.

So, indeed it is possible for the “cow to jump over the moon” however difficult a feat that seems to be at the moment. Just remember the key ideas of inclusion, sharing, seeking feedback from your boss regularly, and acknowledging your boss for ideas and recommendations that have improved the project.

My thanks to a dear friend and colleague (she’ll know who she is!) for suggesting that I address this topic – a difficult one to be certain – but necessary if one is to successfully navigate the troubled waters of a supervisor, leader, or boss who may not always be coming to their role from an enlightened place, and is therefore making your job much more difficult.

And the Cow Jumped Over the Moon, Part I

2009-09-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

By Richard Russey

“Hey Diddle Diddle,” is the opening line of the nursery rhyme that has both delighted and puzzled children, parents, and scholars alike, for centuries.

Some sources say the earliest known version of the poem dates to 1765, when Mother Goose’s Melody was first printed in London. Since that time there have been a plethora of theories about what, exactly, the five line verse actually means. If you are sufficiently interested, you can have a field day pouring over numerous “appreciations” of the little poem that would serve to confuse and confound its readers for hundreds of years.

My intention is not to add another theory to explain what some have concluded is really just a nonsense poem -- fun to recite, full of rich imagery -- but in the end explained perhaps best and most simply by “it is what it is.” Rather, my intention is to borrow the third line of the poem, “the cow jumped over the moon” as a metaphor for leaders who are confounding in their actions, are petty, obstructionist, cavalier, narcissistic, obstructionist, have a savior-complex, or are near pathological in desire to guard their turf. In other words, they make it difficult for you, as a leader, to be effective with your team of direct reports.

Just as we cannot figure out why or how the “cow jumped over the moon,” we often cannot figure out the leader that fits the manner of management that may be described by one or more of the characteristics listed above. We wonder why our “boss” acts like the bovine character from a nonsense nursery rhyme of well over 200 years ago. I confess to having been frustrated, at certain points along the way in my career, by supervisors to the point that all I could do was throw up my hands as I wondered aloud, “What just happened? Why is my boss engaging in behaviors that seem to undercut me at every turn?” Or, to use our metaphor, “Why did the cow jump over the moon?”

It truly is a riddle to try to figure out why a boss would act in ways that might lead to your failure rather than success. Seems odd and unimaginable on the face of it doesn’t it? Yes, like the cow that jumped over the moon. Yet, most leaders are faced with this dilemma more frequently than is openly acknowledged. If one hasn’t faced this situation it is quite frankly difficult to imagine that such a leader could exist. Yet, humans being humans, these leaders and their negative behaviors do exist, and we are left with the shambles of a project gone awry, or the seriously off-track timeline, or at minimum communications and relationships that seem to be exceedingly more difficult than should be the case.

Let’s go back and look at this managerial riddle with a deconstructionist approach. First, some assumptions: you are a leader who attempts to lead with all the positive characteristics I’ve written about previously (visionary guidance, persuasive management, dynamic likeability, decisive influence, introspection, and ethical grounding); you are a leader who is receiving recognition for you efforts and successes from either the highest level of senior management and/or down line employees; you are a leader who is receiving acknowledgement from your organization’s clients, or peers outside of your organization; and you are a leader transparently making efforts to improve your skills, knowledge, and abilities not only about the content and matter of the organization’s work, but as related to leadership itself.

Now one would think that if you’re operating with even a few of these positive characteristics as part of your leadership style you’d be laden with accolades, praise, and success within your organization. But, there is your supervisor who must have the wisdom, experience, sense of self, and confidence to realize your success is his or her success as well. Sadly, too often that is not the case.

Unfortunately, the person you report to in an organizational structure can be a potent force for disharmony and frustration. Your boss may exhibit one, or some, or all of the characteristics that become a leader “least” (written about in a previous blog posting) such as: promoting “catch-22” circumstances; a cavalier attitude; amorphous guidance; a querulous demeanor; narcissism; acting in a unilateral vacuum; or exhibiting spuriousness. For more information on these limiting characteristics of a leader, please refer to my blog dated May 6, 2009.

There are even a few additional characteristics that boss can exhibit when they feel threatened, or are not self-confident, such as: obstructionism; turf protection; knowledge guarding; and the savior complex.

What a bitter mix of leadership traits to contend with if you happen to be the unfortunate manager or supervisor who is a direct report to a senior level boss who exhibits any of the characteristics named above. To find oneself in such a situation is quite a conundrum, to be certain. Too often, the resulting disharmony and frustration lead to giving up on efforts to lead with authenticity and distinction, going with the status quo, fearing the forces greater than you in an organizational structure, leaving the organization, or sometimes even leaving the field altogether.

But, “hey diddle diddle,” the good news is that there are some responses to the behaviors identified that may lead to improved relationships with our bosses and a better functioning team within the organization, both up and down the hierarchy. Let’s explore them one by one, because they are specific, but of course must be adapted to fit any particular situation.

In order to survive and even to thrive in an environment where one is confronted with supervisors or managers that would seem to thwart your every move, there are some survival tactics that can be put into play before frustration gets the best of your attempts to exhibit positive leadership skills with your team. Starting with those characteristics discussed in my previous blog, and brought back here to present specific antidotes, they are:

“Catch-22” Situations
Countering a leader who seems to consistently put you into no-win situations or impossible dilemmas, and insists on adherence to illogical rules and regulations may be assisted with these responses:

• Let go of ego around confrontations, remember the old adage that you don’t always have to be right to be happy.

• Be logical and clear in your communications with your supervisor, and when confronted with communication that isn’t logical and clear politely ask for an explanation. The key here is to have the intent of clearing up any miscommunications for the good of the organization. By removing the personal, and making the need for clarity about the success of your boss and his/her goals and objectives, you remove a threat – you!

• Invite your supervisor to your team meetings regularly, or at least often enough that they know and understand your desire too seek their input as you work through tasks effectively with your team. Shining a light on the fact that you are open and agreeable to your supervisor’s presence can be quite a tonic for good.

• Always be supportive of the goals and tasks of your boss. Have empathy for the tasks and responsibilities that are assigned to your supervisor, and let them be aware that you support their position within the organization.

Cavalier Attitudes
There are times when you’ll be confronted with a leader who is more egocentric than concerned about you and your team. He or she may seem disengaged and unsupportive in a number of ways, including failing to understand your needs for specific resources to fulfill a task, staffing, or other things needed for you to successfully accomplish the goals your team are charged to address. Fortunately, there are a few counter-measures that may prove to ameliorate the conditions perpetuated by a cavalier boss:

• Walk in the shoes of your boss, mentally, on a regular basis. Imagine the many factors they are dealing with that might lead them to exhibit a cavalier attitude, including a demanding board or CEO, stressful external conditions (the economy, vendors not performing well, a fickle constituency, tight imposed deadlines, or inexperience in their job (to name a few). By mentally putting yourself in the position of your boss, and thinking through the impact of some of these factors, you may very well begin to have a different view of the cavalier behavior exhibited by your boss.

• Demonstrate a strong interest in doing your job; but also offer to help your boss with certain tasks and activities that will be supportive of accomplishing their significant task load. This is one of the most remarkable remedies one can implement in dealing with a cavalier supervisor. Step forward and offer to do whatever might make the professional life of your boss an easier experience day-to-day.

• Be a communication conduit for your boss. Make sure requests and directives are fulfilled in a timely manner. Share the prevailing mood of your team with the intention of warding off trouble early on. Make suggestions related to the small things (i.e. getting the printer fixed) that will keep staff happy and productive. As much as a manager would like to be, they cannot be all-seeing and all-knowing, so your support in that regard will be seen as extremely supportive. And, on a social/professional level, if one of your direct reports has an important milestone coming up, remind your boss. Trust me, he or she will be grateful to know in advance, with enough time to do something about it, as long as mentioning any of those things does not breech confidentiality with your team.

• Develop an ongoing dialogue with your boss. If they do not already occur, request regular one-on-one meetings, as a time to discuss business matters related to your team (as well as your unspoken agenda of building a bond). When such meetings are scheduled, arrive prepared, with an agenda of topics to discuss. Be succinct and specific – these meetings should last no longer than 30 minutes. The opportunity to have regular dialogue with your leader will go a long way towards evolving a satisfactory relationship.

Amorphous Guidance
Unfortunately it is not all that unusual to experience a leader who seems to lack precise goals or the skill to articulate goals clearly. All too frequently desired outcomes are not established from the beginning of a project, thus measures for success are absent, poorly communicated, or ill-conceived. Once again there are some remedies that can be applied in reaction to this type of behavior that will lead to less frustration and a greater sense of meaning at work.

• Ask your boss to review the organization’s strategic plan with you and your team. It is helpful for all team members, at every level, to be “on-board” with the overarching vision and mission of the organization. The more each individual staff person “owns” the vision and mission, the more cooperative and motivated they may become.

• Again, invite your boss to your regular team meetings with your direct reports. Use the time with your boss present wisely. It is not the time to go through an endless list of mundane details better saved for smaller task group meetings. But, it is a wonderful opportunity to ask for clarity around short, mid, and long-term goals and outcome expectations. One important caveat is to never put your boss in an uncomfortable position in front of your team. Prepare him or her with information, details, questions, and agenda topics in advance. Your supervisor will greatly appreciate the time to prepare to respond to your team’s needs.

• Encourage a feedback loop, encourage your boss to ask you questions about the status of any given project – better yet, proactively provide your boss with status updates on a regular basis. The more they are “in the know” the more comfortable they will be with a dialogue that leads towards specificity and articulated outcome expectations.

• Finally, if your leader/boss is unfamiliar with developing and measuring outcome expectations, support him or her with some basic ideas. Don’t present a fully-considered, ready to be hatched plan – that can be threatening. Rather, provide a list of bullet points having to do with your particular team’s work, and some suggested means of measuring their accomplishments.

Unilateral Vacuum
A dangerous and slippery slope that some leaders either purposefully or unwittingly take, much to the dissatisfaction of their direct reports, is to approach their role with a tendency towards unilateral decision-making. They avoid opinions and feedback, and even demonstrate a distrustful attitude towards those managers that report to them. This is particularly challenging to those managers who also have the responsibility of leading a team of their own. The challenge stems from being left out in the cold, from not having the “ear” of one’s supervisor, and of feeling powerless and impotent.

In order to counter the boss who leads from the secluded position of the unilateral vacuum, there are these specific methodologies to try:

• In a sort of reverse demonstration of appropriate leadership, be certain to be an open and team-oriented leader. Emphasize team decision making whenever appropriate and apparently visible.

• Speak of your “team” frequently and with genuine respect for their ideas and abilities that assist in solving problems and contributing positively to the organization.

• Seek the opinions and feedback of your supervisor (as well as your team), in order to demonstrate that you are open to ideas from both sides of the spectrum of the organization’s hierarchical structure.

• Offer ideas even if they are unsolicited. Thanks to technology, this can be achieved in a non-confrontational manner, via e-mail. Keep the message brief, and positive, while emphasizing that you are sharing the idea for the benefit of the organization. Don’t ask for or expect credit. This is the “my two-cents worth” approach to communicating with your boss. The better your idea, and the more sincere you are about offering it without the expectation of receiving credit or some payback, the more likely it is to be utilized and even perhaps embraced, which could be the beginning of melting the stubborn ice of the unilateral vacuum.

• An approach that is decidedly more delicate, but may be necessary if the previous attempts do not result in change. That is, speak directly to your supervisor about this issue. While this must be approached in a tactful, diplomatic, and thoughtful manner, the chances for having an impact are greater if the issue is the greater good of the organization, rather than making the supervisor wrong. In order to lower the heat around a direct approach it is preferable to advance this conversation with your supervisor during a regularly scheduled one-on-one meeting (if they are occurring). If you do not have regularly scheduled one-on-one meetings, ask for them to be scheduled during a time of non-crisis, and when there will not seem to be an apparent hidden agenda.

So, there are a number of specific ideas and activities intended to counter a supervisor who seems to be working against your desire to lead your team with authenticity, wisdom, and distinction. Your efforts towards excellent leadership should not be compromised; but you must gain the trust of your supervisor in order to engage in the characteristics of excellent leadership without threatening the status quo too quickly, robustly, or inappropriately. Change is good, but the path to change must be carefully traversed.

In part two of this article I’ll continue looking at those behaviors exhibited by some bosses that would serve to thwart your success, and undermine your relationship with your team. But, full disclosure, the going will get tougher as we look at even more difficult behavioral patterns of some supervisors. Nonetheless, there will be remedies that may be implemented that may very well effect positive change.

In the meantime, try the suggestions offered here and see if you can make a dent in the methods behind the madness of the riddle of “the cow that jumped over the moon

Smart/Heart Leadership Training Now in Philadelphia!

2009-09-25T01:37:00.000-07:00

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

Now in Philadelphia!

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

Temple University City Center
Room 308
15th & Market Streets

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

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

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

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

Here is what others have to say:

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

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

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

The Liability of Lethargic Leadership, Part II

2009-08-22T08:51:00.000-07:00

by Richard Russey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And, I’ll add my own caveat:

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

Announcing: Smart/Heart Excellence in Leadership Seminar

2009-08-20T06:54:00.000-07:00

Smart/Heart Excellence in Leadership Seminar

Facilitated by Richard Russey

September 25, 2009

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

Bishop John Thomas Walker National Learning Center

701 Oglethorpe Street, NWWashington, DC

RegistrationNow through August 25 - $135

August 26 to September 11 deadline - $155

Bonus early bird opportunity for first 50 registrants - $125

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

About Richard Russey

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

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

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

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

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

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

To request registration form or get more information go to:

SmartHeartRegistrar@verizon.net

The Liability of Lethargic Leadership, Part I

2009-08-03T08:17:00.000-07:00

By Richard Russey

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

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

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

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

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

Team meetings that are infrequent or too-frequent

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

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

Team meetings that are too short or too long in duration

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

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

ABC Company
Project Team Meeting
Date, Time

A G E N D A

Overview of Project Tasks*
R. Smith 10 mins.

Current Opportunities
E. Jones 20 mins.

Current Challenges
B. Right 15 mins.

Upcoming Events*
T. Jazzy 10 mins.

Review of Decisions/Closure
A. Starr 05 mins.

* See attachments

_________________________________________________________

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

Lack of balanced task delegation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Announcing: Smart/Heart Excellence in Leadership Seminar

2009-07-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

Smart/Heart Leadership Skills
for Challenging Times

Excellence in Leadership
Seminar

Facilitated by Richard Russey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To request registration form or get more information go to:

SmartHeartRegistrar@verizon.net

Emergence of a New Team Template, Part II

2009-06-27T07:33:00.000-07:00

By Richard Russey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Emergence of a New Team Template, Part I

2009-06-21T17:16:00.000-07:00

By Richard Russey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Living Artfully, Prospering Professionally

2009-05-18T14:23:00.000-07:00

By Richard Russey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On A Clear Day: Creating Visions and Missions of Clarity

2009-05-11T05:38:00.000-07:00

By Richard Russey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What Becomes a Leader LEAST?

2009-05-06T07:22:00.000-07:00

By Richard Russey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why Good Leaders Must D.I.E.

2009-05-01T07:48:00.000-07:00

By Richard Russey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Oxygen of Partnerships and Collaborations

2009-04-24T06:47:00.000-07:00

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.”

Let the Team Shine!

2009-04-20T07:05:00.000-07:00

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!

Focused, Strategic and Tactical Leaderhip

2009-04-17T06:56:00.000-07:00

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.

Creating Your Day

2009-04-14T06:21:00.000-07:00

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!

Competencies of Leadership

2009-04-11T04:51:00.000-07:00

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.

Informational Interview Approach to Job Seeking

2009-04-10T10:06:00.000-07:00

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.