Over the last few days I have engaged in conversations that have had me pondering the impending economic upswing and what will happen to those who were courageous leaders during the tough economic times and those who lead from a base of fear.
I truly believe that although many leaders felt they made the TOUGH decisions and followed through by having the courage to engage in crucial conversations to tell people they no longer had a job or they had to take a pay cut - I do not beleive these were "the" tough decisions at all - they were the easy ones and came from a place of fear.
The truly tough and courageous decision would have been to keep the people and collaboratively and innovatively work together to determine other ways (not thought of yet) to combat the tough economic times.
What we saw within many organisations was yet again that "our most important assets" were the first to go. Now as the upswing starts these same leaders are fearful of losing people they do not want to lose - as organisations start to advertise to recruit new people and making highly favourable salary offers - so the fear is probably warranted. Because the damage to loyalty has been done during this last year and people will now look to go where the best money offer comes from! Why should they stay loyal and "do the right thing" when organisations did not "do the right thing" by them and their colleagues during the tough economic cycle.
It is going to be interesting to see what happens in 2010.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Are you a socially intelligent courageous leader?
After reading through the article I mentioned in my last blog - "social intelligence and the biology of leadership" - I want to take the time to state that courageous leaders are socially intelligent because they show:
- empathy with others and are sensitive to their needs
- attunement to how others are feeling
- organisational awareness of the cultural , business and market norms
- ability to influence and persuade
- propensity to develop others through coaching and feedback
- inspirational tendencies so they bring out the best in people
- teamwork
- courage to stay true to who they are and what they believe in
- willingness to use challenging behaviour.
I am going to work on these nine attributes / characters further and would welcome anyone's feedback and/or stories.
Social intelligence was summed up in the article as developing a genuine interest in and talent for fostering positive feelings in the people whose cooperation and support you need. It can truly be that simple if we want it to be!
I challenge you to self assess what you do on a daily basis as a leader - can you honestly say that you have stayed true throughout the day to showing genuine interest in those people on whom you rely to create the business outcomes you desire and need?
Monday, November 9, 2009
Courageous leaders know that laughter is serious business
Serendipitously as I changed my FaceBook profile picture to have one that shows me laughing and stating that I recognise the importance of laughter in life and that we need so much more laughing in our everyday life on my FaceBook wall - I pick up an HBR article that I have used in my Courageous Leaders Development Programme for about a year called "Social Intelligence and the Biology of Leadership" and there on page 3 it jumps off the page and hits me between the eyes - there in black and white it clearly states that:
".......top performing leaders elicited laughter from their sub-ordinates three times as often, on average, as did mid-performing leaders. Being in a good mood, other research finds, helps people take in information effectively and respond nimbly and creatively. In other words, laughter is serious business."
So all those years ago when I was managing and leading in the professional services industry and wearing the wrath from colleagues that I instigated far too much frivolity in the office - even being accused of having afternoon tea parties where I could not possibly be getting any work done - well I was in the serious business of producing great results and engaging with each of my wonderful people.
So, courageous leaders know that laughter is serious business - inspiring others to be effective and producing great results - that's exactly what we are about!
".......top performing leaders elicited laughter from their sub-ordinates three times as often, on average, as did mid-performing leaders. Being in a good mood, other research finds, helps people take in information effectively and respond nimbly and creatively. In other words, laughter is serious business."
So all those years ago when I was managing and leading in the professional services industry and wearing the wrath from colleagues that I instigated far too much frivolity in the office - even being accused of having afternoon tea parties where I could not possibly be getting any work done - well I was in the serious business of producing great results and engaging with each of my wonderful people.
So, courageous leaders know that laughter is serious business - inspiring others to be effective and producing great results - that's exactly what we are about!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Courageous leaders know managing is also about people
I had an interesting conversation today with a wonderful colleague and we talked about the differences between managing and leading - referring to the work of John Kotter - where he clearly states that we manage to implement (or as some now say - execute) and we lead to inspire. I have experienced many people attach managing to the task and leading to the people.
When developing Courageous Leaders I remind them to acknowledge that managing is equally about people and leading is equally about the task. It is just the level at which either of these are undertaken may change as they progress in an organisation.
Managing is not just about the task; it is also very much about people - and I know that many organisations suffer from mediocre performance because we are not managing the people - it is much easier and often more personally rewarding to manage the task. Instead managing the people requires tough conversations as referred to in an earlier BLOG. It requires people to have delegating conversations, giving feedback, receiving feedback, resolving conflict - each is a tough conversation which most of us run away from given half a chance!
While leading is also very much about leading the task and not just about leading the people. The nature of the tasks changes as you progress in the business and includes such tasks as creation of the business strategy, conversion of opportunities into real revenue for the business, completing research into particular issues of interest to you and to the business.
Courageous leaders juggle the tension between people and task in the way they manage and lead others. They do not avoid the tough conversations and they do not avoid the challenging tasks that require more leadership capability.
When developing Courageous Leaders I remind them to acknowledge that managing is equally about people and leading is equally about the task. It is just the level at which either of these are undertaken may change as they progress in an organisation.
Managing is not just about the task; it is also very much about people - and I know that many organisations suffer from mediocre performance because we are not managing the people - it is much easier and often more personally rewarding to manage the task. Instead managing the people requires tough conversations as referred to in an earlier BLOG. It requires people to have delegating conversations, giving feedback, receiving feedback, resolving conflict - each is a tough conversation which most of us run away from given half a chance!
While leading is also very much about leading the task and not just about leading the people. The nature of the tasks changes as you progress in the business and includes such tasks as creation of the business strategy, conversion of opportunities into real revenue for the business, completing research into particular issues of interest to you and to the business.
Courageous leaders juggle the tension between people and task in the way they manage and lead others. They do not avoid the tough conversations and they do not avoid the challenging tasks that require more leadership capability.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Courageous leaders give feedback
After facilitating a one day workshop on giving and receiving feedback I want to re-iterate the importance of giving feedback to the people who work with, for and around you. It is a gift that ensures everyone can be working at their optimal best. It ensures we certainly untap the true potential of all people within the business.
Today revealed that most people fear the reaction of the person they are giving the feedback too, coupled with the problem of making the time to engage in such a conversation.
This conversation is one of those difficult ones that only the truly courageous have and then reap the benefits from. Quite simply the courageous leader makes the time and creates the discipline to observe the people they want to develop. Observe them in action in meetings, as they walk through the office, as they talk to others in the office, as they delegate work to others, as they interact with customers/clients - all facets of their work life. As you do make sure you gather evidence - this is the critical piece that is so often missing when leaders go to give feedback.
Courageous leaders base their feedback on the evidence they have gathered and they deliver it by describing the specific behaviour and action and then sharing the impact it had on them - so they own the feedback and do not resort to "labelling" someone as a "poor listener" or even a "great listener". Do this and the reaction is not as defensive. Much more effective to describe the behaviour and the impact on you so the person receiving the feedback can decide if they want to repeat or alter their behaviour! They are less likely to feel judged and more likely to take the feedback on board.
Today revealed that most people fear the reaction of the person they are giving the feedback too, coupled with the problem of making the time to engage in such a conversation.
This conversation is one of those difficult ones that only the truly courageous have and then reap the benefits from. Quite simply the courageous leader makes the time and creates the discipline to observe the people they want to develop. Observe them in action in meetings, as they walk through the office, as they talk to others in the office, as they delegate work to others, as they interact with customers/clients - all facets of their work life. As you do make sure you gather evidence - this is the critical piece that is so often missing when leaders go to give feedback.
Courageous leaders base their feedback on the evidence they have gathered and they deliver it by describing the specific behaviour and action and then sharing the impact it had on them - so they own the feedback and do not resort to "labelling" someone as a "poor listener" or even a "great listener". Do this and the reaction is not as defensive. Much more effective to describe the behaviour and the impact on you so the person receiving the feedback can decide if they want to repeat or alter their behaviour! They are less likely to feel judged and more likely to take the feedback on board.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Courageous leaders encourage conflict
Facilitating a workshop yesterday my participants helped me make some powerful connections. Many organisations identify the importance of collaboration and innovation to their culture and the necessary behaviours for their business. Through conversations to explore conflict we came to realise yesterday that to truly bring individuals together within a team and an organisation where they are prepared to engage honestly and share their needs, emotions and concerns so we create true collaboration and ignite innovation then CONFLICT IS ESSENTIAL. Without conflict you cannot possibly have collaboration and innovation. And it is interesting to recognise that those same organisations who look to create collaboration and innovation do not overtly welcome and seek conflict. Therefore you have to question whether they truly do have collaboration and innovation.
We also came to realise yesterday that many teams think they are collaborating but really they are compromising - mostly because we do not encourage the conflict, we do not make it clear that we need it - and that it is only by unleashing this conflict that we can throw away the concept of my way and your way and create a new way - "our way" - which is true collaboration. The underlying mindset of many people is that someone has to win and someone has to lose - and this is not the mindset people need to collaborate.
So to all courageous leaders out there or to those who aspire to be more courageous in the way they lead - then get out there with your people and encourage conflict. And know that it is the way you resolve it that is critical to the long term sustainability of collaboration and innovation.
We also came to realise yesterday that many teams think they are collaborating but really they are compromising - mostly because we do not encourage the conflict, we do not make it clear that we need it - and that it is only by unleashing this conflict that we can throw away the concept of my way and your way and create a new way - "our way" - which is true collaboration. The underlying mindset of many people is that someone has to win and someone has to lose - and this is not the mindset people need to collaborate.
So to all courageous leaders out there or to those who aspire to be more courageous in the way they lead - then get out there with your people and encourage conflict. And know that it is the way you resolve it that is critical to the long term sustainability of collaboration and innovation.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Courageous leaders trust
Courageous leaders must trust - themselves, the process they set up and the other people around them - working with them in a work team or living with them as members of a family. Trust is a foundation value of a courageous leader. Without trust I do not believe you are courageous.
Firstly you need to trust in yourself - to do the right thing and stay true to the kind of leader you really want to be. This is true of you as a leader in all the roles you play in life - a parent, a sister, a wife, a daughter and all the other roles you undertake in life.
Trusting in the process set up and agreed is critical. This shows you believe in the other people to follow the process and produce the results. This can be very challenging and I have probably learnt the most about this concept by being the mother of a teenage daughter.
Lastly there is the trust you need to have in other people if you want them to work with passion and you want to unleash their true potential. Some of us have a natural propensity to trust and others of us are more skeptical and critical. No matter our natural propensity - trust in others is the true expression of your foundation value as a courageous leader.
Firstly you need to trust in yourself - to do the right thing and stay true to the kind of leader you really want to be. This is true of you as a leader in all the roles you play in life - a parent, a sister, a wife, a daughter and all the other roles you undertake in life.
Trusting in the process set up and agreed is critical. This shows you believe in the other people to follow the process and produce the results. This can be very challenging and I have probably learnt the most about this concept by being the mother of a teenage daughter.
Lastly there is the trust you need to have in other people if you want them to work with passion and you want to unleash their true potential. Some of us have a natural propensity to trust and others of us are more skeptical and critical. No matter our natural propensity - trust in others is the true expression of your foundation value as a courageous leader.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Courageous leaders make the time to observe
A potential client has asked me to provide insight into what kind of programme I can deliver to enhance their managers capability to give feedback. While summarising what I can deliver it got me thinking again about the importance of observation skills.
It is impossible to truly give feedback unless you gather evidence to populate your feedback conversation - and like the good auditor I was when I first started my career I continue to appreciate the importance of evidence. I know that to give feedback I need to observe and gather evidence that covers the basic CAVE principle I used when.auditing financial reports for organisations. The evidence needs to be COMPLETE, ACCURATE, VALID AND actually EXIST.
In my experience far too many managers give feedback based on hearsay, judgement and even 'gut instinct' and they end up "labeling" the person to whom they are giving feedback. For example they might tell them they are a poor listener or they might tell them they are a great listener - either way it is nothing more than a label they can wear across their forehead.
Feedback must provide specific information about the behaviours the person used and the impact these behaviours had on you (as the giver of the feedback) and then it is up to the person receiving the feedback to decide if this was a good impact or not.
Courageous leaders make the time to observe so they can gather evidence and then they gather the courage to share the feedback in a constructive conversation.
It is impossible to truly give feedback unless you gather evidence to populate your feedback conversation - and like the good auditor I was when I first started my career I continue to appreciate the importance of evidence. I know that to give feedback I need to observe and gather evidence that covers the basic CAVE principle I used when.auditing financial reports for organisations. The evidence needs to be COMPLETE, ACCURATE, VALID AND actually EXIST.
In my experience far too many managers give feedback based on hearsay, judgement and even 'gut instinct' and they end up "labeling" the person to whom they are giving feedback. For example they might tell them they are a poor listener or they might tell them they are a great listener - either way it is nothing more than a label they can wear across their forehead.
Feedback must provide specific information about the behaviours the person used and the impact these behaviours had on you (as the giver of the feedback) and then it is up to the person receiving the feedback to decide if this was a good impact or not.
Courageous leaders make the time to observe so they can gather evidence and then they gather the courage to share the feedback in a constructive conversation.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Courageous leaders get rid of the "shock jocks"!
I have been following with interest and intrigue to see what will happen to Kyle Sandilands - the "shock jock" from radio station 2Day FM - his moral fibre is sorely missing and his ego abounds but then again so do his ratings! So even though he is doing the "wrong thing" the radio station leadership have kept him on board and sensationalised his behaviour even further through very public suspensions - they then get loads of TV coverage, newspaper coverage and then put him back on the radio again because his ratings soar and of course advertising and sponsorship revenue escalates and everyone is happy!!!!
It reminds me of the many times that I as a business leader got told it was important to focus on people and that we were having a balanced scorecard approach to performance and ultimately personal rewards. And yet the "shock jocks" who treated people terribly and generated loads of revenue continued to be excused - because the business were too scared to lose them and their ability to generate the short term revenue even if it was at the expense of the people, the culture and the level of people engagement. Our top leadership team's need for strong business performance (bottom line) and personal reward (bonus payments) always outweighed the need to do the "right thing".
When are business leaders going to have the courage to do the right thing? Let's wait and see what they do about Kyle Sandilands - shock jock extraordinaire????? Keep him for the revenue or lose him because he has no moral fibre and is not doing the right thing!!!!!
It reminds me of the many times that I as a business leader got told it was important to focus on people and that we were having a balanced scorecard approach to performance and ultimately personal rewards. And yet the "shock jocks" who treated people terribly and generated loads of revenue continued to be excused - because the business were too scared to lose them and their ability to generate the short term revenue even if it was at the expense of the people, the culture and the level of people engagement. Our top leadership team's need for strong business performance (bottom line) and personal reward (bonus payments) always outweighed the need to do the "right thing".
When are business leaders going to have the courage to do the right thing? Let's wait and see what they do about Kyle Sandilands - shock jock extraordinaire????? Keep him for the revenue or lose him because he has no moral fibre and is not doing the right thing!!!!!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Courageous leaders thrive on challenging behaviour
We need more challenging behaviour in business. Courageous leaders must invite it and encourage it from the people surrounding them.
Many business leaders talk about constructive challenging and I think this is because we have reacted so badly to it in the past that we need to put a caveat on it - can only be constructive!
When you use Thesauraus to replace challenging it is interesting to see the long list of negative words that appear and only down the very bottom do we see any positive and constructive word replacements - at the top we find words like disloyal, disobedient, testing, demanding, tough, defiant and it is only near the bottom of the list that we find words like stimulating, energising and inspiring!
Courageous leaders embrace challenging behaviour and know it results in learning and being the best we can be; and coming with a "growth mindset" and not a fixed mindset as described by Carol Dweck in her book called Mindset: "People in growth mindset don't just seek challenge, they thrive on it."
I love the quote from Anita Roddick (Founding CEO of Body Shop): "I think the leadership of a company should encourage the next generation not just to follow, but to overtake."
Challenging behaviour is the enabler and a foundation skill of the Courageous Leader - both in using it and in responding to and interacting with it when used by others.
Challenging is most frequently exhibited in business conversations between emerging and existing leaders and results in:
Many business leaders talk about constructive challenging and I think this is because we have reacted so badly to it in the past that we need to put a caveat on it - can only be constructive!
When you use Thesauraus to replace challenging it is interesting to see the long list of negative words that appear and only down the very bottom do we see any positive and constructive word replacements - at the top we find words like disloyal, disobedient, testing, demanding, tough, defiant and it is only near the bottom of the list that we find words like stimulating, energising and inspiring!
Courageous leaders embrace challenging behaviour and know it results in learning and being the best we can be; and coming with a "growth mindset" and not a fixed mindset as described by Carol Dweck in her book called Mindset: "People in growth mindset don't just seek challenge, they thrive on it."
I love the quote from Anita Roddick (Founding CEO of Body Shop): "I think the leadership of a company should encourage the next generation not just to follow, but to overtake."
Challenging behaviour is the enabler and a foundation skill of the Courageous Leader - both in using it and in responding to and interacting with it when used by others.
Challenging is most frequently exhibited in business conversations between emerging and existing leaders and results in:
- existing habits being questioned
- current thinking being queried
- feedback being elicited
- feedback being given
- questions asked to seek furhter insights and information.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Courageous leaders use personal power
I have just had an amazing couple of days where conversations about the use of power by leaders have evolved! Last night I had the priviledge of presenting to a group of young and emerging leaders with a huge agenda of creating change within business. We explored the concept of exsiting leaders and emerging leaders and how they, as emerging leaders will need to influence change as they do not have positional power.
And although in many ways we are seeing change in how people lead within business - there is still the safe and steady fall back of positional power - and I am afraid my experience shows that this position is still alive and kicking.
It is important to see the links of positional power to ego; and we spoke at length about needing a new wave of leaders who influence the right action and yet do not feel the need to receive recognition to bolster their personal ego!
Personal power is enough for the courageous leader - it is knowing you are being the kind of leader you want to be and influencing business into the action you know is right - without the need for personal gratification and recognition - not easy - yes - and essential for the courageous leader!
And although in many ways we are seeing change in how people lead within business - there is still the safe and steady fall back of positional power - and I am afraid my experience shows that this position is still alive and kicking.
It is important to see the links of positional power to ego; and we spoke at length about needing a new wave of leaders who influence the right action and yet do not feel the need to receive recognition to bolster their personal ego!
Personal power is enough for the courageous leader - it is knowing you are being the kind of leader you want to be and influencing business into the action you know is right - without the need for personal gratification and recognition - not easy - yes - and essential for the courageous leader!
Monday, September 7, 2009
Courageous leaders take responsibility for delegated results
Last week my attention was drawn to the importance of taking responsibility for the delegation process. If people in business want to move from doing to managing and then to leading then delegating is the critical skill to enable this transition. And when you are in the doing mode it can be very challenging to make the time to have the conversation with the right content to enable another person to perform exceptionally - because that is what they will have to do to meet your high standards!
If the other person does not perform; before you point the finger of blame - point your thumb at them and then notice where your four fingers are pointing - right at you!!!! Then acknowledge what 3 or 4 things did you do to set this person up for failure or lack of performance. I did this just recently and acknowledged I had not invested the right amount of time in a delegating conversation. The other person told me I should get angry at them - and I said no, because I had not done my job to the best of my capability - so if anger was going anywhere it was towards me for not having a good delegating conversation. I had not been at my best as a leader.
Courageous leaders need to look at the time and thought they invest in their delegating conversations - do they set others up for high performance and success?
If the other person does not perform; before you point the finger of blame - point your thumb at them and then notice where your four fingers are pointing - right at you!!!! Then acknowledge what 3 or 4 things did you do to set this person up for failure or lack of performance. I did this just recently and acknowledged I had not invested the right amount of time in a delegating conversation. The other person told me I should get angry at them - and I said no, because I had not done my job to the best of my capability - so if anger was going anywhere it was towards me for not having a good delegating conversation. I had not been at my best as a leader.
Courageous leaders need to look at the time and thought they invest in their delegating conversations - do they set others up for high performance and success?
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Courageous leaders have purpose and meaning
Thinking about this over the last few days after spending time listening to a client present their new strategic direction to a room full of managers in the business. It has illuminated for me the importance of purpose and meaning if you want to be a courageous leader - it is not about staying in the safe place by developing a strategic direction where you want to be #1 in your market niche or maximise the return to your shareholders or other critical stakeholder group. Courageous leaders make sure the business brings purpose and meaning to everyone working in the business!
After the presentation I had one of the managers from the audience explain how he was concerned about "selling" this direction to the lowest level of people in his team - who have taken pay cuts, are working long hours and have been asked to take unpaid leave - all thanks to the GFC! And now he has to sell to them that they need to continue doing this as the business strives to maximise revenue, be #1 in their market niche and maximise returns to the shareholders - why would they want to get excited and what do they have to "believe" in? I think this is a critical question.......
If you are striving to be a Courageous Leader then it is imperative that you keep challenging the status quo and seek out the purpose that brings meaning to everyone in the business. And along the way as a leader you need to develop your OWN purpose and meaning!
The path of a courageous leader is not an easy one!
After the presentation I had one of the managers from the audience explain how he was concerned about "selling" this direction to the lowest level of people in his team - who have taken pay cuts, are working long hours and have been asked to take unpaid leave - all thanks to the GFC! And now he has to sell to them that they need to continue doing this as the business strives to maximise revenue, be #1 in their market niche and maximise returns to the shareholders - why would they want to get excited and what do they have to "believe" in? I think this is a critical question.......
If you are striving to be a Courageous Leader then it is imperative that you keep challenging the status quo and seek out the purpose that brings meaning to everyone in the business. And along the way as a leader you need to develop your OWN purpose and meaning!
The path of a courageous leader is not an easy one!
Friday, September 4, 2009
Courageous leaders acknowledged by AFR BOSS
I was thrilled to read in the August 2009 edition of AFR BOSS True Leaders 2009 that courage was denoted as one of the key attributes considered by the leadership discussion panel. The whole report is an interesting read and stacked with wonderful quotes like these:
"One of the key things I've observed between what I would consider to be the good leaders and the not-so-good leaders is the ability to recognise the changing circumstances that we're in; to really just tear up the old game plan and be prepared and be bold to shift it quickly - even in the face of maybe some embarrassment - to the new reality." Crispin Murray, BT Investment Management.
"{Obama} gave people confidence...the entire campaign was about dialogue, the need for people to sit down together and find a way forward." David Grant, Sydney University.
"Adaptability to changing circumstances and being prepared to be bold were traits common to many on {the} list."
We are looking for leaders with moral fibre, desire to engage with people in very real ways and actions with intent to create long term sustainability - we no longer tolerate the heroes riding in on their white horses to take over the top role in a company only to leave before their tenure with a very handsome payment and little accountability for the impact their decisions and actions have had on the long term sustainability of the company!
We are demanding Courageous Leaders and I for one am very excited!
"One of the key things I've observed between what I would consider to be the good leaders and the not-so-good leaders is the ability to recognise the changing circumstances that we're in; to really just tear up the old game plan and be prepared and be bold to shift it quickly - even in the face of maybe some embarrassment - to the new reality." Crispin Murray, BT Investment Management.
"{Obama} gave people confidence...the entire campaign was about dialogue, the need for people to sit down together and find a way forward." David Grant, Sydney University.
"Adaptability to changing circumstances and being prepared to be bold were traits common to many on {the} list."
We are looking for leaders with moral fibre, desire to engage with people in very real ways and actions with intent to create long term sustainability - we no longer tolerate the heroes riding in on their white horses to take over the top role in a company only to leave before their tenure with a very handsome payment and little accountability for the impact their decisions and actions have had on the long term sustainability of the company!
We are demanding Courageous Leaders and I for one am very excited!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Courageous leaders have the "hard" conversations
Facilitating workshops last week re-ignited my realisation about how "hard" leaders find it to have conversations about the things they often label as the "warm fuzzy" stuff. And yet it is this stuff that really makes the difference to the performance of the team and therefore the business.
Leaders come to our development programme with the mindset of not being too sure of whether they want to embrace the warm fuzzy stuff as they keep labelling it and very unclear about the real benefits of employing such warm fuzzy skills!
Yet once we dive into some experiential activities it becomes increasingly clear that this warm fuzzy stuff is critical to the performance of the team - tasks are not achieved and people are stressed and disgruntled!
The warm fuzzy stuff consists of such things things like:
* setting up rules of engagement - agreeing not to talk over the top of each other; to really listen to each other; to value the differences we all bring as individuals
* acknowledging conflict and resolving it quickly
* giving each other feedback on a timely basis
* noticing if people are engaged and seeking input from them if they are not
* being given time to ask challenging questions to produce the highest quality of output
* ensuring you have balanced participation within the team.
I could continue with this list and dive deeper into even more specifics to demonstrate what constitutes the stuff leaders label as the warm fuzzy stuff; the stuff they avoid talking openly about; the stuff they hope just happens with the benefit of time!
In my experience high performing teams don't just happen they need a committed and highly transparent effort from the leader to undertake this warm and fuzzy stuff!!!
Courageous leaders step up and have the "hard" conversations and move their teams into the high performing space more rapidly and in a way that creates sustainable success for each individual in the team, for themselves as the leader and for the business!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Courageous leaders take responsibility for their emotions
What an amazing week or so I have had and some incredibly powerful personal learning. I have come to recognise the importance of courageous leaders taking responsibility for their emotions. Because what many of us are confronted with everyday in the workplace is the "games people play" with emotions! Presently we are seeing many workplaces ruled by fear and insecurity. I have read several articles in respected daily newspapers claiming the return of the tyrannical boss who rules by fear and demands control and respect through aggressive behaviour. And a very dear colleague of mine shared with me a simple and yet profound framework for how these emotions play out:
PERPETRATOR...........VICTIM..............RESCUER
Think about your everyday life and start to watch how you play out your emotions under one of these guises. And it does not have to be this way if you decide to take responsibility for your emotions and use them constructively.
Faciltiating a recent leading change workshop allowed me to challenge the group of participants with this framework - and especially during times of change it is easy sometimes to play the victim - and blame those awful perpetrators for the way you are feeling!!!!!
Start to notice how you play your emotions out and look for the times you OWN your emotions and assert them constructively - and reward yourself for taking such responsibility! Courageous leaders certainly take responsibility for their emotions - try it out for one full day and see how you go - no blame and no taking on the role of perpetrator, victim or rescuer!
PERPETRATOR...........VICTIM..............RESCUER
Think about your everyday life and start to watch how you play out your emotions under one of these guises. And it does not have to be this way if you decide to take responsibility for your emotions and use them constructively.
Faciltiating a recent leading change workshop allowed me to challenge the group of participants with this framework - and especially during times of change it is easy sometimes to play the victim - and blame those awful perpetrators for the way you are feeling!!!!!
Start to notice how you play your emotions out and look for the times you OWN your emotions and assert them constructively - and reward yourself for taking such responsibility! Courageous leaders certainly take responsibility for their emotions - try it out for one full day and see how you go - no blame and no taking on the role of perpetrator, victim or rescuer!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Courageous leaders coach to achieve high performance
In these current challenging times where we are being asked to do more with less - many organisations are relying on their managers and leaders to 'coach' others within the business to achieve high performance. I believe this can only work if there is a strong foundation for coaching. The foundation for coaching can be summarised into 3 critical types of 'real' conversations that people need to be having with each others. Leaders need to have a:
- delegating conversation to set the person up to complete the task
- supportive conversation while they undertake the task
- feedback conversation to inform the person on the adequacy of their performance.
If these conversations do not happen regularly, consistently and authentically then coaching conversations are not going to be succesful in changing behaviours and achieving the high performance you are looking for.
- delegating conversation to set the person up to complete the task
- supportive conversation while they undertake the task
- feedback conversation to inform the person on the adequacy of their performance.
If these conversations do not happen regularly, consistently and authentically then coaching conversations are not going to be succesful in changing behaviours and achieving the high performance you are looking for.
Courageous leaders negotiate differently!
I had an incredible experience last week facilitating business negotiation skills workshops for a client. When first asked to undertake this project I declined because I believed that I did not negotiate and cringed at the use of the word. Courageous leaders do not negotiate...........this was the inner chatter in my head and yet upon reflection and challenge I realised that courageous leaders DO negotiate and so did I - just on different terms to that of the stereotype I had in my head about what constituted an effective negotiatior! My upbringing in business had lead me to believe that an effective negotiator was aggressive, kept information and needs close to their chest, played manipulative games and walked out with the knowledge they had WON and the other person had lost! And this was not what I did and it was not what I ever wanted to do!This experience has allowed me to recognise that I am a great negotiator but that I do it with my style and now I am proud to refer to this as the courageous negotiator. The courageous negotiator is transparent, gives information freely and with the intent of finding the best outcome for all parties because they believe so strongly that it is win-win or no deal. I also now know that my style is very much based on the wonderful movie called "Pay It Forward" and counter to what many effective negotiators believe I make widespread use of generosity. This has created great outcomes for me and for others involved in the negotiation. So for me I am eternally thankful to this client as I have now totally reframed myself and are proud to say that I AM a negotiator - a courageous negotiator!!!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Can people be expected to manage and lead?
People in their organisational roles are being expected to manage AND lead. Yet in my experience these same people devote so little conscious time to explore how to build this capability - so little time spent reflecting to capture their learning, so little time reading about it and so little time spent talking about it with their colleagues and bosses! How can we expect people to get better at managing and leading when there is so little impetus, enthusiasm, dedication and inspiration around the importance of it. We need more people to have the courage to step up and challenge what is happening in their organisations and challenge the choices they make - to spend time reading about managing and leading instead of the latest tax legislation, the stock market movements, the latest breakthrough in technical research of their specialist field! People need to want to improve the way they manage and lead and actively build their knowledge, skills and desire to become the kind of leader they can be proud of!!!!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Courage to be YOU
In developing the content for my book I was reflecting on some new thinking and would like to share it with you..............I see the constant tension leaders need to manage between financial, brand and people sustainability - the constant push and pull between the short term and the long term; the external and the internal. And this tension permeates every decision leaders make, each behaviour leaders choose and every promise they make to any stakeholder. To harness the creative force that can lie behind this tension takes uncompromising courage from any leader. The Courageous Leaders Model clearly advocates how individuals can redeploy into a position where their courage allows them to harness this tension and unleash something truly creative.
How realistic does this feel. Can courage enable you to manage your way through the ever present tension in your daily lives? Is it sufficient if you have developed your self mastery to an extent that means you are clear on the kind of leader you want to be and now you just need the courage to "be" that leader?
How realistic does this feel. Can courage enable you to manage your way through the ever present tension in your daily lives? Is it sufficient if you have developed your self mastery to an extent that means you are clear on the kind of leader you want to be and now you just need the courage to "be" that leader?
Tough economic conditions catalyse the downward spiral of fear for leaders OR can it ignite the upward spiral of courage and hope
FEAR: is driving much of our behaviour right now as we do not know what to expect next. We are living in incredibly uncertain times. Our teenage daughter came home a few nights ago and said her history teacher had told them we were heading for a depression and she wanted to know what we could expect this to be like!!!! I received an e-mail from a "funky thinker" colleague who said stop reading the papers and read about the future 10 years from now and start to explore how you will fit into this - forget the doom and gloom of the here and now!!!! I sat with an executive team as they spoke of the risk aversion and the fear driving their choices in leadership behaviour - they have returned to the command and control style of leadership - where you control, protect and comply. Leaders demand things are done their way and the costs they think need to be cut are cut. And so they have catalysed people into the downward spiral of fear. There is an alternative to this approach - there is the Upward Spiral of Courage.
COURAGE: I witnessed a nation starting to embrace the Upward Spiral of Courage after Obama's speech last night - he provided hope and is showing the courage to change! Leaders in corporate Australia can do the same - approach the problems and the issues with interest, creativity and integrity. Facilitate others thinking so they can come to work and enjoy themselves, develop themselves and approach problems with creativity rather than constraint and fear. We have a generation of people who have not experienced such financial hardships before - imagine the ideas they might have if we only facilitate rather than constrain and close them down by telling them their ideas won't work!!!!
Fear is an unproductive and uncertain place to live in; while courage is where we feel energised and we believe and we have hope!!!!!
Join us on the Upward Spiral of Courage and leave the donward spiral of fear behind!!!!!!
COURAGE: I witnessed a nation starting to embrace the Upward Spiral of Courage after Obama's speech last night - he provided hope and is showing the courage to change! Leaders in corporate Australia can do the same - approach the problems and the issues with interest, creativity and integrity. Facilitate others thinking so they can come to work and enjoy themselves, develop themselves and approach problems with creativity rather than constraint and fear. We have a generation of people who have not experienced such financial hardships before - imagine the ideas they might have if we only facilitate rather than constrain and close them down by telling them their ideas won't work!!!!
Fear is an unproductive and uncertain place to live in; while courage is where we feel energised and we believe and we have hope!!!!!
Join us on the Upward Spiral of Courage and leave the donward spiral of fear behind!!!!!!
Importance of emotional resilience
I have had an interesting few days exploring the criticality of emotional resilience especially given the current economic times. We read everyday how more and more people are losing their jobs or like a friend of mine having their salaries cut very severely so no one has to lose their job! Emotional resilience is fundamental to us as humans with choices and wanting control over our own destinies - we must be able to firstly recognise our emotions, then embrace and use our emotions constructively and then we must create thinking space so we can determine how best to use these emotions. This is where reflective thinking is just so important and you would all recall I use De Bono's 6 Thinking Hats to focus reflective thinking.
I am working on honing my emotional resilience so I do not allow my emotions to hijack me into actions I am not proud of later!!!!
I am working on honing my emotional resilience so I do not allow my emotions to hijack me into actions I am not proud of later!!!!
We need far more courageous leaders
I walked away from a client meeting today filled with the overwhelming conviction that we need far more courageous existing leaders and until we have them, we need to realise that behavioural change within organisations is always going to be a mere ‘tinkering at the edges’.
We need existing leaders to step into a place of complete vulnerability where they are prepared to be challenged and most definitely prepared to change. And in my experiences to date I have far too little evidence of this happening. The even more frightening thing is that the more research I do on fear, the more I wonder how we can truly encourage more existing leaders to work constructively with their fear and jump into this place of complete vulnerability – where they do not have control and they do not have the solutions.
In these turbulent economic times we are seeing more and more existing leaders clinging to the Downward Spiral of Fear (link to previous newsletter) to protect, to comply, to regulate and to control. What we really need are leaders who are prepared to climb the Upward Spiral of Courage – to embrace vulnerability, to want their thinking challenged and to come to issues with creativity and an abundance mentality! We so desperately need our existing leaders to be courageous!!!!
We need existing leaders to step into a place of complete vulnerability where they are prepared to be challenged and most definitely prepared to change. And in my experiences to date I have far too little evidence of this happening. The even more frightening thing is that the more research I do on fear, the more I wonder how we can truly encourage more existing leaders to work constructively with their fear and jump into this place of complete vulnerability – where they do not have control and they do not have the solutions.
In these turbulent economic times we are seeing more and more existing leaders clinging to the Downward Spiral of Fear (link to previous newsletter) to protect, to comply, to regulate and to control. What we really need are leaders who are prepared to climb the Upward Spiral of Courage – to embrace vulnerability, to want their thinking challenged and to come to issues with creativity and an abundance mentality! We so desperately need our existing leaders to be courageous!!!!
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