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.
Monday, October 19, 2009
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.
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