Preparing for the New Year

As we wrap up all of our 2014 projects and prepare for the new year, I am reminded of the following quote by Robert Rosen in his book, Leading People ,Viking Pengiun, 1997. As writes, 

"People want to be led. They don't want the old authoritarian leadership style. Nor do they want some clever new management technique. Instead, they want leaders with deeply held human values who respect people's unique talents and contributions. They want leaders who will create an environment that nurtures excellence, risk taking, and creativity. They reject intimidation or manipulation, but they positively yearn for inspiration.

Similarly, in the misguided efforts of leaders is hidden another message: leaders need followers. Leaders don't want docile, do only-as-ordered employees.  Instead, they want responsible, mature, forward-looking associates. They want partners who are as committed as they are to the success of the enterprise."

In 2015, I hope you skip the “new” management techniques and focus instead on the core values of respect, excellence and inspiration. I also hope you remember not to create followers but instead partners focused on our collective success.

I look forward to continuing the journey with you in 2015 as we all figure out how to move from vision to action.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Happy Holidays

This morning I have been reflecting on my past year of traveling to be with all of you. In particular, I remember an experience I had one morning at the airport last spring. 

It was the first flight out in the morning as we slowly walked on to the plane. There was the stewardess greeting each of us sleepy heads off on another trip.

As I approached her, I said, “Good morning. How are you today?”

“I am well blessed,” was her reply.

Rather than the typical, “Fine”, or “Good,” she shared with me that she was “well blessed.” It was such a delightful surprise that I have carried her comment with me for a long time.

One of my many blessings is the opportunity to work with each of you. I am humbled by all that you have shared with me, and grateful beyond measure for the opportunity to be of support and service to each of you. Thank-you for letting me be a part of the important work you do.

My hope this special week is that you will rediscover the blessings in your life, and for you to be a blessing in some one else’s life. When we do this, it can be a transformative experience for all.

Happy Holidays to you and your family!  I look forward to when we visit next in the new year.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

In The Midst of these Busy Days

The holiday season is always packed with so much to do. 

At work, we are still trying to get lots done before the New Year shows up. There are projects to complete. There are new plans to create. There are new goals to set, and performance evaluations that need to take place.

At home, there are gifts to be purchased, wrapping to be done, holiday baking to finish, plus all of the planning around having family and friends over to celebrate. The lists are endless, and everyday is long and full.

Some days we get so caught up in all of the lights, sparkle and busy work that we forget that there is a reason for this season. There is a purpose at the core of what we are doing. At times, it becomes secondary to all of the work that needs to get done. In short, the reason for the season gets forgotten.

My challenge to you this week is to pause and remember the core reason why we are celebrating at this time of the year, and to bring it back to the center of all you do. Open your heart and let it in. This core purpose will put so many things into perspective and rekindle in you a deeper understanding of the bigger picture of life.

In the midst of the busy days, do not let the joy get lost in the work. 

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Rediscover Individual and Shared Purpose

Right now many people act as if they are a community of one. This me-oriented society is digitally connected to thousands and yet at times feels completely isolated. These individuals do not understand the difference between personal connections and connectivity. The former is the foundation for the later.

As an executive coach, I listen to a fair number of people who worry about their companies, their future and their ability to make a difference as a leader. My challenge to you today is to ask yourself the following questions when you are worried: 

- What gets you up in the morning? 

- What is your passion? 

- What kind of day do you want to have so you can go to bed with thanksgiving and wake up the next morning with gratitude?

When visiting with people who are living their passion as leaders, I notice one unique observation. They make family time a priority. They do this by creating new and celebrating old family traditions. It seems that these traditions ground them, and remind them of the purpose of their life. I believe these positive traditions create a shared sense of purpose which renews them at a deeper level.

This holiday season, I encourage you to make family time a priority. Create new traditions and celebrate old ones. It will bring a sense of purpose back into your life journey.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

A Quick Reminder

Friday, December 5, is the registration deadline for the 2015 From Vision to Action Leadership Training.

We will meet for this unique learning opportunity at the Coralville Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, Coralville, Iowa on the following dates:

- March 3 - 4 - 5, 2015

- May 5 - 6 - 7, 2015

- September 15 - 16 - 17, 2015

- November 10 - 11, 2015

If you and/or members of your team are interested in the 2015 training, then please click on the following link for more information: http://www.chartyourpath.com/VTA-Leadership-Training.html 

Or you can click on the this link for the registration form: http://www.chartyourpath.com/pdf/2015-From-Vision-To-Action-Leadership-Training-Regist.pdf

I look forward to your participation in the 2015 From Vision to Action Leadership Training.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Practice Being Fully Present

Before vacation, her children sat down with her and had a serious conversation. 

“Mom - are you bring the third child with us on vacation?”, asked the oldest.

“What third child?,” she replied. “I only have two children.”

“No, you don’t,” answered the youngest.

“The third child is your cell phone, Mom,” said the oldest. “You take it every where and you are constantly answering phone messages and e-mail on it. You take care of that phone more than you take care of us some days.”

“So,” asked the youngest, “are you bring the third child on vacation this year?”

There are days, note James Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner in their book, A Leader’s Legacy. Jossey-Bass, 2006, when “we operate on automatic pilot, not really noticing what’s going on around us, believing that we know everything we need to know, viewing the world through established categories, and operating from a single point of view. Many leaders are not really “present” at all. The body may be in the room, but the mind has been turned off.”

We all know this place. We are in the meeting but our mind is some place else. We are not attuned to those around us, and we are not attuned to ourself. We are personally and socially unaware.

Years ago, on a flight out of Phoenix, I listened to a woman talk about her son’s girl friend. She told me that this young woman made her son want to be a better man. One key to being more present is to have allies and confidents in our life who can share with us at a deep level. With these people, we are open and willing to receive feedback if necessary. Through thoughtful dialogue with these people, important insights are gleaned. Our challenge as leaders is to surround ourselves with friends and family who make us want to be a better person. 

This week, I encourage you to cultivate these deep relationships. The cell phone does not need to be the center of the universe.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Listen and Learn

One of my favorite times of the year is Thanksgiving. Good food, special friends and wonderful family all around one table.  It just doesn’t get any better than this.

One of my favorite things that happens over Thanksgiving is the telling of stories. Sometimes, we have heard them before and other times they are new. Which ever the case, it is in the listening and the learning that valuable, shared connections are made.

Today, I am reminded of a quote by the late Stephen Covey. As he wrote, “Real listening shows respect. It creates trust. As we listen, we not only gain understanding; we also create the environment to be understood. And when both people understand, both perspectives, instead of being on opposite sides of the table looking across at each other, we find ourselves on the same side looking at solutions together.” 

This week, listen with an open heart and discover new insights. May you and yours be well blessed with good food and great family times together this week.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Running Fast and Faster

People are burning out on a regular basis these days, and it is having a deep cost to them, their major relationships and their families. More and more marriages are at, or near the breaking point. It reminds me of the Red Queen Principle, namely people running faster and faster just to keep up with where they are right now. Clearly, more and more people are operating at capacity. They keep adapting and adjusting, hoping that every thing will not break at once.

One unique solution to this situation is to give yourself permission to de-accelerate as much as to accelerate. Many leaders can not work any harder, faster or more efficiently. Their bandwidth is full. It is time for us to recognize the importance and value of creating de-acceleration zones in our life.

For me, when I find I am running fast and then faster I have to consciously plan to do activities that help me de-accelerate. These include perennial flower gardening, listening to great music while cooking, going to the movies with my wife, or reading a good book. By giving myself permission to do these things, and by making time on my calendar to do these things, I find a greater sense of balance and focus. I am not overwhelmed and can work better.

This week, rediscover your de-acceleration zones.  Then, give yourself permission to go out and enjoy them.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

The Importance of Buy-in

For many years, I have asked clients and students of mine to read John C. Maxwell’s book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow them and People Will Follow You, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1998. In particular, I wanted them to comprehend “The Law of Buy-in: People buy into the leader, then the vision.”  As Maxwell explains, “When followers don't like the leader or the vision, they will look for another leader. When followers don't like the leader but they do like the vision, they still look for another leader. When followers like the leader but not the vision, they change the vision. When followers like the leader and the vision, they will get behind both.” 

At this time period, we need followers and leaders all pulling together in the same direction. But we have to recognize, as Maxwell so aptly points out in his book, that “people become real leaders because of character - who they are, relationships - who they know, knowledge - what they know, intuition - what they feel, experience - where they've been, past success - what they've done, and ability - what they can do.” 

While it would be delightful to stop by the local corner store and pick up a box of character, intuition or ability, this is not possible. However, we can increase people’s knowledge through thoughtful education, meaningful readings, and in-depth dialogue and sharing. 

Here is where the 2015 From Vision to Action Leadership Training fits into this equation. Through this challenging, interactive curriculum which blends lectures, selected readings, small and large group discussions, and how to skill-building exercises, participants in this four part leadership training gain critical knowledge and skills which improve their ability to be become better leaders.

Now is the time to sign people up for this in-depth learning experience.  For more information on how to register for the 2015 From Vision to Action Leadership Training, please click on the following link: http://www.chartyourpath.com/VTA-Leadership-Training.html 

Followers who buy-in to their leader and the vision always achieve results. We need this now more than ever. I look forward to you and your team participating in the 2015 From Vision to Action Leadership Training. 

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

A Little Secret

I want to let you in on a little secret. The future is unknowable and the future is also uncontrollable. Furthermore, the future is filled with paradoxes, mysteries and confusion.

And at the exact same time, we live in an imperfect world. As leaders, our schedules for the day will get interrupted. Our work will get side lined with “Oh, by the way...” comments. Our well organized projects will get reorganized by factors over which we have no control. And we will get frustrated and angry by the craziness around us.

In truth, the future and the present are always scary on one level. So given this little secret, what do we do?

We try and protect ourselves from this imperfection. We prepare for it. We fear it. We search for predictability, explanations and answers. We search for order so we can have a sense of peace and a sense of control. 

We want to feel order. We want to feel valued. We want to feel certain. We do not want to feel alone with the unknowable and uncontrollable future. In short, we want perfection.

Surprisingly, people who find and maintain balance in their work and in their personal life have discovered something other than perfection. It is through shared connections and shared knowing that they can handle the now and the future. That’s what we have been doing all these years at the Spring and Fall From Vision to Action Executive Roundtables, and in the From Vision to Action Leadership Training. We have been building shared connections and shared knowing. 

It is pretty amazing that with shared connections and shared knowing, we can find balance in an unbalanced world.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Unlocking Capacity and Growth

As I noted last week, James  Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner in their book, A Leader’s Legacy. Jossey-Bass, 2006, wrote that “... the single best predictor of [an individual’s] career success is the relationship they had with their very first supervisor.” And as I challenged you last week, now is the moment to spend more time making sure these key relationships work well. Often people start this  process by creating role and responsibility clarity. They also help all involved understand how to use accurate and timely measures of progress so people can feel like they are being successful. These actions help but the focus needs to be on the relationship, which is a more qualitative over quantitative approach.

Marcus Buckingham in his book, The One Thing You Need to Know ... About Great Managing, Great Leading, and Sustained Individual Success, Free Press, 2005, reminds us that great managing begins by selecting people effectively, setting expectations by defining clearly the outcomes you want, and motivating people by focusing on their strengths.

While all of the above are helpful, I sometimes explore this subject by asking the following the question: 

- What kind of relationship do you want to have with the people who report directly to you?? 

The question causes us to remember that people follow people more than positions or job titles.  Therefore, as Kouzes and Posner remind us, “... if people are going to follow you they need to know more about you than the fact that you’re their boss.” 

This week, share more about you and your journey in the land of leadership and organizational change. Then, spend considerable time learning about your people and their personal journeys through the land of organizational change. Sharing our leadership stories is the start of an important journey.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Building Change Leaders for A Fast-Moving World

John Kotter in his most recent book, Accelerate: Building Strategic Agility For A Faster-Moving World, Harvard Business Review Press, 2014, writes “The world is now changing at a rate at which the basic systems, structures, and cultures built over the past century cannot keep up with the demands being placed on them. Incremental adjustments to how you manage and strategize, no matter how clever, are not up to the job.” 

As he continues, organizations need to accelerate innovation, productivity improvement, integration of acquisitions or global operations, any sort of key strategic change, cultural change and profitable growth. However, he notes that most are stalled by a limited number of change leaders, silo parochialism, rules and procedures, pressures to make quarterly numbers, and complacency or insufficient buy-in.

“Management is not leadership,” explains John Kotter. “Management is a set of well-known processes that help organizations produce reliable, efficient, and predictable results.... Leadership is about setting direction. It’s about creating a vision, empowering and inspiring people to want to achieve the vision, and enabling them to do so with energy and speed through an effective strategy. In its most basic sense, leadership is about mobilizing a group of people to jump into a better future.”

With the current and emerging challenges facing all companies during the next 5 - 6 years, it is vital that we expand the number of change leaders who can set direction, empower people and mobilize them to move forward toward that vision in an efficient and effective manner. The rate and pace of change will not slow down. Therefore, we need to speed up the development of key people. 

One effective way to do this is to enroll yourself and your key people in the 2015 From Vision to Action Leadership Training. Through a challenging, interactive curriculum which blends lectures, selected readings, small and large group discussions, and how to skill-building exercises, participants in this four part leadership training gain critical knowledge and skills which improve their ability to be better change leaders.  

For more information on how to register for the 2015 From Vision to Action Leadership Training, please click on the following link: http://www.chartyourpath.com/VTA-Leadership-Training.html 

Bold leadership and effective strategy will be key to success between now and 2020. Learning to be a better change leader is the first step in this journey.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Growing Capacity All Year Round

When it comes to the subject of how to grow capacity, the standard answer and the one we have explored in great detail during past From Vision to Action Executive Roundtables and in the From Vision to Action Leadership Training is that leaders grow capacity through growing clarity. Given the pace and speed of change in so many organizations this fall, a more in-depth answer is now needed.

As we all know, awareness turns into understanding when someone has a picture inside their head of optimal performance or what the goal looks like once achieved. Next, collaboration, which is critical to growing capacity, begins with the relationship someone has with others and their boss. Finally, commitment  starts when people understand how their job makes a difference and they feel a part of something that is purposeful.

My two recent insights about growing capacity come from rereading James  Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner’s book called A Leader’s Legacy. Jossey-Bass, 2006. As they note, the “single best predictor of career success [for an individual] is the relationship they had with their very first supervisor.” They also note that “... the most important leader is any organization is not the CEO or the head honcho; its the leader we see most often, the one we turn to when we need guidance and support.” As Kouzes and Posner remind us, the foundation for growing capacity start with healthy work relationships. 

This week, pause and evaluate your key relationships at work. It may be time to move them to a new level and depth of interaction.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

How do leaders change systems? - part #2

Continuing with last week’s subject, some days we forget that there are four understandings when it comes to any system. First, there is the boss’s understanding of how the system works. Next, there is an employee’s understanding of how the system works. Third, there is other peoples’ understanding of how the system works, and finally there is the reality of how the system actually works. Often, these four levels of perception are in conflict and can be the source of why a system is not functioning properly and why it is difficult to change.

Many years ago, I worked with an organization that wanted to improve it’s systems. Their goal was to be a High Reliability Organization or HRO. An HRO is an organization that has succeeded in avoiding catastrophes in an environment where normal accidents can be expected due to risk factors and complexity.

The best resource on this subject is the work of Karl Weick , and Kathleen M. Sutcliffe in their book,  Managing The Unexpected: Resilient Performance in an Age of Uncertainty. John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2007. As the authors write, “Our basic message is that expectations can get you in trouble unless you create a mindful infrastructure that continually does all of the following: tracks small failures, resists oversimplification, remains sensitive to operations, maintains capabilities for resilience, and takes advantage of shifting locations of expertise.”  As they continue, “Moving toward a mindful infrastructure is harder than it looks because it means that people have to forgo the “pleasures” of attending to success, simplicities, strategy, planning, and superiors.... The ability to deal with a crisis situation is largely dependent on the structures that have been developed before chaos arrives.”

There are five key HRO principles as outlined in the aforementioned book. They are as follows:

- # 1: Preoccupation with Failure. HROs are distinctive because they are preoccupied with failure. They treat any lapse as a symptom that something may be wrong with the system, something that could have severe consequences.

- # 2: Reluctance to Simplify. Another way HROs manage for the unexpected is by being reluctant to accept simplifications. It is certainly true that success in any coordinated activity requires that people simplify in order to stay focused on a handful of key issues and key indicators. Knowing that the world is complex, unstable, unknowable, and unpredictable, HROs position themselves to see as much as possible. 

- # 3: Sensitivity to Operations. HROs are sensitive to operations. They are attentive to the front line, where the real work gets done. The “big picture” in HROs is less strategic and more situational than is true of most organizations. When people have well-developed situational awareness, they can make the continuous adjustments that prevent errors from accumulating and enlarging.

- #4: Commitment to Resilience. No system is perfect. The essence of resilience is therefore the intrinsic ability of an organization or system to maintain or regain a dynamically stable state, which allows it to continue operations after a major mishap and/or in the presence of a continuous stress. The hallmark of an HRO is not that it is error-free but that errors don’t disable it. Resilience is a combination of keeping errors small and of improving workarounds that allow the system to keep functioning. They image worst-case conditions and practice their own equivalent of fire drills. 

- # 5: Deference to Expertise. HROs cultivate diversity, not just because it helps them notice more in complex environments, but also because it helps them do more with the complexities they do spot. Rigid hierarchies have their own special vulnerability to error. Errors at higher levels tend to pick-up and combine with errors at lower levels, thereby making the resulting problem bigger, harder to comprehend, and more prone to escalation. To prevent this deadly scenario, HRO’s push decision making down and around. Decisions are made on the front line and authority migrates to the people with the most expertise, regardless of rank. 

When seeking to become an HRO, there are three critical questions according to the previously mentioned authors. First is the “hands on” question: What activities involve the most direct human contact with the system and thus offer the greatest opportunity for human decisions or actions to have an immediate, direct, adverse effect upon the system? Second is the “criticality” question: What activities, if performed less than adequately, pose the greatest risks to the well-being of the system? Third is the “frequency” question: How often are these activities performed in the day-to-day operation of the system as a whole?

This week, think about becoming an HRO and consider reading Karl Weick and Kathleen M. Sutcliffe’s book,  Managing The Unexpected: Resilient Performance in an Age of Uncertainty. John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2007. It is full of good insights.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

How do leaders change systems? - part #1

Recently, over a long lunch meeting, those gathered began discussing how leaders change systems. We agreed that most systems are designed for predictability and consistent outcomes. They also are designed to solve problems that may only be clear from a historical perspective rather than a current perspective.

Often when discussing this topic with executives, I point out that many people and even organizations suffer from a normal problem, namely spatial blindness. Barry Oshry in his book, Seeing Systems: Unlocking the Mysteries of Organizational Life, Berrett-Koehler, 1995, defined spatial blindness as seeing the “parts of the system but not the whole system.” The problem is that the skills of perceiving and analyzing the world in terms of systems to many of us. They must be learned, because, for the most part, we are born blind to systems. Rarely can we clearly perceive ourselves in space, time or relationship to what appear to be remote objects, forces, people and events.

Furthermore, spatial blindness is a failure to grasp "big picture" connections. For example, many of us are almost totally unaware of what is happening elsewhere that can indirectly but powerfully affect our lives. Like the legendary blind group of people describing an elephant as they each grasp a different part of its anatomy, we routinely mistake the parts for the whole. In short, we lose perspective and miss the context in which seemingly isolated events occur. 

One unique aspect of spatial blindness is scale blindness. Since it is easy to miss the big picture when concentrating on details, it also is difficult to up-scale or down-scale a set of conditions by linear extrapolation. It can be a recipe for serious error. Yet with improved understanding and perspective, we can begin to overcome scale blindness.

This week keep your eyes open for spatial blindness and scale blindness. It is rampant in the work place.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Winning Hearts and Minds

Last week, I wrote about the importance of communicating purpose on a daily basis. The goal of which is to win the hearts and minds of all employees. The first step to achieving this outcome is to treat others with respect. By treating others with genuine respect, you, as the leader, create a relationship with people where they are more likely to listen carefully and sympathetically to your message. But the key is to realize that treating people with respect needs to happens before you start speaking not just when you start speaking.

Second, it is important to keep your messages short and concise so they can be cascaded. Corruption of your message is a given as it cascades into the organization. Remember: simplicity of the message + action + alignment = clarity. So, what is the action that the follower is suppose to take upon hearing and understanding your message?

Third. be self-confident and yet humble. John  Kotter and Lorne A. Whitehead in their book, Buy-In: Saving Your Good Idea From Getting Shot Down, Harvard Business Review Press, 2010, remind us not to try to wing it, even if you know all the facts thoroughly, even if the idea seems bulletproof, and even if you expect a friendly audience. Instead, constantly monitor the people whose hearts and minds you need: the broad audience, not the few who may attack your message. 

Fourth, to win peoples’ hearts and minds, constantly ask yourself this question: What can I teach here today? The key is to remember that purpose is best learned through stories. Therefore, choose stories which teach.

If you want to be a better leader this fall, then now is the time tell more and new stories. It is time to weave more people into the stories we tell, and it is time we build or rebuild a sense of pride, progress and perspective through the stories we tell.

In short, my challenge to you this week is a simple: What are the new and old stories you can tell that will illustrate the purpose of your company’s work?

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Communicate Purpose Daily

We were sitting in a small conference room when I asked the senior team what their core message related to the strategic plan was for the coming quarter. The first person gave me her to do list, and second person talked for four minutes but her message was lost in the color commentary. The next person talked about other peoples’ messages, and one person could not come up with a message. The last person stated that his message was “get it done.” I listened and thought to myself that the results of these messages will be confusion and complacency.

The world of leadership is complex and the problems we face are complex. However, the solutions do not have to be complex. The more complex the solution, then the more complex it is to communicate them.

James Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner in their book, A Leader’s Legacy. Jossey-Bass, 2006, remind us that “The purpose of leaders is to mobilize others to serve a purpose.” As they note, purpose is passed on through the stories we share with others.

I know today that companies all over the globe want to achieve buy-in. They want to capture peoples’ attention and to create urgency, not fear. Then, with people paying attention, these same companies want to win over the minds and the hearts of those who work at that company.

But, it all begins with a clear message.  So, what is your message this quarter? And how does it connect with the core purpose or mission of your organization plus the strategic plan?

Finding the answer is the first step in becoming a better leader.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Where Is The Next Generation of Leaders?

Highly effective people in the right positions within a company can make a profound difference. They can generate focus, momentum and commitment. They can be the determining factor that makes people want to improve and to innovate when challenges arise. However, identifying and developing these current and future leaders has itself become the new challenge for everyone these days.  

Claudio Fernandez-Araoz in his June 2014 Harvard Business Review article called “21st Century Talent Spotting: Why potential now trumps brains, experience, and competencies” writes that “the sweet spot for rising senior executives is the 35-to-44-year-old age bracket, but the percentage of people in that range is shrinking dramatically. In our 2006 study, we calculated that a projected 30% decline in the ranks of young leaders combined with anticipated business growth, would cut in half the pool of senior leader candidates in that critical age group. Whereas a decade ago this demographic shift was affecting mostly the United States and Europe, by 2020 many other countries, including Russia, Canada, South Korea, and China, will have more people at retirement age than entering the workforce.”  

With the impact of the above demographics and the continued rise of globalization within the work force, it is imperative that companies, who seek to be successful on an ongoing basis, have a well developed and effect pipeline of future leaders. Yet as reported in the above article, the author notes the following: “In PriceWaterhouseCooper’s 2014 survey of CEOs in 68 countries, 63% of respondents said they were concerned about the future availability of key skills at all levels. The Boston Consulting Group cites proprietary research showing that 56% of executives see critical gaps in their ability to fill senior managerial roles in the coming years.” Clearly, the need for leadership is great but the ability to meet this need is struggling. With the pace of change accelerating, we also can not predict the key skill sets needed just a few years out.

Within Fernandez-Araoz’s research reported in the above mentioned article, he points out the following “five markers of potential” for people who could be 21st century leaders: “a strong motivation to excel in the pursuit of challenging goals combined with the humility to put the group ahead of individual needs; an insatiable curiosity to explore new ideas and avenues; keen insight into connections that others don’t see; a strong engagement with work and people; and the determination to overcome obstacles.” Once we have hired the right people and identified them as people with potential, then we need to retain them and develop them for the future. They need to grow in the depth and scope of their understanding of leadership, strategy and organizational change.

Here is where the 2015 From Vision to Action Leadership Training fits into this picture. Through a challenging, interactive curriculum which blends lectures, selected readings, small and large group discussions, and how to skill-building exercises, participants in this four part leadership training gain critical knowledge and skills which improve their ability to lead people to generate short and long term success. For more information on how to register for the 2015 From Vision to Action Leadership Training, please click on the following link: http://www.chartyourpath.com/VTA-Leadership-Training.html 

Finding and developing the next generation of leaders is a top priority during the coming months and years. One solution is the 2015 From Vision to Action Leadership Training. I look forward to you participation!

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

No Longer Living a One Dimensional Life

It was after a long meeting when he paused and shared, “All I do is work or sleep. Between the e-mail, the phone calls, meetings and travel, I have realized that I live a one dimensional life. Work is my life. I am obsessed, and compulsive about keeping up. And you know what, I never seem to get caught up, especially with the e-mail. I am constantly about 250-300 e-mails behind. It is draining and deeply frustrating.”

The best strategic leaders I have met do not have just a work life. They spend considerable time and energy building and maintaining a very satisfying personal and home life. In reality, they focus on maintaining clear boundaries with work and having realistic expectations about what can get done. They recognize the importance of having de-acceleration zones in their life where they can unplug from work and connect back in with themselves and their loved ones.

This kind of multi-dimensional life requires great discipline. It is not the big choices but all of the little choices that make the major difference. For example, it would be easy to answer texts, e-mails and phone calls during a family dinner. But it sends the message to their family that they come second, and this can back fire over time, especially when raising teenagers. It would be easy to skip an hour of sleep and to start answering e-mail late at night while the family is all asleep. The challenge is that once the e-mails have been sent the mind can not slow down and sleep. It instead focuses on all of the other issues and problems in the company. What ends up being an extra hour turns into two-three hours of tossing and turning in bed as the mind slowly attempts to unwind. Short on sleep the next day, it does not get any better. It becomes a long unbroken cycle of less sleep and diminished capacity to cope, a downward spiral.  

This week, pause and review your life. Is it the one you want to be living? If not, rethink your expectations and set clear boundaries between work and home. One dimensional living does not have to be the new normal in the world of leadership.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

The Journey of Decision-Making

A major part of strategic leadership is decision-making. Most leaders think it is a simple act of saying “yes” or “no.” But the best leaders understand it as a complex process.  

In the article “Making Judgment Calls: The Ultimate Act of Leadership” by Noel M. Tichy and Warren Bennis in the October 2007 issue of the Harvard Business Review, the authors point out that there are three stages to effective decision-making. 

Stage # 1 is the “Preparation Phase” where leaders sense what is happening in the internal and external environments and identify the problems. Next they  frame the issue that will demand a judgment call. Finally, in stage #1, they align their team members so that everyone can understand why the call is important.

Stage #2 is the “Call Phase”. Here the moment of decision takes place. Most people think of this as the single moment of rational analysis based on knowable and quantifiable variables. In reality, it is a dynamic process influenced by multiple variables which are often outside of a leader’s direct circle of control or influence. The best leaders make decisions that influence what is happening now but also set up a framework for others to make successful decisions in the future.

Stage #3 is the “Execution Phase.” Once a decision has been made, a leader needs to mobilize resources, e.g. people, information, financial resources, and technology to support it. Furthermore, they need to make it happen while learning and adjusting along the way.

I always add a Stage #4 to this process which is “Evaluation.” By routinely evaluating our strategic choices and decisions as well as our tactical decisions in 1/1 coaching sessions, we strengthen the level of understanding through the organization. 

Decision-making is complex and it is important. Our goal as leaders is to teach people how to do it so they are getting better at it each and every week.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

An Important Choice

Every day we as leaders come to a fork in the road about how to lead people and our companies through change. Each path is a viable one and each path needs to be considered carefully because it has strategic and operational impact. The key is to make the right choice at such a moment.

One choice highly effective, strategic leaders make is to determine whether or not to utilize executive leadership or legislative leadership. This concept was first explored by Jim Collins in Good To Great and the Social Sectors: A Monograpgh to Accompany Good to Great, 2005. As he wrote, “In executive leadership, the individual leader has enough concentrated power to simply make the right decisions. In legislative leadership, on the other hand, no individual leader - not even the nominal chief executive - has enough structural power to make the most important decisions by himself or herself. Legislative leadership relies more upon persuasion, political currency, and shared interests to create the conditions for the right decisions to happen.”

At this time period, there will be many decision points which require executive leadership and others that will demand legislative leadership. The key is to know which is the right choice and why. 

This week, pause and figure out where you are going. Then, figure out which form of leadership to use. The choice is important to the short and long term health of the organization.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Extremely Busy?

Right now for many people in leadership and management positions, the weeks are flying by and projects are piling up like planes trying to land in Chicago before a storm. Incoming requests for one’s time and attention are overwhelming even the best of us.  We are working hard and faster than ever before and we are barely keeping up with the day to day challenges let alone the strategic level work that needs to be done. In short, we are running at full capacity and there is no more bandwidth to expand into.

When this becomes the norm for weeks and months on end, we are called to a new way of working and leading. The “stop doing list”  put forth by Jim Collins needs to be created, but we rarely have time or the energy to do this level of work.  However, there is a solution, namely to participate in the Fall 2014 From Vision to Action Executive Roundtable.

Over the years, I have visited with many of the participants at the Roundtable in small groups and on a one to one level. Routinely, they share with me that they consider the Spring and the Fall Roundtables to be their once or twice a year personal retreat. It is for them a time to stop, think and reflect. It is a place where they catch their breath and regroup before diving back in.

If you are seeking a time this fall to rethink all that is taking place at work and at home, then I encourage you to come and join us at the Fall 2014 From Vision to Action Executive Roundtable on September 17 - 18, 2014.  Here is a link to more details:

http://www.chartyourpath.com/VTA-RT-Details.html

This fall is going to be a fast paced and busy season for all of us. Rather than being overwhelmed, I hope you can join us for a day and half of good learning, great networking, and in-depth sharing.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

The Strategic Nexus

Strategic leadership begins and ends with comprehending, utilizing and committing to a fully functional and completely aligned strategic nexus.

The strategic nexus is made up of two parts. One part of the nexus is the mission, vision and core values. The other part is the strategic plan. The former does not change and preserves the core of the organization. It is the source of stability and perspective during organizational change, especially when moving through the trough of chaos. The later is designed to prevent stagnation and, in essence, pushes the organization into the future. This part creates a sense of urgency and focus to the choices that are being made.

Strategic leaders understand the purpose of the strategic nexus and recognize how mission, vision and core values are interconnected. They also know that this interconnection and the clarity around it is the foundation of the organization’s day to day culture. 

At the exact same time, they recognize that strategy is a choice and needs to support the on-going evolution of the business given the continual changes in the needs, wants and desires of those it serves. Furthermore, when the culture is clear and rooted in the mission, vision and core values, then it will also become a strategic asset in the design and implementation of the strategic plan.

Full alignment within the strategic nexus is mission critical to strategic leaders. They know that once they have it and once people comprehend it, that they have a powerful force for forward momentum.

This week, take more time to understand your organization’s strategic nexus. You will then be able to leverage it toward a more positive and effective future for you and your organization.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

An Addiction to Reading

Every week, I visit with people in senior leadership positions. Sometimes we do this over the phone and some days we meet in their office. When ever I am in the office of a strategic leader, I can guarantee you that there will be a shelf filled with an excellent collection of books. Some are new and others are classics. All are well worn and continually referenced. This is because strategic leaders are addicted to learning and in particular reading. 

Many years ago when preparing to teach the first From Vision to Action Leadership Training, I started asking very good senior leaders what they were reading and what had helped them over the course of their career to become an effective senior leader. Time and time again, the same books kept showing up on the list. These titles became the foundation for the first set of selected readings for the From Vision to Action Leadership Training.

Since then, I have continued to explore with senior leaders what they are reading. And as before, the same books and the same authors keep showing up on the list. Over the years, I have modified the readings for the From Vision to Action Leadership Training based on this on-going conservation. 

But before, you rush out to purchase all of the latest best selling books so you can become a better leader, the key here today is to realize that highly effective leaders want to read. They are genuinely interested in learning more and reading is one critical way they do it.

This week, commit to reading a new book each month. By the end of 2014, you will be a better and wiser leader. 

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

A Wonderful Discovery

Last week, I was visiting with a client and she mentioned that she had discovered a wonderful new book. I hear this often and am always curious to learn more. But what intrigued me the most was that she had downloaded it first on to her Kindle and then once she had read it, she went out and purchased a hard copy so she could reread it. And to top it off, she had even gotten a copy for someone who she coaches so they could read it.  

When a highly competent and effective senior executive, reads the same book twice and then shares it with a direct report plus discusses it with me, then I know that I need to check it out. Therefore, I immediately went out and got a copy for myself.

Last Friday, I had an open block of time in my schedule so I stepped away from the computer, opened up the recommended book and read. An hour and a half latter, I realized I was captivated by the content and that my yellow highlighter was all over the pages that I had just finished. Given how much I read each week, only the good stuff gets the yellow marker treatment. It means I am discovering solid and well thought out concepts.

I was particularly impressed by the way the author blended in high quality research and others’ perspectives into their material. As I worked through the pages, I often remarked to myself, “Oh, this author read Patrick Lencioni’s work on clarity, Buckingham and Coffman’s First, Break All The Rules, Kotter’s Leading Change, Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, and they have read a ton of Jim Collin’s research from From Good to Great to How the Mighty Fall.” The more I read the more I liked the book and the depth of integration of key concepts. It was both practical and very well researched.

This wonderful new book by Greg McKeown is called Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Crown Business, 2014. It came out this past April and I completely missed it on my constantly scanning radar for good books. Still, I am delighted to have read it now and strongly encourage all of you to get a copy. You will find it very helpful as a person in a leadership position and it can be a very helpful resource when coaching others.

McKeown’s book revolves around the notion of how to get the right things done rather than trying to get more things done. As he explains, “Essentialism is a disciplined, systematic approach for determining where our highest point of contribution lies, then making execution of those things almost effortless.” 

As Peter Drucker wrote in his article “What is Our Business? in the June 2001 issue of Executive Excellence magazine, “The executive’s time tends to belong to everybody else.” And all of us know that everybody and anybody can move in on our time and eventually does. He also points out, “Executives are forced to keeping “operating” unless they take positive action to change the reality in which they live.”  As some of us have learned, we can not let the flow of events determine the priorities we hold. We must define what is important in spite of the flow.

Greg McKeown explains that these days all of us have too many choices and are experiencing the complete disappearance of boundaries. We live in a world where “technology has completely blurred the lines between work and family. These days there don’t seem to be any boundaries at all regarding when people expect us to be available to work.” As a result, “our connectedness has increased the strength of social pressure... It is not just information overload; it is opinion overload.” With everyone wanting our attention, people are “trying to cram yet more activities into their already overscheduled lives.” Furthermore, we have too many choices to make and it has “overwhelmed our ability to manage it. Psychologists call this “decision fatigue”: the more choices we are forced to make, the more the quality of our decisions deteriorates.”

This is where the author advocates rediscovering what is essential in our lives. He advocates we embrace the core mind-set of an essentialist which focuses on doing “less but better.” He encourages us to ask the question: “Is this the very most important thing I should be doing with my time and resources right now?” He reminds the reader that “once you give yourself permission to stop trying to do it all, to stop saying yes to everyone, [you] can make your highest contribution towards the things that really matter.”

With helpful sections on how to explore and evaluate your life, how to eliminate the obstacles, and how to improve your capacity to execute, it is both practical and thought-provoking. I particularly enjoyed the section on how to say “no” gracefully.  

I finished the book this past weekend, purchased a copy for home, and took eight pages of notes from it on Monday morning. I plan on rereading parts of it during the coming weeks, and am seriously considering it to be part of the required readings for the 2015 From Vision to Action Leadership Training. It’s that good.

Meanwhile, run, don’t walk to your nearest local book store or library, and pick-up a copy of Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. You will find it a very helpful resource as you seek to be a better leader and a better person.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Stories & Questions

When teaching leadership and organizational change, I often tell students that stories are the language of leaders and questions are the language of coaches. It is common when meeting a former student of mine to have them continue to discuss with me one of their favorite stories from class, e.g. the one about me herding sheep or the one where I canoe around the light house point in the midst of a hurricane. The story is the anchor for a key concept. While I could have lectured on the concept, it is the story that makes the difference in their learning.

At the same time, it is questions that make the difference in coaching people. Many times I will have someone who I am coaching circle back to a question I asked them months before, and share with me that they have continued to reflect on the question. Days, weeks and even years later, they have lived with the question and continued to explore it. The result is a deeper understanding of the question and the subject being explored.

The upcoming Fall 2014 From Vision to Action Executive Roundtable on September 17 - 18, 2014 at the Coralville Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, Coralville, Iowa will be a time to explore good questions and to listen to new stories. As you can see by the following agenda, I have built the entire Roundtable around five distinct and unique questions.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

8:30 am - Registration

9:00 am - 10:15 am - How do leaders think and act strategically?

10:15 am - 10:30 am - Break

10:30 am - 12:00 pm - How do leaders communicate in a purposeful manner?

12:00 pm - 1:30 pm - Lunch and Networking 

1:30 pm - 2:45 pm - How do leaders change systems?

2:45 pm - 3:00 pm - Break

3:00 pm - 4:30 pm - How do leaders grow capacity?

4:30 pm - Adjourn

Thursday, September 18, 2014

9:00 am - 10:15 am - How do leaders maintain balance in an unbalanced world?

10:15 am - 10:30 am - Break 

10:30 am - 12:00 pm - Integration and Application

12:00 pm - Adjourn

If you are seeking a more in-depth time for reflection, learning and exploration, then please come and bring your team to the Fall ’14 Roundtable. Here is the link to the registration form: http://www.chartyourpath.com/pdf/2014-From-Vision-To-Action-Exec-Roundtable-Regist.pdf

I look forward to sharing, listening, and learning with all of you this coming September!

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257