The Gift Of COVID and The Opportunity To Create The Future

Since March and the arrival of COVID, we have individually and collectively focused on what this virus has taken from us. For some of us, we have lost loved ones. For others, they have lost their health, their jobs and their sense of security.

Many of us have lost our normal patterns of work and family life, which translates into a lost of order and predictability in our homes, our offices, and our communities. And all the things that we normally did before COVID to cope with such instability, stress and chaos have been upended, too. In short, we feel adrift in a sea of unending complexity, wondering when things will get back to the way it was pre-COVID. 

Still, in the midst of it all, we need to ask ourselves an important question: What has COVID given us other than disruption and instability?

First, I think this disease has stripped away the illusion that we are in control of everything. Now, we realize that there are so many factors that influence our daily lives, especially the ones we do not see. Furthermore, we have learned a lot about vulnerability and interconnectedness. Our health, our families and our communities are vulnerable. And it has taught us how interdependent we all are if we are going to stay healthy moving forward.

Second, as leaders, we have come to understand that we and our companies are becoming more adaptable and resilient on one level given what we have lived through so far. And, at the exact same time, we and our organizations have become more resistant to the continuous, uncomfortable and necessary disruptions, and the innovative choices that need to be made to deal with them. It is the combination of resiliency and resistance to pandemic-induced disruptions that have a long and a short term cost.

Third, with the loss of control plus the push pull of adaptability and increased resistance, we have the opportunity, if we choose to accept the work that comes with it, to explore future possible black swan events. By framing up this coming month as a crucial pause or intermission before more COVID related action is required or before another unknown unknown, i.e. black swan event, happens, we can give ourselves the power to review what we have learned to date and what we need to prepare for in the coming winter and new year.

As Stephen Covey wrote many years ago, “The best way to predict your future is to create it. You can use the same power of creative imagination that enables you to see a goal before you accomplish it, or plan a meeting, to create much of the quality of your own reality before you live it.” Now is the time to focus forward and think deeply about the future.

When I visit with leaders who are actively engaged in this level of work, here are the major themes that are surfacing:

- we need to create a more equitable and inclusive future for all within the work force, and within our communities.

- the work place is going to be a hybrid model with some people working from  home and others working in the office for quite some time.

- given this hybrid office model, we are going to struggle in building and maintaining teams who only connect with each other via on-line portals, and occasional in-person connections.

- for working parents, the current struggles around childcare and school being on-line will continue to be highly disruptive as it pertains to productivity, communication, and project management.

- major issues related to the recruitment of staff are surfacing. In particular, it is becoming very hard to hire and retain front line workers.

- at the same time, there is a growing problem with retention. Highly qualified staff are leaving their current jobs. Some HR professionals believe this is happening due to poor supervision in combination with highly stressful and unpredictable working conditions. Others believe those leaving are getting employment packages that include larger salaries and signing bonuses.

- mergers and acquisitions are quietly being explored by key leaders with the recognition that many of them will take place in 2021. This is happening because senior leaders are recognizing that economy of scale and the resulting efficiency will generate a high degree of resiliency during the next 3-5 years.

- operational systems are being challenged by more customer expectations for greater flexibility and customization. However, most of these systems are designed to generate consistent outcomes and extremely limited customization. The tension between these operational systems in combination with the usual bureaucracy in large organizations, plus customer service expectations is causing communication related to problem solving between internal staff members.

- disjointed incrementalism, i.e. knowing where you want to go but not being sure how to get there, is on the rise for most people in management and leadership positions. The outcome is that many leaders feel like their organization is constantly on the verge of continual chaos. As a result, some departments are constantly planning and replanning what to do, resulting in analysis paralysis.

- the subject of downsizing operations or right sizing operations to meet changing customer demands has surfaced again. Some people believe this is the solution to meeting their financial targets. Others believe the loss of talent and the resulting damage to brand identity and/or the brand promise is a strong possibility. Therefore, they are focused on aggressive growth targets to acquire more customers. The upshot of this tension is being seen at the senior team level and is resulting a loss of trust and a feeling of not be heard by others.

- finally, people are struggling with language around all that is happening inside and outside the company. They also can not find the right words to describe what is happening inside themselves and their teams. And they are discovering how few places are safe enough to think out loud about different options and possibilities. With few confidents and limited allies, many are struggling with the stress and uncertainty of this time. As a result, burnout is on the rise.

As we all move through this year, individually and collectively, let us remember that companies are complex ecosystems. And given this complexity, incremental change may be easier than true innovative or revolutionary change. Still, within certain circumstances, the later may be the right choice even if it is the difficult choice. This is the gift of COVID and the opportunity to create a new and better future for all of us.

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

The Importance Of Imagination

I love walking the dog in the late afternoon and seeing children outside after school. Some are playing soccer and others are shooting hoops. Some are riding their bikes and others are racing down the sidewalk on their scooters. But my favorite thing is when I discover a group of kids playing in the grass, on the porch or in a pile of dirt.

Here, we witness the power of imaginative play. Worlds are being built, destroyed and recreated. Houses, action figures, dolls, cars and trucks, all come together and a story is being developed, told and explored. Whether it is one child or a group, a story is unfolding and all involved are rising to challenges we can not see.

Each time I see these children fully engaged in active play, I wonder why so many adults have lost their imagination. Is it in the K-12 educational experience that people become so logical and structured in their thinking that creativity is lost? Or is it through society’s expectations about being a mature adult that we let go of our imaginative play and give into the pressures of getting more and more things done? In the end, whatever the cause, I meet more and more people who are efficient but not happy, effective but not creative.

As for me, getting older has become an opportunity to reclaim my imagination and to bring it into my work as an executive coach. I do this best through questions. For example, I might ask an individual who is contemplating a risky strategic choice the following questions:

- What if it all works perfectly and you are highly successful? 

- Then, what difference will it make in the lives of others? 

- Will their days be more meaningful? 

- Will their communities be better places to live? 

- Will they feel closer to their families and their loved ones?” 

And following this line of thought, “Will you be a better person? Will you feel like you are making a difference in the world?” 

In essence, I am asking them to imagine their life on the other side of this strategic choice and to describe it vividly and precisely. For when they can do this, they will uncover a whole new world of insights and opportunities.

This week, I encourage you to create space in your schedule and in your life to unleash the power of your imagination. Then, you may discover your playful childhood spirit and bring forth joy and new insights into your life and the life of others.

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

Think Strategically, Focus Operationally

We were having one of our regularly scheduled, executive coaching sessions when he asked, “When do you think it will get back to normal?”

“I don’t know,” I responded. “We are not in an emergency situation like last spring with COVID. Now, we are operating in an adaptive management situation. The difficulty is that we are constantly adapting to a constantly changing environment. Some days they are micro adaptations and other days they are macro adaptations. Whatever the size, they are all adaptations.

I wish I knew when it would get back to normal but I don’t. Even my best guess is just a guess. There are too many unknown unknowns in this constantly changing environment.

Still, I think there are two questions that should be asked at this time period, First, what is the line of continuity through all of this? Second, what is the goal we are trying to achieve in the midst of it?”

“Good questions,” he responded. “I had not approached it from that angle.”

“Thanks. I think the goal right now is resiliency and maximum flexibility. I also think the line of continuity begins by defining what is and what is not over given COVID. This will require people in leadership positions to treat pre-COVID patterns of work with respect but not to engage in selective memories, i.e. thinking that pre-COVID was the good old days. In reality, pre-COVID was filled with  many challenges, especially about how we worked together as a team and as an organization. 

We also need to recognize that in a post-COVID world, if there is such a thing in the future, it will be a time period of continual adaptation and reconfiguration until we figure out how we will work. In short, we are going to be caught between what was and what will be for more than 1-2 years.”

As we discussed my above comments, we talked about thinking strategically and focusing operationally. The conversation reminded me of a quote from the book, Leading With Strategic Thinking: Four Ways Effective Leaders Gain Insight, Drive Change, and Get Results (Wiley, 2015), by Aaron K. Olson and B. Keith Simerson. As they wrote, “Strategic thinking only matters if it leads to a purposeful action.” 

I think this is another one of the big challenges at this time period. We are all engaged in in-depth strategic thinking. We also are exploring multiple possible scenarios. No one wants to be surprised by another black swan event like COVID. The difficulty is that this level of thought can be quite anxiety producing if not deeply worrisome or troubling. 

Still, it is the work of leaders to engage in this level of work and to not shy away from it. During difficult times, we must explore the future and retain the capacity to make smart operational decisions. This will require each of us to understand how core operational systems are functioning, how they respond to external changes, and how they can be influenced or modified in a short time period. This level of work also requires leaders to improve how they make decisions, especially when it comes to setting precedence and being very conscious of second and third level impacts of the decisions that are being made. 

Finally, all leaders have to improve their ability to manage risk. They need to diagnose what kind of risk is present and what is the risk profile. Next, they need to decide if the level of risk present, inside or outside the company, calls for a disruption of normal operations and then the development of a new plan of action or a new system. Third, once they have done this level of work, they must focus on executing the new plan or implementing the new system.

As we wrapped our regular visit, I challenged the person I was visiting with to sit down with their team and to explore the following three questions:

- Are we meeting the expectations of all our stakeholders to the best of our ability within this constantly changing environment?

- Are we able to deliver upon the mission on a daily basis and live up to our core values in how we deliver the mission?

- Are we maintaining healthy team dynamics as we do this?

These are challenging times and all of us wish things would go back to a pre-COVID normal. But, if we are being honest with ourselves and with others, that is not going to happen for quite a long time period. Therefore, we need to be the kind of leaders who stay strong, stay focused, and think carefully and thoughtfully about the choices that are before us. When we do this, we will create continuity and clarity in the midst of it all.

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

The Pathway to Mastery

When coaching leaders, it is common for one of them to talk to me about an individual on their team who “just does not get it” and is not “living up to the new expectations.” Furthermore, they will explain to me that the individual in question has not mastered “the new way of doing things.” As result, the leader does not know what to do.

At this point in the conversation, I often explain that there are four stages of adult learning, namely unconscious incompetence, conscious incompetence,  conscious competence and finally unconscious competence. In the 1970’s, psychologist Noel Burch outlined these four stages and called them the Conscious Competence Learning Model.

As Burch explained, when people are in unconscious incompetence, they don’t know what they don’t know. They lack awareness of the issues, habits or behaviors that are holding them back. They are in a blind spot and can not see the problems around them. Through effective feedback and education about the bigger picture driving the changes that need to take place, one can help these individuals move from unaware to aware.

Next, in the second stage, conscious incompetence, leaders need to help people learn and improve. Then, an individual can begin to test out new ways of doing things and new ways of thinking about the problems before them. At this point, we must remember that people can not consume vast amounts of information in a single setting, because it will result in cognitive overload. Instead, they need time to learn in a step by step manner so they can process the new material, practice the new method or way of working, and over time integrate it. They also need leaders who celebrate short term successes and who will reinforce their movement in the the right direction.

In stage three, conscious competence, Burch explains that adult learners may have acquired the new skill they sought out to learn and with a tremendous amount of concentration they can demonstrate it on a regular basis. The difficulty is that they have not mastered it. Leaders need to remember that mistakes will still be made at this point in the process, and that under pressure defaulting to old behaviors or patterns of thinking is common. The goal should be practice, not perfection.

Finally, in stage four, unconscious competence, the skill and the mindset that accompanies it is automatic. Furthermore, understanding is high and the combination of the two is a strength. However, the best leaders know that at this point on-going feedback in the form of positive attention must continue so that there is not any regression to previous stages of learning or ways of working. They also know that the best way to continue getting better at something is to teach it to others. And the best leaders know that this is critical to short and long term success. 

Once I have pointed out this normal pattern of adult learning, leaders grasp the interconnection and the importance of continual improvement and continual learning. They realize that they themselves must role model this and embrace it fully at the team, department and organizational levels. Furthermore, it must become part of the cultural DNA of the organization and be included in each strategic plan. 

This fall, I encourage you to prioritize your learning and help others do likewise. This will make a major difference in 2021 and 2022.

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

The Power Of Dialogue

As summer has turned into fall and there is a growing crispness to the air, I have come to the realization that I miss face to face meetings as well as large and small group trainings. I miss the in-depth interaction of seeing people and being with people in person as they explore ideas, concepts and possibilities. I miss that light bulb “aha” moment when clarity strikes and the pieces of the puzzle come together. Then, the solution becomes evident and the pathway forward is ready to be taken.

Now I fully grasp why in the midst of a global pandemic that we should not be meeting. I understand the risks of even the smallest groups coming together. I get the importance of staying safe and staying healthy. Still, I miss the power of dialogue.

Over the last ninety days, I have listened to more and more people in leadership positions tell me that their on-line meetings and interactions are not working as well as they did in the early spring when COVID first struck. They report to me that while things are getting discussed, decision are being made, and people are still working, there are some missing elements that just can not take place on a digital platform.

First, when connecting digitally, people are not picking up on non-verbal clues at the individual level. Good leaders understand that non-verbal language is the first form of communication and speaking is the second.

Next, these same leaders report to me that they can not get a sense of the group’s mood or depth of engagement during an on-line meeting. Without this information, they are struggling to grasp whether or not people are committed to a course of action or just ready to move on to the next agenda item on the list of things to get discussed or done.

Third, leaders tell me that there are few, if any important meetings after the meeting where a moment of coaching or mentoring can take place. These meetings after the meetings are also a time to confirm a detail or to review an important element about a topic discussed. Instead, when people sign off, they are gone and on to the next thing. Now in the world of digital connections, someone has to very purposefully reach out and make a connection to do that level of work.

For me, the thing I have observed over the last six to seven months is that in-person dialogue is the foundation for authenticity, a powerful and very intangible concept in the world of great leaders. Now, many books and lectures on the subject of authenticity have focused on how leaders act, i.e. role model authenticity. But from my experience, the real power of authenticity comes through dialogue when those gathered see a leader behave in an authentic manner. One can choose to be authentic every day but their being authentic is not just defined by them. It is actually defined by the way they engage with others. 

For example, one can do authentic things such as role model the desired changes being discussed rather than to simply quote them. Or they can have the courage to engage in an in-depth dialogue and to listen to the experiences and perspectives of others. But in the end, it is through the experience of the dialogue that others will determine if the changes being discussed are genuine and heartfelt. Therefore, authenticity is a choice by great leaders that is validated and confirmed by the feeling of those who choose to follow. The key is interactive dialogue.

One day we will be able to meet in person again in large and small groups. We will laugh, cry, share, celebrate, and listen. We will learn together in groups and we will plan together in groups. And the outcomes will help us be resilient in the face of our current new challenges.

But for now, we must continue to act in an authentic manner as leaders and recognize the importance and power of good dialogue. The future will be a mix of digital connections and in-person connections. Each will have a time and place in our schedules. But the best leaders know that the feelings of the followers will always determine the effectiveness of the leader.

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

This Is The Time For Honor, Courage, and Commitment

Honor, courage and commitment are the core values of the Marines. They define how every Marine in the Corps thinks, acts, and fights. Furthermore, they represent to a Marine their dedication, trust and dependability. They also are the foundation for why Marines act responsibly, fulfill their obligations, are willing to be held accountable for their actions, and are willing hold others accountable for their actions.

With all of the current and emerging challenges before leaders at this time period, it is time that more and more people in leadership and management positions embrace and role model these three core values. We need more honor, courage and commitment.

The bed rock of great leadership starts with character, namely uncompromising personal integrity, a respect for human dignity, and selfless sacrifice plus a deep concern for others. These ethical and moral choices are woven into each and every choice a person makes on a daily basis.

I remember one time years ago meeting with a senior manager who was seriously considering a job change. Over lunch, we talked about strategy, culture, systems and emerging trends in their business. We also talked about the impact of this possible choice on his marriage, his children and his career.

As we got up to leave the restaurant, he paused and said, “Hold on a minute. I need to do something.”

Then he walked to a nearby table, kneeled down so he was at eye level with the individual who was seated, stuck out his hand, and said, “Thank-you for your service to our country.” 

The older gentleman straightened up, looked him straight in the eye and shook this out stretched hand, saying “It was my honor and privilege to do so.”  They visited for a moment, and then the man I had visited with stood up, and we walked outside.

We paused once outside the restaurant and I said “How did you know he was a veteran?”

“I didn’t at first,” he replied. “But when we both stood up, I noticed his ball cap beside him at the table. On it, was the name of the unit he served with in Vietnam. Those men and women went through hell before coming home. And their return was not positive either. So, every time I see or meet a veteran, no matter what branch of service or what time period they served, I always make sure to stop and thank them for their commitment, courage and service to our country. This is my way to honor their sacrifice.”

I paused for a long moment and thought of my own father who served in WWII and all the other men and women that I have met who have served. And I realized again the importance of honor, courage and commitment. 

Then, I thanked him for our visit over lunch and told him he would do just fine if he stayed in his current job or moved to a new job. “You have the right moral and ethical foundation for your life, and you conduct yourself with true integrity. This will give you the ability to do your best no matter where you move next in you career.”

It is time for more of us to be people of honor, courage and commitment. This also is our time to role model these three principals for those who will be following in our footsteps.

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

Solving Problems From A Different Perspective

Every day, leaders and managers have to deal with problems. Big problems and little problems. Strategic problems and operational problems. People problems and system problems. When you have solved one problem, another two to three will show up. It is an endless process and a common topic during executive coaching sessions.

First, I always point out to those involved that if your company does not have any problems, then there are major issues within the company. If problems are not being shared, discussed, explored and solved, there is a high probability that the organization has started down the roadway to institutional decline. 

What the best leaders and managers know is that growing and ever-evolving companies generate problems because they understand that the needs of the customer are constantly changing. Therefore, so should the company’s systems in order to create the right kind of product and/or customer experience to meet these new and evolving needs. In short, having problems is better than not having problems.

Second, when discussing the subject of problems, I always point out that it is importance to diagnose them before solving them. There are typically three kinds of problems, namely technical, adaptive, and a crisis. Most leaders and managers know what to do in a crisis situation but when it comes to the other two versions they struggle.

Technical problems are clearly defined and the solutions falls within the problem solving expertise of the company. In simple terms, all a leader needs to do is match a known solution with the right person in order to fix the problem. Then, the assigned individual needs to apply their expertise, resources and follow a known process to solve it. The key is choosing the right person so that the outcome will be a restoration of order and the maintenance of operational norms. The best leaders in this situation focus on picking the right person, not just the solution. 

Adaptive problems, on the other hand, require a new perspective, expertise or solution. One of the hardest first steps to dealing with an adaptive problem is that defining the problem often requires learning and calls into question fundamental company beliefs, assumptions and the viability of certain systems. For people in leadership positions, an adaptive problem will require thinking in new ways and being able to frame up the problem through asking better questions rather than answers. It may require people to redefine their roles, deal with conflicts that have been unresolved and to challenge operational norms. Order may not be restored when the problem is solved as much as redefined.

For those of you who want to get better at diagnosing problems, I encourage you to read the following book: Heifetz, Ronald, Alexander Grashow, and Marty Linsky. The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World, Harvard Business Press, 2009.

Third, the best leaders and managers I have observed and worked with do one more thing when it comes to solving problems. They ask a challenging and important question: “What is the health of the relationships around this problem?” Often, what appears to be a technical or adaptive problem may actually be a relationship problem. When teams become dysfunctional and people behave out of alignment with the company’s core values or operating principles, then problems arise and often end up in the leader or manager’s office. 

However, the problem that is presented may actually be a symptom of a people issue rather than an operational process or system issue. So, as part of the diagnostic process, the best leaders and managers put the people element into the problem solving equation. They figure out if there is an individual who is struggling due to a lack of role clarity, poor inter-personal relationships, or a dysfunctional team that may actually be the root problem that is resulting in an operational problem.

This fall, remember that having problems and dealing with problems is a normal part of the job in the world of leadership and management. Then, diagnose what kind of problem you are dealing with, be it technical, adaptive or a crisis. But always be certain to explore the health of the relationships of those involved in the problem. This often is the key to discovering the right solution.

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

Be Your Best Self

As we enter another week of incomplete information, difficult choices and complex problems related to the on-going challenges of living with a global pandemic, we recognize now that everyone is coping from intense and long term stress. Our mental, physical and emotional health has suffered. Continued self-care is helping to a point, but we are stretched by never having closure with this pandemic or being able to feel like we have some level of control, order or predictability within our life, or the life of our family.

From experience and in consultation with others, I believe the challenge is to figure out how to maintain perspective. As a wise friend of mine said to me,  “you can not deal with it when you have to contend with it.” And right now, it seems like all we do is contend with it, hour by hour, day by day. Still, if we are able to carve out some time to pause and step back from our fears, worries, and frustrations, I believe we can gain some insights and perspective.

Admiral William H. McRaven in his wonderful book, Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life …And Maybe The World (Grand Central Publishing, 2017), writes, “At some point we will all confront a dark moment in life. If not the passing of a loved one, then something else that crushes your spirit and leaves you wondering about your future. In that dark moment, reach deep inside yourself and be your very best.”

Reflecting on the above quote, ask yourself these important questions:

- When am I my best self?

-  What does that look like?

- How do I act and interact with others when I am my best self?

- If I were to reach deep inside myself and act from my best self, what would I be doing differently today, this week, this month?

When we become overwhelmed, we often loose touch with our best self. Instead, we just get caught reacting to everything and everyone around us. Our life then becomes nothing more than impulsive actions within a cycle of compulsive reactivity.

However, when we pause and connect with our best selves, we can break this cycle and regain perspective. Then, as we maintain perspective, we can act from clarity, confidence and thoughtful choices.

Admiral William H. McRaven in the aforementioned book builds on this perspective when he writes, “Remember…start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often, but if you take some risks, step up when times are toughest, face down bullies, lift up the downtrodden, and never, ever give up - if you do these things, then you can change your life for the better… and maybe the world!”

This week, I encourage you to reconnect with your best self and to seek out ways to maintain perspective on a daily basis. It will make a world of difference in your life and in the lives of all those you love, live and work with on a daily basis.

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

Finding Meaning In The Midst of COVID

“The pandemic will not change the basic direction of history,” writes Richard Haas, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, “so much as accelerate it.” Many issues and problems that existed before this pandemic have come to the surface and we are more aware of them now. For example, our screen time and our reliance on video connections was increasing before the pandemic and now has increased even more. Same goes with activities moving on-line. The list is endless and we are stretched by the scope and pace of it all. 

Yet, on the other hand, some things like time have slowed down. Each day has started to run into the next. Today was the same as yesterday and tomorrow will be similar to today. It is a closed loop routine that resembles the directions on a bottle of shampoo: wake up, shelter in place, work from home, go to bed, repeat. 

Occasionally, in the midst of this never-ending story, we have to go out and run an errand. Then, life becomes a complicated pathway of anxiety and uncertainty. Mask - check. Hand sanitizer - check. Gloves - check. Face shield - check. Disinfectant wipes - check. We stand six feet apart. We attempt to touch nothing. We purchase the needed item and then wipe it down before putting it in the bag or the car. Once home, we decontaminate the bag, the item purchased, the car, and then ourselves. We feel constricted by this unforeseen virus and the resulting mental and emotional fatigue. In short, life is worrisome, stressful and challenging.

Many decades ago, when I was first starting out a consultant and trainer, I spent a great deal of time teaching people stress management skills. We explored new techniques, new behaviors and what was a healthy mindset. But, over time, I learned that during certain periods of life, we can not change or influence the things that are causing us stress. Rather than reducing our stress load during these times, which is something we are constantly trying to do, we need to focus on making our lives more meaningful. By finding more meaning and purpose in our lives at work and at home, we are better able to handle the stress and challenges of life.

So what makes your life meaningful during a global pandemic? 

My answer is people and nature.

Our home was built in 1919. It is a beautiful old Craftsman style house. And it needs regular love, attention and maintenance. 

One evening recently, I was out on the front porch doing some some touch up painting when a wonderful young family walked by on their way home from the local ice cream shop. The mom held the leashes for their two dogs and the dad pulled a red wagon with the youngest child sitting in it, ice cream cup in hand. The older daughter walked behind the wagon with her ice cream cone.

As they walked by, I called out a warm greeting, “Hi! What a wonderful evening for a family adventure.”

The mom paused her walking of the dogs and replied, “Hi Geery. Yes, the temperature was perfect for an evening walk.”

The youngest one called out, “Where is your dog?”

Of course, she was barking her greeting from the window, and so my wife got the leash and came out to visit too.

Standing a good six feet apart, we caught up with our neighbors. We learned about how they survived the derecho, what was the plan for elementary school this year, and how life was going in general.

The youngest got out of the wagon, and came over to me. She showed me a bowl of mostly melted ice cream and said, “This is really good stuff.” Then, with a great big smile on her face, she turned and headed back to the little red wagon. Once we had finished our visit and they had continued on toward home, I found I had a big smile on my face.

In the midst of COVID, the smallest points of connection during a time period of mostly sheltering in place and working from home can make the biggest difference. To witness a happy family out for an evening walk and to be shown a bowl of mostly melted ice cream with a comment about it being “really good stuff” gives me hope that the future will not always be worrisome, stressful and challenging.

On a different evening recently, I walked out through the perennial flowers beds behind our home to the vegetable garden. I wanted to check on how many more tomatoes had ripened since my last picking. Sometimes, the late summer tomatoes are the most flavorful and sweet ones. Discovering that they needed a day or to more before picking I headed back to the house.

As I passed by a stand of ornamental grasses and some nearby sedum plants, I found myself surrounded by monarch butterflies. Here and there, they flew around me and above me. It was a symphony of quiet color and movement. I paused in the midst of this special moment and was overwhelmed by the beauty of this earth and in particular Iowa on a late summer evening. 

With all of the chaos happening on so many levels in the world, nature reminds me to be still and to see the miracles of each new day. Flowers bloom. The leaves are changing colors. Birds sing. Monarch butterflies dance. 

As I walked back to the house, I remembered the hymn “For The Beauty of the Earth” and hummed a few bars to myself. 

People and nature bring something special into my life. They are part of what makes my life meaningful and purposeful.  

I hope during the coming days as things speed up in your life that you will pause and reconnect with those you love. I also hope you will rediscover the daily miracles that are taking place in the natural world. Then, maybe you will catch yourself humming the bars of one of your favorite songs as you move forward with love and purpose in your heart.

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

In the Future, What Will We Remember About this Time?

Nearly forty years ago, I was a high school history teacher. Because of these roots, I often recall the Spanish-born, American author George Santanyana’s famous quote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” 

As I reflect on all that has taken place in the last six months, namely a global pandemic, an economic collapse, the rise of massive social unrest, and add to it the derecho, an island hurricane that moved through Iowa with winds over 100 mph, I know that we are living in times that will be discussed for generations. And at some point in the future, these events will become “remembered history” rather than recently lived through experiences. They will become part of the social memory of these times and this generation.

Our biggest challenge as leaders and managers right now is that we walk every day into the unknown, wondering what next will go wrong. We have become so accustomed to this daily experience of no predictability, order or control in our lives. This has resulted in a persistent tendency toward hopelessness or pessimism. No matter how hard we try, we can not find meaning or purpose to the events around us. In short, each day we struggle, and the results are rarely positive.

In the landscape of social memory, history is very important. Our memory of specific events creates our individual and collective identity. Over time, they will tell us who we are, what we believe in, and where we are going. And this is where the intersection of the world of leadership and current events has the potential to make a major difference.

We know that the best leaders clearly articulate who we are and where we are going as a team, a company and as a community. Some of these leaders will even explain how we are going to get there. These leaders understand that when a person finds clarity and inspires others to do likewise, the outcome is powerful on a multitude of levels.

In many recent executive coaching sessions, I have explained that COVID has sucked all of the oxygen out of the room. Initially, in the spring, everything focused on crisis management and keeping day to day operations functional. In late May and early June, more and more leaders and companies switched out of the emergency management stage and into the adaptive management stage. Here, they focused on more than just keeping operations running and began again to ask important questions about strategy, sustainability and resilience. But the upshot of such a deep and profound level of trauma caused by the initial crisis of COVID-19 is that many leaders forgot to do two very important things. 

First, now is the time to begin talking again about who we are as a people. Too much of our identity as individuals, teams and organizations is being defined and consumed by COVID related details. Instead, we need to reclaim the core purpose of our work and to put it front and center. We will continue talking about virus management, yet in the scope of our history it is not the only thing that is happening at this time period. Therefore, we must explore how we are responding to these times, and what we believe in that transcends this moment in time. When we do this, it has the potential to become a line of continuity through these current and possible future challenges.

Second, now is the time to begin talking again about where we are going as a people and as organizations. Again. too much of our future is being defined by COVID. Instead, we need to reclaim our individual, organizational and community visions for the future. The danger of this moment in time is that our identity is being defined by our fears rather than our hopes.

We will continue to move forward through this global pandemic, economic collapse, social unrest, and our local recovery process. One day it will all be history, shared and remembered. Yet now is the time to engage in restorative actions which strengthen our resolve to continue to move forward with hope. One element of this journey forward is that we are going to need to restore our connections with others and to build new and even better connections with others that are not based on social injustice, economic privilege, or systematic racism.

Furthermore, we can no longer tolerate broken relationships or broken systems which perpetuate these unhealthy dynamics. We need to rebuild our relationships, our work places and our communities so we can all feel safe, healthy and respected. Healing at this level will require us to be compassionate, forgiving, and to recognize our inter-connectedness. If COVID has taught us anything, it is that is your health influences my health and my health influences your health.

This fall, I challenge all of us to remember our history at the individual, team, company and community levels. We have been through difficult trails and tribulations before, and we are doing it again now. By sharing our stories and experiences, we can keep alive the memories of those who have gone on before us and help those younger who are following in our foot steps. Through all that is taking place right now, we can and we will rise together, survive together and be stronger together. Our actions this fall will impact generations. We just need to remember this and act accordingly.

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

Living With On-going Cognitive Dissonance

I have been reflecting on the following quote by Marshall Goldsmith in his insightful book, Triggers: Creating Behavior That Lasts - Becoming the Person You Want to Be, (Crown Business, 2015):

“A changing environment changes us…. If we do not create and control our environment, our environment creates and controls us. And the result turns us into someone we do not recognize.”

Since March and the arrival of COVID-19, we have been living in a constantly changing environment. We know that we can not control the virus and to a degree we can not even influence the behavior or choices of others around us. Some days we aren’t even certain we are making the right choices or decisions. Routinely, the upshot of all this change in the environment around us and, to a large degree, inside of us is that we wonder if we are turning into someone we don’t recognize anymore.  

I believe that for a large part of this year we have been experiencing an on-going and deeply challenging level of cognitive dissonance. Marshall Goldsmith in his book, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful (Hyperion, 2007), defines cognitive dissonance  as “the disconnect between what we believe in our minds and what we experience or see in reality.” In particular, I think this situation is common and difficult in the world of management and leadership right now. As a result, many managers and leaders are loosing their confidence about what to do and how to proceed given the endless number of unforeseen variables and known variables. The upshot of this situation is analysis paralysis or even worse the deployment of work avoidance behaviors, i.e. the choice to just not make a decision in the hopes that all of it will just go away over time.

In the same aforementioned book by Goldsmith, he reminds us that “the more we are committed to believing that something is true, the less likely we are to believe that the opposite is true, even in the face of clear evidence that shows we are wrong.” I see this happening left, right and center, using a very old set of terms. Clear empirical and scientific evidence about what is the current state of affairs is not changing peoples’ behaviors or organizations’ choices. 

Furthermore, many leaders are sharing with me the old phrase uttered by Admiral Farragut in 1864 at the Battle of Mobile Day during the American Civil War,: “damn the torpedos; full speed ahead!” While Farragut did win the battle, it also came with a high price. As a former history teacher, I get the reference, but have to point out that fighting a virus and fighting a civil war are not the same thing. One has concrete fortifications and known defenses while the other is constantly evolving. While humans were able to rapidly decode the genome of COVID-19, the cure is still elusive.

Still, I am not hopeless but I am very much challenged. Returning to Goldsmith’s work in the book, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful, he writes: “people will do something - including changing their behaviors - only if it can be demonstrated that doing so is in their own best interests as defined by their own values.” This is a powerful insight and it deserves a great deal of reflection.

Over the course of this past spring and summer, I have observed people and companies change their behavior, and their strategic and operational choices. When listening carefully about how this happened successfully, I have figured out that the key to making this happen resides in the phrase, “as defined by their own values.”  

While I have talked about the importance of organizational culture and core values or principals as being the strategy and competitive advantage of successful companies for decades, I have relearned over the last six months that when the company’s core values are in alignment with employees’ own personal core values, then behavioral change happens successfully at the personal and organizational levels.

Now, for some, I could be stating the obvious, but the underlying insight given the magnitude of cognitive dissonance that is taking place right now at home and at work is that when we recruit and retain employees who are already pre-wired with the company’s core values, we generate the ability for the company as a whole to be successful. 

As I have noted at many From Vision to Action Leadership Trainings and Executive Roundtables, I have come to firmly believe that organizational change is the sum of individual change. And when individuals know that their work matters, that they are respected and supported personally and professionally, and that when they believe they are making progress at work which they consider to be meaningful and important, plus “their own values” are in alignment the mission and core values of the company, then they can handle an ever changing and non-controllable environment better than those who are not experiencing these fundamentals.

Thus, my challenge to you this week is the following:

- rediscover your own personal core values.

- unpack and get to know better the core values or principles of your company.

- find alignment between the two.

- remember that cognitive dissonance is normal and that there are days when we all get overwhelmed.

- sit down with your team and let them know you continue to support them as we all move through this constantly changing environment.

We will make it through this time. We just need to do it together.

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

How Successful Leaders Make Organizational Change Happen

There are many books written about how successful organizational change takes place. Some say that it begins with mutual trust, collective pride, and self-discipline. Others focus on transparent performance measures and the clear tracking of results. Whether it is based on mission vision and core values or process improvement and metrics, I have come to the conclusion that there are many pathways to the same destination, namely successful implementation of organizational change. 

After working side by side with leaders in large and small, for-profit and non-profit companies for over 30 years, I want to share three observations about how these leaders have achieved success. These insights are not bold, new or cutting edge. They are instead simple without being simplistic. They reflect the real and in-depth work that senior leaders do to create effective, long term change.

First, these leader make time for reflection. They know that every day is going to be busy and every day will be filled with many meetings. They know their desk will be covered with reports that require a lot of time and attention. They also know that their e-mail in-box will always be full. And yet, they routinely make time to step away from the busy work to think deeply and holistically about the themselves, their team and the company.

From my vantage point, these leaders seek out and protect these times of stillness because they understand two powerful concepts. First, as John Paul Lederach writes in in his book, The Moral Imagination, these leaders understand that “stillness is not inactivity. It is the presence of disciplined activity without movement…. It is the platform that generates authenticity of engagement, for it is the stage that makes true listening and seeing possible.” As Lederach continues, “Stillness requires a commitment of patience and watchfulness. Its guideposts are these: Slow down. Stop. Watch what moves around you. Feel what moves in you.”

The best leaders I have met and the ones who have successfully implemented multiple change cycles over many years understand that by creating regular time for reflection, and the subsequent stillness that comes with this action, they are able to tap into their inner wisdom and inner dialogue. And from this place of quiet clarity, they can ask themselves three powerful and challenging questions: What am I observing externally? What am I feeling internally? And, - what is the story I am telling myself about what is happening externally and internally? By giving themselves permission to do this level of work and by recognizing the value of this inner process, they are able to discover new insights about themselves and others, see emerging patterns and trends, and to discover new and better questions that need to be explored and answered by themselves, their team and the company as a whole.

The second concept that comes with valuing time for reflection and stillness is based on an understanding of the difference between reward-centered leadership and responsibility-centered leadership. Some individuals who become a leader see it up as a reward for all their years of hard work and service to the company. As Patrick Lencioni in his book, The Motive, writes, “they see leadership as the prize of years of hard work and are drawn by its trappings: attention, status, power, money.” As he continues, “When leaders are motivated by personal reward. they will avoid the unpleasant situations and activities that leadership requires.” 

Responsibility-centered leaders, on the other hand notes Lencioni, “want to serve others, to do whatever is necessary to bring about something good for the people they serve.” Rather than being self-centered, these leaders lean into the challenges before them and are willing to hold difficult and uncomfortable conversations. They do not shy away from the hard work of creating clarity and focus, plus the difficult work of holding people and themselves accountable for outcomes. 

And for them, the first step to doing this important work is to create personal clarity before creating team and organizational clarity. They understand that being over scheduled is not a pathway to clarity. So, on a regular basis, they step away from the world of constant inputs and instead seek stillness in the midst of action, recognizing that it is the foundation for authenticity, humility and empathy, all of which are vital to being a good leader.

Second, these same leaders create a work environment that supports healthy change. Over the course of many decades, I have observed multiple forms of organizational change. Some have been driven by fear and others have been driven by purpose. Some have involved teamwork and others have resulted in bitter rivalries within the company. And finally some have resulted in deep distrust and cynicism while others have resulted in commitment, passion and unity. Each in their own way created organizational change. But in the end, healthy organizational change and the resulting impact on organizational culture is the critical difference between the winners and losers over multiple change cycles.

Healthy change is not a common term used within the context of organizational change. Many leaders use the words “strategic change” or “organizational transformation” but “healthy” is not part of their normal lexicon when talking about organizational change. Yet, when I observe change that works and lasts over time, the word healthy is the best word to described what happened and what continues to take place. Patrick Lencioni in his book, The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business, writes that a healthy organization is one that has “minimal politics and confusion, high degree of morale and productivity, and very low turnover among good employees.” For all involved clarity of purpose, mutual trust and unconditional respect are foundational to their on-going efforts to continually improve and innovate in order to meet the ever changing needs of their customers.

In the midst of creating this healthy work environment, there is one small but significant thing that I have observed that for me differentiates the great organizations from the good ones, namely the ratio of advocacy to inquiry communication within meetings. As a consultant involved in strategic planning since the mid 1980’s, I have facilitated countless large and small meetings. What I have observed is that the best leaders regularly sit back and listen very carefully to what is being said and how it is being said. To them, the depth of strategic dialogue within a team meeting is critical to short and long-term success. 

And within these important meetings, these leaders focus on how many members of the team are making a point or stating their case for change, i.e. advocacy based communication, and how many are willing to ask questions to understand another person’s point of view or perspective, i.e. inquiry based communication. This ratio of healthy advocacy and inquiry is critical because a team who is successful is one that is collectively committed and responsible for the success of the whole team and the whole company.

Finally, these leaders understand the differences between clock time, operational time, and strategic time. Clock time is what each of us have every day, namely the same 24 hours. We manage it the best we can, but the clock keeps moving forward. Operational time refers to the amount of time it takes to implement change. Depending on the size of the change being implemented, this can take 90 days to 18 months. Still, it has a finite beginning, middle and end. The real challenge for many leaders is to comprehend the pace and magnitude of strategic time. Here we commit to goals and objectives which may take from 5 to 7 years. In some cases, if we are setting big goals related to changing an entire business model or organizational culture, it may take 10 years to implement this level of change. 

Good leaders focus on clock time and operational time. Each day, they try to be as productive as possible and attempt to improve the implementation of new processes and systems as efficiently as possible. Great leaders do these two things too, but the difference is that they comprehend strategic time. Here they play the long game and recognize that in order to be successful through out multiple change cycles over time, they need to build healthy teams and a healthy work culture. By doing this consistently over time, they are creating a shared mindset where all involved understand that every day we do the best we can, i.e. clock time, and that every day we implement the current strategic plan, i.e. operational time. But all of this is influenced and modified by strategic time, i.e. our commitment to meet the ever-evolving needs of our customers, our employees and the communities in which we serve.

Every year, from my vantage point, great leaders are successful in the world of organizational change, because they are committed to creating regular time for reflection and inner clarity. Next, they are deeply committed to developing a healthy work environment based on trust, respect and a commitment to purpose. Finally, they have the capacity to recognize the difference between clock time, operational time and strategic time. When these three skill sets come together in a single person, their team and then within the organization, they can create successful, long term organizational change, and be resilient in the face of instability, disruption and chaos. 

Real change is hard work. It takes time, commitment and effort. Understanding the above three keys to success is one step in that journey. The challenge now is to translate it into disciplined action. And then to be willing to do it, day after day, quarter after quarter, year after year. As John Maxwell wrote many years ago, “Leadership develops daily, not in a day.”The same is true for organizational change. It is a daily commitment to action that will not be completed in a single day. 

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