Reclaim What Matters The Most

We met at the Post Office, which is a very common thing in small town life. After catching up about the weather and how our families were all doing, he shared that he and his wife had recently gone out to dinner with a colleague and his wife. After 2 hours, he reported to me “we were done. It was so loud in the restaurant where they met and we worried whether or not this was a good choice given the Delta variant. On the way home, we realized that we had to relearn how to re-socialize with people in public settings.” I think this is more common than we care to admit and an issue many people are experiencing on a regular basis.

So, how do we recover from all we have been through these last two years?

As I have pondered this question, I am reminded of a question I often ask people in the From Vision to Action Leadership Training, namely what do you do as a leader that matters the most? I don’t think we really think deeply about this question. Often, our answers are just knee jerk reactions rather than thoughtful responses. I believe this happens because we have been scripted to meet unrealistic expectations. Some of these expectations have been thrust upon us by others and some we have set upon ourselves.

In life’s journey, I have learned that we can not be all things to all people. We need to be clear about what it is that only we can do. And we need to be clear about what adds meaning to our life. In short, during this recovery, we need to ask ourselves two important questions:

- What do I do in my life that really matters the most?

- What makes my life more meaningful?

Ron Heifetz, Alexander Glasgow, and Marty Linsky in their excellent article called  “Leadership in a (Permanent) Crisis” in the July-August 2009 issue of the the Harvard Business Review write: “Don’t lose yourself in your role. Defining life through a single endeavor, no matter how important your work is to you and to others, makes you vulnerable when the environment shifts. It also denies you other opportunities for fulfillment.”

This week, I encourage you to answer the above two questions. It will help you be well prepared for the upcoming holidays and the new year.

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

From A Younger Perspective

In the early 90’s, I was walking through an elementary school on my way to a meeting when I came upon a wonderful bulletin board display created by a third grade teacher. Across the top was the following question: “Is this the way you remember these proverbs?”

And here were the answers from her students:

“Behind every cloud, there are either people or leprechauns.”

“Give them an inch and a pinch.”

“If it’s not broken, it’s all in one piece.”

“Never underestimate the power of goodness.”

“Nothing ventured; nothing moves.”

“Behind every successful person, there is love.”

“Every good thing must be here.”

“Love makes the world good for God.”

“Don’t send a child to day care.”

“If you can’t stand the heat, get on some shorts.”

“Time heals good people.”

Twenty-nine years later, I am still smiling. I hope today you are, too. 

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

Find Your Voice & Tell Your Story

The late Stephen Covey in his book, The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness (Free Press, 2004) says that the 8th habit is to find your voice and to inspire others to find theirs. As he writes, your “voice is of unique personal significance … it is the nexus of talent, passion, need and conscience (that still small voice within that assures you of what is right and that prompts you to actually do it).”

With this being the week of Thanksgiving and the time when families gather,  I hope you will find your voice, and then tell your story. There are many lessons learned over the last two years and many important stories to share. We all have so much to learn, unlearn and relearn.

May the gathering of your family and dear friends this week be filled with many blessings, great food, and lots of time to share. Finding your voice and sharing your story is an important part of your journey and our collective journey. 

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

Now Is The Time For Respectful Conversations

If we want people to be engaged and empowered during the next two years, then we must build clarity and understanding. This can only happen if we have the courage to discuss difficult topics and complex problems.

Many leaders shy from this level of work because it makes them feel uncomfortable and the outcome is unpredictable. They instead prefer control and order over interdependence and alignment.

If we also seek resiliency in the midst of sustained uncertainty, then we must remember the following insights captured in Margaret Wheatley’s book called Turning To One Another: simple conversations to restore hope to the future (Berret-Koehler, 2001).

First, “In conversation, we are remembering as much as we are learning…. Language gives us the means to know each other better. That’s why we invented it.”

Second, “Because conversation is the natural way that humans think together, it is, like all life, messy…. Meaningful conversations depend on our willingness to forget about neat thoughts, clear categories, narrow roles. Messiness has its place. We need it anytime we want better thinking or richer relationships.”

Third, “Change always starts with confusion; cherished interpretations must dissolve to make way for the new.”

This week, share the above three insights with your team. Explore with them how to create more safe and respectful conversations. Navigating the complexities of this recovery are going to require all of us to do a better job of listening and sharing.

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

Standing At A Crossroad

It feels like we are standing at a crossroad as we move through this fall and look forward to 2022 and 2023. It is a critical juncture for leaders and companies where many important decisions need to be made.

In particular, now is the time period for excellent strategic leadership. We have to build resilience and adaptability into the very fabric of the company. And now is the time period for excellent operational leadership. We will continue tackling a myriad of current, day to day problems and challenges. Both of these levels of leadership will require tremendous planning, execution, and empowerment.

But before we rush out to make it all happen, we must not forget that no strategic plan ever survives contact with reality. There will always be unknown unknowns, and periods of complexity and volatility. 

Furthermore, most people do not feel very empowered once they make contact with reality. Some will say the problem is a lack of alignment between strategy, goals and actions. Others will say the problem is a lack of coordination and/or collaboration across different business units. And finally some will say the problem is related to communication. 

I think the problem in many organizations who are standing at the cross roads is that they believe communication equals understanding. As Donald Sull, Rebecca Homkes, and Charles Sull write in their article called “Why Strategy Execution Unravels - and What to Do About It” in the March 2015 issue of the Harvard Business Review, “Part of the problem is that executives measure communication in terms of inputs (the number of e-mails sent or town halls hosted) rather than by the only metric that actually counts - how well key leaders understand what’s communicated.”

This week, focus less on inputs and more on how well people understand what has been communicated. It will make a world of difference during the next two years of planning, execution and empowerment.

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

Home-Grown Leaders

“One responsibility [we] considered paramount is seeing to the continuity of capable senior leadership. We have always striven to have proven backup candidates available, employed transition training programs to best prepare the prime candidates, and been very open about [succession planning]. . . . We believe that continuity is immensely valuable.” - Robert W. Galvin, former team member of the Chief Executive Office, Motorola Corporation, 1991.

Jim Collins and Jerry Porras in their seminal work called Built To Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies (HarperBusiness, 1994) write that “visionary companies develop, promote, and carefully select managerial talent grown from inside the company to a greater degree than the comparison companies.” This conscious strategic choice preserves the core of the company and creates continuity within operations. It also reduces management turmoil and improves retention of key personnel. 

Given current events like The Great Resignation, any company who chooses to develop and promote highly talented internal staff are building the capacity to improve planning and execution over time. They also are building the capacity to sustain healthy change and progress over time.

With the above in mind, now is the time to sign people up for the 2022 From Vision to Action Leadership Training. Through a challenging and interactive curriculum which blends lectures, selected readings, small and large group discussions, and how to skill-building exercises, participants in this four part leadership and organizational change training gain critical knowledge and skills which improve their ability to create and communicate strategy, define and solve problems, build and maintain teams, coach people and teams plus learn how to delegate effectively. 

For more information about this unique training experience, please click on the following link: http://www.chartyourpath.com/VTA-Leadership-Training.html

The goal of visionary companies is to do well right now but also to be well positioned for the future. One step in this process is to create a pool of home-grown leaders who can lead the organization through multiple change cycles while maintaining the mission and core values. If you are seeking more continuity and better capacity, then now is the time to sign up your people for the 2022 From Vision to Action Leadership Training. I look forward to hearing from you.

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

Where Does The Future Come From?

“It often feels these days as if the future arrives from nowhere,” writes Margaret Wheatley in her thought-provoking book, Turning To One Another: simple conversations to restore hope to the future (Berrett-Koehlers, 2001). “Suddenly things feel unfamiliar, we’re behaving differently, the world doesn’t work the way it used to.”

As she continues, “The future doesn’t take form irrationally, even if it feels that way. The future comes from where we are now. It materializes from the actions, values and beliefs we are practicing now. We’re creating the future everyday, by what we choose to do. If we want a different future, we have to take responsibility for what we are doing in the present.”

For people in leadership positions, this is a powerful insight. If we seek to create a new and better future, we have to take responsibility for what we are doing now and take responsibility for what our organizations are choosing to do and focus upon at this time period. The future reflects our big and our small choices. How we live our values and express our beliefs today creates the foundation for tomorrow.

This week, I encourage you to reflect on the above quote and to reflect on your role in creating the future. The future starts now. 

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