The Importance of A Strategic Nexus

As with so many things these days, it all started with an e-mail .... “Our company has grown rapidly in the last five years, and we now provide services in 20 different geographical areas. Each demographic location has an Area President and the corporate office has several people who make up the Resource and Quality Improvement teams for the company. 

  

We are in the midst of developing a new Leadership Team, made up of both components plus our CEO, and 2 VPs. Currently, we seem to be having difficulty with defining leadership, and creating a safe and trusting environment in which to share our ideas.

  

I have suggested an outside facilitator and you were the first to come to come to mind.”

I had not heard from this person in over ten years so I called him up on the phone, listened to his concerns, and asked for a packet of core material, namely copies of their mission, vision and core values statements, a current organizational chart, and their most recent strategic plan. Given the parameters of this situation, I also requested a two hour meeting with just the CEO and the two Vice Presidents.

During the first onsite meeting, I listened to the CEO and the two VPs talk about the leadership team and their problems. Over the course of an hour and half, I asked the following four questions, the ones I always ask when helping organizations plan for change: 

- Who will lead?

- Where is the vision and who has it? 

- At what pace do you want to go?

- What should not be lost during the journey?

As we completed the fourth question, the CEO said “Enough with the chit chat and the questions. What is your diagnosis, Geery?”

I replied, “You have an S.D.D.”

He blanched at first because he thought I had said S.T.D. Once he had recovered, he asked “What is an S.D.D.?”

“It is a Strategic Deficit Disorder,” I responded. “The first problem is with your strategy. You have grown so fast that the top three people around this table are not in agreement or in alignment with the strategic direction or intent, and with the pace of change. 

Second, the organizational chart is a mess given each VP uses a different version, and each version has key people reporting to different people.

Third, there is no clear strategic nexus which everyone in the organization can utilize during the times when you are in the trough of chaos.”

There was a long pause in the room and both VP’s turned and looked at the CEO. He sat still for a moment, and then said “OK.... thank-you.  Now, how do we go about changing this situation for the better?”

And then the real journey of change began.

First, I explained the role of a strategic nexus. The word “nexus” comes from the Latin word nectere which means to bind. A nexus is the connection or key linkage that holds things and people together as they move through challenges. It not only holds them together but, when built right, can also become a source of focus and clarity.

A successful strategic nexus consists of two parts. The first is a core ideology made up of a well written vision, mission, and core values. The second is a well designed strategic plan with clear strategy, goals and metrics. When both pieces are integrated, the vision drives the strategy and the mission defines the focus of the strategy. When there also is a clear connection with the organization’s core values, the strategic nexus can generate some things that are very important when moving through the trough of chaos, namely strategic perspective, flexibility, and focus along with strategic responsibility and  accountability. 

I pointed out to the top three people that part of improving the current situation is to create an effective strategic nexus. This is not a paper exercise where people come together in a series of endless meetings, word smithing every letter and syllable to death. Instead, the creation of an effective strategic nexus begins when we realize that we are trying to create a strategic mindset through out the company where the nexus is not only understood but utilized. Ownership and understanding are mission critical, because once the two parts of the nexus are in place, then collaboration and commitment will expand.

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

Letter To A Young Leader

Introduction

“Leadership is not about learning theory,” writes Larry Perlman, retired Chairman & CEO of Ceridian. “It’s about finding out how you are going to bring yourself into your work and into your life to make a contribution.”

So many times, a leader is defined by all the work that they get done, and the rewards they receive because of it. Rarely is leadership defined by how much an individual contributes to making the lives of others better, and as a responsibility. 

Some will tell you that being a leader involves command and control. The goal is to make the work place orderly and predictable. But this often ends up being about controlling people and systems which rarely results in positive momentum over time.

There is another way of working with people which focuses on making sure your daily actions and your personal core values are in alignment, and that you co-create with others a work environment that is empowering and meaningful. To follow this pathway, there are four key ideas one must understand in order to be a successful leader.

Common Language Builds Understanding And Clarity

I have spent my entire career listening and sharing with a wide diversity of people. Along the way, I have learned that words matter. As Krista Tippett wrote in her book, Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living (Penguin Press, 2016): “I take it as an elemental truth of life that words matter. This is so plain that we can ignore it a thousand times a day. The words we use shape how we understand ourselves, how we interpret the world, how we treat others. From Genesis to the aboriginal songlines of Australia, human beings have forever perceived that naming brings the essence of things into being. The ancient rabbis understood books, texts, the very letters of certain words as living, breathing entities. Words make worlds.”

This is a profound truth. In the world of leadership and organizational change, words do make worlds. As a person new to the world of leadership, it is important to remember that words matter because they shape understanding and create clarity. And clarity is the foundation for success.

Stewardship Is As Important As Change

When one becomes a leader, we need to recognize that trust and stewardship are as important as personal effort and change. In reality, stewardship and organizational growth are not two different things. Instead, they are interconnected. Each needs the other, and stewardship is always the key to sustainable growth.

The dictionary defines stewardship as "the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care.” Author Peter Block defines stewardship as two things, namely “to hold in trust the well-being of some larger entity” and “to hold something of value in trust.”

As leaders we need to recognize that the ability to steward the larger entity, i.e. the organization as a whole, and to hold something of value in trust, i.e. when a team chooses to trust each other and their team leader, is granted from the follower, not the leader. The employees create the “power” to make the team work. They also make us “leaders” because they choose to follow us. 

And we as leaders need to choose thoughtfully and carefully, too. Our ability to steward is based on the authenticity and integrity of our own behaviors. Some days, we get so busy that we forget that being a good leader means we have to become better people, not just a better leader.

Every day, we have a choice to hold something of value in trust. Our goal is to do this in a conscious manner. As Max De Pree wrote in his book, Leadership is an Art (Dell Publishing, 1990): “the art of leadership requires us to think about the leader-as-steward in terms of relationships, of assets and legacy, of momentum and effectiveness, of civility and values.” We can do this only if we remember that stewardship is as important as change.

The Real Picture Of What A Good Job Looks Like Is In A Person’s Head

“To excel as a leader,” writes Marcus Buckingham in his book, The One Thing You Need to Know ... About Great Managing, Great Leading, and Sustained Individual Success (Free Press, 2005), “… You must become adept at calling upon those needs we all share. Our common needs include the need for security, for community, for authority, and for respect, but for you, the leader, the most powerful universal need is our need for clarity. To transform our fear of the unknown into confidence in the future, you must discipline yourself to describe our joint future vividly and precisely. As your skill at this grows, so will our confidence in you.”

Brene’ Brown in her book, Dare To Lead: Brave Work, Tough Conversations, Whole Hearts (Random House, 2018) builds on this concept by asking the important question, “What does done look like?” I would build on her question by reframing it into “What does done well look like?” As with Buckingham and Brown, William Bridges clarifies the whole thing into a simple but important insight: “The picture in people’s head is the reality they live in.” 

With this in mind, we as leaders have to recognize that the picture inside people’s head matters. And our job is to paint a better picture. We often paint the picture of “here is the work you need to do,” but we don’t paint the picture of “here are the outcomes of the work you are doing.” By defining the later, we are helping people understand why their work matters. It gives meaning, i.e. purpose and significance notes Lindsay Leahy from The Restoration Project, to their efforts and it motivates them on the inside rather than by someone on the outside.

Role Modeling Integrity Is Always The Right Choice 

Dealing with a diversity of problems is a normal part of every leaders work. Over time, one comes to understand that there are no quick fixes with problems. Many are complicated and some are just complex. Nevertheless as a leader, you must always conduct yourself, professionally and personally, with the utmost integrity.

We don’t talk much about the following words these days: integrity, character, authenticity and sincerity. These words seem like they are from a different century, a simpler and less complex time period. Still, the wisdom of the past  and the words from the past can still be applicable and helpful to us in the present.

“The word integrity,” writes Martha Beck in her book, The Way of Integrity: Finding The Path To Your True Self (The Open Field/A Penguin Life Book, 2021), “… comes from the Latin word integer, which simply means “intact…. To be in integrity is to be one thing, whole and undivided…. [it reflects a] complete alignment of body, mind, heart, and soul.”

To role model integrity as a leader, we need to role model the behaviors of courage, commitment, and connection. As Brene’ Brown wrote in the aforementioned book, “Integrity is choosing courage over comfort; choosing what is right over what is fun, fast, or easy; and choosing to practice our values rather than simply professing them.” 

As leaders who have to deal with problems, and, at times, overwhelming situations every day, we often make a choice to abandon our inner clarity and conform to the expectations of others. As Martha Beck points out, “In this rush to conform, we often end up ignoring or overruling our genuine feelings - even intense ones, like longing or anguish to please our cultures. At that point, we’re divided against ourselves. We aren’t in integrity (one thing) but in duplicity (two things). Or we may try to fit in with a number of different groups, living in multiplicity (many things).”

Furthermore, in the face of overwhelming situations and complex problems, we often choose control and comfort over courage and commitment. Leaders who conduct themselves with the utmost integrity make commitments and keep  these commitments. It is matter of honor, courage ,and personal integrity for them. They commit to a person, a cause, or a mission, because it aligns with their personal core values. And we can see their commitments are deeply held in how they conduct themselves with others and in how they face adversity.

As a person new to the world of leadership, I strongly encourage you, no mater what is the situation before you, to choose each day to be more humble and be more respectful. It will be noticed and it will make a difference in the lives of those you lead and serve.

Conclusion

Choosing to be a leader is a great journey worth taking. The future will always be wildly unpredictable. The problems and challenges will be constant. Still, if we role model integrity, create clarity, build common language and understanding, and remember the importance of stewardship, we will be successful. As Brene’ Brown so wisely stated, “We are the mapmakers and the travelers.” Happy trails as you begin your journey into the land of leadership. 

© Geery Howe 2022

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

Formed In Leading

“Leaders are formed in leading,” wrote Tod Bolsinger. “Leadership formation is a hard and humbling, repetitive process of personal transformation.”

I think we have gotten so busy coping with a global pandemic for two years that we have forgotten that young leaders become better leaders through leading. It is a daily practice and a daily discipline. It happens through personal transformation.

Robert Tannenbaum, organizational consultant and professor at the Graduate School of Management, University of California, Los Angeles, says that too many senior managers who have been on the job for thirty years don’t necessarily have thirty years of experience. Instead, many have a one year experience, thirty times.

This is a big challenge because senior managers are the source of coaching for young leaders. These senior leaders instill information, but miss a critical point in the development of young leaders. As Richard Farson noted, “… much of the job of executive development is an unlearning process - getting rid of barriers to perception, wisdom and judgement.” 

When we take Bolsinger’s, Tannebaum’s and Farson’s insights and put them together, we realize that for young leaders to become better leaders, and ultimately exceptional senior executives, they need routine, in-depth and timely coaching and mentoring. This process of unlearning and personal transformation is hard and humbling, but also empowering and important.

My challenge to you this week is to role model this process in your own life. If leaders are formed in leading, then we need to be the change we wish to see in others. We need to transform our lives and our leadership, and we must engage routinely in this hard, humbling and repetitive process.

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

Fall 2022 Roundtable

With summer in full swing, it is time for all of us to turn our attention to September 21 - 22 and the Fall 2022 From Vision to Action Executive Roundtable at the Brown Deer Golf Club & Conference Center in Coralville, Iowa.

For the last 36 years, I have been teaching, consulting and coaching people about leadership, strategic planning, and organizational change. The majority of this work has revolved around how leaders engage with people, systems, culture, and the strategic nexus. Given this will be my final Executive Roundtable before I retire from public speaking, I want to dive deeply into each of these areas, and share lessons learned from helping others navigate the world of organizational change. On our last day of the Roundtable, I will talk about lessons learned when we make a commitment to walking a path with heart. I look forward to our time together as we share, explore and remember what matters most during these challenging times.

Here is the agenda for your review:

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

8:30 am - 9:00 am - Arrival & Visiting Time

9:00 am - 10:15 am - Leaders and the Strategic Nexus

10:15 am - 10:30 am - Break

10:30 am - 12:00 pm - Leaders and People

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

1:30 pm - 2:45 pm - Leaders and Systems

2:45 pm - 3:00 pm - Break

3:00 pm - 4:30 pm - Leaders and Culture

4:30 pm - Adjourn

Thursday, September 22, 2022

9:00 am - 10:15 am - Making A Commitment To A Path With Heart

10:15 am - 10:30 am - Break 

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

12:00 pm - Adjourn

The price for the full Roundtable is $ 295.00.

The price for the one day Roundtable attendance is $ 200.00.

Here is the link to the registration form:

https://chartyourpath.com/pdf/2022-From-Vision-To-Action-Exec-Roundtable-Regist.pdf

I hope you will reserve September 21 - 22 on your calendar, and e-mail me today about whether or not you and your team are coming. 

Then, when the fall leaves are just starting to change, all we will need to do is gather together at the Fall 2022 From Vision to Action Executive Roundtable.

In the meantime, stay healthy and see you in September!

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

Commitment Without Understanding

The morning light was pouring into the conference room as we gathered for the first meeting on how to build an effective performance management system. Arriving early, I sat down in a chair near the middle of the long conference table and put my brief case in the chair next to me. Pulling out my blue notebook with my pre-meeting notes and a manila file with key information on the organization, I looked up to see two women executives come into the room, one I had worked with for quite a few years and the other was a new person who was attending her first management level meeting. I arose out of my chair, greeted them, and introductions were made. By then everyone else had come into the room so we sat back down and began the meeting.

Our time together that morning opened with an in-depth examination of the internal and external trends and conditions that were causing the organization to develop a new and more effective performance management system. Once this strategic level review had taken place, we all realized how important our work was going to be that morning. Then the person who was running the meeting and the one who had invited me to come asked for my perspective. 

First, I explained how to design a new performance management system and what were the keys to success in the design process. Next, I explained two to three different ways to implement such a system. Finally, I concluded my opening remarks by explaining that a new performance management system was going to lead people into a six to nine month trough of chaos.

I had barely finished my last statement when there was an audible gasp across the table from me. The woman across from me, who was new to management, was a bit wide eyed. With a touch of panic in her voice, she said, “The trough of what? Six to nine months of chaos? Are you kidding?”

Her boss, who I had worked with for quite a few years, leaned over, touched her arm, and said “I haven’t shared that with you yet. We didn’t want to scare you straight out of the box.”

I smiled and thought to myself, commitment without understanding, a common leadership problem. And then we dove into a discussion on what happens in the trough of chaos.

Years earlier I had learned the importance of unifying commitment and understanding when I was working with a small rural healthcare facility, struggling with constant problems and persistent turnover issues. The new CEO had called me in “to help rebuild the foundation for success.” After a series of meetings with senior management and department heads, I presented my analysis that the organization was trapped between what was and what will be,  resulting in a continual trough of chaos. It was a normal stage of organizational development that with time, patience and understanding could be transformed.

I remember one young department head raising his hand after my analysis and asking, "So how can we fix all this stuff that is getting in the way of our productivity?"

I responded that many problems in the trough of chaos are leadership problems related to the lack of strategic understanding and execution. As I pointed out to him that afternoon, there are two myths in leadership during change. First, many leaders think their job is to come up with all of the answers. They expect that they can solve all problems.  Second, many leaders think it is their job is to tell everyone else what to do so they can prevent all the problems or at least not create any more problems. But as experience has taught me, commitment without understanding of how to move through the trough of chaos does not yield improved results.

Having done this work since 1986, I have learned that during every organizational change cycle there is a normal period of time which is challenging, complex, and difficult. I call it, the trough of chaos. During this six to nine month period, people have to let go of a previous system, organizational culture, or definition of success, and embrace a new way of working and thinking. It is hard work for employees and executives, but with time, patience, and understanding, it is not only doable but possible to yield significant results that will create short and long term momentum

The key in the beginning is to understand that the trough of chaos is a normal stage of development.  There is no need to panic and there is no reason to fix it. Instead, we as leaders need to help people move through the stages of this challenging time period.

Many years ago, I gave an all day workshop to management and nursing executives from hospitals, nursing homes and allied healthcare organizations in the midwest. In the middle of my morning presentation, I stated that leaders routinely and consciously create chaos. There was a brief pause in the room as my comments sunk in, and then total pandemonium broke out amongst the participants. Hands flew up into the air with questions. Many people turned to the people next to them and started talking. The notion that an executive would seek to disrupt order and predictability was seen as wildly absurd or complete madness.  

At this point in the learning journey, I reviewed with them the first Law of Leadership and Change called The Law of Chaos which states that “The world does not change through balance, order and security, only through chaos.” Once those gathered realized that when seeking to improve strategy, systems, structure or culture within an organization, all involved must move from a work pattern, which has a normal pattern of balance, order and security, through a period of chaos, where people choose to, or by circumstances over which they have no control, have to let go of the old way of working. Once they have moved through this period of chaos, they will enter into a new way of working together. When those gathered recognized that chaos is a normal part of organization change, the palpable tension in the room subsided and we moved forward. During the morning wrap-up, one young nursing executive pointed out that we should see “chaos is our friend.” Many years later now, her comments are still one of my most favorite quotes.

When commitment and understanding about the world of leadership and strategic change come together, great leaders and their organizations can engage all employees and offer exceptional customer service. Chaos becomes our friend, particularly when we seek to transform vision into action.

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

The Link Between Integrity and Making Connections

One unique element of leaders who act with the utmost integrity is that they choose to make personal connections with everyone they meet. They do this by finding common ground with each individual or team, even if there are vast generational differences present. They do this by listening carefully and with undivided attention. They recognize that this is crucial to leading people through challenging times and challenging situations.

These same leaders role model their commitments at the point of connection. Most people think this only happens when a person of integrity is clear about what is okay and what is not okay when they engage with others. I respect that this is an important distinction, but I think there is a deeper insight to be found here. When people role model their commitments at the point of connection, they understand that this act of role modeling impacts all of their communication with this person or persons. They understand that integrity based behavior always is the first conversation. Integrity always precedes understanding, clarity, and commitment.

Finally, these leaders maintain and respect boundaries during the connection process. They understand the need to maintain boundaries between professional, personal and private. They respect these boundaries and maintain them themselves, too. They never cross these boundaries without permission. They understand and accept the burden of confidentiality.

This week and throughout the rest of the summer, I challenge you to be a leader who acts with the utmost integrity in all that you do and all that you say. When you choose this pathway, you will always be doing the right things for the right reasons and at the right time.

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

Make And Keep Your Commitments

People who conduct themselves with the utmost integrity make commitments and keep their commitments. It is matter of honor, courage, and personal integrity for them. 

They are proud of their commitments. They are humbled by their commitments. They understand the burden of their commitments. Yet, they would commit all over again to those things and people they are committed to if they had to start fresh.

In particular, they commit to people, a cause or a mission because it aligns with their personal core values. This is something I have learned after 36 years of helping people and organizations find, create and share their organizational core values. I have learned that personal core values always precede organizational core values. And people always commit to people based on how that person they are committing to role models their own integrity,

Finally, we can see another person’s commitments by how they conduct themselves with others and in how they face adversity. Those who are committed always role model these commitments in all they do. Their actions and their words matter to them. They embody the highest standards of personal and professional behavior. They expect others to do likewise.

This week, make time to think through what are your commitments. It is one step to becoming a person who conducts themselves with the utmost integrity. Remember: inner clarity always precedes outer actions. Be clear and be grounded in your commitments. 

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

Choose Courage

“Integrity is choosing courage over comfort; choosing what is right over what is fun, fast, or easy; and choosing to practice our values rather than simply professing them.” - Brene’ Brown

In the face of overwhelming situations, we often make a choice to abandon our own inner clarity, truth, and integrity in order to conform to the expectations, desires, or wishes of others. “In this rush to conform,” writes Martha Beck in her book, The Way of Integrity: Finding The Path To Your True Self (The Open Field/A Penguin Life Book, 2021), “we often end up ignoring or overruling our genuine feelings - even intense ones, like longing or anguish to please our cultures. At that point, we’re divided against ourselves. We aren’t in integrity (one thing) but in duplicity (two things). Or we may try to fit in with a number of different groups, living in multiplicity (many things).” By abandoning our own deep inner truth in the face of overwhelming situations, we also often choose control over courage. And control never works!

When I think of courage, I think of something that Brene’ Brown wrote in her book, Dare To Lead: Brave Work, Tough Conversations, Whole Hearts (Random House, 2018): “You can’t get to courage without rumbling with vulnerability. Embrace the suck.” As she continues, “Courage is a collection of four skill sets that can be taught, observed and measured.” The four skill sets are: rumbling with vulnerability, living into our values, braving trust, and learning to rise. As I have learned from her writing, courage and fear are not mutually exclusive. Most of us feel brave and afraid at the exact same time.

Furthermore, in the face of overwhelming situations, we need to overcome our natural resistance to growth and change. One way to do this is to ask ourselves and others the following questions put for by Robert Cooper in his book, The Other 90%: How to Unlock Your Vast Untapped Potential For Leadership & Life (Crown Business, 2001):

- What’s the most exceptional thing you've done this week?

- What’s the most exceptional thing you will do next week?

- What did you do this week that made you the proudest?

The answers to these three questions give us a window into whether or not we are acting with courage and integrity. They can help us to regain perspective, focus, and over time courage. As the opening quote notes, integrity is a choice and now is the time to choose wisely.

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