Crisis = Danger + Opportunity

Ram Charan in his extremely thoughtful book, Leadership In The Era of Economic Uncertainity: The New Rules for Getting the Right Things Done in Difficult Times, McGraw Hill 2009, writes “The immensity of the challenge confronting CEOs in this era of extraordinary uncertainty and volatility is that everyone is looking to them not only for reassurance but also for specific direction. The question on many minds is simple but scary: Are we going to make it? That is followed by an equally simple question: What do I have to do? The CEO has to provide reassurance as well as guidance to everyone in the company.”

As he continues, “When we think about the CEO’s job, it is helpful to divide it into two realms: leadership and operations. The first is about inspiring and motivating people to go beyond their fears and painting a believable future that is waiting after the storm. The second is about the daily nitty-gritty of doing business successfully in a very tough and unpredictable environment.”

In Chinese calligraphy, the word “crisis” is the combination of two words, namely “danger” and “opportunity.” Right now given what is happening at the international, Federal and state levels of our society, there is much danger and much opportunity. And if you are a CEO, a divisional President, a unit manager or a front line supervisor, the need to provide motivation and a clear picture of a believable future is growing every day. Furthermore, there is an intense day to day operational pressure to be effective and thrifty. Resource management now is as important as strategic direction given all that is happening in the world.

In a couple of hours, I will begin teaching the 2011 From Vision to Action Leadership Training, a year long course on leadership, strategic planning and execution plus organizational change. Those coming will engage with me and each other over the course of 2011 to explore new ways to lead through this current uncertainty and volatility. We will “recognize reality,” using a Charan term from the above book, and simultaneously learn new perspectives about how to move through the complexities of strategic and organizational change. We will understand the dangers and discover the opportunities of being a leader.

The aforementioned simple questions, “Are we going to make it?” and “What do I have to do?”, will not go away any time soon. Instead, the questions will come up often and they will need to be addressed in a thoughtful and effective manner. After decades of doing this work and many opportunities to interact with dynamic and bold leaders, I know this morning that we will make it through these difficult times, and, with grace, patience, and good fortune, we can transform ourselves and our companies into something better than what they are today. The first step in this journey begins when we choose to be a better leader today than we were yesterday.

Geery Howe, M.A.Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer inLeadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational ChangeMorning Star Associates319 - 643 - 2257

Waiting Until The Last Minute

Some days we meet ourselves coming and going. Breathing seems secondary to just running to keep up. Our faithful companion is our Blackberry, iPhone, or Droid. We would be lost with out them.

Some days we just live minute to minute. In the brief moments preceding a deadline, or that incredibly short period before some decisive action must be taken, we pause to think.

Some days, however, we just drink another double expresso and hope that we have the energy to finish the day’s meetings before the evening is filled up doing e-mail.

Nevertheless, there is a better way of living and working. But it takes a great deal of learning, patience and forgiveness. It begins with accepting there is a problem with living in the last minute lane. It also begins with structured learning.

One place many people have turned to over the years is the From Vision to Action Leadership Training. Here, they learn new ways to deal with old problems and successful ways to deal with new problems. Through comprehensive training that meets once a quarter and a set of structured readings in between, participants gain the skills and perspective to become better leaders, who make better plans and who implement those plans even when they have to run into the normal but difficult stages of organizational change.

If you are tired of running in circles and sitting in non-productive meetings, then please click on the following link:

< http://www.chartyourpath.com/VTA-Leadership-Training.html >

Waiting until the last minute can be exhausting. There is a better way of leading. I hope you can join us in March 2011 for the From Vision to Action Leadership Training.

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

Arriving Topsy Turvy

Many companies have entered the new year in a topsy turvy manner. They have rushed through 2010 doing everything they can to just survive another tough year. Then, with little planning other than vague goals and rushed strategic meetings, they have begun this new year in an utter state of disorder and confusion, wishing that it would be better and knowing it could be worse.

Kenneth Chenault, Chairman and CEO of American Express since 2001, says the role of a leader is to do two things: “Define reality; give hope.” Yet, many executives right now feel like reality bites and hope is futile. They are exhausted and overwhelmed by the magnitude of technical and adaptive problems that are surfacing on a day to day basis. They find few, new solutions and have many questions. They go over and over again in their minds about the mistakes of 2010, wondering if they made the right decisions. In short, they are topsy turvy.

Still, Chenault does offer us wise counsel and perspective about reality and hope. Now is a good time to sit down with your team and sell the problems. Status quo often drags down the best organizations. It also can suck the life out of your best people. So, sit down and explain to them the problems. Point out that doing nothing is more dangerous than doing something.

Second, define the non-negotiables. Too many organizations are forgetting their mission, vision and core values in the hopes of surviving these difficult times. Rather than forgetting this vital part of organizational health, we need to discuss, embrace and utilize these powerful tools.

Third, teach your people. In many organizations, the CEO needs to become the Chief Teaching Officer. For example, teach them about the history of the company and how our decisions in the past have resulted in the reality of today. Point out that the decisions we make in 2011 will determine the reality of 2014.

Finally, if time is of the essence, then enroll your key people in the From Vision to Action Leadership Training. This year long course that meets for a couple of days each quarter and will help those involved become better leaders who can plan for the future and implement those plans in a successful manner. For more information about this unique learning opportunity which starts in March 2011, including cost, dates and location, I encourage you to click on the following link: < http://www.chartyourpath.com/VTA-Leadership-Training.html >

In a time period where topsy turvy is the new normal, we need betters leaders and better organizations. The first step is to educate them to become better leaders who can define reality and give hope.

There is still time to sign up. I hope you can join us when we start in March 2011.

Geery Howe, M.A.Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer inLeadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational ChangeMorning Star Associates319 - 643 - 2257

The One-Two Punch

Successful organizations have a one-two punch. Others have a one punch. In the world of boxing, having a one-two punch means that the boxer has a combination of two quick blows in rapid succession, e.g. a left jab followed at once by hard blow with the right hand.

In the world of business having a one-two punch means having great leaders and great managers. Many companies have forgotten they need both. From my perspective, we need managers who understand leadership and leaders who understand the importance of management.

Marcus Buckingham in his book, The One Thing You Need to Know ... About Great Managing, Great Leading, and Sustained Individual Success, Free Press, 2005, explains the difference between managers and leaders in the following manner. “To excel as a manager you must never forget that each of your direct reports is unique and that your chief responsibility is not to eradicate this uniqueness, but rather to arrange roles, responsibilities, and expectations so that you can capitalize upon it. The more you perfect this skill, the more effectively you will turn talents into performance.

To excel as a leader requires the opposite skill. 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.”

As we turn our sights to 2011 and all of the new challenges and opportunities that it brings, please remember that registration for the 2011 From Vision to Action Leadership Training is this Friday, December 10.

For more information about dates, costs and location, please click on the following link: http://www.chartyourpath.com/VTA-Leadership-Training.html. If you are wanting a strong one-two punch in 2011, then now is the time to sign up your key people and help them to become better managers and leaders.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Geery Howe, M.A.Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer inLeadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational ChangeMorning Star Associates319 - 643 - 2257