How do leaders conquer adversity and emerge stronger and more committed? - part #2

In order to grasp context and hardiness, I have come to the conclusion that you need a mirror and a window.

Back in 2001, Jim Collins wrote a book called Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap. . . and Others Don’t, HarperBusiness, 2001. Two of the famous phrases from the book that we still hear today are “Good is the enemy of great” and “First who… then what.” The not so famous phrase is “Level 5 Leadership.”

As Collins wrote: “Level 5 leaders display a compelling modesty, are self-effacing and understated. In contrast, two thirds of the comparison companies had leaders with gargantuan personal egos that contributed to the demise or continued mediocrity of the company…. Level 5 leaders are fanatically driven, infected with an incurable need to produce sustained results. They are resolved to do whatever it takes to make the company great, no matter how big or hard the decisions.”

And then Collins wrote the following, powerful two sentences: “Level 5 leaders look out the window to attribute success to factors other than themselves.  When things go poorly, however, they look in the mirror and blame themselves, taking full responsibility.”

For us gathered here today, let’s dive deeper into the concept of the mirror and the window. First, the mirror is to reflect on what I could have done better. No blaming other people, external factors, or bad luck. The goal is humble self improvement. The window, on the other hand, is to give credit for the success of the company to other people, external factors or good luck.

When I think of all the leaders I have met in my 30+ year career who would fall into the Level 5 Leadership category, I realize that these individual have people in their lives who are executive coaches, allies, and confidants. This network of people help them to look in the mirror and out the window on a routine basis.

Furthermore, these same Level 5 Leaders are always seeking to expand their network of people. As Hermina Ibarra wrote in her book, Act Like A Leader, Think Like A Leader (Harvard Business Review Press, 2015), effective leaders have operational, personal, and strategic networks. The first helps them to manage current internal responsibilities. The second boosts personal development, and the third focuses on new business directions and the stakeholders you must get on board to pursue these directions. In particular, a good strategic network can give a person a connective advantage: the ability to marshal information, support, or other resources from one of your networks to obtain results in another.

But here is where I think Collins grasps something unique. Some people use their networks to get some place, but from my experience I have observed that Level 5 Leaders are not solely destination focused. Yes, they want to “produce sustained results” but they know that the first step is to become a more disciplined person through disciplined thought and disciplined action. The work is as much internal as it is external.

As we know, there are four stages to adult learning: unconscious incompetence, conscious incompetence, conscious competence, and finally unconscious competence. From my experience, Level 5 Leaders are constantly seeking in the mirror and through the window ways to not get caught in reactive, unconscious incompetence. They want to get better and they know that the only way to do it is with the help of others and ample time for deep self-reflection.

This week, build and maintain a network of people who will help you look into the mirror and out the window better. And at the exact same time, give yourself permission to schedule more time for reflection. Our challenges in the coming year will be bigger and we must have the courage and the capacity to conquer them and emerge stronger and more committed.

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

How do leaders conquer adversity and emerge stronger and more committed? - part #1

We met in a small town cafe, each having driven a fair bit to get there on time for lunch.  As per the norm, we talked about numerous problems and challenges before him and the organization. Just as we were finishing the meal, he turned to me and asked the following question: “How do we come through it all better?”

I paused and thought for a minute or two. I like a good question and this one deserved more than a fast response. Finally, I turned to him and said, “I think there are four parts to this answer.

First, keep monitoring and studying the trends within the bigger picture. Do this by going to many different sources and different people. Recognize that by building a strong network of resources and people, you will grasp the big picture in a more holistic manner.

Second, understand that it is not so much about seeing the big picture as understanding how we got to this point. We forget that everything we see around us in the bigger picture is a reflection of people and organizations making choices and decisions. Focus on why they thought that choice was the right one. When you understand this part, then the bigger picture becomes a series of patterns and trends rather than simple a snap shot in time.

Third, understand how the decisions we make today as leaders will create or influence the big picture of the future. While this may be a ‘blinding flash of the obvious,’ to quote Tom Peters from many years ago, you will be surprised that most people do not see that what they are doing today will create or significantly impact what will be happening in the future.

Finally, learn to conquer adversity and emerge stronger from it.”

He pondered all of these thoughts and responded, “Thanks. I knew you could help me with this.”

Quite a few years ago, Warren G. Bennis and Robert J. Thomas wrote an article in the Summer 2007 Executive Edition of Leader as Motivator published by the Harvard Business Review called “Crucibles of Leadership”. As they noted, “the skills required to conquer adversity and emerge stronger and more committed than ever are the same ones that make for extraordinary leaders…. We came to call the experiences that shape leaders “crucibles,” after the vessels medieval alchemists used in their attempts to turn base metals into gold.”

As they explained, “the crucible experience was a trial and a test, a point of deep self-reflection that forced them to question who they were and what mattered to them. It required them to examine their values, question their assumptions, hone their judgement.”

As they noted, “… great leaders possess four essential skills. First is the ability to engage others in shared meaning. Second is a distinctive and compelling voice. Third is a sense of integrity (including a strong set values.) But by far the most critical skills of the four is what we call “adaptive capacity.” 

Bennis and Thomas explain that “adaptive capacity” is “composed of two primary qualities: the ability to grasp context and hardiness…. the ability to grasp context implies an ability to weigh a variety of factors, ranging from how very different groups of people will interpret a gesture to being able to put a situation into perspective. Without this leaders are utterly lost, because they cannot connect with their constituents. Hardiness is just what it sounds like - the perseverance and toughness that enable people to emerge from devastating circumstances without loosing hope.”

This week, reflect on your crucible experiences as a leader and think deeply about your ability to grasp context and hardiness.

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

Surviving a Trough of Chaos in the midst of a Sideways Cyclone - part #2

Picking up from last Monday’s post, I want to continue to answer the question: How does a leader guide others out of a trough of chaos in the midst of a sideways cyclone?

One critical element to making this happen is to create clarity of purpose. Now, most people think this is the singular act of simply stating the mission statement over and over. However, it is really quite a complicated form of leadership.

First, creating clarity of purpose means that all involved understand why we have initiated the changes that are being made. This involves a great deal of communication about the context for change. In particular, we need to describe the key indicators and information that led people in leadership positions to conclude that change was needed in the first place. Often, the building of a strategic mindset begins by building a clear understanding of the external and internal drivers for change.

Second, all involved need to better understand the mission or core purpose of the organization. This means more than being able to recite it. Instead, leaders need to give the history of the creation of the mission statement, and then they need to unpack the mission statement so all involved understand the depth of meaning within it. This one-two punch generates a great opportunity for strategic level dialogue as people understand the mission in a holistic manner.

Third, leaders need to explain why the work we are doing matters. This is tricky at this time period because some organizations have not explored this element of purpose for a long time. This has resulted in many people feeling like their job is not that important and does not contribute to the greater good of society. And with many millennials, this is a major turn-off to long range employment. They clearly want to make a difference, and if their job is only work, they will starting seeking employment opportunities some place else.

This week, rethink what is driving change and how you are communicating it, unpack the mission statement with all key leaders, and start asking the following question: “What do you do that matters the most?” All of the answers should have direct line of sight back to the core purpose of the organization.

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

Surviving a Trough of Chaos in the midst of a Sideways Cyclone - part #1

During the Spring 2015 From Vision to Action Executive Roundtable before a wonderful group of leaders from four different states, I noted that more and more companies and organizations are feeling like they are caught in a trough of chaos in the midst of a sideways cyclone. 

The trough of chaos is a normal stage of organizational development where a group of people move outside their comfort zone to achieve a greater level of performance.

The sideways cyclone, a term coined by students of mine in the From Vision to Action Leadership Training, happens when multiple changes cycles are being initiated at the same time, overwhelming daily operations.

The late William Bridges in his book, Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change, (Da Capo Press, 2003), reminds us that during such times people need four things, namely a clear sense of purpose for the changes that are taking place, a picture of what we are striving towards, a plan of how to get there, and someone to articulate what is my part and how it fits into the picture and the plan.

For us here today, let’s focus on the picture first. When you are feeling like you are caught in a trough of chaos in the midst of a sideways cyclone, what does operational excellence and strategic clarity look like? A big part of working through this combined challenge is to create a strategic mindset. This means that all involved understand the context for change, the overall strategy leading the organization, and the definition of operational excellence.

Right now, not enough leaders are painting this picture and creating this depth of clarity. In particular, we are under-communicating context, and under-communicating the strategy. But, from my vantage point, we are significantly under-communicating right now what is operational excellence.

It is time people recognize that the understanding of what is operational excellence is directly connected to the cash generating part of the business. People need to understand that operational excellence happens when problem-solving, teamwork and leadership result in on-going improvements in day to day activities. Until there is a recognition of the need for continuous improvement at the day to day level, we will constantly be caught in a trough of chaos in the midst of a sideways cyclone.

This week talk with all of your team leaders about what is the picture and the mindset of operational excellence. It is time we move forward together, and get past feeling overwhelmed.

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

What is a Strategic Mindset?

In every successful company, there are two operating systems working at the same time. One system is focused on the cash generating part of the business, making sure that day to day systems and people are focused on the delivery of goods and services in a timely, efficient and effective manner. The other system is focused on the on-going development and implementation of strategy, including the creation of strategic clarity and urgency. In particular, it is the second system which will create the strategic mindset by which all will commit to on-going operational and strategic success.

So what is a strategic mindset?

In the beginning, there are three elements to the strategic mindset. First, there is a clear understanding of context or environment in which the company is moving through over time. For example, a leader in the computer industry may need to understand what is happening in the development of new hardware and software but also recognize that more and more people are turning to their cell phones as the primary form of computing instead of their former lap tops. This in combination with the arrival of Cloud based storage for data makes the world of service delivery completely different than in the past. 

Second, a person with a strategic mindset must understand what is the organization’s strategy for the future and why this is the best choice. This means that they have to comprehend that strategy is an extensively premeditated, carefully built, long term plan designed to achieve a particular goal. However, it also has to be adaptable by nature due to unforeseen variables rather than presenting a rigid set of instructions or tactics which has the potential to create organizational vulnerability. Therefore, strategy serves an important function in promoting ongoing evolutionary success of the company.

The third element of a strategic mindset revolves around the concept of operational excellence. Here, I reference the work of Tom Peters who defined excellence as a workplace philosophy where problem solving, teamwork and leadership result in on-going improvements in the organization focused on meeting the current customer needs.

Once someone grasps that there are three elements to a strategic mindset, then one has to remember the “genius of the and,” referencing an old Jim Collins term.  Rather than one element, e.g. context, strategy or operational excellence, being more important than the others, people who have a strategic mindset develop an awareness and understanding of how each of the three elements dynamically interact.  It is context, strategy and operation excellence instead of context, strategy or operational excellence that makes synergy take place.

This week check your own depth of understanding about context, strategy and operational excellence. Then, check on how well others grasp these key concepts.  It will be the start of a new beginning.

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

Adapting to Complexity

Last December, our oldest son gave my wife a hiking trip in Arizona for her birthday. Once we coordinated schedules and settled on doing this trip in late May, I went deep into planning mode.

First, I created an initial gear list that she and I would need. Referencing back to my major hiking days in the 70’s, I began collecting all sorts of stuff from the attic. Finally, having not hiked in the southwest since my college years, I asked my oldest son for help. His list included some things that I was not thinking about such as nylon hiking pants, a very wide brimmed hat to keep the sun off my bald head and tender, fair skinned ear tips, and under-armor t-shirts. We also borrowed gear from our younger son who had recently worked in the back country in the southwest for six months as an Americorp volunteer. This included a dromedary with hose and mouth piece for carrying water.

Second, I started preparing my body and my mind. Every day all winter long, I walked very fast for 30 minutes, seeking out all the hills in our small town.  Given I grew up in an outdoors focused family with scouting roots, lots of summer camp hiking, and being a former back packing leader in the 70’s, I knew this trip could be challenging. Therefore, I was a bit apprehensive about the physical challenge that could surface when hiking in the southwest at 8,000 foot elevation.

Once we arrived in late May, and transitioned to the higher altitude in Flagstaff, AZ for 24 hours, we started to pack out for the trip. As I pulled out my 70’s based gear, my oldest son frequently gave me the “don’t bring that” head shakes. I trusted his opinion given he had been actively involved in outdoor work for many years in the southwest. Nevertheless, I started to feel not very confident, competent, or current as we started off on this multiple day back packing trip.

On the first night of our camping trip, I felt like an 11 year old, Tenderfoot Boy Scout all over again. I couldn’t set up our tent right without help and instruction. I did not know how the stove worked and I did not know what was coming up next. I didn’t even know how to pack the high quality, expedition backpack that my son had borrowed from a friend of his for me.

Still, with his assistance and patient teaching, my wife and I made it through the first night. Our son and his amazing girl friend created some spectacular meals on the trail such as pesto and fresh veggies over noodles, red curry with sweet potatoes, and fresh veggies, mac and cheese with red wine plus desserts like scrambled brownies, jello cheese cake, chocolate nut bars etc.

Meanwhile, I started from the very beginning and learned how to pack my own back pack all over again. While I was not confident, competent, or current, I was trainable. I slowly connected the dots around the terminology of “cannon balls”, i.e. heavy stuff, and “fluffy stuff”, i.e. light things, when packing my pack. When I did get my expedition sized back pack to stand up on it’s own, I was elated.

On our first day on the trail, I tried hiking with with trekking poles because they were supposed to reduce the shock on my older knees as we hiked down into a nearby canyon. Beside making so much noise with the poles clicking and clacking over rocks and the like, I felt totally awkward and uncomfortable. I was afraid I might trip over the poles that were suppose to be helping. In the end, I skipped the poles and hoped my knees would handle the stress. I realized that I was close to overload on new stuff and the hiking poles were just a hinderance more than a help.

The second night on the trail my wife and I set up our own tent and I realized again the power of a short term win.  For a brief moment, I felt invincible, and regained a bit of confidence. 

On the third day, I finally started to get the daily rhythm of hiking and setting up camp. The following morning I even figured out how to use the hiking stove and heat up water for the tea.  

We hiked out the fourth morning and upon reflection, I had learned some very important lessons. First, small and/or large shifts in environment, i.e. context, can dramatically undercut the capacity and confidence of the followers. As a follower on this trip, I started from a place of limited ability to fully understand and assess the right path or choices. I also kept second guessing myself and assuming I was making the wrong choices. It also was hard to figure out what I needed because I was not sure and did not have many reference points for this kind of journey. I realized that I was not current with the new technology and modern way of moving through this landscape. I had to unlearn my 60’s/70’s way of camping and hiking, and instead embrace a more modern way of doing things. That was much easier said than done.

Second, without a safety zone and a patient teacher/leader in my son and his girl friend, I often ended up becoming a watcher, overwhelmed by too much external stimulus and information. While the environmental shift to camping in the southwest was normal for my son and his girl friend, it was complex for my wife and I. We had our own physical and mental challenges, e.g. we really did not know what was going to happen next on the trail, and we had to completely trust our experienced son and his girl friend to guide us along the way. We had to take “baby steps” to move through the world of constant change.

Third, moving from one level of effective action to a new level of effectiveness requires tremendous faith in one’s self on the part of the follower, plus faith in the leader and faith in the journey to a new level of competency. This journey  also came with more than a few “ego bruises” along the way. True unlearning and relearning is not easy.

There is an old hiking prayer that goes as follows: “Lord, if you lift them up [i.e. my feet], I will put them down in the right place.” It was not just the lifting them up but also having no idea where we were going other than a name on a map that was challenging. It took me quite some time to connect with interpreting a USGS map again and to translate it into what it means in actuality.

Thankfully each step of the way we had a kind and patience pair of people helping my wife and I along the way.  Their leadership made all the difference between a good trip and a great trip.

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

Doing a Strategic Analysis

In the beginning of big organizational changes, analysis is critical. For many, this involves people gathering as a group during an off-site retreat, slapping random thoughts down on flip chart paper and then posting them up on the wall. After talking about these ideas for numerous hours and looking at all of the dead tree material on the walls, some one says “OK; let’s do it.” And then supposedly, successful change begins.

Wiser leaders take more time and do a complete analysis which begins by separating the whole into its component parts. Here, they approach their work on multiple levels. First, they recognize that the analysis needs to focus on what is happening within the organization and at the exact same time on what is happening outside the organization. Understanding the internal and external environment is vital to short and long term success.

When beginning to asses the external macro environment, i.e. the context for change, I suggest a process called a PESTEL analysis. Here, people review the trends that are happening in the following areas which might influence the company, it’s customers and it’s products and services, namely political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal. This in-depth review helps us make sure we are not missing some future adaptive problem or element which might disrupt the strategy being developed.

Second, there needs to be an assessment of the internal company environment. Two areas that need close attention are an analysis of the company’s competitive advantage and an assessment of it’s current performance in regards to it’s current strategy. I have witnessed organizations do this level of analysis in many different ways so I am not going to recommend one specific way other than to say it needs to be done.

Finally, when the above work is done, a classic SWOT analysis can be helpful. Here, identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Then we examine strengths to pursue external opportunities, while countering weaknesses and threats (internal and external factors that undermine successful strategic execution).

For those of you who want to explore this subject in greater detail, I suggest you read the following article: “Mastering the Management System” by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton, Harvard Business Review, January 2008. Here is a link: http://hbr.org/2008/01/mastering-the-management-system/ar/1.

As I stated before, analysis is critical to short and long term success. Spend more time doing this in the beginning of organizational change and you will spend less time correcting problems as you move through the process of change.

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

The Importance of Clear Communication

We were sitting in his office having just finished up a long day of meetings and inservices when he turned to me and said, “Oh, I forgot to tell you my good news. I found what I have been looking for. It took a while but I found the perfect bra. It is the right color, shape and the fit is perfect.”

At first, I was a tad bit confused. But I knew that I had heard exactly what he had said. The puzzled look on my face caused him to burst out laughing.

“That must have sounded pretty funny. Sorry about that,” he explained. “I am an old car buff, and have been working many years on rebuilding a great 1950’s era Chevy. The bra is the protective covering I will strap on the front when I drive it to area car shows.”

I then nodded in understanding and said “Congratulations.”

When we become a leader, it is critical that we focus on our communication. We have to be clear in what we say and how we say it, recognizing that information without context can be quite confusing to the listener.

At the same time, we need to be very mindful of our unspoken messages. Our body language communicates faster than our words. Often it is misconstrued, resulting in a loss of understanding and even trust.

Furthermore, we need to be more mindful when we listen to others. This requires a high degree of concentration and on-going attention to the overall flow of the conversation. Too many times, I have observed leaders who only listen to respond rather than truly listen to understand. The result is that their staff interprets their communication as not caring.

Some days however even the best of us just get too busy trying to multi-task that we forget the impact of our words. A dear long term friend caught me in this situation recently when she called me up on the phone. I was deep into a strategic planning project when I answered, and unfortunately I did not give her my complete attention.

As usual, the first thing she did was ask me “How are you?”

My response was “Not bad.”

She paused and said, “Having a rough day?”

“No,” I replied.

“Then, why,” she inquired, “are you ‘not bad’? In the continuum of life, there is terrible -> bad -> not bad -> OK -> pretty good -> good -> great. Not bad is way down and closer to the bottom than the top. Are you sure you are feeling so low?”

I realized that she was exactly right. My response was not accurate. I was actually just busy and not very focused. I amended my first answer. “I am really good. Thanks for helping me be more clear.”

After our conversation, I realized that leaders, myself included, do not always give our full attention to sharing and listening. The impact in the above situation was minor but it is critical that we as leaders are more thoughtful in how we communicate.

Creating clarity in our organizations this spring begins with being more clear and being more attentive to what we are saying and how we are saying it. Otherwise, we may end up in an embarrassing situation or having communicated the wrong thing.

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

The Importance of Strategic Dialogues - Part #1

THEME: New Year, More Challenges

FOCUS: The Importance of Strategic Dialogues - Part #1

Monday morning: February 15, 2010

Dear friends,

Every week now I meet more and more people who are overwhelmed by the amount of work that needs to get done. In a jobless recovery, more people are working more hours to just keep up with, what at times feels like a herculean set of tasks, i.e. a ton more work and fewer people to do it. And in the midst of all of this, we are leaders are not paying very close attention to one critical element, namely decision-making.

Every day decision-making is happening regardless of our presence. These decisions are impacting product development, customer service, strategic execution, and staff satisfaction and engagement. What we as leaders forget is that these decisions are not always being made in a conscious or thoughtful manner. Many of them are being made just to get past the current pile of work so that someone can get on to the next pile or stuff that presents themselves at the moment. Unconscious decision-making and poor decision-making is impacting our business every day.

Successful decision-making is a three stage process as outlined by Noel M. Tichy and Warren Bennis in their excellent article called “Making Judgement Calls: The Ultimate Act of Leadership”, Harvard Business Review, October 2007. As these authors point out, Stage #1 is the “Preparation Phase” where leaders identify what are the problems, frame them up within the context of what is happening and then mobilize and align people to understanding what and why this is a problem that needs a decision. Stage #2 is the “Call Phase” where the actual the moment of decision takes place. While many people think of this stage as a single moment of rational analysis based on knowable and quantifiable variables, the best leaders know it is a dynamic process influenced by multiple variables which are often outside of a leader’s direct circle of control or influence. The best leaders make decision that influence what is happening but also set up a framework for others to make successful decisions. Finally, Stage #3 is the “Execution Phase” when a a leader mobilizes resources, people, information and technology to support the decision.

During these cold winter days in the midwest and during this wacky jobless recovery where burnout and worry continues at an all time high, the missing piece for me this morning is a critical element in Stage #1. With so many people having their heads down and plowing through piles of work, they are making decisions unaware of the context of what is happening inside or outside the organization. “On to the next thing” is the new mantra. The value of strategic level dialogues between leaders and employees is that they create awareness and ultimately understanding of context. This level of awareness and understanding will change the quality of Stage #1 and Stage #2 actions. When done regularly, they will change Stage #3.

If we are seeking better results at work, then now is the time to schedule strategic level dialogues. During this time period of sharing and listening, we have the opportunity to expand awareness and understanding. We also over time will improve decision-making and collaboration.

This week figure out how you want talk with your people about the context of service not just the results of service.

Have a magnificent week,

Geery

Geery Howe, M.A.
Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in
Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change

Morning Star Associates
319 - 643 - 2257