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