In Search of NOWLeaders…NOW

This week’s post is a little different from my usual fare.  As you read it, I’d like to ask you to think about leaders you know .  Please think about them in the context of their leadership ability.  If you admired them, why?  What do they do that inspires you?  Do they make people want to give their best effort? If so, why is that? As you get to the end of the post, would you please think too about whether they could be a leader we’re looking for?   If they are, there’s something you can do..

Labor Day is sort of like the New Year.  It’s a time when we start to brush off the lethargy that summer heat sometimes brings upon us, and start some new things.

It seems a good time too, for shifting perspectives and looking for new places to explore. That’s what this post is about.  Only we’re going to look for leadership and we’re going to look for it in places we may not have considered before.

Who is We? You may ask…

Anne Perschel, Dale Lawrence and Gwyn Teatro form the core team with Tanya Odom, Eric Peterson, Marion Chapsal and Joe Gerstandt as our advisory team

Why? You may ask…

Well, we believe that the variety of lists representing the epitome of leadership, while impressive, is missing a whole population of talented leaders.  We want to find them.  We want to build a rich, diverse portfolio of them.  And, we want to shine some light on them.

Why? You may ask…

Well, it seems that the 21^st Century, an age of information and technology, is asking for something different from us than was called for in the Industrial age.  The pace of change is accelerating at a dizzying rate.  The world, through technology, is getting smaller and smaller.  So to be successful in any endeavour today, we must find ways to cut through traditional bureaucracies and structures and optimize on the brainpower available to us.  As such, we believe there is a need to shift and expand our perspectives about who and what makes leadership effective in this new age.

Simply put, we want to be able to grow our capacity for great leadership and our understanding of what it takes to engage more brains and hearts in doing great work and accomplishing great things…together

In short, we are looking for NOWLeaders

What is a NOWLeader? You may ask…

NOWLeaders are those who understand the challenges and demands of the 21^st Century and the people who live in it.  They are highly accomplished.  They are global citizens.  They achieve results through and alongside people, rather than around them, over them or in spite of them.

NOWLeaders are focused on a purpose that extends beyond the bottom line, with tendrils and tentacles that reach out to the local, national and global communities they serve.   They are business leaders.  They are thought leaders.  They are military leaders.  They lead non-profit organizations, small organizations and large ones.

NOWLeaders share a set of qualities and skills that equips them to navigate the rapids that a fast-paced world with a short attention span can create.  And yet, they are also diverse in thought, experience, culture, nationality and ethnicity.  They are women.  They are men.  They are young…and old.  They are everywhere.

Will you help us find them?

Yes? Terrific. We hoped you would.

Here’s what you can do.

Begin by nominating someone who you believe exhibits the attributes of a NOWLeader and demonstrates the skills associated with the development of inclusive, collaborative organizations, someone who is highly accomplished yet prefers to share recognition and reward with others.

How do I do that? You may ask…

Well, you go directly to Now-leadership.com, where you will find all the information and instruction you need to nominate your NOWLeader. Come along for the ride, won’t you?   Please join us in being the change we, and you, seek to create…and thank you for doing so.

Getting back to work ~ What Motivates Us.

I hate to say it…but I will.  Summer is coming to a close.  It feels a little sad saying adios to the hazy, crazy, sometimes lazy days of summer.  And yet, to me, there is always a ‘new start’ feeling about September.  I guess it must be that, for most people, summer vacation is over and it’s time to get back to work.

Some of us will approach this prospect with enthusiasm and some, well, some will spend time singing the back to work blues.

As a leader, it is reasonable to assume that you would prefer the enthusiasm option to the blues option.  But, like everything else, you’ll likely have to work for it.

So here’s a reminder from Daniel Pink about what truly motivates people to do their best work, (post vacation or otherwise) and it has nothing to do with money.   In fact, according to Pink, (and intuitively, I agree) there are three things that, in combination, will charge our batteries and get us happily moving forward.  Here they are:

Autonomy ~ freedom to, independently or with others of our choosing, work creatively and produce something we can be proud of.

Mastery ~ opportunities to learn, grow and build on our interests, knowledge and abilities

Purpose ~ Connecting to something greater than ourselves that we can believe in and strive to fulfill.

Here is a wonderful RSA Animate production called Drive: the Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.  It is ten minutes long but, for any leader, is worth the time to see because it gets to the heart of what motivates us.

This presentation suggests to me that to keep the effects of lethargy (whenever it may arise) from diminishing our activity and blurring our focus, we must find ways to emphasize or integrate the principles of autonomy, mastery and purpose into our everyday work life.

With this in mind, here are some questions for you, as leader, to consider:

Autonomy:

Given the nature of your business, how might you provide opportunity for people to work autonomously?

How flexible are you when it comes to work arrangements?

What would happen if you were to make each person’s operational framework larger and allow more independence? What might it look like?

What would you need to make it work?  What would you have to do to fill that need?  What would others have to do?

Mastery: What opportunities do you provide for people to get better at what they do?

How do you approach development planning?

How do you acknowledge accomplishment?

What value do you place on curiosity, risk and learning?

What are you willing to try, to allow your people a chance for growth and greater contribution?

If you were to take what you are doing now to increase peoples’ level of mastery and multiply it by two, what would it look like? What do you anticipate would be the outcome?

Purpose: What purpose does your organization serve?

Does everyone in your organization know it? Understand it? Believe in it?

How often do you remind people of your organizational purpose?

How do you help them make the connection between what they do and how they contribute to the fulfillment of the purpose?

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There will of course be other questions that come up for you but the point is, there are times when this notion of achieving a working environment that values autonomy, mastery and purpose requires some active consideration.

I just happen to think that the autumn, (when we tend to need time to cast fresh eyes on our life and work), is one of those times.

What do you think?

Leadership and Innovation

Steve Jobs once said, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower”

It made me think that success in any endeavour today depends on our ability to create new things, embrace new ideas, experiment, risk… and change.   Without this, business, large and small, loses its competitive edge and customers drift away, looking for the next best thing.

Other organizations find themselves in the shallow end of a small and crowded funding pool, struggling to raise enough profile to fulfill their purpose.

There is a huge role for leadership in creating and living a culture that values innovation.  In this culture, innovation becomes everybody’s job, with all brains engaged in the pursuit of what now and what’s next.

So, the question is, what must be present and  valued in an organization in order to create this innovative culture?

Well, probably lots of things but this is what comes to mind first for me:

Diversity ~ in every way that one human being is different from another.

While our natural tendency is to gravitate towards those who are like us, innovation lies most often in unexplored places and with people who vary in thought, background, experience, gender, age, ethnicity and skill.  The wider the net is cast, the greater the opportunity for innovation.

Relentless Change ~ as an accepted norm.

Those who embrace innovation, also embrace change.  They expect it.  They create it. They even demand it.  Innovation and change are inextricably linked.  As the song goes, “ you can’t have one without the other”

Open communication ~ at all levels

Innovation requires us to listen deeply, speak candidly, question constantly, challenge openly, and get a little messy in the process.  In other words, an organization that values innovation will be light on bureaucracy and heavy on curiosity and transparency.

Failure ~ as a learning tool

In order to break through the barriers of sameness and routine, we have to experiment and risk failure.  Failure happens. In an innovative environment it is also expected because with each defeat we get closer to learning about what it will take to succeed.

There are, of course some structural considerations in the development of an innovative organization.  For instance, if you expect people to be at their most creative it’s probably not a good idea to put them in an office structure that includes a maze of Dilbert style cubicles.  Creativity has its own demands and so flexibility in the way people work, and when, is often a more appropriate and productive choice.

There are other possible structures too, ones designed to capture and process ideas as they are born and ones that reward both successes and failures.

To me, though, however we go about it, the goal for the leader is to make it possible for as many people as possible to contribute their most creative thoughts and abilities to the business, whatever that business might be.

And, speaking of creative, in my Internet meanderings, I came across one Jeremy Gutsche, a Canadian innovation expert and chief “Trend Spotter” at TrendHunter.com.  Jeremy  maintains that our current precarious economic climate presents much opportunity for innovation. Here, in a keynote presentation, he has some really interesting ideas to share about innovation and culture.  It is thirty minutes long but well worth the time.

So, what would you add to the list of must have values or structures for an innovative culture to thrive?  How do you encourage innovation in your organization?

…And I’ll Follow You Anywhere

 

I think the expression, “Blow in my ear and I’ll follow you anywhere” was first popularized in the late sixties when Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In was a favourite on TV.  I was reminded of it the other day for some reason, and began to think about what it would take for me to follow someone anywhere.  Here’s what I’ve come up with:

I’ll follow you anywhere if you…

Paint a picture of the future that includes me

If I can see where I fit and what I might contribute to bringing the picture out of the frame and into reality, I’m in.

Give me direction when I need it and freedom when I’ve earned it

Sometimes I need you to tell me what to do.  But, when I know what I’m doing and have all I need to do the work, let me get on with it and I will make you proud.

Help me learn new things and be better than I was before

I want to learn and grow.  I have dreams too. Give me what I need to build skill and have experiences that will help me learn.  That way, I can be at my best now, when you need me, and in the future, when you won’t.

Ask for my opinion and then really listen when I give it

When I know you are truly interested in what I have to say, I will spend more time thinking about things that are important to both of us.  You don’t always have to agree with me.  Just listen; show me that you hear me; and understand where I’m coming from.

Expect more from me that I expect from myself

Hey, I’m human.  I don’t always see what you see when you talk to me or watch me work.  And, I’m not always that sure about my own capabilities.  If you encourage and challenge me to stretch beyond what I think I can do and support me as I give it my best shot, my loyalty is yours.

Trust me first…

I know it’s tough. I’m going to make mistakes and that’s always worrying. But, if I know you are willing to trust me to do my best, I will work toward making you glad you did.

Laugh at yourself and with me

Simply put, if we can make each other laugh from time to time and take ourselves less seriously than the work, I will always enjoy working with you.  Really.

Give me the straight goods about how I’m doing…

There are going to be times when I need you to tell something I might not want to hear.  Please tell me anyway. If you do, I might be upset at first but will know where I stand. If you don’t, it won’t go away and more than likely will come back to bite me at a most inconvenient time. Put it to me honestly and with good intention and I will receive it with grace.

Live by the rules you set for me…

For the most part, I’m okay with rules.  Ask me to follow them and I will, if you follow them too.  Allow me to challenge them when they are getting in the way of my doing my job.  Be open to changing them when necessary.  If they can’t be changed, help me to understand why. Do that and I will respect and trust you.

Help me to celebrate my successes…

Acknowledgement of my accomplishments will always be appreciated.  Enough said.

Help me to learn from my failures…

When I fail, believe me, I will punish myself enough for both of us.  If, instead of punishment or blame, you offer me a chance to examine what went wrong and what I can do better the next time, my failure will have value.  I will appreciate that.

Show me your courage and your confidence…

There is a certain feeling of reassurance when I see you stand up for your beliefs, values and the people who follow you, (especially when you stand up for me).  When you do that, it makes me proud to be associated with you.

Show me your humanity…

I know you’re human too.  I don’t expect you to be a super hero.  If, from time to time, you show me that you too have doubts and moments of anxiety or fear, I will respect that and do my best to give you my support.

What would it take for you to follow someone anywhere?  What have I left out?  What does your boss have to do to gain, or keep, your loyalty?  If you are a boss, what do you do to earn loyalty?

Sincerity…A Leadership Imperative

Sincerity.  It is perhaps not a word that springs to mind first when we think about highly successful and powerful business leaders but in today’s uncertain world there are things we need to be able to count on.  Sincerity in our leaders is one of those things.

The word sincerity likely has a number of definitions. To me, it is simply about representing ourselves genuinely, without guile or hypocrisy. And, like most worthwhile qualities, talking about being sincere is easier than actually living it.

There are a lot of temptations out there…temptations to pretend we are more knowledgeable, more experienced, more skilled, more empathetic, more important, even wealthier than we really are.  I know. We have our reasons for doing that but the truth is, most of them have everything to do with ‘us ‘and nothing whatsoever to do with ‘them’.  And we all know by now that leadership is not about ‘us’.

So, not only must leaders be personally vigilant about their own sincerity, they must also be on the look out for it when they are choosing people for leadership roles or helping them develop leadership skills.

In truth, it’s not that easy to spot.  It requires us to look beyond the words for consistency and alignment of words and actions.

I’m reminded of a time when I attended a function where sincerity, my own included, was notably absent.

It was Christmastime and our organization participated in a number of activities to support charitable causes.  Often, we would “buy” a table at a luncheon benefit with net proceeds going to the charity in question.

On this one particular winter’s day, eight of us were walking from the office building to such a luncheon being hosted at an upscale hotel a few blocks away.

We walked in a bunch; all well wrapped and well shod happily chatting together about nothing terribly important.  There were other bunches of business people as well, walking in the same direction and equally well dressed.

About one block from our destination, we passed a man sitting on the sidewalk. His hair was long, as was his beard and he held in his hand a Styrofoam cup and sign that said something like, “Hungry, Please Help”.

I suppose none of us will really know whether or not this man was representing himself sincerely but he was obviously not doing very well.

My group and I, (engrossed in our conversation and barely noticing the man), walked past him.

The people walking behind us did the same, with one exception.  One man stopped long enough to look at the man and say, “Get a job”.

On hearing this, I remember feeling ashamed of myself for not acknowledging the man and giving him something to ease the pain of his day.  I remember too, feeling appalled and outraged by the other man’s “get a job” comment.  It was an ignorant, throwaway remark that lacked any kind of compassion or decency.

But we all moved on, in a hurry, not to be late for our important luncheon.

We reached our table and seated ourselves.  A few minutes later Mr. Get-a-Job and his colleagues also entered the room. The irony of this story became clear then.  We were all there in support of the Salvation Army to help raise funds for the vital work they do to ease the lives of people just like the man we had seen sitting on the sidewalk… and so conveniently ignored.

On that day, it was clear too, that although we were physically present at the luncheon, we had left our sincerity behind, choosing instead to focus on being seen to do the right thing rather than actually doing it. 

In today’s environment there is little time for this kind of posturing.  We are being asked to step up and out of our pretenses.   I’m working on it because in my book, sincerity in leadership, (whether we lead only ourselves or multitudes of others), is a pretty big deal.

What do you think?  Do you have a story to share where the presence, or absence, of sincerity made the difference between success and failure?  I’d love to hear it.

Guiding Rookies ~ Three Steps To Doing It Well

As the new leaves of spring start to unfurl and all that buds begins to blossom, I’m reminded of what it is to be new and fresh…. and green… as a rookie in the workplace.

On the one hand as rookies, we come to our new situations with a certain wide-eyed anticipation, enthusiasm and excitement that, if bottled, could provide the elixir of hope to many a world-weary veteran.  On the other hand, if we are to maintain our enthusiasm, stand tall and grow, we need some help along the way.

Recently, we held an election in this country.  For one party, the results were quite surprising with whole communities voting out the Tried and True, (or otherwise, depending on your perspective), and voting in a number of very inexperienced people who will now represent them in parliament over the next four years.

Among this very green group are:  a horticulturist (pardon the pun), a jewelry maker, a number of university students (one of whom is only nineteen years old) and a young woman who was, prior to being elected, an assistant manager in a university campus pub. Go figure.

Given their disparate occupations and limited exposure to the real world of politics, it occurs to me that these folks will need plenty of help along the way.  And, the usual orientation program that tends to stop when the rules and policies have been conveyed (and the path to the washroom and other facilities clarified) is not going to cut it.

So what will?

How might this leader ensure that a gardener, jewelry maker, student and publican have the best chance of becoming  functional, contributing, and successful in their newly elected roles?

Well, not being a parliamentarian or even a politician for that matter, I may be unqualified to comment. But, what the heck, I’ll give it shot and see what happens.  After all, it can’t be that much different from introducing new employees into other kinds of organizations can it?

In fact, there are three steps that come to mind for me and here they are:

Step #I ~ Help Them Connect…

• To the Organizational Purpose: People new to any organization will feel a greater sense of belonging when they understand and believe in its purpose.   Understanding purpose goes much deeper than the vision statement hanging the wall that no one seems to be able to remember.  It strives to include people and help them see themselves as part of its fulfillment.

• To the Values on which the organization is built: Values provide the boundaries within which people in the organization may make decisions; take considered risks; and build strong relationships both inside and outside the firm.  Boundaries constructed of values serve as the organizational conscience.

• To Internal and External Networks:  Give new recruits exposure to those who are more established and experienced; people who can help them create and build their own reputation and enhance their ability to serve their constituents.

Step #II ~ Help Them Learn…

• Through Skill Building:  This starts with the work of determining and acknowledging what each person brings to the new job in the way of transferrable skills; identifying what they need; and making specific plans for both maximizing on existing skill and building new skill.

• Through Mentoring: Help each of them find someone else in the organization to whom they can go for informal and confidential advice and guidance; a person with experience and knowledge; and one who is open to sharing it.

• Through Coaching & Monitoring:  Get to know them well enough to be able to see what they are capable of (even when they don’t see it). Encourage them. Champion them.  Ask for more.  Hold them accountable for delivering on the promises they make to themselves and others.  And, monitor their progress against the goals you have set together.

Step #III ~ Help Them Flourish

• By knowing when to let go:  There just comes a time when the period of orientation ends; the mechanisms for building solid relationships and monitoring performance are in place and the cluster of new buds are ready to blossom.  To do this well, they need air.  Trust that you have done your job well and give them space to prove you right.

• By Using Mistakes as learning opportunities not weapons:  People, whether seasoned Veterans or Newbies, do not respond well in environments of blame.  Failure happens.  You can make it useful by keeping blame out of the equation.

Of course when it comes to being a new Member of Parliament, I expect there is a whole raft of procedure and protocol that these newly minted MPs will have to learn.  But, the steps I’ve outlined above seem, (to me anyway), to fit, no matter where they might be applied, in government or in a small business, because in the end, it’s about understanding human nature and building support mechanisms that work for people.  What do you think?  What have I left out?

Encouraging Innovation & The Story of the 5 Monkeys

I think we’ve all heard someone say it at one time or another.  Or, we may even have said it ourselves.  It goes something like this.  Someone asks the question, “why?” and the response is “Because that’s just the way it’s done.  We’ve always done it that way”

A statement like that can put the lid on things pretty quickly can’t it?  And often, those who are brave enough to explore further by asking, “Yes, but why has it always been done that way?” never receive a satisfactory answer because the truth is that nobody really knows why.

You’re nodding your head aren’t you?  I’m not surprised.  It is, after all, a fairly common occurrence especially in long established organizations.

It reminds me of the Story of the 5 monkeys.  If you aren’t familiar with the story here it is.

Of course, as human beings we like to think that we have evolved a little more than the monkeys in the story; that we are not so easily manipulated.  But, the story illustrates how we can fall into patterns of behaviour without really understanding why.  In organizations, we can also become so deeply entrenched in our way of doing things, attempts to effect change are often greeted with a metaphorical dousing of cold water almost every time.

I think we all know that in today’s economy, our ability to be flexible, creative and innovative is key to our present and future success. The question is, as leaders, how do we invite innovation and creative thinking into our workplaces?  Well, I’ve been having a bit of a think about that and I have some suggestions for your consideration, just to get you started.

Conduct a review of what you value

We tend to talk a lot about organizational values, sometimes without a second thought.  Taking the time to consider what we value and why we value it provides an opportunity to re-affirm organizational beliefs and also to challenge some that may no longer fit with our current reality.  Sometimes too, our actions and attitudes can get out of sync with what we say we value so looking in the mirror once in a while is not a bad idea.

Invite Challenge

This seems like a simple thing to do but sometimes we can allow our egos to get in the way.  For example, if you are a new leader it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you must have all of the answers. You don’t.  And you won’t.

Allowing others to challenge our thinking does not demean the role of the leader.  Instead, it enhances the possibility of a fresher, more creative and progressive outcome and that kind of leadership places emphasis where it belongs, on the work and the people who do it.

Look at failure as part of the process

Nobody likes to fail.  The thing is there are lessons to be learned from it and while we don’t try new things with the idea of failing, sometimes we have to try, and fail, until we discover what works.  Whether we like it or not, clinging to the familiar or doing things the way we have always done them will eventually lead us to failure anyway.

Acknowledge and Reward Creative thinking

Organizations that value stability over innovation will tend to discourage what they consider to be interference with the way things are and discount the ideas of those who think outside the scope of conventional wisdom.

Finding ways to bring out fresh ideas, no matter how bizarre they may sound, and acknowledging those eager to put them forward, demonstrates a willingness to accept the necessity for ongoing change in a time when change is the only thing we can count on.

In today’s world those of us who value stability must learn to live in environments where the apple cart is constantly being upset. To me, this means we will not always be able to know the “why” of everything but we can also no longer afford to accept things because that’s the way we’ve always done them.

What do you think?  How do you invite innovation and creative thinking into your workplace?  What else can we do to break habits that no longer work for us?

Leadership and Curiosity

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, I think, at a child’s birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity.

I happen to think that fairy godmothers everywhere are quite liberal with the gift of curiosity when we are born. Somehow though, along the way, so many of us wrap the gift up again and put it away in our inner attics, unwrapping it only on occasion.

I think we do that because, as we grow, we are taught that curiosity can be intrusive, impolite and get us into trouble. But, I’m coming around to think that it is one of the foundations of good leadership.

As a fundamental tool for exploration, curiosity is the springboard to developing our ability to ask good questions.  And, the skill of asking questions is one that all good leaders must have in their tool kit. To me, a good question is one that evokes deep thought, instigates change, inspires creativity, and/or clears the debris of confusion to make room for clarity.  It can come from no other place than our very human tendency to want to know. And, for many of us, it requires blowing off the cobwebs of our childhood “gift” and putting it to use.

So, if we haven’t invited our curiosity out to play lately, what might be getting in the way? How might we look at it differently? Here’s what I’ve come up with so far.  Feel free to participate won’t you?

We confuse curiosity with being “Nosy”

Many of us, as we grow, are schooled to mind our own business.  It is offensive to pry.  It is annoying when we ask too many questions.  And later, as adults, it is easy to see why we hesitate to ask when we want to know something.

To me, there is a great difference between being curious and being nosy.  It centers on our intent. Those who seek information with the intent is to use what they come to know for the purpose of passing judgment and gaining leverage over others are more likely to be considered nosy, or worse.

Alternately, those who seek information out of genuine interest do so with the intent to explore, discover and expand their knowledge. These people have a way of engaging others in the exploration too and making them feel valued rather than scrutinized. In other words, curiosity comes from a place of innocence and fascination where nosiness has a more unpleasant origin.

We come to believe that we need to have all the answers before we ask the questions

Some of us will choose not to act out of curiosity because we believe that, as leaders, we should always have the answers.  From this perspective we run risk of restricting the amount of useful information and ideas available to us. And, we rarely learn how to ask those really good questions.

Some time ago, Art Petty wrote a post called; Let Your Questions be their Guide. It is an excellent post that includes some questions that will encourage curiosity in others. If you are curious, I encourage you to check it out.

We are self conscious about how we might look if we ask a “dumb” question

Okay, so no one really likes it when we ask a question that makes us appear to others as being naïve or ignorant.  To some leaders, doing so means tarnishing their image or putting their capability as a leader into question.  And so, they simply stop asking and instead live in hope that someone else will ask the “dumb” question instead.  The trouble with that is that focusing on our own image does not get the job done.  And, it does not allow for the kind of exploration required to build and grow the organization to its full potential.

We have not made curiosity part of our culture

Simply put, if we do not make inquiry, exploration and discovery part of the fabric of the organization, we will resist flexing our curiosity muscles.  Leaders who want to create and encourage this kind of environment must do so by going first, showing others how it’s done and acknowledging those who follow their example.

So…what about you? What gets in the way of your curiosity? How do you, or would you, encourage others to flex their curiosity muscles? What good questions do you like to ask? What benefits have you experienced from inviting curiosity into your workplace? What do you think?

A Year in Review…and a Hint at What’s Next

This week, like so many, I’m looking back on the blog posts I have written over the past year, and offer those that resonated most with so many of you who have been good enough to read “You’re Not the Boss of Me”.

1.  First up is Leadership…and All That Jazz. This post considers the metaphor between leadership and jazz.  While many of us would like leading others to be more like a symphony, in perfect harmony, in reality, we know it to be a lot messier than that. Oh, and if you have the time, don’t forget to check out Oscar Peterson at the end.  It’s music to soothe the soul.

2.  I often draw inspiration from real life stories.  Encouraging Dreams highlights two such stories and also, I think, gives us an opportunity to consider dreaming as a practical tool for achieving great things.

3.  I wrote Unlocking the Energy – Another Job for Leaders because I was thinking about what it actually takes for people to unlock hidden reservoirs of energy from others and have them use it willingly in the accomplishment of great work.  I was also thinking about what it takes to make me give my best.

4.  I’m an admitted Miss Manners and so I couldn’t let the year go by without writing something about being mindful of others, at work, or anywhere really. So here’s another look at Four Reasons Why Civility in the Workplace is a Must.

5. Managing & Leading…Lessons from Gilbert & Sullivan was really fun to write.  As a visual learner, I love getting leadership inspiration from movies.  Topsy Turvy is an entertaining movie with some great actors and wonderful insights into human nature.  And, it helps if you are a Gilbert & Sullivan fan too.

6.  I often think about what it takes to move from being an individual contributor to being a boss.  It’s not as easy as it may seem to some.  This post, Becoming a Leader…Shifting the Balance of Power tells a personal story that illustrates what can happen if we aren’t careful.

7.  I Love to tell stories.  And hopefully the stories I tell have a message for those who are in leadership roles and willing to look in the mirror once in a while. Managing Your Personal Impact…One Boss’s Story will show you what I mean.

8.  I wrote Leadership and the Attitude Contagion because well, I just think we pay too little attention to how our moods and behaviours affect others.  I believe the job of a leader to include being Chief Attitude Officer. Check it out to see more of what I mean.

9.  Toward the end of 2010, I began to think more about what it takes to lead in a world, which, through technology, is becoming smaller.  Our borders are blurring and our people entwined with each other more than ever before.  To me, this calls for emphasis on the more feminine side of our leadership palette and on language and practices that have, in the past, been viewed as being of secondary importance. The Language of Leadership in the 21^st Century takes a look at this language and its applicability in the new world.

10.  Finally, before moving on to 2011, I went back to a post I wrote in June, 2009.  I chose this to highlight here because it kind of illustrates an important focus for me going forward.  It’s called In Praise of Peacocks, Nerds, Dorks and Dweebs and it emphasizes the importance of valuing diversity between and among people.

My focus for this blog in 2011 will be to continue to support those who see great leadership as being key to creating successful, functional and happy workplaces.  This could take many forms, but mostly what I want to do is shine the light on some leaders, some practices and some writers who may not currently be on the leadership radar but whose message, in this new Century needs to be heard.

Thank you for your readership and your support over the past year.  I hope you will continue to come along for the ride as we go forward…and bring your friends.

And, as always your comments are more than welcome.

 

Servant Leadership…Creating an Environment of Service

A lot is being said about the leader as “servant”.  I expect, given that it is a relatively young term (having been ‘born’ in 1970), it is also subject to wide interpretation.  As such, while some people will experience great results from their efforts to serve; others will consider it a fad that will go away if they ignore it; and still others will make every effort to embrace the notion of the Servant Leader but find themselves exhausted, confused and possibly resentful because people seem to be walking all over them.

So what to do?  Well, first I’m thinking that we need some clarity about what it means to serve or be a servant.  So I looked it up in a number of dictionaries and found:

Servant leaders are humble stewards of their organizations’ resources

A Servant is one who serves another, providing help in some manner

A servant is a person who performs duties for others.

So far so good.  Then I went to the Thesaurus for some synonyms for the word servant. Between the words attendant and steward lay these words, lackey, flunky, minion and drudge. Okay then, herein may lie a problem.

Perhaps it is that many of us, when we think of the term Servant Leadership, take this subservient perspective (a.k.a. lackey, flunky, minion and drudge).  In other words, it suggests that by serving, we are also submitting to the whims of others for no other reason than to render them superior. And, let’s face it; our egos are going to have a hard time with that.

So, if you have been leaning in that direction when you think about the notion of Servant Leadership I have some good news for you.  I don’t think it’s about that at all.  Here’s what I do believe it’s about.

It’s about…knowing the Over-arching purpose

I believe a good servant leader will focus on an over-arching purpose. This purpose becomes the master and the guide for all activities undertaken within the framework of the company. The leader serves the purpose through people. For instance, Southwest airlines’ over-arching purpose is stated as:

“To provide the best service and lowest fares to the short haul, frequent-flying, point-to-point, non-interlining traveler.”

This simple statement lets everyone know why Southwest Airlines is in business and whom it is there, ultimately, to serve.  However, in order to succeed, this understanding of service must permeate the organization and so it also becomes the role of the leader to:

Serve the people who are working to fulfill the over-arching purpose

This means that the leader works to provide the resources needed for people to do their jobs well and happily.  It includes providing needed training, supplies, connections, information, accommodation, direction and anything else that allows people working in the company to move the organization closer to the achievement of its purpose.

It also means…encouraging and developing an environment where people serve each other

Okay, so I think where we can go wrong with this servant leadership thing is that we fail to expect all people working in the organization to serve too.  Or, we simply don’t convey it very well.

Those who believe servant leadership to be a role only for the designated leader would be wrong. In truth, an environment that embraces service will do so in an all-encompassing way.  This means that regardless of title or position, each person will both lead and serve another, or a group of others, to achieve company goals and make a contribution to the achievement of its purpose.

So, having said all that, what does it actually take to create this environment where service is king?  Well, for what it’s worth, this is what I think about that.

It takes Discipline: Staying focused on the over-arching purpose and using it, as a guide for providing service to others is not easy.  As humans, we can become easily distracted.  It may be easy to stay the course and remain true to the purpose when times are good.  But, when they are not so good, it becomes tempting to stray and do what is expedient instead.

It takes Humility: Putting others before ourselves is sometimes a challenge, especially in business, but humility is an essential ingredient in a successful service environment.  I’m not talking about being obsequious here.  I’m talking about simply being unselfish and mindful of others’ needs and contributions.

It takes Collaboration: Simply put, in order to serve the purpose and each other, we have to learn to work together, avoid internal politics and protectionism and share our ideas and resources with each other more freely.

It takes Trust:  Trust is often an earned thing.  However, a leader who serves the people will, in my view anyway, start from a platform of trust rather than skepticism.  In my experience, people respond well to a leader who conveys faith in their intent. People who feel trusted are more likely to be willing to serve the over-arching purpose.  Will you be disappointed? Yep, from time to time you will. But, if you start out not trusting my hunch is you’re going to be disappointed anyway.

And:

It takes Faith: I’m not talking about the religious kind of faith here.  I’m talking about the kind of faith that makes you believe so strongly in your company’s purpose and its people that all of your activities centre around them and the financial results that you realize from that come as a by-product of your collective effort.

So, is servant leadership for the faint of heart?  I’d say no.  Is it about subservience, or slavery?  Certainly not.  What do you think? What rewards have you experienced from leading from the perspective of service?  What challenges have you faced? What would you add?