Perceptions of Leadership ~ Changing the Record

Recently, I  read an interesting article that started me thinking about the messages we send out to our children concerning what it is to be a manager. I was thinking too, or perhaps worrying, that in spite of herculean efforts on the part of many ‘experts’ to change the perception of what it takes to be a good manager, we seem to be failing to convey a more enlightened message than the one that prevailed at the beginning of the Industrial Age.

The Article, written by Hal Gregersen for Businessweek.com is entitled, “What Do Managers Do at Work?

Gregerson and his colleague, Warner Woodworth, collected data from one thousand children between the ages of five and eighteen years old. When asked, “What do Managers do at work?” the responses looked like this:

55%: Managers control people’s actions at work, making sure they do what they’re supposed to do when they’re supposed to do it.

39%: Managers fix problems at work, any problem (and more often than not, they fix every problem).

6%: Managers develop people’s capabilities by coaching them to become better at what they do.

Less than 1%: Managers understand and serve customer needs.

Less than 1%: Managers make a profit for their companies.”

While I don’t think the sample size here can wholly represent the perceptions of all children in the five to eighteen age range, it appears that among these 1,000 children, the perception of management remains largely entrenched in a command and control model. And that is worrying enough to talk about.

For me, it begs the question: What must we do to change the record… to make sure upcoming generations of organizational leaders have the opportunity to think differently about the work of leadership and management long before they even get their first job?

It’s a big question. I don’t have the answer…just a thought for now, which is this:

Changing the way we talk about our own work experience might provide an opportunity for the next generation to think about work differently, not necessarily how it is, but how it could be or how we want it to be. ~ If we think young people are not listening when we talk about our jobs, our bosses, or our employees, we would be wrong. That means our experiences around leadership, control, problem solving, idea-generation, diversity etc. are, almost always passed along and absorbed.

So, here are a few questions to ask ourselves that might help us to think differently; to change the conversation; and perhaps too, the perception of what a good manager does at work:

What kind of boss would I like my daughter or son to be?
In what way can I champion a positive and collaborative leadership model?
Why is it important?
What opportunities might I provide now that will help my children develop 21st Century leadership skill?
What kind of role model am I?
Alan Keightley said, “Once in a while it really hits people that they don’t’ have to experience the world in the way they have been told to”

With that in mind, I assert that our children do not have to experience organizational life in the same way so many of us do, or have done. But, for a new vision of leadership to fully emerge, we have to start by breaking old patterns…and changing the record. Fortunately, there is some evidence of this happening.  Take a moment to listen to these children on the topic of leadership:

That’s what I think anyway. What do you think?

*Note: This post is a refreshed version of one written in October 2012

Creating Boundaries for Growth and Success

In life and work, there are many boundaries, personal ones,interpersonal ones and systemic ones.  And there are also organizational boundaries.  These are the ones that intrigue me most because they are the most difficult to manage and yet can be just the thing that makes growth and success possible.

The trouble with organizational boundaries though, is that so often they are defined by rules and procedures that have a tendency to limit creative ability and collaborative effort.  That can be very stifling for both the organization and most certainly for the people who work in it.  In my mind, boundaries built on rules and procedures alone make an organization look a bit like this:

It has a rather claustrophobic feeling about it, doesn’t it? And, its walls are solid and unbending.  In an atmosphere like this, I can imagine how hard it must be to engage people in creative thinking, (and doing), because really, there seems to be no way out of the ‘boundary box’.  In this scenario, boundaries create a static space with little room for fresh ideas or growth.

But, let’s not get carried away.  Boundaries are a necessary part of every organization.  Without them, we invite chaos, distraction, and confusion with everyone running around doing their own thing and nothing meaningful being accomplished.

The thing is, boundaries don’t have to limit our ability to put our heads together and come up with ideas and activities that bring the workplace alive and produce something meaningful and fulfilling.

In fact, if expressed differently they can serve the creative process amazingly well.  Here’s what it might look like:

You may notice that the Legal and Ethical boundary appears at the bottom of both images.  There’s no getting away from that one.  It is in no way flexible and serves as the foundation for any reputable organization’s dealings.

The vision and purpose of the organization provides the uppermost boundary.  This speaks to the importance of creating, conveying and instilling a clear sense of purpose and future throughout the workforce. This is not simply about hanging framed vision statements on the wall.  It is something that acts as a guide to decision makers and leaders throughout the company regardless of their position or title.  It invites the question, “Does what we are about to do serve our organizational purpose and move us closer to realizing our ultimate goal?”

The boundaries on either side of the model are created by the Values the organization and its people espouse.  Values express our intentional behaviour and the qualities we hold as critical to the company and what it stands for. It also invites the question, “ Does what we are planning to do honour our values? If it doesn’t, what must we do differently to ensure alignment?”

Finally, the Creative space here is not so much restricted by hard and fast rules but guided by a set of principles that makes sense to everyone. They are open to challenge. They respond to changing times and situations. And that makes the creative space alive and dynamic.

Of course, if there were a downside to this kind of boundary making, it would be the greyness of its nature.  Rules are black and white, right or wrong… vision, purpose and values…not so much. These can be open to interpretation from one person to the next.  As such, they require ongoing attention, management and leadership.  Their messages must be constantly referenced and reinforced.  And too, there must be a strong belief in the will and capability of people to see themselves in the organizational vision, working with others to fulfill its purpose and aligning themselves with the values it embraces.

For the leader, it is not easy work…not at all.  To me, though, it is work worth pursuing because, done well, it increases the potential of companies to successfully build something that everyone involved can feel proud of.

That’s what I think anyway.  What do you think?

Note: This post is a refreshed version of one originally published in December 2011

Making a Shift to Leadership…And Also Stepping Back

Dear Readers,

I first started writing “You’re Not the Boss of Me” four years ago, publishing my first post on January 6, 2009.  Over that time, it has been my intent to write current, timely posts that would give rise to deeper thought or practical action, sometimes both.  Now, I’m reaching a point where my ‘fresh ideas’ are, to me, becoming less fresh.  And so, I feel a sabbatical is in order, a time for me to step away and give myself a little time to recharge & regroup.

Between now and when I start writing new material here again, I will be republishing posts that appear to have resonated the most with you.  They carry with them the wish that you will find in them something new or a reminder of something old worth noting.

Thank you so much for your ongoing support. I hope you will continue to engage me, and each other, in conversation by way of your comments.

The first offering is about the subtle and sometimes not so subtle shifts we have to make when we first move to a management role.  It is a lesson we all learn sooner or later.  But sooner is better. Don’t you think?  Cheers

Gwyn

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             Making the Shift to Leadership

I think the biggest (and perhaps most difficult) shift a person has to make when s/he makes a move to leadership is the Relationship Shift. (Try saying that three times fast!).

In working as individuals we often develop relationships with our co-workers, many of whom may actually become our friends.  We tend to pick and choose the people with whom we become close.  We become involved in their lives.  They become involved in ours.  And the balance of power between us tends to remain reasonably level.

Promotion to a leadership role changes all that.  Whether you are promoted within your current work area or move to another area or even another job, know this:

Promotion to a leadership role demands the establishment of a professional distance between you and those who work under your supervision.

This does not mean that you must isolate yourself from the people who work with you, far from it.  It does mean though that the relationships you develop must transcend your personal feelings about the people in your work group and expand to include an impartiality that allows you to make appropriate decisions and get the work done.

This shift in relationships is not a one-way street either.  With promotion to a leadership role comes a change in the balance of power.  People who were once peers become, (organizationally speaking), subordinates and that means you will have some influence over areas of their working life that you previously did not.   They will be looking for evidence that they can trust you with that.  And they will expect you to be fair about it.  So, you may not be invited to lunch as you once were.  And if you are, you should consider the wisdom of accepting.

The up side to this (and there’s always an up side) is that as a boss, you will have opportunities to build new relationships with not only those who work for you but with a new set of peers.  One of the crucial roles of a leader is to build relationships across a variety of lines of work.  This allows for easier communication, collaboration between and among stakeholders and an opportunity to learn new things from a variety of perspectives.  And that’s a good thing.

So while you may initially feel the loss of your previous working relationships, there is a bigger world out there for you to play in.

That’s what I think anyway.  What do you think?

P.S. While I think the shift in relationships is probably the most difficult one to make.  There are others.  Here are two more posts that address some of these ~ The Leadership Activity Shift and the Leadership Measurement Shift

Leadership Lessons From Gilbert & Sullivan

This is a refreshed version of a post written a couple of years ago. It reminds me that leadership can be found everywhere… and is necessary, no matter what your occupation.

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Recently, I watched a movie called Topsy Turvy.  This 1999 production tells a story of Gilbert and Sullivan and the events that led up to the creation of The Mikado, a now much celebrated opera.

While I was watching, I began to see the fundamental elements of management and leadership at play and to appreciate that no matter the endeavour, the principles of both are ever present.

Here are some things I was reminded of:

People work best together when they sing from the same song sheet.

Throughout the movie it became clear to me that no matter what was going on, the values of civility, respect and dignity underscored everything.  The principal leaders of the company were unceasingly polite and respectful toward one another.  This, of course, might have been the Victorian times in which they lived, but it struck me that Gilbert and Sullivan as well as their business partner, D’Oyley Carte demonstrated these values consistently and effortlessly.  They set the tone for the rest of the company who followed suit without question.  And, I didn’t see a Values Statement hanging on a wall anywhere.

Outstanding productions require collaboration

Can you imagine what The Mikado might have sounded like if Gilbert had written the libretto and Sullivan, the music for it without consulting each other?…Something of a mess I shouldn’t wonder.  And yet, in so many organizations, one department will invariably act without consulting the other or a boss will make decisions without consulting the team.  The truth is, it is collaborative effort that brings a one-dimensional idea to life and helps it to stand the test of time.

Care about the players

The company of players was comprised of a mixed group of artists all with their own special talents, needs and idiosyncrasies.  Gilbert and Sullivan recognized that in order to get the best performance from each, they needed to understand their individual capabilities, strengths and limitations. They interacted with and encouraged both the principals of the production and members of the chorus to give what they knew them to be capable of giving.  And, they held each member to account for their behaviour and the quality of performance they delivered.

Examine The Performance

At the end of the evening’s performance and before anyone in the company was allowed to leave, Gilbert, Sullivan and Carte, the theatre manager, held a meeting.  At this meeting, they each discussed how the performance was executed from their own particular perspectives.  First, they talked about what went well, praised the performers and thanked them for their efforts.   Then, through discussion, they changed some things to enhance their overall performance the next time.   This is sometimes referred to as a post-mortem but whatever you call it, bringing the team together to discuss outcomes and changes, makes for a better result next time and also has a way of creating a feeling of solidarity among people.

Criticize the song, not the singer

At one point in the movie, Gilbert announces his intention to cut a song from the show.  There are sounds of disappointment among the company and sympathy expressed for the song’s performer.  The singer suggests to Mr. Gilbert that while he doesn’t consider himself a great singer, he believes that he could make a better effort.  Mr. Gilbert responds by saying something like, “Sir, you misunderstand. You performed eminently well.  It is the song that is bad”

Often, making the distinction between the thing that isn’t working and the person who is working it is very important.  There are of course times when the thing is perfectly good and the performance of the person needs some work, but that’s a different conversation.  The lesson for me here is that being clear about what we are criticizing avoids a great deal of confusion and unnecessary angst.

Cling to your own opinion at your peril

There is a great deal of sadness among the company when the song is cut from the show.  They all consider it a fine song and have empathy for the performer who continues to feel he has somehow failed.  As a consequence, a small group of players decide to approach Mr. Gilbert and ask him to consider re-instating the song.  This is something of a departure from normal custom in a patriarchal, benevolent dictatorship and yet this small group feels strongly enough to take a risk.  And so, in the presence of the entire company they present their case.

Mr. Gilbert remains quiet for some minutes.  He looks from one to the other earnest face and asks if the rest of the company agrees.  Aside from the company sycophant, who assures Mr. Gilbert that none of this was his idea, they unanimously reply, “Yes, we do!”

Mr. Gilbert then asks the song’s performer if he would be ready and willing to perform the song.  Again, he receives an affirmative reply.   Mr. Gilbert remains unconvinced that the song is good but believes in the opinion of his company and so he allows the song back into the performance. That evening, the song receives considerable accolades from the audience.

This reminds me of the critical importance of listening.   It also confirms that even the most brilliant among us is wrong sometimes.  Clinging stubbornly to our own opinions can be critically damaging.

That’s what I think anyway. What do you think?

Oh, and just for fun, here is the finale of the Mikado for your viewing pleasure.

Leadership Perceptions ~ Changing the Record

I read an interesting article last week that started me thinking about the messages we send out to our children concerning what it is to be a manager.  I was thinking too, or perhaps worrying, that in spite of herculean efforts on the part of many ‘experts’ to change the perception of what it takes to be a good manager, we seem to be failing to convey a more enlightened message than the one that prevailed at the beginning of the Industrial Age.

The Article, written by Hal Gregersen for Businessweek.com is entitled, “What Do Managers Do at Work? 

Gregerson and his colleague, Warner Woodworth, collected data from one thousand children between the ages of five and eighteen years old.  When asked, “What do Managers do at work?” the responses looked like this:

55%: Managers control people’s actions at work, making sure they do what they’re supposed to do when they’re supposed to do it.

39%: Managers fix problems at work, any problem (and more often than not, they fix every problem). 

6%: Managers develop people’s capabilities by coaching them to become better at what they do.

Less than 1%: Managers understand and serve customer needs. 

Less than 1%: Managers make a profit for their companies.”

While I don’t think the sample size here can wholly represent the perceptions of all children in the five to eighteen age range, it appears that among these 1,000 children, the perception of management remains largely entrenched in a command and control model.  And that is worrying enough to talk about.

For me, it begs the question: What must we do to change the record… to make sure upcoming generations of organizational leaders have the opportunity to think differently about the work of leadership and management long before they even get their first job?

It’s a big question.  I don’t have the answer…just a thought for now, which is this:

Changing the way we talk about our own work experience might provide an opportunity for the next generation to think about work differently, not necessarily how it is, but how it could be or how we want it to be. ~ If we think young people are not listening when we talk about our jobs, our bosses, or our employees, we would be wrong.   That means  our experiences around leadership, control, problem solving, idea-generation, diversity etc. are, almost always passed along and absorbed.

So, here are a few questions to ask ourselves that might help us to think differently; to change the conversation; and perhaps too, the perception of what a good manager does at work:

• What kind of boss would I like my daughter or son to be?
• In what way can I champion a positive and collaborative leadership model?
• Why is it important?
• What opportunities might I provide now that will help my children develop 21^st Century leadership skill?
• What kind of role model am I?

Alan Keightley said, “Once in a while it really hits people that they don’t’ have to experience the world in the way they have been told to”

With that in mind, I assert that our children do not have to experience organizational life in the same way so many of us do, or have done.  But, for a new vision of leadership to fully emerge, we have to start by breaking old patterns…and changing the record.

That’s what I think anyway. What do you think?

Leadership Lessons from the Old Man and the Sea

The other day, while channel surfing, I caught a glimpse of Spencer Tracy playing Santiago in Ernest Hemingway’s, The Old Man and the Sea.  It didn’t register much at the time because as you may know, when one channel surfs, the little grey cells kind of take a nap.  Later though, I began to think about that story and the lessons it has to teach us.

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For those who are unfamiliar with the story, Santiago is an old fisherman living in a village not far from Havana.  Fishing is his livelihood and yet he has failed to catch any fish in eighty-four days. The young boy, who usually goes out with him, is instructed by his father to stay away from the old man. He is bad luck.  So Santiago goes fishing alone.

On the eighty-fifth day, he decides to go out further than he usually does because somewhere within him, he believes there is a big fish just meant for him.  His instinct proves to be correct as his hook and bait are swallowed by a Marlin so large it dwarfs the boat.

The Old man is determined to catch this fish.  He wants to prove that he isn’t bad luck. He envisions bringing the giant fish into the tiny harbour of his home with enough to feed the whole village.  Perhaps, deep down, he likes the idea of being a hero.

So, Santiago hangs onto the fishing line with all his might.  The fish fights valiantly all the while dragging the boat further and further out to sea.  The old man suffers as the line cuts through the muscle of his hands and his back goes into spasms of pain from pulling and resisting.

In the end, the fish tires enough to allow the old man to reel him in closer to the boat.  It is then that Santiago is successful in sinking his harpoon into the fish’s heart.  The battle is won.  But, the war is just beginning as the old man realizes the fish is bigger than the boat.  So with great diligence and respect, he straps the fish to the side of the boat and begins to make the very long journey home.

Over the course of the journey, the fish is attacked again and again by sharks.  And, as much as the old man fights to preserve it, he fails.  By the time he reaches home, he is completely exhausted… and the fish is reduced to a skeleton.

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Let’s, just for fun, suppose that Mr. Santiago is the CEO of his own company.  His fishing business is not doing well.  He has no allies except perhaps a young assistant who, while eager, is being influenced by his family to look for work elsewhere.

Mr. Santiago is desperate to save his business and his reputation in the business community. He decides to take a huge leap of faith without really thinking it through.

At first, it looks as if his tactic is paying off.  In fact, he starts to reel in more business than he can possibly handle.   And, it’s starting to draw the attention of other businesses hungry to expand.  Mr. Santiago fights hard to protect his interests with the few resources he has, but to no avail.   Eventually, he is forced to close his doors and the glorious outcome he envisioned when he set out, becomes unattainable.

So, what advice might we give Mr. Santiago to help him realize a different outcome?  Well, a few things come to mind for me:

Have a clear goal

Spend some time envisioning the goal.  In your vision, where are you fishing? How much and what kind of fish are you catching? How big is your boat? What equipment do you have?  Who is giving you support?  What have you learned that you don’t know now?  How did you learn it?

Build a plan to support the goal.

Being able to clearly imagine the goal is important but you must also have a realistic plan for achieving it.  This includes ensuring you have sufficient resources and capability to execute the plan.   And, by the way, a good plan is only good when it is acted upon. Otherwise it becomes an exercise in wasting your time.

Consider the potential risks and rewards

Before venturing into uncharted waters, it’s a good idea to first reflect on what you stand to gain and lose by doing so.  If the risk seems greater than the potential reward, you might want to re-think the strategy.

Develop Solid Relationships with others

John Donne once said, “No man is an island entire of itself”.   With that in mind, consider inviting others to share the goal and be part of the venture.  Protect your interests from becoming shark bait by offering other, like-minded people of your choosing to participate and share in the rewards.

Think Beyond the Achievement of the Goal

To consider achievement of the goal as the end would be a mistake.  You also have to anticipate what might happen in the event of a huge success.  What then?  How will you manage it? What more will you need? How will it change you? How will it change your company?

Know When to Cut the Line

There is of course a point of no return on just about everything. In the case of Santiago in the original story, going further and further out to sea after he had caught the fish ensured that by the time he made it back to shore, there would be nothing left of it.  In business we also have to know when to stop.

The bottom line is that striking out to explore new territory is an essential part of leadership.  However, the success of such exploration and the achievement of goals rely on one’s ability to marry leadership skill with management ability. Perhaps if Santiago had understood this, the outcome of his story might have been more positive.

What do you think?

5 Ways to Tackle The Problem of the Problem Boss

I read an article in the Globe and Mail this week entitled, “Dealing with an Irrational Boss”

One of the strategies it suggested to counteract the effects of a boss prone to rampages and the like, was to “put as many people as possible between you and your boss”

To me, (especially if you are a boss yourself), using other people as a cushion or perhaps even a shield to avoid direct contact with your own boss is not the way to model good leadership behaviour.

So, I’ve been having a think about an alternate approach when building a useful business relationship with the boss proves to be a challenge.

Here’s what comes to mind:

Know your Limits ~ We all place a limit on what we are willing to put up with when it comes to dealing with difficult people.  Many of us don’t know what that limit is until we get there.  By paying some attention to our personal values and being consciously aware of them, we have greater opportunity to stay well grounded even when we are standing in the eye of the boss’ s one-person hurricane.

Draw your Lines and Stand Your Ground ~ Being consciously aware of our limits allows us to know as soon as a line has been crossed.  It is then that our strength of character is called into play.  Allowing someone to exercise authority over us through fear and intimidation only encourages more of the same. Finding the courage to challenge such behaviour, (from Boss’s or anyone else), weakens their position.

As a cautionary note, standing your ground has its risks.  However, If the boss is consistently tyrannical, and chooses to punish you for retaining your self-respect, working with him or her is not likely something you aspire to do over the long haul anyway.  In this case, the wise person will be planning to make a change, job-wise.

Add Value ~ Unless your boss is a true monster, it is likely that his or her primary goal will not be to make your life a misery, even if it feels that way sometimes. As such, the key to the boss’s regard may just lie in finding ways to support and promote the achievement of organizational goals and encouraging those who work with you to do the same.

Make a Difference ~ People are watching.  If you are a boss dealing with a difficult boss, know that you are being watched.  The way you respond sends a message to all who follow you.  Just because your boss is hard to deal with, doesn’t mean that you have to be that way too.  Find ways to break the cycle.  Make a difference by demonstrating what it means to be a good leader.

Resist Gossip ~ Irrational bosses are talked about.  A Lot.  It’s an outlet that allows people to lick their wounds in sympathy with each other.  As a boss yourself, it serves little purpose to participate in “pity parties “of this nature, tempting though it may be.  If you choose to spend your time complaining about your boss, your opportunity to make a breakthrough in your relationship with him or her will be diminished accordingly.

The bottom line is that while some bosses are so irrational they are beyond redemption, others may just require more work to establish common and mutually respectful ground.

What do you think?

Creating Boundaries For Growth & Success

In life and work, there are many boundaries.  For example, there are personal ones; interpersonal ones and systemic ones, just to name a few.  And then there are organizational boundaries.  These are the ones that intrigue me most because they are the most difficult to manage and yet can be just the thing that makes growth and success possible.

The trouble with organizational boundaries though, is that so often they are defined by rules and procedures that have a tendency to limit creative ability and collaborative effort.  That can be very stifling for both the organization and most certainly for the people who work in it.  In my mind, boundaries built on rules and procedures alone make an organization look a bit like this:

It has a rather claustrophobic feeling about it, doesn’t it? And, its walls are solid and unbending.  In an atmosphere like this, I can imagine how hard it must be to engage people in creative thinking, (and doing), because really, there seems to be no way out of the ‘boundary box’.  In this scenario, boundaries create a static space with little room for fresh ideas or growth.

But, let’s not get carried away.  Boundaries are a necessary part of every organization.  Without them, we invite chaos, distraction, and confusion with everyone running around doing their own thing and nothing meaningful being accomplished.

The thing is, boundaries don’t have to limit our ability to put our heads together and come up with ideas and activities that bring the workplace alive and produce something meaningful and fulfilling.

In fact, if expressed differently they can serve the creative process amazingly well.  Here’s what it might look like:

You may notice that the Legal and Ethical boundary appears at the bottom of both images.  There’s no getting away from that one.  It is in no way flexible and serves as the foundation for any reputable organization’s dealings.

The vision and purpose of the organization provides the uppermost boundary.  This speaks to the importance of creating, conveying and instilling a clear sense of purpose and future throughout the workforce. This is not simply about hanging framed vision statements on the wall.  It is something that acts as a guide to decision makers and leaders throughout the company regardless of their position or title.  It invites the question, “Does what we are about to do serve our organizational purpose and move us closer to realizing our ultimate goal?”

The boundaries on either side of the model are created by the Values the organization and its people espouse.  Values express our intentional behaviour and the qualities we hold as critical to the company and what it stands for. It also invites the question, “ Does what we are planning to do honour our values? If it doesn’t, what must we do differently to ensure alignment?”

Finally, the Creative space here is not so much restricted by hard and fast rules but guided by a set of principles that makes sense to everyone. They are open to challenge. They respond to changing times and situations. And that makes the creative space alive and dynamic.

Of course, if there were a downside to this kind of boundary making, it would be the greyness of its nature.  Rules are black and white, right or wrong… vision, purpose and values…not so much. These can be open to interpretation from one person to the next.  As such, they require ongoing attention, management and leadership.  Their messages must be constantly referenced and reinforced.  And too, there must be a strong belief in the will and capability of people to see themselves in the organizational vision, working with others to fulfill its purpose and aligning themselves with the values it embraces.

For the leader, it is not easy work…not at all.  To me, though, it is work worth pursuing because, done well, it increases the potential of companies to successfully build something that everyone involved can feel proud of.

What do you think?

Ambiguity and Contradiction… Leadership Certainties

Anyone who has been in a leadership role for longer than, oh, five minutes, knows that it is not a prescriptive thing.  As simple as we try to make it with lists of the ten top things to do here or the best five things to do there, it remains complex, ambiguous and often contradictory.

Roles that seem incompatible with one another are all necessary parts of the leader’s repertoire. They ebb and flow with the demands of the day and require us to roll with the tide they create.

So what roles am I talking about?  Well, here are just a few that come to mind :

Visionary and Tactician: ~ Having a vision and developing ideas that give purpose to the work are critical leadership functions.

However, there has to be a limit on the amount of time a leader spends at thirty thousand feet.  At some point s/he has to come down to the ground and work with people to ensure that plans are developed in line with the vision and specific actions are taken to bring it to life.

Visionaries who dwell in the land of ideas too long tend to accomplish very little. On the other hand, Tacticians who keep their noses to the grindstone and never get off the ground might accomplish a lot but chances are it will be a lot of the wrong thing.

Leader and Manager: ~ Some people believe that leadership and management are interchangeable. They’re not.  Both are very much a part of a leader’s role but they each require a different focus and set of skills. The key is in deciding when to do what.

A simple rule of thumb is that leaders manage things and lead people. However, to add complexity to the mix, leaders also manage events and happenings that involve people and that means they must be prepared to manage conflicts that arise and other situations that could potentially get in the way of accomplishing the work.

 Leader and Follower: ~ Opportunities for people to show leadership, regardless of their formal status in the organization, are everywhere.  It is a wise leader who will recognize this and make room for it when it serves the organization and supports its goals.  The trick is to recognize when it is appropriate to stand down and become a supportive follower. This does not mean abdication of responsibility.  It does mean leading, for a time, by following and supporting someone who can accomplish the goal better, faster or more efficiently than you can.

Controller and Liberator: ~ There is a fine line between being too autocratic and too liberal.  But, it is a line that every effective leader must learn to walk if s/he is going to make optimal use of the talent and skills available in the workforce.

Too much control stifles creativity, disengages people and limits potential.  On the other hand, boundless unfocused freedom can create a kind of chaos that produces more chaos and little else.

Boundaries are important and they can be drawn using a clear, well-understood set of organizational values and a well-articulated vision that, unlike sets of rules, allow for freedom of expression within a pretty wide framework.

There are other situations where leaders are required to make choices between seemingly contradictory roles.  For instance, when would you encourage individual effort over team development? Under what circumstances might you favour an arbitrary decision over a democratic one? And what about the less measurable leadership behaviours?  As a leader is it possible to be humble and still be bold? Anne Perschel thinks so… and so do I.

Simply put, leadership is rife with ambiguity and contradiction. It requires us to be flexible, open-minded, constantly aware of our surroundings and well equipped to respond to the diverse demands that are placed on it.  It is challenging, empowering, satisfying and frightening work.  But, it is never boring.

What do you think?

 

 

How to Make Performance Appraisals Unnecessary

While rifling through my personal files this week, I came across my last performance appraisal.  It was a flattering one so I guess that’s why I kept it. It was also twelve pages long.  Twelve pages!!!

Really, it’s easy to see why there is such a hate on toward performance appraisals.  In fact, many people want to get rid of them altogether.

What a great idea.  But wait…

If you take away the mechanism that helps you evaluate individual contribution to the achievement of organizational goals, how will you know what those individuals have done?  How will you know what people need? How will you know how to engage them? Or reward them? Or help them?

Well, not to over simplify, but I think it’s a Leadership thing.  It’s also a Coaching thing and a Management thing.  What it’s not is an annual fill-out-a-form-without-much-thought-and-get-it-over-with thing.

So, with this in mind here’s what I think needs to happen before we can abandon the old view of performance appraisals and create something that most people can live with, use and participate in.

Leadership Thing ~ Doing the groundwork

Provide clarity about the big picture:  No one likes to work in a vacuum so it’s important to make sure each person under your charge is clear about the vision, goals and purpose of your team, department or organization.   In other words, clarity around the big picture provides people with a common view of what success will look like from one end of the year to the other.

Provide resources for learning and growth where needed: It’s one thing to have a clear vision and set of goals.  It’s another to ensure that you have the capability to achieve them.  It is a leadership responsibility to find out what is needed and to provide the tools that will allow the vision of success to become a reality.

Remove obstacles: The road to success is often littered with obstacles.  Communication systems break down.  Supplies dry up.  Other unanticipated events get in the way.  As leader, if you want people to fulfill your performance expectations, you must be prepared to pay attention to their journey by reducing the size of these obstacles to something they can reasonably negotiate.

Coaching Thing ~ Being the Sponsor and Champion

Be clear about individual contribution to the vision of success:  This is about working with people individually to ensure they know what piece of the overall goal belongs to them and more specifically, the expectations you have in terms of what you want them to produce.

Gain agreement: This involves conversation.  People will have questions, opinions and even doubts about their assignment and your expectations.  It’s important to make time to listen and come to agreement about what will be needed, from both of you, to deliver a successful result.

Encourage:  Sometimes the work gets hard, or frustrating or discouraging.  People need to know that you are in their corner as they go about meeting the expectations you and your organization have of them.  A word of encouragement is often all it takes.  That means having people on your radar all the time.

Challenge: When you have people regularly in the frame, you come to know what they are capable of.  Sometimes, you will be able to see it more clearly than they can.  Challenging them to go beyond what they believe they are capable of builds skill for the organization and confidence for the individual.  What’s not to like about that?

Celebrate: This is an often over-looked activity. However, acknowledging people for work well done; for accomplishments above and beyond expectations; or for life’s other little victories, has a way of spurring us on and helping us believe that we are engaged in something worthwhile.  Do it often, with sincerity, and keep it simple. It doesn’t have to be a big boo-rah to be appreciated.

Management Thing~ Controlling the Process

Make Time: As a leader, your job is not about producing widgets.  Mostly it’s about people.  It’s about giving them the tools they need to produce the widgets.  This means you have to make time in each day to talk them; to listen to what they have to say; and to be aware of who they are and what they do.

Keep it simple: Having agreements and knowing how people are progressing on an ongoing basis allows for a simpler and more accurate performance appraisal in the end.  On the other hand, spending time creating and completing convoluted assessment processes that result in twelve page documents, to me, places the em-pha-sis entirely on the wrong syl-la-ble.

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Here’s the bottom line.  If we all were to lead and coach people every day and manage our time accordingly I believe that performance appraisals in their current distasteful form would be unnecessary.  Until then I think we’re going to be stuck with something that bears a painful resemblance to this.

What do you think?