Choosing Who NOT to Help

I thought leading was getting people on my team. But, leading is getting on their team; grabbing their oar. But whose boat and whose oar?

Whose boat:

Leaders can’t help those going in the “wrong” direction. By wrong, I don’t mean morally wrong. I mean wrong for the organization. Get out of boats going in the “wrong” direction or you’ll dilute your leadership and the effectiveness of your organization.

Focus your energies on boats
going in the “right” direction.

Every organization has people rowing in the wrong direction. Don’t ignore them. Work to align them. But:

Never neglect those rowing in the right direction
for those rowing in the wrong.

Harder than you think:

You work with anchors, critics, nay-sayers, detractors, or those with personal agendas. Ignoring them is challenging, perhaps perilous, especially if they have connections with top leadership. Stay connected. Jump in their boat and talk but don’t grab their oar.

Direction:

Choosing and clarifying organizational direction identifies the “right” boats and whose oar to grab. Effective leaders:

1. Clarify direction.
2. Align the boats within the organization.
3. Get on teams most aligned with organizational direction.
4. Hamper or eliminate teams who refuse to align.

Think of your organization as a collection of row boats. Your job is getting them rowing in the same direction.

Ask the people in your organization, “Where are we going?” If they can’t identify the destination, they’ll never get there.

You can’t talk about direction too much.

Honesty:

Grabbing an oar in someone else’s boat isn’t a dishonest ploy to trick them into getting on your team. Getting on their team fails if it’s not honest.

Permanent:

Leaders always grab oars in other people’s boats. Leadership always centers on others. There never comes a time when leadership centers you. Even when you take care of yourself, do it so you can take care of others.

Do the people around you believe you are on their team?

How do you determine whose oar to grab?

How to Win by Leaning In

Strong winds blow you down when you lean back. Successful leaders lean into resistance, adversity, failure, and criticism.

Leaning away from resistance is
a sure way to be blown down by resistance.

Not:

Welcome and learn from the stormy parts of leading. Don’t reject them.

Leaning-in isn’t fighting-off.

Lean against:

Change encounters resistance. Welcome and lean against resistance or you’ll lose.

1. Resistance clarifies purpose and value. It forces you to answer, “Is this effort worth it?”
2. Facing adversity strengthens resolve and reinforces commitment. Achievements of worth require commitment.
3. Criticism, faced humbly, softens your heart and tempers abrasiveness.
4. Failure enables improvement. Lean against mediocrity.

Lean with:

Every noble effort ultimately requires others.

Reject the ease of working alone. Embrace the power of working with others.

Invite others to lean with you and lean with those who dream like you. Leaning with:

1. Energizes.
2. Multiplies.
3. Validates.
4. Amplifies.
5. Stabalizes.

Lean for:

Lean for something worthwhile or all you’ll be is adversarial. Everyone may not appreciate the noble dream, but you and your team must.

Storms:

Some aspects of leadership are best described with storm metaphors. You will face challenge, opposition, resistance, and criticism. Winds will blow against you. Lean in to win.

When the storms erupt:

1. Clarify your noble dream.
2. Surround yourself with strong people who share the dream.
3. Lean in. It’s the only path to progress. Lean back and you’ll blow over.

Added resource:

My friend, Joe Tye, offers a webinar called Persistence and Courage. Learn this and more:

• Three things you must change to conquer fear.
• The Ten Laws of Adversity.
• A simple formula for mental toughness in the face of adversity.

What have you learned about the “leaning in” side of leadership?

The 12 Toughest Challenges of Leadership

The challenges of leadership are inside leaders. Stop blaming organizations and others for your shortfalls and failures.

Take the bull by the horns.
You are the bull.

The 12 Toughest Challenges of Leadership:

1. Humility during success.
2. Confidence during setbacks.
3. Stepping back so others can step up.
4. Putting plans into action – Follow through. Experience shows up to 90 percent of strategic plans never achieve execution.
5. Leading change. Leaders don’t just do things, they change things.
6. Admitting mistakes. One contributor suggests that self-awareness and honesty are essential to saying, “I was wrong.” (See more comments on Facebook)
7. Listening with the goal of learning.
8. Encouraging constructive dissent.
9. Learning from criticism.
10. Asking for feedback.
11. Maintaining focus on the future.
12. Building the team.

Situational or not:

Leadership challenges always involve changing situations. You, however, are the common factor. Your ability to lead yourself is your greatest ability. Situations come and go but you are always there.

Number 12:

Leading yourself to build the team is the leadership challenge that produces the most fruit. Success depends on your ability to attract, develop, and retain top talent.

How to spot top talent?

Top talent wants to:

1. Know where you are going so they can find alignment or not. Tell them the goal?
2. Develop plans with you. Once they align with the goal, don’t give them the plan, develop it with them. Top talent wants a hand in making plans.
3. Make meaningful contribution. They ask, “Where do I fit in?” They need meaningful contribution. Drifting isn’t enough.
4. Work with others. Lone Rangers have a place but never on great teams.
5. Rise to challenges.

Key qualities:

Determine the nonnegotiable qualities you expect from your team members. Go with their strengths; compensate for their weaknesses.

What are the toughest challenges of leadership?

What qualities do great team members possess?

The Secret to Creating the Future

Frustrated leaders spend far too much time focused on the past and far too little time creating the future. They’re always saying, “What are we doing wrong?” The past cannot be changed. Stop trying to fix it.

If you don’t have clear vision for the future,
looking back destroys you.

Your past can be:

1. A distraction from the present and future. Longing for the past destroys the future.
2. An object of reflection that helps you know and understand yourself and others.
3. An anchor or platform.
4. A teacher that shows you things to repeat and more importantly, things to stop.

Peter Drucker said, “The best way to predict the future is create it.” You create the future by building on the past, not fixing it.

How to create your future:

The past is disappointing when things aren’t working in the present. But don’t focus on the past in order to create your future.

Let vision not history create your future.

The first things to ask are, “Where do we want to go and what’s the next step to getting there?” NOT, “What went wrong and how do we fix it.”

The past is useful when you have the future in mind.

When you see frustration or failure ask:

1. What are you trying to accomplish?
2. What are you doing to get where you want to go?
3. What is the next – most useful – thing you can do, right now?
4. What should be stopped? (past)
5. What should be continued? (past)

Focusing on the past only pulls you into the past,
unless you have the future in mind.

What are you trying to do right always precedes what went wrong.

The past is a platform only for those
looking forward; otherwise, it’s an anchor.

The secret to creating the future is first seeing it then looking back.

What future-creating tips can you add?

What role does the past play as leaders build the future?

Overcoming the Reason People Resist Change

“In a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to
changing vessels is more productive
than energy devoted to patching leaks.”
Warren Buffett

Talking about change is easy, acceptable, even exciting. Talking and executing are two different things. Change becomes real when we have to change our own attitudes and behaviors, not until.

The wrong picture:

Change movements don’t begin with painting pictures of a castle on the hill – dreams of the future.

People won’t dream of bright futures
until it feels dark all around.

The right picture:

Doom and gloom in the valley always comes before gleaming castles on the hill.

Change movements begin with dissatisfaction in the present. Create want. People won’t change until they want change.

Change begins with those who accept
that the present is unacceptable.

Paint pictures of organizations who failed doing the things you’re doing. Demonstrate the current path is mediocrity at best and death at the worst.

Warnings:

1. All doom and gloom inspires defeat not dreams.
2. Insulting the present insults those who are invested in the present.
3. Making it hurt, hurts. All change hurts because something always goes away.

Suggestions:

1. Where possible, celebrate and build on the past and present.
2. Help people see where they fit in.

   People won’t go to a place
   where they don’t have a place.

3. Provide large doses of comfort and encouragement with honor, recognition, and gratitude.
4. Realize all change happens from the bottom up and the top down. Neglect one and you’re doomed.

Martin Luther King’s dream was a top-down and a bottom-up movement. Its real power was it touched and empowered people at the bottom.

Favorite quotes:

“A year from now you will wish you had started today.” -Karen Lamb

“If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less.”—General Eric Shinseki

How can leaders paint dark pictures without defeating the troops?

How to Give Birth to Your Dream

It’s been over a year since I talked with my wife about a dream I have for enriching the lives of an exclusive group of highly dedicated college students. Recently, the opportunity arose to discuss it with key players who could make it happen.

Responses are nearly immediate and universally enthusiastic. Next week I’ll host a vision meeting to clarify mission and identify key issues.

Gathering a team:

Share your vision with committed individuals who already share your values. I have many friends who don’t value students the way I do. I’m not sharing this dream with them. They’re great people, but approaching them would be like pushing rocks up hill.

Leadership Lesson #1: If you have to convince others your vision has value, you may be talking to the wrong people.

Leadership Lesson #2: If you share your vision with those who share your values and they aren’t enthusiastic, re-evaluate your vision. For example, ask:

1. Is it relevant?
2. Is it timely?
3. Does it address real needs?
4. Do outcomes justify investments?
5. Is it a communication issue?

In this case, enthusiasm emerged quickly. I’m pressing forward.

Warning: Avoid surrounding yourself with yes-men. Executing a radical vision requires hard thinking and harder work. Head-nodders won’t take you there.

Power of great ideas:

Great ideas inspire others to think their own ideas.

They take your vision and run with it. On one hand, you want them to run. On the other, it may feel like they are changing or stealing your vision.

Great dreams require great teams.

Leadership Lesson #3:

Cling to core outcomes and invite others to mold and make your vision. Letting go gives space for others to own.

Participation in formation
inspires profound ownership. 

I’m not suggesting you forget your dream. I’m saying; invite others dream along with you.

How can leaders facilitate the birth of a dream?

What pitfalls should be avoided?

Walking the Leadership Tightrope

I’m so committed to pressing into the future that it’s hard to enjoy the present. You can’t lead if you aren’t dissatisfied. How are you navigating the leadership tightrope between what is and what could be?

Leadership tightropes include:

1. Passion to improve and discouragement at progress.
2. Pressing into the future and rejection of the present.
3. Wanting things to be better and constant dissatisfaction.
4. Satisfaction with the present and fear of apathy or lethargy.

Successful leaders learn to live
with dissatisfaction in positive ways.

If you can’t be positive in the face of falling short, you’ll discourage your team. Optimism has meaning during improvement, challenge, adversity, and distress.

Being dissatisfied in positive ways:

1. Compare the present with the past when thinking about progress.
2. Compare the present with the future when tapping into aspirations.
3. Use the negative present as a tool to create dissatisfaction. “This can’t continue.”
4. Focus on the talents and abilities of the team to instill hope.
5. Tell stories of achievement that inspire optimism.
6. Take time to celebrate imperfect progress.

Pessimism says, “We’re terrible.” Optimism says, “We can be better.”

How are you walking the tightrope that aspiration to be better can create?

Mintzberg Rejects Macro-Leadership

*****

“Macro-leadership is just as bad
as micro-management.” Henry Mintzberg.

During our conversation, Mintzberg explained that, “It’s destructive to separate management from leadership. Leaders need to get their hands dirty.”

No buy in:

Mintzberg believes that leaders focused on setting strategy and vision but who are removed from the front lines eventually develop a vision for the organization so out of touch that the rest of the organization fails to buy in.

Frustrated buy in:

Mintzberg also believes there’s something worse than failure to buy in. There’s the problem of buying into a pie-in-the-sky vision but being incapable of taking any steps toward realization.

More devastating:

Disconnected strategy and vision is one problem with macro-leadership but there’s something more devastating.

“Arrogance comes from detachment.” Henry Mintzberg

When I asked Mintzberg to share the one piece of advice he most loves to share he said one word, “Connect.”

Humility:

Connecting expresses, creates, and nurtures humility. Withdrawal suggests independence; connecting requires interdependence.

Humility is always practice never theory. Talking humility without practicing humility results in arrogance. When Jesus said let the leader among you be as one who serves, he turned leadership on its head and explained the cure for arrogance.

“Humility is common sense… None of us is an expert at everything… Humility is holding power for the good of others.” John Dickson.

Sources of arrogance:

Facebook contributors suggest sources of arrogance include:

1. Fear.
2. Being surrounded by indulgent “yes” people.
3. Being a talker not a doer.
4. Prior success. You think you know how to make it work because it worked before.
5. Not being okay with saying I don’t know.

See more reader contributions on Facebook.

Mintzberg’s latest book: “Managing”

*****

How do leaders connect?

What prevents leaders from connecting?

Vitality through Events

The more public an event the more potential it has to create organizational momentum and add value to others.

Yesterday, I met with two leaders who bring events from planning to execution within the organization I lead. One is best at planning and day-of-event execution. The other excels at managing the process leading up to execution. Here’s what they tell me about bring events from birth to execution.

Birth to Execution:

1. Determine the event.
2. Establish the goal and budget.
3. Identify the champion. Who’s the passionate lead-person? The emphasis is on passionate.
4. Clarify and establish the date. What’s happening in the community? What other organizational events are planned? Are venues available?
5. Map the event. What’s the program?
6. Identify key elements that require oversight and management; marketing, budget, entertainment, and refreshments or food, for example.
7. Establish deadlines.
8. Reports and accountability along the way.
9. Manage the event.
10. Debrief. What did we learn?

Other issues:

From my point of view:

1. Does the event align with organizational mission and vision?
2. Do we have adequate human and financial resources? I always ask, who are the horses in the barn and where can they take us.
3. Is the result worth the effort? I always look for efficient organizational wins.
4. Encourage the team along the way.
5. Congratulate the team when it’s over.

Event champions:

Success begins with event-champions.

The right people pull you forward.
The wrong people drag everyone down.

1. Does this event align with the champions passion.
2. Who suggested the event? Could they champion the event? Warning: people who suggest events may not be skilled at making them happen.
3. What skills are required?

Bonus: Establish short time lines. Short timelines create urgency but not so short as to create mediocrity. Distant deadlines create lethargy. Many events die in meetings before they happen because of long timelines.

*****

What suggestions can you offer for bringing events from birth to execution?

Can Complainers Become Leaders

Are complainers potential leaders? Listen closely to their complaints; learn from their techniques. Seeing problems is the beginning of leadership; circling problems ends leadership.

Some see problems and complain;
leaders see problems and seek solutions.

Political Complainers:

The first time I met a political complainer I was twenty-five and leading a growing nonprofit.

She came representing the complaints of others.

In reality she wanted her own way. She overstated problems and ignored success. It didn’t matter that a dying organization had found new life.

Every organizational growth cycle produces political complainers who come representing others. Their power to gather followers is in compassion, real or fake.

Their power of influence is making
people feel they care and suggesting you don’t.

My experience indicates political complainers can devastate organizations. They pursue restoration of the past in the false hope that going back solves growth pains.

Growth causes pain. Compassionate people complain about change because change hurts.

Leadership ends when preventing discomfort becomes the ultimate goal.

Never let those who don’t like
what’s working change it.

Pit bull Complainers:

Unlike political complainers who represent others, pit bull complainers never let it go. Round and round you’ll go discussing the same issues over and over. Tenacity is their gift.

Questions to ask about complainers:

1. Can they go beyond pointing out problems?
2. Can compassion and tenacity be refocused?
3. Are they willing to create and execute solutions to the problems they see?
4. Are they willing to do what’s best for the organization?
5. Do they align with organizational values?
6. Is forward-facing possible?
7. Can they become loyal?
8. Can they find ways to talk about the future without complaining about the past?
9. Can they transition from pressuring you to achieving on their own?

Forward-facing solutions create momentum. Backward-facing complaints de-motivate.

Have you seen complainers become leaders?

How can complainers become leaders?