Lemonade It
Last week, during one of our sessions of our Focused Leader Academy I was struck by the idea of not feeling the need to win all of our battles. And… that is o.k! But… we do need to have all the battles! It is an important part of not being a lazy leader. It is also a very healthy part of collaboration and being a learning organization. These thoughts came from hearing one of our team members say, “I took that battle on and lost.” And, I thought to myself, “This person is not a lazy leader.” He was willing to have the conversation. Sometimes these battles, conversations, or losses become the spark or spring boards for changes down the road to happen.
In our session we quickly dubbed this, “Lemonade It.” We have learned that our dispositions to create lemonade from lemons are identifiable and can be developed intentionally and deliberately. Naisbitt (2006) said, “Times of change are times of opportunity. When relationships of people and things are shifting, new juxtapositions create new needs and desires offer possibilities” (p. 92). We must remember that lemonade is not something that is produced naturally. In fact, there is an enormous amount of work that it takes to make lemonade.
So, let’s see here; the recipe for lemonade is: add the lemons and squeeze the right amount of lemon juice into a pitcher; then add water and the right amount of sugar to achieve the best tasting results. How about this, then, as a recipe for dealing with opportunities for providing leadership for success and making lemonade from lemons:
- Focus your future goals in your current organization for the betterment of all.
- Develop skills in self-direction, team collaboration, and project management.
- Increase motivation to accelerate your career goals with perspective.
- Recognize the importance of good communication and thoughtful, ambitious leadership.
- Focus your leadership on the alignment to the vision, mission, and core values of the organization
So I conclude by asking you this: When life hands you a lemon, do you make lemonade or pucker your lips?
Reference
Naisbitt, J. (2006). Mind set. Harper Collins. Canada.
“I’m Not A Leader!” ~ Red
As those who read my blog know, I love Angry Birds. Angry Birds, the game, is a great example of how we should be educating our children. Providing instant feedback and the chance to try over using the information gained. This is a true example of using a growth mindset set. To read my post “The Angry Birds Effect” click here. To read my post “Angry Birds University” click here. For those reading this post that have never played Angry Birds let me give you a little tutorial. Basically, you are presented with Angry Birds and a sling shot and your job is to destroy green pigs who are sheltered by very creative structures in a variety of settings.
Then, on May 20, 2016 The Angry Birds Movie was released. The movie is a 2016 Finnish-American 3D computer-animated action-adventure comedy film based on, nonetheless, my favorite video game series Angry Birds. The movie received mixed reviews from critics and has grossed over $346 million. Of course, you know I could care less what the critics say – good or bad. I can decide for myself. So I did. I downloaded the HD version on my iPad and sat back on my last plane trip and watched. I thought it was awesome!
There are those that say I can make leadership lessons out of anything. Honestly, that is probably true, but there are three or four great lessons in this movie. Over the next few weeks I will blog about all of them. First, however, I need to give you a quick review of the movie. The movie is based on flightless birds leading mostly happy lives, except for Red, who just can’t get past the daily annoyances of life. His temperament leads him to anger management class, where he meets fellow misfits Chuck, Bomb, and Terence. Red becomes even more agitated when his feathered brethren welcome green pigs to their island paradise. As the swine begin to get under his skin, Red joins forces with Chuck and Bomb to investigate the real reason behind their mysterious arrival. The pigs have arrived to steal all the eggs from the birds. Despite all Red’s warnings, the birds let the pigs steal the eggs right from under their beaks.
Red’s anger started early in his life when fellow students bullied him by making fun of his 
thick, black eyebrows. Because no-one seemed to see his value, he had difficulty seeing the value in others. But, as we know all the Angry Birds have unique talents. Fat black-and-white ones drop eggs and ricochet off walls; triangular yellow ones cut through things, orange ones blow up to several times their original shape, while tiny blue ones explode into a trifecta of glass shattering shimmers. Amazingly, all of the birds in the game are seen in the movie at some point.This recognition of uniqueness is an important component in developing good relationships between the talent on teams. As leaders, we need to understand, and anticipate, future competencies so they can build a talent portfolio ready to meet any challenge.
“I’m Not A Leader!” ~ Red
My favorite seen in the movie is after the pigs have stolen all the eggs on the island and the birds come to Red and apologize for not listening to his warnings. He is asked, “What are we going to do?” Red says, “Wait a minute, you’re asking me?” Then a group of birds says to Red, “We need a leader now. You need to be our leader.” To this, Red promptly replies, “I’m not a leader!” That didn’t last long, however, because Red then jumped into action directing everyone on how they would build a boat to get them to Piggy Island to get the eggs back. This was a classic example of someone leading from where they were, when it was needed, and by who it was needed. It was one of the greatest scenes in a movie ever. Bottom-line, Red led the birds in an all out successful assault to get their eggs back. There was much more action to this than I am letting on, so you will need to watch the movie. The point is, though, that, Red, the least likely of characters, became a great leader. This just goes to show that everyone is a leader!
This also shows the genius of the Rovio game designers who built Angry Birds scenes from virtual elements like clouds and wood, concrete slabs and triangles of glass. Every material reflects different physical properties, and each one reacts in its own way to the different birds species. This makes the game more complex and more interesting. The movie used these same unique characteristics. Gone are the days (or maybe there weren’t ever any days) when you could have a single “leader” come in and fix all the problems and move the organization toward its vision. Today, we need everyone to be a leader! Even the least likely “Red” in our organization.
I believe we all understand that leadership is about guiding, directing, or influencing people. Leadership opportunities exist in various positions, settings, or roles. In other words leadership happens everywhere and by everyone. Leadership settings exist in schools, institutions of higher education, government, businesses – both large and small, professional organizations, churches, and social organizations. Regardless of the setting or position, a leader needs to be able to diagnose the situation and shift roles as appropriate to achieve a desired goal. In Angry Birds you can’t outsource talent. We can in our organizations, but do we always need to or do we need to make sure we are developing all our talent into the leaders our organizations need and deserve.
What are you doing to make sure even those who are like Red in your organization are effective leaders? Our goal should be for no-one to ever say, “I am not a leader.”
How Can We Reinvent Ourselves?
I had the honor and pleasure of being given an Advance Copy of Indivisible: Coming Home To Deep Connection by Christine Marie Mason. I love being part of book launches for Weaving Influence. This book was absolutely awesome. In fact, my first tweet was that the book “rocked my world.” If you want to check out my tweets about the book go to @ByronErnest or use the hashtag #Indivisible. There were so many things that resonated with me as an educator and leader. Most notable were sections that discussed, “Where does our core worth come from?” or “If you want to see separation in action, go to a public school cafeteria.”
At the end of the book Christine spends time discussing resilience. This quote has stuck with me: “A long arc of a lifetime of achievement requires resilience and tenacity.” She goes on to explain her epiphany of, “I used to think that the traumatic things that happened to us in life were a curse, but I was wrong. Now I see these experiences as preparing me to serve.” Christine also taught me in the book that “A bad experience can be a point of departure from which we bring service to others.” Here’s the deal: This book is authentic! Christine wrote this book from her own perspective as what I call “the deer in the headlights.” This book will cause you to do a lot of reflection on your own life and how you lead.
Here is an excerpt selected by Christine to offer you in this post:
“The Western worldview teaches that we are independent, individual beings. In this system, our worth comes primarily from what we produce. We are always being graded by others, and our worth and security are wrapped up in how well we conform to what they expect.
This is the perspective within which I, like many other Americans, was raised. But as I grew up, moving from childhood experiences to experiences that I chose for myself, I realized that these teachings felt fundamentally untrue. My direct experience was one of increasing interdependence and interconnection. Each person was infinitely more complex than I had ever imagined.
I decided to question how I had lost touch with myself and others, and how to live better in relationship with one other person—and beyond that, to how we, as a culture, had lost touch with our interdependence in the first place. I would undertake an experiment to answer these questions, and my methods would be a combination of research and lived experience. The broader questions were: can we “hack” our own evolution, and the evolution of the collective? In other words, can we get in there and speed it up? What if everything we had taken in unconsciously was up for discussion, and we didn’t accept any of it whole hog? If we give ourselves permission to question, alone and with others, we might design any manner of new ways to live.
If we go through our lives unconsciously, the neurons and atoms that make us up will continue to play out their repeating code. But if we become conscious, we can (to a certain extent) rewire ourselves, as well as the culture we live in. Every bit of information we have about how we work – historical, sociological or scientific – can help us with this rewiring.
I’ve found that approaching this inquiry with a heart of compassion toward the institutions under inquiry, rather than a mindset of attack and critique, helps a lot. All systems are exquisite adaptations. They are contextual and place bound; they arose naturally to meet the very real needs of the time in which they were created. But as time and circumstance changed, they overstayed their welcome, and ossified.
When there’s a problem with the dominant culture, and we have the enthusiasm for reconnection and redesign, and we also join that enthusiasm with loving rather than destructive intent, we are using the force of our intention to create systemic change. In doing so, we can honor and celebrate what we’ve learned so far, and give it an honorable retirement. Of course, this requires that the whole society be willing to look together and release what isn’t working—rather than hold on tight, as if they can’t handle the coming change.
This process of questioning and reinventing may be difficult, but the result is more than worth the effort. In my experience, those who are seeking more connection and continuous reinvention are happier. They are open. They know that it is the separation that is the lie; the union is the true thing. These are people who are at ease with each other, even in conflict. They are egalitarian and able to equally commune with all. They are the ones for whom there is always a couch to sleep on, a table to sit at, a band to jam with.
I wanted to know this in my bones, not only conceptually. I wanted to investigate how will we move fully into our own lives, evolve and grow, rethink our assumptions, float above our judgments, and redesign things that aren’t working. What could I learn about disconnection and connection? About choosing to be perpetrators or healers? Who was already successful in creating a more loving and interwoven world?” ~ Christine Marie Mason in Indivisible: Coming Home to Our Deep Connection
Thank you Christine for allowing me to publish this excerpt from your book for readers of my blog to enjoy and see just how great this book is. I certainly believe everyone could benefit from reading this book!
******
This post is an excerpt from Christine Marie Mason‘s new book, Indivisible: Coming Home to Our Deep Connection.
Christine has been a leader in the tech sector for 20 years, as the venture backed founder and CEO of several companies. She has always been a convener, bringing people together to have conversations around growth and change, and to spark action around new possibilities. She is the curator of 9 TEDxs, the convener of Naked Conversations and founder of LoveSpring. Her own deep journey exploring anger, violence and disconnection in the aftermath of her mother’s murder, early abandonment and general chaos have propelled her explorations into the interior life and capacity of the individual to heal and connect; her work as a victims’ right advocate for restorative justice and prison reform; and as an investigator into the neuroscience of human evolution and behavioral change.
Cosmetic Leadership
This week’s leadership lesson (#12) from John Parker Stewart in 52 Leadership Lessons: Timeless Stories For The Modern Leader used Aesop’s Fable “The Stag at the Pool” to teach us an important leadership lesson. For the sake of making this post more worthwhile here is the fable:
A stag saw his shadow reflected in the water, and greatly admired the size of his horns, but felt angry with himself for having such weak feet.
While he was thus contemplating himself, a Lion appeared at the pool.
The Stag betook himself to flight, and kept himself with ease at a safe distance from the Lion, until he entered a wood and became entangled with his horns.
The Lion quickly came up with him and caught him.
When too late he thus reproached himself:
“Woe is me! How have I deceived myself! These feet which would have saved me I despised, and I gloried in these antlers which have proved my destruction.”
This is a pretty powerful story when you think about it. So, what is the moral of this Aesop’s Fable? “What is most truly valuable is often underrated.” Stewart taught us not to get caught up in the “cosmetics” of life. He suggested we get to caught up in the visibly superior qualities. I believe we do this personally and in our roles as leaders. I call this “selling the sizzle instead of the steak.” We need to make sure we are doing the right things according to our strategies, vision, mission, and core values and not getting sidetracked with attractive “antlers” that will get us all tangle up in things that, on the surface, look cosmetically attractive.
“What is worth most is often valued least.” ~ John Parker Stewart
When reflecting on this I think of the awesome new song just released by the great band Alter Bridge on their new album The Last Her0. coming out on October 7th. The song is Show Me A Leader. Click here to watch the video of the song. Trust me, I will be doing some separate blogging about the song and band in the near future, but for now I believe “The Stag at the Pool” story relates to the song. Here are the lyrics:
“Show Me A Leader”
Well they’re selling another messiah
Here tonight
But we’re all way too numb and divided
To buy itSinging
No no no
We are all too divided this time
No no noShow me a leader that won’t compromise
Show me a leader so hope never dies
We need a hero this time
No no noDisillusioned and tired of waiting
For the one
Whose intentions are pure unpersuaded
We can trustSinging
No no no
‘Cause a promise is never enough
No no noShow me a leader that won’t compromise
Show me a leader so hope never dies
We need a hero this timeI know, I know
I know if we’re to survive
We need to know this is not the end
How will we ever get by
It’s getting harder to fight out here on our ownShow me a leader that won’t compromise
Show me a leader so hope never dies
Show me a leader that knows what is right
Show me a leader so hope can survive
We need a hero this timeNo no no
We need a hero this time
Or we will never survive
No no no
We need a hero this time
Or we will never survive~ Alter Bridge
Whole System Leadership
On a cool, clear December night in 1972, an Eastern Airlines L-1011 jumbo jet slammed into the Everglades 18 miles northwest of Miami. This crash is the focus of Lesson #10 in 52 Leadership Lessons: Timeless Stories For The Modern Leader by John Parker Stewart. A small $12 light bulb had gone out and preoccupied the crew of Flight 401. That triggered a series of Murphy`s Law-like consequences that ultimately killed 101 of the 176 people aboard. Now, almost 44 years later, the crash is still remembered for all its ironies, sadness and triumphs. After doing a little research I believe this crash still remains the worst aviation disaster in Florida history. The amazing part is still the fact that because the impact was cushioned by soft muck and Saw Grass, 75 people lived — some of them barely receiving a scratch.
Flight 401 originated at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK), with a destination of Miami (MIA). The flight was uneventful until the approach into Miami. While preparing for landing and lowering the landing gear, the flight crew was unable to determine that the nose landing gear was fully extended and locked in the extended position. The green indicator light which would normally illuminate upon locking of the nose landing gear did not come on. After that, what happened is the subject of this blog post. While messing around trying to get the light to work, the autopilot that was supposed to be keeping the plane at 2,000 feet was turned off. Because everyone was preoccupied with one facet of the plane only, the green indicator light, n0-one was paying attention to anything else. It was not until the plane was at 900 feet and descending quickly that anyone even thought to ask if the altitude was correct. It was too late, however.
This crash has been the subject of books and movies. The primary cause of this accident was not the aircraft, but the crew — the human factor. Yes, the light bulb was not working, but that was the only thing. Even though the crew members were dealing with the landing gear indicator light, they still should have noticed their surroundings and been monitoring the aircraft’s altitude. Research (Robson, 2008) tells us that as long as our stress levels are not to high we can notice things going on around us not related to the task at hand – in this case, working on the light bulb and noticing the altitude. Conversely, however, it is possible for cognitive tunneling to develop (Chou, Madhavan, & Funk, 1996). Cognitive tunneling (Chou, Madhavan, & Funk, 1996) happens when one thing we are doing is given all our attention while not watching anything else. Do you see the leadership connection here?
Cognitive tunneling (Chou, Madhavan, & Funk, 1996) can cause us all to focus on one task while missing the warning signs from other parts of the organization. As leaders this is dangerous, maybe not in the sense of Flight 401, but certainly in the success or failure of the organization. After this crash, the airline came up with what it calls Crew Resource Management (CRM). Basically, with CRM the captain is expected to continue to monitor all system while delegating specific indicators or fixing of challenges/problems to others. What does this mean? Someone is always flying the plane, or leading the organization.
The best historic example of CRM in action is US Airways Flight 1549 where Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger successfully landed the disabled airplane he was leader of in the Hudson River. During that emergency landing Captain Sully flew the plane and gave First Officer Jeff Skiles the job of focusing on the reference handbook that included instructions for emergency situations. Two things that really jumped out to me while studying these events was the need for checks and balances in our organization. As leaders we need processes in place to make sure we have eyes on all facets of the organization enabling us to fly the plane without focusing on a single warning light.
“Always focus on the things that matter most.” ~ John Parker Stewart
Additionally, those we lead must have the professional development, education, and growth opportunities to handle the delegation of responsibilities. We can connect this back to a principle of intent-based leadership by which if our employees do not have the skills to handle what they are in charge of, chaos ensues. We need accountability measures that ensure our employees are able to handle the tasks and leadership they are responsible for.
References
CHOU, C., MADHAVAN, D., & FUNK, K. (1996). Studies of cockpit task management errors. International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 6(4), 307-320.
ROBSON, D. (2008). Human being pilot. Cheltenham, Australia: Aviation theory limited.
4 Things You Probably Hate about Millennials and Why You’re Probably Wrong
Listen, the challenge of parenting, educating, training, mentoring, and guiding young people has been around for thousands of years. Consider this quote attributed to Socrates, almost 2,500 years ago:
“Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect; they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers.” ~ Socrates
“But my millennials are so much more annoying than we ever were.” Got it.
Remember, millennials look nothing like the previous generations, and that’s why they annoy you. It’s a lack of understanding of and between different generations. The point is millennials are probably everything and nothing we say about them.
- Entitled, lazy, and won’t do what they’re told? In a poll of 5,000 workers by Jennifer Deal of the Center for Creative Leadership and Alec Levenson of the University of Southern California, 41% of millennials agreed that “employees should do what their manager tells them, even when they can’t see the reason for it,” compared with 30% of baby boomers and 30 percent of Gen Xers.
- Aren’t competitive? The Economist cites research by CEB, a consulting firm that polls 90,000 American employees each quarter, that 59% of millennials say competition is what gets them up in the morning much more than the percentage of baby boomers or Gen Xers that say that about competition.
- Only communicate digitally? That study by Jennifer Deal and Alec Levenson showed that more than 90% of millennials surveyed want face-to-face feedback and career discussions.
- Jump ship and are not committed for the long term, or really any term? According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average worker stays at a job 4.4 years, and yes, according to the Future Workplace “Multiple Generations @ Work” survey of 1,189 employees and 150 managers, 91% of millennials expect to stay less than three. But beware of averages: Millennials may find it normal to job-hop faster than any previous generation, but when they find the right opportunity they actually are more loyal than the previous generation. The CEB study showed millennials put future career opportunity among their top five reasons for choosing a job, again ahead of other generations.
Simply put, when it comes to millennials, most of us have no idea what to believe or do. So we believe and assume the worst. Until we see this, the most powerful myths or assumptions that we have about millennials will continue to negatively impact our attitudes about, perceptions of, and relationships with them.
Get past the myths and realize that individual differences are more important than generational ones In the end, most millennials just want what we all should want: challenge, flexibility, purpose, engagement, collaboration, work-life balance, transparency, and authenticity.
They want bosses who care, set clear expectations, and are willing to coach—and who understand what they expect and need in the workplace. Are these things so unappealing or are they just not your story?
Don’t let generational differences be the problem. Lean in and consider millennials an opportunity to learn, connect, and kick more butt in your business using millennial power.
*****
Need help understanding, engaging, and retaining your millennial workforce? Dan Negroni, Author, Speaker, Attorney, Kick butt business consultant, coach, and proud Dad of a few Millennials delivers actionable solutions. Different from all other millennial experts, Dan’s empowering business approach at launchbox, creates quick value and seamless connections with millennials and management each on their own terms. Using unique content and delivery methods that audiences respond to immediately he leverages results from the inside out. Allow millennials to be your secret weapon and maximize your commitment to them to innovate, create a culture of engagement and grow your businesses today. To start click here to grab your copy of Chasing Relevance: 6 Steps to Understand, Engage and Maximize Next Generation Leaders in the Workplace or call them at 858.314.9687 for a free Coaching Assessment.”
Getting Nowhere!
I learned about a creature that I didn’t know much about in Lesson #9 of 52 Leadership Lessons: Timeless Stories For The Modern Leader by John Parker Stewart. The lesson used the analogy of the Processionary Caterpillar. You know how I love analogies and this one is a good one for what happens in all organizations at some time or another. These cool little creatures feed on pine needles. The interesting part is, though, that they travel like a train with their eyes half shut, head to tail fitted right against each other. So, wherever the first one goes (let’s call her the leader) the others go blindly. Are you getting the analogy here? According to the lesson, you can place them in a circle and it can take up to 10 hours for them to realize they are going nowhere. Again, are you catching the powerful analogy?
“Don’t become processionary. Question the status quo. Work smarter, not harder.” ~ John Parker Stewart
We all have become Processionary Caterpillars at some time or another. Either as the 
leader, or one of the followers. This is something I have called Lazy Leadership. You can read about it here. The big thing to keep in mind here is to avoid blindly, without question, performing tasks the “way it has always been done,” with no regard on how to improve or change for the betterment of the organization. I actually was discussing this last night at one of our family events after I had spoken to some of our teachers about ways to improve some processes. Our teachers are very talented and knowledgeable, and we need to continue to find ways to tap into that knowledge gained. We can then take that knowledge and improve as a learning organization.
If we find ourselves resembling the Processionary Caterpillar more than we would first think or want we need to make adjustments. If you fear that you share some of the style of the Processionary Caterpillar, here are some questions Stewart suggested to ask:
- Why are we doing this?
- Don’t answer with, “That’s the way we have always done it.”
- Don’t ever do something because, “We’ve always done it that way.”
We need to avoid mistaking activity for accomplishment. We do not want to act like the Processionary Caterpillar. We possess an intelligence that enables us to be different from all the lower forms of life. Be all you can be by learning from the pitiful Processionary Caterpillar. My takeaway is that we need to assume there is always a better way. That does not mean we redo everything, or we would never get anything done, but we do need to question the status quo. Remember, if better is possible then good is not enough.
Everyone is Watching!
One of my leadership heroes, John Wooden, was a great coach and an amazing person of true character. One of many of his quotes was:
“The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.” ~ John Wooden
While I totally agree with this quote, I also believe that leaders need to remember that everyone is watching as decisions are being made. This past week I have had several situations happen where I have had to make decisions and take action knowing that everyone is watching. Honestly, I was was very aware that everyone was watching and was actually taking this into account. It seems to me that a leader’s character and core values are tested most when EVERYONE is watching and it is in that environment that many leaders fail the test of true character and walking the walk. I wish Coach Wooden was still alive to ask him if: Perhaps character and great leadership is better defined by what you do when everyone is watching, just as much as it is when no one is watching?
Whether we know it or not, people are paying attention. The way we act today, influences how we all act tomorrow. And those actions influence others – whether they know it or not. Whether we’ve chosen to recognize it yet or not, we are an example to others by the actions we take and decisions we make – for ourselves and those around us. Either of how to act or how not to, or how we walk the talk of what we say we believe in. In this sense we are all leaders and you know I believe everyone is a leader. Every choice we make, big and small, is a chance to lead. We are either an example of high standards and what’s possible, or another contributor to the complacency. I have been preaching, for example, in our schools that we must tighten the ship and make every decision based on what is best for students. Therefore, my decisions this week have had to be with this in mind, knowing everyone is watching and using the metric of, “Is he tightening the ship?” Remembering this unavoidable principle has always helped make decisions quite clear for me. If my actions (or inactions) aren’t something I’d want those I lead to take, then they probably aren’t what I need to take.
We must even pursue the decisions and actions we cannot make or do today because this makes it a lot more likely to pursue it tomorrow. And as others notice, it enables them to do the same. Remember, everyone is watching. We must realize that we all are a personal example of what’s possible to someone, or a whole group of someones – however small and subtle those decisions and actions might be on a day-to-day basis. They add up. And to be that same example for those around us. For the people you might not realize are watching… because someone and everyone always are.
My actions and your actions are training ourselves and others. Are we living up to our organization’s vision, mission, and core values? Are we living up to our own personal core values? Everyone is watching! What will they see us do next?
Work Like a MacBook
I catch myself saying, “We need to work more like a MacBook” all the time. I am such a believer in the streamlined and simple approach that Steve Jobs gave the world when designing Apple™ products. It is the same surface level simplicity with back-end oomph (OS) that I want for the schools that I lead. To me a streamlined process means fewer errors and delays. I touched on this some in my 2012 post Lead “Like a MacBook Pro.” Click here to read that post. In that post, the comment is made, “With a Mac what used to take three or four steps with a pc will only take a single step with the Mac!” That’s really how I believe everything should run in an organization.
So, why would we not want the organizations we lead to have all the features I believe Apple™ products bring to the table? Here are a few of the top ones:
- Easy/automatic integration between devices (iPhone, iPad, MacBook)
- Streamlined, single step processes
- Home/individual content creation is excellent (iMovie and Garage Band specifically)
- Joyful buying experience and after sales care
- Very high build quality, premium materials and components, and generally great customer service when an error does occur
Think about it. If we achieved these things in the organizations we lead, there could not help but be great things happening.
It gives me great angst when there are times when the process involves one person doing something or collecting information only to pass that information to someone else to enter somewhere else – Why do we do this to ourselves? Many work processes are developed on an ad hoc basis out of necessity and become the standard model for getting work done. In many cases, there is already collective wisdom within your organization on how to improve the work flow, but it is extremely difficult for any one person to make a change in a work process without the opinions and involvement of other employees and leaders. Great leaders request input about streamlining efforts from anyone in the work-flow chain. Seek their opinions about how to improve efficiency.
One thing that I try to pay close attention to is how employees improve their own part of the process. Many times people will naturally streamline their own portions of a work flow, simply to defeat tedium. This is not a bad thing, but sometimes this streamline for an individual causes extra processes somewhere else. Rule of thumb: Aim to make the work flow efficient, but not your people. This will in turn create efficiency for the organization and ultimately all of those you lead and not just a select few. Implementing streamlined work flow improvements, starting with the obvious low-hanging fruit that is a usual part of any work flow process is a great place to start.
Take a look at the processes, reporting protocols, and all the work your people and organizations do and see if there are ways you can streamline like a MacBook to a single step instead of two or three.
Too Tall Leadership
Leadership, an act or series of acts that moves people in a certain direction can no longer be displayed by a lone giant or heroic individual. As you know I believe that leadership can come from anyone who displays leadership as an occasional, discrete act of influence, anywhere and at anytime necessary. Yes, a leader must provide direction, but the person at the so-called ‘top’ isn’t the only person who can provide it. More importantly, this is not the only person that should be providing it.
Many times, and wrongly I might add, we consider that the ideal leader has vision, charisma, integrity, emotional intelligence, an inspiring delivery and sterling character. But if there are leaders who don’t fit this image, then we cannot use our ideal to define leadership in general. Too many times we make leaders out to be giants. Providing direction is still a core role of leadership. However, leaders can provide only a portion of it. Leadership can also be provided by all employees, where its meaning shifts from deciding new directions to influencing others to accept a new direction.
In this week’s entry, Lesson #8, titled “Two Friends and a Giant” in 52 Leadership Lessons: Timeless Stories For The Modern Leader by John Parker Stewart the topic was the large Sequoia Redwood trees. The story was about the Chickaree and the Wood Boring Beetle. Both use the Sequoia cones as food sources and this allows new trees to grow. In other words the big giants need others to step up and be part of carrying on the species. It takes the team to make this all work.
“As soon as you are too tall to let a small one help you, you are doomed to extinction.” ~ John Parker Stewart
Leadership does not have to happen from giants at the top. Leadership shown by outsiders or bottom-up does not entail occupying a particular role, being a certain type of person, or using positional authority to make decisions. It means creating an environment where everyone is a leader. When, what I call a ‘street level’ innovator, promotes a new product to management, leadership is shown bottom-up. I believe that information should flow up as opposed to the other way around. Decisions need to be made as close to ‘street level’ as possible. We need to find direction regardless of its origin. Everyone is a leader, so anyone with a better idea can influence change.
Byron's Babbles 
leave a comment