I hope 2013 found you with happiness, Joy and Success. Remember that you cannot change your past, but you can learn from your mistakes to make a better future.
Real leadership isn’t in a title. A title is the role an organization says you’re supposed to play. That can change in a brief moment. Leadership is about who you really are.
Why is who you are so important?
Because…………………….
1. Who You Are determines how you are.
2. How You Are determines the quality and depth of your relationships.
3. The quality and depth of your relationships determines your ability to mobilize people–workers, family, or friends–in time of need.
4. The quality of your relationships determines the breadth and depth of help you’ll receive in your time of need.
5. Who You Are determines your brand while you’re alive and your legacy afterward.
Take time this year to build a firm foundation that won’t shake and crack with the first sign of adversity.
We all make mistakes. But as a leader of a major corporation, small business, national security, etc. those mistakes should be minimal. The moment you accept the responsibility, the compensation, the perks, etc. Your responsibility to ethics becomes so much more than it was when you were rank and file. Ethical leadership should be practiced all the time by anyone in a leadership position – whether that position is formal or informal, intentional or unintentional. There are no times when it’s more appropriate than others, nor are there people for whom it is more appropriate than for others.
There are definitely times when ethical leadership is more difficult than not – when there are hard choices to make, or when the right choice is clear but unpleasant (confronting a nice person who’s simply not doing his job, and making everyone else’s harder as a result, for example, or acting against your own self-interest). In fact, the difficult times are when ethical leadership is most important, because the stakes are higher.
The stakes in ethical leadership may also vary widely, depending on the level and responsibilities of the leadership in question. Few leaders of business organizations find themselves faced with the kinds of life-and-death decisions that may be experienced by national leaders. Yet their decisions can still have serious ethical and human consequences, even though those consequences may play out in a more limited sphere.
Ethical leadership is part – although by no means all – of the definition of good leadership. Being an ethical leader is a full-time job – it isn’t something you can put on and off at will. You either are or you aren’t, and if you are, you have to try to be one all the time.
People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people. Of course, that is not true. Decisions are made by a majority of those who make themselves heard and who vote – a very different thing.” Walter H. Judd
You live in a democracy and that means that you get a say in who runs your country and how your country is run.
Voting shows your pride in your nation.
The only way democracy works is if citizens, young and old, are active participants.
Our country is a beacon of liberty for the rest of the world, stand up and be counted!
A government, by the people – for the people, just can’t work without the people!
And, If you don’t vote you really have no right to complain about government decisions you don’t like (no matter how bad those decisions are)
Which comes first for you? Depending upon your own inclination, you may marvel or frown at the opposite choice. But, if you want to “get it” as a manager or as an individual contributor, then think about this: Statistically it’s a 50/50 split. About half the population wants to work toward a specific goal in order to achieve job satisfaction. The other half wants to make sure that the elements of their job offer a “good fit” so they can perform at their optimum level.
I do a lot of individual assessments for organizations and have found that the inclinations are quite inherent. However, each type can learn how to adapt to what is required at the moment.
What can you do?
Increase your awareness. Look at your own preference and then start watching those around you. Who has to work before they can play? Who is making sure that the group is in harmony before moving forward?
What does it take to achieve the goal? If you’re in a crisis situation or up against a deadline, feeling-good-first may put you out of business. You’ve got to get it done! When you are focused on long-term projects which require a lot of cooperation and solid relationships, then take the time to build them. People will need to trust each other a lot in order to get through the inevitable difficulties that will take place. That can’t happen if people are only allowed to pay attention to a checklist.
Both types want some sense of acknowledgment when goals are achieved. I have more than one client who has told me “They get to keep their jobs. What else should I have to do?” Well, human beings look for recognition of some type when they know they’ve done a really good job. It doesn’t cost a thing to acknowledge people by name and what they specifically contributed to a project. And it might just improve performance and satisfaction for everyone involved.
Whenever some kind of organizational change happens, both employers and employees can experience an unexpected “crisis of confidence.” Whether the change is a merger, upgraded software system, marketplace positioning, new CEO—here’s what emerges:
• Suddenly and mysteriously, people don’t feel quite as talented and capable as before.
• At the same time, the organization is wondering where its talented people went.
The real fact: no one suddenly got stupid!
Second fact: Something else will now need to change.
You or Them?
When you were hired it was a good fit because of how business was conducted. Now it doesn’t seem that way. Here are some considerations when companies and employees find themselves in a talent mismatch as a result of changes:
1. Companies: Take time to re-assess the breadth of talent that exists in your employee base. You may not have been using the range of talents that individuals possess because you (naturally) hired them against a given set of criteria.
Real-life example: In the past few years I’ve had the opportunity to assess three executives who were on the, “We’ve changed, their role isn’t needed anymore, I guess they have to go even though they’ve been really effective” list. In two of the three cases a broader assessment showed that they were gifted in areas that hadn’t been tapped into before. Those two remain with their organizations in new roles and are contributing meaningfully and productively.
2. Individuals. Maybe it isn’t such a good fit. The faster you figure out the reality of the situation the faster you can make a decision to stay or look elsewhere.
Important Tip: The longer you hang out in a mismatch the more you will question your adequacy. So, knock it off! You are talented and you’ve been performing in a talented way. The situation changed, not you. Get yourself into another winning situation before you conclude that the problem is you.
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to identify, use, understand, and manage emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and diffuse conflict. Emotional intelligence impacts many different aspects of your daily life, such as the way you behave and the way you interact with others. If you have a high emotional intelligence you are able to recognize your own emotional state and the emotional states of others and engage with people in a way that draws them to you.
Learn to recognize & accept your emotions
Emotions play an important role in the way we communicate at work and at home. It’s the way you feel, more than the way you think, that motivates you to communicate or to make decisions. The way you react to emotionally driven, nonverbal cues affects both how you understand other people and how they understand you. If you are out of touch with your feelings, and don’t understand how you feel or why you feel that way, you’ll have a hard time communicating your feelings and needs to others. This can result in frustration, misunderstandings, and conflict. When you don’t address what’s really bothering you, you often become embroiled in petty squabbles instead—arguing with your spouse about how the towels should be hung, for example, or with a coworker about whose turn it is to restock the copier paper.
Emotional awareness provides you the tools for understanding both yourself and other people, and the real messages they are communicating to you. Although knowing your own feelings may seem simple, many people ignore or try to sedate strong emotions like anger, sadness, and fear. But your ability to communicate depends on being connected to these feelings. If you’re afraid of strong emotions or if you insist on communicating only on a rational level or only via e-mail, it will impair your ability to fully understand others, creatively problem solve, resolve conflicts, or build an affectionate connection with someone.
Emotional awareness—consciousness of your moment-to-moment emotional experience—and the ability to manage all of your feelings appropriately is the basis for effective communication.
It’s hard work and practice, but emotional awareness will help you:
Understand and empathize with what is really troubling other people.
Understand yourself, including what’s really troubling you and what you really want.
Stay motivated to understand and empathize with the person you’re interacting with, even if you don’t like them or their message.
Communicate clearly and effectively, even when delivering negative messages.
Build strong, trusting, and rewarding relationships, think creatively, solve problems, and resolve conflicts.
I remember when I was young and my parents or grandparents would discuss their exact activities and emotions when JFK was killed or the attack on Pearl Harbor. I didn’t quite grasp the emotion as I understood it on this day 11 years ago at 8:46 a.m. The shock and pain of this tragic day remains vivid in our memories. Our world changed forever and I fear it will never be the same. When I think back now, I am humbled by the numerous heroes, the leaders who made quick decisions knowing only the facts in front of them. Whether it was to rush the cockpit door to save the masses, go into a burning building never hesitating because they may not make it out or stopping to comfort someone who was overwhelmed. I could go on and on. Although a tragic day in our history, this day also serves as a day to remember that leaders and heroes are in our lives each day. I spoke to a dear friend and colleague this morning. She was with me on that day 11 years ago and being in charge of the Human Resources function for our Company we were expected to stay calm and do what we had to do. We had an office in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, employees in New York City and many more on airplanes, traveling. I’m not sure either of us really broke down until days later, but when we did it was bad. I have two points to make today. The first is that there is leadership inside of all of us. Sometimes it comes when you least expect it. When a leader is making a decision he/she can only use the facts in front of them to establish an action plan and sometimes you only have seconds. The other point is that it’s really easy being a leader (a hero) in essence, when everything is going good. True leaders are revealed in the way they react in times of turmoil and the unknown.
The transition from peer to manager cannot occur overnight, even though the day after your promotion expectations change drastically. It takes a lot of time and effort, so it’s helpful to think of the transition as a journey. The changes require time to take root, usually years. You may be lucky enough to have had great mentors along the way, but I find in many cases the opposite is true. That means it’s really up to you. You make progress on your journey through trial and error.
Fortunately, most managers begin to make progress, but many fail to complete their journeys. They stop short of acquiring the necessary skills, knowledge, values, outlook, self-knowledge, judgment, and especially emotional competence.
Most new managers start out receptive to change and learning because of their initial discomfort in their new position. But as they begin to learn the ropes and no longer fear imminent failure, too often they grow complacent.
Every organization has its ways of doing things — rules of thumb, policies, standard practices, unspoken rules and guidelines — such as “promote by seniority,” “smooth over conflict,” and a host of others. Once learned, they are ways of getting along, and new managers use them to get by. Instead of confronting a performance problem, they fill out the obligatory annual performance appraisal and simply negotiate the wording with the person involved.
They do enough to meet the status quo because that’s all that’s required of them. Indeed, they stop thinking of what’s possible and focus on what’s expected.
They hire people who are just good enough. They progress to the point that management no longer feels new and strange. When they no longer fear imminent failure, they grow comfortable. They “manage,” in the worst sense of the word. That’s why years of experience are not necessarily an indication of effective management.
This surely accounts for the wide range of mastery among managers, even those with considerable experience. Based on what I have seen, most organizations have a few great managers, some good managers, a horde of mediocre managers, some poor managers, and some awful managers. Like most of us, you’ve probably had, at one time or another, a boss whose ineffectiveness made you wonder how could someone like this become or remain a manager?
With all the time commitment required, and the fact that most organizations fail to provide enough initial help and resources for inexperienced managers, it’s not surprising that so many stop short of completing their journey. Full mastery comes slowly, as with any serious skill, and requires steady progress in a world that keeps throwing up ever more complex challenges and opportunities.
I know highly competent managers that believe they are still learning even after years of experience. They have taken the initiative and time to challenge themselves to become better every day. They accept and look for criticism, so they can explore solutions. In the end these type managers become future mentors.
“The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do… the hard part is doing it!”
U.S. Army General H. Norman Schwarzkopf
Likewise, the answer to most business problems is usually obvious as well.
Consider this – when was the last time you were really stumped for a solution to a problem? In most cases, the hardest things about solving the problem were the obstacles of personalities, politics, or cost. Taken together, these obstacles usually make the obvious solution very hard if not impossible to implement. These are failures of an organization’s values, guiding principles, and ethics.
Several years ago a friends of mine was moving her elderly mother closer to her home due to her declining health. Her mom had sold her home and hired a moving company to move her furniture and transport her car via trailer from Boston to Florida (primarily to minimize the mileage). When the moving van and car arrived, it was obvious that the car had not been transported but driven instead. When questioned, the driver admitted that they had driven the car and not transported it as they had been contracted to do.
To help her out I called the moving company’s main office. The representative asked what I wanted them to do about it. My only reply was “What would you expect someone to do if it was your mother!” Shortly thereafter, the driver came back to tell us that they were refunding the cost of transporting the car.
When a customer calls about a problem with your product or service. You generally know right off-hand what the right thing to do is: either fix it, replace it, or refund their money. But company management may complain that “if we fix every problem for every customer then how are we supposed to make a profit?” Well, if your company’s product or service has so many customer problems that fixing them impacts profits, then fix the product or service! It really isn’t rocket science!
If the only reason not to do it just like you would for your mother is the cost to the company, where do you think the savings to the company is coming from? It’s coming from your customer’s wallet. And if it’s not fair to your mother, what makes it fair to your customer?
The customer’s complaints (whether you like it or not) are a part of your company’s quality control process. If you’re a proactive company, then you’ll have worked out all the bugs before they even became an issue with your customer. Unfortunately in their rush for quick profits, many companies out there let their customer’s do all the beta testing for them.
One of the unintended consequences of making unethical or dishonest decisions in dealing with your customers is the message it sends to your employees: that you’ll mistreat them the same way whenever you think it’s in your best interest to do so. If you don’t care about your customers, then how can you expect your employees to care about them or the company for that matter?
So here are some suggestions for creating an environment where people just do the right thing:
If a customer’s product or service failed the answer is simple and obvious; either fix it, replace it, or give them their money back. If the customer broke it, then don’t!
Make sure your corporate policies, organizational politics, management personalities, and cost focus don’t interfere with the obvious solutions to most customer problems.
Generally speaking, if you have to ask yourself if what you are planning to do is the right thing, then it probably isn’t!
When deciding a course of action, the best question you can ask yourself is, “Would I do it this way if I were doing this for my mother?”
Obviously, no company or individual can live anywhere near perfection, but the real world test is how hard the company or individual decision maker is trying to do the right thing, and how quickly they’re trying to fairly resolve problems. Remember, doing the right thing isn’t rocket science!
A leader must have courage; a leader must act in a courageous manner and so on.
While this is true, it is only part of the story about courage and the workplace. As we shall see, the virtue of courage must run throughout an organization or company – from bottom to top – in order for it to function at the highest level.
Courage comes from the Old French corage, meaning “heart and spirit.” In other words, courage is an innate, internal quality that resides within the core of your being.Courage is further defined as: “The quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.” Again, we see the word spirit.
Courage is foundational
Courage is associated with such words as fearlessness, grit and power. It is experiencing fear, yet pushing through it to achieve your desired result. Some say courage is the thing that underlies every other human quality. Without it, we cannot rightly be honest, dependable, generous or trustworthy. Courage is the foundation upon which all other virtues are built.
Courage and fear of reprisal
Why is so little courage seen in so many companies these days? In my estimation, it is because the leaders of those companies have fostered a culture where dissenting voices are discouraged and opinions that threaten the status quo are thoroughly silenced. With this climate of possible retaliation before them, team members are fearful of speaking up, sharing their thoughts and voicing their values. Fear of being the first one out the door at the next downsizing has stopped many ideas dead in their tracks in the workplace.
The first step in harnessing your courage is to develop a vision that represents your authentic self and goals, and aligning that vision with the business and its goals. This is true for the executive, manager and employee in the workplace. Development of a vision that all members of the team can buy into depends on the openness of a company or organization. An open-minded company allows for discussion, sharing, brainstorming and even dissenting views. An open leader sees the value of the knowledge and experience of everyone in the room, including managers and employees. The leaders’ openness allows for others to work from a place of courage. They can step up without fear and lend their thoughts to the discussion. The ability to have that courage becomes transformational, both for the person sharing and the company or organization.
Openness leads to the ability to shape and form a vision. It is a vision wrought in courage which gives it power. That vision, brought about by the courage of the people involved in its development, will be the driving force carrying the company forward into new and exciting areas.
Benefits of courage in the workplace
Some of the benefits derived from demonstrating courage in the workplace include: high morale; commitment to the group mission; ownership; responsibility; momentum; effective; and stronger sense of purpose.
Here’s few questions that all members of your team can ask themselves regarding courage. Use these questions to help you determine what you can do to step up, step out and find your courageous voice.
- What is your vision for the business/group/department?
- How, specifically, can you be more courageous in your role at work?
- What communication skill would help you become more courageous?
- What tangible benefits will arise from your courageous action?
