Monday, December 24, 2007

Experiencing Wonder

When was the last time you were surprised; so astonished by an event that all you could do was stand in rapt attention with your mouth open and your eyes glued to the sights and sounds before you? What was the miracle you witnessed, the unexpected occurrence, or the spectacular beauty that took your breath away? Have you become so jaded in your leadership role that wonders are simply a distant memory?

Christmas eve seems a fitting time to remind ourselves that wonder is all around us. If we are paying attention we will see it in the large and small details of our too busy lives. Reconnecting with wonder could equip us to be more effective and efficient as leaders, far beyond anything we have previously known or anticipated. A healthy and daily dose of wonder might be just the prescription to energize your leadership in 2008.

This weekend my family traveled to central Pennsylvania on two separate occasions for very different reasons. On the initial trip we celebrated Christmas with my wife’s family, a gathering made extra special by the recent birth of the first great-grandchild. As I held this tiny human being in my arms a sense of wonder filled my spirit. More than thirty years ago the miracle of birth and awesome responsibilities of parenthood were new to me. Now those memories were back, reminding me of how vulnerable, dependent, and special we are in God’s eyes.

Our second trip took place during a raging rainstorm to visit my cousin who was badly injured this past week in a workplace accident. His body is now recovering from two broken wrists and a fractured leg that has not yet been surgically repaired. There was a sense of wonder that he was not killed by the fall and a new appreciation for the miracles of medicine that will likely help him to achieve a full recovery.

We don’t need to have a baby or experience an accident to reacquaint ourselves with wonder. There is indescribable beauty all around us every day. Miracles of life and health may grab our attention but it is small acts of love, kindness, and courage that create leadership legacies. Will you be remembered as someone who openly marveled at the unexplainable, encouraged curiosity, and celebrated life?

This holiday weekend reminded me that wonder is a gift we should treasure and preserve. Whether it is the quiet breathing of a sleeping newborn, the healing power of our human body, or the fury of a winter rain let’s stand amazed like the shepherds did more than 2000 years ago when angels proclaimed an amazing event that has changed the course of human history. The wonder of that moment prompted them to act – to go and tell what they had seen and heard. May all who read this weekly journal experience a renewed sense of wonder during this Christmas season and throughout the New Year!

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Giving Back

This past week our Chamber of Commerce honored a group of nine students from local middle and high schools for their community service. The awards are given through a nomination process that included assessing the student’s contribution to making their community a better place to live. The recipients each shared the project or work they accomplished to qualify and how it impacted their lives. Ventures included teaching and mentoring children, rehabbing an historical property, and organizing a drive to collect clothing and shoes for needy children in Africa.

As I listened to the remarkably articulate stories shared by each young person who spoke I was reminded that giving back is a fundamental quality of leadership. While the impact of each project was significant, it was how the act of serving changed the hearts and minds of these budding leaders that caught my attention. Their testimonies revealed how insightful they now are about the issue their projects addressed – environmental, social, or historical. They spoke with passion and conviction about how good it felt to give back or to share with others.

In a world where leadership is often defined by the accumulation of power, wealth, or influence these young people have learned a different lesson, one that I hope they will carry with them into their careers and families. Serving others is not just a quality of leadership it is a personal calling for each of us as members of the human family.

The Christmas season is a reminder that the gift we celebrate, the birth of Jesus Christ, came to serve and to teach us how to do the same. Leaders of every age should reflect again on the powerful act of serving others and make it a priority for the New Year. Ask someone, including your employees, “How may I serve you?” When they recover from the shock, sincerely and graciously do what they ask.

Giving back is not some selfish exercise to sooth a guilty conscious. Neither is it about giving in order to get something in return. Serving should be a way of life, a commitment we make to ensure that the communities where will live and work can someday overcome the challenges of crime, hunger, homelessness, abuse, addictions, and loneliness. If leaders took their responsibility of serving seriously we could affect real change with many of these social ills without governmental intervention.

The outstanding students who shared their amazing acts of selflessness give me hope for the future. They have inspired me to reexamine my own commitment to service. I hope that by sharing their story you will be inspired as well.

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Leadership by Design

My church has been searching for a new lead pastor since January of this year. In our past history as a denomination we used a process called “casting lots” to choose pastoral leadership. From a small group of nominated persons (in those days only men) each person chose a book. The one whose book contained a slip of paper was considered God’s choice to lead the church. Was this selection method merely a chance process of decision-making or clear evidence that God had spoken?

I never witnessed this technique so it is hard for me to assert this was leadership by “luck” rather than by design. In fact, my faith perspective leads me to believe that coincidence and timing are simply ways that God reveals his plans to us. Unfortunately most of us are too busy plotting our own strategies to notice the signs.

Today’s MBA programs seem to churn out leaders with high ambition and little thought for the important role of mentoring and equipping others to be leaders. In many ways this reminds me of a “chance approach” to leadership. When ego and power serve as guiding influences, success may follow but it is often short-lived. Leaders who consciously serve, and seek to develop other leaders, tend to build successful organizations that can thrive long after they are gone.

What does leadership by design look like? I believe it begins with a high level of self-awareness and understanding of one’s talents. These leaders are vulnerable enough to admit when they are wrong or to ask for help when they don’t possess talent in a particular area. They surround themselves with persons who are not like them and encourage honest feedback from these trusted advisors. Love permeates their workplace – love for what they do, for those they work with, and for the customers they serve.

Leadership by design includes lifelong learning and a willingness to accept the mysteries of life. These leaders protect and share the organization’s stories – those times when everyone was at their best. These success stories drive the enterprise’s vision and daily life.

I am drawn to leaders who see life’s “chance happenings” as more than a mere twist of fate or accident. When leaders take time to reflect and cultivate their faith they can rest assured that God is at work. While they may not always see the evidence or make the right choices their future is in good hands.

In this Advent season we are reminded that God had a design for leadership in mind when he sent the Christ child to earth. The life and ministry of Jesus should be enough to convince all of us that we are part of a much larger plan. If this is leadership by “chance” I like my odds.

Sunday, December 2, 2007

The Waiting Game

Now that December has arrived our American culture becomes obsessed with counting the days until Christmas. Actually the countdown begins earlier each year; Halloween is the current choice for merchants to roll out the holiday decorations and begin the incessant call to “shop until you drop”. If you are the parents of young children (something that is a distant memory for me) the air of anticipation during this season can quickly turn into tacit impatience.

I must confess that waiting is hard for me, and not just during the Advent season that prepares us for Christmas. I’m guessing that I share this affliction with quite a few other leaders. It seems that “patience as a virtue” doesn’t resonate very well when expectations for results and action are used to measure success for today’s business leaders. Our need for instant gratification is fast becoming part of our society’s DNA as future leaders are fed a steady diet of sound bites, Instant Messages, and access to overwhelming volumes of information in shorter spans of time.

When leaders are faced with hard times or personal challenges the prospect of waiting takes on new meaning. Confidence begins to wane, decision-making can become reactive, and depression may paralyze our ability to see any signs of hope. These “personal pits” become lonely retreats where desperation and fear reign supreme.

The writers of the Biblical Psalms often echo these sentiments in poetic prose. The depth of despair, pain, and suffering ring with prophetic truth centuries after the words were first given voice. One Psalm offers hope for those persons, including leaders, mired in their personal “waiting game”. Attributed to David, the Hebrew king, its message offers a sharp contrast to our typical approach to waiting. “I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry,” writes David in Psalm 40:1.

Waited patiently? What does patience have to do with anything? I want my situation to change right now, not a year from now. Endurance and persistence aren’t leadership qualities; they’re something that only an athlete can appreciate.

The text also offers another startling revelation, the writer is expecting God to act, to hear and respond to his cry for help. In the depths of a hard time in his life the Psalmist anticipates that God will do something when he is ready. There is a quiet comfort in knowing that the waiting game will be rewarded. In the verses that follow, the poem offers a vivid and joyful account of rescue and restoration. A leader’s confidence is renewed and his future is secure.

Today’s leaders, including myself, have much to learn about this level of trust in the face of adversity. Most of us don’t really know or understand real suffering. We take so much for granted, including the incredible freedom, wealth, and privilege that are ours to enjoy. Our unwillingness to wait is symptomatic of a deeper need, the need to trust someone other than ourselves. Perhaps the lesson we all must learn about waiting begins with crying out for help.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Expressing Gratitude

Today marks the official close of another Thanksgiving weekend. Most of us have traveled near and far to gather with family and friends, enjoying a brief respite from the busyness of our lives. This unique American holiday began as a simple meal where the first settlers in Jamestown, Virginia gathered to thank God for his provisions. In 1863, with our nation in the midst of a civil war, Lincoln proclaimed an annual day of thanksgiving urging his fellow Americans to remember that the nation’s blessings were “gracious gifts of the most high God”.

Our current Thanksgiving celebrations seem more about feasting, shopping, and watching football than pausing to express our gratitude. Are we consciously aware and grateful for the gracious gifts we have, even on the day designated for that very purpose? I must confess it is easier to think about what I have accomplished or earned as a reward for my hard work and discipline, not as a gift.

Leaders have many opportunities each day to express our gratitude. It can be something small like a sincere “thank you” or something more formal like a promotion or bonus for a job well done. Many workers in our country never experience the joy of meaningful praise from their boss. In fact, feeling unappreciated or underappreciated is one of the primary reasons employees leave their jobs.

Can someone genuinely convey gratitude to another if a spirit of gratitude hasn’t transformed his or her own heart? In other words, can I express gratefulness without first being grateful? It’s an interesting question to ponder during this Thanksgiving season.

As you know by now, if you are a regular reader of this blog, my thoughts about leadership are deeply rooted in my faith and in the belief that a leader’s relationship with those they serve (employees, customers, and vendors) is dynamic and transformational. When leaders practice courage or exhibit vulnerability they transform how others view them and relate to them. If leaders serve, tell the truth, and love those who follow them the workplace is transformed into a holy sanctuary.

Expressing gratitude is also transforming. When I can acknowledge that who and what I am is not of my own doing, but rather the result of God’s graciousness to me, I am forever changed. I begin to view all those around me as part of God’s larger plan for my life. Who will I meet today that represents God’s gift to me, the person who will bring me what I need for this moment in time? Perhaps more importantly, who is waiting for me to offer that same gracious gift to them?

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Truth-Telling Revisited

Earlier this month I presented a seminar at an international gathering of Christian business leaders in Toronto, Ontario. The subject was “Truth-telling: The Hidden Profit Booster”. Attendees varied from the retired founder of a large family business to college students still planning for their careers. As usual I had fun preparing and presenting what I am learning about this challenging topic. Regular readers of my blog may remember an earlier journal entry in March about this important leadership principle.

I chose to address truth telling again because of the conversations that took place during and after my presentation. It became obvious during the seminar that not everyone shared my line of reasoning that telling the truth is good for business. I’m not suggesting there was widespread support for lying, just a sense from some participants that business practices have plenty of gray areas and this makes truth telling hard to carry out in the face of competitive pressures. No one disagreed with my assertions that people, including employees, customers, vendors, and even leaders tell lies. They seemed resigned to this inevitability. What they struggled to accept was my challenge that telling the truth has the potential to improve the bottom line.

When the topic of product labeling and advertising was used as evidence of ways we cheapen or devalue the truth, some wondered how a company could acknowledge a smaller portion or clarify the fine print and stay in business. Do consumers really care about these practices? Isn’t there a built in expectation that a capitalist, free market economic system will require choices between good and better, not just good and evil?

This minimalist thinking creates a challenge for leaders. How can we open a dialogue about truth telling if we don’t believe it is possible or practical to implement in our company culture, marketing, and product development? Must Christian leaders, in particular, compromise their faith values to protect jobs and ensure profits? Is truth telling, in fact, incongruent with business theory and practice?

I will be the first to acknowledge that telling the truth is hard. Notice I didn’t say complicated or esoteric. The basic principles of truth telling are simple and straightforward. They don’t require special training or innate skills. Simple but not easy…that is the challenge leaders face when called upon to tell the truth.

If you are like me the choice between easy and hard becomes painfully obvious. When confronted with the facts it is easy to gloss over them or dismiss them entirely. If challenged by another’s aberrant behavior it is easier to overlook or justify it. Avoiding or stretching the truth becomes second nature; a habit developed when we allow cynicism and ego to crush our spirits.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Our inner spirit, the place where God resides, is full of truth and love, enough to go around. It will require a commitment to vulnerability that may seem foreign to us, especially if we have suppressed our authentic selves through years of scrambling to get ahead or be accepted. Confession may be required, personal and corporate, before this new commitment to telling the truth can take root and flourish.

The idea that business and leadership will profit from a greater level of truth telling has immense appeal to me. I doubt that I am alone. What do you think?

Sunday, November 11, 2007

A Vision for Transformation

Today I was reminded that God is in the business of transformation. Our church hosted a choir from Teen Challenge, a faith-based, not-for-profit organization that helps men and women overcome their addictions to drugs and alcohol. The testimonies of the men who sang and shared were amazing reminders that with God’s help it is possible to transform a life that seems lost and hopeless into a new being, a person committed to living differently.

You might be wondering what this story has to do with leadership. I’m certainly not suggesting that today’s leaders are drug addicts or alcoholics, although some might struggle with these and other compulsions. Instead I’m wondering what role transformation might play in organizational life and how leaders could be a catalyst to encourage and manage this process?

The dictionary describes transformation as “an act, process, or instance of being transformed.” Transform is defined as “to change in composition or structure; to change in character or condition.” In other words, transformation involves real and sustained change. Organizations of all sizes talk a lot about change yet few seem to actually make much progress. Leaders may include references to change in their personal goals and enterprise strategic plans but these too seem more like “lip service” than reality.

So what is the missing ingredient? How can leaders implement and encourage real change? Perhaps my earlier reference to God as an agent of transformation deserves some consideration. Before you dismiss this idea completely, imagine a world where no spiritual guidance or belief system exists. Each person acts autonomously without a moral compass or code of ethics. While this might appeal to some persons, I believe the vast majority of people in our world recognize that a higher power is at work. Many would also concur that we are connected with each other and our planet in ways that remain a mystery, but nonetheless real.

A leader who acknowledges the importance of this spiritual connection and treats employees, vendors, and customers as sacred beings has the power to transform his or her organization. Not in a coercive or fear-based way but through servant leadership and a deep love for those they work with. A transformational leader seeks to empower others by inviting their participation in an inspiring vision of what the enterprise might become. Character and integrity take precedent over ego and power. To transform others, one must be transformed first.

While the Teen Challenge choir members boldly proclaimed past mistakes and ill-fated choices, they also acknowledged the One who helped them to make their amazing transformation. God and faith aren’t relegated to a Sunday morning worship experience or a private encounter in these men’s lives. Who would inspire your confidence and trust as a leader? Someone who boldly proclaims their Christian faith and lives their life with purpose and conviction or someone without a moral and ethical compass?

Perhaps one of the reasons organizations fail to transform structure, processes, and behavior is because leaders haven’t experienced their own personal transformation. It takes courage to claim a set of beliefs and to live as though these values really do matter. The world’s revered leaders have always understood this basic ingredient for lasting transformation. It took a choir of formerly addicted men to remind me about this simple truth. Now the real work begins in my own life and efforts at leadership. Will you join me?

Monday, November 5, 2007

Restoring Trust

This past week I attended one of my favorite annual business conventions, “Business as a Calling 2007”. It is hosted by MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates) an international organization known for its innovative approaches to helping the poor around the world improve their lives through microenterprise loans and business training. The theme of convention was “Trust in a World of Change” and that sparked my thinking for this week’s blog entry.

Eric Pillmore, former Senior Vice-President for Corporate Governance at Tyco International, was the keynote speaker for the opening session. He spoke about his experiences trying to rebuild trust and an ethical culture at Tyco after the company’s CEO was convicted of tax evasion.

One of the key questions he posed was, “Have we relied too much on the reputations of our leaders and not enough on evaluating their behavior and their values and their character?” In line with my posting from last week, how does measuring effectiveness fit with this important concept? Who in your organization has the job of evaluating the character of your key leaders? Would you even know how to begin?

Trust is earned by leaders who know what is non-negotiable in their life. These leaders aren’t swayed by ego, popularity, or the latest opinion poll. They have a set of values that is lived as authentically as possible, even in the face of opposition. They surround themselves with persons that tell them the truth and challenge their thinking when they are headed in the wrong direction.

Our political system and business organizations have done little in recent years to command the trust of voters, employees, and customers. Perhaps it is time for each of us to rededicate ourselves to evaluating character in ourselves and others. Will you join me in the conversation?

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Measuring Effectiveness

We live in an age obsessed with metrics and measurements. Newscasts are frequently peppered with the latest statistic or ominous trend. The Internet gives us access to more and, in some cases, better data about what we buy, how to stay healthy, and of course why we are frequently in crisis. If you can count it, chart it, or expound on it there is likely someone doing just that. From baseball to bond markets, client satisfaction to consumer spending, death rates to debt ratios there is a measurement or stat to accompany it.

Is it any wonder that business leaders seem preoccupied with measuring results? They have MBA theories and case studies to prove the value of tracking company performance. And perhaps most importantly, many executives have compensation agreements loaded with incentives for successfully reaching enterprise and personal goals. Monthly reports and meeting agendas are replete with the latest Key Performance Measures and financial ratios.

So what does all this carefully compiled and audited information really tell us? Does it capture how inspired our workforce may be? Does it reveal how committed we are to truth telling and promise-keeping? Will it offer insights about how well the talents of our employees are being utilized? Is there any revelation about the quality of our listening skills or the level of trust among our Board members?

The sad answer to these questions is that we are failing to calculate perhaps the most important measure of any leader, how effective he or she really is. Effectiveness is a challenging concept to quantify and I don’t pretend to have the right metrics to track and express it. Instead what I am pondering is how to apply this new “measure” to the quality and output of my own work. How do I know if I’m effective as a leader?

Using existing metrics that calculate revenue, expenses, profits, client retention, close rates, and client satisfaction one might make the case that I am somewhat ineffective in the current fiscal year. But do these numbers reveal the complete story? If one begins to assess my work based on answers to the questions posed earlier about inspiration, telling the truth, or matching talent to task a much different picture emerges.

As someone who works with leaders who want to be inspiring and organizations that embrace them, my effectiveness depends in large part on how those leaders that I work with consciously change their behaviors. Are they more courageous in the face of adversity or more authentic and vulnerable with their direct reports and peers? Are they more willing to serve others or more committed to telling the truth? Are they more loving in their relationships? In other words, are they more effective too? I would like to think they are and that I have played a small role in their progress.

This musing expresses my deep longing for a new set of metrics. I’m not suggesting that the old measures be completely abandoned. Rather I am inviting conversation about how learning to measure leadership effectiveness could actually improve the results that our old metrics are designed to track. A commitment to being effective might also have the power to transform what has become a cold, fear-based workplace into a warm, inviting, inspiring sanctuary. Let the dreaming begin!

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Permission to Say “No”

I must confess that I love the word Yes. It has been one of the ways I measure personal and business success. I am needed, I am valued, I am important—these are the messages that tend to occupy my thinking when I am agreeing to help someone or take on a new project. Marketers count on people like me to read their latest offer or accept their invitation to buy more stuff. Today’s modern advances in technology put me just one mouse click away from information I might need, products to make my life better, or opportunities to change the world where I live. There is a sense of pride that feeds my ego and keeps me on this treadmill—doing more and saying, “yes” once again.

Leaders are especially vulnerable in a culture that seems to worship the word Yes. Regardless of education, background, experience, or position many of us have been hardwired to believe that yes is the only option. Multi-tasking is held up as a symbol of efficiency and effectiveness. Mastering the latest digital inventions and keeping in touch from remote locations (even while on vacation) is expected behavior. Serving on not-for-profit boards and community involvement is the measure of one’s impact and influence.

But, could the promises that accompany these invitations to say yes be built on a faulty premise? Is there a price to pay for over consumption, over commitment, and over working? While I think the answer is obvious, let me make a case of saying no, at least some of the time.

As I get older my perspectives are changing. Chasing the dream seems less glamorous and more tiring. This makes it somewhat easier to limit my personal consumption and be more content. I say somewhat easier because the temptation to keep up appearances and have the latest and greatest will always be part of a capitalist, free-market society. When we intentionally limit our consumerism we take one small step toward freedom from the word Yes.

The choices that confront leaders every day are rarely between noble good and abject evil. Most of our decisions involve choosing between good things or better things and here is where a conscious leader must use prayerful discernment. It is easier to say no to addictive behaviors or illegal activities than to pass up a promotion so you can spend more time with your family.

One of the toughest no’s a leader faces is the honest assessment he or she must eventually make when gazing in the mirror, “I’m really not that important.” The Psalmist writes, “The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage.” (Psalm 16:5-6) Here is a contented leader; a person that has accepted his role and is free from the pressures of ego or meeting other’s expectations.

For some leaders saying no is viewed as an opportunity to vent or make the other party feel guilty for asking in the first place. I confess my own fears that a relationship may be lost or a client disappointed if I place limits on myself. That is why we must learn to say no graciously and in a way that honors the person who is making the request.

Barbara Brown Taylor writes, “Learning to say no is how we clear space for a few carefully planted yeses to grow.” How might you and I put this wisdom into practice? What are the yeses waiting in your life? Will you have the courage to say no enough times so these possibilities can blossom and flourish? Instead of mighty plans and vision, perhaps leaders need to accept the reality that God meets us in small places. Saying no may be easier from this perspective.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Invested in Weakness

This past week I was invited to share with the current crop of leaders participating in the Community Leadership Institute class, sponsored by the Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce. The occasion was a follow-up review for a “homework” assignment issued in September when I was a guest speaker. During that session each participant was given a copy of the best-selling book “StengthsFinder 2.0” and encouraged to complete an online assessment to identify their five personal Signature Themes (inherent talents that can be turned into strengths).

The premise of the book is that to excel in one’s chosen field and to find lasting satisfaction in doing so you need to understand and refine your strengths. In researching the book the Gallup Organization surveyed more than 1.7 million employees from 63 countries. One of the interesting questions they posed was this: “At work do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day.” The results were surprising – only 20 percent strongly agreed with this statement.

This question set the stage for a discussion about strengths and their importance in determining how successful and satisfied we will be in our job. But it fails to address a rather obvious question, “What do we do about our weaknesses?”

In a strengths-based approach, a weakness is defined as “a shortage or misapplication of talent, skill, or knowledge that causes problems for you or others”. This suggests that ignoring one’s weaknesses, as a leader, is not an option. So what do we do?

In many organizations the topic of weaknesses fills agendas during the annual employee review cycle. Leaders are encouraged to identify weaknesses in themselves and their direct reports, corrective action plans are devised, and commitments made to implement them. This focus on weakness assumes we can fix ourselves and grow strong in all areas while the evidence, both circumstantial and concrete, suggests it doesn’t work. The Gallup research provides some of the strongest arguments against this strategy.

One way to deal with weaknesses is to create internal performance management processes and leadership development programs that enable each employee to maximize what he or she does best every day. In particular this should include honoring the distinctive way that each person succeeds using their inherent talents and making sure they are in roles and positions that fit their abilities. It also includes a sound approach to assisting these same persons in managing their weaknesses on the job.

Strategies such as getting the right education or training could help a person to develop the minimum competencies needed in areas like using computer software. Forming complementary partnerships with a co-worker could offset weaknesses in each other. If the weakness has a low impact on the employee’s career then perhaps delegating or outsourcing the task would be an option. Another may be to ignore the weakness knowing that doing so will have no measurable impact on their work or career path.

When the weakness threatens to limit a person’s career then more drastic measures may be necessary. A CEO who dislikes the budgeting process might be required to “bone up” on these skills to perform them at a minimum level of competency. Otherwise their ability to retain the role as CEO could be in question.

Our challenge as leaders is to recognize that investing in weakness is a sure-fire way to create unhappy and dissatisfied employees. While we can’t ignore the flaws that each of us has, it is a far more productive strategy to identify and cultivate the strengths inherent in each of our team members and ourselves.

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Honesty Matters

This weekend my wife, Melody, and I celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary with a trip to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. We stopped at one of our favorite local restaurants on Friday morning to enjoy some breakfast before hitting the road. There was nothing unusual about this ritual except what happened when we paid our bill. But I’m getting ahead of my story.

I’ve titled this blog entry “Honesty Matters”. Since it’s not phrased as a question you can assume I believe this short statement to be true. There was a time in America’s history where integrity mattered, where reputations were valued, and where character was more important than money and status. Today’s leaders and businesses often forget the important role that honesty plays in shaping client relationships, in attracting and retaining dedicated employees, and in building goodwill that creates a lasting brand.

Small businesses have the most to lose by not practicing honesty. They are generally more leveraged financially with less capital to invest in marketing and public relations campaigns. Owners represent the “face” of these enterprises so their own personal reputations are on the line when things go wrong. There is also the power of “word of mouth” to quickly affect the community’s opinion in a negative way if fraud or deceptive business practices are uncovered. In fact, entire industries, like remodeling, can suffer a damaged reputation at the hands of one unscrupulous contractor.

That’s why my experience at the cash register is so relevant. The warm and friendly person greeting us as we approached to pay our bill was Mary, a friend from our church. We often meet her under these circumstances so conversations quickly turn to the day’s events or inquiries about family and friends. Today’s banter was different. As I reached for my credit card, Mary produced a separate receipt and $1.37 that she placed on the counter. She quickly explained to my astonished wife that when she had rung up her lunch ticket earlier in the week, the cash register had failed to override a mistaken entry on her part and the money now in front of us represented what we were owed in change.

After the initial shock, we both responded in amazement that an error had been found and asked why she had held the money so it could be returned to us. After all, it was a small sum with little implications for our family budget. But Mary knew why honesty was important even under circumstances that had only small financial consequences. Her simple acknowledgement of a mistake, her sincere apology on behalf of the business, and the restitution of our $1.37 left a lasting impression.

Leaders everywhere would benefit from teaching employees about honesty and empowering them to make things right with customers. They would do well to model truth telling in the workplace and marketplace. Our experience with Mary is a wonderful reminder that integrity matters, regardless of the size of the mistake.

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Leadership at the Race Track

I haven’t missed posting a blog since I took my vacation earlier this year. Last weekend was an exception as I spent time on a father-son outing at Eldora Speedway near New Weston, Ohio. This world famous 1/2-mile dirt track is a piece of Americana filled with racing history and now owned by NASCAR superstar Tony Stewart. The weather was unusually warm and dry contributing to exciting albeit very dusty racing conditions.

My son and I were guests of the RW Racing team and that is the subject of my musings this week. As defending champions for the USAC Silver Crown feature race in 2006 the RW team brought two great cars, two outstanding drivers, and a veteran pit crew to the event. Watching the team prepare for Saturday’s hot laps, qualifying runs, and feature event was a study in leadership on so many levels.

Steve Weirich, the car owner and my client, exuded a quiet confidence in the pit area. The crew and drivers all seemed to know exactly what to do as the two cars entered in the Silver Crown class were prepared for their respective qualifying laps. The hauler and pit area was clean and neat, complete with canopies to protect the cars and the crew from the afternoon sun.

As the day wore on, it was obvious that the team had two fast cars as they posted the best qualifying time for one car and fourth best for the other. Excitement was building for the feature event. By now you might be thinking that leadership is easy under these kinds of circumstances. Knowing your cars will start in first and fourth position seems like an advantage and perhaps a time to relax. Yet as the day wore on other teams began to face problems during their heats and qualifying laps. I watched in amazement as a car that crashed during one of those heats was put back together with parts and expertise provided by the RW team. That’s right, they helped their competition get back into the race.

As the feature race time drew closer the team changed into their racing gear and prepared to do battle on the track. Spotters took their positions on top of the hauler while the crew made last minute adjustments to the cars and the drivers strapped into their seats for the wild ride ahead. When the green flag finally dropped, near midnight, the two RW entries dashed to the front and fifty laps later finished first and third respectively. What an amazing feat against a tough field of competitors!

Steve and his team proved that leadership on a racetrack, as in life, requires excellent preparation, a willingness to help others, and a commitment to excellence. They learned from their previous year’s success, they invested in good equipment and talented drivers, while supporting each other during the final dash to the finish. Congratulations RW Racing and all the leaders who make up your fine team!

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Surrender Really is an Option

Leadership is often associated with winning. It’s an easy leap to make when business schools use the language of sports and war as metaphors for success. Crushing the competition is a common theme in marketing campaigns. Achievement and status are held up as worthy goals and we reward those who accomplish what they set out to do with plaques, stock incentives, and plush corner offices.

I must confess that it is hard to resist this call to succeed. It’s one of the reasons I find myself working long hours and writing blog posts on weekends! This drive to win comes with a price – more stress but less satisfaction, more stuff but less joy. Perhaps most painful of all is the realization that it is terribly lonely at the top.

Earlier this year I shared some personal frustrations about my schedule and the stress of running a business with a friend from church. He offered a rather shocking piece of advice – surrender yourself and your business to God. I didn’t know how to respond. While I profess a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and try to integrate my faith in the workplace, he suggested that I do even more. Well, actually his advice was for me to do less (surrender) and allow God to do more.

Could this advice work? Is one of the keys to leadership success based on giving up control and yielding oneself to a higher power? In the months since this conversation I have struggled to implement my friend’s suggestion. It is so easy to believe I can handle things on my own. I make excuses for keeping control and silently wish I understood what surrender really looks and feels like.

Deep in my heart I know that surrender is the right course to take. So why don’t I do it? Is my ego really that big? Am I so insecure that I have to prove myself to others? If I give up control might God take me somewhere I don’t want to go? Does it all come down to being afraid?

I wonder how many other leaders share my questions. Perhaps the responses I receive to this post will offer some clues. If we are honest with ourselves surrender sounds too much like losing and that could be the real reason we don’t get out of the game and let God take over. But I’m pretty sure that isn’t how the final score will read. When I am willing to get out of the way, only then can I really be successful. Only then am I ready to lead. I guess it’s about time I raise the white flag.

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Dumping Allowed

I promised when I launched this blog site to share my personal experiences and perspectives about leadership. It’s time to put that promise to the test.

This past week was extremely busy and more stressful than usual, a time of testing for any leader. By mid-week I had reached a level of frustration that boiled over during a scheduled appointment with a friend and business colleague. My ranting was met with an empathetic ear and a warm and caring heart, just what the “doctor ordered” to calm my frayed nerves.

Upon returning to the office I quickly dispatched an email message that opened with an apology for “dumping” during the meeting and closed with a summary of the conversation’s action items. Before the day was over a reply hit my inbox with an admonishment of sorts, “You can dump anytime as long as I have the luxury of doing the same.” Then came this challenge. “Can’t wait to read the blog that inspires your readers to take down their signs that say, “no dumping”!! Remind people that there is ABSOLUTELY a therapeutic benefit, particularly if it is with someone you know and trust.”

Those words hit home for me. Did I know that dumping is healthy? Absolutely. Then why did I feel guilty for doing it? Why apologize for something that is good for the soul? I’m not sure if this is a profound answer but for me it starts with pride and control. Those two words do not describe inspirational leaders yet those of us striving to become such a leader will inevitably come face-to-face with these selfish and ego-driven attributes. They prevent us from being vulnerability and authentic. It’s a downward spiral when leaders refuse to acknowledge their weaknesses or to ask for help.

Perhaps we need to place a sign on our office door that reads, “Dumping Allowed”. If we model the kind of authentic behavior that my friend encouraged with me (just by lending an empathetic ear) perhaps our employees would lose their own fears and open their hearts to us. Let me stress here that many leaders I encounter don’t know how to be an empathic listener. But, if you want to be inspiring to others this would be a skill worth acquiring.

Could the level of workplace anxiety and fear be reduced if we created a sanctuary where love and trust prevailed? Would confiding more regularly in our friends and family enhance our own wellbeing? I think the answers are obvious.

Thanks, Nancy, for allowing me to “dump” this week! You changed my perspectives about what I was facing and offered your care and support at a time when I really needed it. Someday I hope to return the favor just as you asked. Meanwhile, I’m working on that office sign.

Saturday, September 1, 2007

Celebrating Work

The annual Labor Day weekend seems like a good time to reflect on the value of work. That’s right, I believe work is worth celebrating especially if you are following God’s call in your life. For many leaders this calling never becomes obvious or is ignored to pursue the dreams that others have created for them.

So what does it mean to have a calling? One way I defined this in my own life was to create a Personal Mission Statement about ten years ago. It was an intentional process that included lots of reflection, prayer, and the use of a tool created by best selling author Laurie Beth Jones. The resulting mission statement has been guiding my work ever since. While I don’t habitually share my personal mission with others I’m offering it here to help you understand the concept better.

My personal mission is to discover, nurture, and affirm a lifelong love for learning in myself and others. This simple statement has many underlying meanings for me and is invaluable in guiding the choices I make about my career and work. For example, the creation of Higher Ground Consulting Group, LLC was a tangible way to incorporate my calling with my vocation. Imagine the excitement I feel when my love for learning is “caught” by my clients? It’s hard to express how gratifying it has been to come to the office every day knowing I’m doing what I love.

Does this brief personal example resonate with you? Are you doing what you love? Is your vocation also your calling? If you are like millions of leaders, and followers alike, the answer to these questions is likely a resounding “no”. In our endless pursuit of happiness and personal satisfaction many of us believe that money, status, and position is all that matters. While having a personal mission or calling doesn’t preclude living comfortably it should never be the primary focus of our attention. When you are following God’s call in your life these other areas become less important.

The world is waiting for leaders to answer this call and to serve others first. It won’t be easy and the journey may take you places that you never imagined. But consider the alternative, a life filled with regret or the nagging feeling there has to more. If you have a personal mission statement please share it with other readers by posting a comment. You may offer your thoughts about mine as well.

Perhaps this Labor Day holiday could be the start of a new chapter in your work and career. Next year this time you may actually be celebrating something more than the end of summer.

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Staying Focused

These past couple of weeks have been unusually hectic including speaking engagements, proposals and sales calls, major project deadlines, and traveling to Chicago for personal training and enrichment. In spite of the pace of my schedule I have also been working on an important leadership activity, staying focused.

In particular, I have been creating a Defining Statement for my business – something that clearly says who I work with and what I do to help them. The genesis for this process began as a pre-work assignment from Inscape Publishing as I prepared for distributor training earlier this month. They mailed each of us a book written my Mark LeBlanc titled “Growing Your Business”. In it he outlines a few steps to follow in creating a Defining Statement for your business. I’m not willing to share his secrets here; you can buy his book for that purpose. Instead I want to share my current version of a Defining Statement and offer a few brief thoughts about the importance of being focused as a leader.

So here is my working draft of a Defining Statement for Higher Ground Consulting Group, LLC: “I work with leaders who want to be inspiring and organizations that embrace them.” I call it a working draft because I’m still testing it with clients, prospects, and business colleagues. So why bother with this exercise at all? Is there really value in being focused?

I have always believed that great businesses, no matter their size, choose their customers. One way to do this is by screening prospects against your Defining Statement. In my case, I really don’t want to work with leaders who aren’t willing to do what it takes to become inspiring in their roles. I have also discovered, through personal experience, that if organizations don’t embrace this new style of leadership then it is difficult for me to have much success with them.

Great leaders know that without focused efforts they can’t be as effective. A compelling vision, a clear set of personal values, a willingness to be vulnerable, or the courage to say “no” can have an amazing effect on personal and professional growth. Inspirational leaders seek to serve others with love, not control them through fear and intimidation.

Being focused in marketing and sales efforts means less time chasing after “bad business” and more time nurturing the relationships that are necessary to earn credibility and integrity while being authentic. Great ideas and business models grow out of a sense of focus and a willingness to “stay the course” as the organization grows.

That is what I am hoping will happen with my Defining Statement. I’m testing it to see if others are attracted to it and whether they will use it to tell others about my business. This past week I shared it with nearly fifty business owners and leaders during a chamber workshop where I was the guest speaker. A number of attendees have already offered their feedback and that will help me to “focus” the statement even further.

Being a leader isn’t easy but without a clear focus it just might be impossible. What is your Defining Business Statement? Do you have a personal mission statement as well? Your comments about my working draft are invited. Your willingness to share it with someone else would be the ultimate compliment.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

The Process of Learning

One of my particular talents as a leader is my great desire to learn and continuously improve. In my case it is the process of learning, not just the outcome, which excites me. I’m always looking for books, journals, and data to broaden my knowledge and allow me to acquire new skills. New experiences and firsthand experiments inspire me to grow and test myself. For me, a great day is one where I can find and store new ideas in the vast storehouse of knowledge I have accumulated throughout my business career.

This past week I spent two full days in Chicago attending a training event for my work as a distributor for Inscape Publishing products, the folks that perfected and sell the DiSC© behavioral system. As you can imagine the opportunities to learn were plentiful and I came home energized with new insights and a list of personal growth plans.

The workshop sessions also taught me some important lessons about how others learn. Our group of 27 distributors was diverse in many ways but also included quite a few persons who shared similar behavioral styles. These styles presented some challenges for the facilitator as she led us through a wealth of information using a variety of teaching methods.

For example, 67% of our group displayed a more dominant behavioral style. They were looking for a fast-paced, direct, and results oriented learning environment. Throughout the event they were quick to share an opinion, ask questions, and make decisions. These same persons sometimes tried to insert their ideas when it would have been more appropriate to defer and unfairly labeled others in the group.

Another 78% of the group demonstrated an influential style of behavior. They loved the social aspects of the workshop, were optimistic and creative during activities, and made many new friends. These persons were passionate, caring, and had fun while they were learning. At times they resisted the discussion guidelines and disrupted the learning with sidebar conversations.

I’m sharing these observations because I regularly encounter these and other behavioral styles in the various workshop and seminar experiences where I serve as facilitator. No behavior is right or wrong in any given situation. As a teacher I am committed to identifying these styles and using what I know about them to tailor the learning experience so that everyone is comfortable contributing to the discussion. Whether the person values a thoughtful approach, attention to detail, a focus on results, or just wants to have fun I try to accommodate their styles in the class or workshop.

For myself, I value order, accuracy, and punctuality but also like to keep things moving, ask questions, and create a competitive atmosphere. While this may seem contradictory they are the behaviors I exhibit most often and these insights have been invaluable to my professional and personal growth.

Leaders should be aware of their own behavioral styles and how they impact personal learning and the ways they interact with others in a teaching setting. If you would like to know more about the DiSC© assessment or your behavioral styles give me a call or post to this blog. Let’s keep learning together!

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Coping with Stress

We all know that stress is a part of our lives – it seems inevitable. Leaders, because of our positions and roles in organizational life, likely encounter more than the average number of situations that could agitate or frustrate us. Wouldn’t it be nice if some magical Monday morning we arrived at work and all of our stress producing circumstances were gone? Since that won’t happen we need to learn how to effectively cope with the stress, not just minimize it but also actually find new ways to deal with it.

I recently completed a Coping & Stress Profile® in preparation for a training event. It helped me examine four coping resources that affect the relationship between stress and satisfaction: problem solving, communication, closeness, and flexibility. Research has found that the greater the level of each coping resource, the greater the level of satisfaction, regardless of the level of stress.

Problem solving is the ability to directly address difficult situations and make positive changes to resolve them. I scored high to moderate in my personal and work lives in this resource. This means that I tend to face issues and disappointments directly and look for ways to deal with them. My problem-solving skills actually help to reduce stress at work and at home.

Communication is the act of sharing ideas and expressing emotions to other people in order to promote mutual understanding. Here I scored high in both work and personal situations likely because I am willing to honestly share and also listen carefully to others. Stress can be reduced through effective communication.

Closeness refers to the degree of mutual support that one has with their peers. In this area my personal scores were low while my work scores were high. It’s interesting to note that in my personal life I prefer private time while at work I am more willing to engage with a team. Perhaps my chosen profession has encouraged me to learn these stress coping skills at work.

Flexibility is the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Here again my personal and work scores were low and high respectively. Perhaps my need to be organized has been influenced by the many challenging and ever-changing situations that I face with clients and work colleagues. Obviously being flexible is an effective stress coping resource.

I’m sharing these results because I know there is work for me to do in the area of stress management. Even if my scores are high in certain resource areas it will require intentional effort to keep them there and to increase the scores that are low in my personal life. These past few weeks have been busy and more stressful than usual. Knowing that I have these resources available to help me cope has been a blessing.

Leaders should not wish for an absence of stress. Instead we should identify these four coping resources and learn how to use them to keep stress at bay and to improve our satisfaction with life. I can assist you to access the assessment instrument when you are ready. Just give me a call or comment to this post.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Family Reunions

This past weekend I attended a bi-annual family reunion organized by the first cousins of the Byler clan that I was born into. It was well-attended and included the usual good food (homemade ice cream topped the list) and inspiring four-part accapella singing, something our family is known for. There was laughter, plenty of family stories (some likely embellished a bit), and good conversation. It’s funny how these events have become more important to me as I grow older.

The leaders of this clan, my grandfather, Thomas, and grandmother, Ada, are no longer with us. Only three of the six sons survive, including my dad. Yet this gathering reminded me of the important role that leaders play in family dynamics. Their legacy affects future generations in ways they would probably find hard to imagine.

While my family shares common biological roots we also share a deeper spiritual and emotional connection. The values, beliefs, and traditions of our family bind us together and create a special atmosphere when we gather for these special occasions. Conversations can soon move beyond the cursory “How are you?” and “What are you doing these days?” to a substantive dialogue about family, church, work, or even politics. I found myself quickly engaged at many different levels.

What is the leadership lesson in my “walk down memory lane”? I know that not everyone who reads my blog has good memories or connections with their families. Yet we all belong to a family and, in a larger sense, share a family connection with everyone on this planet. What will be your legacy to the world when you have passed from the earth? Will you be remembered for your sense of humor, gentle spirit, deeply held values, and love for others? Will you be known for giving people a second chance, a helping hand, or a kind word?

Every day you can affect the lives of those closest to you – your family. At some distant reunion what will those who gather remember about your life and influence? Will they talk about your strict rules and controlling personality or will they recall your passion for life and how generous you were with your time, talents, and money. The choice is yours and, as a family leader, it is an awesome and humbling responsibility.

Friday, July 20, 2007

Leadership Language

Last evening I was privileged to attend a local leadership event called Impact ’07 where the keynote address was delivered by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. Regardless of your political affiliation Newt is a remarkable thinker and exceptional communicator. One phrase that he shared during his speech particularly caught my attention. As he talked about the challenges of leadership he said, “Teach everyone to say ‘yes, if’ not ‘no, because’”. Stop and think about this phrase for a moment.

One thing that I have been discovering as I study leadership theory and interact with leaders at every level is how our language as leaders influences interactions with employees, clients, vendors, and referral sources. Newt’s counsel helps to make my point. Let me explain.

When our conversations include negative or dismissive language we will discover that the other person’s response is more likely to be confrontational. Suppose a colleague asks you whether they can purchase a new piece of equipment. If your immediate response is “no, because we don’t have any money in the budget” the opportunity to be creative or look for an innovative solution gives way to a sense of resignation, disappointment, and frustration.

If our language embraces the positive we are often surprised by the unexpected energy it creates to discover a workable resolution. In the same scenario, suppose your response is “yes, if we can find a way to pay for it”. Notice the invitational tone and more optimistic outlook created by simply changing a few words. The door has been opened for further conversation and even if the money can’t be found the colleague is more likely to feel better about the outcome because an effort was made to understand the need and find an answer.

What might happen in your workplace or family conversations if you made a conscious effort to change your leadership language? In addition to banishing “no, because” in favor of “yes, if” you might also consider being more generous with your praise and more committed to offering constructive feedback (both positive and negative) rather than simply criticizing others. Saying “I’m sorry” when you make a mistake is also highly recommended.

The language of leadership will only have integrity if we consistently practice what we are teaching others. I have personally been reminded of this important principle in recent weeks. Each week my journal entries invite those who know me best to judge how I’m doing as a leader. It’s an awesome responsibility knowing that my advice could be influencing how you think and act in your leadership role. That’s why your feedback is so important. It keeps me grounded and focused on providing insightful, practical leadership principles and applications. Who is holding you accountable for your leadership language?

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Anyone Can Cook

This weekend I watched the new Disney/Pixar animated movie “Ratatouille” (pronounced rat-a-too-ee), the improbable story of a rat named Remy who ends up in Paris and discovers that he can cook. As you can imagine, the reaction he receives from family and friends is anything but supportive, yet Remy persists in his dream to be a famous chef by cooking vicariously through a bumbling “garbage boy” in the kitchen of a famous gourmet restaurant. He is driven in his work by the simple idea that “Anyone can cook”, advice he received from a cookbook written by the famous chef who founded the restaurant where the rat now works incognito.

The passion and excitement that Remy brings to his craft is in sharp contrast to the sentiments of a bumper sticker that reads “Many people quit looking for work when they find a job”. There are likely thousands of persons who aren’t energized by their work and that should be a concern for every organizational leader. When work is just a job those who perform even the simplest tasks will lack the attention to quality, service, and innovation that makes organizations great.

So how do leaders recapture or reenergize a workforce that lacks passion? It begins with having an engaging vision for the company, a compelling picture of where the organization is headed and how each employee can contribute to achieving this vision. The focus of the vision must be bigger than anything that might be attempted or accomplished alone and should be simple and easy to remember.

Next, leaders should work hard to match employees and their talents with the work that is being done. One reason so many persons are disillusioned with their job is because their talents don’t fit the requirements for their position. When a person can use their strengths in any endeavor the energy they bring to their work and their ability to perform the tasks will be enhanced many times over.

Finally, our workplaces must be transformed into sanctuaries where trust, authenticity, love, forgiveness, and caring receive as much attention as production and profits. How we treat each other matters. The leader who ignores the needs of employees in order to maintain control or achieve short-term material gains will only create more reasons for people to “quit looking for work”. If you want your employees to believe that “anyone can cook” then create a safe place for them to prove themselves and support their efforts with solid training, coaching and effective management.

I can identify with the passion and joy that Remy brings to his work. Early in my career leaders whom I respected and trusted encouraged me to try new things and learn from the inevitable mistakes I would make. They convinced me that “I could do anything” just as Remy believed he could cook. Today I find myself offering this same advice to readers of this blog, to leaders that I coach, and to dozens of managers who attend my training sessions.

Where do you find yourself in this conversation? Is your work just a job or is it a place where you feel joy and satisfaction? What is the passion that is stirring in your heart? Could this be your next career? Remember, “Anyone can cook”.

Friday, July 6, 2007

Being Real

I have many authors who write about leadership issues that I admire but none more than Dr. Lance Secretan. During the past 18 months or so I have been one of a small group of consultants, trainers and coaches worldwide that have partnered with Secretan to bring the message of his latest book, “ONE: The Art and Practice of Conscious Leadership”, to the world. It has been an exciting experience and a learning process as well.

One of the leadership topics Secretan addresses in his book is the need for leaders to be authentic, what I will refer to as “being real” in this journal entry. In order to be real a leader must consciously agree to reveal emotions and fears, admit mistakes, tell the truth, and live with consistency or alignment. Authentic leaders don’t ask employees, clients, or vendors to do things that they themselves are not committed to do first. It sounds so simple doesn’t it?

A favorite children’s book of mine is “The Velveteen Rabbit” by Margery Williams. There is one scene in the story where two nursery toys are talking about what it means to be “Real”. During the conversation the wise Skin Horse tells the curious Rabbit that being real isn’t about how you are made but is what happens to you when you are loved for a long time. He goes on to say that it may even hurt to become real but it won’t matter “because once you are Real, you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”

The people we lead in our organizations long for us to be “Real”, long for us to practice authenticity, because it is this act of doing what we say and saying what we do that builds trust. In the past six months I have observed entire management teams transform their relationships with each other because they were willing to be vulnerable and speak the truth with love. It is an amazing experience to hear someone admit to past struggles, to challenge a colleague’s behavior during a meeting, or to say “I’m sorry” when a mistake is made or poor judgment is exercised. These are the gifts that leaders can share with each other and all those they interact with.

Fear and ego keep us from being authentic. We have been taught to trade our values and beliefs for the approval and acceptance of others, including family. This practice has created a generation or more of leaders that no longer equate personal conviction with practical action in the marketplace. We all know political, sports, and business leaders who are inauthentic—people who say they believe something but act otherwise. This type of leadership does not inspire others or leave a legacy that builds lasting faith in the institutions that make up our society.

How do you measure up to this description of “being real”? If your family, employees, customers, and vendors could offer a confidential assessment of your authenticity, what would the results look like? As the Skin Horse so wisely observes, “Once you are Real, you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.” Being real in the messiness we call life is a beautiful thing after all.

Friday, June 29, 2007

Communication Gaps

The past couple of weeks have been especially hectic and I find that communication always seems to suffer when leaders are under pressure. My most recent training engagement is an example of “gaps” that can occur, even when we think the message is clear.

The event I am referring to involved working with a group of leaders from a national association at an off-site location. Prior to the training sessions I maintained contact with event planners through phone and email channels, including discussions about topics, facilities, and logistics. The objectives and expectations seemed clear to everyone but you can surmise from the way I am telling the story that all was not well.

Upon arrival for the first day of training I discovered that the meeting room was too small for many of the group activities I had in mind. I’m used to adjusting programs when these circumstances occur so I shifted gears and modified session content. By mid-afternoon I uncovered a more difficult hurdle to overcome – the leaders in the room had already been exposed to some of the same topics I was presenting at a different venue, and with a nationally known speaker, only four months earlier. You can imagine my disappointment to learn how the communication and expectations that seemed so clear only a few months earlier no longer represented the reality I was experiencing.

We all know that communication is active and interactive yet we often underestimate the level of misunderstanding and lack of clarity that accompanies much of our conversation, both written and verbal. How good am I at really listening? When do I succumb to shortcutting the process by using email instead of a face-to-face encounter? Is everyone really on the same page at the end of our company meetings?

I offer two simple steps to improve company communication processes. First, stop hiding behind email by using it to communicate difficult issues that we would rather not discuss in person. Demonstrate courage by giving feedback (positive and negative) in person. Practice active listening skills and agree on next steps. Second, at the end of every meeting check for clarity by asking, “What did we agree to do today?” Then ask, “Who needs to know and how will we communicate to them?” By recording the group’s responses and holding each other accountable for follow through you will discover that decisions made can be implemented more quickly and smoothly.

Obviously these are small first steps, but anything we can do as leaders to close the communication gap that exists in many of our organizations will be welcomed and appreciated by our employees. It will also make our jobs easier and what’s not to like about that?

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Fathers as Leaders

It’s Father’s Day 2007 and I’m still beaming from a special card I received in the mail yesterday from my nearly 30-year-old son. The card’s sentiment was humorous; a reflection of his personality (and some of mine as well), but it was the handwritten note that caught my attention. He is celebrating this day in Tennessee, enjoying the last day of a rock and roll festival, so I won’t be receiving my usual weekly phone call from him. Instead he promised in the card to “pause and reflect on my nearly three decades of impeccable fatherhood and then go right back to rockin’.”

Imagine, interrupting a personal event long enough to reflect on his dad! Well, I must confess, his pause will probably be brief at best but I’m not too upset about it. Just knowing that he thinks I’m an “impeccable father” is enough for me.

Fathers really are leaders in every sense of the word. We model behaviors that shape the lives of our children for generations. Many of us know first hand the disappointments of a father who failed us along the way. Others have been blessed by a dad who, in spite of those disappointments, had the courage to say, “I’m sorry” and ask our forgiveness. Some of us heard “I love you” on a regular basis while others may never have experienced the sound of those sweet words from the person we looked up to as a child.

Regardless of the experiences you now carry as memories of your father, I hope you will consider the kind of leader you are now as a dad, or the one you aspire to be someday. Many of the leadership lessons I have shared in previous postings apply to fatherhood. It’s not too late to change your attitude and behavior as a father. We all dream of our children pausing from their work or play to remember us as the one leader they can call dad.

Friday, June 1, 2007

Refreshment for the Soul

I will be taking a break from my blog site entries to enjoy a 10 day vacation. Making time for refreshment of one's soul is an important principle of leadership. Plus, my readers probably need a break from my musings as well.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Following Your Heart

In my executive coaching work I have been known on more than one occasion to encourage the various leaders who seek my insights to “follow their heart”. This advice seems formidable to most of us because it requires a high level of courage to implement. I should know because I’ve had to follow my own advice on several occasions in my personal and business life. To consciously choose a path that you haven’t traveled before is both scary and exhilarating.

Being a leader is often equated with logic and reason – if I can measure it, quantify it, and chart it then it must be the right thing to do. Yet many of us have learned that personal dreams and aspirations are rarely that easy to define. There may be nothing more than an inner hunger that causes us to take stock of what we are doing and where we would really like to be. Perhaps it is a passion we have felt for many years but never acted upon. Following your heart is rarely a well-conceived master plan complete with strategies, timetables, and task lists. It’s more like an epiphany that results in chaos.

This past week one of my clients called with the news that they had made the decision to “follow their heart”. Their excitement and sense of relief belied any anxiety they might also have been feeling. It was inspiring to hear the joy in their voice and to witness the personal courage it took to make this decision. Leaving a secure position of leadership for an unknown destination seems daunting but, for those who have made this choice, the journey is never made alone. Those persons who love and care for us, personally and professionally, are always there when we announce our decision. It’s one of the secrets I discovered the first time I chose to follow my heart.

Being a leader doesn’t mean we will always be following our heart to some new and exciting career or place. Sometimes we will be the one encouraging a direct report or colleague to experience the joy of spreading their own wings and soaring to new heights. If more people followed their hearts there would be additional joy and inspiration in the workplace and the world. It’s time to leave the rational and logical behind and focus on your dreams. Your heart is calling; are you listening?

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Aspiration or Inspiration

Most companies that I work with have a mission statement that espouses a list of values they are committed to – excellent customer service, being a fun place to work, the importance of teamwork, honesty and integrity – you get the picture. These standards are intended to encourage employees to do their best and ultimately make the business successful. There’s only one big problem with the majority of these vision statements; they are mostly about our aspirations.

A value by definition is something that we believe and “live”. It defines our actions not just our ideals. So a list of compelling values, matted and framed on an office wall, does little to change behavior unless those values are actually enforced by the company’s leaders. In fact, many organizations have a culture that is a shadow of the values or mission statement; guided by implication and fueled by what actually happens on a daily basis throughout the company.

What you enforce as a leader, the nonnegotiable standards that carry consequences for being noncompliant, are the “real values” that guide your operations. How many times do you allow a family member, senior manager or another owner in the business to deviate from the company’s stated operational standards without any punishment or repercussions? Do you tolerate bad behavior from a super salesman because his or her revenue drives your company’s bottom line? Are poor managers allowed to flourish because they have tenure or share the owner’s last name?

Customer service is also frequently characterized by less than stellar performance. If the customer satisfaction survey boasts acceptable to okay responses, many companies are content to rest on their laurels instead of challenging themselves to strive for excellence. When leadership and management proclaims that we are “committed to excellence” but continues to tolerate anything less than the best in customer service then the unspoken standard becomes “good is good enough around here”.

The funny thing about inspiration is how it actually changes behavior! When leaders treat employees and customers with respect, and enforce stated operational and service guidelines, an amazing transformation occurs. The values that once seemed only an ideal, “come to life” throughout the organization. Managers spend less time sustaining values that are broadly and deeply held and enforced throughout the workplace. I think most employees would rather work for a company that acts as though it believes in the values that grace the lobby wall.

When standards are set high, when cruisers are routinely confronted about their behavior, when anything but excellent is challenged and questioned, only then will aspirations become inspiration. A company values system that inspires requires frequent and honest feedback, both positive and negative. You might begin by asking your employees to rate the company (on a scale of 1-to-10) at how well you are living the values included in the organization’s current mission statement. Don’t be shocked if the results are less than inspiring.

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Reflections About Joy

Today, as I write this entry, millions of families are honoring their mothers through cards, flowers, phone calls, visits and dinners at local restaurants. This annual observance has become a way for us to celebrate the special joy that mothers bring to our families. My weekly phone call with my own mom will take place a bit later today and wishing her a “happy Mother’s Day” is sure to be part of the conversation.

How would you define joy? More specifically can you define joy as expressed in your workplace or modeled by you, as a leader? While I confess no breakthrough revelations about joy in the workplace I can offer a few brief reflections, beginning with something I wrote about in a previous journal entry.

I believe joy is connected to our inner Spirit, or soul if you prefer that term. When I use the word connected, I’m referring to our relationship with the work we do every day; does that labor nourish and fulfill us? Is your work a true calling – a place where you are using your talents in service of others? When I believe that my work is making a difference in the world, I experience joy.

This past week I facilitated a training event for a team of leaders and was overwhelmed with joy as I witnessed them sharing and learning in a way that had eluded them in the past. They inspired me by their willingness to be vulnerable, their desire to learn and their honesty with each other. Abandoning their need for acceptance and status they chose instead to listen, to love and to learn together. Real joy is derived from these interpersonal connections, not the “material stuff” that society pressures us to accumulate in order to be happy.

What would happen in our workplaces if leaders created opportunities for everyone to know joy? Where would we start? What would such a plan look like? I think it begins with identifying the talents of each employee. Then those talents should be leveraged in the workplace so the employee is able to do what they love every day. As their calling and passion are identified and nurtured, joy will be a natural result. A joyful workplace will be more productive, more inviting and less stressful.

Mother’s Day is a wonderful annual occasion to celebrate the joy of family. I hope you won’t allow another year to pass before you invite joy into your life or the lives of others, especially in the workplace.

Saturday, May 5, 2007

Justice in the Workplace

This past week I was privileged to attend a luncheon meeting where Gary Haugen, founder of International Justice Mission (IJM), was the featured speaker. IJM is a human rights organization that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery, and oppression. They document and monitor conditions of abuse and oppression, educate the church and public about the abuses, and mobilize intervention on behalf of victims. IJM, which is federally and privately funded, has 13 offices in nine countries and currently employs more than 230 staff.

So what does a speech by a human rights advocate have to do with conscious leadership and this weekly journal? It was Haugen’s perspectives on injustice that caught my attention. He offered a compelling case through Scripture and stories from his organization’s work that injustice occurs when persons suffer abuse and oppression at the hands of other people. That prompted me to wonder how many times in the business world leaders act with injustice toward employees, customers, and the environment. Are we fair and impartial in our actions and decisions? Do we oppress the spirits of those we are supposed to serve by using the power of position to demand our own way? Might we abuse direct reports through our attitudes, language, and behavior?

Every human being longs for a sense of integrity and truthfulness in our interactions with others. But we know that power can corrupt; our world is filled with thousands of examples where horrific oppression and violence has been perpetrated on the most vulnerable in society. Think of the genocide in Rwanda during the spring of 1994. While I am not suggesting that injustices at work should be compared to killing fields, they do share a common thread – the abuse of power. It is a sobering thought to consider how my oppressive actions as a leader may affect those I work with or serve.

The temptations to abuse power are real and challenging. We live in a democracy but our organizations may not feel that way to those who work there. When was the last time you asked employees for feedback about product improvements or service enhancements and then actually listened to them and implemented their suggestions? Do you crave control over your company, department, or team at the expense of relationships and meeting the needs of others? Have you recently admitted a mistake or said, “I’m sorry” to a colleague or direct report? Do you know what your employees and customers want and need from you?

Justice may not be in your business vocabulary. Perhaps my attempt to connect injustice at work with global injustice isn’t even a plausible case to make. Yet injustices do exist in the marketplace and leaders are the ones with the greatest opportunities to model and practice a different way. It might begin with a personal confession that we crave power and are tempted to abuse it. We should review our organizational structure and processes to ensure they encourage and maintain fairness and honesty. Finally, we should listen more to our hearts; something I wrote about in last week’s blog entry. In the end, justice in the workplace and the world begins with living the platinum rule: Do unto others what they would have you do unto them. Sounds simple doesn’t it?

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Is It In You?

You might recognize the source of my journal title this week. It is a question posed by the makers of a popular sports drink and has been used by them in a variety of advertising mediums to drive home the point that athletic success is a combination of hard work, discipline, and, of course, drinking their product. As someone aspiring to be a conscious leader, this same question frequently crosses my mind but not in the context of physical stamina or victory in a sporting event. Rather, I wonder how effectively I listen to the inner knowledge and wisdom that God has given to me.

You might call this inner voice intuition but I have always felt that any personal source of inspiration and wisdom comes from a Higher Power. Regardless of how we might characterize this sense of “knowing” it is a gift that too many leaders ignore. We tend to put more stock in the expert advice of others, especially if they have more seasoned years of leadership under their belt or a string of letters after their name. Sometimes we are just too busy to stop and listen to our souls. The daily pressures of schedule and production leave little time for introspection. I confess that it is also easy to ignore or silence the nudging of my inner spirit. Trusting my “gut” seems like such an irrational method to make decisions.

Perhaps leaders so often discount intuition because we aren’t fully in touch with our inner voice. For example, how many of us spend quality time in meditation and reflection? We can’t hear our sixth sense through the cacophony of noise that bombards us every day. Do we frequently celebrate the blessings we have been given or take time to feed our souls through prayer and study? It’s hard to trust an inner voice that has no depth. Making space for God’s Spirit to reside, like excelling at athletics, requires discipline.

Establishing and implementing a routine that encourages stillness and connects us with our inner voice is where we need to begin. As our voice becomes stronger we will learn to trust it more. With each new experience, we will listen more acutely, act more confidently, and begin to make better choices and decisions. The wisdom of our soul will align with the greater wisdom of our Creator. We will see with new eyes, hear with new ears, and follow our hearts to a refreshing place of possibility and promise.

If your inner space seems empty perhaps it is because you have neglected or ignored it for too long. How would your role as a leader change if you took time each day to nurture your intuition, the inner voice of your soul? Could it be that all you need to do is listen and learn from the One who created and loves you? This may be an ideal moment to pose and answer the question, “Is it in you?” Only this time it’s not a sports drink but your soul that is calling.

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Nurturing Human Needs

My musings in this electronic journal often reflect on the need for leaders to recognize the special connections we all have with one another and to pay particular attention to the way we treat employees and customers. Recently I came across some writings by David Cooperrider where he offers this theory about three universal human needs. While others have espoused these needs in different ways, Cooperrider believes that each person has the need to: (1) Have a voice and be heard; (2) Be viewed as essential to a group; and (3) Be seen as unique and exceptional. In many organizations the leaders will insist they encourage open dialogue and embrace different ideas and diversity of opinion, while the company’s culture does little to support or nurture these assertions.

There have been some high profile examples of organizations that paid a price because the need for employees to be heard and valued was usurped by a greater need for power, control or expediency. One of the most notable took place at NASA over a period of years leading up to the 2003 Columbia space shuttle accident where seven astronauts lost their lives. In the investigation that followed the disaster, NASA’s culture was implicated at nearly the same level as the piece of foam that tore a hole in the heat shield of the orbiter’s wing. While NASA said they believed that safety was the most important concern, everyone behaved as though meeting the flight schedule was really most important.

The experience at NASA is not unlike what happens every day in other organizations, both large and small. As leaders, we see reality through our particular lens often unaware of the very different way our employees may see the same issue or problem. Over time, if trends or habits occur frequently enough, we accept them as part of doing business and may even adjust our expectations to fit this new, often warped, view of the truth. Leaders tend to underestimate the impact of their words and actions, and so subtle messages may soon become facts, often with terrible consequences.

Confronting these tendencies or, better yet, embracing the three human needs in the opening paragraph can have an amazing affect on the workplace. Employees who know that their opinions matter will begin to tell leaders things about the business that can improve morale, productivity, customer satisfaction, and profits. Words like “they” and “I” will be replaced with “we”. Everyone, regardless of position, will feel like they can challenge the status quo. Arrogance and blame will be replaced with humility and questioning one’s own contribution to the problem.

Long-term organizational health depends on leaders who recognize the power they have to nurture human needs by giving people a voice, including them as an integral part of the group, and acknowledging the gifts they have to offer. Are you up for the challenge?

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Building Trust

Leaders need the trust of those we serve. Without trust our role and influence is weakened and our credibility shaken. Trust is also the foundation for effective teambuilding – when absent, the prospect of creating a highly functioning team is unlikely. Team members that trust each other can readily admit mistakes, acknowledge weaknesses, ask for help, apologize when necessary, and share comfortably about their personal lives. When trust is lacking, team members will focus their energies on protecting turf at the expense of others.

In my training and consulting work I find that trust is a rare commodity in many workplaces, both large and small. While on the surface a team may appear to be getting along and working together, a closer look will often reveal behaviors and habits that belie the harmonious picture being presented in public. Leaders contribute to this problem when they rely on fear and control as the primary methods for achieving results. Without a strong foundation of trust any team will be susceptible to mean-spirited attacks, ambiguous decision-making, little or no accountability, and results that serve individual self-interest over the team’s goals.

Today’s sterile communication, using email and text messaging, does little to foster trust. When leaders opt for “saving time” by avoiding face-to-face encounters they send a message that relationships aren’t important. Strong, healthy teams need to spend time together on a regular basis if they are to gain each other’s trust. Leaders must model vulnerability in these settings so others will know it is “safe” to reveal their own shortcomings or to challenge the ideas being presented. Assessment tools, like DiSC or Myers-Briggs, may be needed to help team members understand each other better. I have been invited to facilitate these training sessions on several occasions in the past couple of months and the results often accelerate trust building as teams get to know each other better.

Building trust should be a high priority for conscious leaders. What are you doing in your leadership role to model and foster trust on your team? If I asked your team members for their response to the definitions of trust in my opening paragraph (admitting mistakes, acknowledging weaknesses, etc.) what would they say about you? Do you take time to build relationships or hide behind your computer screen?

Can we each commit anew to work harder at building trust? Our ability to lead effectively depends on an affirmative response.

Sunday, April 8, 2007

Seeing With New Eyes

One of my favorite quotes is by French novelist Marcel Proust, "The real voyage of discovery comes not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." For conscious leaders this requires some fundamental shifts in our thinking. Our mind is often conditioned to see only what we know and can prove, even though our reality may be quite different. Suppose we began to look at employees, clients, and vendors through new eyes - viewing them as sacred - as though we were connected at a deeply spiritual level? How might that change the way we treat them?

We tend to trust our senses more than our instincts. If we can see it, smell it, hear it, touch it, or taste it then "it" must be real. But in our quest for reality we may be missing the more subtle truths that guide human behavior and relationships. By focusing only on what we know to be true, our eyes may overlook the obvious clues all around us. Could our high staff turnover be a direct result of indifference or verbal abuse by management? Might the wear and tear on equipment be caused by the anger and tensions that often fill our workplace? Would clients be less demanding if they felt truly valued and cared for?

Changing the lens through which we view our world begins with acknowledging that we are all connected. As a leader when I treat others with love and respect I will begin to see them differently. If I am courageous and truthful with them, they will be inspired to do the same. The workplace and marketplace is yearning for leaders to see with new eyes. What most leaders fail to realize is they have this ability already within themselves. To see differently doesn't entail a new set of glasses or contact lenses. The vision to create a soulspace for employees and clients requires us to be vulnerable, to admit our mistakes, and to do the right things. By trusting our instincts, and seeking the sacredness in others, we will find that our eyes can see a whole new world.

Sunday, April 1, 2007

Are You Emotionally Engaged at Work?

I'm a big fan of the bestselling business book "Now, Discover Your Strengths" and would highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it. The book is based on research by the Gallup organization and the findings culled from more than 10 million surveys and interviews conducted over the past decade. As someone who is trying to become a conscious leader there is one statistic from the studies that got my attention. More than 1,000 people were asked this question, "At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day." Of those who "strongly disagreed" or "disagreed" with this statement, not one person was emotionally engaged on the job.

What are the implications of these research findings? How many of us who serve as leaders in our businesses could answer affirmatively to this question? Does our approach to management influence how employees would answer this question? Does being emotionally engaged matter in the workplace? While I can't offer an in-depth analysis in this brief posting here are a few of my reflections about the topic.

There have been times in my career when I would have joined the dissenters in the survey. Although the reasons vary as to why I didn't have the opportunity to "do what I do best every day", the most important for me was likely the focus by management on my weaknesses. The book authors and researchers at Gallup found that employees are 22% more likely to be disengaged at work when improving weaknesses is a primary management tactic or practice. This stunning revelation has changed not only the way I look at myself, but how I manage others.

When I am doing what I love to do, and have the opportunity to use my talents every day, my emotional engagement at work is positively impacted. This has been especially true for me in the past four years, as I have worked with my partners to establish and grow our consulting and training business. For the first time in my life I have an opportunity to practice my talents daily, gaining new knowledge and skills that transform those talents into strengths. Work is fun, challenging, and very rewarding.

When training and coaching other leaders I regularly challenge them to assess their own talents and to help employees discover their talents as well. The results have been encouraging as managers and direct reports become more emotionally engaged through this process. If you haven't yet discovered your unique talents it's not too late to start. Your value as a leader will be enhanced when you acknowledge this maxim (as described in the book Strengths Finder 2.0) "You cannot be anything you want to be - but you can be a lot more of who you already are."

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Leadership Legacies

For most of us the word "legacy" conjures up images of wealth through accumulated assets (money, marketable securities, properties and the like) that are passed on when someone dies. But is the measure of our worth as leaders only found in the numbers and columns that make up a balance sheet? Shouldn't we also bequeath our values, experiences, and learning from a lifetime of work and relationships? The essence of living well is captured by Ralph Waldo Emerson in this quote, "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

A dear friend and mentor of mine, Willard Shisler, passed away in March 2001 after a painful battle with bone cancer. His life embodied my vision of legacy and at his passing I was inspired to write a poem in his memory. The family shared it at his memorial service and it has been published in a couple of local newsletters as well. Today I have decided to share it with the global community hoping to inspire persons in leadership to pay closer attention to the legacy you are building that will one day speak volumes about your own character.


If Wisdom Had a Face

If wisdom had a face, it would be like his.
The dignified air of wispy white hair and whiskers to match;
Eyes sparkling with life, casting a knowing glance, occasionally brimming with silent tears;
A chiseled brow sculpted by years of toil and hours of meditation, but never furrowed long;
If wisdom had a face, it would look like his.

If wisdom had a voice, it would be like his.
Heavy with a Pennsylvania Dutch accent, sometimes hesitant but always strong;
Bestowing with passionate resonance beliefs held long and running deep;
Humble words of encouragement, spoken with conviction and compassion;
If wisdom has a voice, it would be like his.

If wisdom were a song, it would sound like his.
Chords and melodies rich in composition, ancient tunes with modern arrangements;
Sweet hynms of faith, cherished for their memories and vision;
Sung with a steady, metered beat for eighty-nine faithful years;
If wisdom were a song, it would sound like his.

The face is gone, the voice is silent, the song an echo in the air.
But wisdom is what he left for us to ponder;
Love is what he gave for us to share;
Hope is what he offers for tomorrow;
And we will not soon forget.

If wisdom had a face, it would look like his.

Wouldn't it be remarkable if each of us dedicated ourselves as leaders to creating a legacy of work and conscious leadership that taught the leaders we mentor what we have learned about wisdom, love, and hope? That's what Willard did for me and I am eternally grateful. I still miss you "old friend".