Saturday, September 27, 2008

It's Okay to be Different

This week several of my client training and coaching sessions focused on the behavioral styles that each of us prefers and how others perceive those behaviors. Using group activities and individual reflection we discovered that it’s not always easy to relate to another person’s style, especially when it is very different from our own. In the end I stressed the importance of acknowledging that no one style is right or wrong, the styles are simply different. And being different is okay.

The premise that different behavior styles exist is usually acceptable to leaders. Intellectually the theory that we are different makes sense. It’s typically harder to acknowledge that others who don’t share our style may view those behaviors in a negative way. In fact, we generally see the different styles of others from a negative point of view. Someone who has a dominant style is seen as bossy or controlling. A person who prefers a steady pace and stable environment can be labeled as too rigid or inflexible. Those with an influencing style may seem flaky or unrealistic while a person who values accuracy and quality is branded a perfectionist.

Instead of celebrating diversity and inviting each behavioral style to contribute their strengths to the team it is often easier to simply dismiss the other person’s attributes and impose our own. If you are the team or company leader this is a dangerous path to choose. Failing to appreciate the different styles of others, or refusing to flex your own behavior when the situation requires it, will rarely build trust and respect in one’s leadership ability. Increased conflict, decreased communication, and a caustic work environment will eventually result.

When a leader demonstrates the courage and vulnerability to reveal their behavioral styles, and makes an effort to accept and work with the styles of those who are different, a transformation can take place. Instead of being intimidated or annoyed by how different your colleagues are, you can learn to see how their behaviors complement your own, including making valuable contributions in areas where you are weak. By changing your perspective the door is opened for greater acceptance and cooperation.

If colleagues, clients, or vendors seem hard to understand and difficult to work with it may be time to look in the mirror. Your own lack of self-awareness could be the reason you are so uncomfortable. By discovering your dominant style or styles and learning to read the styles of others those unusual behaviors you notice don’t have to be wrong. But they will always be different and that is okay.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Joy Happens

Many of my weekly musings are inspired by the events of my week and this one is no different. On Friday night our church hosted a fundraiser event to help reduce the remaining debt from a recent facility expansion. We titled the event “Joy Happens” mostly to promote the speaker we had engaged as entertainment after the banquet dinner. Jep Hostetler is a well-known speaker, magician, and author whose effective use of humor helps his audiences connect health and faith to living with joy. My more subtle reason for choosing this phrase invited participants to experience the joy of generosity – when we willingly share our wealth and resources for a common purpose.

It seems that both of my wishes were granted that evening. As expected, Jep gently guided the audience to consider the six attitudes that make living a celebration (and I quote from his book, The Joy Factor, available from Herald Press): 1) Life is a gift; 2) Life is sacred; 3) Life is difficult; 4) Life is short; 5) Life is funny; and 6) Life is a spiritual journey. Using jokes, inspirational stories, and magic tricks he entertained and taught these principles well. For those of us who spent more time with him and his wife Joyce during dinner we also experienced this joy firsthand. The message is always more inspiring when the messenger lives the principles and Jep certainly modeled that for us.

The joy of generosity came alive for me when one of our church members contacted me less than two weeks prior to the event offering an unexpected contribution toward the program expenses and matching fund. Their voice cracked with emotion as they explained how grateful they felt for the church’s support and encouragement in recent months. Knowing they could give something back had obviously captured their heart. As the recipient of this unexpected act of love I could only say “thank you” and bathe in the joy of the moment.

Leaders can model joy for others but they must also create an environment where joy can happen spontaneously. By recognizing the sacred connections we all share, by showing empathy during difficult circumstances, and by using humor to celebrate life’s inimitable situations you will become a catalyst for creating joy. When joy is present in the workplace stress is reduced, satisfaction soars, and fun elevates the mundane.

Laughter is more than just good medicine. It is a sign that joy is present. What will you do this week to make joy happen in your workplace?

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Days of Caring

On several occasions my postings have referenced the importance of service, but this past Saturday I experienced serving firsthand as a volunteer for our local United Way’s Days of Caring event. I was joined by dozens of my fellow citizens as we tackled numerous projects for many of our community’s not-for-profit agencies. It was a memorable experience.

Our project team spent the day at an apartment house installing a fence, building a flower bed, assembling a storage shed and bookcase, and installing a countertop desk. The weather was warm, the ground was wet and muddy from a previous day of heavy rain, and I was feeling “under the weather” due to a bad allergy attack. In spite of these obstacles I was soon lost in the fun and joy of serving others.

Anyone who has spent time helping others with no expectations for anything in return knows what I am talking about. Everyone associated with the project had a positive attitude and a commitment to get things done. We collaborated to unload all the project materials from a trailer, carrying everything at least twice to get it to the work area behind the house. Our team had an experienced contractor giving leadership to the more complex tasks but the rest of us assumed responsibility as needed to complete many of the projects without his supervision.

We ended the day knowing our efforts would be appreciated by those who live in the apartments. In fact, one of the residents kept tabs on our work throughout the day and told us how nice everything looked. Even without that acknowledgment I would have felt a deep satisfaction about our efforts, knowing the community will benefit for years to come. Serving doesn’t require a formal “pat on the back”; the rewards are intangible but very real just the same.

I wish more of my colleagues and community leaders had volunteered to help. By giving back we all learn valuable lessons about selflessness, respect, empathy, and love. We develop new friendships, increase awareness of the needs in our community, and gain valuable insights about ourselves. I believe effective and inspirational leadership begins and ends with serving others. Days of Caring simply reminded me how true that statement is.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Fostering Creativity

This past weekend my family visited Fallingwater, the world-famous retreat home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for the Kaufmann family, located in southwestern Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands. Known for its unusual cantilever design that sits atop a 30 foot waterfall, the house is a classic example of creativity both in design and use of materials. The one hour guided tour simply whet my appetite for more as I recalled some of my early childhood dreams of being an architect and designing homes like the one I was visiting.

So what does creativity have to do with leadership? In the September 2008 issue of Harvard Business Review there is an interesting article about creativity written by Ed Catmull, cofounder of Pixar and the president of Pixar and Disney Animation Studios. In it he suggests that creativity isn’t simply a solo act but the collaborative efforts of large numbers of people from many different disciplines. In that context, creativity requires a leadership approach that may fly in the face of conventional wisdom and practice. The full article is available online at Harvard Business Review Online.

My own experiences with leadership have taught me that having the right people on your team and throughout your organization is critical. Catmull argues that hiring smart people is more important than hiring people with great ideas. We all know how difficult it is to find and keep great talent. The best and brightest leaders have all of their options open to them. That’s why retaining top talent is one way to maintain a creative environment.

But of course there is more to it than simply finding and keeping great people. Creativity can’t flourish if you aren’t willing to accept risks, make mistakes, challenge the status quo, tell each other the truth, and accept the premise that everyone in your organization has ideas to contribute. Frank Lloyd Wright was willing to challenge conventional wisdom about what a vacation house should be. That’s why he chose to put his design over the stream rather than alongside it. The doorways, hallways, and living spaces (especially the bedrooms) are small with low ceilings so that when you are in them you want to move to the large open decks that sit invitingly outside the windows and glass doors.

Most of us are so afraid of failure that we miss even small opportunities to create something that is truly new or innovative. It may be one reason why so many products and services look and feel the same. Having a stable of talented people won’t necessarily transform your enterprise into a creative environment. As a leader you will need to get these people to work well together, to trust each other and respect one another. If you can nurture these values, and model them yourself, then loyalty and love can flourish—the ingredients needed to unleash creativity.

No one expects you to build another Fallingwater or launch the next Pixar Studio. Instead focus on finding and keeping talented people by making your workplace a sanctuary for truth, trust, respect, service, and love. Then watch the creativity flow even though you’re miles from the nearest waterfall.