As I write this blog entry a major snowstorm is barreling up the eastern seaboard expecting to bring with it more than a foot of snow and high winds to the southeastern region of Pennsylvania where I live. Much of the Jersey shore will likely have even more snow and blizzard conditions. The ominous forecast has even postponed the Philadelphia Eagles home football game until Tuesday night.
Weather is a potent newsmaker, especially when the prediction is bad. Major snow storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, or extended heat waves all attract plenty of media attention since the bad news tends to drive ratings higher. We modern humans have an insatiable appetite for information and are often most attracted to the tragic stories that accompany weather phenomenon. Let’s face it, bad news sells!
Business and community leaders frequently find themselves facing decisions that involve sharing bad news. It may be lower than expected revenue or profits, an unexpected lawsuit, a workplace accident, or employee layoffs. Sometimes in our haste to get beyond the pain of sharing the current reality we overlook the opportunity to make sense of what is happening. This generative thinking process could be a perfect response to a new challenge or a recurring problem. By reflecting on what is happening in the context of the organization’s mission we could discover new strategies and solutions that weren’t previously considered.
Denying reality in the face of bad news isn’t good for business or personal health. We can only bury our heads in the sand for a while. Eventually we must consider what has taken place, understand the story behind the problem or issue, and get busy doing something in response to our discoveries. While leaders can’t change the weather, they can alter their responses to better inform the public on what to expect and how to cope with the aftermath. They can proactively move to protect citizens by postponing major sporting events or restricting travel on major highways. Lessons can be learned, even from past mistakes, like the government’s response to the BP oil spill or Hurricane Katrina.
One of the best ways to turn bad news into a force for good is by simply asking, “What if this same event happens again?” Business and civic leaders should never let a disaster or failure go to waste. Use the bad news to foster generative thinking and become better at solving problems. Tell more stories about the positive endings that frequently accompany tragedy. Then when the next major winter storm approaches our response can be, “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!”
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Gut Check
We’ve probably all had the feeling. In the midst of a conversation, a major decision, or meeting someone for the first time we get this unsettling hunch that something isn’t quite right. Sometimes we refer to this phenomenon as instinct or perhaps intuition. It’s a visceral response to our surroundings that may be intended to protect us or serve as an early warning system. To ignore this instinctual feedback is an invitation for potential disappointment or perhaps something more threatening.
I know quite a few leaders who view the world through an empathetic lens. They are often very adept at sensing the underlying feelings of others, knowing when stress is present, or simply connecting emotionally with another person. Sometimes these same leaders fail to trust their more intuitive nature because they believe that facts and logic should rule the day in the business world. After all, science requires proof and evidence while intuition offers little more than premonition or suspicion as guidance.
Before you analyze this argument for yourself, consider the times in your life when you sensed that something was wrong, even in the absence of any confirmation. I’m sure you have experienced moments like that. Our gut is often a very accurate barometer; able to predict with uncanny accuracy what is really going on behind the scenes or just below the surface. Yet few leaders cultivate this skill or trust it when making judgments and decisions.
I’m not advocating that we abandon the use of quantitative measures to assess our situations, however, without the additional perspective of intuition to guide us we will surely overlook key elements or issues. By applying empathetic listening with an intuitive grasp of the truth we could find transformative solutions to workplace and marketplace challenges.
So the next time you are facing a painful decision, a challenging obstacle, or a difficult conversation, pause and pay attention to your sixth sense - the instincts that could prove invaluable as you choose a course of action. We humans seem to know from birth what is right and wrong, just and unjust, truth and lie. Our Creator gave us a moral compass that should guide our thinking and actions. When we stray from its True North our gut tells us so. If only we would stop ignoring its signals.
I know quite a few leaders who view the world through an empathetic lens. They are often very adept at sensing the underlying feelings of others, knowing when stress is present, or simply connecting emotionally with another person. Sometimes these same leaders fail to trust their more intuitive nature because they believe that facts and logic should rule the day in the business world. After all, science requires proof and evidence while intuition offers little more than premonition or suspicion as guidance.
Before you analyze this argument for yourself, consider the times in your life when you sensed that something was wrong, even in the absence of any confirmation. I’m sure you have experienced moments like that. Our gut is often a very accurate barometer; able to predict with uncanny accuracy what is really going on behind the scenes or just below the surface. Yet few leaders cultivate this skill or trust it when making judgments and decisions.
I’m not advocating that we abandon the use of quantitative measures to assess our situations, however, without the additional perspective of intuition to guide us we will surely overlook key elements or issues. By applying empathetic listening with an intuitive grasp of the truth we could find transformative solutions to workplace and marketplace challenges.
So the next time you are facing a painful decision, a challenging obstacle, or a difficult conversation, pause and pay attention to your sixth sense - the instincts that could prove invaluable as you choose a course of action. We humans seem to know from birth what is right and wrong, just and unjust, truth and lie. Our Creator gave us a moral compass that should guide our thinking and actions. When we stray from its True North our gut tells us so. If only we would stop ignoring its signals.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Where’s the Evidence?
I’m a big fan of the hit television show, CSI (Crime Scene Investigation). One of the compelling aspects of each week’s episode is the team’s efforts to link evidence gathered at the scene of the crime to a suspect. Sometimes the connection is a microscopic detail that would be missed by anyone with an untrained eye. Usually a successful case rests on a body of evidence that implicates the perpetrator; corroborating pieces of information that ties an outcome to the person or persons responsible.
If leaders were judged by these same demanding standards how many might fail the test? In other words, if your leadership status was based on hard evidence would there be enough proof to convict? It might seem like an unfair question since the qualities of leadership are generally more subjective. Yet, we all know the leaders we admire and respect do portray certain characteristics that capture our attention and admiration. It is why we see them as a leader; why we try to emulate their behavior and honor their legacy.
It would be arrogant of me to assert that I have created a definitive list of those qualities that define leadership. There are plenty of smarter, more talented, and better educated persons who have already researched and written about this subject. Our bookstores and the Internet are filled with dozens of bestsellers and websites devoted to becoming an effective leader. One product I use in my consulting and teaching is the Everything DiSC® 363™ for Leaders profile created by Inscape Publishing. It rates effective leadership using a spectrum of eight approaches: Pioneering, Energizing, Affirming, Inclusive, Humble, Deliberate, Resolute, and Commanding. Each approach has three underlying practices that define how this approach is visible to a manager or executive’s co-workers.
Leaders who are willing to allow others to rate their performance can use profiles like this one to make the case that they are, in fact, effective in their role. Few leaders who participate in a self-assessment and review process find themselves on the same page as their direct reports, their manager, or their colleagues. Unlike science, the evidence gleaned through personal and interpersonal reflection is often filtered or tainted by opinion, bias, and memory. If our motives were always pure we wouldn’t need evaluations or assessments to validate performance.
Too many leaders refuse to participate in critical reviews of their effectiveness. As a result, organizations suffer from poor or underperforming supervision. Wouldn’t it make sense to demand some evidence that a person deserves to be a leader? Is it too much to ask for current, and would be, leaders to demonstrate some of the basic qualities that define highly competent leadership? Perhaps we need a new team in our organizations, LES (Leadership Effectiveness Squad), to hold leaders accountable for their performance. After all, the success of any enterprise depends on leaders who, when faced with evidence of their leadership ability, have been found guilty as charged. Case closed.
If leaders were judged by these same demanding standards how many might fail the test? In other words, if your leadership status was based on hard evidence would there be enough proof to convict? It might seem like an unfair question since the qualities of leadership are generally more subjective. Yet, we all know the leaders we admire and respect do portray certain characteristics that capture our attention and admiration. It is why we see them as a leader; why we try to emulate their behavior and honor their legacy.
It would be arrogant of me to assert that I have created a definitive list of those qualities that define leadership. There are plenty of smarter, more talented, and better educated persons who have already researched and written about this subject. Our bookstores and the Internet are filled with dozens of bestsellers and websites devoted to becoming an effective leader. One product I use in my consulting and teaching is the Everything DiSC® 363™ for Leaders profile created by Inscape Publishing. It rates effective leadership using a spectrum of eight approaches: Pioneering, Energizing, Affirming, Inclusive, Humble, Deliberate, Resolute, and Commanding. Each approach has three underlying practices that define how this approach is visible to a manager or executive’s co-workers.
Leaders who are willing to allow others to rate their performance can use profiles like this one to make the case that they are, in fact, effective in their role. Few leaders who participate in a self-assessment and review process find themselves on the same page as their direct reports, their manager, or their colleagues. Unlike science, the evidence gleaned through personal and interpersonal reflection is often filtered or tainted by opinion, bias, and memory. If our motives were always pure we wouldn’t need evaluations or assessments to validate performance.
Too many leaders refuse to participate in critical reviews of their effectiveness. As a result, organizations suffer from poor or underperforming supervision. Wouldn’t it make sense to demand some evidence that a person deserves to be a leader? Is it too much to ask for current, and would be, leaders to demonstrate some of the basic qualities that define highly competent leadership? Perhaps we need a new team in our organizations, LES (Leadership Effectiveness Squad), to hold leaders accountable for their performance. After all, the success of any enterprise depends on leaders who, when faced with evidence of their leadership ability, have been found guilty as charged. Case closed.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Life Stories; Life Lessons
Some of you may recall the American television documentary series “This Is Your Life” hosted and produced by Ralph Edwards. In the show that aired from 1952 to 1961, the host surprised a guest and proceeded to take them through their life in front of a live studio audience that included friends and family. This biography was an occasion to celebrate the life’s work of the guest and reunite him or her with old acquaintances from their past.
A few of my senior citizen friends have recorded stories about their lives to share with family and friends. I have been privileged to read these accounts of early childhood, careers, family memories, and the many changes and challenges they have faced. There is something holy about these firsthand tales as they reveal hidden insights about the person’s life, preserve a family heritage, and bestow wisdom through the written word. I hope that someday my own son (and perhaps his family) will view this blog site as a testament to the important ideals I believe in and life lessons I have learned.
In ancient times storytelling was the primary means of recording and transferring family history and memories. Each generation honed its skills in the art of telling stories so the legacy and traditions would remain unbroken. Today we Americans send an estimated 2.5 billion text messages every day. In addition, we also post millions of Facebook status updates, Twitter tweets, and YouTube videos during this same time period. Alas, this endless chatter doesn’t make for a compelling life story. In fact, one could argue that much of our social media communication doesn’t even engage at a storytelling level. It’s more and louder volume with less of what matters most.
Last year at my church our youth paster approached me with an idea to have the youth meet during our Christian education hour with the senior adults who comprise the class I teach each week. The four week format was simple—we chose a topic, like family or church, and asked the older persons to share their memories and stories with the youth. An open mic time encouraged the young people to ask questions about what they had heard. The response was amazing as these two very different generations came to appreciate each other’s stories and perspectives.
Few business leaders do a good job of telling stories. As a result, most employees know little about the values and principles that grounded the organization when it was founded. Many have no appreciation for the sacrifices of the founder or the stories behind the customer loyalty that keeps the company growing. Without written and verbal accounts of the history—both good and bad—there is no context for framing today’s decisions and future planning. Positive stories from the past can be an important ingredient for any organization that is seeking a new direction or trying to make sense of a muddled present.
We need the collective wisdom of our elders if we are to achieve success in our fractured and chaotic world. The guiding principles and values that shaped their lives are just as important for today’s problems. Business and family leaders have an obligation to share their narratives however imperfect and insignificant they might seem. If communication is the new currency of our age then it’s time to pay up by investing more in the power of personal story.
A few of my senior citizen friends have recorded stories about their lives to share with family and friends. I have been privileged to read these accounts of early childhood, careers, family memories, and the many changes and challenges they have faced. There is something holy about these firsthand tales as they reveal hidden insights about the person’s life, preserve a family heritage, and bestow wisdom through the written word. I hope that someday my own son (and perhaps his family) will view this blog site as a testament to the important ideals I believe in and life lessons I have learned.
In ancient times storytelling was the primary means of recording and transferring family history and memories. Each generation honed its skills in the art of telling stories so the legacy and traditions would remain unbroken. Today we Americans send an estimated 2.5 billion text messages every day. In addition, we also post millions of Facebook status updates, Twitter tweets, and YouTube videos during this same time period. Alas, this endless chatter doesn’t make for a compelling life story. In fact, one could argue that much of our social media communication doesn’t even engage at a storytelling level. It’s more and louder volume with less of what matters most.
Last year at my church our youth paster approached me with an idea to have the youth meet during our Christian education hour with the senior adults who comprise the class I teach each week. The four week format was simple—we chose a topic, like family or church, and asked the older persons to share their memories and stories with the youth. An open mic time encouraged the young people to ask questions about what they had heard. The response was amazing as these two very different generations came to appreciate each other’s stories and perspectives.
Few business leaders do a good job of telling stories. As a result, most employees know little about the values and principles that grounded the organization when it was founded. Many have no appreciation for the sacrifices of the founder or the stories behind the customer loyalty that keeps the company growing. Without written and verbal accounts of the history—both good and bad—there is no context for framing today’s decisions and future planning. Positive stories from the past can be an important ingredient for any organization that is seeking a new direction or trying to make sense of a muddled present.
We need the collective wisdom of our elders if we are to achieve success in our fractured and chaotic world. The guiding principles and values that shaped their lives are just as important for today’s problems. Business and family leaders have an obligation to share their narratives however imperfect and insignificant they might seem. If communication is the new currency of our age then it’s time to pay up by investing more in the power of personal story.
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