I have moved my blog to:
www.thegiftofstones.com
Visit soon!
All the best,
Kevin
Friday, December 14, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Women face a Glass Ceiling when it comes to Leadership Opportunities….. Is it a Myth??
In the September Harvard Business Review, Alice H. Eagly and Linda L. Carli co-authored an article entitled Women and the Labyrinth of Leadership, based on their November 2007 book Through the Labyrinth: The Truth about how Women Become Leaders.
The authors suggest that there is a new account for why women are not securing leadership positions. It is less about the ‘glass ceiling’ and more likely as a result of many obstacles that women face along the way. Although we have seen some improvement, let’s review the current statistics:
- In the United States, only 40 % of managerial positions are held by women
- At the C-suite level, as reported by Fortune 500 companies, only 6 % are women and 2 % of CEOs are women
- Further, only 15 % of the seats on the boards of Fortune 500 companies are held by women
Notwithstanding this tepid update on the advancement of women in the corporate world, the authors dispel the glass ceiling as myth; they position that women face a variety of complex challenges along their leadership journey, rather than one absolute barrier. Eagly and Carli replace the metaphor of the glass ceiling with that of a labyrinth, a complex journey toward a goal worth achieving.
The authors identify five (5) obstructions that women face as they traverse the leadership labyrinth.
Prejudice
The authors present very compelling data that clearly suggests that discrimination remains prevalent in both compensation and promotional opportunities:
In the US in 2005, women employed full-time earned 81 cents for every dollar that a man earned.
Marriage and parenthood are associated with higher wages for men but not women.
Promotions are slower to materialize for women than for men with equivalent qualifications.
Resistance to Women’s Leadership
Most people will identify different traits (personality and behavioural) for men as compared to women. We tend to describe men as ambitious, assertive, self-confident, self-reliant and individualistic; all traits that are commonly associated with leadership. These leadership traits are seen as effective and appropriate when it comes to men as leaders. How about women leaders? These agentic qualities are frowned upon when displayed by women. Women are expected to act more communal; displaying empathy, kindness and sympathy. However, can a leader be effective if they are communal in nature?
The authors describe this as a double bind that women face when competing for the top jobs. It could be said that men also face the same challenge. The difference is the assumptions that average people make when they assess women leaders as compared to their male counterparts. The studies show that successful female managers must be more deceitful, pushy and selfish as compared to a successful male manager.
Issues of Leadership Style
The pace of business is challenging enough without the added task of balancing the communal qualities that people look for in women with the obvious agentic qualities those same people look for in their leaders. The authors reference a study by Catalyst of the Fortune 1000 female executives that found “96 % of them rated as critical or fairly important that they develop a style with which male managers are comfortable”. Catalyst also published a study in July of this year titled The Double-Bind Dilemma for Women in Leadership:Damned if You Do, Doomed if You Don't
The authors also compared the concept of transformational and transactional leadership as they relate to men and women. Transformational being based on relationships, gaining trust and empowerment (think role model and mentor that helps people develop to their full potential). Transactional is focused on clarifying subordinates’ duties, rewarding them for execution and correcting them when they fail. The analysis showed that female leaders were more transformational than male leaders. Most leadership research indicates that the transformation style is more suited to leading the organization of today. So, and perhaps no surprise to many of you, women’s approaches are generally more effective.
Demands of Family Life
Perhaps the most challenging of the twists are the ones associated with family responsibilities. There have been improvements in the overall balance of responsibility between men and women as it relates to housework and parenting. Though men have taken on more of the household/parenting duties, the challenge for women has escalated; particularly as it relates to intensive parenting and the demands of high-level careers (men have increased their parenting involvement from 2.6 hours per week in 1965 to 6.5 in 2000 whereas women have increased from 10.6 to 12.9 hours respectively). We have a long way to go gents!
A negative associated with a mother reaching for leadership positions is the belief by many key decision makers that mothers have domestic responsibilities that make it difficult to promote them to more demanding positions.
Underinvestment in Social Capital
A further challenge for women is that their increased parenting responsibility does not allow for socializing with colleagues to the extent that their male counterparts are afforded. The ‘social capital’ that is accrued through these informal interactions is essential to the leadership track. In addition, this ‘network’ often places women in the minority as men occupy the majority of this circle.
What to Do?
The authors share that if a company would like to see more women in their executive offices, it should do the following:
Increase people’s awareness of the psychological drivers of prejudice toward female leaders, and work to dispel those perceptions.
Change the long-hours norm.
Reduce the subjectivity of performance evaluation.
Use open-recruitment tools, such as advertising and employment agencies, rather than relying on informal social networks and referrals to fill positions.
Ensure a critical mass of women in executive positions – not just one or two women – to head of the problems that come with tokenism.
Avoid having a sole female member of any team.
Help shore up social capital.
Prepare women for line management with appropriately demanding assignments.
Establish family-friendly human resources practices.
Allow employees who have significant parental responsibilities more time to prove themselves worthy of promotion.
Welcome women back.
Encourage male participation in family-friendly benefits.
The authors undertook their research to better prepare women for the challenges associated with the leadership labyrinth and the barriers that they will face. More information equals more informed choices. Management has an opportunity to implement effective strategies that will create better gender balance at the leadership level within their organizations.
The authors suggest that there is a new account for why women are not securing leadership positions. It is less about the ‘glass ceiling’ and more likely as a result of many obstacles that women face along the way. Although we have seen some improvement, let’s review the current statistics:
- In the United States, only 40 % of managerial positions are held by women
- At the C-suite level, as reported by Fortune 500 companies, only 6 % are women and 2 % of CEOs are women
- Further, only 15 % of the seats on the boards of Fortune 500 companies are held by women
Notwithstanding this tepid update on the advancement of women in the corporate world, the authors dispel the glass ceiling as myth; they position that women face a variety of complex challenges along their leadership journey, rather than one absolute barrier. Eagly and Carli replace the metaphor of the glass ceiling with that of a labyrinth, a complex journey toward a goal worth achieving.
The authors identify five (5) obstructions that women face as they traverse the leadership labyrinth.
Prejudice
The authors present very compelling data that clearly suggests that discrimination remains prevalent in both compensation and promotional opportunities:
In the US in 2005, women employed full-time earned 81 cents for every dollar that a man earned.
Marriage and parenthood are associated with higher wages for men but not women.
Promotions are slower to materialize for women than for men with equivalent qualifications.
Resistance to Women’s Leadership
Most people will identify different traits (personality and behavioural) for men as compared to women. We tend to describe men as ambitious, assertive, self-confident, self-reliant and individualistic; all traits that are commonly associated with leadership. These leadership traits are seen as effective and appropriate when it comes to men as leaders. How about women leaders? These agentic qualities are frowned upon when displayed by women. Women are expected to act more communal; displaying empathy, kindness and sympathy. However, can a leader be effective if they are communal in nature?
The authors describe this as a double bind that women face when competing for the top jobs. It could be said that men also face the same challenge. The difference is the assumptions that average people make when they assess women leaders as compared to their male counterparts. The studies show that successful female managers must be more deceitful, pushy and selfish as compared to a successful male manager.
Issues of Leadership Style
The pace of business is challenging enough without the added task of balancing the communal qualities that people look for in women with the obvious agentic qualities those same people look for in their leaders. The authors reference a study by Catalyst of the Fortune 1000 female executives that found “96 % of them rated as critical or fairly important that they develop a style with which male managers are comfortable”. Catalyst also published a study in July of this year titled The Double-Bind Dilemma for Women in Leadership:Damned if You Do, Doomed if You Don't
The authors also compared the concept of transformational and transactional leadership as they relate to men and women. Transformational being based on relationships, gaining trust and empowerment (think role model and mentor that helps people develop to their full potential). Transactional is focused on clarifying subordinates’ duties, rewarding them for execution and correcting them when they fail. The analysis showed that female leaders were more transformational than male leaders. Most leadership research indicates that the transformation style is more suited to leading the organization of today. So, and perhaps no surprise to many of you, women’s approaches are generally more effective.
Demands of Family Life
Perhaps the most challenging of the twists are the ones associated with family responsibilities. There have been improvements in the overall balance of responsibility between men and women as it relates to housework and parenting. Though men have taken on more of the household/parenting duties, the challenge for women has escalated; particularly as it relates to intensive parenting and the demands of high-level careers (men have increased their parenting involvement from 2.6 hours per week in 1965 to 6.5 in 2000 whereas women have increased from 10.6 to 12.9 hours respectively). We have a long way to go gents!
A negative associated with a mother reaching for leadership positions is the belief by many key decision makers that mothers have domestic responsibilities that make it difficult to promote them to more demanding positions.
Underinvestment in Social Capital
A further challenge for women is that their increased parenting responsibility does not allow for socializing with colleagues to the extent that their male counterparts are afforded. The ‘social capital’ that is accrued through these informal interactions is essential to the leadership track. In addition, this ‘network’ often places women in the minority as men occupy the majority of this circle.
What to Do?
The authors share that if a company would like to see more women in their executive offices, it should do the following:
Increase people’s awareness of the psychological drivers of prejudice toward female leaders, and work to dispel those perceptions.
Change the long-hours norm.
Reduce the subjectivity of performance evaluation.
Use open-recruitment tools, such as advertising and employment agencies, rather than relying on informal social networks and referrals to fill positions.
Ensure a critical mass of women in executive positions – not just one or two women – to head of the problems that come with tokenism.
Avoid having a sole female member of any team.
Help shore up social capital.
Prepare women for line management with appropriately demanding assignments.
Establish family-friendly human resources practices.
Allow employees who have significant parental responsibilities more time to prove themselves worthy of promotion.
Welcome women back.
Encourage male participation in family-friendly benefits.
The authors undertook their research to better prepare women for the challenges associated with the leadership labyrinth and the barriers that they will face. More information equals more informed choices. Management has an opportunity to implement effective strategies that will create better gender balance at the leadership level within their organizations.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Moving Your Leadership in the Right Direction
Bill George is the best-selling author of the 2003 book Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets of Creating Lasting Value. He has followed this with a guide to authentic leadership True North: Discover your Authentic Leadership (2007). Having read George’s first book, I was certain that his next offering would be anything but the regular leadership ‘fare’.
Considered an ‘academic’ now (professor of management practice at Harvard Business School), George established himself as a management and leadership icon as the chief executive officer and chairman of Medtronic (the world’s leading medical technology company). He engineered an incredible 11 year run; growing Medtronic’s market capitalization from $ 1.1 billion to $ 60 billion, averaging 35 % per year. He continues to serve as a corporate director for a number of notable companies, including Goldman Sachs and ExxonMobil.
George sets out to demonstrate how anyone who follows their internal compass can become an authentic leader. George, supported by colleague Peter Sims, undertook interviewing 125 leaders (ranging in age from 23 to 93) that represent a truly diverse group of women and men from different backgrounds. These leaders (including Andrea Jung of Avon and Howard Schultz of Starbucks) were chosen as a result of their reputations for being authentic and achieving success. Distilling George’s message to its base element, when you are aligned with who you are, you find alignment between the story of your life and your leadership… Authentic Leadership.
The Five Dimensions of an Authentic Leader
• Pursuing purpose with passion. Without a true sense of purpose, leaders are at the mercy of their egos.
• Practicing solid values. Leaders define their values; they are not determined by others. Values are a personal.
• Leading with heart. Truly authentic leaders lead with heart and head.
• Establishing enduring relationships. Authentic leaders develop lasting relationships.
• Demonstrating self-discipline. To produce results authentic leaders understand the need for a consistently high level of self-discipline.
George posits that leadership is not a destination, rather a continual journey that travels through stages until you reach the pinnacle of your leadership. George describes the stages as:
Phase I – Preparing for Leadership. This is the first 30 years, preparing for leadership, character is being developed and people become individual contributors or lead teams for the first time.
Phase II – Leading. The next phase is characterized by the accumulation of leadership experiences and opportunity, reaching a peak in the 50’s.
Phase III – Giving Back. Leaders share experiences with numerous groups, mentoring and coaching new or young leaders.
George shares that on occasion people with excellent potential get derailed. This is often linked to two critical questions - ‘What motivates me to lead?’ and ‘What is the purpose of my leadership?’ If the answer is power, prestige and wealth then the leader will be cornered by external gratification and never reach their full potential. In addition, leaders that avoid risk will not be prepared to manage the many increasing challenges that come with executive level positions.
A critical element of authentic leadership is the transformation from “I” to “We”. This is a shift from the leader attending to personal needs and focusing on the development of others. Only then can the leader provide the motivation to assist people in reaching their maximum potential. This transformation appears to be a critical ‘go’ or ‘no go’ in achieving authentic leadership.
George devotes a great deal of his book to discovering your authentic leadership and, in particular, knowing your authentic self. It only makes sense that you ensure you are clear on the direction (your compass) if you desire to be successful on your journey.
In an effort to know your authentic self it will be critical to become self-aware. It is often difficult to see ourselves as others actually view us. We need to open ourselves to colleagues in order to uncover our blind spots and provide an opportunity to explore new ways of doing things. Knowing and accepting yourself are essential in achieving your personal True North.
The author also highlights the importance of clearly understanding what motivates you to be a leader. There are two types of motivation – extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic are measured by the external world, while intrinsic motivation is derived from a personal sense of the true meaning of your life. Moving away from external validation of your achievements is very difficult. We are used to successive ‘wins’ (as defined by our supervisors or the street) and it takes a real dose of courage to shift to a focus on intrinsic motivation. But there is good news! George found that the leaders that focused on the intrinsic (an example would be turning down a lucrative pay cheque in order to pursue the roles they enjoy) still came out ahead in the end in both compensation and satisfaction.
An aspect of leadership that receives less attention is the support system that a leader needs to establish and maintain in order to effectively maximize your development plan. So what exactly is a support system/team? Essentially, it is a consistent nucleus of resources that can act as a ‘sounding board’ for you. They can be trusted advisors, mentors or a professional support network of peers within and from outside your organization. The key is that we all need that person(s) that we can trust so that our greatest fears and challenges can be discussed without risk of inappropriate disclosure. This kind of real-time feedback is essential to the leader’s development.
Optimizing Leadership Effectiveness
George recommends that every leader be very clear to ensure that their use style and power be consistent with the situation that they are facing. In considering your leadership style and power, consider the following:
• Is your leadership style consistent with your leadership principles and values? Is it ever inconsistent? Believe, your colleagues will be the first to notice!
• How do you adapt your style to the situations that you are addressing and to the specific competencies of your team?
• How do you get the most of your personal power in leading people?
• When you have used your power over others inappropriately how did they respond?
• How do you respond to powerful people who use their power with you?
The author feels that the more power that an individual accumulates the less often it should be used. Powerful leaders use persuasion rather than force to build consensus. In demonstrating the link between leadership style and power, George identifies five different styles that convey your sense of power:
Directive Leaders – Create dependent relationships with their subordinates, who faithfully complete their orders and respond to their demands.
Coaching Leaders - Create interdependent relationships.
Consensus Leaders - Use power in subtle ways to reach agreement without offending others or isolating people with a different perspective on an issue.
Affiliative Leaders – Readily accepted by others for their empathic approach to relationships.
Expert Leaders - Believe knowledge is power and it is better to be right than develop relationships.
The lasting message woven into True North: Discover your Authentic Leadership is that authentic leaders are more effective at realizing superior long-term results than others. This is achieved through a clear understanding of their own moral compass and a commitment to building/developing their organization. The authentic leader can take comfort in the realization that they will get superior performance from their team.
Next…..
Stay tuned for a piece on the unique challenges that women face in their leadership quest!
Considered an ‘academic’ now (professor of management practice at Harvard Business School), George established himself as a management and leadership icon as the chief executive officer and chairman of Medtronic (the world’s leading medical technology company). He engineered an incredible 11 year run; growing Medtronic’s market capitalization from $ 1.1 billion to $ 60 billion, averaging 35 % per year. He continues to serve as a corporate director for a number of notable companies, including Goldman Sachs and ExxonMobil.
George sets out to demonstrate how anyone who follows their internal compass can become an authentic leader. George, supported by colleague Peter Sims, undertook interviewing 125 leaders (ranging in age from 23 to 93) that represent a truly diverse group of women and men from different backgrounds. These leaders (including Andrea Jung of Avon and Howard Schultz of Starbucks) were chosen as a result of their reputations for being authentic and achieving success. Distilling George’s message to its base element, when you are aligned with who you are, you find alignment between the story of your life and your leadership… Authentic Leadership.
The Five Dimensions of an Authentic Leader
• Pursuing purpose with passion. Without a true sense of purpose, leaders are at the mercy of their egos.
• Practicing solid values. Leaders define their values; they are not determined by others. Values are a personal.
• Leading with heart. Truly authentic leaders lead with heart and head.
• Establishing enduring relationships. Authentic leaders develop lasting relationships.
• Demonstrating self-discipline. To produce results authentic leaders understand the need for a consistently high level of self-discipline.
George posits that leadership is not a destination, rather a continual journey that travels through stages until you reach the pinnacle of your leadership. George describes the stages as:
Phase I – Preparing for Leadership. This is the first 30 years, preparing for leadership, character is being developed and people become individual contributors or lead teams for the first time.
Phase II – Leading. The next phase is characterized by the accumulation of leadership experiences and opportunity, reaching a peak in the 50’s.
Phase III – Giving Back. Leaders share experiences with numerous groups, mentoring and coaching new or young leaders.
George shares that on occasion people with excellent potential get derailed. This is often linked to two critical questions - ‘What motivates me to lead?’ and ‘What is the purpose of my leadership?’ If the answer is power, prestige and wealth then the leader will be cornered by external gratification and never reach their full potential. In addition, leaders that avoid risk will not be prepared to manage the many increasing challenges that come with executive level positions.
A critical element of authentic leadership is the transformation from “I” to “We”. This is a shift from the leader attending to personal needs and focusing on the development of others. Only then can the leader provide the motivation to assist people in reaching their maximum potential. This transformation appears to be a critical ‘go’ or ‘no go’ in achieving authentic leadership.
George devotes a great deal of his book to discovering your authentic leadership and, in particular, knowing your authentic self. It only makes sense that you ensure you are clear on the direction (your compass) if you desire to be successful on your journey.
In an effort to know your authentic self it will be critical to become self-aware. It is often difficult to see ourselves as others actually view us. We need to open ourselves to colleagues in order to uncover our blind spots and provide an opportunity to explore new ways of doing things. Knowing and accepting yourself are essential in achieving your personal True North.
The author also highlights the importance of clearly understanding what motivates you to be a leader. There are two types of motivation – extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic are measured by the external world, while intrinsic motivation is derived from a personal sense of the true meaning of your life. Moving away from external validation of your achievements is very difficult. We are used to successive ‘wins’ (as defined by our supervisors or the street) and it takes a real dose of courage to shift to a focus on intrinsic motivation. But there is good news! George found that the leaders that focused on the intrinsic (an example would be turning down a lucrative pay cheque in order to pursue the roles they enjoy) still came out ahead in the end in both compensation and satisfaction.
An aspect of leadership that receives less attention is the support system that a leader needs to establish and maintain in order to effectively maximize your development plan. So what exactly is a support system/team? Essentially, it is a consistent nucleus of resources that can act as a ‘sounding board’ for you. They can be trusted advisors, mentors or a professional support network of peers within and from outside your organization. The key is that we all need that person(s) that we can trust so that our greatest fears and challenges can be discussed without risk of inappropriate disclosure. This kind of real-time feedback is essential to the leader’s development.
Optimizing Leadership Effectiveness
George recommends that every leader be very clear to ensure that their use style and power be consistent with the situation that they are facing. In considering your leadership style and power, consider the following:
• Is your leadership style consistent with your leadership principles and values? Is it ever inconsistent? Believe, your colleagues will be the first to notice!
• How do you adapt your style to the situations that you are addressing and to the specific competencies of your team?
• How do you get the most of your personal power in leading people?
• When you have used your power over others inappropriately how did they respond?
• How do you respond to powerful people who use their power with you?
The author feels that the more power that an individual accumulates the less often it should be used. Powerful leaders use persuasion rather than force to build consensus. In demonstrating the link between leadership style and power, George identifies five different styles that convey your sense of power:
Directive Leaders – Create dependent relationships with their subordinates, who faithfully complete their orders and respond to their demands.
Coaching Leaders - Create interdependent relationships.
Consensus Leaders - Use power in subtle ways to reach agreement without offending others or isolating people with a different perspective on an issue.
Affiliative Leaders – Readily accepted by others for their empathic approach to relationships.
Expert Leaders - Believe knowledge is power and it is better to be right than develop relationships.
The lasting message woven into True North: Discover your Authentic Leadership is that authentic leaders are more effective at realizing superior long-term results than others. This is achieved through a clear understanding of their own moral compass and a commitment to building/developing their organization. The authentic leader can take comfort in the realization that they will get superior performance from their team.
Next…..
Stay tuned for a piece on the unique challenges that women face in their leadership quest!
Monday, September 3, 2007
You Just Never Know Where you are Going to Learn about Leadership….
While waiting for a flight, I was browsing the magazine offerings in departures when I noticed a magazine called Scientific American Mind. This magazine had a number of interesting articles, including an article by Stephen D. Reciher, S. Alexander Haslam and Michael J. Platow entitled The New Psychology of Leadership. Given the incredible depth in which leadership is covered today, it is helpful to have the definition of Leadership that is being referenced. The authors’ reference to leadership is defined as ‘the ability to motivate people to act in concert – something that requires an internalized social identity.’
The authors challenge the notion that charisma, intelligence and other personality traits are the key ingredients to being recognized as an effective leader. The authors suggest that an entirely new framework of leadership exists. This framework is anchored by the notion that effective leaders must strive to comprehend the values and opinions of those that they lead. This approach represents a much greater emphasis on a collaborative/cooperative model rather than the ‘command and control’ leader focus.
This new approach resists the temptation to try and hold out fixed personality traits as an assurance of good leadership. It is the authors’ position that that the traits required will be dictated by the make up of the group(s) that is being led. Rather than relying on matching the perfect leader with the right challenge (or opportunity), the successful leader will be one that has the genuine ability to be recognized as a true team member that shares the same interests as the group they serve.
The article references the concept of the ‘social identity’ (a term that was minted by Henri Tajfel of the University of Bristol in the 1970’s during his work on groups) as an important component of the new psychology of leadership. Tajfel defined social identity as the part of a person’s self that is defined by a group. This allows people to identify and act together as a group. The authors state that leaders and followers must be connected by a shared identity and a plan to utilize that identity as a strategy for action.
Issues such as favoritism and high salaries (examples of things that can set the leaders apart from the group) can quickly derail the effectiveness of the leader. Failing to treat subordinates with respect will undermine the leader’s influence and credibility.
How to Lead
A new psychology of leadership suggests that effective leaders must understand the values and opinions of their followers – rather than assuming absolute authority – to enable a productive dialogue with team members about what the group stands for and thus how it should act.
According to this new approach, no fixed set of personality traits can assure good leadership because the most desirable traits depend on the nature of the group being led.
Leaders who adopt this strategy must try not only to fit in with their group but also to shape the group’s identity in a way that makes their own agenda and policies appear to be an expression of that identity.
The authors challenge the notion that charisma, intelligence and other personality traits are the key ingredients to being recognized as an effective leader. The authors suggest that an entirely new framework of leadership exists. This framework is anchored by the notion that effective leaders must strive to comprehend the values and opinions of those that they lead. This approach represents a much greater emphasis on a collaborative/cooperative model rather than the ‘command and control’ leader focus.
This new approach resists the temptation to try and hold out fixed personality traits as an assurance of good leadership. It is the authors’ position that that the traits required will be dictated by the make up of the group(s) that is being led. Rather than relying on matching the perfect leader with the right challenge (or opportunity), the successful leader will be one that has the genuine ability to be recognized as a true team member that shares the same interests as the group they serve.
The article references the concept of the ‘social identity’ (a term that was minted by Henri Tajfel of the University of Bristol in the 1970’s during his work on groups) as an important component of the new psychology of leadership. Tajfel defined social identity as the part of a person’s self that is defined by a group. This allows people to identify and act together as a group. The authors state that leaders and followers must be connected by a shared identity and a plan to utilize that identity as a strategy for action.
Issues such as favoritism and high salaries (examples of things that can set the leaders apart from the group) can quickly derail the effectiveness of the leader. Failing to treat subordinates with respect will undermine the leader’s influence and credibility.
How to Lead
A new psychology of leadership suggests that effective leaders must understand the values and opinions of their followers – rather than assuming absolute authority – to enable a productive dialogue with team members about what the group stands for and thus how it should act.
According to this new approach, no fixed set of personality traits can assure good leadership because the most desirable traits depend on the nature of the group being led.
Leaders who adopt this strategy must try not only to fit in with their group but also to shape the group’s identity in a way that makes their own agenda and policies appear to be an expression of that identity.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
The Leadership Brand
The July/August edition of the Harvard Business Review features an article by Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood entitled Building a Leadership Brand. Ulrich’s and Smallwood‘s underlying message is that companies must look to move from focusing on building the abilities of individual leaders to creating a general leadership capability, which they label a leadership brand.
Possessing a growth mindset, companies like General Electric, Boeing, Goldman Sachs, Johnson & Johnson (and many others) emphasize developing leaders with a very explicit set of competencies that are focused on meeting the needs of customers. These companies have established a brand promise with consumers and focus their leadership development on building a leadership brand that encourages employees and managers alike to deliver on this promise.
The authors share that far too many organizations have focused their energy on individual leadership development that is not clearly linked to their brand promise. Typically, organizations have a very generic set of competencies; so generic that you often see the exact same set of traits represented in a pharmaceutical company as a financial services company. So what can you do?
The first step is to ensure that the organization possesses the fundamental leadership elements (which Ulrich and Smallwood term the Leadership Code):
Strategy: developing a point of view about the future and positioning the firm for continued success
Execution: building organizational systems that deliver results and make change happen
Talent management: motivating, engaging, and communicating with employees
Talent development: grooming employees for future leadership
Personal proficiency: acting with integrity, exercising social and emotional intelligence, making bold decisions, and engendering trust
Too many companies identify requirements that clearly fall into the personal proficiency component (demonstrates integrity, willingness to learn, and consistency) rather than a development model that encompasses the full range of the Leadership Code. Once an organization has successfully incorporated the Code into their organization, they can move on to designing their leadership brand.
Ulrich and Smallwood identify four principles that help companies to build the capability to develop leaders that embody the promises that your organization makes to your customers. They are:
Connect Executives’ Abilities to Your Desired Reputation
Decide what you want your firm to be known for, then link those brand attributes with specific leadership skills and behavior.
Assess Leaders Against Your Leadership Brand
To ensure leaders are living up to your leadership brand, regularly assess their actions and accomplishments from an external point of view. Invite key customers, investors, and community leaders to periodically evaluate your leaders through surveys, interviews, and focus groups.
Let Customers and Investors Teach
Incorporate external expectations into your leadership-development efforts by:
• Giving customers a voice in training-program design
• Making sure customer expectations inform every aspect of leadership courses
• Using customers and investors to observe training sessions and to offer feedback about the content’s relevancy or act as expert faculty for certain training programs
• Giving managers assignments that demand a customer “lens”
Track the Long-Term Success of Your Leadership Brand
A strong leadership brand translates into superior financial performance. Evaluate the success of your leadership brand by considering how much confidence investors have in your future earnings (as expressed by your company’s price/earnings ratio) and how much customers value your brand (as expressed by market share).
Why do it?
The strategy in creating a leadership brand is to clearly differentiate your organization from your competition. This will require commitment from all levels (the authors suggest that the CEO must function as the “brand manager” and be the catalyst in building programs that foster brand leadership). As leaders learn the Leadership Code and the crux of the leadership brand, they will also begin to participate in the enhancing the value of their organization.
A nice feature of the article is the inclusion of a Leadership Brand Assessment that will help you to determine where your organization scores in relation to leadership branding capability.
Possessing a growth mindset, companies like General Electric, Boeing, Goldman Sachs, Johnson & Johnson (and many others) emphasize developing leaders with a very explicit set of competencies that are focused on meeting the needs of customers. These companies have established a brand promise with consumers and focus their leadership development on building a leadership brand that encourages employees and managers alike to deliver on this promise.
The authors share that far too many organizations have focused their energy on individual leadership development that is not clearly linked to their brand promise. Typically, organizations have a very generic set of competencies; so generic that you often see the exact same set of traits represented in a pharmaceutical company as a financial services company. So what can you do?
The first step is to ensure that the organization possesses the fundamental leadership elements (which Ulrich and Smallwood term the Leadership Code):
Strategy: developing a point of view about the future and positioning the firm for continued success
Execution: building organizational systems that deliver results and make change happen
Talent management: motivating, engaging, and communicating with employees
Talent development: grooming employees for future leadership
Personal proficiency: acting with integrity, exercising social and emotional intelligence, making bold decisions, and engendering trust
Too many companies identify requirements that clearly fall into the personal proficiency component (demonstrates integrity, willingness to learn, and consistency) rather than a development model that encompasses the full range of the Leadership Code. Once an organization has successfully incorporated the Code into their organization, they can move on to designing their leadership brand.
Ulrich and Smallwood identify four principles that help companies to build the capability to develop leaders that embody the promises that your organization makes to your customers. They are:
Connect Executives’ Abilities to Your Desired Reputation
Decide what you want your firm to be known for, then link those brand attributes with specific leadership skills and behavior.
Assess Leaders Against Your Leadership Brand
To ensure leaders are living up to your leadership brand, regularly assess their actions and accomplishments from an external point of view. Invite key customers, investors, and community leaders to periodically evaluate your leaders through surveys, interviews, and focus groups.
Let Customers and Investors Teach
Incorporate external expectations into your leadership-development efforts by:
• Giving customers a voice in training-program design
• Making sure customer expectations inform every aspect of leadership courses
• Using customers and investors to observe training sessions and to offer feedback about the content’s relevancy or act as expert faculty for certain training programs
• Giving managers assignments that demand a customer “lens”
Track the Long-Term Success of Your Leadership Brand
A strong leadership brand translates into superior financial performance. Evaluate the success of your leadership brand by considering how much confidence investors have in your future earnings (as expressed by your company’s price/earnings ratio) and how much customers value your brand (as expressed by market share).
Why do it?
The strategy in creating a leadership brand is to clearly differentiate your organization from your competition. This will require commitment from all levels (the authors suggest that the CEO must function as the “brand manager” and be the catalyst in building programs that foster brand leadership). As leaders learn the Leadership Code and the crux of the leadership brand, they will also begin to participate in the enhancing the value of their organization.
A nice feature of the article is the inclusion of a Leadership Brand Assessment that will help you to determine where your organization scores in relation to leadership branding capability.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Mindset - The Psychology of Success
A colleague recently recommended Carol Dweck’s book Mindset as a fresh take on the psychology of success. I strongly recommend this book as a ‘must read’ for any of you that are actively involved in coaching or guiding performance (that probably covers the majority of reviewers). You can even do an assessment that allows you to test your own mindset
Dweck has spent decades researching achievement and success and is the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University. Dweck posits that there are two different kinds of mindset:
Fixed mindset
Growth mindset
People that have a fixed mindset believe their basic qualities (intelligence or talent) are fixed traits. You have them or you don’t. Their belief is that you have talent and this talent will create success. The most interesting belief held by those with a fixed mindset is that this success will come without any effort.
People that have a growth mindset believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedicated effort and hard work. They see possessing brains and talent as table stakes, rather than the ingredient that dictates success. The embrace life long learning and relish the opportunity to grow through challenging opportunities that stretch their ability.
Dweck dedicated a chapter to mindset and leadership as it relates to business. Dweck emphasizes that the key factor that led to implosions and misdeeds by corporations like Enron and WorldCom was their ‘talent mind-set’. Essentially, these companies suffered from an integrity gap as a result of an over emphasis on talent within their corporate culture. When a company places a very visible emphasis on talent, they are at risk of experiencing situations where employees may compromise ethics to maintain an appearance of dominant talent within the organization.
I found Dweck’s comparison and contrast of some very well known leaders very interesting. Dweck looked at a number of high profile CEO’s, comparing their mindsets. She profiled Albert Dunlap (known as ‘Chainsaw’ Al for his prolific slashing of staff during his assignments), Lee Iacocca, Kenneth Lay, Steve Case and Gerald Levin. The common denominator with this group was their emphasis on their own brilliance and talent. Their fixed mindsets resulted in underperforming organizations that suffered while these leaders attempted to build a legacy that would honour their achievements. These leaders were very ego based and far less concerned with the ongoing development of their people.
Dweck also profiled Jack Welch, Lou Gerstner and Anne Mulcahy. This group of CEO’s transformed their companies by chasing out the fixed mindset and introducing a culture of growth and development. Dweck feels that instead of using the company as a vehicle for their greatness, these leaders use it as an engine of growth – for themselves, the employees, and the company as a whole.
If you need more convincing then perhaps compare the results of the following companies:
Growth Mindset
General Electric (Welch)
IBM (Gerstner)
Xerox (Mulchay)
Fixed Mindset
Enron (Lay)
Chrysler (Iacocca)
AOL/Time Warner (Case and Levin)
Throughout the book Dweck offers directions and tips on growing your mindset. There are a number of great ideas that can be implemented by anyone to move from a focus on ego and control to growth and development.
Dweck has spent decades researching achievement and success and is the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University. Dweck posits that there are two different kinds of mindset:
Fixed mindset
Growth mindset
People that have a fixed mindset believe their basic qualities (intelligence or talent) are fixed traits. You have them or you don’t. Their belief is that you have talent and this talent will create success. The most interesting belief held by those with a fixed mindset is that this success will come without any effort.
People that have a growth mindset believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedicated effort and hard work. They see possessing brains and talent as table stakes, rather than the ingredient that dictates success. The embrace life long learning and relish the opportunity to grow through challenging opportunities that stretch their ability.
Dweck dedicated a chapter to mindset and leadership as it relates to business. Dweck emphasizes that the key factor that led to implosions and misdeeds by corporations like Enron and WorldCom was their ‘talent mind-set’. Essentially, these companies suffered from an integrity gap as a result of an over emphasis on talent within their corporate culture. When a company places a very visible emphasis on talent, they are at risk of experiencing situations where employees may compromise ethics to maintain an appearance of dominant talent within the organization.
I found Dweck’s comparison and contrast of some very well known leaders very interesting. Dweck looked at a number of high profile CEO’s, comparing their mindsets. She profiled Albert Dunlap (known as ‘Chainsaw’ Al for his prolific slashing of staff during his assignments), Lee Iacocca, Kenneth Lay, Steve Case and Gerald Levin. The common denominator with this group was their emphasis on their own brilliance and talent. Their fixed mindsets resulted in underperforming organizations that suffered while these leaders attempted to build a legacy that would honour their achievements. These leaders were very ego based and far less concerned with the ongoing development of their people.
Dweck also profiled Jack Welch, Lou Gerstner and Anne Mulcahy. This group of CEO’s transformed their companies by chasing out the fixed mindset and introducing a culture of growth and development. Dweck feels that instead of using the company as a vehicle for their greatness, these leaders use it as an engine of growth – for themselves, the employees, and the company as a whole.
If you need more convincing then perhaps compare the results of the following companies:
Growth Mindset
General Electric (Welch)
IBM (Gerstner)
Xerox (Mulchay)
Fixed Mindset
Enron (Lay)
Chrysler (Iacocca)
AOL/Time Warner (Case and Levin)
Throughout the book Dweck offers directions and tips on growing your mindset. There are a number of great ideas that can be implemented by anyone to move from a focus on ego and control to growth and development.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Last One Out Turn Off The Lights....
As you enjoy your summer time activities with family and friends, achieving that precious balance between family and work, you have probably taken a moment or two to consider the vibrant economy that we are experiencing in Calgary. You do not have to look far to see the prosperity that abounds; new cars, brand new million dollar homes and record energy prices (and until very recently, a very robust stock market).
As you know, not all Calgarians have shared in this abundance and the increasing cost of living (think affordable housing and general inflation) is making it even more difficult for those have-nots in our city. Many of you may not know that thousands of Calgarians rely on the social network for their daily needs. The vast majority of programs that service this slice of society are run by non-profit agencies. There are literally hundreds of agencies and associations that toil day in and day out to bridge the gap for the unfortunate. They provide social, health, counselling, addiction and so many other essential services to a truly vulnerable segment of our city.
We take it for granted that these agencies will continue to reach out to these people and provide those services while we enjoy our lives to the fullest. These agencies are lead by very capable and courageous leaders that demonstrate an above average ability to manage with few resources while facing ever increasing challenges presented by complex social needs.
Now, put on your management or business hat and consider this for a moment: How concerned would you be if you learned that your organization was destined to lose a full 80% of your most senior leadership in the next three years. Would you remain as competitive and innovative as you are currently? Would you even survive? This is the challenge that faces the non-profit sector in our city. Centre Point indicates that fully 80 % of the Executive Directors leading non-profits will retire or leave their positions in the next three years. That is a truly frightening statistic!
I am fortunate to be involved with an amazing group of professionals that provide services to over 200 families/youths in Calgary. The Enviros Wilderness School Association has been providing support for over 35 years and continue to develop programs to meet the needs of their challenging clientele. It can be very rewarding to bring your experience and knowledge to a non-profit organization. I urge you all to give some thought to how you might be able to volunteer with one of the very many agencies in our city. They can use your leadership talents; now more than ever!
Enjoy your long weekend!
As you know, not all Calgarians have shared in this abundance and the increasing cost of living (think affordable housing and general inflation) is making it even more difficult for those have-nots in our city. Many of you may not know that thousands of Calgarians rely on the social network for their daily needs. The vast majority of programs that service this slice of society are run by non-profit agencies. There are literally hundreds of agencies and associations that toil day in and day out to bridge the gap for the unfortunate. They provide social, health, counselling, addiction and so many other essential services to a truly vulnerable segment of our city.
We take it for granted that these agencies will continue to reach out to these people and provide those services while we enjoy our lives to the fullest. These agencies are lead by very capable and courageous leaders that demonstrate an above average ability to manage with few resources while facing ever increasing challenges presented by complex social needs.
Now, put on your management or business hat and consider this for a moment: How concerned would you be if you learned that your organization was destined to lose a full 80% of your most senior leadership in the next three years. Would you remain as competitive and innovative as you are currently? Would you even survive? This is the challenge that faces the non-profit sector in our city. Centre Point indicates that fully 80 % of the Executive Directors leading non-profits will retire or leave their positions in the next three years. That is a truly frightening statistic!
I am fortunate to be involved with an amazing group of professionals that provide services to over 200 families/youths in Calgary. The Enviros Wilderness School Association has been providing support for over 35 years and continue to develop programs to meet the needs of their challenging clientele. It can be very rewarding to bring your experience and knowledge to a non-profit organization. I urge you all to give some thought to how you might be able to volunteer with one of the very many agencies in our city. They can use your leadership talents; now more than ever!
Enjoy your long weekend!
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Is Your Organization a Talent Factory?
The June edition of the Harvard Business Review features an article by Douglas A. Ready and Jay A. Conger entitled “Make Your Company a Talent Factory”. It is an informative article on the subject of identifying and developing next-generation leaders. This is a hot button issue for almost every organization as demographics shift (think baby boomers) and the increasing need for knowledge workers create immense pressure on identifying, developing and retaining the talent that you will need to remain competitive.
The authors reference a survey that they conducted with human resource executives from approximately 40 companies. A statistic that surprised me is that 97 % of those that responded indicated that they had formal processes and procedures in place to identify and develop their talent. Presumably, the size of the companies surveyed would best be described as very big businesses. It has been my experience that small to medium size companies would not typically report the same level of commitment to formal development systems.
Before you panic about the fact that you do not currently have a formal talent identification and development process in your organization, all is not lost! Almost all of the respondents to the referenced survey stated that they did not have the required number of identified high-potential employees to fill their strategic management roles. So, they are currently not stewarding their procedures and processes in a fashion that allows them to mine the talent that they require. You still have time to take the tips and strategies from Ready and Conger and apply them to your organization.
Though the authors highlight two very large companies to make their point (HSBC Group and Procter & Gamble) the main thrust of developing a talent pool is still very relevant to much smaller organizations. Regardless of whether it is a company of 10 or 10,000, the most critical ingredient of a sound identification and development plan starts at the top. The passion to succeed in the talent war must come from top management and quickly become part of a sustained culture within your organization. Unfortunately, many executive teams get side tracked by competing priorities. If the commitment to obtaining and keeping the best people is not a major priority with the key decision makers in your organization then you are in trouble.
Ready and Conger suggest that to be successful an organization must do more than simply manage their talent. Their message is that they need to create a ‘talent factory’ that combines the process that support their objectives and foster the passion and emotion by management to demonstrate the commitment to development through their daily actions. The authors share that the victors in the talent war will marry functionality (processes and strategy that support objectives) and vitality (commitment by management).
Functionality
The following components are seen as key measurements in assessing an organizations ability to meet their talent needs: assimilation, development, deployment, performance management, rewards, engagement, retention and sourcing. In the case of HSBC, they implement a system of talent pools that identify and track high potential employees. They are often given new assignments (rewards/engagement/retention) and involved in regular dialogue, with an emphasis on their specific needs for meeting the challenges they are facing (performance management/development).
With P&G, high potential employees will move through a series of senior positions that challenge them to acquire new skills and knowledge in managing strategy, size and complexity in different market places (deployment/retention/development).
Both organizations place an emphasis on ensuring that high potential employees are given opportunities to work and live within different cultures (assimilation/deployment).
Functionality, as it is described by the authors, will be a challenge for many smaller organizations. The opportunity to deploy an employee to another division/department or a foreign posting may not readily exist within your group. The important things to keep in mind, while also demonstrating to your team, are:
The authors reference a survey that they conducted with human resource executives from approximately 40 companies. A statistic that surprised me is that 97 % of those that responded indicated that they had formal processes and procedures in place to identify and develop their talent. Presumably, the size of the companies surveyed would best be described as very big businesses. It has been my experience that small to medium size companies would not typically report the same level of commitment to formal development systems.
Before you panic about the fact that you do not currently have a formal talent identification and development process in your organization, all is not lost! Almost all of the respondents to the referenced survey stated that they did not have the required number of identified high-potential employees to fill their strategic management roles. So, they are currently not stewarding their procedures and processes in a fashion that allows them to mine the talent that they require. You still have time to take the tips and strategies from Ready and Conger and apply them to your organization.
Though the authors highlight two very large companies to make their point (HSBC Group and Procter & Gamble) the main thrust of developing a talent pool is still very relevant to much smaller organizations. Regardless of whether it is a company of 10 or 10,000, the most critical ingredient of a sound identification and development plan starts at the top. The passion to succeed in the talent war must come from top management and quickly become part of a sustained culture within your organization. Unfortunately, many executive teams get side tracked by competing priorities. If the commitment to obtaining and keeping the best people is not a major priority with the key decision makers in your organization then you are in trouble.
Ready and Conger suggest that to be successful an organization must do more than simply manage their talent. Their message is that they need to create a ‘talent factory’ that combines the process that support their objectives and foster the passion and emotion by management to demonstrate the commitment to development through their daily actions. The authors share that the victors in the talent war will marry functionality (processes and strategy that support objectives) and vitality (commitment by management).
Functionality
The following components are seen as key measurements in assessing an organizations ability to meet their talent needs: assimilation, development, deployment, performance management, rewards, engagement, retention and sourcing. In the case of HSBC, they implement a system of talent pools that identify and track high potential employees. They are often given new assignments (rewards/engagement/retention) and involved in regular dialogue, with an emphasis on their specific needs for meeting the challenges they are facing (performance management/development).
With P&G, high potential employees will move through a series of senior positions that challenge them to acquire new skills and knowledge in managing strategy, size and complexity in different market places (deployment/retention/development).
Both organizations place an emphasis on ensuring that high potential employees are given opportunities to work and live within different cultures (assimilation/deployment).
Functionality, as it is described by the authors, will be a challenge for many smaller organizations. The opportunity to deploy an employee to another division/department or a foreign posting may not readily exist within your group. The important things to keep in mind, while also demonstrating to your team, are:
- An easily recognizable process and related procedures for identifying high potential employees
- Meaningful opportunities for these employees to advance their knowledge and skill sets
- New and meaningful challenges and assignments
- Regular reviews (involving high potential employees and management team) to assess progress
- Appropriate rewards and recognition that reflect the needs of the individual
It is critical to show high potential employees that there will always be new and challenging opportunities associated with your organization. You may not have the opportunities to offer that the HSBC Group has at their disposal but you must maximize your resources in this area if you intend on retaining your talent.
Vitality
The authors describe vitality as the attitudes and mind-sets of the team members that are responsible for functionality (processes). Simply stated, vitality can be defined as developing a culture that enthusiastically supports the identification and development of high potential employees. This passion must transcend human resources personnel and be visibly embraced by the senior management team. Ready and Conger suggest that the vitality of a company’s talent management process is demonstrated through their collective level of commitment, engagement and accountability.
Regardless of size or available resources, every organization can and should make a visible commitment to their talent management process. Senior leaders or key decision makers must be assessed on their ability to demonstrate that they are actively engaged (hands on and not delegated) in developing the talent that their organization requires. Accountability starts at the top and nothing can be more important than senior management ‘owning’ the talent development process.
In the perfect world, the connection between functionality and vitality would be seamless. The talent management process takes a great deal of commitment at all levels, but it is worth it! Organizations that are capable of putting the right people in the right places have a competitive advantage in their market. Will that be your organization?
In August, we will discuss the issue of leadership as a brand, stay tuned………
Monday, July 9, 2007
To Be or Not to Be......
It seems that employee engagement is the one component of an effective workforce strategy that gets very little air time. Now, at least from my point of view, it would seem that a focus on employee engagement would be a great place to start when contemplating the first steps in implementing an effective workforce strategy. Why engagement?
Engagement focuses on current team members (sort of a bird in hand philosophy) and allows the owner/manager to assess the alignment within her organization. Employee engagement can be defined as one’s passion and commitment – the willingness to expend one’s discretionary effort on the employer’s success (see my previous post on a Perfect Storm). So where does your organization stand?
The statistics on employee engagement are not stellar. Even with an improving economy, the level of employee engagement is not improving. A full 17 % of Canadian employees are highly disengaged while the equal amount is highly engaged. The middle group is, at best, moderately engaged or worse. So, what are we looking for when we are assessing the level of engagement that is being demonstrated within our organizations or work teams? Engaged employees …
Engagement focuses on current team members (sort of a bird in hand philosophy) and allows the owner/manager to assess the alignment within her organization. Employee engagement can be defined as one’s passion and commitment – the willingness to expend one’s discretionary effort on the employer’s success (see my previous post on a Perfect Storm). So where does your organization stand?
The statistics on employee engagement are not stellar. Even with an improving economy, the level of employee engagement is not improving. A full 17 % of Canadian employees are highly disengaged while the equal amount is highly engaged. The middle group is, at best, moderately engaged or worse. So, what are we looking for when we are assessing the level of engagement that is being demonstrated within our organizations or work teams? Engaged employees …
- Understand the business/organization and their role in its success
- Trust leadership and believe they are making decisions with the best interest of the business and the people in mind
- Work towards making a difference in their jobs each and every day
- Feel valued and appreciated
For many of you, discussion on engagement will be very new. A starting point for you could be a discussion with your team members (best done one-on-one) to gauge just how effective you are in capturing their hearts and minds. Some things to look for…Are they:
- Motivated
- Connected
- Understood
- Valued
- Developed
- Confident
- Energized and enjoying their work
Perhaps this seems like a lot of effort to you. You are already in fifth gear and barely able to keep up (if you are keeping up) with the demands on your organization and recruiting the people that you minimally need to keep treading water. Well, good news! Highly engaged work groups are :
44 % higher in retention
56% higher in customer loyalty
50 % more productive
33 % more profitable
Clearly, enhancing the level of engagement within your team will have an immediate and significant impact on your organization. Towers and Perrin report that a key piece of engagement is senior leadership interest in employee well-being. I caution you to ensure that you determine whether what your organization is experiencing is employee satisfaction rather employee engagement. Perhaps this is a little confusing (you are saying, I thought I wanted satisfied employees?), you will soon understand why satisfaction is the enemy of engagement.
Satisfaction versus Engagement
When we are considering employee satisfaction, what we are really looking at is the level of sufficiency that they are currently experiencing. Is there enough pay? Are the benefits enough? Are they being treated fairly? Is there enough flexibility in my life balance as it relates to work? The satisfied employee will likely describe their work experience as ‘okay’ or ‘likely better than they might find elsewhere’. Is this what we are really looking for?
Engagement is an indication of how well employees are aligned with their organizations. It is measured by assessing a worker’s commitment, pride, advocacy and satisfaction both in regard to their current job and to the organization itself. Engagement reflects a sense of passion and commitment by the employee. This kind of staffer sees each day bringing new challenges that they desire and when asked will describe their days as ‘speeding by’. This attractive group understands their business and completely understand the functions that they are responsible. They are very enthusiastic about their work and their workplace and this enthusiasm has a tendency to positively impact their co-workers. For this kind of employee it is not about the salary, the benefits or flexibility in work parameters. These individuals are rewarded by the nature of the work they do, the energy within the workplace, engaged colleagues and the opportunity to demonstrate their passion.
The first step is to measure the level of engagement in your organization. There are a number of tools available to organizations including:
- Gallup Organization’s Q 12
- Employee Engagement Survey Program by ITS
I utilize the Workforce Analysis Profile. This comprehensive survey provides a measure of employee engagement and their overall workplace experience. An added piece is the segmentation that is also included in the survey results. This component provides detailed information on the kinds of employees that you have in your organization and specific traits and characteristics. This is valuable information for a key decision maker to have at their disposal.
If you are interested in more information on Engagement, check out Tamara J. Erickson, co-author of Workforce Crisis, as she discusses the issue.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Interesting Articles...
A couple of recent articles from Canadian newspapers piqued my interest; one discussing the importance of leaders maintaining and managing their profile and the other focusing on coaching to address succession planning challenges.
Staying on Top
Wallace Immen penned an article in the Globe and Mail in which he positioned the recent dismissal of Ottawa Senators General Manager John Muckler by team owner Eugene Melnyk as an example of the importance of leaders staying in the loop. Immen points to the importance of the leader ensuring that they understand and deliver on the priorities of the higher ups; whether that be an owner (as in Melnyk’s case) or a board of directors.
Immen shared a list of tips that experts say will ‘keep you at the top of your game’:
Get clear on expectations.
Defend talent.
Groom a successor.
Seek regular feedback.
Confront issues.
Listen to everyone.
Nurture relationships.
Celebrate your successes.
Defuse tension.
Don't get sidetracked.
Don't take it personally.
The situation with Muckler was relatively clear. Muckler was reveling in a successful 2006/07 NHL campaign and was, at the time of his dismissal, looking forward to carrying on as the Senator’s GM. Muckler either down played the management conflicts that he was having with the teams head coach over player decisions or (and this has been the failing of many leaders) he felt so secure in his position that he could afford to ignore the issues.
Melnyk was looking to Muckler to identify a successor in order to ensure that the team could continue to enjoy success and quickly attain the holy grail of hockey, Lord Stanley’s Cup. So where was Muckler on this issue? He missed this important piece (Get Clear on Expectations) and carried forward with his own agenda. Sources close to the issue suggest that the relationship between Muckler and Melnyk was strained. As a leader you can never afford to ignore the importance of nurturing the relationships that you have with key decision makers in your organization. If you fail to feed those relationships in a meaningful and consistent fashion then you risk the appearance of being aloof and disconnected from the priorities of the organization. This was clearly the case for Muckler. The message is clear understand AND execute on the priorities and maintain communication and relationships.
My experience suggests that leaders should consider one further tip. EXECUTE! It is critical to be doing the important things rather than the appearance of keeping in the loop. My list would have execution as the top priority!
Coaching Supports Change
Staying on Top
Wallace Immen penned an article in the Globe and Mail in which he positioned the recent dismissal of Ottawa Senators General Manager John Muckler by team owner Eugene Melnyk as an example of the importance of leaders staying in the loop. Immen points to the importance of the leader ensuring that they understand and deliver on the priorities of the higher ups; whether that be an owner (as in Melnyk’s case) or a board of directors.
Immen shared a list of tips that experts say will ‘keep you at the top of your game’:
Get clear on expectations.
Defend talent.
Groom a successor.
Seek regular feedback.
Confront issues.
Listen to everyone.
Nurture relationships.
Celebrate your successes.
Defuse tension.
Don't get sidetracked.
Don't take it personally.
The situation with Muckler was relatively clear. Muckler was reveling in a successful 2006/07 NHL campaign and was, at the time of his dismissal, looking forward to carrying on as the Senator’s GM. Muckler either down played the management conflicts that he was having with the teams head coach over player decisions or (and this has been the failing of many leaders) he felt so secure in his position that he could afford to ignore the issues.
Melnyk was looking to Muckler to identify a successor in order to ensure that the team could continue to enjoy success and quickly attain the holy grail of hockey, Lord Stanley’s Cup. So where was Muckler on this issue? He missed this important piece (Get Clear on Expectations) and carried forward with his own agenda. Sources close to the issue suggest that the relationship between Muckler and Melnyk was strained. As a leader you can never afford to ignore the importance of nurturing the relationships that you have with key decision makers in your organization. If you fail to feed those relationships in a meaningful and consistent fashion then you risk the appearance of being aloof and disconnected from the priorities of the organization. This was clearly the case for Muckler. The message is clear understand AND execute on the priorities and maintain communication and relationships.
My experience suggests that leaders should consider one further tip. EXECUTE! It is critical to be doing the important things rather than the appearance of keeping in the loop. My list would have execution as the top priority!
Coaching Supports Change
The June 23, 2007 Calgary Herald featured an article by Derek Sankey profiling the coaching initiatives being undertaken by Encana Corp. and the importance the company places on coaching. Corporate coaching is indeed becoming well entrenched in the resource sector. Coaching demonstrates to staffers that the organization is committed to their development and that they have a future opportunity within the corporate leadership plan. Implementing a coaching program requires real commitment. The challenge is that there is often less than a clearly tangible return on investment that the typical senior manager uses to assess the relative success of an initiative. There really is only one question that a key decision maker needs to ask themselves when assessing the importance of championing a coaching initiative within their organization and that is ‘Will my company/organization be more successful with a group of new leaders that have been coached and developed with the input of professional coaches and senior decision makers or by a cadre that were elevated without the benefit of this support?’
Encana have embraced coaching and this can be seen at all levels of the organization. The company received a Prism Award by the local chapter of the International Coach Federation for achieving excellence in performance and leadership through coaching. Clearly, Encana gets the importance of a commitment to coaching to foster development of future leaders and meet the needs of a strategic succession plan. Vicki Reid, corporate human resources leader for Encana indicates that the company utilizes coaching in tandem with custom training programs to address several challenges that Encana was facing in the tight labour market. Well done!
The importance of screening coaches was mentioned a couple of times. Qualified coaches with relevant experience are critical. So is the screening and selection of staffers that are being identified for development. Companies must get the identification process right if they are to be successful in the future. Getting the right people to the leadership development circle is more important than the potential impact of a coaching program. Get that wrong and what are you left with?
Invest in an objective process to gauge the appropriateness of an individual to assume a greater level of responsibility. This process should include:
1. Current position profiles
2. Benchmarks (if it is important to the organization then measure it. Are you looking to attract high performers… benchmark to assure job fit!)
3. Assessment tools to assess thinking style, behavioural traits and interests
4. 360 degree evaluations of performance
5. Performance planning and measurement
Start by developing an inventory of benchmarks for each of your key positions. Utilize the current high performers in those positions to establish a representative benchmark of the kind of performers that you are looking for in your organization. An excellent tool for achieving this is the Profiles XT from Profiles International, Inc. the recognized world leader in employment evaluation and human resource management assessment tools.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Leadership and Mentoring Challenges faced by Business and Community Leaders
As an alumni I recently had the opportunity to join a number of fellow Top 40 under 40 recipients in a luncheon at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce hosted by Calgary Inc Magazine and sponsored by Lois Mitchell of Amherst Consultants Ltd. Premier Ralph Klein was on hand to present a keynote to the group, looking decidedly more relaxed now than his days as Alberta’s Premier.
The Alumni’s on hand were tasked with considering two very important questions over lunch:
Questions:
1. Mentoring can be an equally rewarding experience for both the mentor and the mentee. What role have mentors played in your success? Who’ve been some of the key mentors in your life? What’s been your experience mentoring others?
2. Many of Calgary’s most active business and community leaders are nearing retirement. How can the next generation – our generation – step up to the plate and fill some of the key leadership roles that are essential to build and improve our city?
I was very impressed (and encouraged!) by the importance that my colleagues placed on the issues of mentoring and leadership. There is a sincere interest in engaging the leaders that make Calgary such a great place to live; capturing that knowledge and experience and developing future leaders with the pervasive ‘can do’ attitude that surges through this city. They will play a crucial role in helping to maintain Calgary’s prominence as a leader in commerce and lifestyle. More to come on this as this group of young leaders are very committed to doing their part in crafting a great future for Calgary.
The discussion on mentoring underscored how new the concept is within the general business community. That is not to say that is not present and being implemented effectively in some businesses. Rather, it remains a somewhat nebulous opportunity that is coming in to focus with some urgency. I would caution any organization looking to implement a mentoring component to their leadership development to do so with careful planning.
Mentoring can be a powerful tool in the process of developing future leaders. The difference between a successful mentoring initiative and one that dies on the vine should be front of mind when an organization embraces the opportunity. Some essential ingredients include:
Identify a Champion – This is the critical first step. Your organization must identify that individual that espouses the core values critical to your organization and, equally as important, clearly sees the power of mentoring in the development of others. You have to get this right! Imposters will be quickly detected and your mentoring initiative will be derailed with certainty.
Select for attitude and train for Success – Not every senior leader in your organization is appropriate for a direct mentoring role. The wrong attitude/perspective can be very damaging and has a reaching impact on the initiative; one that can transcend the specific relationship between the mentor and mentee. While I think every senior leader has a role in developing future leaders, I also realize that some leaders would be better positioned as skill or opportunity coaches rather than as a mentor. They can and should be expected to contribute to the learning process. Use their experience and expertise effectively; keep it skill or situation specific.
I too often experience organizations that implement a mentoring initiative without the requisite training and resources/support that are critical to success. The idea that a person that has experienced success in their position or role will be a successful mentor is similar to the concept that the effective frontline worker translates to an equally effective supervisor; this is simply NOT true! You need to prepare that mentor for their responsibility. Formal preparation will achieve two important outcomes for your organization. First, your mentors will have a clear understanding of the expectations the organization has with the mentoring initiative. They will understand the process, embrace their role and responsibility and deliver an experience that will have a powerful and enriching impact on your future leaders. Second, a training program will serve to draw your senior leaders into the mentoring initiative. It is my experience that many senior leaders feel they are not prepared to perform in this capacity; they simply do not know how it works. Show them that they will be supported in the process and you will attract a worthy group of mentors.
Get these key ingredients right and you have taken two very significant steps to launching a very engaging and effective mentoring program within your organization. I would recommend that each and every mentor be indoctrinated with David A. Stoddard’s principles for developing people. In The Heart of Mentoring , Stoddard covers the essential life-changing principles that work in mentoring, they include:
Effective mentors understand that living is about giving.
Effective mentors see mentoring as a process that requires perseverance.
Effective mentors open their world to their mentoring partners.
Effective mentors help mentoring partners align passion and work.
Effective mentors are comforters that share the load.
Effective mentors help turn personal values into practice
Effective mentors model character
Effective mentors affirm the value of spirituality.
Effective mentors recognize that Mentoring + Reproduction = Legacy
Effective Mentors go for it!
The Alumni’s on hand were tasked with considering two very important questions over lunch:
Questions:
1. Mentoring can be an equally rewarding experience for both the mentor and the mentee. What role have mentors played in your success? Who’ve been some of the key mentors in your life? What’s been your experience mentoring others?
2. Many of Calgary’s most active business and community leaders are nearing retirement. How can the next generation – our generation – step up to the plate and fill some of the key leadership roles that are essential to build and improve our city?
I was very impressed (and encouraged!) by the importance that my colleagues placed on the issues of mentoring and leadership. There is a sincere interest in engaging the leaders that make Calgary such a great place to live; capturing that knowledge and experience and developing future leaders with the pervasive ‘can do’ attitude that surges through this city. They will play a crucial role in helping to maintain Calgary’s prominence as a leader in commerce and lifestyle. More to come on this as this group of young leaders are very committed to doing their part in crafting a great future for Calgary.
The discussion on mentoring underscored how new the concept is within the general business community. That is not to say that is not present and being implemented effectively in some businesses. Rather, it remains a somewhat nebulous opportunity that is coming in to focus with some urgency. I would caution any organization looking to implement a mentoring component to their leadership development to do so with careful planning.
Mentoring can be a powerful tool in the process of developing future leaders. The difference between a successful mentoring initiative and one that dies on the vine should be front of mind when an organization embraces the opportunity. Some essential ingredients include:
Identify a Champion – This is the critical first step. Your organization must identify that individual that espouses the core values critical to your organization and, equally as important, clearly sees the power of mentoring in the development of others. You have to get this right! Imposters will be quickly detected and your mentoring initiative will be derailed with certainty.
Select for attitude and train for Success – Not every senior leader in your organization is appropriate for a direct mentoring role. The wrong attitude/perspective can be very damaging and has a reaching impact on the initiative; one that can transcend the specific relationship between the mentor and mentee. While I think every senior leader has a role in developing future leaders, I also realize that some leaders would be better positioned as skill or opportunity coaches rather than as a mentor. They can and should be expected to contribute to the learning process. Use their experience and expertise effectively; keep it skill or situation specific.
I too often experience organizations that implement a mentoring initiative without the requisite training and resources/support that are critical to success. The idea that a person that has experienced success in their position or role will be a successful mentor is similar to the concept that the effective frontline worker translates to an equally effective supervisor; this is simply NOT true! You need to prepare that mentor for their responsibility. Formal preparation will achieve two important outcomes for your organization. First, your mentors will have a clear understanding of the expectations the organization has with the mentoring initiative. They will understand the process, embrace their role and responsibility and deliver an experience that will have a powerful and enriching impact on your future leaders. Second, a training program will serve to draw your senior leaders into the mentoring initiative. It is my experience that many senior leaders feel they are not prepared to perform in this capacity; they simply do not know how it works. Show them that they will be supported in the process and you will attract a worthy group of mentors.
Get these key ingredients right and you have taken two very significant steps to launching a very engaging and effective mentoring program within your organization. I would recommend that each and every mentor be indoctrinated with David A. Stoddard’s principles for developing people. In The Heart of Mentoring , Stoddard covers the essential life-changing principles that work in mentoring, they include:
Effective mentors understand that living is about giving.
Effective mentors see mentoring as a process that requires perseverance.
Effective mentors open their world to their mentoring partners.
Effective mentors help mentoring partners align passion and work.
Effective mentors are comforters that share the load.
Effective mentors help turn personal values into practice
Effective mentors model character
Effective mentors affirm the value of spirituality.
Effective mentors recognize that Mentoring + Reproduction = Legacy
Effective Mentors go for it!
Saturday, June 16, 2007
They Need to Know You Care Before They Care What You Know
This past week I attended the Notre Dame Alumni Sports Dinner in Calgary. The Alumni group does a great job of organizing these events and consistently attracts great speakers.
We were regaled by Dave King as he recounted many of his experiences as a head coach in the NHL, Europe, Russia, Japan and with Team Canada. Dave is a great story teller with a unique set of experiences in the competitive world of professional sports. Clearly very grounded, he has assembled a vast amount of experience with amateur and professional (read: extremely well paid!) athletes. I can only imagine the unique challenges of motivating professionals in contrast to the amateur athlete.
King spoke of the difference in hockey players today as compared to when he started in the great game in the late 70’s. Specifically, he spoke of players in his early days possessing a sense of obligation and responsibility. He contrasted that with the hockey professionals of today; where the prevailing focus is on rights and privileges. Now where have you heard that before?
So what are we to make of the Calgary Flames recent decision to install Mike Keenan as the new head coach of the local NHL team? If we are to accept King’s view on today’s professionals, one would expect that the present day coach would be better served by espousing the nurturer rather than the drill sergeant approach. Keenan has a colorful history, earning the name ‘Iron Mike’ for his demanding nature with his players and unique relationship with the media and on-ice officials. During this past season, sports pundits took many shots at the Flames lack of discipline and woeful away record. Clearly, Keenan has been brought in to instill that sense of responsibility with his charges. Time will tell how this story will end; will certainly make for some highly charged media scrums during the upcoming NHL campaign.
We were regaled by Dave King as he recounted many of his experiences as a head coach in the NHL, Europe, Russia, Japan and with Team Canada. Dave is a great story teller with a unique set of experiences in the competitive world of professional sports. Clearly very grounded, he has assembled a vast amount of experience with amateur and professional (read: extremely well paid!) athletes. I can only imagine the unique challenges of motivating professionals in contrast to the amateur athlete.
King spoke of the difference in hockey players today as compared to when he started in the great game in the late 70’s. Specifically, he spoke of players in his early days possessing a sense of obligation and responsibility. He contrasted that with the hockey professionals of today; where the prevailing focus is on rights and privileges. Now where have you heard that before?
So what are we to make of the Calgary Flames recent decision to install Mike Keenan as the new head coach of the local NHL team? If we are to accept King’s view on today’s professionals, one would expect that the present day coach would be better served by espousing the nurturer rather than the drill sergeant approach. Keenan has a colorful history, earning the name ‘Iron Mike’ for his demanding nature with his players and unique relationship with the media and on-ice officials. During this past season, sports pundits took many shots at the Flames lack of discipline and woeful away record. Clearly, Keenan has been brought in to instill that sense of responsibility with his charges. Time will tell how this story will end; will certainly make for some highly charged media scrums during the upcoming NHL campaign.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Fresh Perspectives
Thank you for the feedback that you have been sharing. I would like to encourage you to continue sending me your thoughts and ideas.
I will be introducing a monthly post entitled 'Perspectives'. This feature will present discussions with senior leaders in the public and private sector. Notably, the focus will be on the challenges and opportunities that these leaders face in their rapidly changing sectors. I look forward to sharing this with you and I am confident that the perspectives and insights will be of immense value for us all.
I will be introducing a monthly post entitled 'Perspectives'. This feature will present discussions with senior leaders in the public and private sector. Notably, the focus will be on the challenges and opportunities that these leaders face in their rapidly changing sectors. I look forward to sharing this with you and I am confident that the perspectives and insights will be of immense value for us all.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
A Vision Quest
I read with interest an article entitled Young Tories lash out at party in the Calgary Herald on May 27, 2007. It appears that the youth wing of the Alberta Conservatives have grown disgruntled with the senior Tory members, attributed to a perceived gag order by the party and a lack of vision by party leaders (stating that both Ralph Klein and Ed Stelmach lacked vision).
The general reaction of readers likely ranges from complete dismissal to identifying the youths as demanding over achievers demonstrating insufficient respect for political process and senior party members. If you drill deeper, there is a very clear message associated with the discontent displayed by the youth involved. If you are an employer or manage young employees, this will be of interest to you.
The majority of the Alberta Conservative youth wing membership hail from the Y Generation (often referred to as Millennials). Gen Y’s were born after 1978 or 1982 (both dates are used with the Gen Y segment).
The general reaction of readers likely ranges from complete dismissal to identifying the youths as demanding over achievers demonstrating insufficient respect for political process and senior party members. If you drill deeper, there is a very clear message associated with the discontent displayed by the youth involved. If you are an employer or manage young employees, this will be of interest to you.
The majority of the Alberta Conservative youth wing membership hail from the Y Generation (often referred to as Millennials). Gen Y’s were born after 1978 or 1982 (both dates are used with the Gen Y segment).
Some commonly accepted characteristics of Gen Y’s include:
Community-oriented
Confident, resilient & ambitious
Enthusiastic about and adept at incorporating technology into the workplace
Entrepreneurial; achievement focused
Taught to speak up and question authority
More accepting of diversity than any generation before them
Culture of readily accessible information has contributed to demanding attitudes
For many of us, this is the first real descriptive snapshot that we have of this generation and a valuable insight into what we can expect.
As a reference point it might be helpful to compare the last three generations of workers as presented by Steven Shepard at the TELUS Senior Leadership Forum 2004:
Baby Boomer Generation
Years (1943-1964) Outlook on Life Optimistic Attitudes Towards Work Driven View of Authority Love/Hate Relationship Approach Self-sacrifice Decision Making Team-Oriented
Generation X
Years (1965-1981) Outlook on Life Skeptical Attitudes Towards Work Balanced View of Authority Unimpressed Relationship Approach Reluctant to Commit Decision Making Self-Reliant
Generation Y
Years (1982 +) Outlook on Life Realistic Attitudes Towards Work Looking for Meaning View of Authority Oblivious Relationship Approach Committed to Success Decision Making Good for All
So what are the Gen Y’s looking for from their employers? Well, here are some of the expectations that employers can anticipate from their Gen Y staff members:
Free agents … chasing the deal that best fits them
Reject uniform benefits in lieu of options targeted to individual needs
Enjoy a workplace where social interaction is available
Prefer doing work that is prestigious and regarded highly by others
Less concerned about recognition and working independently
Looking for meaning in what they do
Gen Y’s seek connection and a clear sense of purpose; demanding meaning in what they do for work. Very comfortable with questioning authority, Gen Y’s will not accept a command and control style of leadership and, when faced with an autocratic manager, they will vote with their feet.
So what to make of these young Tories? Well, we now know that they are keen to work with leaders that demonstrate a clear vision and will not hesitate to express their disappointment or contempt when this desire goes unmet. Employers with an abundance of Gen Y staffers would be well served to carve out a clear vision and actively share that message with employees. The key, of course, will be to ensure that your actions mirror your vision. Gen Y’s will have little tolerance for blatant vision disconnects.
As an aside, don’t expect to see many Gen Y’s in the polling stations as you cast your vote in the fall municipal elections. Gen Y’s need to experience a direct connection with incumbents or candidates. To this generation, this means direct access and dialogue; fancy 30 second political advertisements featuring the party leader are not the way to connect with a Gen Y.
Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality– Warren Bennis
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
The Perfect Storm
Some of you will be familiar with the term ‘Perfect Storm’, a common reference to the 1991 Halloween Nor’easter that consumed the East coast for several days. This storm had a significant social and economic impact. The phrase ‘Perfect Storm’ refers to the simultaneous occurrence of events which, taken individually, would be far less powerful than the result of their chance combination. Such occurrences are rare by their very nature, so that even a slight change in any one event contributing to the perfect storm would lessen its overall impact.
The ‘Perfect Storm’ looming is predicted to have a far greater economic impact than either the millennium bug or the tragedy of 9/11. Enough suspense you say, do tell…
The predicted workforce crisis seems to be focused on an anticipated talent shortage. That factor alone has many employers very concerned and scrambling to address their needs. It is far worse than that! Add to the talent shortage the following significant challenges that employers are facing:
· North America has never experienced the proportion of workers that are currently preparing for retirement
· Growth rate in our labour force has never dropped and remained so low in our history
· Our reliance on knowledge workers rather than labourers has reached an all time high
It is doubtful that most employers have prepared for the multiple effects that these trends will provide when they eventually collide. This ‘Perfect Storm’ will not discriminate - every sector will experience sudden, and in some cases significant, challenges in meeting their labour needs.
As if this were not enough to send employers into hiding, recent reports on employee engagement also demand employer’s attention. In Workforce Crisis, How to Beat the Coming Shortage of Skills and Talent, Ken Dychtwald defined employee engagement as passion and commitment – the willingness to expend one’s discretionary effort on the employer’s success. A number of recent surveys and studies report that more than half of the workers in the North American workforce are disengaged or highly disengaged in their current jobs. The mistake that many employers make is the assumption that if their workforce is satisfied, then they will also be engaged. Sadly, not true.
So, what are you to do as an employer and/or leader in your organization? Certainly, the crisis does require some serious thought about how prepared your organization is currently to address this ‘Perfect Storm’. Now I know, some of you are quietly taking all of this in and wondering if any of this even applies to you. I have found a quick checklist (credit going to Dr. Scott Hamilton and John Bradford of Profiles International) that will help you gauge whether this workforce crisis issue will impact you.
1. Do you anticipate a productivity issue if your organization cannot get the workers needed or if young workers are constantly turning over?
2. Are you noticing an increase in style clashes between managers, employees, or even between your senior team members?
3. Are you facing a loss of critical knowledge when those who truly understand your business, your customers, and the organization retire at once?
4. Are you facing the challenge of losing your top executives and/or performers to retirement?
5. Do you anticipate a tremendous brain drain on your institutional memory due to retirement and potential departure of super contributors?
6. Do you know what actions you can take to prevent the pilfering of your top executives and super performers by competitors and other companies who could benefit from your institutional knowledge?
7. Do you have a workforce strategy in place to meet the challenges of the impending work force crisis?
If you answered yes to any of the first five questions or no to either of the final two, then you can consider your organization vulnerable to the potentially devastating effects of the looming workforce crisis!
I encourage you to hold off on bolting the doors and boarding the windows in your organization. There are a number of things you can do to enhance your ability to survive and actually thrive in this turbulent period of challenge and change. The key will be to fully understand the complete landscape and where you currently reside. There are many important steps and no quick fixes to introducing and executing an effective workforce strategy.
You will learn and appreciate (I hope) that there is no one strategy/solution that will fit all organizations. I do boldly predict that we will come to realize that any strategy will die on the vine without effective leadership and execution. I look forward to this discussion with you and encourage your feedback and comments.
‘Leadership without the discipline of execution is incomplete and ineffective. Without the ability to execute, all other attributes of leadership become hollow.’ – Execution, The Discipline of Getting Things Done – by Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Welcome!!
Thank you for visiting our blog.
Lead 2 Succeed will be a forum on the current challenges and opportunities that are prevalent in our rapidly changing world. Rather than focusing solely on for-profit, Lead 2 Succeed will be geared to address leadership issues from all sectors.
You will notice a specific focus on workforce strategies. This is my passion and a very important aspect of the work that I do with my clients. It is a critical issue that every organization (whether for-profit or non-profit) is currently facing. Your competitive position will largely be determined by how successful you are in implementing and managing your workforce strategy effectively.... so stay tuned!
Lead 2 Succeed will be a forum on the current challenges and opportunities that are prevalent in our rapidly changing world. Rather than focusing solely on for-profit, Lead 2 Succeed will be geared to address leadership issues from all sectors.
You will notice a specific focus on workforce strategies. This is my passion and a very important aspect of the work that I do with my clients. It is a critical issue that every organization (whether for-profit or non-profit) is currently facing. Your competitive position will largely be determined by how successful you are in implementing and managing your workforce strategy effectively.... so stay tuned!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)