Leadership's Golden Rule

"Ph D in leadership, short course.  Make a list of all things done to you that you abhorred.  Don't do them to others, ever. Make another list of things done to you that you loved.  Do them to others,   

always."

 Dee Hock

Don't Confuse Busy with Being Productive

“We trained hard, but it seemed every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized.  I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency and demoralization.”

Petronius Arbiter

Greek Navy

210 B.C.

Change Requires Buy-in

I remember purchasing my first smart phone.  After poking around to understand more about it, I decided to move ahead with the smart phone.  However, I had reservations.  How much time was it going to take to learn how to use the phone?  Was the return going to be worth the time invested?  

Evaluating a business opportunity could follow a similar path - defining what you want to achieve, determining how much time it is going to take and evaluating the commitment needed to get it done.  Exploring an opportunity is more difficult when doing something new involves others. 

When this occurs, more homework is required before deciding to pursue the new opportunity.  This involves asking employees what they think about the change. Why, because you’re asking employees to strap on a new requirement and they are the ones who are going to make it happen. If people don’t have a chance to ‘weigh-in’ most likely they won’t ‘buy-in’ for what the boss wants to accomplish. 

But what the boss decides, others have to go along with, right?  Yes, bosses make decisions but employees can help the change go smoothly or become tied up with other competing priorities or worse yet, resist the change.

Isn’t a boss’s authority undermined by asking people for their input?  No, to the contrary, the role of boss is strengthened.  When employees are asked what they think, they feel respected.  They feel they matter and that goes a long way towards helping the change succeed. 

Doesn’t the boss open themselves for negative comments about the change?  Absolutely, but it is better to get those comments on the table and deal with them rather than let them undercut the initiative once after the project is under way. 

What happens if the boss doesn’t follow their recommendations?  The boss is still better off as long they follow up with those who provided the input by presenting their reasoning for the decision and showing that they valued employee contributions. 

This process of asking employees what they think sounds like a lot of work.  True, more time will be spent up front in order to achieve buy-in.  On the flip side the change will achieve a better result sooner by yielding a good return on the time spent initially to get the project rolling.  

Change is never easy but including others up front helps accomplish the objective by fostering more cooperation.

Learning how to use the smart phone had its bumps along the way but did prove to be a good return for my time.  I’ve dropped it a couple of times so it isn’t pretty anymore.  I receive offers to upgrade my phone with more features and faster connectivity.  I don’t think the trade-off for upgrading is there yet so I’ll just keeping using the one I have.

The Leadership Void

I had the chance to observe a lot of folks during the recent county fair.  As I watched the people, I noticed several different types groups.  Among the groups were families, teenagers and couples.  Besides enjoying the fair, the groups all had one thing in common – a leader.

Some of the leaders were readily identifiable.  The parent could be seen and heard guiding family members.  For the teenagers, the leader was usually the person who was more vocal and animated in trying to coax the group.  For some of the couples, the leader could be seen gesturing.

Leaders are necessary for the group to function.  For the family, the parent keeps the group physically together, reminds family members of the rules and makes decisions for the family.  The leader for the group of teenagers helps to identify what the group wants to do next and works toward maintaining group cohesion.   

Without a leader to accomplish these types of critical tasks, the group will have difficulty in serving its intended purpose.  The group will lose its way and cohesion will be in jeopardy.  Ultimately, the ability of the group to function will deteriorate.  This absence of leadership creates a void. 

Having a leadership void in a group can have a disastrous affect.  Symptoms of such a  void include a lack of critical decision making and significant problems not being addressed.  Another indicator of a leadership void is a lot of squabbling with the resulting increased tension. 

Left unchecked, these types of behaviors can lead to declining morale which in turn can generate personnel turnover and lower productivity.  Trust wanes as confidence in leadership declines.  No one wants to works in this type of environment, including the boss.

If these types of behaviors are occurring, then the boss needs to figure out what they need to do differently and strap it on.   This is not an easy task as change can be daunting.  Chances are mistakes will be made.  Trying to be a better leader, even if it is not overly successful will be seen as a positive. 

The informal groups at the fair were having fun.  With effective leadership, the work place can be a positive experience which in turn leads to greater morale and enhanced productivity.

Effective leadership is rooted in developing habits

http://www.tekara.com/road-london2012-willpower-overrated/

Focusing on people leads to many dividends

A Lesson in Leadership

The discipline which makes the soldiers of a free country reliable in battle is not to be gained by harsh or tyrannical treatment. On the contrary, such treatment is far more likely to destroy than to make an army. It is possible to impart instruction and to give commands in such a manner and such a tone of voice to inspire in the soldier no feeling but an intense desire to obey, while the opposite manner and tone of voice cannot fail to excite strong resentment and a desire to disobey. The one mode or the other of dealing with subordinates springs from a corresponding spirit in the breast of the commander. He who feels the respect which is due to others cannot fail to inspire in them regard for himself, while he who feels, and hence manifests, disrespect toward others, especially his inferiors, cannot fail to inspire hatred against himself.

Major General John M. Schofield
August 11, 1879

Trust Required to Avoid Doing Something Stupid       

One of the common worries for leaders can be doing something stupid.  Taking a course of action that squanders resources or doesn’t accomplish its intended purpose can mean a loss of face and potentially credibility for the leader.  To help avoid this pitfall someone in the company needs to come forward and point out to the leader that something won’t work.  One such person who helped me avoid doing something stupid was Terry Lynch.

Terry was the Warehouse Coordinator for Missoula County Public Schools.  His responsibilities included orchestrating the daily delivery requirements for 20+ locations.  This service was the ‘life line’ to the schools for all supplies, payroll, distribution, printing, equipment and furniture.  He worked with the drivers and they did a superb job of keeping the schools supplied. 

In 2001, the school district needed to reduce expenses so the idea was put on the table to eliminate one of the two delivery driver positions.  This required a drastic change in service and placed the onus of all deliveries on one driver.  We came up with a delivery schedule that would allow one driver to service all the locations.

Before making the final decision to eliminate the delivery vehicle driver position, we conducted a trial run of the new schedule and planned on running it for five days.  At the end of the second day Terry came to see me.  He explained that the loading dock was being maxed out as items stockpiled waiting for delivery.  As a result, each time the driver came to take a load it required a lot of heavy lifting.  The consistent heavy lifting requirements were taking a toll on the driver as he had little time to physically recover between each delivery.  

Terry expressed concern that while the driver would continue to try to make this new schedule work, eventually the physical requirement would catch up with him and he would have an accident.   

Terry was right.  I should’ve anticipated this problem and if the change had gone into effect we would have had an accident.  Terry helped avoid doing something stupid.  Shortly thereafter, the remainder of the trial was cancelled and the elimination of a delivery driver position was removed from the budget discussions.

For this type of feedback to come forward several conditions have to be in place.  Mutual trust has to be present, otherwise the feedback won’t come and skepticism about the feedback can creep in.  The leader has to be willing to listen to the comments and be prepared to act on them even though the comments sting.  There must be a common expectation that when the situation calls for feedback, the person is going to come forward and the leader is going to receive the comments gracefully and with appreciation.

This is easier said than done.  It takes commitment and openness to develop trust. The leader must be genuinely receptive to negative feedback.   By taking these actions, the leader can get help to avoid doing something stupid.

I worked with Terry an additional nine years and deeply appreciated the feedback he provided and the trust he placed in me.

Leadership requires a winning attitude

When the Leadership Path Gets Steep                 

I was breathing hard after 20 minutes on the mountain trail.  It was my first hike of the season and the long winter lay-off was catching up with me.  As I continued to struggle up the path I found myself looking only at my feet, taking one step after another.

Forced to stop in order to catch my breath, I looked around and took in the beauty of the forest with the sunny filtering between the trees and the wild flowers in bloom.  This observation diverted my focus away from my physical struggles and helped to renew me.

After my break I headed up the trail but this time I focused on my surroundings instead of my feet.  For some reason the path was easier even though it was still steep. 

At times, leaders are caught up in the moment when facing a big challenge.  When this occurs they may dwell exclusively on the problem.  While this may help to resolve the problem, it can also burden the leader unnecessarily as the big picture fades into the background and a true perspective of the significance of the problem is lost.

When a problem arises it is important to stop and take a look at the big picture.  Notice the positive things that are occurring - such as a great team, positive culture or individual commitment.  By stepping back from the problem the leader is able to gauge the true impact of the problem.  As a result, the problem can be handled in a manner that reflects its real significance.

You Have to be Allowed to Fail in Order to Grow

I watched the 75 ROTC cadets form up in preparation to march down the dirt road as part of a field training exercise in 1994.  Their cadet leader, Ted Lee, thought he knew where he was going but he hadn’t reconed the route beforehand to make sure.  I was responsible for developing Lee and the other college seniors who were about to be commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the U.S. Army.  Off everyone went following Lee down the wrong road. 

After walking about ½ a mile I saw Lee looking around for the training site and getting noticeably anxious when he couldn’t locate it.  He stopped the group, sought me out and asked if I knew where we were.  I reminded him that as a future officer it was his responsibility to know his location.  Lee gave me the 1,000 yard stare and was clearly confused about what he should do next.

After a couple of minutes I began to coach Lee by asking him what aids he had to help him find his location.  He pulled out his map.  When I asked him about his compass, Lee responded he hadn’t brought it along.   The group looking to him to figure out what to do was getting him more rattled by the moment. 

As adults we learn by trial and error and this means being unsuccessful at times.  In order to develop employees they need to be given the opportunity to grow using this method of trial and error and to be allowed to fail. This process is not without costs.  It is hard to stand by and watch someone go down the wrong road and be willing to pay the consequences.  However, giving someone the opportunity to be unsuccessful will reimburse itself many times over as employees enhance their skills and return even greater value to the company.

Lee figured out where he was and moved the group to the training site.  After that incident he could be seen rehearsing the next route with map and compass in hand.  I doubt as an Army Officer Lee ever went to the field without making sure he knew where he was going.

"People expect their leaders to speak out on matters of values and conscience.  
 But to speak out, leaders have to know what to speak about.  
 To stand up for their beliefs, the have to know what they stand for. 
 To walk the talk, leaders have to have a talk to walk. 
 To do what they say, they have to know what they want to say.  
 To earn and sustain personal credibility, leaders must first be able to clearly 
 articulate deeply held beliefs."
 Kouzes & Posner, A Coach's Guide to Developing Exemplary Leaders

Leaders Need to be Brave

I have a favorite coffee mug.  When I use it, I am reminded of a brave leader, Linda Samel. 

Our paths crossed about 10 years ago when Linda took over the food service program for the school district.  It was mid-year and she was moving from running a single school food service operation to managing the district’s food service program consisting of 20 schools.

Linda was a humble and quiet person who always thought the best of people.  She was uncomfortable being in the spotlight and always gave credit to others when the light shined her way.

The new position was a leap for Linda.  It required managing a complex two million dollar enterprise operation, leading 90 food service employees, forecasting a program a year in advance and understanding the complex needs of the school district.

These challenges were significant but the biggest one for Linda was making the tough decisions that involved food service staff and their livelihoods. Linda had come up through the food service program and knew many of these employees personally.  She identified with them, a difficult position for a leader.

In spite of her trepidation, Linda faced all of the challenges without hesitation.  She gathered information, talked to the staff and then moved resolutely toward decision making.  Linda delivered bad news in person. Given her nature, it was difficult for her to make the decisions affecting staffing but she knew it was what her job required and she didn’t shy from the responsibility.  Linda was a brave leader.

As I worked with Linda I appreciated her deep concern for students she had developed during her career in food service.  Linda was committed to helping children be successful by giving them good food to eat, both appetizing and nutritious.  She knew that school meals were keeping some students from going hungry. Linda’s concern for students was her motivation to help overcome any personal challenges she faced.

Linda made the decision to leave school food service.  She left on her own terms and without any reservation about her commitment to the students.  We were also sorry to see her go but we felt we were better at our jobs for having the opportunity to serve with her. 

Leaders need to do what is right, not what is easy.  Members of the group or employees expect leaders to be brave.  This is not an option if the leader wants to foster credibility and trust.  Leaders need to have the courage to make the tough call; to be like a rock in the river when the current is pushing hard.  

Linda was brave when facing her last and final challenge. She gave me the coffee mug as on office present one year for Christmas.  Every time I use the mug I draw inspiration from Linda’s example. 

Walking the Talk Key to Being Credibile

As a Second Lieutenant in the Army in the mid 70’s I was privileged to know First Sergeant (1SG) Willie Crowe.  He had a small stature and spoke very softly with an accent that reflected his rural Florida roots. He spoke in a quiet and concise manner but when he spoke everyone listened.  His troops respected him, even the soldiers who screwed up.

Upon my arrival to the unit, 1SG Crowe took it upon himself to train me.  He showed me how to inspect equipment, the barracks and the mess hall and how to evaluate training. At the end of my training 1SG Crowe told me that I needed to figure what was important to me and how I would demonstrate that to the soldiers. He said soldiers would observe me and draw their own conclusions about what was important and if they could trust me enough to follow me. 

1SG Crowe’s message struck a chord with me.  Talking about what is important is not enough.  You have to ‘walk the talk’.  Mark Twain said it well, “Actions speak louder than words, just not as often.” I took that advice to heart and tried to figure out if my priorities were consistent with my actions.  I asked others for their input.  It was tough to hear when I was told my actions didn’t match up with my statements.

Understanding what is important to a leader along with demonstrating that consistently over time and across situations is fundamental to gaining followers.  The leader in choosing to say something is important must set out to demonstrate that it is actually important.  Here are a couple of examples. 

Providing great customer service requires the owner to be personally involved with this process.  The staff needs to see the leader modeling how to interact with customers, to receive coaching on better ways to service customers and to be recognized for providing customer service well. Saying customer service is important and then disappearing into the office with little customer interaction tells employees that customer service is really not important.

Wanting feedback as the boss is much easier said than done.  Challenges exist to getting this accomplished – fear of telling the boss bad news and the requirement to follow through. If the leader truly wants feedback there are steps that have to be taken – build effective relationships with employees, control your reaction to negative information and follow up in a timely manner to resolve problems identified as a result of the feedback.  This may include a need for the leader to change a behavior.  This is a lot of work but not completing these steps will tell employees that the leader is not serious about receiving feedback.

Before deciding what is important, leaders need to ask themselves how they are going to demonstrate that importance.  As a result of doing this a leader may be confronted by the reality of not being able ‘to walk the talk’ because of too many competing demands.  If that happens, the leader should ask if it is truly important.  Trying to cut corners by not demonstrating the importance will undermine the leader’s credibility and the trust the leader needs from their followers.  What is important should be captured in a short and simple list and be communicated and demonstrated consistently.  Otherwise, it is difficult for others to follow.

I ran into 1SG Crown many years later.  He had been promoted to Division Command Sergeant Major, a very senior position.  He hadn’t changed a bit.  He had a junior officer in tow and he was instructing her about the role of officers.

Helping Others is Critical to Effective Leadership

As I hurried down the hall many years ago I shuddered at the problem I faced.  A million questions were racing through my mind.  What had happened?  How did the budget get so out of whack?  The more I looked at the problem, the worse it became.  After I walked into Bruce Moyer’s office, my boss, and gave him the bad news, Moyer listened intently to my explanation of the budget problem and asked a couple follow up questions.  He grabbed a pad of paper and asked me to join him at a table. 

For the next two hours, with Moyer leading the way, we hammered out a strategy to get out of this crisis.  He reached into his bag of experiences and found the tools that could solve this dilemma.  Throughout the process, he maintained a positive outlook, encouraged comments and checked for understanding.  At the conclusion of the work session, he looked at me and told me that this plan was going to work and not to worry about it anymore. 

I learned a lot that day about how managers need to be helpful.  My expectation (and what I deserved) was to have my head handed to me.  I learned later that Moyer had chosen not to go down that road because he knew what I needed at that time.

Being helpful as a manager takes many forms.  It is ensuring that the employee has what they need to be successful.  For a new project, this starts with a clearly defined outcome.  If the manager is unsure of the outcome, how can the employee expect to get the project moving in the right direction?  In addition to providing direction, resources are required.  This includes such basics as time and equipment.  Also, the manager needs to be committed to the project by continuing to be engaged, available and approachable.

In order for managers to be helpful in day-to-day operations they need to be aware of what is going on so they can be there to offer assistance when necessary.  One of the ways to accomplish this is to have an on-going dialogue with each employee.  This allows for the manager to stay engaged and review the work process and observe the employee.  Are things on track?  How is the employee morale?  By doing this ‘check-in’ employees are more apt to engage the manager when problems arise.

Inevitably using a helpful approach will generate challenges.  One of these may be an attempt by an employee to place the task, ‘the monkey’, back on the manager.  If this happens, one approach is for the manager to insist that the task remains the employee’s responsibility.  Another potential obstacle is the time and flexibility required to tailor the help specifically to the individual.  Some employees are risk averse and therefore need more reassurance.  Others are independent and want to run with the project so the managers may want to pull back and let this happen.

Employees want to be challenged but they need resources and they don’t want to feel left alone to complete the task.  They want to be able to turn to someone and receive help.  Not to do their job, but to review the work accomplished so far, answer questions, and offer suggestions and encouragement.  Ultimately work results remain with the manager and one of the methods to maximize these results is by being there to assist the employee achieve the best outcome.

Recognizing People for the Their Contribution

As a young second lieutenant my first Army assignment was a remote location in northern Greece.  Captain Bob Metzger was the unit commander.  Our mission was to secure sensitive equipment.  It was a 24/ 7 job that involved armed guards, fencing, lights and detailed security procedures.

One of the soldiers assigned to the unit was Private Johnson.  He might have been all of 19 years old.  His job was to keep all the generators working.  Normally we would have a more experienced soldier, a Sergeant, for this critical duty. 

One night in the middle of a violent storm we lost power.  As the duty officer I held my breath waiting for the generators to kick on.  They started and stopped, started and stopped several more times and then they died.  Without power for our security lights we needed to have 100 soldiers set up a perimeter around the storage area.   

We found out that the power wasn’t going to be restored for a week so we had to get the generators running in order to have lights.   The problem with the generators required parts which were at least 3 days away.  While we were without power, the 100 soldiers had to remain in the perimeter guarding the secure area all night. 

Johnson got busy that night working on the generators.  Metzger visited with him, encouraged him and provided support.  Johnson worked through the night, the next day and into the second night without stopping.  After much trial and error, he came up with a homemade remedy by using a part from one our kitchen stoves.  The generators worked, we had lights and we no longer had to have soldiers out in the perimeter all night.

There was a lot of relief as we could get some much needed sleep.  The next day, Metzger got all of us together where the generators were located.  He spoke about the generator problem and commended all of us for pitching in and keeping the area secure.  He then asked Johnson to come forward.  Metzger presented Johnson with a piece of plywood with a group picture of all of us and a copy of the make shift repair part attached to the board.  Across the top, Metzger wrote in magic marker – “The nights the lights went out, you got us up & running.”

I can still remember the look on Johnson’s face – he beamed.  He stood tall.  Metzger had touched him.  Johnson displayed that award in his barracks area.  Each time a new soldier was assigned to the unit, part of their orientation was to hear Johnson tell the story about the night the lights went out.

Making the award took Metzger less than half an hour. He was aware of Johnson’s fear of letting us all down.  The award was unique and reflected Metzger’s relationship with Johnson and knowing what it would take to recognize him.  The positive effect for Johnson and the rest of us was priceless.

To recognize someone you have to know the person, know what the person accomplished and the type of recognition which moves them.  While awards are one way to do this, a simple ‘thank you’ goes a long way.

Appreciation, acknowledgement, praise, thank you, some simple gesture that says, “I care about you and what you do” encourages us all.