Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D. author of The Courageous Life, is an organizational consultant with a special interest in coaching courageous and effective leaders.
We all have a reptile living in our brain. And that reptile is an… Alligator!
You see, our most basic survival behaviors originate from our brainstem. This part of our brain is often called the “gator brain” because this part of the brain is similar to the ENTIRE brain of an alligator.
An alligator is driven by a set of very primitive instincts. To find food, defend their territory, protect themselves, and reproduce… When something new, or unfamiliar, approaches a gator, they tend to revert to one of these four primitive choices in terms of how they respond to what is confronting, or unknown to them: Kill it, eat it, run from it (or mate with it… we will ignore that for now).
So what does this mean for you and I?
When you and I are confronted with something new or unfamiliar, our brainstem will many times try to take over and make our conscious mind respond much like an alligator in the wild - to do whatever it takes to maintain our security, or protect us from making any type of uncomfortable change.
Fortunately, we have another section in our brain (not present in an alligator’s brain) called the neo-cortex, which has the ability to override the primitive instincts of our brainstem. This other part of the brain competes with our “gator brain”, drawing us to treat newness with curiosity and intrigue - encouraging us to defer judgment and look for the exciting possibilities that may exist in a new idea or circumstance.
So when we face a new or difficult situation, which part of our brain is going to win… our gator brain, or our innovative brain? We always have the power to choose our response. Innovative individuals (and teams) do not allow the instincts of the “gator within” to prevent them from seeing the possibilities that can be realized. Creative individuals (and teams) have re-habituated themselves - so that their first response to a new idea, or even an opposing force, is to look for a pathway that leads out of the swampy waters.
Wednesday, 03. March 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”- Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, Inc.
“Innovation is the specific instrument of entrepreneurship. The act that endows resources with a new capacity to create wealth.” - Peter F. Drucker, Leadership guru and author
As a leader, how can you improve your ability to implement new and innovative ideas?
There are many practical behaviors and disciplines you can develop to help yourself be a more innovative eader. The following are a few ideas you may want to start playing with:
* Regularly approach conversations with the perspective that the greater wisdom is in the person you are talking to. It’s your job to uncover innovative ideas, so when in a conversation, make sure you truly listen - versus just waiting to speak next. This will keep you attuned to any nuggets of innovative wisdom that may cross your conversational path.
* Invite and reinforce the flow of feedback from others into your life and work - even if it is painful. There is one executive who never gives a first pay raise to an employee until they specifically challenge his opinion or thinking in some way.
* As you move through your day, notice moments of frustration. As you journey though your day, and something causes frustration - like you just can’t get something done, and something or somebody is impeding you - Notice it. Label the frustration, then discern the root causes of frustration. Later, when you have cooled off, put some energy into creating ideas on how this frustration can be prevented, rerouted, or positively used in the future.
* At the end of each day, review the day and ask yourself, “What good questions did I ask today - and how well did I listen?” “What specific innovative ideas did I come across?” “At what points in my day was I not attune to new truths or wisdom that may have crossed my path?” - Then write any newfound ideas down, and if appropriate, start moving forward a new direction.
Sunday, 28. February 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
Any leader, not matter how good they are, usually deals with 3 types of employees or volunteers: 1) Committed (or Engaged) Employees.
2) Compliant (or Disengaged) Employees.
3) Non-Compliant (Or Actively Disengaged) Employees.
For example, if you are familiar with the TV show “The Office” – you see all three types of these employees present. (The show is worth watching for a comic portrayal of many leadership topics.) In The Office you have employee named “Dwight,” who is an example of a highly committed and engaged employee (though a little weird). Jim is an example of a nice, yet compliant/disengaged employee. And Stanley is an example of an actively disengaged employee.
- So how does a leader deal with these 3 types of employees or volunteers? How should a leader deal with a “Dwight”, “Jim”, and a “Stanley?”
** First; a Leader needs to understand the mindset of each type: 1) Committed (or Engaged) employees have a good understanding (and belief) about where the organization is headed – and know where they fit in to that vision and plan. 2) Compliant (or Disengaged) employees question, or are not sure if they believe, where the organization is headed – and are usually unclear where they fit into that vision. 3) Non-compliant (or Actively Disengaged) employees do not believe in the vision, nor do they want to fit into that vision.
** Second, a Leader needs to find out which category each employee (or volunteer) is in. You do this by: 1) Continuously clarifying and preaching the vision and purposes of your organization, business, or church. Never stop defining reality and pointing to the future. 2) Take time to carefully observe your people and systems in action. 3) Actively listen and seek feedback regarding how the organization as a whole, and specific employees, are doing. Use surveys, listening sessions, stay connected to the grape vine… to get first-hand knowledge. 4) Then with all this data you have collected, discern where each employee is at. 5) Bring needed change and clarity(see below.) Also, make sure you resource whatever changes you make! 6) Say Thank You to your employees who are adding value – and then start steps 1-5 again.
** Third, a Leader needs to act Courageously by making specific decisions on how to deal with, or develop, each employee. 1) For Committed employees, a leader needs to promote, mentor, and resource their continued work and development. 2) For Compliant employees, a leader needs to co-create a plan (with the employee) to move them from a compliant – to a committed employee. If they do not make progress, the leader needs to marginalize that employee or volunteer (or possibly even remove them) from the organizational culture. 3) For Non-Compliant (or actively disengaged) employees, using a short timetable, a leader needs to confront reality and co-create a proactive plan to move them toward engagement – and if no improvement is made, remove them from the organization. Their negative weight to the culture and vision is too great a price to pay.
Tuesday, 23. February 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
Dee Hock was the founder and CEO Emeritus of VISA International, an organization that to this day is regarded as the most profitable business on earth. He is a very highly respected leader of leaders - the following are a few of his quotes:
* “Hire and promote first on the basis of integrity; second, motivation; third, capacity; fourth, understanding; fifth, knowledge; and last and least, experience. Without integrity, motivation is dangerous; without motivation, capacity is impotent; without capacity, understanding is limited; without understanding, knowledge is meaningless; without knowledge, experience is blind. Experience is easy to provide and quickly put to good use by people with all the other qualities.”
* “If you don’t understand that you work for your mislabeled ‘subordinates,’ then you know nothing of leadership. You know only tyranny.”
* “If you look to lead, invest at least 40% of your time managing yourself - your ethics, character, principles, purpose, motivation, and conduct. Invest at least 30% managing those with authority over you, and 15% managing your peers.”
* “If you’re in such a position of power and your ego is such that this is not possible, then its essential to have a small cadre of very bright, committed people who are questioning, exploring and understanding emerging concepts.”
* “It is essential to employ, trust, and reward those whose perspective, ability, and judgment are radically different from yours. It is also rare, for it requires uncommon humility, tolerance, and wisdom.”
* “Lead yourself, lead your superiors, lead your peers, and free your people to do the same. All else is trivia.”
* “Make a careful list of all things done to you that you abhorred. Don’t do them to others, ever. Make another list of things done for you that you loved. Do them for others, always.”
* “Money motivates neither the best people, nor the best in people. It can move the body and influence the mind, but it cannot touch the heart or move the spirit; that is reserved for belief, principle, and morality.”
Saturday, 20. February 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
“What we’ve discovered, and rediscovered, is that leadership isn’t the private reserve of a few charismatic men and women. It’s a process ordinary people use when they’re bringing forth the best from themselves and others. Liberate the leader in everyone, and extraordinary things happen.” — James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner
Leadership is a verb, not a noun. Leadership is action, not a position. Leadership is defined by what we do, not the role we are in. Some people in “leadership roles” are excellent leaders. But too many are simply bosses, “snoopervisors,” bureaucrats, dictators, or simple babysitters. Conversely, others who have no formal leadership role in an organization often “lead” in very effective ways.
The process of becoming a leader is a journey of personal development - and though much of this journey involves finding our own way, there are several key “mugs” of development that need to be kept filled… These are:
* Choose Not to Lose. Learning to focus on the possibilities, not our problems is a key lesson of leadership. When faced with obstacles or failure, those who overcome adversity, and learn from those experiences, are the ones who consistently find success.
* Focus and Context. Our Focus and Context is shaped by three vital questions: Where am I going? (my vision); What do I believe in? (my principles and values) and; Why do I exist? (my purpose or mission).
* Responsibility For Choices. Leadership means accepting responsibility for our choices. Leaders realize that their choices, more than chance, determine their circumstances. They refuse to succumb to a victim mentality.
* Authenticity. Leadership isn’t just what we do, it’s founded on who we are. Genuine leadership comes from within. It’s authentic - based on honesty, integrity, and trust.
* Spirit and Meaning. Material success is never enough. Effective leaders take time to align what they do with their deepest desires, values, dreams and passions.
* Growing and Developing. The popular goals of security, stability, and predictability are deadly. The closer we get to these dangerous goals, the more our growth will be stunted. True and lasting security comes from a commitment to continual personal growth and development.
* Mobilizing and Energizing. Highly effective leaders boost the energy of others with their passion and appreciation. They engage people’s hearts as well as their minds. They get them involved, participating, and aligned with the higher vision and purposes of the organization.
The more the world changes, the more the principles of leadership stay the same. And they apply to all of us, no matter what role we play in society or organization.
Thursday, 11. February 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
The debate between leadership and management has been raging for years. The distinction between management a leadership is useful one, in that it help a person to reflect on their own behavior by asking, “Am I really leading?”
So what is the differences between Managing and Leading?
In his book “On Becoming a Leader”, Warren Bennis describes the differences between managers and leaders:
* The manager administers; the leader innovates.
* The manager protects and maintains; the leader develops.
* The manager focuses on systems and structure; the leader focuses on direction.
* The manager relies on aligning people and systems; the leader inspiring people toward the future.
* The manager embraces reality; the leader investigates it.
* The manager focuses on the day-to-day; the leader keeps a long-range perspective.
* The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.
* The manager has his or her eye on the bottom line; the leader has his or her eye on the horizon.
* The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it.
* The manager is the classic good soldier; the leader is his or her own person. *** The manager does things right; the leader does the right thing. BOTH ARE NEEDED!
Another influential thinker on the distinction between management and leadership is John Kotter. In his book, “What Leaders Really Do”, John makes the important observations:
* “Leadership and management are two distinctive and complementary actions. Both are necessary for success in a complex and volatile business environment.”
* “Most U.S. corporations today are overmanaged and underled.”
* “Strong leadership with weak management is no better, and is sometimes actually worse, than the reverse.”
* “Management is about coping with complexity… Without good management, complex enterprises tend to become chaotic… Good management brings a degree of order and consistency…. Leadership, by contrast, is about coping with change… More change always demands more leadership.”
The fact is that leadership and management are both important - they are two distinctive systems of action - both are necessary, as they seek to meet different needs.
Tuesday, 09. February 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
The concentration camp of Auschwitz was a killing machine during WWII, where exterminations were conducted by Nazis on an industrial scale. An estimated three million people were killed through gassing, starvation, disease, shooting, and burning.
One man who died at Auschwitz was a Catholic Priest named Maximilian Kolbe…
In 1936, Maximilian supervised a friary near Warsaw Poland where, during World War II, he and the other friars sheltered Polish refugees, many of whom were Jews.
In May 1941 the friary was closed by the Nazis, and Maximilian and four companions were taken to Auschwitz where they worked with the other prisoners carrying logs. Maximilian also carried on his priestly work surreptitiously, hearing confessions in unlikely places and celebrating the Lord’s Supper.
To discourage escapes, the Auschwitz had a rule that if a man escaped, ten prisoners would be killed in response. In July 1941, the Nazis thought a man from Kolbe’s bunker had escaped. (After this incident, the “escaped” prisoner was found drowned in the camp latrine.)
“The fugitive has not been found!” the commandant Karl Fritsch screamed. “So ten of you will die in his place in the starvation bunker.” Ten men were selected, including Franciszek Gajowniczek, who had been imprisoned for helping the Polish Resistance. When he was selected, Franciszek could not help but cry out, “My wife! My poor children! What will they do?”
Suddenly and silently, Maximilian Kolbe stepped forward. Astounded, the Nazi commandant asked, “What does this Polish pig want?” Maximilian took off his cap, and stood before the Commandant and requested, “I am a Catholic Priest from Poland; I would like to take this man’s place because he has a wife and children.”
The Commandant remained silent for a moment, then accepted the request. The Nazis had more use for a young worker than for an old Priest. So Franciszek Gajowniczek was returned to the ranks, and Maximilian took his place.
Soon after Kolbe was thrown with 9 other men into the starvation bunker and left to die. One by one, the men died of hunger and thirst. After two weeks, only four were left alive. But since the cell was needed for new prisoners, the camp executioner came in and injected a lethal dose of cabolic acid into the left arm of each of the four remaining men. And soon it was all over…
So Father Maximilian Kolbe was executed on August 14, 1941, at the age of forty-seven, a martyr of charity. His body was removed to the crematorium, and without dignity or ceremony, disposed of.
** And the man he saved - Franciszek Gajowniczek - What happened to him?
Franciszek Gajowniczek lived a full life, dying on March 13, 1995, in Poland at the age of 95… 53 years after Kolbe had saved him from execution. Franciszek never forgot the Priest. After his release from Auschwitz, Gajowniczek spent the next five decades paying homage to Father Kolbe. Every year on August 14 he went back to Auschwitz and honored the man who died on his behalf.
Tuesday, 02. February 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
I recently heard 4 questions that help a leader think about, and determine, their strategic course. The questions are:
1. What are you trying to achieve?
2. What are you trying to preserve?
3. What are you trying to avoid?
4. What are you trying to eliminate?
These 4 questions can also be restated as:
1. What do you want - that you currently do not have? (Achieve)
2. What do you want - that you already have? (Preserve)
3. What don’t you have - that you also do not want in the future? (Avoid)
4. What do you have now - that you do not want to keep in the future? (Eliminate)
The “Goals Grid” shown below was derived by arraying “Yes” and “No” answers in relation to “Have”and“Want” conditions - as reflected in the questions above. The “Goals Grid” shown is a useful tool in achieving goal clarity - for achieving what the focus and next steps for a leader, or organization, should be. It prompts leaders to think about their goals and objectives in an organized fashion - yet from four different perspectives.
* In Summary… The Goals Grid is a simple, easy-to-use tool for developing goal clarity, and provides a structure for examining the nature of decisions being considered in a organization.
In short, the “Goals Grid” helps answer these questions:
1. What are we really up to - where are we really headed?
2. Do we have all the bases covered?
3. What are we overlooking?
4. Have we adequately thought this through?
5. How do our various goals and objectives relate to one another?
6. What do the patterns tell us about our willingness to embrace risk, and to change?
7. Are we in conflict with our other goals and objectives?
Friday, 29. January 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
“Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to develop the talent to the uncomfortable place it leads.” Abraham Lincoln
The pathway to success can be complicated - full of turns, difficulties and distractions that can divert us from our goal and dreams. Below a one formula for “Success in Life” that shows the many factors that contribute to one's ongoing success.
S = (GMEDS – I) * T(HC)
S is “Success in Life” – (which includes inner Peace, Joy, and Living out one’s purpose)
G is “God” – All we have comes from Him.
M is “Our Mental Map” – includes three constructs: Core Beliefs, Attitude, and Knowledge – Our knowledge, attitude and core beliefs drive our behaviors; our behaviors then drive our results; and sustained results determine our lifestyle.
E is “Energy” – Fatigue makes cowards of us all. Managing one’s energy is more important than managing our time.
D is “Definiteness of Purpose” – Where we have clearly defined goals, and a plan to attain them.
S is “Skill” – We develop skills. Talent is God given.
I is “Interference” – This includes negative self talk, fear, lack of trust, poor work ethic…
T is “Time” – We are each given 8760 hours each year. We need to leverage these hours wisely.
H is “Daily Habits” or Rituals – Developing patterns of constructive daily habits will directly determine the level of success we eventually achieve and sustain.
C is “Coachability” – No one reaches high levels of success alone. We all need various “coaches” to help us get there, and to be receptive to their counsel and feedback.
** Sustained success is not easy – but it is definitely attainable if a person remains focused and committed to the right path.
(Adapted from a formula provided by John Wright - a successful performance coach and business man)
