Sunday, 07. September 2008 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
Effective Leaders treat others the way they would like to be treated. They are individuals who have:
1. The ability to accept people as they presently are, not just as the leader would like them to be. Though effective leaders see the potential in their people – and encourage movement toward that potential – they are careful to also show love and acceptance
now. Sometimes it is easier to see the future potential in someone than to show them acceptance today.
2. The capacity to approach relationships in terms of the present rather than the past. They do not allow past deficiencies skew an accurate assessment of the facts today.
3. The ability to give people they work with at least the same level of courtesy, and kind attention, that they extend to strangers and friendly acquaintances.
4. The ability to put their trust in others, especially when delegating a task that involves significant risk.
5. The ability, and inner confidence, to do without the constant approval and recognition of those around them.
Tuesday, 02. September 2008 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
“Conflict Leadership” is the art of enabling a group to explore the differences that have created a conflict - and then build a process to move beyond the conflict effectively. To do this a leader must understand that a conflict is an opportunity, rather than a problem to be avoided. In The Magic of Conflict, Thomas Crum writes:
“Conflict is neutral; neither positive nor negative, it just is. Nature uses conflict as its primary motivator for change, creating beautiful beaches, canyons, mountains, and pearls. It’s not whether you have conflict in your life; it is what you do with that conflict that makes a difference.
“In addition, Conflict is not a contest. Winning and losing are goals for games, but not for a conflict – instead learning, growing, and cooperating are the desired outcomes… Conflict is rarely about who is right. It is about the acknowledgment and appreciation of different experiences, perspectives, and possibilities.”
In high performance organizations, people are continually working to resolve the ongoing conflict between the past (which defines the organization’s current behavior and performance) and the vision of what still could be. In this process of pushing for growth, conflict is bound to emerge as individuals struggle and disagree over ways to solve an issue, deal with communication, and make final decisions regarding how to move the organization forward.
To help navigate conflict, a leader should:
1) Value, and Steer, the Energy – Conflict inevitably produces energy. A leader must control and balance this energy within him/her self – and then appreciate, and steer, the energy conflict creates in others.
2) Seek and Gain Understanding – “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” A leader must carefully oversee, nurture and protect the communication process between individuals, groups, and the organization.
3) Create and Adhere to a Process - Before progress can be made in moving beyond a conflict, the parties must agree to the process they will follow to move past the confusion and toward a solution. The leader’s role is to help build a process that will allow the individuals, or group, move through the conflict in a healthy way.
4) Promote Mutual Benefit – Each individual has a style when dealing with conflict. Some “Avoid,” others “Compete,” some “Compromise,” others “Accommodate” while other “Collaborate.”
A leader should help individuals transcend their “natural” style and work toward a collaborative, win-win perspective, which meets the needs of each party. This requires an “abundance” mindset that allows everyone to move toward the best solution for everyone involved.
5) Clarify Responsibility and Accountability – This is the last critical element in leading conflict. Developing and growing beyond a conflict requires committed action and follow-through. Where individuals make commitments, and then are held accountable to make progress toward those commitments.
Thursday, 28. August 2008 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
“The size of your thinking, goals, attitude, and even your personality is greatly influenced by your environment.”
The number one obstacle to reaching a higher level of success is a lack of belief. Where one has a driving
fear or
doubt that an accomplishment can be attained.
Such a lack of belief is usually birthed, and nurtured, by an array of suppressive influences in our environment which continually work to keep our thinking (and lives) at a mediocre level. These suppressive forces can include
the media, co-workers, our current job, one's ethnic culture, our living environment, and even our own comfort zone.
But sadly, many times the most negative force will arise from a select group of individuals, who you personally know, who are content to live a mediocre life - and who try to intimidate others into doing the same.
Remember:
“People who tell you something cannot be done almost always are unsuccessful themselves - and are themselves usually always strictly average or mediocre in terms of accomplishment.” (Rev. Norman Vincent Peale)
Nay-sayers are everywhere. They delight in sabotaging the positive progress of others to justify their own lack of effort and sloth. Effective leaders are careful to fight off these negative, suppressive influences by surrounding themselves with individuals who think progressively. Who confidently believe in themselves... and in others.
Spend your time with those who are already successful - and who firmly believe YOU can accomplish their same level of success… or even more!
Tuesday, 19. August 2008 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
In the process of promoting needed change in an organization, wise leaders make use of carefully crafted stories which engage their followers not only at the rational level, but (more importantly) at the emotional level.
These wisely crafted stories weave together
ideas,
values, and preferred modes of
behavior… they build cases for organizational change and clearly describe what a winning future looks like.
To accomplish this, successful leaders regularly use three types of stories:
1) “Who Am I?” stories
2) “Who are we?” stories
3) Stories which envision a preferred future
These stories are careful to cover three essential elements:
1) The case for change
2) Where we are going
3) How we will get there
Organizational change is more of an “
art” than a “
science”. And the art of story telling is one tool effective leaders learn, and then use regularly, to navigate this process.
Sunday, 10. August 2008 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
The Challenger space shuttle explosion. The Bay of Pigs invasion. The Korean War debacle. These are examples of situations where the effectiveness and processes of a key decision-making team failed. And this type of failed decision-making continues to occur in large and small organizations around the world.
Businesses, non-profit organizations, and government all use various types of “teams” to make critical decisions. Thus, it is essential that Executives understand the dynamics of what contributes to both effective, and ineffective teams.
One common trait that contributes to ineffective decision-making is “Groupthink.” Groupthink occurs when group members start to think too much alike. Over time, as group members start to value their friendship, cohesiveness and comradity, members can become fearful of “rocking the boat” by expressing contrary opinions which may disrupt this dynamic. This quickly leads the group into making poorer and poorer decisions that reflect very little creativity.
Healthy decision-making teams consist of members who possess diverse skills, are committed to a common purpose, serve specific roles, and who hold each other accountable for contributing effective results. Decision-making teams are also most successful when members hold diverse perspectives, and are then mature enough to allow healthy conflict to occur within the team – enabling the team to forge the best solution.
The following are ways to prevent “groupthink” in a decision-making group:
1) Group Leaders should openly encourage (and role model) the free airing of ideas, objections and concerns.
2) Group Leaders, and Executives involved on the team, should refrain from initially expressing their personal opinions regarding an issue. Instead they should defer to other group members first.
3) Senior leadership can establish two or more independent groups who work on the same problem/issue.
4) Group members should be trained in basic brainstorming techniques.
5) Each group member should be allowed to discuss the group’s ideas with trusted subject matter experts who are outside of group.
6) The group should regularly invite various (not just one) outside experts into meetings.
7) At least one group member should be assigned the specific role of being the “Devil’s advocate.” This role should be re-assigned to a different person at each meeting.
Tuesday, 05. August 2008 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
There is a dynamic in organizations that may not be fair, but is very real. In fact, it is so real there is a theory to help explain it.
“Attribution Theory” can be used to explain the cognitive process by which a manger determines the reason for effective, or ineffective, performance of a subordinate – and then what to do about that performance.
Attribution Theory states that a Manager will attribute the major cause of good or poor performance to either something internal to the subordinate (lack of effort, ability, initiative, intellect,…) or to external issues beyond the subordinate’s control (forces in the economy, competitors, weather, technology,…)
Now here is the key thought… And it regards those who are in the leader’s inner circle – and those who are not.
Attribution Theory states that managers will tend to attribute effective performance to internal causes for those within the manager’s “inner-circle,” and attribute effective performance to external causes for those in the “outer-group” (or those not in the inner-circle of the leader/manager.) ** READ THIS AGAIN IF NEEDED…
And vice versa… That a leader will tend to attribute ineffective performance to external causes for those within their inner-circle, and attribute ineffective performance to internal causes for those subordinates not in their inner-circle.
** By the way, studies show that when hired, a person has about 90-120 days to gain access into the inner-circle of their leader – and in that time, if they have not been able to do so – they will most likely be forever regulated to the outer-circle.
So a few thoughts to consider:
1) If you are a leader, you need to be careful, fair, and systematic when evaluating a subordinate’s performance – regardless of personal friendships and loyalties.
2) If you are a subordinate, the impression you make in the first 90-120 days when working for a new leader/manager will likely dictate where you stand with that leader from then on out. Right or wrong – this dynamic is usually the case.
3) If you are a subordinate who has been working for a manager for some time – and you are not in their “inner-circle” – this is a reality you need to proactively deal with. This can be overcome, but it will not be easy. I will leave it to you do some reading to figure that out.
Friday, 01. August 2008 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
In my consulting work I find some organizations where there is a high level of excitement, enthusiasm and positive energy; and others where people just seem to be hanging on till the next pay day.
One difference I have found in organizations with positive and energized cultures is they have leaders who are willing (and able) to powerfully engage their people, who carefully listen, pay attention, and remain in an authentic learning posture
– where they are very willing to learn from those around them. These types of leaders
engage and
energize their organizations much more than leaders who are just good at thinking "strategically."
This engaging type of leadership takes courage. It takes courage to step down from the “
I am right and know the way” pedestal, to a “
partnership” mindset. Where a leader is willing to authentically engage their co-workers… to learn from those under them… rather than just prove they are right.
As one explores courageous leadership, they find that an effective leader is careful to balance the
“head” of leadership (the analytical, strategic, process driven, thinking part of being a leader) with
the “heart” of leadership (the relational, heroic, loving and sheparding part of being a leader.)
Fundamentally, I believe there are 3 qualities which are fundamental to reflecting the “heart” of leadership:
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Monday, 28. July 2008 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
Some thoughts to ponder regarding the need to embrace risk at various points in life:
“Many great ideas have been lost because the people who had them could not stand being laughed at.” ~Author Unknown
“A ship in harbor is safe - but that is not what ships are for.” ~John A. Shedd, Salt from My Attic
“One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.” ~André Gide
“There are those who are so scrupulously afraid of doing wrong that they seldom venture to do anything.” ~Vauvenargues
“Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic.” ~Author Unknown
“This nation was built by men who took risks - pioneers who were not afraid of the wilderness, business men who were not afraid of failure, scientists who were not afraid of the truth, thinkers who were not afraid of progress, dreamers who were not afraid of action.” ~Brooks Atkinson
Tuesday, 22. July 2008 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
Having read my share of books on leadership, and served as a leader in various settings – I believe there are three distinctives that form the foundation for effective leadership. These traits are:
1) Deep Commitment to the Cause
A review of history shows that successful leaders were deeply passionate about pursuing specific outcomes. They were both focused and passionate. Many people fail as leaders because, for whatever reason, they do not have passion for what they are trying to accomplish in their organization.
In an organization, greatness often rises from the vision, passion and commitment of senior leadership. From this passion, followers derive both enthusiasm and confidence to help attain that vision.
2) Tested Character
A second disctictive of effective leadership is character. Who you are when people are looking – and when no one is looking?
In my opinion, integrity is foremost among the various traits of character. A leader must be trustworthy – they must carefully “walk their talk.” Stephen Covey writes, “The real key to your influence with me is your example, your actual conduct. And your example will flow naturally out of your character.”
All too often, there is a gap between the “talk” and “walk” of a leader. When this occurs, the organization is hamstrung by that hypocrisy. Productivity, innovation and morale all suffer as followers comply with the orders of the leader - but do so with minimal enthusiasm or sacrifice. “The credibility of leadership is what determines whether people will want to give more of their time, talent, energy, experience, intelligence, creativity, and support.” (Kouzes and Posner)
3) Sincere Compassion
Effective leaders lead with compassion – they show a genuine, heart-felt concern for the needs, feelings, and aspirations of those they lead. They care about those they lead as much as they care about the corporate goals.
Many organizations use fear as a motivation. But fear leads to compliance, not commitment. People motivated by fear are rarely committed to the leader’s vision. In their book, Credibility, Kouzes and Posner write, “If leaders appreciate their people and show that they take their interests to heart, their people will in turn trust them as their leader.”
** Our Skills are Necessary… But More Is Needed
Indeed, leadership requires more than the three traits mentioned here. It requires situational knowledge, adaptability, and courage - among other skills. But while these skills are necessary, the traits mentioned above serve as the foundation for lasting and effective leadership.
Sunday, 13. July 2008 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.
To fully experience the life you were created to live – and see your dreams become a reality – will require that you embrace and develop three critical elements in your thinking and life. They cannot be neglected, for like a three-legged char, without any one of these, your life will rapidly fall into a mediocre state.
These three pivotal “legs” are: 1) Taking time to clarify and define your Dreams, 2) Developing inner fortitude, or the virtue of Courage, and 3) Exhibiting a compelling Belief (or faith) regarding your future and potential. Other qualities, like wisdom, knowledge, hope, and self-control will be needed, but without the three pillars of Clarity of Focus, Courage, and Belief, these other qualities will be of little use.
No matter how much wisdom, knowledge, or self-control we can muster, if we do not have clarity what our personal dreams and passions are; if we have not developed the virtue of courage in our life, and if we do not have enough belief to compel us to take steps of faith into the unknown – we will not realize our potential and dreams. All around are examples of smart and virtuous people who choose to remain safely tucked away in their comfort zone, letting their potential and dreams pass them by.
** Best selling author, Robert Cooper, PhD, writes about his grandfather, who had just witnessed the death of two of his patients. He tells the story as follows:
“One summer afternoon when I was nine years old, I was sitting on a wooden bench under a window at the end of a long hallway at Sacred Heart Hospital in Le Mars, Iowa, where my grandfather was chief surgeon… Finally, I saw him walking toward me. I jumped to my feet, then stopped, stunned to see he was still in his surgical gown. His scrubs were soaked with sweat and covered with blood. Something was wrong.
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