Dream and Act Big: Leadership Caffeine for the Week of April 5, 2009
Filed under: "To Do" List, Career, Leadership, Leadership Caffeine
This week’s jolt of energy is taken from a great interview with Jim Collins in the April, 2009 issue of Inc. Magazine.
Collins connected with Inc. editor, Bo Burlingham to share views on the state of our world, building great businesses and entrepreneurship. The entrepreneurial focus is relevant for many that have either been pushed into this world through downsizing or are considering it as they grow weary of the uncertainties of corporate life.
The result is a feast of insightful, refreshing and invigorating quotes. Oh, and I’m taking my motivation from Collins with a cup of the always bold and invigorating Sumatra Mandehling Gayo Mountain from my favorite local roaster, Conscious Cup.
Just a few selected quotes and observations from Collins:
-On what the leading entrepreneurs of the past three decades have in common:
“They defined success on a very big scale.”
-Recalling a quote from Steve Jobs in the late 1980’s that captured the noble vision of entrepreneurship:
“We aren’t creating computers, we are creating bicycles for the minds.”
-On the choice that people face on working for others or working for themselves:
“I see entrepreneurship as more of a life concept. We all make choices about how we live our lives. You can take a paint-by-numbers approach, or you can start with a blank canvas. Starting with a blank canvas is the only way to get a masterpiece, but you could also blow up.”
-On the emerging environment:
“We’re heading into a world characterized by big events, big forces, massive storms. We’re going to be vulnerable little specks high on the mountain when the storm hits out of nowhere. And if we’re not prepared, we’re going to die up there.”
-On why he’s not pessimistic in spite of the emerging environment:
“It is only in times like this that you get a chance to show your strength.”
“In the end, I think we need to have absolute faith in our ability to deal with whatever is thrown at us. And we need to have a complete, realistic paranoia that a lot can be thrown at us.”
-On the source of his optimism:
“A lot of it has to do with the young generation.” Quoting a general at West Point, “This is the most inspired and inspiring generation to come through West Point since 1945.”
“I’m hopeful precisely because of this generation of kids. I really think we ought to give them the keys as soon as we can.”
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Art’s comments:
First, bookmark the interview and read it from start to end. The selected quotes above barely do justice to the wisdom and inspiration that Collins has to offer in this article.
Second, consider how his guidance and observations can help you deal with your situation, whether you plan on being an entrepreneur or an intrapreneur.
Great things tend to flow from tough times and when people focus on defining success not necessarily in monetary terms but on a grand scale.
My own real world example in process: I’m working with a group to change the shape of volunteer management and volunteerism in our local community. Our emerging goal is nothing less than to transform Volunteer management practices in this country. Lofty yes, but doable? Absolutely.
The same lofty ambitions can drive for-profit organizations, but it requires thinking beyond success and focusing on significance.
And last and not least, I love his perspective on the younger generation. While the media focuses on what they describe as a: texting-obsessed, trophy-laden, what’s in it for me generation, I am with Collins in seeing the reality to be very different. (See my article: In Hopeful Praise of the Millennials.)
As you have occasion to work with, lead and support the development of this younger generation, perhaps it is time to think deeply about the challenges we have saddled them with and offer our support and hope instead of our criticism.
The Bottom-Line for the New Week:
OK, grab that second cup and go forth into the new week motivated to do something great. The longest journey starts of course with the first step, and the greatest monuments start with the first stone. Take that first step or lay down that cornerstone and dream big!
Leadership Caffeine for the Week of March 30, 2009
Filed under: "To Do" List, Career, Leadership Caffeine, Performance, Professional Growth, Project Management, Surviving Lousy Leaders
A healthy spring snowstorm blanketed the northwest suburbs of Chicago overnight, making the morning cup of coffee particularly relevant as a source of both warmth and energy.
I’m back with a fresh pound of my favorite fair trade Mexican Roast from a great local roaster aptly named Conscious Cup. My first contribution to stimulating the economy today is to let you know that these great people ship.
My second contribution is to encourage a renewed sense of personal professional accountability. Yep, I’m striking a blow against Boss-Blame…that world class sport that so many engage in as part of rationalizing why their own results might just be falling short of something resembling excellence.
Quit Grousing…It’s Wasted Energy!
It’s common for me to hear quite a bit of grousing about the people we work for from attendees at workshops, at client sites or in classes. And while I don’t doubt that there’s a fair amount of truth in much of the talk about lousy managers and do-nothing exec teams, I truly don’t care and neither should you.
Do not let the chucklehead that you work for hold you back! Do not blame the management team for your inability to hit your targets, develop professionally or create a high performance team. The only one in charge of you is you.
I’ve long since concluded that in spite of our best intentions we have a low probability of fixing most of the bad bosses. Our best bet and your best bet is to develop a multi-pronged approach to the situation.
Suggestions for Overcoming Bad Boss Syndrome:
1. Mitigation. Sometimes “Bad Boss” syndrome can be mitigated by changing your own behavior. I’ve observed many situations where the boss has issues and the individuals that report to him or her have no qualms publicly depicting their lack of respect. While that might in some perverted way feel good, it is wrong.
Try using judo on the situation and increase your efforts to be respectful and helpful and to portray a genuine sense of empathy for the burdens that this individuals bears as a leader and as a person. Hey, no guarantees here, but you’ll be the better person for trying, and it might be you some latitude in the workplace.
2. Partnering. I work with many different project teams in IT and new product development, and I can predict with near certainty the top reasons that will surface in the post-mortem on failed projects. You know the issues as well, and yes, most of them have to do with people and leadership. (An oft-quoted E&Y study indicates that 80% of the reasons associated with poor project performance are tied to people.)
Work on a few project teams, and you can predict the problems like clockwork. Estimates will be off…people sandbag or play politics. The matrix gets in the way…people have multiple priorities and are not linked to one team. The sponsor spends her time jetting around Asia and is never present at critical times to do what a sponsor is supposed to do. And so on.
What is stopping you from working with your peers to focus your collective energies on eradicating the mostly controllable and predictable problems that bedevil so many teams? Nothing! If the project manager lacks the leadership savvy to broker resolutions and build a performance culture, jump in along with your peers and help out. Have an ineffective sponsor? Either educate him or her on the role or seek out a new one. There are few problems that arise that are dependent upon those upstream.
3. Your Personal Pursuit of Excellence:
In the final leg of my bad-boss mitigation & you must develop your own sense of accountability rant, this is for all of you first-time or mid-level leaders that are not getting the support and coaching that you genuinely should receive. Get over it, and make certain that you go to extraordinary lengths to give to your colleagues in spades what you are not receiving from your manager.
Boss not talked to you about career development? Well, you are in charge of your own career, and oh by the way, nothing is precluding you from working with your team members on their own personal development plans.
Don’t get much feedback on your performance? That’s unfortunate, but it is not an excuse for you not recognizing that feedback is your most powerful performance tool and practicing it constantly.
Does the boss work hard to protect turf and strengthen silo walls? Don’t fall into that shortsighted trap. Become a network broker across organizational boundaries. Learn and apply the art of lateral leadership and diplomacy.
The bottom-line
Just as it is common in life for people to hitch their sense of well-being and happiness to the actions and opinions of others, it is common for people to wallow in business misery because of the shortcomings of our leaders. It’s time to unhitch that wagon and take responsibility for your own business happiness and health. Get started this week!
Your Customer Service Tells Me All I Need to Know About Your Management Quality
Of my many quirks, one that I actually enjoy is my unceasing study of customer service. I love to observe customer service interactions and I’ve made it a habit to try and figure out why the good ones are good and the bad ones so miserable.
I’ve noticed a distinct upturn in attempts to improve customer service from organizations that have conditioned us not to expect it. A thin silver lining in a struggling economy.
My unscientific but well considered conclusion is that you can learn all you need to know about a manager and a management team by how his/her associates serve customers.
Good customer service flows from people that genuinely enjoy their jobs and respect their organizations and the people that they work for every day. The respect and the concern for customers is palpable in these environments.
I credit the leadership for hiring and training properly, for establishing and reinforcing values and for understanding that every point of contact with a customer leaves an impression.
Lousy customer service is reflective of pent up anger, unhappy workers and a distinct lack of regard for the organization and the people in charge. The management is to blame for these conditions, and in my opinion, should be summarily fired and horsewhipped, perhaps not in that order. In lieu of corporal punishment, perhaps some time in jail would help them reflect upon the misery that they’ve inflicted on countless well-intentioned but unwitting victims.
OK, enough with my unpopular suggestions for curing bad customer service. Here are some good and not so good examples. You be the judge.
Case 1: The Hardware Store
A few months ago I had a fairly long list of items to procure for a home improvement project. I shop at the local Ace versus the Big Box because people actually answer questions and don’t run in the opposite direction when they see you approaching with the dazed and lost look in your eyes. The Ace is a bit pricier, but it is worth it.
It happened to be an off time and business was slow. The helpful clerk took one look at my long list, grabbed a cart and said, “Let’s go shopping.” He took me from item to item, offering helpful and even money-saving suggestions and filling my cart. I followed dutifully, a bit confused. Bet that never happens at the Big Box.
Case 2: The Hardware Store Again
Another quirk…I like holiday lighting. I happen to invest a hefty amount in this hobby every year to satisfy my inner Clark Griswold, and this same Ace had always carried the industrial-grade, multi-color lights with just the right color spectrum. No pink and yellow, just amber, red and green. As I scouted the aisle looking in the usual places, the lights were nowhere to be found. I approached the new young manager and received a curt, eyes averted, “we don’t carry those anymore,” answer. He added insult to injury by turning around and heading the other way. I had been dismissed!
There are many number of ways to deliver less than ideal news,but this wasn’t one of them. A better approach is to show concern, attempt to see where I could procure the 30 sets of these insanely pricey lights or at least be apologetic and empathetic. The curt response with eyes averted and the quick turn and run tactic at the Ace where clerks had personally shopped for me was disagreeable at best.
After stewing for a few minutes, I re-approached this manager and proceeded to provide a polite, quiet and fairly lengthy round of constructive feedback. Yep, he received a nice, no-fee lecture on customer service. I’ve seen him since, and he always comes up and says hello and offers his help. I hope that he is doing that for everyone.
Case 3: The Power of Making Eye Contact and SMILING:
Another pet peeve in customer service is any customer service representative that fails to look you in the eyes and smile. Start observing this yourself. The next time you approach the cashier at the grocery store or elsewhere, judge his or her performance like you are Simon on American Idol.
A good smile is priceless and changes the nature of the transaction. The lack of contact and consideration tells me that the clerk and the management don’t give a crap.
Case 4: A Coffee Shop that Gets It
I’ve written about the incredible customer service at Conscious Cup before in my post, The Best Marketing Ever.. . Just yesterday, I stopped off to pick up a pound of the Fair Trade Mexican Roast to give as a gift to a guest lecturer in the class that I’m teaching at DePaul. I indicated that this was a gift and wondered whether they had a nice bag to dress it up. The clerk thought about it and dashed into the back to emerge a few moments later with a nice gift box. She assembled it, arranged things for a nice presentation and handed it to me with a smile. I offered to pay for the box, and she declined. I left a nice tip.
Case 5: The Cup-holder from Hell.
OK, this one totally doesn’t fit with the customer service examples, but bear with me. I have an unnatural affection for my automobile (yeah, another quirk), and still smile every time I drive it. However, as the customer, I’m allowed to judge it for flaws, and it has one flaw so big that it can only be the work of a madman bent on inconveniencing customers around the world.
Imagine if you will, a precision engineered machine that rewards you with performance the harder you drive it. Now imagine the initial planning session for this great piece of machinery. I believe that the aforementioned madman placed at the center of the design, the world’s biggest piece of you know what cup-holder. And said something like, “We will drive them crazy and make certain that they never ever drink anything while they are driving our automobile.”
This evil genius knew full well that his cars would find their way to the Chicago-area where the winters, the plows and the salt combine to create potholes that swallow large animals and mid-sized cars. I can only imagine him laughing maniacally as my large coffee does yet another triple-gainer dive into the air and all over precision engineering and really nice leather. “That will teach you to drink coffee in our cars,” I hear him saying as that evil laugh echoes through the forests of Bavaria.
OK, Enough for Now:
Manager, get your act together. Hire people that care. Teach people the power of a smile. Make certain that your values reflect serving your customers and hold yourself and your team accountable for supporting those values. Otherwise, I’ll write about you.
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