It has been a few years since Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life, claimed the top spot as an international best seller with over 30 million copies sold. I loved the book. And as a former church planter, I also loved the prequel to this, The Purpose Driven Church. The Purpose Driven paradigm encourages people/churches to maintain an intentional, strategic and balanced focus on the five purposes that God has laid out in Scripture.
Intentional, Strategic and Balanced are key concepts critical to being effective in any arena of life, but especially in leadership. Stephen Covey, in his best selling book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, became the corporate champion for business leaders creating and living by a clearly defined personal mission and vision which they have deliberately and carefully crafted. In my coaching and training I have encouraged leaders to clarify their personal values as well. The three of these, personal mission, personal vision, and personal values result in personal purpose.
The power of personal purpose is that it gives clarity for decisions, choices, investments of time and money, what to say yes to and what to say no to. When lived out, personal purpose leads to the incorporation of personal disciplines that allow us to focus on and achieving a desired and clearly envisioned outcome. Personal purpose becomes the guiding beacon that tells us whether our life is on target. It provides constant feedback informing us when we are getting off track and compels us to make course corrections.
Every time I teach on this subject I give participants insight into my own purpose. The part that seems to have the greatest impact is when I share with them a brief vignette of my personal vision. When Steven Covey gave instructions about developing a personal vision, he suggested getting the picture so clear that you could see the video playing in your mind. So watch with me as I share just a small part of my personal vision of what I want life to look like when my wife and I are 75 years old:
My wife and I are sitting on the front porch of our home that overlooks a body of water, surrounded by all our grandchildren, when one of them says, “Papa, come on down and play with us.” And I immediately jump up and run off the porch to go play with them.
Then I ask the question, “What are the implications just in this short vignette?”
1. My wife and I are still together – This requires attention to this important relationship.
2. We live in nice home overlooking a body of water – This requires attention and discipline regarding spending and investments, i.e. saying no to some things we might otherwise enjoy in order to see this vision fulfilled.
3. Our grandchildren are at our house – This requires that I foster good relationships with them as well as with my children and their spouses, such that they are comfortable letting them stay with us.
4. I jump up and run off the porch and go play – quite a feat for a 75 year old, don’t you think? This requires I remain disciplined regarding my health and fitness
In order for that vision to be achieved, I cannot wait until I am 75 to begin enacting the disciplines that will ensure the greatest likelihood for all these to occur. In fact, every day I am faced with choices that have potential to impact the vision, i.e. whether to buy a new car or invest; whether to get up in the morning for my daily run, or sleep in; whether to eat those extra calories and fats, or to make healthier choices; whether to pick up the phone and call the kids and grandkids or to watch TV; etc.
I live a more disciplined and intentional life today than I ever imagined I would, primarily because I have clarity regarding who I am, the impact I want to have every day, and where I want it all to end up when all is said and done. I am also fully aware that I am not in complete control of the outcomes of my life, but I do know that I must do all that is within me to ensure the greatest likelihood that the outcome that I envision becomes a reality.
Oh, you’re probably wandering what my personal mission and values are. My personal mission is: Making God famous everywhere I go and helping people achieve their God-given potential. My personal values may be summed up in these words: faith, family and integrity.
Take some time to gain greater clarity of purpose for yourself. Your life will never be the same.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
A Lesson on MBWA from Gettysburg
Last week, I was standing in the Gettysburg museum looking at various pictures, including the spectacular Cyclorama, depicting Pickett’s charge across what looked like an open field, straight toward the stone walls behind which the Union soldiers were waiting. My vantage point was not unlike others in command who may have been watching part of the battle from a distance. I asked myself out loud, “Why would a General send his troops forward across and open field straight into the gunfire of the enemy?” I happened to be standing by a young professor who had written his doctoral thesis on Gettysburg, and who also happened to be on the faculty of the Lincoln Leadership Institute. He spoke up and said that question brings up a good illustration of the value of M.B.W.A. or Management by Walking Around. He told me that the perspective from which we had been observing the field certainly made it look open and flat and the troops would appear to be quite vulnerable. From this perspective, it would be easy to conclude that Pickett had made a spectacularly foolish decision.
However, from Pickett’s perspective and from the perspective of the Confederate soldiers walking across the field it was a different story. He said this field was rocky and undulating in such a manner that a man can find himself between rocks and boulders such that he cannot see more than 30 yards either way. In fact the trip across that field was anything but exposed and General Pickett considered this to be the Confederate’s best advantage for turning the battle in their favor.
We all know that Pickett’s decision resulted in disaster for the Confederacy, and the result was a battle that turned the advantage to the favor of the Union. In fact, the Battle of Gettysburg has become known as the battle that turned the war, and ultimately led to the preservation of the union.
Several lessons were driven home by this single conversation. One was how easy it is to draw the wrong conclusion when you are unfamiliar with the terrain where the battle is being fought, so be careful about conclusions that are drawn from afar. Another lesson was that just because a field looks like one you once crossed, it doesn’t necessarily bear any resemblance at all, so be careful about drawing conclusions based on what looks like familiar territory. And finally, there is no substitute for Management By Walking Around, for getting down close to the battle, or for trusting those who are on the front lines to either make decisions or to inform you if you are responsible for making decisions that may affect them or the areas in which they work.
There are many more leadership lessons from this historical battle that I hope to learn and share with you in the future.
However, from Pickett’s perspective and from the perspective of the Confederate soldiers walking across the field it was a different story. He said this field was rocky and undulating in such a manner that a man can find himself between rocks and boulders such that he cannot see more than 30 yards either way. In fact the trip across that field was anything but exposed and General Pickett considered this to be the Confederate’s best advantage for turning the battle in their favor.
We all know that Pickett’s decision resulted in disaster for the Confederacy, and the result was a battle that turned the advantage to the favor of the Union. In fact, the Battle of Gettysburg has become known as the battle that turned the war, and ultimately led to the preservation of the union.
Several lessons were driven home by this single conversation. One was how easy it is to draw the wrong conclusion when you are unfamiliar with the terrain where the battle is being fought, so be careful about conclusions that are drawn from afar. Another lesson was that just because a field looks like one you once crossed, it doesn’t necessarily bear any resemblance at all, so be careful about drawing conclusions based on what looks like familiar territory. And finally, there is no substitute for Management By Walking Around, for getting down close to the battle, or for trusting those who are on the front lines to either make decisions or to inform you if you are responsible for making decisions that may affect them or the areas in which they work.
There are many more leadership lessons from this historical battle that I hope to learn and share with you in the future.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Starting Well in a New Executive Leadership Role: Advice from a Seasoned Division Executive
Stepping into any new leadership role can be a challenge, but especially so if it involves moving from a manager role to a leadership position that involves oversight of multiple managers and functions. In discussing this recently with a seasoned executive who is responsible for a division of a large, publicly held company, he gave the advice outlined below. He indicated that in his years developing the leaders, these three issues emerge repetitively. He encouraged new executives to use these three things as a starting point in order to save themselves a great deal of heartache later on.
Manage Your Time
a. If the new executive has been in a Director's role prior to their promotion, it is important that they quickly recognize the difference in the roles. The Director position is oriented more toward service than toward management and organizational leadership. The new executive will do well to recognize this quickly and adjust their time and priority management practices accordingly.
b. E.g. a Controller is expected to assist other departments with understanding their financial statements, Departmental Operations Reports, etc. In their efforts to become a “good” leader, many transitioning, first time CFO's implement a 24/7 "Open Door" policy. Additionally, when a problem arises they quickly accept the "monkey" that gets passed to them, working to resolve it themselves. As a result many new executives become overwhelmed, and resort to working long hours trying to get their portion of the job done, all of which ends up affecting personal and home life.
c. Here are a couple of things that have helped new executives be more effective: First, find ways to create blocks of time where you can work on projects without interruption. Many have found that arriving early and blocking the morning is best. Then they can keep the afternoon open and more flexible to interact with their department leaders and others in the hospital. Second, when a problem is brought to you by a department head or someone else, it is important that you see yourself more as a developer of people, than an expert problem solver. The question that must be asked is, “Is this a monkey that I should take on?” or “Is this an opportunity for me to teach and help someone else become a better problem solver?’ More often than not, giving it back to them, while teaching them new skills or perspectives, will be a better solution for both of you in the long run.
Establish Priorities
a. You can’t do it all of it at once. You must establish priorities, break down the work, plan the work, and work the plan.
b. One idea is to list out the top 25 projects that need to be performed in your new role, rank them and then focus on the top 5 without putting effort into 6 through 25.
c. Once #1 is completed, #6 moves to #5 and so on.
Establish Performance Standards and Evaluate Staff early in your Transition
a. This may be the most important and the most difficult skill to develop and implement. Many leaders, new and older, get into hot water because they fail to do these two things and do them early on in their transition.
b. This may well be Priority 1, because having, or failing to address a poor performer on your team will create more problems than solutions. It's not fair to you, the team member or others in the organization if they are continue to perform below expectation.
c. It is important to establish the new performance standards early on. Then set the expectations with the employee and give them an action plan to improve their performance. If they cannot perform the job, determine if they are suited to be in another part of the organization.
d. If not, then it is better that they move on. Termination is never to be taken lightly and respect should be shown through the entire process. However, in the long run, building the right team and establishing the right performance standards in the organization can and will take the organization to another level.
He concludes by saying what you all may have been thinking as you read this. "This is not rocket science." He also said that in his experience, these are the three most overlooked strategies by new executives. They become more difficult to implement after the new leader is well into their new role, and if neglected, often lead to derailment.
Manage Your Time
a. If the new executive has been in a Director's role prior to their promotion, it is important that they quickly recognize the difference in the roles. The Director position is oriented more toward service than toward management and organizational leadership. The new executive will do well to recognize this quickly and adjust their time and priority management practices accordingly.
b. E.g. a Controller is expected to assist other departments with understanding their financial statements, Departmental Operations Reports, etc. In their efforts to become a “good” leader, many transitioning, first time CFO's implement a 24/7 "Open Door" policy. Additionally, when a problem arises they quickly accept the "monkey" that gets passed to them, working to resolve it themselves. As a result many new executives become overwhelmed, and resort to working long hours trying to get their portion of the job done, all of which ends up affecting personal and home life.
c. Here are a couple of things that have helped new executives be more effective: First, find ways to create blocks of time where you can work on projects without interruption. Many have found that arriving early and blocking the morning is best. Then they can keep the afternoon open and more flexible to interact with their department leaders and others in the hospital. Second, when a problem is brought to you by a department head or someone else, it is important that you see yourself more as a developer of people, than an expert problem solver. The question that must be asked is, “Is this a monkey that I should take on?” or “Is this an opportunity for me to teach and help someone else become a better problem solver?’ More often than not, giving it back to them, while teaching them new skills or perspectives, will be a better solution for both of you in the long run.
Establish Priorities
a. You can’t do it all of it at once. You must establish priorities, break down the work, plan the work, and work the plan.
b. One idea is to list out the top 25 projects that need to be performed in your new role, rank them and then focus on the top 5 without putting effort into 6 through 25.
c. Once #1 is completed, #6 moves to #5 and so on.
Establish Performance Standards and Evaluate Staff early in your Transition
a. This may be the most important and the most difficult skill to develop and implement. Many leaders, new and older, get into hot water because they fail to do these two things and do them early on in their transition.
b. This may well be Priority 1, because having, or failing to address a poor performer on your team will create more problems than solutions. It's not fair to you, the team member or others in the organization if they are continue to perform below expectation.
c. It is important to establish the new performance standards early on. Then set the expectations with the employee and give them an action plan to improve their performance. If they cannot perform the job, determine if they are suited to be in another part of the organization.
d. If not, then it is better that they move on. Termination is never to be taken lightly and respect should be shown through the entire process. However, in the long run, building the right team and establishing the right performance standards in the organization can and will take the organization to another level.
He concludes by saying what you all may have been thinking as you read this. "This is not rocket science." He also said that in his experience, these are the three most overlooked strategies by new executives. They become more difficult to implement after the new leader is well into their new role, and if neglected, often lead to derailment.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Employee Engagement on the Front Lines
The idea of Employee Engagement is hardly just another business buzz word or fad to jump on. I have been doing a lot research and training on various aspects of employee engagement lately. Organizations have done everything from Executive Assessments and Coaching to full-on training programs on everything from Emotional Intelligence and Hiring Right, to Performance Management and Conflict Resolution, in an effort to develop leaders who can help people make their greatest contributions for the best outcomes for their companies. The problem with these efforts is that there are seldom enough resources for every manager to participate in the training efforts. This is unfortunate, especially since the least trained may be making the greatest impact.
Buckingham and Coffman, in First Break All the Rules, provides some of the best research on employee engagement, when they tied it directly to improvements in retention, productivity, profits and customer satisfaction. They boiled their research down to 12 questions, when answered affirmatively, will make significant improvement in these result areas. They went on to show that the KEY to getting positive answers on those 12 questions lies directly in the hands of our front line managers. Unfortunately, these are often the leaders who get the least amount of a company’s investment in leadership development. We spend a great deal more time and money developing the more senior level leaders, hoping for a “trickle down” effect. I say “hoping’ because I am not sure we actually show these senior leaders how to effectively coach their managers to develop these skills. However, since it is this Senior Leadership Group who can make the most impact by stepping up to their role as coach, what are a few, low cost things they can do to coach their managers in the development of the skills required to engage employees? Here are a few ideas:
You might go ahead and get the book mentioned above and have your managers become familiar with the research. Review this research as a part of your regular manager’s meetings. , Make commitments to improve, hold one another accountable for their commitments, and discuss mutual successes and failures.
Incorporate similar questions into an employee satisfaction survey to get a check on how your managers are doing.
Review their surveys with them and help them come up with new ways to respond to the more challenging situations.
Teach your managers how to set clear expectations, how to evaluate their staff against these expectations, and how to help their staff improve or find another place to work.
Teach them how to do this while preserving respect and dignity throughout the process.
Then measure these results against the four outcome areas mentioned in the research to see how well you’re doing.
Teach managers how to create a psychologically safe working environment where everyone can grow, develop, contribute and make a difference. Without this safety it is impossible to get people’s best ideas and efforts for improvement. What does it mean to be psychologically safe? It means to create an environment where it is okay to:
· Ask Questions, But few do, because they don’t want to look stupid.
· Ask for Feedback, But many don’t, because they don’t want to look incompetent.
· Make Suggestions, But some don’t, because they don’t want to be disruptive.
· Criticize Processes, But too many don’t, because they don’t want to be negative
Teach them how to help their employees feel genuinely appreciated. Few things seem to matter more to employees. The single highest driver of employee engagement, according to a worldwide study conducted by Towers Watson is whether or not workers feel their manager is genuinely interested in their wellbeing. Fewer than 40 percent of workers believed this to be the case in their current workplace.
Without appreciation we often feel at risk. When we feel at risk we become preoccupied, worried and threatened, all which drains and diverts our energy from making a significant contribution.
Teach them how to create a culture of positive feedback. The impact of negative emotions, and more specifically, the feeling of being devalued are incredibly toxic. In the workplace itself, researcher Marcial Losada found that among high-performing teams, the expression of positive feedback outweighs that of negative feedback by a ratio of 5.6 to 1. By contrast, low-performing teams have a ratio of .36 to 1.
The only way a positive culture combined with a high performing team can occur is when everyone is confident that each team member is focused on achieving a common result. When team members are focused on results, they can have open dialogues, even conflict, as long as they know the conflict and disagreements are about getting better results, and not about personalities. When a team is focused on the “What” or the results, the “Who” becomes less of an issue. They can find ways to acknowledge one another’s contributions, constructively criticize the process rather than the person, and remain focused on continuous improvement.
When the results start to improve so does the focus and energy levels. And as the Chief Human Capital Officer at Netflix once told me, "Everyone wants to play on a winning team! It is even better than picnics and potlucks!" And that, my friends, is employee engagement!
Buckingham and Coffman, in First Break All the Rules, provides some of the best research on employee engagement, when they tied it directly to improvements in retention, productivity, profits and customer satisfaction. They boiled their research down to 12 questions, when answered affirmatively, will make significant improvement in these result areas. They went on to show that the KEY to getting positive answers on those 12 questions lies directly in the hands of our front line managers. Unfortunately, these are often the leaders who get the least amount of a company’s investment in leadership development. We spend a great deal more time and money developing the more senior level leaders, hoping for a “trickle down” effect. I say “hoping’ because I am not sure we actually show these senior leaders how to effectively coach their managers to develop these skills. However, since it is this Senior Leadership Group who can make the most impact by stepping up to their role as coach, what are a few, low cost things they can do to coach their managers in the development of the skills required to engage employees? Here are a few ideas:
You might go ahead and get the book mentioned above and have your managers become familiar with the research. Review this research as a part of your regular manager’s meetings. , Make commitments to improve, hold one another accountable for their commitments, and discuss mutual successes and failures.
Incorporate similar questions into an employee satisfaction survey to get a check on how your managers are doing.
Review their surveys with them and help them come up with new ways to respond to the more challenging situations.
Teach your managers how to set clear expectations, how to evaluate their staff against these expectations, and how to help their staff improve or find another place to work.
Teach them how to do this while preserving respect and dignity throughout the process.
Then measure these results against the four outcome areas mentioned in the research to see how well you’re doing.
Teach managers how to create a psychologically safe working environment where everyone can grow, develop, contribute and make a difference. Without this safety it is impossible to get people’s best ideas and efforts for improvement. What does it mean to be psychologically safe? It means to create an environment where it is okay to:
· Ask Questions, But few do, because they don’t want to look stupid.
· Ask for Feedback, But many don’t, because they don’t want to look incompetent.
· Make Suggestions, But some don’t, because they don’t want to be disruptive.
· Criticize Processes, But too many don’t, because they don’t want to be negative
Teach them how to help their employees feel genuinely appreciated. Few things seem to matter more to employees. The single highest driver of employee engagement, according to a worldwide study conducted by Towers Watson is whether or not workers feel their manager is genuinely interested in their wellbeing. Fewer than 40 percent of workers believed this to be the case in their current workplace.
Without appreciation we often feel at risk. When we feel at risk we become preoccupied, worried and threatened, all which drains and diverts our energy from making a significant contribution.
Teach them how to create a culture of positive feedback. The impact of negative emotions, and more specifically, the feeling of being devalued are incredibly toxic. In the workplace itself, researcher Marcial Losada found that among high-performing teams, the expression of positive feedback outweighs that of negative feedback by a ratio of 5.6 to 1. By contrast, low-performing teams have a ratio of .36 to 1.
The only way a positive culture combined with a high performing team can occur is when everyone is confident that each team member is focused on achieving a common result. When team members are focused on results, they can have open dialogues, even conflict, as long as they know the conflict and disagreements are about getting better results, and not about personalities. When a team is focused on the “What” or the results, the “Who” becomes less of an issue. They can find ways to acknowledge one another’s contributions, constructively criticize the process rather than the person, and remain focused on continuous improvement.
When the results start to improve so does the focus and energy levels. And as the Chief Human Capital Officer at Netflix once told me, "Everyone wants to play on a winning team! It is even better than picnics and potlucks!" And that, my friends, is employee engagement!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Achieving the Impossible
I came across an article in Inc. Magazine that reminded me of how much difference a great leader can make. The four traits described in the article, Aspire, Plan, Inspire and Execute, sound somewhat benign on paper. However the stories referred to remind us of what occurs when great leaders step forward and bring these words to life. They remind us that Achieving the Impossible is truly possible.
I recall Don Soderquist, retired COO and Senior Vice Chairman of Wal-Mart giving a speech of a similar title at one of the company's infamous "Year Beginning Meetings". I had attended a lot of these meetings over several years association with Wal-Mart. I had heard such speakers as Sam Walton, himself, General Colin Powell, and General Norman Schwarzkopf, but none quite so inspirational as this one.
By this time in the company's history, Wal-Mart had already achieved the impossible. They had grown to become the largest retailer in the world from their humble beginnings in Bentonville, Arkansas, all while never leaving the this little town or their roots. They had just ventured into the grocery business and into international expansion. What was left? How could they achieve any more? Was there truly anymore to achieve? Then Don steps up and tells several stories, including those about Roger Banister, President Kennedy's challenge to land on the moon and a horse called Secretariat all accomplishing feats that had before been viewed as impossible. He went on to describe how, that once a hurdle of the impossible had been crossed, others went on to achieve similar feats. He rested on the point that it took leadership with all the traits described above for this to happen. I can say with confidence, having worked with him through those years at Wal-Mart and more closely at the Soderquist Center, that Don is a leader who embodied these traits, and was an essential contributor to the success Wal-Mart achieved over the 20 plus years he was there.
Some personal take aways from these reflections:
I recall Don Soderquist, retired COO and Senior Vice Chairman of Wal-Mart giving a speech of a similar title at one of the company's infamous "Year Beginning Meetings". I had attended a lot of these meetings over several years association with Wal-Mart. I had heard such speakers as Sam Walton, himself, General Colin Powell, and General Norman Schwarzkopf, but none quite so inspirational as this one.
By this time in the company's history, Wal-Mart had already achieved the impossible. They had grown to become the largest retailer in the world from their humble beginnings in Bentonville, Arkansas, all while never leaving the this little town or their roots. They had just ventured into the grocery business and into international expansion. What was left? How could they achieve any more? Was there truly anymore to achieve? Then Don steps up and tells several stories, including those about Roger Banister, President Kennedy's challenge to land on the moon and a horse called Secretariat all accomplishing feats that had before been viewed as impossible. He went on to describe how, that once a hurdle of the impossible had been crossed, others went on to achieve similar feats. He rested on the point that it took leadership with all the traits described above for this to happen. I can say with confidence, having worked with him through those years at Wal-Mart and more closely at the Soderquist Center, that Don is a leader who embodied these traits, and was an essential contributor to the success Wal-Mart achieved over the 20 plus years he was there.
Some personal take aways from these reflections:
- Keep on dreaming
- Take Courage
- Share the vision
- Inspire others to join you on your quest
- Help them believe they too can achieve more than they dreamed possible
- Give them the credit
- Share the rewards
- Keep on raising the bar - it inspires the human spirit
The people you work with can and will accomplish more than you or they ever dreamed possible if their leader confidently believes in a vision and in the capability of their people to rise to the challenge to accomplish it.
On a side note: If ever there was a message our nation needed to hear today, this is it. I am concerned that our nation's leaders are losing sight of and faith in the human spirit and our need for inspirational, visionary leadership, and are prepared to lead us into mediocrity. Let's make sure that never happens! At least not in the pocket of the world in which you lead.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Inventory Time!
One of the best things about this time of the year is the feeling that we have the opportunity to begin again. Even though we know, deep down inside, that all things past may still have their consequences and repercussions, that feeling of being able to start over persists. Maybe it is because we are “hope mongers”, as a good friend once describe humanity to me. Hope for a better future is what keeps us going, isn’t it? So, I am going to ask you to take advantage of this period of “hope” as it pertains to you as a leader.
Like any good business, taking inventory is a good first step to a better future. Take a look back over the past year and identify your successes as well as the places where you know you can improve. On the success front for this year, I could name quite a few, but a few stand out. I was able to wrap up a year of self-employment feeling pretty good about the progress that I had made in starting my own coaching and consulting business. It felt pretty good knowing that I could be successful in doing something that I am passionate about and to realize that I can actually make a decent living at it. As good as that felt, it felt even better to be recruited by one of my clients to join them as an executive coach and Sr. Director of Leadership Development. I am still doing most of the things I love to do, without having to worry about some of the less pleasant aspects of being a business owner. In addition, I have been able to help my new company launch several executive development programs that have been well received. I have also been on the leading edge of designing a new and exciting in-depth program for the development of our more senior executives that we will launch in the new year. In all of this I have learned a great deal about the Healthcare industry and have a new appreciation for the leaders who lead in a very complex and highly regulated environment. I have also continued to grow in my appreciation for the power of leadership. I have had the privilege and opportunity to provide coaching and consulting in a wide variety of organizations and industries, and can affirm that leadership is the single most important ingredient differentiating the good from the great.
In addition to the professional accomplishments, my wife and I were able to sell a house in the Atlanta area that had been on the market for over 18 months, and we didn’t even take too much of a beating. I felt that was pretty good in that particular market. I also had the privilege of officiating at the wedding of my son and his new bride. I was humbled and honored to be asked and was blessed to have been a part of such a special occasion in their lives.
Areas for improvement: Again, they are numerous, and there are probably many areas that I need to improve upon, that I don’t recognize, because they are my blind spots. (read more about Blind Spots in my November 2010 postings) So, one area for improvement is for me to be open to feedback that will make me more aware of these. More specifically, however, I believe I still have a long way to go in learning to navigate the internal workings of a new organization in an industry that is still new to me and that is undergoing significant change. I am glad to have a great coach and several colleagues who are committed to helping me navigate these waters successfully.
After taking inventory, it is a good idea to envision a more positive future. In other words, what kind of leader do you want to be a year from now? What kind of things will you be doing differently? How will you know that you are a more effective leader a year from now than you are today? What kinds of things will you see happening then that are not happening today? These are just a few of the questions that will help you get a better fix on your desired future.
Once you have a clear picture of that ideal future, it is time to identify the gaps, between where you are now and what you have envisioned, and then develop strategies to close those gaps. If you have significant changes to make, you will also need to incorporate a system of accountability that will ensure that you make the changes that you say are critical to your success. That system must include people with whom you will share your goals and strategies, and who will help you be accountable to those commitments. Without this part of the process, it is likely that next year will roll around and little will have changed. After having coached hundreds of leaders, I can assure you that good intentions alone don’t count for much.
My hope for you is that this process will provide you with the clarity for a very positive and prosperous New Year.
Like any good business, taking inventory is a good first step to a better future. Take a look back over the past year and identify your successes as well as the places where you know you can improve. On the success front for this year, I could name quite a few, but a few stand out. I was able to wrap up a year of self-employment feeling pretty good about the progress that I had made in starting my own coaching and consulting business. It felt pretty good knowing that I could be successful in doing something that I am passionate about and to realize that I can actually make a decent living at it. As good as that felt, it felt even better to be recruited by one of my clients to join them as an executive coach and Sr. Director of Leadership Development. I am still doing most of the things I love to do, without having to worry about some of the less pleasant aspects of being a business owner. In addition, I have been able to help my new company launch several executive development programs that have been well received. I have also been on the leading edge of designing a new and exciting in-depth program for the development of our more senior executives that we will launch in the new year. In all of this I have learned a great deal about the Healthcare industry and have a new appreciation for the leaders who lead in a very complex and highly regulated environment. I have also continued to grow in my appreciation for the power of leadership. I have had the privilege and opportunity to provide coaching and consulting in a wide variety of organizations and industries, and can affirm that leadership is the single most important ingredient differentiating the good from the great.
In addition to the professional accomplishments, my wife and I were able to sell a house in the Atlanta area that had been on the market for over 18 months, and we didn’t even take too much of a beating. I felt that was pretty good in that particular market. I also had the privilege of officiating at the wedding of my son and his new bride. I was humbled and honored to be asked and was blessed to have been a part of such a special occasion in their lives.
Areas for improvement: Again, they are numerous, and there are probably many areas that I need to improve upon, that I don’t recognize, because they are my blind spots. (read more about Blind Spots in my November 2010 postings) So, one area for improvement is for me to be open to feedback that will make me more aware of these. More specifically, however, I believe I still have a long way to go in learning to navigate the internal workings of a new organization in an industry that is still new to me and that is undergoing significant change. I am glad to have a great coach and several colleagues who are committed to helping me navigate these waters successfully.
After taking inventory, it is a good idea to envision a more positive future. In other words, what kind of leader do you want to be a year from now? What kind of things will you be doing differently? How will you know that you are a more effective leader a year from now than you are today? What kinds of things will you see happening then that are not happening today? These are just a few of the questions that will help you get a better fix on your desired future.
Once you have a clear picture of that ideal future, it is time to identify the gaps, between where you are now and what you have envisioned, and then develop strategies to close those gaps. If you have significant changes to make, you will also need to incorporate a system of accountability that will ensure that you make the changes that you say are critical to your success. That system must include people with whom you will share your goals and strategies, and who will help you be accountable to those commitments. Without this part of the process, it is likely that next year will roll around and little will have changed. After having coached hundreds of leaders, I can assure you that good intentions alone don’t count for much.
My hope for you is that this process will provide you with the clarity for a very positive and prosperous New Year.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Merry Christmas
To a few this very wish will be offensive, or at minimum, viewed with caution. Seldom does a day go by without someone crying “foul” at a nativity scene being erected in celebration of the birth of Jesus, or of someone “Tebowing” or mimicking a young, inspirational football quarterback who gives God credit for everything in his life.
Even as a believer, I find myself frequently offended at things done in His name. I’ll never forget my thoughts as a young pastor trying to establish a new church in Vancouver. While I was trying to hold Christ up as a savior and bringer of hope, several televangelist of the time appeared to have lost their minds. Oral Roberts claimed God would take him on to if he didn’t raise $8Million. Jimmy Swaggart took a public dive into immorality. And Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker ripped off thousands of their sincere donors. My thoughts were, “How could an unchurched community ever be open to the message I was delivering in light of this lunacy?!”
To my amazement, they remained open to the same message that has always been meaningful to me, the message of hope, salvation, and fullness of life; to a light burden and easy yoke; to an abundant life; to joy unspeakable; to peace that passes understanding; to forgiveness and unconditional love; to a transformed life and a life fulfilled.
Truth be told, there will be always be things about Christ and Christianity that will be offensive. He said very clearly, that he would be a stumbling block to some. I hope that you are not one who stumbles at the mention of his name, or at the behavior of some of his followers and allow those to keep you from hearing the message he came to deliver.
Even as a believer, I find myself frequently offended at things done in His name. I’ll never forget my thoughts as a young pastor trying to establish a new church in Vancouver. While I was trying to hold Christ up as a savior and bringer of hope, several televangelist of the time appeared to have lost their minds. Oral Roberts claimed God would take him on to if he didn’t raise $8Million. Jimmy Swaggart took a public dive into immorality. And Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker ripped off thousands of their sincere donors. My thoughts were, “How could an unchurched community ever be open to the message I was delivering in light of this lunacy?!”
To my amazement, they remained open to the same message that has always been meaningful to me, the message of hope, salvation, and fullness of life; to a light burden and easy yoke; to an abundant life; to joy unspeakable; to peace that passes understanding; to forgiveness and unconditional love; to a transformed life and a life fulfilled.
Truth be told, there will be always be things about Christ and Christianity that will be offensive. He said very clearly, that he would be a stumbling block to some. I hope that you are not one who stumbles at the mention of his name, or at the behavior of some of his followers and allow those to keep you from hearing the message he came to deliver.
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