Leadership in the 21st Century, Week10 Summary, 6/10/12
Jack Welch Management Institute
What a way to finish the last lap !
A lot of great food for thought was shared this week.
Feels much like the enjoyment of having a rich ice cream treat.
Here are the takeaways for me to think more deeply and expand my awareness going forward into the rest of my life.
I. Readings
(a) Bennis & Thomas, Crucibles of Leadership (HBR 2002)
******************************************************************
(i) crucible: a transformative experience through which an individual comes to a new or altered sense of identity
True leadership when thrown into an intense crucible situation is made of the following:
Survive the ordeal
Find opportunity where others might find only despair
Learn from it
Grow from the crucible - instead of being destroyed by them
Emerge stronger - more engaged, more committed than ever
(ii) Happiness is not a function of your circumstances
*************************************************************
it is a function of your outlook on life
(iii) To cope with difficult situations and learn from them
************************************************************
Great leaders possess 4 essential skills
these are the same skills that allow a person to find meaning in what could be a debilitating experience
Skill#1 - Engage others in shared meaning
*************************************************
eg. Sidney Harman, dived into chaotic work environment to mobilize employees around an entirely new approach to management
Skill#2 - A Distinctive and compelling voice
********************************************
eg. Jack Coleman's ability to defuse a potentially violent situation with only his words about the US flag
Skill#3 - Sense of Integrity
******************************
Strong set of values eg. Coleman's values prevailed even during emotionally charged clash
Skill#4 - Adaptive capacity (most important) - Ability to grasp the context, Hardiness
************************************************************************************************
Through creativity, exercise the magical ability to transcend adversity and stresses and emerge stronger than before
Ability to grasp context: Weigh several factors, put a situation in perspective to connect with the constituents
**************************
Hardiness: Perseverance and toughness; enable people to emerge from devastating circumstances without losing hope
************
(b) Goffee & Jones, Why should anyone be led by you, HBR 2000
****************************************************************************
(i) Leaders need vision, energy, authority, strategic direction, humor, self awareness, real authenticity, radiate passion
But to inspire, capture hearts and minds they need four other qualities - vulnerability, intuition, empathy, uniqueness
Be your authentic self, balancing the four skills; do not ape another leader's style
Quality1 - Vulnerability: They selectively show their weaknesses
**************************************************************************
By exposing vulnerability, they reveal their approachability and humanity
Nobody wants a perfect leader - irritable, disorganized, shy
creates a trust and a collaborative atmosphere - underscores human being's authenticity
They say "I am just like you - imperfect" - genuine, approachable, human, humane
but know which weakness to disclose is a highly honed art
never expose a fatal flaw - a flaw that jeopardizes central aspects of professional role
politicians: tangential flaw actually helps divert attention away from major weaknesses
CEOs: sometimes feign absentmindedness to conceal inconsistency and even dishonesty - alienates followers
Quality2 - Intuition: They rely on intuition to gauge the appropriate timing and course of their actions
******************************************************************************************************************
Their ability to collect and interpret soft data helps them know just when and how to act
Rely on instinct - be perceptive; but also test for reality
Be a Good situation sensor - they can collect and interpret soft data; sniff out signals in the environment;
*******************************
sense what is going on without having anything spelled out
detect shifts in climate and ambience; read subtle cues and sens underlying currents of opinion
read signals and gauge unexpressed feelings; accurately judge whether relationships are working or not
Have networks to sense change quickly and detect information
read the silences, pick up nonverbal cues in the organization
"just know" - read people
Sensing can create problems: leaders can risk losing their followers
unless leaders can convince followers in a timely way that their move is positive, goodwill will erode
Quality3 - Empathy: giving employees what they need, not what they want
*************************************************************************************
Inspirational leaders empathize passionately and realistically with people
they care intensely about the work employees do
can be ruthless, but they'll get employees to learn
balances responsibility for individual and task at hand - not easy when business is in survival mode
as a caring leaders know when to give selflessly and when to pull back
go beyond obligations and care passionately about the people and the work
Quality4 - Uniqueness: Dare to be Different
***************************************************
They captitalize on what's unique about themselves
Maintain a distance from followers with the distinctive quality
Dressing, physical appearance, imagination, loyalty, expertise, adventurous, entrepeneurial, fast walk
Communicate what is unique about you and sets you apart (Networking is critical - teams need to be formed overnight)
motivate others to perform better
Risk - overdifferentiate; lose contact with followers; can't be good sensors, can't care
(ii) History of Leadership Theories
***************************************
Trait theory (problem is there is no particular trait common among leaders) : expose Weaknesses, Differences
Style theory (problem is the ideal style changes with time): Tough Empathy
Contingency/Context theory -leadership depends on situation (problem is there are endless situations and so endless varieties of leadership): what skills to use in various circumstances
History of Leadership studies show : there is and always will be an unending shortage of leadership
*****************************************************************************************************************
Plato
18th century - Rationalist Revolution; enlightenment; Voltaire
***************
Through application of reason alone, people could control their destiny
19th century - belief in progress; perfectibility of man
***************
20th century - Sigmund Freud - beneath the rational mind is the unconscious which controls human behavior
***************
Max Weber - criticized Marx; explored limits of reason; rationality without morality (technical rationality) is a destructive force
bureaucracy is efficient but can debilitate and dehumanize people eg Franz Kafka; Adolf Eichmann "just a good bureaucrat"
charismatic leadership is the only power that could resist bureaucratization
Hitler, Stalin, Mao committed horrendous atrocities
Scepticism about power of reason and man's ability to progress continuously
1920s - Trait theory
********
1940s - Style theory
********
2000s - Contingency theory
(iii) Four Common Myths about Leadership
*************************************************
Myth1 - Everyone can be a leader
*********************************
Not true - many execs dont have the self knowledge or authenticity needed for leadership
Self knowledge and authenticity are key
Individuals must want to be leaders - many talented employees are not interested in shouldering the responsibility
Some prefer to devote more time to private lives than to their work
There is more to life than work and being a boss
Myth2 - People who get to the top are leaders
**********************************************
Not necessarily - Misperception that people in leadership positions are leaders.
Some make it to the top due to political acumen
Leaders are people who have followers and rank does not have to do much with that
Leaders need to be developed throughout the organization
Myth3 - Leaders deliver business results
*****************************************
Not always. Good management does in quasi-monopolies.
Some well-led businesses do not produce results in the short run
Myth4 - Leaders are great coaches
**********************************
Rarely - assumes that a single person can inspire troops and impart technical skills
Typical leaders excite others through vision rather than coaching talents
(c) Welch, Chapter 17 Getting Promoted: Sorry, No Shortcuts
***********************************************************************
(i) Get Great Results & Expand your job's horizon
**************************************************
Deliver sensational performance far beyond expectation
at every opportunity expand your job beyond official boundaries
- give people more than they expect
- expand the job's horizons to include bold and unexpected activities
- come up with a big idea, a new concept that improves your/units/company's overall performance
- make everyone around you look better
change your job to make people around you work better, boss smarter
dont just do the predictable
(ii) Dont make boss use political capital to champion you
****************************************************************
(iii) Manage relationships: up and down carefully: dont cross the two extreme lines
dont be a buddy to subordinates; dont get too close up that you become distant to employees
(iv) Visibility: Get on the radar screen as a champion of major projects & early initiatives
(v) Mentors & Media: Search and relish inputs from mentors; learn from business media also
(vi) Character: Maintain a Positive attitue & Spread it around
- dont be a downer, a sourpuss, a dark cloud; be upbeat and fun to hang out with; have sense of humor
Skill matters but outlook matters more
(vi) Dont let setbacks break your stride
****************************************
- get back to work & prove naysayers wrong
- revitalize, reinvent, innovate
- focus on results, attitude, perseverance
- want to get ahead
- make your own luck
- ride the setbacks out
II. Seeing Around corners (Jack & Suzy Welch Week10 Video)
************************************************************************
(i). One of the Distinct/unique characteristic of true leaders - ability to see around corners
*******************************************************************************************************
something gained from experience through time - not innate, born with
see patterns that you've before =>expect what might be going on
(ii). Curiosity & Paranoia - two things that help see around corners
******************************************************************
insatiable desire to learn => look outside oneself
Fear => your position is vulnerable; you have to look everywhere to see who's coming after you
(iii). vulnerability - only the paranoid survive; helpful as hell
**************************************************************
always be looking at who can come after you? what can they do ?
what new product/service can change the shape of the playing field
III. Week10 Lecure1 - Situational Leadership
****************************************************
In Traditional leaders - those with most seniority on a team or dept or business unit lead
If Multiple team members have similar levels of seniority - leadership decided by Power dynamics, firm policies, organizational custom and norms
In Strategy committee - 6 VPs; VP of Finance may be the leader
Policy decisions - chair appointed annually; leader selected from group itself - person with most credibility; most successful at carrying group's recommendations
Group of peers comes together to create a work product - leadership void; no one designated official leader; a team member takes on lead role in this situation
Meeting wraps with next steps agreed
Simple tasks - responsibility, individual assignment are enough
Complex tasks - needs a champion; to ensure appropriate and timely followup; a leader is needed for quarterbacking, cat-herding
Situational leadership - temporary leadership role taken on by an individual; skills and passion needed to achieve a key goal
*****************************************************************************
-Requires implicit and explicit consent of those who would be led
-Some folks want the leadership role - to get credit for project's success; want the power to make key decisions about process steps, project outcomes
-Not necessarily better intentioned, more highly skilled than other leaders
-It is up to you to be the best leader you can be in full time position or in a situation
Situational leadership roles demonstrate your ability to lead, creates opportunities for promotion, additional assignments with broader scope/impact to your org
*******************************************************************
Situation leadership draws on broad range of leadership activities
******************************************************************
Leader's responsibilities
- set the direction for their teams;
- make sure their teams have the resources and skills needed to meet their goals
- listen actively
- communicate well
- advocate for their followers
- demonstrate their commitment and passion for shared goals
- convene meetings
- Candor, transparency, valuing individual and group benefits, strong shared values - all contribute to successful outcome
- Follow through on all your responsbilities to your team, others who work with your team
- communicate with candor with clarity
- look for opportunities to take leadership roles where your skills, interest and availability are a good match with the needs of your organization
Ensuring a senior person takes responsibility, vets quality, enforces timelines - necessary for regulatory, organizational reasons
*********************************************
Both formal and informal leaders shape decisions, maintain quality standards on projects, builds support for change
*********************************
Highly effective individuals
*****************************
- adept at stepping into and out of leadership roles
- passing baton to others
- communicating roles and responsibilities clearly and appropriately
Effective leadership of a project, meeting, crisis
*******************************************************
- can be done by others aside from those at top of chain of command
- someone who is the right person for a particular situation
Fluid, Dynamic workplaces
*********************************
- individuals work on multiple projects, report into matrix with more than one boss; unclear who has lead role
- situations where the formal leader may step aside for another person to take a leadership role temporarily
3 most common reasons for situational leadership are
**************************************************************
- specialized skills required
- formal leader not available (busy, offsite, not assigned)
- professional development opportunity exists for someone other than the traditional leader
When critical aspect of a group's work requires specialized skills, org is flat
- makes sense for person with applicable technical or professional skills to lead the team
eg. adverising agency - department of 11 people, led by 2 junior execs, 1 senior exec
type of work, familiarity with the market, availability to client
expectations and responsibilities that accompany the role needs to be clear for leader and to others in group
**************************************************************************************
without assignment or agreement of a leader, role clarity and power issues can sometimes derail a talented team
knowing when and how to step into a lead position in a given situation is an important skill
*********************************************************************************************
Effective situational leadership - requires attention to team dynamics, role clarity
knowing when and how to step out of a lead position is just as important
IV. DQ1 - Situational leadership examples were shared by class mates
************************************************
V. DQ2 - Limitations of Jack Welch principles were examined through critical thinking
*****************************************************
I have become a huge fan of Jack Welch's teachings as they speak to the heart and mind with compelling and far reaching truths. I went back to take a hard look and play a devil's advocate. Here are some of my observations about where the risks of following Jack Welch's principles may lie:
1. Leaders inspire risk taking and learning by setting example, (Welch, 2005, Winning, p76)
You can create a culture that welcomes risk taking by freely admitting your mistakes and talking about what you've learned from them.
This principle works only in environments which can afford to allow one to get away with small mistakes by compensating eventually with big wins.
There are environments where there is zero tolerance for mistakes and failures and this principle cannot be applied easily.
Consider a doctor performing brain surgery or a NASA engineer working on a relatively trivial O ring for the Challenger project.
Small mistakes in these cases can be devastating, costing lives and ending careers.
In both cases one can certainly learn and move forward to make the organization stronger but the price to be paid for this is very high compared to avoiding the mistake in the first place with a more conservative approach.
2. Leaders get into everyone's skin, exuding positive energy and optimism
This principle resonates deeply with me and is a personal favorite.
However it can be a liability in groups that have a "D" type DiSC characteristic where tasks and cold logic are valued more than emotions and feelings.
Similarly in groups which have the "C" type DiSC characteristic, where precision is most valued, optimism can be viewed as a risk as errors can be missed through oversight from exuberance. If an "i" type leader tries to negotiate for control in "D" or "C" type groups, it can be an uphill battle all the way.
4. Leaders establish trust with candor, transparency and credit (Winning, ch2)
While too little candor holds an organization back, too much candor can also cause increase risk of a crash and burn.
Here is an example.
A US vice consul, Maureen Chao, in an unguarded moment revealed her skin became "dark and dirty" like that of Tamilians in South India.
This remark cost her the job.
http://www.emirates247.com/news/world/dirty-like-tamilians-sparks-race-row-2011-08-14-1.413002
5. Week9 Lecture1 - Eliminate grey areas.
Once you have discussed a dilemma thoroughly and transparently enough, there is usually very little gray area left
I am not completely sold on this principle.
In work and in life I believe there are areas that are not distinctly black or white, right or wrong.
Take the case of an employee whose wife took her own life and the employee does not return to work for several months indefinitely. Should a manager hang on with hope or move on without the employee ? Technically a manager could replace the worker or could even terminate the position. Or a manager could see the unusual situation and figure out a way to hang on while the employee gets his life together and returns. There is no right or wrong action here and it comes down to a judgment call.
Let us consider two people in long distance relationship separated by their careers. Should they hang on until a way opens up or should they separate ? Is it a yes or a no ? Again we see that there is no right or wrong and it all boils down to what the individual(s) decide. Some may decide to wait for a very long time indefinitely in hopes of one day uniting with the lover while others may call it quits early or some time thereafter.
6. Lacking the Guts to differentiate (week9 Lecture1)
This principle fails spectacularly when differentiation works against future team work. There are some missions that require each member of the entire team to contribute insights selflessly and work together in order to reach the mission. By only rewarding a few "stars" the message to the team is clear - individuality is more important than collective team work. So, individual egos can surface, boundaries come up, and team members actually hope for each other to fail. With employees focused on advancing their own ranking and self-interest, greater team work is undermined.
7. Fixation of results over values (week9 lecture1, Six Sins of Leadership)
How many times have "good numbers, bad values" managers been let go in companies ?
Results can trump values especially when deadlines loom and pressure to deliver mounts.
In crisis situations, survival can become much more important than respect for values. This is why top executives in some organizations that are under great pressure from Wall Street, to perform and get high profits, look the other way while "jerk managers" go into "squeeze the lemon" mode, driving the employees crazy.
8. For superior customer service over deliver (Week4 video)
Overdelivering may work very well in many instances but in some "just in time" business model cases (eg. inventory management in a car factory) where neither overdelivering or underdelivering are acceptable this principle may have a limitation. For example if a customer is expecting delivery of x parts at an appointed time T, then delivering more than x parts or coming in early before the appointed time may not necessarily help the customer.
9. Leaders Celebrate
I think Jack Welch is right on the mark in pointing this out and I love this principle as well. I find that Hollywood community is very good at this, clapping and bursting out with joy after every good shot, encouraging talented people. I find executives and managers at IBM in my workplace not celebrating accomplishments adequately.
But there are cases where the principle may not apply. Consider the case where a company is going through lean times or going through several rounds of lay-offs. In these situations, even when positive achievements are made, the celebrations need to be quite muted to reflect sensitivity to the happenings.
Great exercise. Makes us think critically.
I learned that EI, Critical thinking and Candor are key to assess a situation thoroughly and apply the Jack Welch principles suitably.
VI. Lecture2 - Leading to Win
**********************************
Helping the world thrive and grow
***************************************
Developing oneself as a leader:
Building great teams, Motivating people, Dealing with conflict, Managing up
The goal of leadership and business is TO WIN
******************************************************
Winning companies are the engine of a healthy society
They are the foundation of a free and democratic society
Winning is great because it lifts everyone it touches & makes the world a better place
*************************************************************************************************
when companies win people thrive and grow
more jobs and opportunities everywhere for everyone
people feel upbeat about future - kids can go to college; better healthcare; buy homes; vacation homes; secure comfortable retirement
creates opportunity to give back to society beyond taxes - charities, mentor inner-city schools
When companies are losing everyone takes a hit
********************************************************
people feel scared - they worry and upset their families
less financial security and limited time or money to do anything for anyone else
out of work, pay little taxes
Taxes
********
Govt is the support engine of society - does not make any money of its own
collects tax, fees, licenses - funds justice system, education, police & fire protection, highways, ports, welfare and healthcare
Win the right way - cleanly and by the rules and ethics
*******************
Companies and people that don't compete fairly dont deserve to win
internal company processes + Govt regulatory agencies => bad guys found and kicked out of the game
Honest companies must find a way to win
************************************************
What is winning ?
******************
Winning is a personal journey - to reach the destination you choose
It is about achievement
- a happy family
- teaching children how to read
- sailing around the world
- building and leading a company that succeeds in the global marketplace
************************************************************************************
Winning is not a zero-sum game
**************************************
- does not have to be morally corrupt (losing the souls to profit when they win)
When a company wins, there are collateral winners too:
Executives and Shareholders
Employees, Distributors, Suppliers
Success leads to dozens of startups that supply the mother company and create jobs
Jobs are the lifeblood of society
**********************************
When people have meaningful work,
- they have the freedom to set goals, not just survive
- freedom to dream
Search for new ideas - the next big thing; invent new technologies
*************************
Start companies or help build them - make it your life's work; a noble enterprise
****************************************
Make a livelihood and create a better life for families, friends, colleagues
*********************
Businesses are comprised of human being - made of flesh and blood
You and me - we are in the business of winning
*******************************************************
By far, one of the very best learning experiences of my life
Dr DP
Jack Welch Management Institute
What a way to finish the last lap !
A lot of great food for thought was shared this week.
Feels much like the enjoyment of having a rich ice cream treat.
Here are the takeaways for me to think more deeply and expand my awareness going forward into the rest of my life.
I. Readings
(a) Bennis & Thomas, Crucibles of Leadership (HBR 2002)
******************************************************************
(i) crucible: a transformative experience through which an individual comes to a new or altered sense of identity
True leadership when thrown into an intense crucible situation is made of the following:
Survive the ordeal
Find opportunity where others might find only despair
Learn from it
Grow from the crucible - instead of being destroyed by them
Emerge stronger - more engaged, more committed than ever
(ii) Happiness is not a function of your circumstances
*************************************************************
it is a function of your outlook on life
(iii) To cope with difficult situations and learn from them
************************************************************
Great leaders possess 4 essential skills
these are the same skills that allow a person to find meaning in what could be a debilitating experience
Skill#1 - Engage others in shared meaning
*************************************************
eg. Sidney Harman, dived into chaotic work environment to mobilize employees around an entirely new approach to management
Skill#2 - A Distinctive and compelling voice
********************************************
eg. Jack Coleman's ability to defuse a potentially violent situation with only his words about the US flag
Skill#3 - Sense of Integrity
******************************
Strong set of values eg. Coleman's values prevailed even during emotionally charged clash
Skill#4 - Adaptive capacity (most important) - Ability to grasp the context, Hardiness
************************************************************************************************
Through creativity, exercise the magical ability to transcend adversity and stresses and emerge stronger than before
Ability to grasp context: Weigh several factors, put a situation in perspective to connect with the constituents
**************************
Hardiness: Perseverance and toughness; enable people to emerge from devastating circumstances without losing hope
************
(b) Goffee & Jones, Why should anyone be led by you, HBR 2000
****************************************************************************
(i) Leaders need vision, energy, authority, strategic direction, humor, self awareness, real authenticity, radiate passion
But to inspire, capture hearts and minds they need four other qualities - vulnerability, intuition, empathy, uniqueness
Be your authentic self, balancing the four skills; do not ape another leader's style
Quality1 - Vulnerability: They selectively show their weaknesses
**************************************************************************
By exposing vulnerability, they reveal their approachability and humanity
Nobody wants a perfect leader - irritable, disorganized, shy
creates a trust and a collaborative atmosphere - underscores human being's authenticity
They say "I am just like you - imperfect" - genuine, approachable, human, humane
but know which weakness to disclose is a highly honed art
never expose a fatal flaw - a flaw that jeopardizes central aspects of professional role
politicians: tangential flaw actually helps divert attention away from major weaknesses
CEOs: sometimes feign absentmindedness to conceal inconsistency and even dishonesty - alienates followers
Quality2 - Intuition: They rely on intuition to gauge the appropriate timing and course of their actions
******************************************************************************************************************
Their ability to collect and interpret soft data helps them know just when and how to act
Rely on instinct - be perceptive; but also test for reality
Be a Good situation sensor - they can collect and interpret soft data; sniff out signals in the environment;
*******************************
sense what is going on without having anything spelled out
detect shifts in climate and ambience; read subtle cues and sens underlying currents of opinion
read signals and gauge unexpressed feelings; accurately judge whether relationships are working or not
Have networks to sense change quickly and detect information
read the silences, pick up nonverbal cues in the organization
"just know" - read people
Sensing can create problems: leaders can risk losing their followers
unless leaders can convince followers in a timely way that their move is positive, goodwill will erode
Quality3 - Empathy: giving employees what they need, not what they want
*************************************************************************************
Inspirational leaders empathize passionately and realistically with people
they care intensely about the work employees do
can be ruthless, but they'll get employees to learn
balances responsibility for individual and task at hand - not easy when business is in survival mode
as a caring leaders know when to give selflessly and when to pull back
go beyond obligations and care passionately about the people and the work
Quality4 - Uniqueness: Dare to be Different
***************************************************
They captitalize on what's unique about themselves
Maintain a distance from followers with the distinctive quality
Dressing, physical appearance, imagination, loyalty, expertise, adventurous, entrepeneurial, fast walk
Communicate what is unique about you and sets you apart (Networking is critical - teams need to be formed overnight)
motivate others to perform better
Risk - overdifferentiate; lose contact with followers; can't be good sensors, can't care
(ii) History of Leadership Theories
***************************************
Trait theory (problem is there is no particular trait common among leaders) : expose Weaknesses, Differences
Style theory (problem is the ideal style changes with time): Tough Empathy
Contingency/Context theory -leadership depends on situation (problem is there are endless situations and so endless varieties of leadership): what skills to use in various circumstances
History of Leadership studies show : there is and always will be an unending shortage of leadership
*****************************************************************************************************************
Plato
18th century - Rationalist Revolution; enlightenment; Voltaire
***************
Through application of reason alone, people could control their destiny
19th century - belief in progress; perfectibility of man
***************
20th century - Sigmund Freud - beneath the rational mind is the unconscious which controls human behavior
***************
Max Weber - criticized Marx; explored limits of reason; rationality without morality (technical rationality) is a destructive force
bureaucracy is efficient but can debilitate and dehumanize people eg Franz Kafka; Adolf Eichmann "just a good bureaucrat"
charismatic leadership is the only power that could resist bureaucratization
Hitler, Stalin, Mao committed horrendous atrocities
Scepticism about power of reason and man's ability to progress continuously
1920s - Trait theory
********
1940s - Style theory
********
2000s - Contingency theory
(iii) Four Common Myths about Leadership
*************************************************
Myth1 - Everyone can be a leader
*********************************
Not true - many execs dont have the self knowledge or authenticity needed for leadership
Self knowledge and authenticity are key
Individuals must want to be leaders - many talented employees are not interested in shouldering the responsibility
Some prefer to devote more time to private lives than to their work
There is more to life than work and being a boss
Myth2 - People who get to the top are leaders
**********************************************
Not necessarily - Misperception that people in leadership positions are leaders.
Some make it to the top due to political acumen
Leaders are people who have followers and rank does not have to do much with that
Leaders need to be developed throughout the organization
Myth3 - Leaders deliver business results
*****************************************
Not always. Good management does in quasi-monopolies.
Some well-led businesses do not produce results in the short run
Myth4 - Leaders are great coaches
**********************************
Rarely - assumes that a single person can inspire troops and impart technical skills
Typical leaders excite others through vision rather than coaching talents
(c) Welch, Chapter 17 Getting Promoted: Sorry, No Shortcuts
***********************************************************************
(i) Get Great Results & Expand your job's horizon
**************************************************
Deliver sensational performance far beyond expectation
at every opportunity expand your job beyond official boundaries
- give people more than they expect
- expand the job's horizons to include bold and unexpected activities
- come up with a big idea, a new concept that improves your/units/company's overall performance
- make everyone around you look better
change your job to make people around you work better, boss smarter
dont just do the predictable
(ii) Dont make boss use political capital to champion you
****************************************************************
(iii) Manage relationships: up and down carefully: dont cross the two extreme lines
dont be a buddy to subordinates; dont get too close up that you become distant to employees
(iv) Visibility: Get on the radar screen as a champion of major projects & early initiatives
(v) Mentors & Media: Search and relish inputs from mentors; learn from business media also
(vi) Character: Maintain a Positive attitue & Spread it around
- dont be a downer, a sourpuss, a dark cloud; be upbeat and fun to hang out with; have sense of humor
Skill matters but outlook matters more
(vi) Dont let setbacks break your stride
****************************************
- get back to work & prove naysayers wrong
- revitalize, reinvent, innovate
- focus on results, attitude, perseverance
- want to get ahead
- make your own luck
- ride the setbacks out
II. Seeing Around corners (Jack & Suzy Welch Week10 Video)
************************************************************************
(i). One of the Distinct/unique characteristic of true leaders - ability to see around corners
*******************************************************************************************************
something gained from experience through time - not innate, born with
see patterns that you've before =>expect what might be going on
(ii). Curiosity & Paranoia - two things that help see around corners
******************************************************************
insatiable desire to learn => look outside oneself
Fear => your position is vulnerable; you have to look everywhere to see who's coming after you
(iii). vulnerability - only the paranoid survive; helpful as hell
**************************************************************
always be looking at who can come after you? what can they do ?
what new product/service can change the shape of the playing field
III. Week10 Lecure1 - Situational Leadership
****************************************************
In Traditional leaders - those with most seniority on a team or dept or business unit lead
If Multiple team members have similar levels of seniority - leadership decided by Power dynamics, firm policies, organizational custom and norms
In Strategy committee - 6 VPs; VP of Finance may be the leader
Policy decisions - chair appointed annually; leader selected from group itself - person with most credibility; most successful at carrying group's recommendations
Group of peers comes together to create a work product - leadership void; no one designated official leader; a team member takes on lead role in this situation
Meeting wraps with next steps agreed
Simple tasks - responsibility, individual assignment are enough
Complex tasks - needs a champion; to ensure appropriate and timely followup; a leader is needed for quarterbacking, cat-herding
Situational leadership - temporary leadership role taken on by an individual; skills and passion needed to achieve a key goal
*****************************************************************************
-Requires implicit and explicit consent of those who would be led
-Some folks want the leadership role - to get credit for project's success; want the power to make key decisions about process steps, project outcomes
-Not necessarily better intentioned, more highly skilled than other leaders
-It is up to you to be the best leader you can be in full time position or in a situation
Situational leadership roles demonstrate your ability to lead, creates opportunities for promotion, additional assignments with broader scope/impact to your org
*******************************************************************
Situation leadership draws on broad range of leadership activities
******************************************************************
Leader's responsibilities
- set the direction for their teams;
- make sure their teams have the resources and skills needed to meet their goals
- listen actively
- communicate well
- advocate for their followers
- demonstrate their commitment and passion for shared goals
- convene meetings
- Candor, transparency, valuing individual and group benefits, strong shared values - all contribute to successful outcome
- Follow through on all your responsbilities to your team, others who work with your team
- communicate with candor with clarity
- look for opportunities to take leadership roles where your skills, interest and availability are a good match with the needs of your organization
Ensuring a senior person takes responsibility, vets quality, enforces timelines - necessary for regulatory, organizational reasons
*********************************************
Both formal and informal leaders shape decisions, maintain quality standards on projects, builds support for change
*********************************
Highly effective individuals
*****************************
- adept at stepping into and out of leadership roles
- passing baton to others
- communicating roles and responsibilities clearly and appropriately
Effective leadership of a project, meeting, crisis
*******************************************************
- can be done by others aside from those at top of chain of command
- someone who is the right person for a particular situation
Fluid, Dynamic workplaces
*********************************
- individuals work on multiple projects, report into matrix with more than one boss; unclear who has lead role
- situations where the formal leader may step aside for another person to take a leadership role temporarily
3 most common reasons for situational leadership are
**************************************************************
- specialized skills required
- formal leader not available (busy, offsite, not assigned)
- professional development opportunity exists for someone other than the traditional leader
When critical aspect of a group's work requires specialized skills, org is flat
- makes sense for person with applicable technical or professional skills to lead the team
eg. adverising agency - department of 11 people, led by 2 junior execs, 1 senior exec
type of work, familiarity with the market, availability to client
expectations and responsibilities that accompany the role needs to be clear for leader and to others in group
**************************************************************************************
without assignment or agreement of a leader, role clarity and power issues can sometimes derail a talented team
knowing when and how to step into a lead position in a given situation is an important skill
*********************************************************************************************
Effective situational leadership - requires attention to team dynamics, role clarity
knowing when and how to step out of a lead position is just as important
IV. DQ1 - Situational leadership examples were shared by class mates
************************************************
V. DQ2 - Limitations of Jack Welch principles were examined through critical thinking
*****************************************************
I have become a huge fan of Jack Welch's teachings as they speak to the heart and mind with compelling and far reaching truths. I went back to take a hard look and play a devil's advocate. Here are some of my observations about where the risks of following Jack Welch's principles may lie:
1. Leaders inspire risk taking and learning by setting example, (Welch, 2005, Winning, p76)
You can create a culture that welcomes risk taking by freely admitting your mistakes and talking about what you've learned from them.
This principle works only in environments which can afford to allow one to get away with small mistakes by compensating eventually with big wins.
There are environments where there is zero tolerance for mistakes and failures and this principle cannot be applied easily.
Consider a doctor performing brain surgery or a NASA engineer working on a relatively trivial O ring for the Challenger project.
Small mistakes in these cases can be devastating, costing lives and ending careers.
In both cases one can certainly learn and move forward to make the organization stronger but the price to be paid for this is very high compared to avoiding the mistake in the first place with a more conservative approach.
2. Leaders get into everyone's skin, exuding positive energy and optimism
This principle resonates deeply with me and is a personal favorite.
However it can be a liability in groups that have a "D" type DiSC characteristic where tasks and cold logic are valued more than emotions and feelings.
Similarly in groups which have the "C" type DiSC characteristic, where precision is most valued, optimism can be viewed as a risk as errors can be missed through oversight from exuberance. If an "i" type leader tries to negotiate for control in "D" or "C" type groups, it can be an uphill battle all the way.
4. Leaders establish trust with candor, transparency and credit (Winning, ch2)
While too little candor holds an organization back, too much candor can also cause increase risk of a crash and burn.
Here is an example.
A US vice consul, Maureen Chao, in an unguarded moment revealed her skin became "dark and dirty" like that of Tamilians in South India.
This remark cost her the job.
http://www.emirates247.com/news/world/dirty-like-tamilians-sparks-race-row-2011-08-14-1.413002
5. Week9 Lecture1 - Eliminate grey areas.
Once you have discussed a dilemma thoroughly and transparently enough, there is usually very little gray area left
I am not completely sold on this principle.
In work and in life I believe there are areas that are not distinctly black or white, right or wrong.
Take the case of an employee whose wife took her own life and the employee does not return to work for several months indefinitely. Should a manager hang on with hope or move on without the employee ? Technically a manager could replace the worker or could even terminate the position. Or a manager could see the unusual situation and figure out a way to hang on while the employee gets his life together and returns. There is no right or wrong action here and it comes down to a judgment call.
Let us consider two people in long distance relationship separated by their careers. Should they hang on until a way opens up or should they separate ? Is it a yes or a no ? Again we see that there is no right or wrong and it all boils down to what the individual(s) decide. Some may decide to wait for a very long time indefinitely in hopes of one day uniting with the lover while others may call it quits early or some time thereafter.
6. Lacking the Guts to differentiate (week9 Lecture1)
This principle fails spectacularly when differentiation works against future team work. There are some missions that require each member of the entire team to contribute insights selflessly and work together in order to reach the mission. By only rewarding a few "stars" the message to the team is clear - individuality is more important than collective team work. So, individual egos can surface, boundaries come up, and team members actually hope for each other to fail. With employees focused on advancing their own ranking and self-interest, greater team work is undermined.
7. Fixation of results over values (week9 lecture1, Six Sins of Leadership)
How many times have "good numbers, bad values" managers been let go in companies ?
Results can trump values especially when deadlines loom and pressure to deliver mounts.
In crisis situations, survival can become much more important than respect for values. This is why top executives in some organizations that are under great pressure from Wall Street, to perform and get high profits, look the other way while "jerk managers" go into "squeeze the lemon" mode, driving the employees crazy.
8. For superior customer service over deliver (Week4 video)
Overdelivering may work very well in many instances but in some "just in time" business model cases (eg. inventory management in a car factory) where neither overdelivering or underdelivering are acceptable this principle may have a limitation. For example if a customer is expecting delivery of x parts at an appointed time T, then delivering more than x parts or coming in early before the appointed time may not necessarily help the customer.
9. Leaders Celebrate
I think Jack Welch is right on the mark in pointing this out and I love this principle as well. I find that Hollywood community is very good at this, clapping and bursting out with joy after every good shot, encouraging talented people. I find executives and managers at IBM in my workplace not celebrating accomplishments adequately.
But there are cases where the principle may not apply. Consider the case where a company is going through lean times or going through several rounds of lay-offs. In these situations, even when positive achievements are made, the celebrations need to be quite muted to reflect sensitivity to the happenings.
Great exercise. Makes us think critically.
I learned that EI, Critical thinking and Candor are key to assess a situation thoroughly and apply the Jack Welch principles suitably.
VI. Lecture2 - Leading to Win
**********************************
Helping the world thrive and grow
***************************************
Developing oneself as a leader:
Building great teams, Motivating people, Dealing with conflict, Managing up
The goal of leadership and business is TO WIN
******************************************************
Winning companies are the engine of a healthy society
They are the foundation of a free and democratic society
Winning is great because it lifts everyone it touches & makes the world a better place
*************************************************************************************************
when companies win people thrive and grow
more jobs and opportunities everywhere for everyone
people feel upbeat about future - kids can go to college; better healthcare; buy homes; vacation homes; secure comfortable retirement
creates opportunity to give back to society beyond taxes - charities, mentor inner-city schools
When companies are losing everyone takes a hit
********************************************************
people feel scared - they worry and upset their families
less financial security and limited time or money to do anything for anyone else
out of work, pay little taxes
Taxes
********
Govt is the support engine of society - does not make any money of its own
collects tax, fees, licenses - funds justice system, education, police & fire protection, highways, ports, welfare and healthcare
Win the right way - cleanly and by the rules and ethics
*******************
Companies and people that don't compete fairly dont deserve to win
internal company processes + Govt regulatory agencies => bad guys found and kicked out of the game
Honest companies must find a way to win
************************************************
What is winning ?
******************
Winning is a personal journey - to reach the destination you choose
It is about achievement
- a happy family
- teaching children how to read
- sailing around the world
- building and leading a company that succeeds in the global marketplace
************************************************************************************
Winning is not a zero-sum game
**************************************
- does not have to be morally corrupt (losing the souls to profit when they win)
When a company wins, there are collateral winners too:
Executives and Shareholders
Employees, Distributors, Suppliers
Success leads to dozens of startups that supply the mother company and create jobs
Jobs are the lifeblood of society
**********************************
When people have meaningful work,
- they have the freedom to set goals, not just survive
- freedom to dream
Search for new ideas - the next big thing; invent new technologies
*************************
Start companies or help build them - make it your life's work; a noble enterprise
****************************************
Make a livelihood and create a better life for families, friends, colleagues
*********************
Businesses are comprised of human being - made of flesh and blood
You and me - we are in the business of winning
*******************************************************
By far, one of the very best learning experiences of my life
Dr DP
No comments:
Post a Comment