Grab n' Go Leadership by John Baldoni
February 6, 2008
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The General has left the hardwood.
Robert Montgomery Knight, nicknamed the General not only for his stint as coach at Army, but also for the discipline and control he exacted at Indiana and Texas Tech, has abruptly resigned. Saying he was tired after 42 years of coaching, Bobby Knight is handing the reins of this team to his designated successor and son, Pat Knight.
Let the dissection of his career begin. For some Bob Knight represented everything good and wholesome about intercollegiate athletics. His teams played as a unit. His kids graduated, most often within four years. He played by the rules. And he won -- 902 games, more than any other Division I coach. At Indiana, the Hoosiers won three national championships and he also coached the U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal. By any standard, Knight was, and is, a true champion, in the purest and most authentic sense.
But then there is the other side of Bob Knight. Mercurial, irrational, heated, arrogant and down right mean spirited. Bob Knight once threw a chair across the court during a game in Puerto Rico. He repeated bumped heads and thumped his players’ heads and chests with his hands. He was caught on videotape grabbing the neck (and possibly choking) one of his own players at practices. He insulted deans and university presidents and threw tantrums in his office as well as in press conferences.
So which is it? Good Bobby. Bad Bobby. The truth is both coexist within his persona. We see his virtues. We feel his flaws. And I suspect that many, if not everyone, in the workplace have worked with bosses like Bobby. Sweet as ice tea one moment, and scalding as hot coffee the next. That inconsistency keeps people on edge and makes for a volatile work environment.
Inconsistency in behavior, and in particular in mood swings, demeans workers. The boss who alternates so quickly is one who thinks only of himself. Such behavior may be clinical and require treatment, but the manifestation of it is pure selfishness. The boss lives by his own hubris; he is saying by his action that only what he thinks and feels is what counts. No one else, especially those who report to him, matters. Ultimately people get tired of the boss and they do the one thing that such bosses fear the most; they tune them out. They simply stop listening and stop following. Oh yes, they comply in order to get the work done, but they fail to commit to excellence. In a sense that likely occurred to Knight’s teams; his last national championship came in 1987. Highly recruited high school players refused to play for him; and his own recruits never lived up to his own lofty expectations.
John Wooden, the legendary Wizard of Westwood who won 10 NCAA titles at UCLA, is quoted as saying that he did not approve of Knight’s methods but he appreciated his accomplishments. Wooden admired the fact that so many of Knight’s players, respected him and praised him for making better men. That ultimately may be Bob Knight’s legacy. On the other hand, Knight’s temper, his meanness and his arrogance will color the debate for years to come.
The General has left the arena.
Source:Steve Inskeep “Interview with John Feinstein” Morning Edition NPR, 2.05.07
John Baldoni • Leadership Expert: Executive Coach/Author/Speaker • Baldoni Consulting, LLC • www.johnbaldoni.com
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January 30, 2008
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“I’ve got holes in my game.” That’s one of the first things Tiger Woods told the media after his first victory of the 2008 PGA season in the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines. “If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse” was also part of his reflective soliloquy on his play in his first tourney of the year in which he nearly lapped the field, winning by eight strokes.
So is Tiger playing mind games with us? Is he indulging in the de rigueur self-deprecation that we like to see in good athletes? Or was he giving us a peek inside his psyche, a glimpse at what makes him so great? I opt for the later. Quite simply, at 32 years old with $76 million in winnings and 62 PGA titles, including 13 Majors, he is the very best golfer of his time and perhaps and very likely the best there has ever been.
The media drools over Tiger’s prowess typically falling over themselves to come up with new superlatives to define his performance. Hyperbole, sure! But it doesn’t make the compliments less true. Despite the drooling from an admiring broadcast crew, Tiger isn’t buying it. Golf is a fickle game; and humbling one, but one perfectly suited for a man who knows himself, his strengths and his weaknesses, and his desire to dominate. What accounts for Tiger’s ability is not his swing, which for the record does produce errant shots. It is his tenacity, his desire, his resilience, and quite simply his dream to get better and better. So what can we learn from Tiger’s dominance?
Know your roots. Earl Woods, Tiger’s father, taught him the game. A rough and tough ex ¬Green Beret Vietnam vet, Earl shaped Tiger’s early game. He also provided lessons in toughness by taking him out to play with his friends and then razzing Tiger to see if he could rattle him. The two were very close and Earl’s death in 2006 hit Tiger hard. But as Tiger confessed in a 60 Minutes interview, his father was the softie; his mother, Tida, a Thai immigrant who married Earl, was the taskmaster. Unlike parents who push their kids in sports, the Woods held Tiger back, especially Tida. Golf was a treat, a reward for doing his homework, playing piano, and being a well-behaved kid.
Know your game. Look at a professional golfer’s irons; you will find a dime size indentation in the center of the club face typically right in the sweet spot. That means a professional is striking the ball “perfect” every single time. Only for them it’s not perfect; most pros figure they make good contact three in ten times, akin to a .300 hitter in baseball. But here’s the difference. Their misses are most often better than any amateur’s best and their misses are recoverable. That is the struck ball does not always land where intended but the pro can play from that spot. In this aspect, Tiger excels. No one gets up and down a course (making pars) better than Tiger. So often his drives are wide of the fairway. No matter, he hits from the rough and onto the green. That’s resilience
Know your desire. When he was a kid, just competing in junior golf (and winning), he had a poster in his room of Jack Nicklaus, the player who has won more majors – professional golf’s measure of greatness – than anyone. Eighteen. Tiger, so the story goes, was determined to break that record. He won three titles in junior golf, three in amateur and now with 13 majors as a professional he is well on his way. Odds on he will do it. But he won’t stop at the record; he’ll keep pushing himself because he loves the game, the competition, and the desire to win, win, win.
Tiger may be humble in his work ethic, but he not humble in his ambition. He admitted on his website that a Grand Slam – winning all four of pro golf’s majors – is possible. He also told reporters at Torrey Pines that his best years are ahead of him. His mindset, complete with his skill set, make him the most formidable athlete of his era. The gap between him and the next best golfer – be it Phil Mickelson, V.J. Singh or Ernie Els – often seems as deep and wide as the Grand Canyon. Yet Tiger plays with the realization that anyone on the tour that day can beat him. And some do, but not the same guy nor even the same few. Tiger dominates.
For those you don’t know golf or even like it – and you are the majority – give yourself a treat. Some Sunday afternoon this year, tune into a tournament when Tiger is playing. You will see history in the making. You will be watching a man at the peak of his powers, someone like a Picasso with a brush, Nureyev in flight, a Horowitz at the keyboard, or a Pavarotti in voice. Tiger Woods is the best there is. Enjoy it. Talent and skills like his do not come around even once a generation.
John Baldoni • Leadership Expert: Executive Coach/Author/Speaker • Baldoni Consulting, LLC • www.johnbaldoni.com
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January 23, 2008
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Some time ago I listened to a national sales manager exhorting his sales team to take critical look at the appearance of facilities within their franchise network. While some facilities were in tip-top shape; others were sub-par. Getting the franchisees to upgrade, or at least, maintain their facilities properly was the job of the sales team. In talking to his team, the national sales manager urged his people to take a “fresh-eyes” approach to examining franchise facilities. The executive was asking his folks to adopt the mindset of customers. That is, if you were a customer would you do business in a place that was run-down, shabby, and in need of paint? Probably not, especially if you could go elsewhere and find a similar product in a better facility!
Adopting the customer perspective means adopting the mindset of someone who needs to be persuaded. To be persuaded you need to believe that what you are hearing or seeing is credible. Sales people work on credibility by making certain they understand their customers as well as linking their offerings features and benefits to customer explicit and perceived needs. Good sales people in fact adopt the customer viewpoint in their sales process; they see what the customer sees.
Adopting the customer perspective applies not only to sales people; it applies to management. For example, if you walked into a restaurant and saw a mouse run across the floor, you might think twice about sitting down and ordering. On the other hand, if you were in a lumber yard and saw a mouse, you might not think twice. You eat food, but you don’t eat wood. The customer perspective enables you to see things as they are rather than as you wish them to be. Easy to say, but hard to implement. So here are some suggestions
Open your eyes. Imagine you are a visitor to your department. What’s the first thing you notice? Furniture or people? Some of the most impressive looking office spaces that I have visited have the most withdrawn people. It is as if you are tip toeing through museum or library and must hold conversation to a minimum. On the other hand, down-at-the-heels office spaces sometimes contain the most cheery and enthused people. If you are a manager you need to pay more attention to people than décor.
Open your ears. What do people talk about? Is small talk the only talk? That is, do people avoid talking about their work because they find it boring or uninteresting? If you were a first-time visitor would you find people focused and attentive to their work, or would they seem distracted and preoccupied with non-work matters. If so, you may be managing a work force that is disengaged.
Listen to the walls. Consider the walls as metaphors for imagination in play. Places with lots of “walls” constraint behavior. Places with “no walls” spark interactivity. Furthermore, observe how do people treat one another? Is there a sense of collegiality? Do people work cooperatively? Or do they avoid contact with each other? Efficiently run departments need not be chummy places but there needs to be a sense of coordination so people can share ideas as well as try new things.
As novel as the adoption of the outsiders perspective may be, you cannot maintain it for long. And that’s not a bad thing. As a manager you need to represent the mission and values of your organization as well as stand up for the people you lead. You understand their point of view as well as how they they think and act. That understanding is critical for two reasons. One, you can understand why things are the way they are. Two, you can use this understanding to shape and frame your argument for adopting some new ideas that may emerge from your “fresh eyes” perspective.
John Baldoni • Leadership Expert: Leadership Author/Speaker • Baldoni Consulting, LLC • john@johnbaldoni.com • www.johnbaldoni.com
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January 16, 2008
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The first time he got the ball, he fumbled it and the other team scored. The third time he got the ball, he did the same and the team scored. It was running back Ryan Grant’s first playoff game and his two mistakes had put his team, the Green Bay Packers, down 0-14. It was not an auspicious start, but his on field boss, no other than the legendary quarterback himself, Brett Favre, told him to shake it off and do what he did best: run the ball. Grant took Favre’s message to heart and had a career day, running for three touchdowns and 201 yards, many of them gained in driving snow in last Saturday’s NFC divisional playoff game on the “frozen tundra” of Lambeau Field.
While Grant deserves credit for keeping his head in the game, it was Favre’s leadership that opened the door for him to clear his mind. Favre, himself a gambling sort of player, reminded Grant that he had once thrown six interceptions in a single game. Favre’s message should resonate with any manager facing adversity. Keep it loose. When the leader gets uptight, the team tightens up. When the boss loses him composure, the team starts bickering. And when the boss walks around in a sulk, the team clams up. The result is that nothing gets done. Here are some things we can learn from Favre’s example.
Stay focused. When adversity strikes, people will look to look to their leaders for cues on how to respond. When the leader remains calm, but focused, it makes it easier for the people to do their work. Favre is a master of shaking off a bad play and remaining attentive to what must be done next. The leader should be visible and present, speaking frequently to the team, offering encouragement when necessary but also talking about the challenges ahead and what it expected of them.
Make plays. Few are better at making big plays in games when it counts than Favre. During this game, in trying to elude a tackler he slipped on the slick turf, but before he fell, he underhanded the ball to a receiver who snatched it and ran for a touchdown. That play naturally uplifted the whole team, and gave them the confidence that they could play and win. Managers sometimes make plays themselves, but more often they encourage their team to execute by providing time, resources, and support to succeed.
Throw snowballs. After one successful touchdown drive, Favre scooped up some snow and make a snowball which he threw playfully at one of his players. If that does not keep a team loose, nothing will. Yes, the Packers were ahead and appeared headed for victory, but Favre was reminding his teammates that work (the game) should be fun, despite the weather. Managers can keep things light by maintain an air of playfulness – making sur smiling, posting cartoons, providing snacks. Doing so does not diminish the seriousness of the challenges facing the team, but it does remind people that as serious as conditions may be, we can still enjoy what we do.
No matter how loose you keep it, you need to compete. That is, you maintain the expectation of achieving good results. Honestly speaking, if the Packers had not won this playoff game, Grant would have ended up the goat and few people would have been talking about Favre’s performance in this game. Results matter. And so when times are tough, the boss must lead by example. He must exhort the team to keep doing what they do best. He must not give them a break when it comes to expectations. Reassurance of their abilities is one thing; slacking off is another. By keeping the team focused on what is possible and even probable, the team keeps their eyes on the goal and in turn on the road ahead.
While Favre’s on-field pursuits are well documented, the other side of his leadership is perhaps just as important. Favre, the smiling, easy-going man from Mississippi, leads by keeping his team loose as well as providing exceptional personal play when the game is on the line.
John Baldoni • Leadership Expert:Executive Coach/Author/Speaker • Baldoni Consulting, LLC • www.johnbaldoni.com
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January 9, 2008
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“We change when it hurts too much not to change.” That statement is attributed to Harvard professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter, the author of many books on change and its effect on organizations. This sentiment certainly applied to both Hillary Clinton and Mitt Romney in the wake of their resounding setbacks in the Iowa caucuses; both were trumped by avowed candidates of change, Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee respectively. The next day both Clinton and Romney were framing their campaigns as ones of change; neither seemed convincing because both candidates are clearly establishment candidates. While both are still very much alive in the presidential primaries, if they do win, it will not be because of their recently adopted change messages.
Change is the buzz word of presidential politics. It is not surprising given the unpopularity of the current president and the significant challenges facing the nation in terms of an unpopular war, a weakening economy, and a general sense that things are not going so well for our country. So a when candidate has built his message on change, as Obama and Huckabee have done, he finds people willing to listen.
Most times change is not a popular topic, chiefly because it is unsettling to those in power. However when their power is eroding, as it certainly does when things are going poorly, then change becomes an imperative. However, if you are going to push for change, there are some fundamentals to observe.
Be credible. If you push for change, you better know of what you speak and why. Change is rooted in turmoil and discomfort. It takes a special breed of leader to handle and manage. Being an outsider helps. For example, Obama began his career as a community organizer; he grew up challenging the status-quo. Same applies to Mike Huckabee. He’s a poor boy made good, first as a minister and later as governor. Those who reside in the corridors of power often do not make good change agents. Hillary Clinton is a child of the establishment and has spent the last 15 years in the White House and later the Senate. Mitt Romney grew up in wealth, and after Harvard Law and Business schools joined Bain and Company where he made a name (and fortune) for himself as a mergers and acquisitions specialist. So if you push for change, it is good if you know of what you speak.
Be realistic. Corporate leaders excel at making things better for the company (and by extension senior managers), but less good at improving the lot of employees. Case in point would be a merger. Those at the top get new jobs or golden parachutes; those in the middle or below may be on the streets. On the other hand, politicians do well at convincing individuals that things will be better for themselves and their families but less good at convincing the populace that things will be better for the nation. For example, the Bush Administration pushed for lower taxes which are popular with individuals. But those cuts, coupled with wasteful spending, exacted a toll in the form of huge deficits that resulted from wars on terror and as well as in Iraq and Afghanistan. If you push for change, you must explain the consequences to the whole as well as to individuals.
Be hopeful. Change is scary. A leader is asking people to give up what they know and find comfortable for something that is unknown and less comfortable. The leader must portray the change, either political or corporate, as something that will benefit not only the organization but also individuals. It is essential that the leader draw a clear picture of what life will be like when things change. Make that picture tangible to everyone.
Regardless of whether a candidate or a corporate leader espouses change, change is inevitable. The most successful companies are those that continually change; we call it innovation. Innovation is the application of creative ideas to the organization and what it does. Famously General Electric has changed throughout its 120 year-plus history, even after its terrifically successful run under legendary CEO, Jack Welch. The GE under Jeff Immelt is significantly different in its business model as well as innovation drives the company as does a quest to capitalize on green technology.
The fact is whatever your business unless you change you die. Or as Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald’s put it, “When you are ripe, you rot.” That statement summed up his philosophy of trying new and different ideas not simply product wise but also in his relationship to franchisees. You listen, learn, and implement the best of the best ideas. Change is ever with us. It simply becomes more palatable or even fashionable during times of turbulence or crisis when the alternative, as Dr. Kanter observed, is less painful.
[Note: The change message did not help Romney in New Hampshire. He placed second to John McCain. However, one form of change did seem to work for Hillary Clinton. Despite poll predictions, she placed first. One might argue that voters may not have believed her change in message, but instead liked her change of tactics. Voters in New Hampshire witnessed a Hillary who took questions from her audiences, demonstrated more give-and-take with the media, and even exhibited some vulnerability. This was certainly a change from her buttoned-up professional exterior that she has perfected over her many decades in public life.]
John Baldoni • Leadership Expert:Executive Coach/Author/Speaker • Baldoni Consulting, LLC • www.johnbaldoni.com
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January 2, 2008
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“We know what to do, we know why we should do it and we know how to do it. Yet most businesses and individuals don’t do what’s good for them.” That conundrum is what David Maister calls the “fat smoker syndrome” and is the driving theme he explores his newest book (the aptly titled) Strategy and the Fat Smoker.
Maister, a former professor at the Harvard Business School, is one of the world’s premier consultants on the management of professional service firms. He knows of what he speaks, and the world in which he consults and operates is one where ideas are paramount yet equality (with some exception) rains. It’s brains and sweat that earn you recognition, not rank and title. That mindset is what makes Maister compelling to listen to. He cuts through the clutter of organizational nonsense with clear and common sense ideas for getting things done the right way at the right time with the right people.
The book contains four sections: strategy, client relationships, management, and “putting it all together.” The sections explore hard-edged questions about developing strategy, building a business, managing and coaching, and personal topics such as passion and principles. Here are some gems that I noted:
Strategy means saying no! Sometimes the best way to build a business is to focus on what you want to do and do well and not take on business you don’t like. Easy to say, but critical. “Courage,” writes Maister, “is one of the scarcest commodities there is. That’s why it’s a significant source of competitive advantage.” Meaning if you hold your ground, you may just find yourself doing more of what you want and less of what you don’t want to do. Here some insights from five selected chapters:
What’s our deal? For Maister developing strategy is less about what you will do, but more about how you will hold people accountable. He writes “You don’t have a purpose or mission (or set of values) when you declare them. You have them with you put in place “consequences for non compliance.” If people know they can do what they want when they want, you have no organization. If there are consequences for not following thorough, then you gain commitment.
The Friendship Strategy. What if business people applied the skills of making friends to serving clients? For Maister, this concept makes common sense rooted what Maister calls “friendship attributes,” such as appreciation, consideration, dependability, respect and understanding. Following those attributes can lead to lasting relationships that nurture client-providers and clients alike.
Managing the Multi-Dimensional Organization. Complexity seems to rule in organizations, so much so that managers and employees lose focus on what it is they really do and why. “Organizations,” writes Maister, “work better when three components exist: people feel that they are volunteers, self selected to join small, mission oriented teams.” When you can establish and fulfill those parameters, structure and operations follow logically.
Passion, People and Principles. Convictions count. People matter. Principles are fundamental. Absolutely! Yet we watch companies drift from those ideals, often at their own peril. “Men and women who act on principle,” writes Maister, “are believed to be acting on deeply held principle, attract customers, subordinates, and colleagues.” In other words, we do well by doing good.
There is something else I find appealing about Maister’s work; he’s a damn good writer. Sadly that’s a rare attribute in today’s management literature. I use the word “literature” figuratively since so much of what passes for that term is warmed over jargon. Maister, by contrast, writes with brio and passion, and peppers his work with anecdotes that makes the lessons come alive.
The subtitle of Maister’s book is “Doing What’s Obvious but not Easy.” And so it is. We often know what to do but somehow can’t find the (time, energy, resources, motivation – you name it) to do it. Enough now. Reading Strategy and the Fat Smoker and you just might find what you need to get you over the hump.
Source:David Maister Strategy and the Fat Smoker Boston, MA: Spangle Press 2008
For those seeking more information on David and his work, check out www.davidmaister.com. Be certain to watch his collection of videos. Short, quick and to the point (not to mention wry and witty), they are certain to delight.
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December 26, 2007
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“I gotta go with Billy on this one, Reggie,” the owner said, insisting that Reggie meet individually, man to man, with each of the players on the team to apologize for his remarks in a sports magazine in which he had criticized the team and its best player. The owner is none other than George Steinbrenner, and “Billy” is Martin and “Reggie” is Jackson. Later that same year, as depicted in ESPN’s drama series, The Bronx Is Burning, Steinbrenner also urges the “best player,” Thurman Munson, to bury the hatchet with Jackson for the good of the team and as a personal favor to him the owner.
Being that this is TV drama, one cannot be certain how accurate these scenes are, but as depicted, Steinbrenner comes across as an enlightened leader, doing what is necessary to back his management and hold his team together. Of course in other scenes we see him go off the rails, and act more like his public persona – the meddlesome Boss. And now that the real-life Steinbrenner, rumored to be in ill-health, has stepped back from active management in favor of his sons Hal and Hank, it may be time to remember the Boss as a senior leader who did do some things right. These include:
Let the manager decide. When Steinbrenner backs Martin’s insistence that Jackson make personal apologies, the Boss is showing support for the manager to manage the team. That’s what managers in baseball as well as “real life” are supposed to do. Managers need to be able to run their own departments; support from senior leadership helps them do this.
Reinforce the team. Steinbrenner desperately wants to win; he had instructed his general manager, Gabe Paul, to assemble the best players he could. That done, Steinbrenner insists that they play as a team and will not tolerate players who do not pull their weight, either on the field or off it. He gets rid of the underachievers. Leaders need to put the needs of the organization first.
Get personal when necessary. Reaching out to Munson, as team captain, to make nice with Jackson is a good example of how leaders can get real with their employees. When you pick you moments to invest your character, you make leadership personal. Choose these moments carefully; too much is meddling; too little is uncaring.
Of course the Yankees of 1977 are a world away from us now, but in some ways they typify, the superstar as Greek god theory – noble in gifts but petty when interacting with each another. And so for that reason, there is a new role model of superstar, Ichiro Suzuki, centerfielder for the Seattle Mariners. Ever since he came into the league he has torn it up hitting wise. And after five years, he has been rewarded with a mega-million contract that will pay him some $90 million.
Super contract for a superstar, okay, but here’s the difference. As ESPN's Colin Cowherd commented on his show, Ichiro is deferring $5 million of salary per year in order to give the Mariners more room under the salary cap; this will give team management more room maneuver as they negotiate better salaries for better players for a better team. True, Ichiro’s getting $12 million annually, and so the $5 million deferred is not a financial hardship. It’s not a hero story, but it is a good example of how one superstar does put team first.
In baseball history, the ’77 Yankees stand out as one of the better teams, in part because it had such a colorful cast of characters who were always mixing it up. But in terms of how to play the game today, I’ll take Ichiro.
Sources:
The Bronx Is Burning on ESPN-TV is based on the book The Bronx Is Burning New York: Picador 2007; The Colin Cowherd Show ESPN Radio 7.20.07
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December 19, 2007
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We like him because he makes us feel good about ourselves. And we dislike her because she makes us feel inferior. That’s an assessment from political pundit, MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, about why people like Barack Obama and dislike Hillary Clinton. The point is debatable; Matthews makes his living by stirring the political pot. The assessment may be fun for political musing but it raises a very crucial point about leadership. Men and women who get us to follow them are often those, who in the words of Abraham Lincoln’s First Inaugural address, appeal to our “better angels of our nature.”
When we feel that the leader is well-intentioned and wants what’s good for us, and our organization, we naturally want to follow. And if that leader can cause us to feel good about ourselves, too, that is special indeed. The history of civil rights teaches us this; people embraced Martin Luther King, not only because he was smart, eloquent and moving, but by following him we felt better about whom we were. To a much lesser degree, but very visceral way, rooting for our hometown sports team – be it Yankees or Dodgers, Patriots or Chargers, Celtics or Lakers – makes us feel good because we assume they are one of us. [Of course they are not, but we feel as if they are.]
Leaders who make people feel better about themselves are very powerful and can accomplish great things. In ancient Greece, Epanimondas rallied the yeoman class of Boetia to fight against the hated Spartans and twice defeated them in battle, the second time destroying Sparta’s ability to invade again. As historian Victor Davis Hanson writes in Soul of Battle, Epanimondas’ appeal was directly tied to his ability to make the farmers feel good about taking up arms against the enemy that had brutalized them for so many years. In business, people embrace Whole Foods because they like the selection of foods, natural and otherwise, but also because they feel good shopping in a place that treats its employees well and lives its creed of sustainability as much as possible.
Appealing to the better self can be an important aspect of leadership. While it may be hard to cultivate in leaders per se, it can be developed in the approach to work and its effect on others. Here are some ways.
Live it. Leaders who inspire followership for a time may be good speakers and radiate charisma, but leadership who inspire followership over time are those who live their example daily. Contrast the vagabond collegiate coach who hop-scotches from school to school in pursuit of more cash and more acclaim with the high school coach who stays at one school preparing his (or her) athletes to be better players as well as better students and better people. Those coaches live their example every day in the hours they invest coaching, cajoling, challenging, and counseling the kids they teach. Every city can boast at least one, two or three such men and women. The live the example and it is real.
Show the impact. We live in a skeptical society; people have options, even at work when they are the payroll. Compliance is one thing; commitment is another. One way to nurture commitment is to show people how their products or services impact customers or clients. For a time, Saturn, a division of General Motors, invited customers to visit their factory; it was a time for Saturn workers to meet Saturn owners. Not only was it a marketing event, it was an event where workers could see the fruits of their labors. And it made them feel good about what they did.
Recognize the outcomes. When people achieve something, make something of it. Good news email blasts do not cut it. You need to show people that their work matters. For example, when a manager does his job, and along the way reduces turnover and grooms employees for advancement, honor him for it. Make it known how special this individual is. Turn this manager into a master manager where he can teach what he knows about people to others.
Encouraging people to follow a leader because they make us feel good has limits. Take the example of Huey P. Long, the governor of Louisiana. He rode the wave of populism all the way to the governor’s mansion in Baton Rouge. Long, a charismatic speaker with genuine folk appeal promised much and delivered better roads, hospitals and schools. But to achieve his aims – and to stay in power – he used bribes and kickbacks to grease his way. At the time of his assassination, he was a virtual dictator with intentions on national office. Yes, people liked Huey because he seemed one of them but the price was too high and the dream died with him.
Rallying people to a cause greater than themselves enriches leadership. Persuading people to follow you because they like how they feel about themselves cannot happen overnight; in fact it may never happen. But if a leader can persuade people that they can achieve something for themselves, and feel good about doing so, then the leader has the power, together with the organization, to accomplish much good.
Source:Chris Matthews Hardball MSNC 12.11.07
Victor Davis Hanson Soul of Battle New York: Anchor 2001
John Baldoni • Leadership Expert: Executive Coach/Author/Speaker • Baldoni Consulting, LLC • www.johnbaldoni.com
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December 12, 2007
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Dances with Wolves was a critical and box office success. It established creator and star, Kevin Costner, as an actor with exceptional talent as well as a gifted director. Costner was a bankable star before Dances with Wolves but had never directed. Two other big-name directors turned the project down, citing problems with the script. Every major studio passed on it at least once.
As Costner told Dennis Davies of NPR’s Fresh Air, he was on his “second lap” of studio pitches when at his last pitch he insisted on two things. One, the movie contain subtitles because much of the dialogue would be in the Lakota language. Two, he would have the final cut, meaning the movie would reflect his final views. When he exited that studio pitch, his fellow producer pulled him aside and asked why he insisted on the final cut. Costner replied that if the studio did not believe in doing the movie in Lakota then what other things would it cut. Costner stood up for himself and his picture, and of course the movie was a hit around the world.
What Costner did was stand up for himself. He stood by his convictions. He put his work first. It was certainly a matter of ego, but it was more a matter of standing up for the material, the art – what the project stood for and why it was important. Standing up for convictions is laudable; we love to tell stories about it. Heroes are made of stand up for what is right and what is not. However, in the corporate world, so often standing up for your conviction can get you fired. And so that’s why it sometimes seems self-righteous for outsiders, that is, consultant types like me, to laud convictions. Not going along with the flow can get you a fast ticket to nowhere.
Given the hierarchical imperative where disagreements can get you bounced, how do you argue your point of view? How do you go against the current tide for ideas that you believe in and want to pursue? There are no easy answers but the answer may be described as “knowing your limits.” That is, are you prepared to lose your job or would you rather stand and fight another day. For Costner, he was prepared to walk away from the project. For those on salary, staying in the job may be a better alternative.
There will be times, however, when speaking out can cause real problems. It’s called whistle-blowing. Those who do blow the whistle find themselves ostracized and out of a job. They may also find themselves in legal jeopardy. The general public is grateful for their courage in telling the truth about corporate misdeeds, but so often the personal price they pay is overwhelming – everything from loss of income to loss of home and hearth, and even family. That kind of conviction is remarkable, and to be praised. But none of us can ask another to do it.
Standing up for what you think is right in the corporate world can be the loneliest thing in the world. It may cost you a promotion as well as the trust of colleagues and senior leaders. At minimum you will be labeled as someone who does “play on the team.” Worse, you can be totally off the team. Yet for many this alienation can lead to new opportunities, sometimes inside the company, other times outside it. Many entrepreneurs got their start by wanting to do things differently and they did. Others did start a new business but joined another one and became successful there. The outcome is not always certain and sunny, but it may be the best choice for the individual who has to stand up for his conviction.
Source:Dave Davies “Interview with Kevin Costner” Fresh Air WHYY/NPR 11.02.07
John Baldoni • Leadership Expert: Executive Coach/Author/Speaker • Baldoni Consulting, LLC • www.johnbaldoni.com
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December 5, 2007
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We are very good at advising others what to do. This is especially true for those of us in the human development community by which I mean anyone working in executive coaching and leadership development. Our profession by nature is helping people discover truths about themselves so they can become more effective leaders. For that reason we heartily endorse coaching and suggest leadership development initiatives for our clients. But as for taking our own advice, some of us turn a blind eye (and ear).
And for that reason it was refreshing to spend a weekend of personal and professional development at the Banff Centre in the province of Alberta. The Banff Centre has pioneered a unique approach to leadership development. Taking advantage of its spectacular location in the Canadian Rockies, leadership development at Banff begins with a sense of place. Adding to that sense of place is the infusion of arts and culture. Banff Centre is home to many artists in residence and offers a myriad of arts programs in music, dance, writing, drama, and the visual arts. This connection to the arts infuses Banff’s programs with a sense of enchantment that stimulates reflection and creativity.
The weekend I spent at Banff was not part of a formal program, but rather part of a development exercise for the Centre and a group of fellow thought leaders, among them coaches, authors, and leaders in the arts and non-profit communities. Each of us came to the weekend with different perspectives on leadership development.
Our dialogue was probing and thought-provoking. We challenged each other to explain our ideas more fully. That was probably the richest part for me because it pushed me to think more deeply about some of my ideas, and by doing so I gained a deeper understanding of not only my work but more importantly the work of others. That was invigorating, and something that will resonate with me for months to come.
One final point, being at Banff is a humbling experience. It puts you in your place, literally and metaphorically. Located on the Bow River, Banff is nestled in the mountains but at 4600 feet it is dwarfed by 10,000 foot-plus granite peaks grated to sharpness by millennia of glaciers. (Think of being surrounded by half-dozen or so mountains like the imposing Half Dome in Yosemite and you’ll get a mind’s eye glimpse of what Banff is like.) Banff and its adjacent valleys were a winter home of First Nation peoples (as Native Americans are known in Canada) dating back some 15,000 years. More recently, the city of Banff was developed by the Canadian National Railroad in the late 19th century because the area offered hot springs. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Being out in nature (even if you are only looking out the window at vistas that stretch for tens of miles) confronts you with the realization that man is but a guest on this earth. All of our grand ideas about ourselves pales in comparison with what has come before us but at the same time we are responsible for protecting what is here and what will come after us. “In our every deliberation,” goes the adage from the Iroquois Nation, “we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.” A wise lesson for any leader. Know your place as well as the impact you have on others.
[For more on the Banff Centre, visit Banff Centre]
John Baldoni • Leadership Author/Speaker • Baldoni Consulting, LLC • john@johnbaldoni.com • www.johnbaldoni.com
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