Leadership

Jun

2019

Leading by Following?

I realize not everyone who reads this is a CEO or an owner of their own business and even at home they probably share power between two adults even if they are not living in the same home. Can you still be a leader without power? How do you lead when you have to enact someone else’s agenda?

There are two ways this can work. One is where you are treated and expected to act like a subordinate while the other method is to be a follower. A subordinate – submits to the authority figure and does what he or she is told while a follower is something different.

When I was studying for my Masters in Organizational Leadership I spent an entire course exploring the concept of followership. This was an eye opening experience. All of us in the class felt like we were beating a dead horse spending so much time on the topic, but for some reason this concept has really stuck with me.

Ian Chaleff provides a unique perspective on what it means to be a follower. In his book The Courageous Follower he says: “A follower shares a common purpose with the leader, believes in what the organization is trying to accomplish, wants both the leader and organization to succeed, and works energetically to this end.”

What does this mean? The individual who is a leader within the middle of an organization has more power than he or she may think. A leader is an individual who influences others, therefore positional power is not necessary but influence is. As Chaleff suggests, the leader and follower share a common purpose which the follower can speak to with his or her influence.

How do we lead without power? Here are a few thoughts:

Build strong relationships with those we lead.

Connecting with those we lead will create the foundation for leadership that we need in order to be able to win their trust and hopefully buy-in to our vision. Whether at work or home this is critical.

Connect with a leader whose vision we believe in.

If we do not believe in the organization’s purpose and vision and are just collecting a paycheck and getting by, we are being subordinates. If we believe in the vision we will naturally desire to help the leader accomplish the vision.

Lead from our position by speaking up.

Share ideas and show results from those ideas in a manner that moves the organization closer to the ultimate goal. If the boss asks you to do something, suggest a way to add to the task in a manner that will make it better and watch both you and the organization grow.

When you look at this list if one of these three cannot be accomplished then what needs to change? I realize sometimes you may serve a leader who will not embrace the third suggestion. If that is the reality and no change is on the horizon you may need to look for a new leader to follow. If you do not believe in the leader’s vision a change must occur. When you evaluate the relationships with those you lead do they feel connected to you and vice versa.

Lead without power by adding value to the leader, but if the above suggestions need to change do you need to change or do you need to adjust your situation? Remember, you are a leader because as leadership expert John Maxwell states “leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.” Follow well at work and home and you will lead well too.

Jun

2019

A Father’s Leadership Challenge

I was sitting at my desk one morning and I noticed a gift I had been given for my 30^th birthday (which was a while ago now). In it there are pictures of my oldest two boys when they were under five years old. I was thumbing through this small booklet and I came across a picture where I have them both in my arms while I smile at the camera.

I was overwhelmed. The responsibility of being a father is quite heavy. I understand why some men check out in the beginning, part way through or at some stage. This burden can be overwhelming when I look in the mirror and see my many faults. I lose my temper, I am very impatient (darn type A personality with a little “D” mixed in), I rarely do things right and this is just a few of my most visible faults. I am sure if you asked my kids or spouse they could create a longer list.

The burden is heavy, but I am the one who must carry it. Here is the thing (warning this is going to get a little deep), I know there is One who is bigger and can carry me as I carry this burden. I know I am in process and continually growing and my role as a father is twofold:

Be daily plugged into The Source of my unlimited potential.
Love these boys and my spouse unconditionally to the best of my ability as I am plugged into The Source.

I also know this. I need a community around me helping me. My independent stubbornness can be my worst enemy. I don’t know it all and I need other people with similar values and purposes to speak into my life and the lives of those I love. I must continually be growing so my children understand we are all in process and I make mistakes just like them. When they see that an adult can mess up and have peace knowing he is loved by One greater than him it will be contagious.

I don’t know if you have felt this burden as a parent, but let me end by sharing a poem that has helped me when I feel overwhelmed by the burdens of life.

Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.

Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,

other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed

that during the low periods of my life,

when I was suffering from

anguish, sorrow or defeat,

I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,

“You promised me Lord,

that if I followed you,

you would walk with me always.

But I have noticed that during

the most trying periods of my life

there have only been one

set of footprints in the sand.

Why, when I needed you most,

you have not been there for me?”

The Lord replied,

“The times when you have

seen only one set of footprints,

is when I carried you.”

Mary Stevenson

I am not sure where you are in your journey of faith and my intention is not to force my belief on you. I am simply sharing my journey in leading at home. If you don’t have someone larger to lean on who will never change and sees the whole picture, why not? What community do you have? Know that He is waiting for you and will carry you even when you feel like no one is there. Keep leading at home . . . or start if you haven’t. Be connected to The Source and He will help you become the dad you were created to be. We’ll stumble and fall, but He will carry us through. We are in process and we have what it takes with Him. Lead Well.

Jun

2019

Three Keys to Motivating

A number of years ago I read a book by author Daniel Pink which I found very beneficial in understanding how to motivate others. In this post I want to share with you his key principles. I liked Drive so much that after I borrowed it from the library I later bought it as a reference for the future.

In his book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us he provides three keys to our motivation. Before I share that, what about money? Surprisingly, money was not one of the top three motivators. Pink found as long as people were receiving fair pay this was not the big motivator. So what did he find?

AUTONOMY

This is freedom to do things the way we want or as he puts it: the “desire to direct our own lives.” You are a leader and you have led others. When do you give the most pushback? Is it when given freedom to do the project the way you want or when someone was over your shoulder all the time?

At the end of the day we all want to be trusted. When trusted that we are competent to do a job this subconsciously instills confidence. We all have doubts, but also want to figure it out on our own. When leaders provide autonomy and clear expectations, we show trust in those we lead and truly empower them.

MASTERY

Everyone of us is designed with unique talents, experiences, and skills that make us capable to excel at something. We all have room to grow as well. Pink says this idea of mastery is the “urge to make progress and get better at something that matters.” Something that matters . . . we’ll get to that in a moment.

This speaks to the reality that we all want to be challenged on some level to grow. We want to be put in a position where we can be an expert and excel at something meaningful. As leaders may I suggest we need to find our “sweet spot” and that of those we lead. As we understand unique personalities, strengths, skills and experiences we can position ourselves and others to become masters at something that will bring us alive and meet a need in the organization and world.

PURPOSE

The third key Pink found is the idea that we want to do what we do “in the service of something larger than ourselves.” I would suggest this is the desire to live a life of significance. Whether leading an organization, team, a family or something else we want our life to matter and leave a legacy.

As leaders our job is to connect the what with a bigger “why” that relates to what matters to those we lead. We need to help those we lead see the bigger picture of what we are doing and how it connects with the purpose of the organization or team. This should be bigger than just making money, but how it will make an impact in the world?

How are you doing at these three areas? What are you doing to help those who you lead to provide autonomy, give an opportunity to develop mastery and clarify the purpose? If you need help thinking into better motivating those around you through your leadership then contact me for a thinking partner/coaching session at no cost to you. In the meantime lead well.

May

2019

A Police Chief’s Leadership

I was sitting in the office of the new police station in this growing city across from the chief of police. He was facing the open door so he could see what was going on while we talked. This leader has been in the position for a short period of time but has been growing as a leader throughout his tenure as a police officer.

If I were to describe this officer in a few words, they would be servant, intentional, and compassionate. You’ll see why as you continue to read.

Chief Gebhart started his career in Colorado and ended up moving to Indiana into a Northeastern suburb of Indianapolis where he presides as chief of police. At a young age after a ride-along, he imagined joining the police force. As we talked, he described how over the years he has evolved as a leader.

Two general styles of leadership can exist: fear/task-based and people/relationship-based. He admitted in the beginning he was much more of the former than the latter. At times though in this field the former is necessary and acceptable since the mission must be accomplished and orders need to be followed. During the in between time though the approach is quite different.

WHY

We are undisciplined, and we ask why. An observation from George Washington

The above thought informs one of his leadership principles, but before explaining the concept permit me to share the chief’s why. Gebhart’s goal is to help others set and accomplish their goals. He gets pleasure in helping others succeed. This is one reason I describe him as a servant leader.

After sharing the above learning from a book on Washington, Gebhart discussed the importance of leaders not only knowing the “why” behind a decision, but also sharing it. I would suggest this is vision casting 101. A leader must know why they are asking those they lead to go a direction and more importantly communicate that reason. This process can increase the willingness of others to participate.

COMPASSIONATE HUMILITY

As we were talking, one of his officers who has been on leave due to a serious accident came to visit and without hesitation the chief stood up, greeted him and then sat and listened to the update on this individual’s life. How many leaders would drop everything for an employee? This man would because of his compassion and the humility to recognize others’ needs often are more important than his agenda.

Another example of this humility is his willingness to demonstrate personal imperfection. One way he does this is by taking the blame when it may not be his fault. He believes ultimately if something goes wrong the top leader has a part in the failure and should accept responsibility for his or her part.

CONNECTION

Most leaders realize communication is an important component to effective leadership. As Gebhart moved up in position over the years he recognized connection is critical. One way he connects is by understanding those he leads, their motivation, and what drives them. Another way is by intentionally engaging people on a personal level.

For me this idea was a great lesson because often I want to get straight to the point, but I need to slow down to connect and find out about the person. Of course I care about the person, but my task-minded personality oftentimes prevents me from demonstrating this care and I fail to connect.

This ability and intentionality in connecting is in part fueled by one purpose: building morale. Gebhart believes if morale is high production will follow.

OTHER PRINCIPLES

I do not have the time to cover some of the other key concepts in depth so I will highlight them briefly.

“If you don’t know where you are going, how are you going to lead anyone there.” This is a statement of vision. The leader must have a clear vision of where they are leading the organization or in the emergency situations police officers face what the objective is . . . get the “bad guy.”

SELF-AWARENESS

Everything that happens on his clock the chief looks in the mirror first and accepts responsibility for his part. This is another example of this man’s servant leadership.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

When communicating a leader must be strategic in communicating his message or request at the right time, to the right people, and in a way that is important to them. Sometimes if someone is having a bad day, wait and you will probably get a better result.

I am grateful for not only this man, but all our public servants across this nation. They thanklessly do their jobs so we can safely do ours. Allow me to challenge you with two things today. 1. THANK a police officer, fireman or another public servant. 2. Look at the above principles and think into one way you can grow as a leader in that area. Need help thinking into it? Contact me for a complimentary thirty-minute coaching session. Lead well.

May

2019

Leadership in the Insurance Industry

** These notes below are taken from the publication entitled “A leadership crisis for top insurance groups” found here: https://go.ey.com/2Jk4FMu **

If you are in the insurance industry I know from working and meeting people in the industry that you are very busy so instead of just sharing the document I am going to highlight some of the key points I found interesting from a leadership perspective relative to this industry.

The Data:

In late 2016 a survey of individuals in 28 countries 53% said the system was failing them
37% found CEOs very or extremely credible
35% trusted corporate board members credibility
Respondents were more likely to trust a peer than a CEO, board member, or government official
85% of people are looking to peers for trustworthy information versus the “top of the triangle”

Observations Regarding Leadership

Leadership is becoming horizontal rather than vertical – the hierarchy is flattening
Leadership requires the ability to communicate purpose – this is much harder than leading away from something
Successful leaders have to be authentic – clear honest communication
New Skills Needed
Digital expertise – understanding social communication (social media, virtual presence) and work changes (digital services, platform technologies, etc.)
Agility and Flexibility – ability and willingness to change
Collaboration is key – working together across multiple areas of expertise

Developing Leaders

This is a challenge with frequent turnover, but if the employer is remembered as a person who invests in his or her people then this will improve the company’s reputation in the marketplace and potentially attract fresh new talent.

There are more ideas within this article if you found what I shared relevant use the link above to reference the entire article.

If you want help thinking into your leadership development or that of your team then contact me so I can be your thinking partner to help you develop yourself and those around you as leaders.

May

2019

What My Wife Teaches Me About Leadership

Where do we find some of the strongest leaders in the world? In our own homes. I was reflecting on leadership as I tend to do because that is my thing. Since today is Mother’s Day I thought I’d write a list of the top five things my wife teaches me about leadership . . . in no particular order.

Serve

One of the major times I realized my selfishness was when I got married, but when my children were born this realization was amplified. My wife on the other hand, has amplified the opposite. As each child arrived her example of selflessly serving our children has grown. I could list many ways I see that in her, but that would take too much time. She is a model of servant leadership in everything she does for our family.

Patience

We have three boys and they are full of lots of energy. Not only does my wife patiently discipline them, serve them, and meet their various needs, but she also demonstrates extreme patience with me. Because of her patience, she is able to capitalize on teachable moments to help each of our boys grow into men of great character as I know my own mother did for me.

Leadership requires being out in front and providing vision, but also patience to slow down enough to allow others to understand and adapt. All of this requires the same patience my wife and many other mothers model daily.

Perseverance

This was modeled three times for nine plus months. I cannot begin to imagine carrying a human being and all the changes that occur. I’m a wimp and probably would have wanted to quit within the first trimester’s sickness. Whether getting up in the middle of the night, taking care of sick children, or simply persisting in trying to provide the best for our children’s individual needs my wife is a model of perseverance.

Accomplishing any goal requires perseverance. If the goal is worthwhile, it will not happen easily and will require leaders to demonstrate perseverance.

Compassion

When someone gets hurt around our home they run to mom, not me. This is because of the amount of compassion and care my wife demonstrates toward our children. This great compassion she models as a leader is necessary for our children to feel safe.

As leaders if those we lead know we care about them they will try harder. When others feel safe and cared about by their leader this empowers them to take risks that help them and the organization or team to grow.

Unconditional Love

My wife demonstrates compassion on steroids by her unconditional love. I see this most by how often she forgives the most self-centered male in the home (me). This love provides a safe environment for open and honest communication among all family members.

When those we lead know they are valued no matter what they say, leaders get more candid feedback. Honest feedback that is positive or negative is easier to provide when unconditional love is the norm.

What about you? Of these five areas, where do you need to grow most in your leadership? Need someone to come alongside you to help you think into your leadership results? Contact me to schedule a powerful coaching experience today so I can help you think into your leadership results.