Monthly Archives: September 2012

#143 – Creativity in Business at Stanford

As constraints, obstacles and challenges multiply, wise leaders consciously devote time and attention to developing and fostering ingenuity in their organizations. Last week I had the opportunity to spend a day on the campus of Stanford University, learning from cross-disciplinary faculty there about the application of creativity principles to business. Here’s part of what I learned from Tina Seelig, a popular professor in the School of Engineering, who teaches entrepreneurship and innovation. This is great information for leaders who want to nurture creative problem-solving and innovation in their organizations.

Food for Thought ~

Seelig has identified 6 elements that when combined, maximize creativity and innovation. The first three are personal, and the second three are organizational.
1. Information base / knowledge
2. Creative Imagination
3. Belief that you can solve the problem + a passion to do so
4. Physical habitats that support innovation (team, rules, physical space)
5. Resources (time, money, community of support and expertise)
6. Culture (the “background music” of the organization)

Question for the day ~

How would you describe your personal level of creativity at work? How would you assess your organization’s culture in terms of supporting creativity and innovation?

Tina Seelig’s new book is called inGenius: A Crash Course on Creativity; and here’s a link to her TEDx Stanford talk on creativity.

Mary

#142 – The Human Impact of Business Decisions

Leaders must remember that their decisions impact people’s lives. Because leaders may be several steps removed from the results of decisions they make, the human impacts can sometimes be overlooked. Here are two stories, literally close to home for me personally, that illustrate two very different approaches taken by decision-makers.

Case A: A school decides to put in a solar energy system to save money on utilities and become more environmentally sustainable – great! Not so great was the fact they did not communicate with their neighbors about the project nor that it would involve cutting down a beautiful stand of mature redwood trees that also served as a sound and visual barrier on the school’s property line.

Case B: A winery purchased a long-standing apple orchard in a semi-residential area and is converting it to a vineyard. The president of the winery and his wife made a personal visit to each of the adjacent property owners to introduce themselves, explain what to expect and when, and answer any questions.

Food for Thought ~

Leaders constantly make decision after decision, and the sheer volume of decision-making can sometimes result in becoming inured to the impacts of their decisions. Whether this reflects self-protection or a lack of compassion, it’s a strategic and humanistic miscalculation. Wise leaders consciously work to maintain their connection with the human side of decision equations. Great leaders are also great humanitarians. Anything less is an administrator, not a leader.

Question for the day ~

When have you been on the receiving end of “just a business decision” that impacted you or your company? What decisions have you made, or are currently making, for which you need to consider the human impacts?

Let’s each do our part to bring more humanity to our corner of the world.

Mary

#141 – Real Leaders Listen

Have you noticed the frequency of articles and workshops on the topic of how to be a better listener? Apparently there are many people that need to improve their listening skills. Listening is one of the primary methods good leaders, real leaders, use for gathering information. They want to learn what others think and feel, their ideas, concerns, and opinions. They listen to identify trends and notice early indicators. A leader who does not listen is putting their organization at risk if they believe their opinion is superior to others; that they do not need to hear other viewpoints; that they know all they need to know. (Uh oh…the warning light is flashing.)

Food for Thought ~

Great leaders have a genuine curiosity and interest in others, and seek to understand and learn by listening. They are not afraid of what they might hear, and welcome candor and forthrightness. They know that good listening is one of the keys to building good relationships, and that leads to a great organization. They know they don’t know everything, yet they do know they are the primary role model for demonstrating the value of good listening skills.

Question for the day ~

How do you rate yourself as a listener? Do you expect people in your organization to be good listeners? What important things have you learned lately by listening?

Thanks to my readers who take a moment to write. Your feedback is important to me ~ I’m listening!

Mary

#140 – Leaders Manage the Boundaries

There are a lot of paradoxes in organizational life. One is that organizations can be both resilient and fragile. It is a leader’s job to maximize the resilience and minimize the fragility. When I am at the helm of an organization, I keenly feel the responsibility to “protect” it from harm. Of course, not being omnipotent, I have only a certain degree of influence, but I take it very seriously. Part of that means to provide a safe and healthy work environment. It also means to manage the boundaries, the places where the organization interfaces with the external environment: other entities, regulatory agencies, suppliers and vendors, and even customers and the general public. That involves providing whatever preparation, training and support is needed for those who work at the boundaries.

Food for Thought ~

Leaders cannot insulate their people or their organizations from external influences, but we can do our best to protect them from danger and yet, at the same time, expose them to reality. Leaders can’t stop change or eliminate risks, but we can prepare people for changes and challenges. In other words, we can help them to be resilient.

Question for the day ~

How does your organization handle its boundaries with the external world? Are you providing leadership in preparing for change, anticipating external challenges, and developing resilience?

The Labor Day holiday is an opportunity to appreciate progress. A turn of the (previous) century industrialist would hardly recognize today’s workplace.

Mary