Monthly Archives: April 2013

#174 – Generations of Leaders

Yesterday I had the pleasure of working with a three-generational team of leaders. There were one or two of us that would qualify as senior/veteran/advanced/seasoned, depending on your preference of terms, a few that are new/emerging/aspiring/beginners, and some that are somewhere in the middle – intermediates (far fewer name choices for this category.) We are working together very harmoniously, with intention, respect and humor, discussing the issues at hand and finding effective ways to fulfill our task. The initiative for this particular project was taken up by one of the young, aspiring leaders in the group, and the rest of us are enthusiastic collaborators.

Food for Thought ~

Personally, it is very rewarding to teach some of what I have learned to willing students. Nothing is more enjoyable for a leader/teacher than the intelligent questions and observations of an inquiring mind. For all leaders, part of our job, especially as we move into the experienced veteran stage of our careers, is to be model and mentor to those who are stepping into leadership roles. Remember, many of the skills of leadership are learned by experimenting, and inevitably, by making mistakes. One of an organization’s greatest resources is its emerging leaders. It behooves leaders at every level to encourage the next generation, sharing wisdom gained from experience, and providing opportunities for beginners to try their wings. Oh, by the way, leadership is one of those practices that one can begin at any time of life. You can be a beginner at any age, moving into a leadership role for the first time. It just takes motivation and willingness.

Question for the day ~

As a leader, do you take time to identify, encourage and mentor the aspiring leaders in your company? Does your organization have a systematic leadership development program?

In Closing ~

If you haven’t yet had a chance to read my “Strategies – the Second Cornerstone of Business Success,” you can click here to read the full article in the NorthBay Business Journal.

Mary

#173 – Humor

Today’s message is a topic near and dear to my heart, yet something I’ve never written about! Why not? Because it’s complex and delicate, and for leaders, ironically, quite serious. It’s not easy to do it justice in 300 words, but here goes…
Humor is a wonderful attribute, and used skillfully, can be a marvelous resource for a leader. Humor is the quality of being amusing, which means to cause a person to laugh or smile. The appropriate and intelligent use of humor humanizes the speaker and the situation and serves as a counterbalance to a leader’s power and authority. In effect, it reminds us that “we’re all in this together.” It can lighten the tenor of an interpersonal interaction, bring some comic relief to the seriousness of an issue at hand, and serve to diffuse tension or stress. I particularly appreciate humor for helping me keep things in perspective. All aspects of leadership require thoughtfulness, and perhaps even more than most, the use of humor requires great skill, discretion and wisdom.

Food for Thought ~

In particular, leaders must have the self-awareness and self-discipline to ensure that they use true humor, and not sarcasm, which is the use of bitter or wounding comments at someone’s expense. Sarcasm is quick and easy, but destructive, and should be vigilantly avoided by leaders. Although less dangerous, it is also a mistake for a leader to be overly self-deprecating. Not taking ourselves too seriously is quite healthy, excessive self-sarcasm isn’t.

Question for the day ~

As a leader, how well-developed is your use of good humor? Does your workplace culture encourage laughter and playfulness?

In Closing ~

Last week’s post was on “Strategies – the Second Cornerstone of Business Success,” and you can click here to read the full article in the NorthBay Business Journal.

Mary

#172 – Strategies – the Second Cornerstone of Business Success

In this space a month ago I introduced my Four Cornerstones for Business Success model, which I developed after working with hundreds of companies over a twenty-five year period. The model is being published in the North Bay Business Journal as a four-part series. The first Cornerstone for Business Success is Purpose, which includes not only a viable business model, but vision, mission, and values. The second Cornerstone is Strategies.

Food for Thought ~

This is the intellectual aspect of your business, the place where intelligence, research, reasoning, analysis, and judgment rightfully prevail. A strategy is a chosen path, a conscious commitment to a set of actions based on the analysis of information, selected to achieve the company’s goals, and shaped by its vision and values. The caliber of its strategies separates a successful company from a mediocre one. Click here to read the full article

Question for the day ~

As a leader, how much discipline, wisdom and innovation have you fostered in your organization’s strategy development? Do you have a healthy, balanced and proactive system for evaluating strategic alternatives and selecting the best path forward?

On a Personal Note ~

I received some great comments in reply to last week’s post on Leadership is a 2 Way Street. As the saying goes, “keep those cards and letters coming,” as they do help me learn what you value and enjoy reading. Thanks!

Mary

#171 – Leadership is a 2 Way Street

Perhaps in some contexts, leadership is still perceived as a one-directional activity – “top down,” where leaders make the decisions and then inform everyone else. For most of us, our understanding about effective leadership has evolved to a different perspective. We realize that leadership is a 2 way street.

Food for Thought ~

Leaders are both the influencers and the influenced. Yes, leaders guide and give direction, but they are also shaped by the feedback they receive and their interactions with constituents. Good leaders are both confident in themselves and yet open and receptive to input and information from others. Going one step further, very good leaders develop the skill of sharing leadership, engaging others in the evaluative and reflective process that precedes decision-making as well as the organizing and planning that goes along with implementation. Great leaders are master weavers of healthy group process with their own insight and vision.

Question for the day ~

As a leader, do you consciously attend to the valuable interplay between your viewpoints and the views of others? Are you adept at providing leadership, sharing leadership, and encouraging leadership in others?

On a Personal Note ~

People are still reading my recent column on the Four Cornerstones of Business Success, so here’s the link to my article. The second in my series of four articles will be coming soon ~ stay tuned for the second cornerstone!

Mary

#170 – Small Business Leadership Challenges

Although many aspects of leadership hold true regardless of the size and shape of the organization, there are some special satisfactions and challenges in every business model. For small business, some of the special satisfactions for leaders include: being closer to everyone and everything, more direct communication with faster turnarounds, more first-hand information, observation and feedback, and hopefully, a straight-forward decision-making process.

Food for Thought ~

I’m sure it comes as no surprise that there are also some special challenges of small business leadership, some even as a result of the above advantages. In this brief post, I will address just one of the challenges: covering additional management functions beyond the president/CEO role. One of the hallmarks of small business is the necessity of wearing many hats, true for many of the employees as well as top management. One of my clients was a manufacturing company where the president also functioned as the CFO and IT manager. In another company, one of the partners managed design and finance while his partner managed HR, production, and facilities. If the company grows, as most want to do, there will come a time when the bases cannot be adequately covered this way and the owner/managers/partners must decide which functions to delegate or re-assign. Of course there are many factors involved in that decision, but it starts by being conscious about where you are along the continuum of growth and being objective about how you can make your highest contribution. The good news? If you are open-minded, you may surprise yourself with your answers to the following questions. (Remember, there are no “right” answers.)

Question for the day ~

Is your current organizational structure and assignment of responsibilities working well? Are you covering bases at your company that might be better handled by someone else? Where and how can you make your highest contribution to your company?

On a Personal Note ~

I had mixed feelings about Tuesday this week coming the day after April Fool’s Day! I do love a good practical joke, but they’re hard to pull off via email, so I’m relieved I didn’t have to make that difficult call! For those of you who were on vacation or otherwise engaged, here’s a quick link to my recent QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER and another link to my new article.
I hope you enjoy them!

Mary