Monthly Archives: July 2013

#187 – Leadership – The Fourth and Final Cornerstone of Business Success

After working with hundreds of companies over a twenty-five year period I developed a model based on what I had learned, called The Four Cornerstones for Business Success. The first Cornerstone is Purpose, which includes not only a viable business concept, but vision, mission, and values. The second Cornerstone is Strategies, your chosen path, selected to achieve your desired goals, and shaped by your vision and values. The third Cornerstone is Skill, or excellence in execution and performance. It may come as no surprise to you that the fourth and final Cornerstone is Leadership. It all comes down to leadership.

Food for Thought ~

Our last cornerstone is the most intangible, and quite possibly the most important of the four cornerstones. With expert, dedicated leadership, your company’s purpose can be focused and fulfilled; intelligent strategies generated and executed; and critical skills identified and refined. Without good leadership, very little of consequence can be achieved or sustained. The cornerstone work of leadership has four primary facets, all centered on a theme. That theme is character and integrity. The four facets of Leadership are: 1.) Values 2.) Principles 3.) Practice and 4.) Authenticity.

Question for the day ~

As a leader, are you clear on your personal and professional values and do you practice and model your values and principles? Are you genuine, authentic and trustworthy?

Mary

#186 – A Strategic Mindset

Fresh from a planning session with a client, I am reminded of the powerful impact that a strategic mindset can have on a company. As a leader, when you think and act strategically, you are leading with intention. When you lead and manage with intention, you make conscious choices about the direction you want to go, the goals that are important to you, the best allocation of your resources, and the most effective and intelligent strategies that will get you where you want to go.

Food for Thought ~

There’s a wonderful adage that goes, “You can’t control the wind, but you can adjust the sails.” This is a perfect metaphor for the value of planning. In my experience, time and resources are in shorter supply than the demands for them, so the only rational way to lead is by making a plan and then working your plan. Of course, you always need to allow for the possibility that the winds will blow from a different direction than you anticipated, but at least you are expecting the wind. From time to time, a dedicated, intensive planning process is a good idea, to ensure that you and your co-workers are thinking and talking about the most important strategic issues, not just the urgent ones.

Question for the day ~

Do you lead and manage with a strategic mindset? How might you expand your effectiveness as a strategic leader?

Mary

#185 – A Tale of Two Frogs

While doing research for last week’s post on the subject of self-discipline, I came across one of Aesop’s Fables, called The Frogs and the Well. It’s a little story with a big lesson that certainly applies to leaders. And for adults, it’s fun to be reminded of how effective it can be to teach important principles through the medium of animal messengers, one of the characteristics of a fable.

Aesop’s Tale of The Frogs and the Well ~

Two frogs lived together in a marsh. But one hot summer the marsh dried up, and they left it to look for another place to live, for frogs like damp places if they can get them. By and by they came to a deep well, and one of them looked down into it, and said to the other, “This looks a nice cool place. Let us jump in and settle here.” But the other, who had a wiser head on his shoulders, replied, “Not so fast, my friend. Supposing this well dried up like the marsh, how should we get out again?”

The Moral of the Story ~

Look before you leap. Think twice before you act. (Not from Aesop, but a delightful alternative metaphor is the very prudent Carpenters’ Axiom: “Measure twice; cut once.”)

Did You Know?

Aesop was reportedly a slave and story-teller in ancient Greece between 620 and 560 BCE. Probably of diverse origins, the stories called Aesop’s Fables have descended through many centuries, cultures and languages. A fable is defined as the use of a humble incident to teach a great truth. They are fictitious, short, unaffected, useful to life and true to nature.
I hope you enjoyed it!

Mary

#184 – Whether You Want To or Not

The topic of discipline has been on my mind recently, and a quick excursion through a couple of dictionaries taught me that the meaning I had in mind is one of the minor definitions. However, adding the prefix “self” makes it much more explicit. Thus, self-discipline is the leadership topic for today.

Food for Thought ~

In my experience, self-discipline is an essential and integral part of being a good leader. Why? Because leadership involves evaluating situations and making decisions, from minor to momentous, that involve a mosaic of people, values, issues and circumstances. The complexity of considerations can be daunting, reminding me of one of my favorite axioms ~ “Leadership is not for the faint of heart.” That’s why having the character, training, and strength to do the “best” thing in any situation requires self-discipline. Again, why? Because as a leader you will frequently be in the position of doing what needs to be done, whether you want to or not. And so it is.

Question for the day ~

Have you developed the skill of self-discipline as part of your leadership tool kit? Is there room for improvement? If so, do you have a plan for improvement?

A Recommendation ~

If you find yourself faltering, or possibly the opposite, being impulsive and precipitous, you may wish to find an opportunity to develop your self-discipline. Try one of the martial arts, athletics, musical training, etc. Any type of training that requires continuous learning and practice, practice, practice is a great foundation for self-discipline. You’ll be glad you did.

Mary

#182 – Leadership Jams for Projects

The usual and customary model of an identified leader directing a project is not always the most elegant or effective approach. Oftentimes, a shared leadership model may work better to achieve a project’s desired objectives, providing greater opportunity for a common, shared sense of responsibility and investment.

Food for Thought ~

This type of participative leadership is actually more challenging and complex, which is probably why it is less often utilized. It requires a strong spirit of collaboration and cooperation, excellent listening and communication skills, and a willingness to commit to the process itself, without attachment to a specific predetermined outcome. In the dictionary, the eighth definition of a little word with multiple and varied meanings is the term I have chosen to describe this model. The word is “jam,” defined as “to extemporize with others.” We have all heard of jazz musicians “jamming,” where they play together without a predetermined song, carefully listening to one another and taking turns doing solos, all the while cooperatively and extemporaneously creating a harmonious and pleasing musical experience. I have seen the word “jam” applied to other collective activities as well ~ a cappella singing jam, dance jam, and sculpture jam. As these examples illustrate, the concept is most familiar in the creative arts, but I think it applies quite nicely to project management. Let the creative leadership jams begin!

Question for the day ~

Are you an artful user of leadership jamming? How and when might you increase others’ commitment and investment by utilizing the concepts and skills of shared leadership?

On a Personal Note ~

Your many kind responses to my guest editorial last week, written by my eldest niece, Karen, were heart-warming and much appreciated – thank you!

Mary