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ExcellenceL E A D E R S H I P

THE MAGAZINE OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, MANAGERIAL EFFECTIVENESS, AND ORGANIZATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY

David CooperriderProfessor andAuthor of AI

“Leadership Excellence is an exceptionalway to learn and then apply the best and latest ideas in the field of leadership.”

—WARREN BENNIS, AUTHOR ANDUSC PROFESSOR OF MANAGEMENT

TThhrreeee CCiirrcclleessTThhrreeee CCiirrcclleessEnrich Your LeadershipEnrich Your Leadership

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MARCH 2012

ExcellenceL E A D E R S H I P

THE MAGAZINE OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, MANAGERIAL EFFECTIVENESS, AND ORGANIZATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY

DAVID COOPERRIDER

Three CirclesTalking about positivestrengths excites people. . . 3

RICHARD E. BOYATZISAND BAUBACK YEGANEH

MindfulnessMost leaders tend totune in and out. . . . . . . . . .4

MELVIN SMITH ANDDIANA BILIMORIA

Heart of LeadershipIt’s emotional intelligence. 5

RICHARD E. BOYATZISAND MELVIN SMITH

Positive RenewalYes, you can keep going. . .6

BAUBACK YEGANEH

Mindful LeaderTry three core practices. . .7

RONALD FRY

Managing ContinuityCertain strengths mustbe preserved . . . . . . . . . . .8

POPPY LAURETTAMCLEOD

Leading TeamsChoose the right metaphorfor your team. . . . . . . . . . 8

MELVIN SMITH,RICHARD E. BOYATZIS,AND ELLEN VAN OOSTEN

Coach with Compassion.10

MICHAEL DEVLINAND MELVIN SMITH

Levels of LeadershipWork at four levels . . . . .10

RONALD FRY

Words Create WorldsChange the conversation. 12

DIANA BILIMORIA

Inclusive LeadershipEngage in twosets of behaviors. . . . . . . .13

DAVID COOPERRIDERAND CHRIS LASZLO

Innovation’sNew FrontierLeverage the power oflarge-group summits. . . . 14

BAUBACK YEGANEHAND DARREN GOOD

Micro-actionsThey impact results. . . . . 15

BARACK OBAMA

Built to LastLearn a lesson fromSEAL leadership . . . . . . .16

CHESLEY “SULLY”SULLENBERGER

Leading by ExamplePeople look to youto lead the way. . . . . . . . 17

GLORIA FELDT

Women LeadersDefine power in waysthat work for you. . . . . . .18

KAROL M. WASYLYSHYN

Remarkable LeadersWe need to recognizeand support them. . . . . . .18

ELAINE DUNDONAND ALEX PATTAKOS

Leading from MeaningAuthentic leaders createthe right conditions. . . . .19

PUNIT RENJEN

Exceptional BoardsThey point in the rightstrategic direction . . . . . .20

VOL . 29 NO. 3 T HE GL OB A L L E A D E R S HI P D E VE L OPM E NT R E S OU R CE M A R CH 2012

Kodiak Collaboration

The annual salmon run attracts a grizzly bear as opportunisticgulls function as the cleanup crew, offering yet another clear

example of natural collaboration and social intelligence.

YOU ARE BOUT TO ENROLL INa short course in Leader-

ship Education.Last December, on behalf of his colleagues

at the Weatherhead School Executive Education,Case Western University, David Cooperrider,Professor in Social Entrepreneurship and OB,proposed doing a special edition of LE. Heprovided 13 articles authored by the facultywho deliver their Leadership Deep Dive pro-gram—a senior executive immersion thatcombines the best of the best from the Schoolthat designed the first Phd in OD and Changein 1960, thanks to Herb Shephard, WarrenBennis, Don Wolfe, David Kolb,Suresh Srivastva, and others. Theplace continues to be a seedbed ofpioneering theory/practice withaward-winning thought leaders suchas Richard Boyatzis (author of PrimalLeadership), David Cooperrider andRon Fry (creators of AppreciativeInquiry and the world inquiry intoBusiness as an Agent of World Benefit);and Diana Bilimoria (author Handbook onWomen in Business Management) and others.

In his article on Innovation's Next Frontier,Cooperrider boasts of one huge businesssuccess, with double-digit growth rates near40 percent per year, leadership in sustainabil-ity and bottom of the pyramid work, and #1corporate citizen named by the US Chamber.

He credits Michael Devlin, AssociateDean of the Executive Education school atCase, for being the originator of theLeadership Deep Dive concept that broughtthe distinguished faculty together. He alsonotes that Peter Senge and he combinedrecently on three major projects with busi-ness leaders and cities that are making sys-tem-wide advances in sustainability. “We arecombining the appreciative inquiry summitwith Senge’s 5th Discipline focus on systemsthinking and design.”

So, take your own Deep Dive into thisstrengths-based change curriculum.

LLeessssoonnss ffrroomm SSEEAALLss aanndd ‘‘SSuullllyy’’As long as you’re in the Deep Dive water,

you might also learn and apply a few lessonsin leadership from the Navy SEALs, asrecounted by President Barack Obama, andfrom Captain ‘Sully’ Sullenberger, famousfor his water landing in the Hudson River.

From Gloria Feldt and Karol Wasylyshyn,you can learn how to achieve breakthroughsfor female and remarkable leaders AlexPattakos reverts to his Greek roots to sug-gest leadership is all about OPA: Others,Purpose, and Attitude. And, Punit Renjen,chairman of the board of Deloitte LLP, notesthat in his native India, Mohandas Gandhiwas more than an exceptional servantleader—“he was a brilliant strategist whoasked questions, listened, assessed risks, anddeveloped scenarios. In their strategist role,these are the vital skills for board members.”

HHiigghh--PPootteennttiiaall LLeeaaddeerrsshhiipp TTaalleennttSo, who can spot and where can we find

High Potential Leadership Talent? Seniorexecutives play the biggest role inidentifying high-potential talent forleadership development, accordingto a survey by AMA Enterprise.Senior executives were followedclosely by managers and directors.Training and development staff playa relatively minor role. “Senior exec-utives and line managers are usuallythe best positioned to recognize ris-

ing talent,” said Sandi Edwards, SVP forAMA Enterprise. “They’re directly involveddaily with prospective leaders at all levels,and can best judge the abilities and attributeslinked to current and future success.” ButEdwards cautioned that for such programsto work well, all parties must agree on theselection criteria, communication methodsand development options. Everything has tocome together—senior-level support, clearcriteria for participants, transparency thatminimizes any perception of politics and realrewards for successes achieved.” Contact:Arlene Bein, abein@amanet.org.

Many employers worry about scarcity ofleadership talent, according to a survey byRight Management; in fact, 31 percent ofrespondents cited lack of high-potential lead-ers as their biggest HR concern (23 percentindicated a shortage of talent at all levels).Notes Michael Haid, SVP of TM. “Leantimes make it hard to recruit, retain, anddevelop future leaders. Many organizationsdeal not only with the current lack of leader-ship bench strength, but an increasingly dis-engaged workforce—two concerns that HRpeople lose sleep over.” Contact: Shari Fryer,shari@fryerassociates.com. LE

W e l c o m e t o W e a t h e r h e a d e d u c a t i o n .

by Ken Shelton

Volume 29 Issue 3

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Leadership Deep DiveE . D . I . T . O . R ’ S N . O . T . E

2 M a r c h 2 0 1 2 w w w . L e a d e r E x c e l . c o m

Editor since 1984

Warren Bennis

to fix weakness. This 80-20 deficit-biashelps explain why only 20 percent ofpeople today feel their supervisors andorganizations recognize their greateststrengths, play to those strengths, andleverage those strengths to a great extentevery day. Strengths leadership says thatit’s time, not to avoid or deny weaknesses,but to radically reverse the 80-20 rule.

Great leaders see strengths andopportunities that no one else notices.They appreciate and inquire simultane-ously. To appreciate means to see thosethings worth valuing. To inquire means tosearch, question, and discover. This appre-ciative intelligence—to see, to elevate aspark of strength or opportunity andturn it into a flame (even a legacy torch)—is a master strength. Think of Amazon’sJeff Bezos or Herb Kelleher, former CEOof Southwest Airlines, and the cultureof positivity and possibility that ele-vates everyone at Southwest and pro-pelled Amazon into a game-changer.

Think about societal leaders andmodels—Gandhi’s or Mandela’s capac-ity to summon people’s best, or HelenKeller’s capacity to elevate inner strengths

no one else could see. In England’sdarkest hour, Winston Churchill sawthings in his people that no one elsecould see and spoke to them with alaser-like faith and eloquence that gavethem a new idea of themselves. Greatleaders elevate strengths, see what’s best orwhat works, and evoke what’s next.

The capacity to inspire positivechange is accessible to all of us throughtalent management, leadership training,and executive coaching. Since people excelonly by amplifying strengths, not by fixingweakness, people are asking, “Why can’tthis positive and productive perspectivebe brought to everything we do (like thedesign of new products, or enterprise-wide IT transformation)? What aboutstrengths-based engagement with customers,supply chains, and communities?” Forthis, it’s time to embrace phase two.• Circle 2: Become a multiplier of

strengths, from elevation to configura-tions. This circle is about creating newmacro combinations and configurations ofstrengths across systems. When peopleplay to their strengths, engagementsoars, and active disengagement (which

Three Circles

POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGYis revolutionizing

the way we engagepeople, transform strategy, and preparefor open innovation with customers,suppliers, and other key stakeholders.Talking about positive strengths getspeople excited.

Millions of managers have been intro-duced to strengths-based approaches,Appreciative Inquiry (AI), and the posi-tive psychology of human strengths.For example, more than two millionpeople have taken the Values in ActionInventory of Strengths (VIA-IS), whilemore than two million managers haveused the assessment tool StrengthsFinderfor their leadership development.

Here, I seek to take the positive-strengths perspective to a new octave. Iprovide a framework for a strengths-based leadership system and point totools, stories, and research as aroadmap. I call this framework thethree circles of the strengths revolution.• Circle 1: The elevation of strengths.

This circle is all about enriching ourleadership capacity for the elevation ofstrengths—since individuals and groupsare always stronger when they havetheir successes and strengths in focus—and will excel only by amplifyingstrengths, never by fixing weakness.

Nobody articulated this assumptionbetter than Peter Drucker. “The task ofleadership is to create an alignment ofstrengths in ways that make a system’sweaknesses irrelevant.” Great leader-ship is all about strengths.

Everything in management is filteredthrough the way we do inquiry. We’reconstantly doing analyses—and oursuccess as leaders is filtered throughthe way we know and read people andsituations. And many organizationshave inherited a deficit-bias and an inertia that clouds their ability to feedstrengths and fuel opportunities. Forexample, one company had 2,000 mea-surement systems of what goes wrong,including its annual low morale sur-vey, its classic exit interviews to studyturnover, and its focus groups with themost dissatisfied customers. Hence, 80percent of management attention was going

costs U.S. firms $300 billion each year)can plummet. In world-class compa-nies, the engagement vs. disengage-ment scores stand at a ratio of 10:1 (inaverage companies, that ratio is lessthan 2:1). Moreover, high-engagementorganizations have 3.9 times the earn-ings-per-share growth rate. Engagedemployees are more productive, prof-itable, customer-focused, innovative,collaborative, and growth-oriented.

Elevation, engagement, and successreinforce one another in a positive feed-back loop. The 80-20 reversal or turn tostrengths does more than perform—ittransforms. It builds an enterprise-widecapacity and achieves a multipliereffect. The shift happens when leadersturn macro, not just micro, in theirstrengths-thinking. Two examples:• U.S. Navy CNO Admiral Vernon

Clark turned to AI’s large-group meth-ods to achieve a concentration effect ofstrengths. Turnover rates were costingbillions, and the three-star admiral hadread about the AI summit method—alarge-group planning, designing, or im-plementation meeting that brings 300 to2,000 or more stakeholders together in aconcentrated-strengths way to work ona task of strategic and creative value.

That day, Admiral Clark launched aseries of AI summits and a new Centerfor Positive Change. These 500-personsummits brought in external stakehold-ers, supply partners, citizens and evenpeace groups—all groups with a stakein the future of the Navy. This high-en-gagement process improved the Navy’sbottom-line performance by $2 billion.• Cindy Frick, a Roadway Express

executive, shared how her managersused to “starve opportunities” whilethey focused on the problematic. In this$4 billion trucking company, sheorchestrated over 65 500-person sum-mits in two years, engaging truck drivers,dock workers, executives, teamsters,managers, and customers. Frick tappedthe strengths of over 10,000 people andtransformed a culture of entrenchedsilos into a high-performance system.The stock price went from $14 to $55 ashare in two years.

Let’s think in terms of constellationsof strengths. True innovation happenswhen strong, multidisciplinary groupscome together, build a collaborativeand appreciative interchange, and ex-plore the intersection of their differentpoints of strength. Moreover, this macro-minded ability to connect ideas, people,and resources from across boundariespaves the way for something even moreinspiring in management.

Circle 3: Positive institutions bring-

by David Cooperrider

L e a d e r s h i p E x c e l l e n c e M a r c h 2 0 1 2 3

LEADERSHIP STRENGTHS

of the strengths revolution.

ing human strengths to society. This isabout the creation of positive institu-tions that enable the magnification andthe refraction of highest human strengthsoutward into society. Think of GE’s eco-magination initiative as an example oftoday’s sustainability revolution and ofthe way we can spread reverberatingstrengths, stories, and solutions world-wide with the click of a button. Thestrengths-based change starts with asmall shift that makes a seismic difference.

The third circle represents the largestfrontier for strengths-based organiza-tions. It is time now to see each circleoverlapping: the elevation of strengths,the connection and combination ofstrengths, and now the magnifiedrefraction outward of strengths.

The third circle is about harnessingthe higher strengths of institutions asagents of change in society. Using thelanguage of human strengths (for exam-ple, we might focus on the 26 strengthsin the VIA-IS classification, strengthssuch as wisdom, courage, and humanity),we are now seeing industry-leadingstars becoming vehicles for magnifyingcourage or bringing more humanity intotheir communities. Whether we call itsustainability (a focus on clean energyadvances, zero waste, or green productdesign) or business as an agent of worldbenefit (eradicating poverty throughprofit), or businesses as a force for peace inconflict zones), stories and cases aboutcompanies that prosper by combiningsound management, social vision, andeco-innovation are becoming common.

Sustainable value creation (bringingwhat is meaningful outside, such ascustomers and communities, into theroom) is the big business opportunity. Sus-tainable value is not only a next step inopen-source strengths approaches—it isan unprecedented innovation engine.

When we unite the strengths of mar-kets with global issues, the return forsociety and the business can be excep-tional. Strengths soar when there’s apurpose bigger than the organization.

Ask: Where are we as a company? Thestrengths revolution has scarcely begun,but the tools, the three circles frame-work, and our economy of strengthsshow that it’s an exciting start.

It’s time to think strengths, think macro,and think how to harness the concentrationeffect of configurations—for managementis all about the elevation, combination,and refraction of strengths. LE

David Cooperrider is Fairmount Minerals Professor in SocialEntrepreneurship, Weatherhead School of Management, CaseWestern Reserve University and the pioneering thought leaderof Appreciative Inquiry. David.Cooperrider@Case.Edu.

ACTION: Lead with and from strengths.

School of Management at Case WesternReserve University. During some ses-sions, and in discussions with his coachin the program, Dimitrios realized thathe had let his life get away from him. Hispersonal vision was clear, but the im-plementation had gone awry. He hadstopped paying attention to his health,and been so focused on his companyand clients that he didn’t seem to havetime or energy left for his wife or son.After fruitless complaints and argu-ments, they had given up on him anddevoted their energy to other things.

Mindfulness means intentionallypaying attention. But paying attentionseems to have a limit. You can’t attend toeverything. Dimitrios learned ways toalternate his attention. For example, helearned to scan and make eye contactwith people when speaking in order toconnect with them and anchor himselfin the moment. He realized he alsoneeded to scan his life and relationshipsregularly. He talked with his wife abouthaving fun and exploring together; theyagreed to spend one weekend a monthsomewhere they had not been, relaxingor exploring. They decided that whenDimitrios flew to certain cities for work,

he would add a day or twoto his trip during which shewould join him. Heengaged with his son inways that worked with hisschedule and his interests.He became more mindful ofhis key people at work.

Why do we slide intomindlessness? When wefocus on solving a problem oranalyzing something, net-

works in the brain that enable us totune into people and their feelings aresuppressed.

This discovery supports insights intotwo forms of attention: focused attentionand scanning attention. We need to focusto solve problems and complete tasks.This uses the prefrontal cortex and theanterior cingulate cortex. We also needto scan our environment to be aware ofwhat is going on around us. This usesnetworks associated with being socialand tuning into others’ feelings.

Practicing mindfulness enables us topause and tune in—and the results areprofound. People notice the differenceand feel valued. Working with a coachhelps break automatic routines andmindfully create a sustainable, produc-tive, healthier, more enjoyable life. LE

Richard E. Boyatzis is Professor of Organizational Behavior andBauback Yeganeh is Faculty member at Weatherhead ExecutiveEducation, Case Western University. Visit www.Case.edu.

ACTION: Lead with mindfulness.

STANDING IN FRONT OF A FIREPLACE WITHglasses of wine, an old friend and

former boss asked Dimitrios, “Are youhaving fun?” Dimitrios paused. Shouldhe just say “Great!” or try to answer thequestion? He was caught off guard.

His friend asked, “Are you Okay?”Dimitrios said yes, but was haunted

by the question. It did not make senseto him. He was the CEO of a consultingcompany of about 200 staff, mostlywith PhDs, and the firm was growingrapidly, building an international mar-ket. But something was off.

Dimitrios did not notice that he andhis wife hadn’t laughed inmonths. Conversations withhis son seemed to drift intoa functional discussion ofschools in his future. Hewas gaining weight anddrinking more. Yet Dimitrios’clients were happy. His con-sultants were innovative intheir services and products.The company’s growth andreputation were excellent.So it came as a shock when seven staffspun off their own company and tookclients with them. Dimitrios felt betrayed,as did others. But it happened becausehe was mindful of some things in hiswork and life and mindless about others.• Mindfulness is being awake and

aware—being tuned into yourself, toothers, and to the environment. Mind-lessness is being tuned out or obliviousto important aspects of what is goingon around you, and maybe even towhat is happening inside of you.• Mindlessness had been growing in

Dimitrios’ life. He paid attention toclients and to the financials and market-ing. But the question about whether hewas having fun was a wake-up call. Hetalked to his wife, and at her sugges-tion, called two long-time friends. Bothsuggested that he take some time toreflect, and consider personal coaching.He decided to attend the LeadershipDeep Dive program at the Weatherhead

MindfulnessDo you tune in or out?

LEADERSHIP MINDFULNESS

4 M a r c h 2 0 1 2 w w w . L e a d e r E x c e l . c o m

by Richard E. Boyatzis and Bauback Yeganeh

EI, however, requires moving beyondawareness of your emotions. You haveto do something with that awareness.• Self-management is the capacity to

effectively manage or control emotionsand behavior. These first two clusterscomprise your emotional competence. Jim’semotional response to challenges de-meaned and threatened others, instead ofinspiring them to positive action.• Social competence includes social

awareness, the capacity to understandand to be attuned to the emotions ofother individuals or groups of people.• Relationship management is the

capacity to induce desirable responsesin others. The emotional and social compe-tence domains are highly interrelated. WhileJim struggled with emotional competence,his lack of social competence resulted inalienated followers ready to sever theirrelationship with him.

DDeevveellooppiinngg EEIIEI can be developed. Richard Boyatzis

and his colleagues find that, over two-to five years, individuals who complet-ed a competency-based MBA programgreatly increased EI. But how do youbecome a more emotionally intelligentleader? How can you grow your emo-tional and social intelligence?

Here are five steps drawn fromBoyatzis’ Intentional Change Theory:

1. Decide what type of leader youwant to be. Tap into a genuine motiva-tion to change by envisioning who youwould like to be as a leader, includingarticulating specific leadership behaviorsthat you would like to display consis-tently. You might envision being aninspiring leader of people, not just anefficient manager. This discovery andarticulation of the type of leader youwould like to become may be facilitatedby input from others. But the desire tochange has to come from within you. Whatyou are working toward should repre-sent your personal vision of the type of

Heart of Leadership

SMART PEOPLE CAN NOT ONLY FAIL ATinspiring and motivating their teams,

they can destroy interpersonal goodwill.• Jim Curran, production manager in a

manufacturing company, has been identi-fied as a high-potential manager. He’s onthe fast track—sponsored to attend theExecutive MBA program at a prestigiousuniversity. Last month his boss, the plantmanager, invited him to attend their execu-tive leadership retreat. Today, Jim knowsthat his crew will need to keep a tightschedule to meet their deadline. Things seemto be humming along. Then suddenly SamBundy, the quality control manager, who isconducting tests on the product, shutsdown the line. Jim knows that the deadlinewill be missed as they will need to retoolthe line to determine what caused the error.He explodes in anger, yelling at Sam.Intimidated, Sam walks away, and his crewfollows. They all go to the plant manager’soffice. Soon the plant manager yanks Jiminto his office and tells him, “You bettershape up or you’re out!” Jim is shocked.

Jim is hijacked by negative emotionswhen things don’t go his way, unawareof the impact of his behavior, obliviousof what others need from him, andunable to engage people in findingsolutions—all classic symptoms ofleaders who lack emotional intelli-gence—the ability to recognize and reg-ulate emotions in ourselves and others.If business acumen and strategic think-ing represent the mind of leadership,emotional intelligence represents the heart.

FFoouurr CClluusstteerrss ooff CCoommppeetteennccyySeveral models for developing emo-

tional and social intelligence exist. Themodel developed by Daniel Golemanand Richard Boyatzis is organized intofour clusters of competencies, represent-ing a set of learnable capabilities thatresult in outstanding performance.• Self-awareness is the capacity for

understanding your emotions, strengthsand weaknesses. Self-awareness is key tooutstanding leadership. Demonstrating

leader and person you would like to become.2. Assess where you are today rela-

tive to your ideal image or vision ofyourself as a leader. Self-assess whereyou are open and honest about yourcurrent strengths and shortcomings.Beyond self-assessment, seek feedbackfrom others to illuminate potential blindspots—things that others see in you, goodor bad, that you can’t see in yourself.

3. Develop a detailed plan for change.Target areas for improvement in emo-tional and social intelligence. In whatareas are you most excited about learn-ing and growing? Select three compe-tencies that you want to tackle initially(you can work on other things later).Your plan should always be targetedand focused—not just on closing gaps,but on leveraging strengths. By under-standing and utilizing your strengths,you can leverage them to close whatev-er gaps may exist between the leader youare today and the leader you would like to be.

4. Experiment with and then practicenew behaviors. No matter how elabo-rate your plan for change, if you contin-ue to do what you have always done,you will continue to be who you havealways been. To make meaningfulchange toward becoming a more emo-tionally intelligent leader, you have todo at least some things differently. Thisrequires experimenting with newbehaviors. You might practice seekinginput from your team. The key is tolearn from those mistakes, adjust yourbehavior, and try something else. Tocreate sustained change, you need topractice beyond the point of comfort—where you perform the new behaviorwell when you think about it—to thepoint of mastery where you can effec-tively engage in the targeted behaviorwithout thinking about it. “Amateurspractice until they get it right. Profession-als practice until they can’t get it wrong.”

5. Enlist the support of others to facil-itate your development. Behavioralchange is difficult, especially in isola-tion. To become an EI leader, you needto nest your change efforts within anetwork of trusting, supportive relation-ships. Turn to people with whom youhave a good relationship, one based ontrust, empathy, and mutual respect.

By intentionally developing EI, yourespond constructively to challengingcircumstances, inspire and motivateothers authentically, and connectdeeply with people—to engage as aleader with the mind and heart. LE

Melvin Smith is Faculty Director of Weatherhead ExecutiveEducation, Case Western University, and Diana Bilimoria isProfessor of OB. Visit www.Case.edu.

ACTION: Develop your emotional intelligence.

L e a d e r s h i p E x c e l l e n c e M a r c h 2 0 1 2 5

LEADERSHIP EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

E n g a g e w i t h e m o t i o n a l i n t e l l i g e n c e .

by Melvin Smith and Diana Bilimoria

neurological networks and endocrinesystems that enable our body and mindto heal itself—to renew.

If you are not aware of how much ofthis annoying stress—and how manymoments of renewal—you experienceeach day, take these two inventories:

SSttrreessss IInnvveennttoorryyReview your activities of last week.

If you were so stressed you can’t remem-ber anything that happened, give yourselfa score of 100). For each Activity/Timelisted, count each moment or event ona day that aroused tension, stress, orhad one of the four conditions.• Waking up, did you think of what

you had to do, a problem, or trouble?• Difficulty getting ready for the day• Traffic or delays in getting to work• A subordinate, colleague, or client

who frustrated you or caused a problem• Delays or obstacles to an activity• Pressure surrounding a report, task,

project, performance goal, or deadline• Having to work later than planned• Traffic or delays in getting home• Conversations, phone calls, or emails

that aroused any of the stressorsNow, total the number and calculate

your Stress Score for the week: _______

RReenneewwaall IInnvveennttoorryyReview your activities of last week.

If you can’t remember anything, giveyourself a score of 0 to reflect that youlikely didn’t experience any renewal). Foreach Activity/Time, count moments orevents, lasting 15 minutes or more, char-acterized by 1) a sense of inner peaceand calm; 2) a feeling of excitement andeagerness in anticipating an activity orthe future; 3) a sense of being in thepresent, not thinking about the past orfuture; 4) a pause or time out fromwhat you were doing or feeling.• Meditation or prayer

Positive Renewal

LEADERSHIP IS HARD, BUT CAN BE VERYrewarding. Stress is a part of our

lives and essential to our survival andadaptation. But if stress becomes chron-ic, it causes rifts in our awareness, andeventually erodes our cognitive, per-ceptual, and emotional openness andperformance. Fortunately, the humanbody and mind have a built mechanismfor renewal in the experiences of hope,mindfulness, compassion and playfulness.

For many of us in leadership, ourlives—and work—are full, perhaps toofull. We’re involved in many relation-ships and activities that use our energyand demand our attention. Thesearouse stress, perhaps not acute stress(causing us to pull our hair out), butmilder stress that creeps up on us in fre-quent doses, resulting in a chronic con-dition. While we need stress to functionand adapt, too much of it causes ourbody to defend itself by closing down.We become cognitively, perceptually,and emotionally impaired.

Participating in an event or activity,or merely thinking about it, can arousethis low-level, yet potent, stress—if anyof four conditions are present: 1) theoutcome or activity is important toyou; 2) the outcome or consequence isuncertain; 3) you are being observed orevaluated; 4) you anticipate any ofthese conditions; someone or some-thing angered or upset you. Leadershave an extra dose of power stress thatcomes from being responsible for peo-ple, organizations, or outcomes.

While we’re expanding our respon-sibilities and being promoted into big-ger and bigger jobs and roles, stressbuilds—but we aren’t given equal timeor adequate preparation in practicesthat reverse its chronic effects. We arenot taught how to renew. Our bodies,minds, hearts, and spirits can rebuildthemselves, but they might not. Thedifference is our intentionality in usingactivity and experience to invoke the

• Yoga, tai chi, or martial arts practice• A loving moment with your spouse,

partner, or significant other• Playing with your spouse, partner, or

significant other• Doing something for another person

to help him or her• Coaching or mentoring someone

(formally or informally)• Helping a friend with a compassion-

ate approach (not trying to fix them)• Modest exercise that you do regularly• Thinking about values or purpose• Talking with others about your

shared values or purposeNow, total the number and calculate

your Renewal Score: _______.Calculate your Renewal Ratio by

dividing your Renewal Score by yourStress Score, (as follows):

Renewal Ratio _______ = RenewalScore _______ / Stress Score _______.

If your Renewal Ratio is greater than1, you may be experiencing the benefitof periodic renewal moments to reversethe damage from chronic stress. Nowspread the joy to others! If your RenewalRatio is less than 1, you may be experi-encing more chronic stress than renew-al. Engage in recommended pursuits!

Reflect on one thing you could doeach day to change the balance (youmight work on these plans for renewalwith another person or personal coach).Build these conversations about renew-al into your relationships; withoutintentionality, renewal will be unsus-tainable. Stress will happen, but renew-al will only occur if you make it happen.

Four experiences contribute to build-ing closer, more productive resonantrelationships: hope, mindfulness, com-passion, and playfulness. These experi-ences also invoke the renewal processesin the body. Without periodic doses ofrenewal, even those of us with effective,resonant relationships will be reducedto unsustainable performance, and inef-fectiveness. We simply burn up.

In Leadership Deep Dive, we work withexecutives who wrestle with this issueand seek ways to escape this down-ward spiral. Although natural, this slideis not inevitable. We can, with supportfrom others, including coaches, reorientour work and lives to engage in suffi-cient renewal each day to keep our-selves excited, effective, and engaged.

The challenge remains maintainingintentionality in our daily dose of renewalto enjoy a healthier life and to sustain orincrease our effectiveness at work. LE

Richard E. Boyatzis is Distinguished Professor of OB andMelvin Smith is Assoc. Professor of OB, Executive Education,Case Western University. Visit www.case.edu.

ACTION: Engage in positive renewal.

6 M a r c h 2 0 1 2 w w w . L e a d e r E x c e l . c o m

LEADERSHIP RENEWAL

C a n y o u e v e n k e e p g o i n g ?

by Richard E. Boyatzis and Melvin Smith

the amount, I seldom come across aleader who isn’t drawn to the conceptof taking back many of the momentsthat get lost in work.

TThhrreeee MMiinnddffuull LLeeaaddeerr PPrraaccttiicceessTo practice mindfulness as a leader,

try three core practices:1. Intentionally anchor your mind to

the present moment. Being in a state ofpurposeful intention can be challengingwhen the environment constantly givesyou cues to fall back into automaticwork routines. Being mindful requiresa disciplined practice of anchoring themind in the present moment.• Anchoring through breathing. Calmly

be attentive to your breathing. Relaxed,full breathing in which the diaphragmexpands during inhalation and con-tracts during exhalation results in

tremendous performance and healthbenefits associated with mindfulness.• Anchoring through the five senses.

Focus on the five senses and take abreak from your inner conversations toreset your mind. A byproduct of ourabstract and sophisticated communica-tion is that we tend to become over-focused on language and images, attimes causing sub-optimal results.Anchoring to the present can happenby paying distinct attention to sights,sounds, and physical sensations.

Worrying about a past or futureevent is very different than planningand problem solving. If the outcome ofyour mental process is anxiety or stress,you’re likely worrying. If the outcomeis a list of actions and solutions, you arelikely planning or problem solving.

2. Notice what is happening withoutjudging it. Non-judgment or acceptancemeans accepting the current state aspart of a constant flow of changingexperiences. Letting go of judgmentstrengthens the mind, and challengesthe belief that over-thinking something

Mindful Leader

AS ORGANIZATIONSstress the need to

do more with less, oneof the strongest themes I see is anincrease in work complexity and load.

As one participant in the CaseWestern Executive Education programreported: “My typical workday goeslike this: Check email, check calendar, goto meetings, run reports, check emailagain, write a communication and checkmore email. Since many tasks are repeat-ed, I do them on autopilot, withoutengaging any part of my brain thatinvolves attention or focus.” While weall spend much of our lives in autopi-lot, the ability to step out of the auto-matic patterns once in a while requireseffort, or present centered awareness.

Doing more with less is challengingin these settings, since leaders tend torespond by engaging work routinesthat have helped them get throughintense spikes of work in the past. Thishinders learning new ways to adaptand eventually results in a pattern inwhich quantity trumps quality.

As a leader, your mind is your great-est asset. So, be strategic in how youuse your greatest asset. You can usespecific techniques to improve yourmindfulness; and when taught in anenvironment that integrates leadingbrain research and sound leadershiptheory, mindfulness can be a game-changer for business leaders.

WWhhaatt IIss MMiinnddffuullnneessss??The following definition of mindful-

ness informs leader development:Mindfulness is a state in which a person isintentionally aware of momentary experi-ence. Practicing mindfulness enhancesmental and physical health, creativity,and contextual learning.

The opposite, mindlessness, is oftendescribed as being unaware, focusedon the future or past, or being on auto-pilot. Living mindlessly can result intunnel vision, stress, unintentionalbehaviors, poor physical health, lowcreativity, and difficulty navigatingcomplex systems. How much of whatyou have done in the last 24 hours wasintentional and purposeful? Whatever

helps control it. While leaders are paidto master problems and navigate obsta-cles, there is a big difference betweenmindlessly judging and mindfully think-ing. When we judge mindlessly, we letwhat we are experiencing dictate ourmental and emotional states, oftenwithout being aware of it, and alwayswithout being intentional about it. Inexecutive education programs, I ask:“Should your emotional state fluctuatebased on the events that happen duringthe day?” No leaders raise their hands.Then I ask: “How many of you let youremotional states fluctuate based onevents that happen throughout theday?” This question always results in asea of hands raised, and chuckles.

Traditional cognitive techniques tendto encourage replacing thoughts; howev-er simply acknowledging what and howyou are thinking, without reacting to it,enables you to redirect your mind towhat you want to focus on. Try practic-ing acceptance of whatever you areexperiencing in the moment by lettinggo of evaluation and judgment. It willenable you to act intentionally.

3. Analyze your environment mind-fully. Being mindful means paying partic-ular attention to situational contexts.Being mindless means thinking in blackand white about something, hencereducing its complexity and makingerrors. A mindful approach to analyz-ing the environment requires seekingnew sources of information and placinga value on doubt. Many culturesreward expressions of certainty. Thisincentivizes people to act more certainthan they may be in order to achievegoals. Study the routines that dominateyou and your organization and findnew ways to think and act in those times.

I once asked leaders who participat-ed in my mindful leader programs toshare the impact of the program backat work. Here are a few responses:

“If I can’t control a situation, I accept itand focus behavior on what I can control.”

“I’m more present in my meetings.”“I’m more aware of keeping an open

mind when speaking with direct reports.”You can practice mindfulness any-

where. Just focus your mind by findingyour unique way to intentionallyanchor yourself in the moment. Sincethis is challenging, learn from a credi-ble source. Practicing mindfulness isabout leading your mind so that you canpurposefully lead others. It is about bring-ing your best to work, intentionally. LE

Bauback Yeganeh, Ph.D., is principal of Everidian, an organizational effectiveness firm. Visit www.everidian.com; or email by@everidian.com.

ACTION: Practice leadership mindfulness.

by Bauback Yeganeh

L e a d e r s h i p E x c e l l e n c e M a r c h 2 0 1 2 7

LEADERSHIP MINDFULNESS

T h r e e t i p s t o b e c o m e o n e .

phase of Appreciative Inquiry, theyengage stakeholders in structured con-versations that reconnect them withtheir positive core—success factors andbest practices that best explain how andwhy they’ve been at their best.

This search for continuity—a collec-tive articulation of strengths that must bepreserved—does four key things to ensurea successful change effort:

1. It creates psychological safety. Ex-pressing, in dialogue with others, thosethings that have most contributed toour success gives us a sense of belong-ing and being respected. This makesthe work setting less threatening beforewe engage in imagining the future.

2. It creates positive affect, whichstimulates a basic orientation towardcompassion and concern for the other.Under conditions of positive emotionalarousal, people are more future-orient-ed, open to change, and interested inlearning and development.

3. It uncovers a cooperative core ofpractices and behaviors that can be usedfor future collaborations. Best practicesare usually the result of collaborativeeffort, and remind stakeholders of pos-sibilities inherent in cooperation and col-laboration. When two participants speak

to the same collaborative out-comes in a sharing and listen-ing exchange, they confirmthe efficacy of their abilities,and begin to imagine greaterachievements because theysee other stakeholders asmore capable as well.

4. It creates a holding envi-ronment that encouragesexperimentation and further

exploration. Most resistance to change ismisread as disagreement with the pre-ferred solution or as ignorance. It comesfrom fear of the unknown or a feeling ofdisruption. Reconnecting with strengthsthat provide continuity gives peoplerenewed confidence and stability fromwhich they can embrace uncertainty.

When people search together forcontinuity, awareness of the whole sys-tem is enhanced. Concern for me givesway to a genuine interest in we.

So, begin a change process by asking:What is not going to change? Search forwhat gives continuity and life to theorganization when it is at its very bestin order to create positive dialogue, andcollaborative connections to better imag-ine future possibilities and co-createchanges to enact the preferred future. LE

Ronald Fry is Chair and Professor of Organizational Behaviorat Weatherhead Executive Education. Visit www.Case.edu.

ACTION: Lead change by managing continuity.

Managing Continuity

IS YOUR TEAM ONE BIGhappy family? Or

maybe you take pride inbeing a lean, mean, fightin’ machine.These familiar metaphors are used incasual conversation every day todescribe business teams. But metaphorsare more than mere figures of speech.When understood properly, they arepowerful tools for leading teams.

A metaphor is the substitution of oneword or idea for another. Business com-petition, for example, is a battleground oran arena. The substitution describesvividly and concisely the essential qual-ities of a thing. When we call a compa-ny a good neighbor or piece of the rock, wedo not need to describe at length thecompany’s reliability, its history, or thecustomer service training of its employ-ees. By substituting good neighbor for thename of the company, we rely on com-mon ideas about how good neighborsbehave. At a deeper level, however, themetaphor you use to describe yourteam is the mental model that shapes theway you think about the team and yourleadership approach.

Obviously, the leader who pictureshis team as a family will adopt a differ-ent style than the leader who thinks sheis in charge of, say, an ant colony. What’simportant is whether leaders are awareof the metaphors that drive their behav-iors. Each of us has a mental picture ofhow an effective team functions, but toooften, leaders do not appreciate the sub-conscious effects of these pictures on theirbehavior and on their teams.

I offer four principles for workingwith metaphors that will help you takecharge of your mental models, and teams:

1. Choose the right metaphor. First,ask yourself: Does your mental modelresonate with your team? Consider theexample of Alex when he took overleadership of a specialized pharma-ceutical R&D team. The team was well-respected in the company and hada reputation for high-quality work.From the outside, this team had alwaysseemed to Alex to be tight-knit andcongenial; the members enjoyed work-ing together, and he sensed they had agreat deal of loyalty to the team. Alexlooked forward to leading the team and

L e a d p o s i t i v e c h a n g e .

SCORES OF ORGANIZAT-ions have achieved

changes once consid-ered impossible. How? They pay atten-tion to the role of stability in the changeeffort (managing continuity). They re-connect their stakeholders with theirshared strengths to establish continu-ity, and engage in reasoned choicesabout which success factors from theirhistory are most important to carryforward in the context of the changetopic they are addressing.

Continuity is connectedness, overtime, among organizational efforts. Itlinks the past with the present, and thepresent with future hopes and ideals.Whether represented by best prac-tices, proprietary technology, uniquedistributor relationships, core values,group norms, specific metrics, or otherfeatures, continuity representswhat really makes us tick. It cre-ates a sense of pride or mean-ing in our work, and ensuresour business model—and on-going success.

At the individual level, conti-nuity creates pride, confidenceto act, ethical guidance, free-dom to explore, and positiveemotional affect. At the organi-zational level, it strengthens commit-ment, creates psychological safety,enhances decision-making, decentral-izes control, provides mission stability,and encourages a system-wide per-spective. It results from appreciatingwhat has given life to the enterprisewhen it has been most alive, success-ful, flourishing, or effective.

Successful, positive change requiresstability. No individual or system candeal with total disruption or uncertainty.To take risks, try new ways of doingthings, or engage in wild innovation,we must hold on to something reliable. Ourwork with CEOs reveals that they sharea common agenda. Each attends to nov-elty (innovation), transition (plannedchange), and continuity (stability). Thefirst two items are no surprise—lead-ers must address change and innovationin order to grow. The fact that theyalso attend to continuity (stability) ismore surprising. In the Discovery

8 M a r c h 2 0 1 2 w w w . L e a d e r E x c e l . c o m

Leading TeamsChoose the right metaphor.

MANAGEMENT CONTINUITY LEADERSHIP METAPHOR

by Poppy Lauretta McLeodby Ronald Fry

evoke these same values and emotions?• Assess how well the metaphor fits your

team’s purpose. Thinking through theimplications of the metaphor will helpyou to see the ways in which the meta-phor supports the team and the ways inwhich its natural limits hold the teamback. For example, if you think the fami-ly metaphor fits, does that also imply thatout of loyalty you wait too long beforeaddressing poor performance? Also,consider whether the metaphor is com-patible with larger organization culture.This evaluation may lead you to consid-er whether it is time to change yourmetaphor.• Identify leadership skills implied by the

metaphor. Leading a “tossed salad” teammight demand inspirational leadershipand negotiation skills, whereas empa-thy and strong skills in developing oth-ers might be in higher demand in afamily atmosphere. Taking stock ofyour skill set is vital when you arethinking of changing the metaphorbecause of the implied changes in yourleadership style.• Go to your team. Sharing a mental

model increases a team’s effectiveness.Find or create opportunities for team

members to communicatetheir metaphors. If yourteam is in the habit of regu-lar self-evaluation orretreats, these present anideal setting to address thequestions presented aboveas a team. Short of thesekinds of opportunities, lis-ten with a critical ear toyour team’s talk. Do mem-bers express themselves in

metaphorical language? For example,do you hear them talking about things“running smoothly” or “hummingalong”? Do they make reference to their“sister department” or the “parent com-pany”? All such phrases may not neces-sarily be evidence of a pervasive meta-phor, but if you listen with a detachedview, you may be surprised by the ten-dency of an overarching metaphor tosurface through everyday language.

LLeeaaddeerrsshhiipp MMooddeellss aanndd MMeettaapphhoorrssEvery leader has in mind a model, or

metaphor, that represents his or herteam. Some are more clearly developedthan others. Some leaders may evenhave more than one. Bringing yourmetaphors into sharper focus will boostthe power of your leadership. LE

Poppy Lauretta McLeod is Assoc. Professor of Communicationat Cornell Univ. and Faculty at Weatherhead ExecutiveEducation. Visit www.Case.edu.

ACTION: Choose the right metaphor for your team.

behind her choices. Her manager’s sup-port eroded too, however, after he sat inon one of her team meetings. Her open,exciting, and free-wheeling atmosphereappeared to him to be chaotic, out-of-control, and unprofessional. He left themeeting with doubts about her leader-ship ability and whether her teamwould produce anything of much valueto the company.

Fortunately, a long conversation withher manager helped Julia to see the pro-blem with the mental model she heldfor her team. Her tossed salad didn’t fitwell in a meat-and-potatoes culture. Thisis not to say that the company did notvalue and seek innovation and creativi-ty, but the approach could not go com-pletely outside of organization practicesand norms. Julia might have been onfirmer ground had she started by tryingsimply to substitute rice for potatoes.

3. Know the limits of the metaphor.All metaphors have limits. Metaphorshelp you to identify and focus on thekey qualities and values of your team,but should not be taken too literally. Awell-organized and -trained team can belike a machine: efficient, productive, andreliable. But people are not machines.When things start to gowrong on a team, they can’teasily be traced to a faultypart, or fixed by replacing it.Most people don’t want towork on a team in whichpeople are seen as disposable.

Be aware that themetaphor-in-use in yourleadership style may alsoplace limits on what yourteam can accomplish. Ateam that operates as a family may fos-ter mutual commitment, trust, and asense of security, but may also breedinsularity and closed-mindedness tonew ideas. As another example, in ahighly competitive industry, evoking animage of “combat-readiness” may havean inspiring effect on a team, but mod-eling the strict hierarchy of a militaryunit may inhibit individuals on the“front lines” from taking initiative anddecision-making authority.

4. Work the metaphor in four ways.• Identify the key values that operate in

your team. Are they: Achievement?Risk-taking? Excellence? Openness?Dependability? Competition?• Describe the everyday emotional climate

in the team. Is it: Inspired? Fun? Upbeat?Hopeful? Tense? Fearful? Depressing?Do these values and emotions fit thepicture of your team in your mind? Ifnot, or you can’t identify the picture,what comparison(s) can you make that

was anxious to be accepted as a mem-ber of this happy family.

He soon found, however, that theteam members resisted his attempts to showa personal interest in them. Worse, theyalso seemed resistant to opening up tohim about work issues. He even had avague feeling they were relieved andworked better when he wasn’t around.Meanwhile, concerns began to crop upin the water cooler talk that the newboss was an intrusive micro-manager.

Alex misread the team’s metaphor-in-use. He failed to recognize that thetrue source of team members’ enjoyment ofeach other was deep respect for each other’sprofessional contributions. Team memberswere highly trained, and their skills andknowledge areas meshed in a comple-mentary way. They were used to work-ing independently. They, in fact, sawthemselves as a machine that was well-designed for the work at hand. Theyexpected their manager to obtain re-sources, to ensure that new memberswere trained well to fit into the system,and to communicate the team’s goalsclearly, then leave them to get on with it.

Had Alex observed and listenedmore carefully he would have noticedthat the strong relationships within thisteam were a byproduct of the teammembers’ pride in their achievements,not a result of direct intervention.

2. Make sure that the metaphor fitsyour culture. Julia learned this lessonthe hard way when she was chargedwith creating a new data managementprocess for her financial services firm,and was given free rein to assemble theteam. Julia saw this as a chance to infusecreativity and innovative work meth-ods into the company. She wanted tohave a team element that was dynamic,exciting, open, and free-wheeling. Sheenvisioned meetings where ideaswould be freely tossed around and thebest kept for further development. Shesmiled to herself as the image of atossed salad came to mind. Her teamwould produce fresh ideas, and theirrecommendations would be not onlyviable, but also innovative and unique.

The trouble began when the mem-bership of the team was finalized. Inher zeal for innovative and creativethinking, Julia populated her team pri-marily with people who had been withthe company for a relatively short timeand with people from outside of thecore lines of business, overlooking com-pany veterans with deep knowledge of the business. People immediatelyexpressed concerns to Julia’s boss aboutthe team’s credibility, but he initiallyaffirmed his support of the reasoningL e a d e r s h i p E x c e l l e n c e M a r c h 2 0 1 2 9

himself, he desired to inspire others toachieve new heights of success. Thismarked a big change in how he viewedhimself, his work, and his contributions.

The new ideas that came to Jim wereprovoked by a coaching approach thatinvited new ideas and perceptions. Jim’scoach was coaching with compassion, try-ing to bring Jim into a state called thePositive Emotional Attractor where he wasmore likely to be open to new ideas andperceptions. Coaching with compassionstimulates dramatic improvements inthe emotional, social, and cognitiveintelligence competencies related toleadership effectiveness. This approachis a marked contrast to coaching for com-pliance where the coach feeds backassessment data or summarizes resultsfrom performance reviews, and asksthe person what he or she could do tochange. This creates a Negative EmotionalAttractor by invoking what others(bosses, spouses, even coaches) thinkthe person should do, and change.

The compassionate approach worked.Jim became re-engaged in his work. Hisrelationships with people became moreopen, transparent, and trusting. Ninemonths later, he received his best per-formance review. As one peer said,

“Today, I see a differentman—a real leader and col-league who listens to theviews of others. I admired hisvision statement and found ithumbling. It made me re-visit my vision.”

Change is stressful. Suchstress leads to disengagementand dissonance in relation-

ships. By coaching people toward theirdreams, values, and passion, weengage their feeling of being cared forand understood. It arouses compassionin the person being coached—and inthe coach. Arousing compassion invokesrenewal processes vital to sustainability.

But this is counter-intuitive. When wetry to help someone, we tend to tell theperson what to do. We don’t pay atten-tion to the person; rather, we imposeour will and goals on them. The resultis acquiescence, coping, or passiveresistance. Hearing advice delivered inthis fashion engenders a defensivenessor guilt about how the listener shouldact. This is coaching for compliance.

When we encourage people to dreamof possibilities, to reflect on their values,passion, and desired legacy, we arousethe Positive Emotional Attractor. LE

Melvin Smith, Richard E. Boyatzis, and Ellen Van Oosten arecolleagues in OB, Weatherhead EE. Visit www.Case.edu.

ACTION: Coach people with compassion.

Coach with Compassion

LEADERSHIP IS LIKE A VIDEO GAME. YOUthink you’ve mastered it until your

nine-year-old nephew explains thatthere’s a whole other level that you did-n’t know about. At this level, you needto be faster, more agile, more aggres-sive. At first, it kicks your butt. Butwith patience and effort, you crack it.Success! Then you go online and findthat there’s yet another, hidden levelthat only the real geeks know about,and so the process continues.

In this article we explore the fourlevels of leadership: self, others, organi-zation, and society. Successful leadersneed to know how to navigate fromone level to another, leveraging whatthey’ve learned at one level to be suc-cessful at the next. We’ll identify theperspective and the core competenciesthat leaders have to take as theyprogress through these levels.

Like realizing that Ezio has to re-encounter Altair in the game Assassin’sCreed, you see that the challenges andopportunities at the various levels ofleadership are all connected. You needtechniques and insights gained in onelevel to be successful in another. Inleadership, you cannot sustain adesired change unless you work at multiple levels at the same time.

LLeevveell 11:: SSeellffFirst, leaders need to recognize that

all leadership starts from within. Notthat it is innate or pre-determined—infact, we strongly believe that the oppo-site is true: we contend that effectiveleadership can be taught and learned,that everyone’s leadership capabilitycan be improved through the applica-tion of a strengths-based approach topersonal change. The method we findmost effective is the Intentional ChangeModel developed by Richard Boyatzis.

In the application of this model,leaders come to realize that true self-awareness is an essential element ofeffective leadership. They grasp theimportance of understanding theirstrengths and weaknesses, but also rec-

POLITICIANS DROOL FOR THE ECONOMICdevelopment results Jim McFarlane

was achieving. Through his efforts,major investment and job creationwere taking place in Scotland. He wasregarded as one of Scotland’s fore-most economic development practi-tioners. As managing director ofScottish Enterprise—the national eco-nomic development agency—Jimworked day and night. Stimulatingentrepreneurship and investment in acountry besieged by economic chal-lenges changes people’s lives—butJim felt he was working harder thanever, and enjoying it less.

Through Scottish Enterprise, Jimparticipated in Weatherhead’sLeadership Deep Dive program,which includes individualcoaching. But Jim was havingdifficulty opening up in hisearly conversations with hiscoach. His coach asked him todescribe his passion, purpose,and core values, to envisionhimself five years in thefuture, and to consider what he want-ed to do in his work and in his life.Although Jim regularly asked hisdirect reports to do something likethis, he had not done it for himself. Hewas clearly uncomfortable sharing hisfeelings and emotions in this way, butas he reflected more, an old flame thathad burned inside him was rekindled.

His coach asked Jim to put his ideasin writing. He drafted a four-page per-sonal vision statement that included anawareness that he needed to be more ofa leader and less of a manager.

Jim had demonstrated he couldlead complex economic developmentprojects; he had established a trackrecord of being a high achiever whoalways delivered. He was rewardedrepeatedly for these accomplishments.But for the first time in his career, hebegan to see his primary role not asmanaging projects, but as teachingand coaching others to be that projectmanager. Instead of doing the work

1 0 M a r c h 2 0 1 2 w w w . L e a d e r E x c e l . c o m

Levels of LeadershipPEOPLE COACHING LEADERSHIP LEVELS

by Michael Devlin and Melvin Smith

Work at the four simultaneously.

by Melvin Smith, Richard E. Boyatzis, and Ellen Van Oosten

It’s the best way to motivate others.

cies requires the continued demonstra-tion and development of your emo-tional competencies.

LLeevveell 33:: OOrrggaanniizzaattiioonnWhile all leaders need to under-

stand the importance of leading oneselfand leading others, many leaders havethe added responsibility of leading anorganization. This requires awarenessthat goes beyond understanding indi-viduals and small groups to under-standing the complex dynamics of theorganization as a system. Leaders atthis level encounter a new challengefor the first time in their lives: leader-ship without a personal context, that is,learning to connect without contact.Previous leadership experiences haverelied upon interpersonal dynamics.The leader personally connected withteam members and developed a levelof trust with them. She or he was ableto motivate and even inspire teammembers by looking them in the eye,articulating a vision, creating enthusi-asm, drawing out their best selves. Butat the organizational level, this one-on-

one leadership dynamic often does notexist. So leading effectively at this levelinvolves mobilizing and energizingothers toward the attainment of ashared vision without the benefit of aninterpersonal dynamic, and often,despite the presence of competingagendas and priorities. It also requiresunderstanding and managing how theorganization is situated within a largercontext. Leaders must recognize thattheir organization is not an isolatedentity, but a system within a system.

LLeevveell 44:: SSoocciieettyyLeaders have a role and a responsi-

bility to lead within the broader soci-ety. At the end of the day, it is not justabout the leader as an individual, orabout the success of her or his organi-zation and the individuals within it.Truly outstanding leaders make a dif-ference on a bigger stage. They have afavorable impact on their community,their country, and even the world.

Tony Hayward, former CEO of BP,

ognize the need to be in touch withtheir passions, dreams, and aspira-tions. They are aware of, and true to,their core values, and have a clearsense of purpose or calling in theirlives. Ultimately, they have for them-selves a personal vision for the future.Leaders who understand the impor-tance of leading oneself, however, alsorecognize the need to exhibit self-con-trol. Their passion is tempered bypatience, ethics, and good judgment.

The core of Boyatzis’ IntentionalChange Theory (ICT) is the word“intentional.” This does not meanattending a seminar on leadership andemerging with the hope that some ofthat good material will gradually sinkin, leading to a series of incrementalimprovements that result in a vaguelybetter you. Rather, ICT prescribesbeginning by exploring your ideal self,including the crafting of a personalvision statement. Only then is a 360-degree assessment undertaken to iden-tify how the real self matches up to theideal self, both positively and nega-tively. The next step is the develop-ment of a learning plan that closes thegap between the real and ideal selves.The execution of this plan with thehelp of others—preferably including apersonal coach—is the foundation forbecoming a better leader.

LLeevveell 22:: OOtthheerrssObviously, the next level of leader-

ship is leading others. And by “lead-ing,” we are not merely referring todirecting or ordering specific behav-iors. We are instead referring to thecapacity to ignite a fire within others,inspiring them to do more, to givemore, and to be the best they can be.This requires an ability to make gen-uine, authentic connections with oth-ers, showing that you understand theirneeds and concerns, and care as well.People don’t care how much you knowuntil they know how much you care.

The competencies required of aleader in this environment differ sig-nificantly from those that helped himcraft a clearer picture of his own lead-ership strengths and gaps. Effectivelyleading others involves moving beyondthe demonstration of the emotionalcompetencies of self-awareness andself-management to demonstrating thesocial competencies of social aware-ness and relationship management.But like playing a video game, wherethe skills that you mastered at a lowerlevel will be required as you developnew and more sophisticated skills atthe next, mastering social competen-

did not lose his job because he failed to understand the drilling and refine-ment industry. He lost his job becausehe whiffed when it came time tounderstand the role that his companyplayed in the community in which itoperated. Contrast that to Steve Jobs,whose vision to “put a dent in the uni-verse” had little to do with creatingcomputers and everything to do withchanging the way people live in theworld. While he certainly had hisflaws, and while he may not have rep-resented the ideal prototype of an out-standing leader, Jobs’ understanding ofhis company’s leadership role in soci-ety had far more to do with his andApple’s success than a cool-lookingMP3 player.

WWoorrkkiinngg MMuullttiippllee LLeevveellssJust when it seems difficult enough

to effectively lead change on one level,we raise the ante. Our lives, dyadicrelationships, and teams all conspire toaffect and be affected by dynamics inour organization—just as the mood ina family is affected by the parents’ rela-tionship to each other and to their par-ents. Leading change requires payingattention (again, being intentional) atall of these levels simultaneously.Insights and emotions occurring withina top management team become a keyelement in the organization’s ability tosustain a desired change.

This multi-level perspective occursnaturally, but is not typically discussedin leadership training and education.But as we saw with Tony Hayward, amisstep at one level reverberates at allof the other levels. We believe, withappropriate learning and coaching,leaders can become as comfortableoperating at many levels as they areconcentrating on one.

Of course, we are quite aware that itis far easier to state the importance ofmoving through the levels of leader-ship than it is to do it. But whether thelast video game you mastered was Pongor you are an accomplished villain atthe third level of Grand Theft Auto, youunderstand that the patience, knowl-edge, and hard work required to moveto the next level is enormously satisfy-ing and rewarding. So it is with leader-ship. It is the most important journeythat an executive can take. And whenyou commit to that journey, your team,your organization, and your communi-ty will be glad you did. LE

Michael Devlin is Associate Dean of Weatherhead ExecutiveEducation and Melvin Smith is Associate Professor of OB andFaculty Director of WEE. Visit www.case.edu.

ACTION: Work the four levels simultaneously.

L e a d e r s h i p E x c e l l e n c e M a r c h 2 0 1 2 1 1

munity leaders, and global parent leader-ship). The participants met for a day tosummarize the strengths and best prac-tices of the current workplace culture,imagine together their highest aspirationsfor a future culture that would sustaintheir productivity, employee well-being,and overall economic success, and thendesign and launch change initiatives tobring about their desired future.

One new change initiative focused onsafety. A mixed stakeholder group formedand created their initiative’s aspirationstatement with the help of feedback fromthe larger gathering during the summit:“[Steel USA] is an organization that isinjury-free! All employees understand thatsafety is our #1 priority. We are all com-mitted to take action to correct safetyissues. We take ownership in our injury-free environment and culture.” After thesummit, this change team met and createda plan subsequently approved by senior

leadership. Their plan was toaim for a similar AppreciativeInquiry summit in March orApril 2007, and to prepare for itby interviewing every employeein one-on-one conversationsduring fall 2006. A cadre ofaround 70 interviewers wereprepared, each of whom wouldconduct 20 interviews. In total,some 1400 interviews (out of

1,600 total employees) were completedbetween September and December 2006.

Here are the questions, they used:• Tell me about a time when you felt most

safe and secure working in this mill. Whatin particular helped make you feel safe?• Tell me about a time when you did

something to prevent an accident fromhappening, a time when you did or saidsomething to keep yourself and/or othersfrom getting hurt.• Imagine we are truly injury-free! We

are the safest mill in the entire global sys-tem. Everyone goes home after work justas safe as when they came in that day.What does the mill look like?

Interview summaries were analyzed bythe core safety team and used to preparefor a summit at the end of March 2007.

From that summit came 11 specificchange initiatives, all aimed at loweringaccidents and creating a workplace focusedon safety at all levels.

Words Create Worlds

TODAY WE ARE OVER-whelmed with

change models, lists offailure factors to avoid, and constantreminders of how complex organiza-tion life can be, and how difficult itcan be to lead effective change. Indeed,many change efforts fail, stagnate, orlose traction, as participants becomemore focused on project metrics, datasubmission, and other activities, all inthe name of following the plan orprocess model championed by leader-ship or consultants. Far too often, par-ticipants report that their behavior didnot really change; they just addedmore meetings, trainings, and report-ing to their schedules.

What causes or creates behavioralchange? Could it be that the elaboratestage or step models we cre-ate to deal with complexityhave blinded us to some-thing very basic, obvious,and powerful? Could it bethat leading or catalyzingchange could be as straight-forward as changing the con-versations we have about thechange focus? Can words real-ly create worlds?

Recent evidence from a steel milltrying to improve safety performancesuggests that organizations go in thedirection of what they most talk andask questions about. Conversations candramatically shape behavior.

SSaaffeettyy IImmpprroovveemmeenntt aatt SStteeeell UUSSAASteel USA (1,600 unionized workers)

had been managed by a progressive teamsince coming out of bankruptcy someseven years prior. Within the global par-ent steel company, this mill was one of themost productive in tonnage per man hour.But its safety performance record, as mea-sured by US OSHA standards, was poor.

Early in 2006, an Appreciative Inquirysummit entitled “Embracing Our Future”was convened to solidify and amplify themill’s culture. Around 180 participantsrepresented all functions, shifts, ranges ofemployment tenure, and levels of respon-sibility at Steel USA, along with externalstakeholders (customers, suppliers, com-

CChhaannggee CCoommeess FFrroomm tthhee CCoonnvveerrssaattiioonnssSeveral months later, the trends on

accidents reported to OSHA were reviewed:accidents averaged 46 percent fewer, andthe drop began before the March 2007summit (the average number of accidentsrecorded each month dropped sharplyby 58 percent, and in the finishing divi-sion, considered the most dangerous,accidents fell to record lows!

Can site-wide conversations betweenco-workers somehow catalyze behaviorchange—without meetings, formal pro-jects, or training? Indeed, these conver-sations were generative connections:they generate new ideas about safebehaviours, AND the energy to act onthose ideas took hold. This second out-come, the desire and energy to act on ashared idea, is rare in organizationallife. Typically, we wait for the responsi-ble manager or leader to direct or initi-ate action on a new idea.

IImmpplliiccaattiioonnssThis story underscores a fundamen-

tal idea about change: If you want tochange behavior related to an issue,begin by changing the ways you talkabout it. Change the conversation!

We glean change leadership principlesfrom the experience of Steel USA instimulating generative conversations:• Inquiry drives change. The questions

we ask daily as managers are fateful.We move in the direction of our most fre-quent topics of conversation. If we askabout lower morale, we learn to lessenit; if we ask about high engagementand enthusiasm, we learn how to createmore of it. The questions shape the futureas much, if not more, than the answers do.• Reconnecting with strengths leads to

positive images of greater possibilities.Story-based questions that revisit bestpractices, personal and collectivestrengths, or high-point experiences,solidify personal and group efficacyand propel future images of what’spossible in the future.• Positive affect and positive image

leads to positive behavior. Strength-based conversations that generate posi-tive affect result in a concern for theother(s) or for the larger system, be-yond personal self-interest. This experi-ence of positive emotion is necessaryfor sustained collaboration.

Steel USA experienced a shift in cul-tural norms. We help each other stay safeis the new norm. Generative conversa-tions about safety that included every-one resulted in big changes. LE

Ronald Fry is Chair and Professor of Organizational Behaviorat Weatherhead Executive Education. Visit www.case.edu.

ACTION: Learn and apply lessons from Steel USA.

by Ronald Fry

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PERFORMANCE WORDS

Change conversations to transform performance.

and yet feel a sense of true inclusionand ownership. How can a leader en-gender a sense of inclusion in the face ofsuch diversity? People feel included whenthey belong to meaningful groups andare accepted and treated as insiders andnot outsiders by others, can access theinformation, resources, and networksnecessary for effective job performance,have the chance to influence decisionsand to develop and advance.

EEnnggaaggee iinn TTwwoo SSeettss ooff BBeehhaavviioorrssTo bring about this sense of inclusion,

leaders engage in two sets of behaviors:1. Authentically value and respect all

individuals for their talents and contri-butions. Leaders’ words and deeds mustdemonstrate an authentic appreciationfor the diverse identities, backgrounds,talents and contributions of all teammembers. Leaders should first be aware

of their stereotypes, biases, and mentalmodels that impede valuing diverseothers. They should allow and recog-nize diverse identity expression fromtheir employees. They should hold oth-ers accountable for disrespectful behaviortoward different others. Inclusive lead-ers should articulate the value of diver-sity for team effectiveness and show acommitment to diversity in hiring, ad-vancement, compensation, and reten-tion practices. And, inclusive leadersshould demonstrate a willingness tolearn from diverse perspectives.

2. Actively create a high-engagementculture by encouraging the input andinitiative of all employees. Leadersshould monitor their own behaviors toensure that they treat all opinionsequally and respectfully. They shouldengender a sense of shared purposeand clear paths among team members,promoting a common vision based onshared values that are directly linked toteam outcomes. Leaders should create

Inclusive Leadership

LEADERSHIP IS ABOUTengaging and ener-

gizing people, andinspiring them to give their best, tostretch, to achieve, and to excel. We’veall been in places where leaders haveserved as role models and examples ofthe behaviors we want to emulate—where they’ve sought our input inmaking things better, made the workwe do meaningful, recognized ourskills and talents, treated us fairly, andserved as stewards and champions ofthe human assets into the future. Whenworking with such leaders—we areengaged, energized, willing to give our all,to be challenged, improve, achieve aboveand beyond what we imagine is possible.

In other workplaces, we’ve felt theopposite. Our bosses have been con-cerned with self-interest—with theirown private gain and ego aggrandize-ment. These so-called leaders are con-sumed by power and control. They holdback their people; keep them tetheredto stagnant jobs; share informationonly on a need-to-know basis; favorsome staff over others; treat theiremployees as small cogs in a bigwheel; obsess about their image, howgood they look in the short run; andconstantly spin information. At best,under such leadership people becomestealth employees who spend inordinateenergy trying to fly under the radaruntil some other work option materializes.

The difference between these leadersis palpable. Inclusive leadership is ener-gizing and motivating; each employeefeels authentically valued and respect-ed and is engaged in achieving a sharedvision. Inclusive leaders effectively leaddiverse teams by creating workplaceswhere all employees feel valued forwho they are, and know their ideascount. They enable their people to feellike owners of the system—like theyhave a stake in its future—not renters.By acting as owners, team memberscan leverage their diverse perspectives(ways of thinking) and approaches (waysof doing) to enhance learning andgrowth and drive business success.

On today’s diverse teams, membersmay differ in several characteristics

team conditions that encourage membersto speak up about ideas, opportunities,problems, and errors, and to engage invigorous debate about these if neces-sary; such conditions include a sense ofpsychological safety that allows thevoicing of dissent or imagination, and alearning orientation. By their wordsand actions, leaders should promoteteam relations that are fair, democratic,supportive, and welcoming of ques-tions and challenges, rather than teamrelations that are authoritarian, unsup-portive, defensive, or based on favor-itism. Inclusive leaders increase thetransparency of team decision-makingand processes.

By undertaking these two sets ofactions, leaders can engineer a shiftfrom an exclusionary and stagnant cul-ture that is de-motivating and de-ener-gizing, to an inclusive and open culturethat brings out the best of people, ener-gizes them, encourages collaboration,and supports initiative and innovativecontributions from all individuals. Suchinclusive leadership leverages teammember differences to tap into newopportunities and innovate new waysof doing business. By propagating asense of inclusion and ownership,inclusive leadership is persuasive andinspiring, and people are motivated toinvest themselves in achieving extraor-dinary results.

IInnccrreeaassee GGeennddeerr DDiivveerrssiittyy aatt tthhee TTooppCompanies with more women on

boards and executive teams outperformthose with fewer women on a broadrange of indicators—and yet womenleaders are still sparse. Why? First, indi-vidual women may choose to not seekthe top jobs, fail to obtain the qualifica-tions, or scale back on full-time workduring the career advancement yearsthat coincide with family demands.Second, organizations may not facili-tate women’s career advancementbecause they: permit a culture that isinhospitable to women, impose higherstandards of performance for women,allow unconscious preferences for gen-der similarity, practice conflict-avoid-ance in personnel decisions, take noaction in the face of gender prejudiceand stereotyping, or constrain women’saccess to developmental opportunities.

CEOs can take actions to more sys-tematically advance women to the topand thus bring women’s perspectivesto executive decision-making. LE

Diana Bilimoria is KeyBank Professor of Organizational Be-havior Weatherhead Executive Education. Visit ww.case.edu.

ACTION: Create a high-engagement culture.

by Diana Bilimoria

L e a d e r s h i p E x c e l l e n c e M a r c h 2 0 1 2 1 3

LEADERSHIP INCLUSION

E f f e c t i v e l y l e a d i n g d i v e r s e t e a m s .

socially responsible in some way. Butsome are doing it better than others.

Companies fall into two groups. Thefirst see sustainability as a sideline oblig-ation—something to be bolted on. Thesecond group is being strategic andinnovative (like Toyota years ago whenthe “long shot” Prius was on the draw-ing board) and sees sustainability as adefining feature of a long-term marketshift—a world of increasingly depletedresources, radical transparency, and ris-ing expectations. These companies real-ize that intangible assets like brand value,community trust, license tooperate, access to capital,and consumer passionrequire more than a narrowfocus on shareholder valuecreation. Also needed isstakeholder value creation. Werefer to a combined focus onstakeholder and shareholdervalue as sustainable value.Michael Porter has articulat-ed this as shared value.

Imagine factories designed to pro-duce more cost-competitive clean ener-gy than they need so that they sell thesurplus to the community—it is beingdone. Imagine Wal-Mart creating a sus-tainability index for every supplier itworks with and every product it dis-plays—it is being done. Imagine askinga design firm to design a new gym shoethat appeals to young people, has buzz,wins on human rights practices, pro-duces net zero carbon emissions, cre-ates no landfill waste, and in addition,can be planted in the backyard after itsuseful life and will turn into a regenera-tive tree. You know what the designerswill answer. They will say it’s alreadybeing done! The Dutch company OATcalls them “shoes that bloom.”

Chris created the concept of embed-ded sustainability: the incorporation ofenvironmental, health, and social valueinto the core business with no trade-offin price or quality (no social or greenpremium). Embedded sustainability inspiresinnovation—producing new sources ofvalue at six progressive levels: 1) risk—mitigating failure such as BP’s 2010Deepwater Horizon oil spill; 2) efficien-cy—reducing energy, waste, and mate-rials; 3) product—creating differentiationand passionate customers; 4) market—entering or creating blue ocean mar-

Innovation’s New Frontierkets; 5) brand—protecting and enhanc-ing brand and trust; and 6) business con-text—shaping industry standards, rules,even the playing field. This is our sixsources of sustainable value model formaking sustainability equal innovation.

Suppose your company is doingmany good things, but you want toembed sustainable value into operations,supply chains, and customer solutions,as something integral and catalytic. Youwant strong buy-in to move from incre-mental to breakthrough change. You wantdeep value creation pouring out in alldirections from the six-sources model.

LLeevveerraaggee tthhee LLaarrggee--GGrroouuppThe UN Global Compact US Network

consists of over 6,000 corporationsworking to embed sustainability in theirbusiness practices and share strategic

practices. High engagement ofthe whole system of stakehold-ers is the number one successfactor for change at the scale ofthe whole. And the largegroup methodology is nowsoaring in the sustainabilitydomain because of itswhole-system capacity toinspire and unite strengthsacross silos, specializations,and stakeholder separations.

The Appreciative Inquiry (AI) sum-mit is the best large-group method toachieve change. An AI summit is a largegroup planning, designing, or imple-mentation meeting that convenes inter-nal and external stakeholders to workon a task of strategic and creative value.Everyone is engaged, as designers, acrossall relevant and resource-rich bound-aries, to share leadership and take own-ership for making a big opportunitysuccessful. It’s surprisingly easy whenusing the 4-D cycle—Discovery, Dream,Design, and Deployment—to create theinnovation and change agenda together.

Although the AI summit brings to-gether diverse stakeholders, the processcan flow naturally. Natural positivity isunleashed when we collaborate beyondthe artificial separations, and it is ofteneasy when the right six conditions arecreated: start with your strengths; involvethe whole system and bring in the meaning-ful outside; make your summit task-focused;move beyond dialogue to design thinking;real prototypes build momentum; and askfor all six sources of value creation withouttrade-off in price or quality—with no socialor green premium—just innovation. LEDavid Cooperrider (David.Cooperrider@Case.Edu) is author,with Diana Whitney, of Appreciative Inquiry (Berrett-Koehler),and Chris Laszlo (Chris.Laszlo@Case.Edu) is author, with NadyaZhexembayeva, of Embedded Sustainability (Stanford Univ. Press).ACTION: Leverage the power of AI summits.

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CHANGE INNOVATION

Start leveraging the power of a large group AI summit.

by David Cooperrider and Chris Laszlo

INNOVATION IS A PRECONDITION TOthrive. And innovation, like any dis-

cipline that grows and changes, musthave a new frontier. So ask this leader-ship question: If you could choose anyone pathway for revitalizing your inno-vation agenda and deeper culture ofinnovation, what would you choose?What is innovation’s new frontier?

When I, David, met Peter Druckerin March 2003, I was excited to shareinsights from 2,000 leadership inter-views into business as an agent of worldbenefit and share stories of business asa force for peace in high-conflict zones,as a force for eco-imagination andclean energy, and as a force for theeradication of extreme poverty.

Drucker listened patiently as I spokeabout the sustainability revolution inconcrete terms. I named Honda’s newauto factories that have achieved zerowaste and are fast eliminating the con-cept of waste, millennium developmentvillages eradicating poverty throughprofitability, buildings that generatemore energy than they use, low-costbiodegradable packaging, smart gridstrategies, and more. Examples alsocame from large industry-leading stars:Toyota, for example, dramatically out-performing GM, or countries such asDenmark leading the way in energyindependence as well as measures ofnational well-being. I spoke of indus-tries completely redefining themselves—for instance, waste management dis-covering that some $9 billion worth ofreusable materials might be found inthe waste carried to landfills each year.

After listening with patience to eachaccount, 93-year-old Drucker smiledand said, “Well, I wrote about it yearsago: Every social and global issue of ourday is a business opportunity in disguise.”

But how? More managers are askingthis, as they’re feeling ill-equipped orblindsided by a world filled with com-peting demands. Indeed, few compa-nies are failing to go green or grow

ing the new behaviors. The challengewas breaking a habitual routine.Teaching micro-actions fills a gap in theprocess of LD that is often overlookedwhen focusing on content.

Here are 12 examples of micro-actions:• Adjusting posture in order to engage

more effectively in a meeting• Maintaining eye contact in conversa-

tion to display empathy• Smiling to be a more optimistic leader• Asking a question instead of making a

statement to promote communication• Waiting three seconds before respond-

ing to improve listening• Focusing on the sound of someone’s

voice to engage• Intentionally adjusting hands to

become a more polished presenter• Making an appreciative statement to

unlock new types of conver-sations• Paraphrasing someone you

are listening to practice socialintelligence• Greeting someone you nor-

mally do not greet to be amore inclusive leader• Adjusting your tone of voice

to be more intentional• Making an empathic state-

ment to support your teamTry mindfully observing all that

happens in five-second intervals duringyour work interactions. Think of all ofthe little choices you make in a day’sinteractions. Now reflect on all the smallchoice points that aren’t obvious sincethey’re made automatically. At work,they may include going out of yourway to speak with someone, smiling ata colleague, or asking a question in ameeting to invite responses. Eachchoice can be seen as a micro-action.

Despite the simplicity of micro-action,people struggle with the unintentionalroutine of unwanted behaviors. Chang-ing behavior is very different from un-derstanding what great leadership is.

PPrraaccttiiccee MMiiccrroo--AAccttiioonnssTake five steps to practice micro-actions:1. Observe yourself in thinner slices

of time during interactions. Since this isa new practice, slow down and discov-er choices in bits of time.

2. Identify scenarios for new actions.Pay attention to dominant routines at work.What micro actions do you tend to use?For instance, do you choose to speak orwithhold your voice? Which facialexpressions do you use most often?What is the volume of your voice?Which gestures do you tend to use? Inaddition to interactions in which youwant change, also consider your work

Micro-actions

WE ARE CREATURES of habit. Often,leadership habits are reinforced

within a culture. Helping leaderschange behaviors is a primary goal ofexecutive education (EE). When leadersbenefit from EE programs, they reflecton new insights and hold their craftedaction plans near. The next week, how-ever, work pressure reveals its power,pulling leaders back into familiar routines.

Seeing this, we believe that breakinghabits is the primary lever to practicingnew leadership skills. While you need tohave a thoughtful leader development(LD) action plan, without a way tobreak habitual routines, your actionplans quickly lose value.

Breaking routines in order to prac-tice new behaviors requires a concen-trated and strategic action, smallenough to be implemented in any sce-nario. This micro-action allows a breakin routine long enough to then practicedesired new behaviors. We’ve usedmicro-actions with many leaders, andthis strategy consistently works, result-ing in positive feedback. In a field thatis heavier on what great leaders do, thanhow you can do it, there’s something tobe said for the power of simplicity.

Micro-actions are small acts deliv-ered in no more than five seconds. Sincethey are smaller in size, micro-actionsexpress minimal context. For example,asking a question after a comment togauge somebody’s interest is a neutralmicro-action. The observer, however,embeds that micro-action in a context ofpersonality, work style, relationship,project, team, culture, and history.

During one EE program, a leaderstruggled to practice new skills in arole-play. He would fidget with hishands and pen. After some coaching,the micro-action that enabled him tochange these behaviors was to put hishands one over the other in his lap.The discomfort of being intentional withhis hands anchored him in an intention-al moment. This removed him from hisroutine, and he could focus on practic-

routines and the individuals you passby or share space with in limitedframes of time.

A micro-action routine normallyinvolves multiple micro-actions at play.For example, someone may speak witha particular person, in a particular way,about a particular topic, with multiplegestures displayed. List all micro-actions.

3. Update your micro-actions. Brain-storm alternative micro-actions that willhelp you change your routine. List themicro-actions. For example, “I can speakmore loudly, about x topic, while soft-ening my facial expression, and followwith an open-ended question.”

4. Determine one or two new micro-actions to intentionally engage. As astart, which of the updated micro-actionswould create the biggest win?

5. Put it into practice.Visualize how you wouldlike to display micro-actions ina scenario. Next, try out themicro-actions in real time andreflect on whether or not yousucceed. It’s useful to tracknew micro-actions in thissmall-scale approach to change.

While rehearsing scenar-ios is always useful when

practicing new behaviors, using inten-tional micro-actions enables leaders topractice new skills any time. Mostmicro-actions benefiting a leader in oneenvironment would likely provide ben-efit in another. And, by breaking inter-actions down into bits of time, youincrease opportunities for practice—there are 12 five-second options for micro-actions in a minute. Considering thatroutine meetings can go longer than anhour, you have many opportunities toengage in new behaviors each day. Thisshift in perspective can be profound.Continuous practice, naturally, makesthe desired micro-action and resultingbehaviors easier to engage in.

MMiinnddffuullllyy MMoovvee ttoo AAccttiioonnBy increasing intentionality of micro-

actions, you can mindfully move toaction. Breaking behavioral habits isbasic to LD. So when you think of howyou’ve been neglecting your leadershipaction plan, start with a micro-action. Itis actionable, and breaks your habits soyou can purposefully interact. Inten-tionally lead yourself, and you’ll beeven better at leading others. LE

Bauback Yeganeh, Ph.D., is principal of Everidian, an organiza-tional effectiveness firm. Visit www.everidian.com; or emailby@everidian.com. Darren Good, Ph.D., is an Asst. Professor atthe Graziado School of Business and Management, PepperdineUniversity. Email darren.good@pepperdine.edu.

ACTION: Practice Micro-actions in leadership.

L e a d e r s h i p E x c e l l e n c e M a r c h 2 0 1 2 1 5

LEADERSHIP MICRO-ACTIONS

by Bauback Yeganeh and Darren Good

T h e y h a v e m a c ro - i m p a c t .

Two years ago, I set a goal of doublingU.S. exports over five years. We’re ontrack to meet that goal ahead of schedule.I’ll go anywhere to open new marketsfor American products. And I will notstand by when our competitors don’tplay by the rules. Our workers are themost productive; and if the playingfield is level, America will always win.

I hear from many leaders who can’tfind workers with the right skills. Grow-ing industries in science and technologyhave twice as many openings as we haveworkers who can do the job. Join me in acommitment to train 2 million Americanswith skills that will lead to a job.

To prepare for the jobs of tomorrow,our commitment to skills and educationhas to start earlier. Every state needs toraise standards for teaching/learning.

In an economy built to last, we en-courage the talent and ingenuity ofevery person. That means womenshould earn equal pay for equal work.It means we should support everyonewho’s willing to work, and every risk-

taker and entrepreneur who aspires tobecome the next Steve Jobs.

Innovation is what America is about.Most new jobs are created in start-upsand small businesses. So let’s help themsucceed. Tear down regulations that pre-vent aspiring entrepreneurs from get-ting the financing to grow. Expand taxrelief to small businesses that are rais-ing wages and creating good jobs.

Nowhere is the promise of innova-tion greater than in American-madeenergy. In the last three years, we’veopened millions of new acres for oiland gas exploration, and will open morethan 75 percent of our potential offshore oiland gas resources. Right now—Americanoil production is the highest that it’sbeen in eight years. Last year, we reliedless on foreign oil than in any of thepast 16 years. But this country needs anall-out, all-of-the-above strategy thatdevelops every available source ofAmerican energy—a strategy that’scleaner, cheaper, and full of new jobs.

We’ve subsidized oil companies fora century. That’s long enough. It’s time toend taxpayer giveaways to an industrythat’s rarely been more profitable, and

Built to Last

AT A TIME WHEN TOOmany of our insti-

tutions have let usdown, our Armed Forces exceed allexpectations. They’re not consumedwith personal ambition. They don’tobsess over their differences. Theyfocus on the mission at hand. Theyshow courage, selflessness, and team-work as they work together.

Imagine what we could accomplishif we followed their example—a coun-try that leads the world in educatingits people; an America that attracts anew generation of high-tech manufac-turing and high-paying jobs; a futurewhere we’re in control of our energy,and our security and prosperity aren’ttied to unstable parts of the world; aneconomy built to last, where hard workpays off, and responsibility is rewarded.

We can create an economy that’sbuilt to last—one built on Americanmanufacturing, energy, skills, and val-ues. For example, on the day I tookoffice, our auto industry was on theverge of collapse. With a million jobs atstake, I refused to let that happen. Inexchange for help, we demanded respon-sibility. We got workers and automak-ers to settle their differences. We gotthe industry to retool and restructure.Today, General Motors is back on topas the world’s number-one automaker.Chrysler has grown faster in the U.S.than any major car company. Ford isinvesting billions in U.S. plants andfactories. Together, the industry added160,000 jobs. We bet on Americanworkers and ingenuity. And tonight,the American auto industry is back.

What’s happening in Detroit canhappen in other industries and cities.We have a huge opportunity to bring man-ufacturing back. But we have to seize it.If you are a leader, ask: what you can doto bring jobs back to your country, andyour country will do everything wecan to help you succeed. It is time tostop rewarding businesses that shipjobs overseas, and start rewardingcompanies that create jobs here.

We’re making it easier for Americanbusinesses to sell products worldwide.

double-down on a clean energy indus-try that’s never been more promising.

Millions of Americans who workhard and play by the rules every daydeserve a government and a financialsystem that do the same. It’s time toapply the same rules from top to bot-tom—no bailouts, no handouts, and nocopouts. An America built to last insistson responsibility from everybody. We’veall paid the price for lenders who soldmortgages to people who couldn’tafford them, and buyers who knewthey couldn’t afford them. We needsmart regulations to prevent irresponsi-ble behavior—financial fraud or toxicdumping or faulty medical devices. Iwon’t back down from making sure anoil company can contain the kind of oilspill we saw in the Gulf two years ago. Iwill not go back to the days when healthinsurance companies had uncheckedpower to cancel your policy, deny yourcoverage, or charge women differentlythan men. And I will not go back to thedays when Wall Street was allowed toplay by its own set of rules. The newrules we passed restore what should beany financial system’s core purpose:Getting funding to entrepreneurs withthe best ideas, and getting loans toresponsible families who want to buy ahome, or start a business, or send theirkids to college.

So if you are a big bank or financialinstitution, you’re no longer allowed tomake risky bets with your customers’deposits. You’re required to write out a“living will” that details exactly howyou’ll pay the bills if you fail—becausethe rest of us are not bailing you outever again. And if you’re a mortgagelender or a payday lender or a creditcard company, the days of signing peo-ple up for products they can’t affordwith confusing forms and deceptivepractices—those days are over. We’llexpand our investigations into the abu-sive lending and packaging of riskymortgages that led to the housing crisis.This new unit will hold accountablethose who broke the law, speed assis-tance to homeowners, and help turn thepage on an era of recklessness. A returnto the values of fair play and sharedresponsibility will help protect our peo-ple and our economy. But it should alsoguide us as we look to pay down our debtand invest in our future.

When we act together, there’s nothingthe United States of America can’tachieve. That’s a lesson we’ve learnedfrom our actions abroad in recent years.

The renewal of American leadershipis felt across the globe. Our alliances inEurope and Asia are stronger than ever.

by Barack Obama

1 6 M a r c h 2 0 1 2 w w w . L e a d e r E x c e l . c o m

LEADERSHIP SUSTAINABILITY

R e n e w o u r l e a d e r s h i p .

Baseball manager, St. Louis Cardinals• Robert Reich, former US Sec. of Labor• Michelle Rhee, former Chancellor for

District of Columbia Schools• Susan Sheridan, co-founder of

Consumers Advancing Patient Safety• Jim Sinegal, CEO of Costco

I also address some of problemsplaguing the status quo of Americanleadership—how there is a lack of realleadership in many of our organiza-tions; an intense focus on the short-term goals; a serious lack of long-termstrategic planning; and how corrosiveto our organizational cultures executivesalaries are that have skyrocketed andbear little relationship to performance.

In Making a Difference, each man andwoman demonstrates how important itis, given the rapid pace of change, notonly in our culture, but across indus-tries around the globe, to have strongand decisive leadership in our world,and to strive for innovation and excellence.

LLeeaaddeerrsshhiipp MMoommeennttIn the instant after geese crippled

both jet engines on US Airways Flight1549 and the aircraft lost thrust, I wasshocked to my very core. There was a

sense of dread in the pit ofmy stomach from what Ifelt, smelled, and heard.The sound of finely bal-anced machinery beingdestroyed was like a tennisshoe thrown into a dryer,only much louder. It wasintense—the worst thingthat had ever happened inmy life. It was intense.

I remained stunned forapproximately 1.5 seconds after we lostboth engines—then immediately kickedinto solution mode. After recognizingthe enormity of the situation and mybody’s reaction to it, co-pilot Jeff(Skiles) and I followed our manualsverbatim. We decided to land in NewYork’s Hudson River in an effort tosave all 155 people aboard. We just didour jobs. It’s a priority for me to getthings right and show professionalismin the cockpit.

Something about this event was life-affirming. It reminded people of thepotential for good that exists in all ofus. I’m just an ordinary guy who, hav-ing cultivated certain virtues, was ableto perform an extraordinary act. I wantpeople to see that in themselves. LE

Captain Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger, III is a retired airlinepilot and safety expert and author (with Douglas Centry) ofMaking a Difference (William Morrow) and Highest Duty.Visit www.facebook.com/sully.

ACTION: Be an example of courageous leadership.

ONE OF THE MOST UN-derrated aspects of

leadership is the abilityto create a shared sense of responsibili-ty for the outcome: to inspire thosearound you to make tomorrow betterthan today, to constantly strive forexcellence and to refuse to accept any-thing that’s barely adequate.

That’s why I embarked on a person-al quest to meet with distinguishedAmericans—young and old, famousand less well known—from fields asdiverse as space exploration, business,government, education, sports, finance,medicine and the military. These arevastly different individuals with variedstyles of leadership, but all embody thecredo of leadership by example.

I discussed with these leaders whatit takes to achieve genuineleadership—having a clearset of values, intense prepa-ration, lifelong learning,making your actions matchyour words, creating a cul-ture of trust, and caring forthose you lead.

Basically, I asked peopleof achievement what ittakes to lead and inspire:What is the essential natureof leadership? What core qualities andcharacteristics shape our best leaders?And how can each of us learn some-thing we can apply to our lives?

LLeeaaddeerrss IInntteerrvviieewweeddThe leaders interviewed for the book

Making a Difference include:• Admiral Thad Allen, former Comman-

dant of the US Coast Guard who ledrecovery efforts after HurricaneKatrina, the Deepwater Horizon oilspill and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti• John C. Bogle, founder and retired

CEO of the Vanguard Group• Bill Bratton, former NYPD Com-

missioner and LAPD Chief• Lt. Colonel Tammy Duckworth, for-

mer Asst. Sec./Dept of Veterans Affairs• Jennifer Granholm, former Governor

of Michigan• Gene Kranz, former NASA Flight Dir-

ector during Gemini/Apollo programs• Tony La Russa, retired Major League

Leading by ExampleStories of vision and courage.

by Chesley Sullenberger

LEADERSHIP EXAMPLELeaders around the world are eagerto work with us. America remains theone indispensable nation in world affairs.

LLeessssoonn iinn LLeeaaddeerrsshhiippOur freedom endures because of the

men and women in uniform whodefend it. And those of us who’ve beensent here to serve can learn a thing ortwo from the service of our troops.When you put on that uniform andmarch into battle, you look out for theperson next to you, or the mission fails.When you’re in the thick of the fight,you rise or fall as one unit, serving onenation, leaving no one behind.

One of my proudest possessions isthe flag that the SEAL Team took withthem on the mission to get bin Laden.On it are each of their names. Some maybe Democrats, some Republicans. Butthat doesn’t matter. Just like it didn’tmatter that day in the Situation Room,when I sat next to Bob Gates—a manwho was George Bush’s defense secre-tary—and Hillary Clinton—a womanwho ran against me for president.

All that mattered that day was themission. No one thought about politics.No one thought about themselves. Oneof the young men involved in the raidlater told me he didn’t deserve creditfor the mission. It only succeeded, he said,because every member of that unit did theirjob—the pilot who landed the helicopterthat spun out of control; the translatorwho kept others from entering the com-pound; the troops who separated thewomen and children from the fight; theSEALs who charged up the stairs.

Moreover, the mission only succeed-ed because every member of that unittrusted each other—because you can’tcharge up those stairs, into darknessand danger, unless you know thatthere’s somebody behind you, watch-ing your back.

So it is with America. Each time I lookat that flag, I’m reminded that our des-tiny is stitched together like those 50stars and those 13 stripes. No one builtthis country on their own. This nation isgreat because we built it together; weworked as a team; we get each other’sbacks. If we hold fast to that truth, inthis moment of trial, there’s no challengetoo great; no mission too hard. As longas we are joined in common purpose,as long as we maintain our commonresolve, our journey moves forward,and our future is hopeful, and the stateof our Union will always be strong. LE

Barack Obama is President of the United States; this article isadapted from his State of the Union address, Jan. 24, 2012.

ACTION: Learn leadership from Navy SEALs.

L e a d e r s h i p E x c e l l e n c e M a r c h 2 0 1 2 1 7

they are elected in the same percent-ages as men. But they are only half aslikely even to think about running. Andwhen they consider it, they wait longerthan men to take the plunge.

This same dynamic occurs in work,politics, and personal relationships. Youcan’t win if you don’t run, and you can’tget into the C-suite if you don’t put yourselfforward for the position.

Paradoxically, I’ve spent most of mycareer working for power for others.This is gendered behavior regarded(and rewarded) as laudable—beingnice, putting the needs of others first,self-sacrificing, not caring about suchmale prerogatives as earning a highincome or having a power title. It’s hardto change a culture while you’re livingin it. And women who assume powerpositions by adopting male models ofpower and leadership and fail to bringother women along or help change theculture don’t advance the cause of equality.

TThhiinnkkiinngg DDiiffffeerreennttllyy AAbboouutt PPoowweerrMany women express reluctance to

take on power positions (and even avoidprograms with the word power in thetitle), feeling power suggests dominance.

Few women love power. Since womenhave borne the brunt of abusive power-

over, many women eschewpower even when they have it.

Women need to definepower in terms that work forthem. Once they define poweras the power to accomplishsomething for others, or for thegood of us all, women aremore willing to use theirpower. The use of power is

legitimated, taken out of the realm ofthe power-over realm. When I proposethis definition to women, I see tensionrelieved. Power-to makes one powerful.

Power-over is passé; power-to is lead-ership. Kim Campbell, first female primeminister of Canada, said: “Power exists.Somebody will have it. If you would exer-cise it ethically, why not you? I love power.I’m power-hungry because when I havepower I can make things happen.”

By defining power not as power-overbut as power-to, we shift from a cultureof oppression to a culture of positive inten-tion to make things better for everyone.The breakthrough comes when negativeconnotations about power give way to avision of a world where women are equalopportunity leaders and doers, and whereboth genders can lead with integrity. LE

Gloria Feldt is the author of No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change the Way We Think About Power (Seal Press ).Visit www.gloriafeldt.com.

ACTION: Define power in terms that work for you.

Women Leaders

THE CANDIDATE ISbright, personable,

accomplished, charis-matic. But how do you tell if she is thereal thing or a narcissistic masquerade?

We need to identify remarkable lead-ers who can guide us toward successand support them in their growth.• Employees need to spot the three

main types of leaders, manage theirboss’s difficult (or quirky) behavior,and navigate their own career future.• Managers need to analyze and

understand their own leadership typesand make necessary adjustments.

I coach people how to manage threetypes of leaders—Remarkable, Perilousand Toxic—and show how to deepen apositive, learning relationship with aRemarkable boss; reinforce best behav-ior and lessen discontented behaviorswith a Perilous boss; and minimize aToxic supervisor’s destructive effectson you and perhaps others.

The Remarkable leader, who is attun-ed, active and well-grounded, needs youto: 1) discover the power of establish-ing a reciprocal relationship by replacingWhat’s in it for me? with What’s in it forus? 2) Be an ambassador by reinforcingher strategy; and 3) act as a talent scoutrecruiting A-players.

The Perilous leader, who is intelli-gent, insecure and moody, needs you to:1) reduce their sense of unrequited workby emphasizing their contributions; 2) clothe the emperor by keeping it realin regards to employees’ issues andconcerns; and 3) keep your bossfocused on the power of providingpositive affirmation and feedback.

The Toxic leader, who is suspicious,arrogant and cold, needs you to: 1)leverage peerage through open commu-nication with your peers; 2) developand apply internal locus of control—abelief that you can control your owndestiny through clarity about and con-fidence in your talents, experiencesand accomplishments; and 3) decide ifit’s in your best interest to stay or to go.

This knowledge can influence morefocused decisions about leaders. LE

Karol Wasylyshyn is founder of Leadership Development Forum,an executive coach and consultant, and author of Behind theExecutive Door (Springer). Visit www.karolwasylyshyn.com.

Is this a breakthrough moment?

WOMEN LEADERShave come a long

way. This is an amaz-ing moment when women can lead andlive without limits. I’ve seen womenmake stunning progress, and I knowbreakthroughs can happen.

Will women make the breakthroughmoment when gender parity in leader-ship becomes normative—or will wecontinue on current trajectory? Signspoint both ways. Discriminatory lawshave been mostly eliminated. Womenearn 60 percent of college degrees andmake up half the workplace. Manyglass ceilings are smashed. Many mentoo think it’s women’s moment. In hisforeword to Enlightened Power: HowWomen are Transforming the Practice ofLeadership, David Gergen wrote: “Thinkof all the words we use to describe oldstyle leadership: aggressive, assertive,autocratic, muscular, closed.When we describe the newleadership, we employ termslike consensual, relational, web-based, caring, inclusive, open,transparent—all qualities thatwe associate with the femininestyle of leadership.”

The business case for re-cruiting and retaining highperforming women leaders is unas-sailable: when women are included, thequality of decision-making improves andcompanies make more money. Sustainedgender diversity in boardroom corre-lates with better corporate performance.

Yet women have been stuck foryears at 18 percent of leadership posi-tions across 10 sectors. Women are nofurther along the corporate ladderthan they were six years ago! Why?No, it’s not only because women arestill regarded as the family caregivers—increasingly, men are sharing thosetasks—and yet insidious cultural bar-riers and implicit biases remain. Still,no law or formal barrier is keeping womenfrom attaining top leadership roles, andno one will walk us through the doorsto leadership except ourselves.

My intent isn’t to blame, but to in-spire women and give practical powertools to leverage this breakthroughmoment. When women run for office,

1 8 M a r c h 2 0 1 2 w w w . L e a d e r E x c e l . c o m

Remarkable LeadersLet’s recognize and support them.

LEADERSHIP WOMEN LEADERSHIP TYPES

by Karol M. Wasylyshynby Gloria Feldt

deeper meaning of their work:• Others. A leader must create condi-

tions for connecting meaningfully withothers within and outside of their orga-nization. We advise leaders to ask: Howcan I as a leader help everyone connect indeeper, more authentic ways so that theycan find meaning in and benefit from theseconnections? True teamwork and cus-tomer engagement must begin with adiscussion about meaning.• Purpose. A leader must create the

conditions for engaging with deeperpurpose. We advise leaders to ask thisquestion: How can I as a leader helpeveryone engage with the deeper purpose oftheir/our work so that they understand andcan align their contributions to and findmeaning in this deeper purpose? To makea difference in the lives of others, bothindividuals and groups must begin

with a discussion about meaning.• Attitude. A leader must create the

conditions for embracing life and workwith Attitude. We advise leaders to askthis question: How can I as a leader helpeveryone embrace the ups and downs, thehighs and lows of our work so that they cancontinue to be engaged, resilient, and con-nect with the deeper meaning of the work?

OPA—Others, Purpose, Attitude—simple to understand and remember.

TThhee CCoorree ooff MMeeaanniinnggWhen people lack meaning in their

work, they become disengaged, lose theirpassion, and stop offering new ideas, ulti-mately leading to lost productivity andharming the group or organization. Ifpeople can connect with the deepermeaning of their work, they have theopportunity to be more fully engagedand contribute to the group or organi-zation reaching its highest potential.

Why do we do what we do? This is thekey question to finding the meaning ofand in our work. When we connect with

Leading from Meaning

MUCH HAS BEEN SAID about the glob-al financial crisis, but the real cri-

sis behind this crisis is the crisis ofmeaning that affects all aspects of ourlives. We’ve lost the authentic connectionwith others—and the ability to engagewith the deeper purpose of our livesand embrace life with energy and joy.

We encounter many people whofeel that something is missing both intheir personal and work lives. They tellus they are stressed at work, unsure ofhow they fit into the organization’spurpose, and are irritated by their co-workers’ lack of empathy and trust.They feel disconnected and disen-gaged. The relentless pursuit of moneyand power has left them feeling empty,feeling that their work is a joylessundertaking—much like that experi-enced by the Greek hero Sisyphus,who was ordered by the gods to pusha big rock uphill only to see it slip outof his hands in the last moment androll down the hill once more.

The good news is that this Crisis ofMeaning has forced us to reassess ourlives and our priorities and ask: Howcan our work be more meaningful? Thisquestion gets us back to the core of ourwork and to the core of meaning.

LLeeaaddeerrsshhiipp aanndd MMeeaanniinnggThe key role of leadership is to help

people connect with the deeper meaning intheir work. Yes, leadership is about set-ting the direction, encouraging ideas,allocating resources, rewarding perfor-mance and taking corrective action, butthe essence of leadership is to tap intothe deeper meaning of what each teammember is asked to contribute.

Authentic leadership is about creat-ing conditions that enable the search formeaning. Such leadership can be acti-vated and achieved by working TheOPA! Way. The word OPA stems fromGreek and is our acronym for threeessential conditions that leaders mustcreate to help people connect with the

the Core of Meaning, we see many benefits:• Engagement and resilience. In our

interconnected world, we understandwhy we do what we do and, from there,understand how everyone can worktogether to further this cause. This helpseveryone find the meaning of their workwithin the context of the meaning ofthe organization and how it is servingthe greater community. For example,Patagonia the outdoor clothing andgear company is focused on buildingthe best products, causing no harm,using business to inspire and imple-ment solutions to the environmentalcause. Everyone understands the mean-ing of the organization and thus canfind meaning in their work. Whentough times arise, employees can alsoremind themselves of the greater mean-ing of their work and thus build resilience.• Wellbeing and health. Our work

requires energy, and change and inno-vation initiatives require even moreenergy. When we identify the meaningof our work, we can increase the energywe have at our disposal, be less vulner-able to stress, and thereby enhance ourown wellbeing and health.• Performance and innovation. High

performance and innovation cannotexist unless the leader creates the con-ditions for people to connect with thedeeper meaning of the work and howthe work can create a positive differ-ence for the world through improvingthe lives of others. This meaning-centeredapproach is the focus of our work.Organizations with this focus includeApple whose meaning is centered onhelping others explore and express creativity,and Vancity, a large credit unionfocused on community leadership andcontributing to their members’ andemployees’ wellbeing, social and envi-ronmental stability, reinforced by theiraspirational slogan “make good money.”

Many organizations are undergoingtransformations that are humanizingthe workforce and focusing on thedeeper meaning of the work. Everyorganization is a dynamic, social process,not a static org chart or structure. Greatleaders understand the human side ofwork and why meaning must be thefoundation for the enterprise. Leadersmust first tap into the deeper meaningof their work and create conditions forothers to do the same. They must leadwith and to meaning. It’s time to leadfrom the Core of Meaning and help oth-ers find meaning in their work. OPA! LE

Elaine Dundon (author of The Seeds of Innovation) and AlexPattakos (author of Prisoners of Our Thoughts) are founders ofThe OPA! Way and the OPA! Center. Visit www.theopaway.com.

ACTION: Lead people and teams from meaning.

L e a d e r s h i p E x c e l l e n c e M a r c h 2 0 1 2 1 9

LEADERSHIP MEANING

A u t h e n t i c l e a d e r s c re a t e t h e r i g h t c o n d i t i o n s .

by Elaine Dundon and Alex Pattakos

Another critical dimension for boardsto take into account is time. Mindful ofcurrent and future demands, boardshelp ensure that near-, short-, and long-term strategies converge seamlessly tomap the best course. By stepping backto gain a broader perspective, boardscan bring strategy into high definition.

Today, for example, boards can helpmanagement examine the triggers thatmight propel the organization and itsmarketplace beyond the new normal.Boards also can explore forpromising adjacencies totheir current core business-es. Or, boards can helpmanagement prospect fornew white spaces wheregreen shoots can take rootand change the course ofthe enterprise.

Since strategy lives inthe moment with an eyetoward the future, flexibili-ty is key. An adaptable strate-gy can mean the difference between anenterprise being temporarily detouredor permanently derailed. The boardhelps management refine strategy byconsidering alternative paths that canmeet the demands of short- and long-term trends.

As risk manager and scenario plan-ner, the vital skills for the board are:imagine and anticipate. Effective riskmanagement and scenario planningenable an enterprise to quickly adaptits strategy to changing conditions.Better still, they can move an organiza-tion from merely reacting to the farmore assertive posture of initiating anddriving. Taking bold but prudent risksby activating a scenario from yourplaybook may result in first-mover ben-efits—leaving competitors with thedaunting task of keeping up with you.

While these operations also areowned by management, boards play acritical role by imagining and anticipat-ing the unknown. Through oversightand input, boards identify potentialroadblocks and evaluate their impact. Ifnecessary, boards can serve as a GPSthat says, recalculating, in a calm yetfirm voice—followed by suggestionsfor a new path. Boards also look beyondthe horizon to anticipate emerging

Exceptional Boards

EXCEPTIONAL ORGAN-izations know where

they’re going; of course,getting there takes teamwork. Manage-ment is ultimately responsible for strat-egy and execution, but boards playeight vital roles: 1) steward of the enter-prise; 2) model of values and core beliefs; 3) guardian of strong governance; 4) strate-gist; 5) risk and scenario planner; 6) publicface and market maker; 7) custodian of cap-ital markets; and 8) global advocate.

Two of those roles—strategist andrisk and scenario planner—point organi-zations in the right direction, on theway to their ultimate destination. Byplaying these two roles, boards pro-vide important counsel during strategyformulation, rollout, and ongoingadaptation to market developments.

In the strategist role, the vital skillsfor the board are: ask, listen, assess.Boards help define and champion anorganization’s identity. Since boardsare not tasked with daily operations,they can focus on the long-term andbroad-based implications of actionsproposed by management. This per-spective is central to the board’s role asstrategist. Boards help managementdevelop and refine strategy. Chairmenand directors serve management as asounding board and advisor (ask, lis-ten, and assess). Boards engage in dia-logue with management to confirmthat strategy aligns with the vision,mission, and core values. These con-stants reflecting who we are as a busi-ness must underpin any determinationabout where we are going. While organi-zations periodically refresh and adapttheir strategies, exceptional organiza-tions develop strategies consistent withan enduring organizational genome.

As skilled strategists, boards canleverage their non-operational vantagepoint to help management examinecomplex issues. For example, in asking,listening, and assessing, boards canevaluate management’s strategy forkey outcomes—such as the impact thatshort-term decisions can have on long-term concerns as employee trust,recruiting, and retention.

threats and opportunities that maydrive course corrections. Or, boards canadvise taking the business off road totest various scenarios under controlledconditions—and propose options thatsave time, improve productivity, andyield competitive advantage.

Determining where to go in good timesis easy—the stakes rise exponentiallywhen times are tough. That’s when aboard’s ability to point an organizationin the right direction is of greatest valueto management and stakeholders.

For example, when I was a seniorleader with Deloitte Consulting LLP,our board and senior executives heardrumblings about the deterioratingfinancial condition of another profes-sional services firm—and the potentialfor certain of its assets to be sold. Theboard and C-suite began planning,

resulting in a successfulbid and purchase of a por-tion of our competitor’spractice, immediatelytripling our scale and cat-apulting Deloitte into aposition as one of the pre-mier providers in thatmarketplace. Lookingback, we considered ouractions to be riskintelligent—referring tothorough risk assessment as a

prerequisite for informed decision-making.Boards that scan the horizon or imaginethe unimaginable can better recognizeemerging issues and the potential risksand rewards they carry. Anticipationcan mean developing a playbook of respons-es through calm and careful deliberationor reacting hurriedly in a crisis.

Culture and strategy are key assets.Intangibles such as core beliefs, values, andcorporate identity comprise one side ofthe ledger. Tangibles such as strategy andrisk and scenario planning comprise theother. Through oversight and input,boards play a vital role in determiningwhere both sides of the ledger meet.

Gandhi once said: “A small body ofdetermined spirits fired by an unquenchablefaith in their mission can alter the course ofhistory.” He could have been talkingabout a board’s ability to point an orga-nization on a path of enduring good.

By acting as a small body of determinedspirits, with an unquenchable faith in theirmission, boards can better serve others.By playing their role as strategists andrisk and scenario planners, boards canassist management in mapping a firm’sultimate destination. LE

Punit Renjen is chairman of the board of Deloitte LLP. Visit www.deloitte.com.

ACTION: Create an exceptional board.

by Punit Renjen

2 0 M a r c h 2 0 1 2 w w w . L e a d e r E x c e l . c o m

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