learning to lead...skills and principles you can use everyday
TRANSCRIPT
Today’s Vision:
Everyone can learn to lead!
Today’s Mission:
Develop a personal set of
leadership characteristics
you can use every day.
2
Learning to Lead
Topics for Today…
1. Examine the difference between management and leadership
2. Explore the wide variety of leadership definitions
3. Consider integrity as a leadership skill
4. Understand mistakes as learning experiences
5. Identify a set of leadership skills/principles we can use every day
3
Introducing: The Upstanding Professional of Action
The Upstanding Professional of Action is a series of discussions meant to
encourage critical thinking.
Discussion #1: Open Your Mind
4
The Upstanding Professional of Action
Open Your Mind
Harriet Taylor was attracted to, and eventually married, John Stuart Mill because he was “the
first man she had met who treated her as an intellectual equal” (John Mill, Spartacus Educational
Publishers). Mill was dedicated to women’s equality and wrote in favor of women’s right to vote
and against domestic abuse. Writing in the nineteenth century his thoughts were considered to be
extremely radical.
Exchanging Error for Truth
In his essay On Liberty Mill provides the ultimate call for inclusion when he offers this
challenge: “If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the
contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he
had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind” (2001, p.1). Mill also offers that an
opinion held in the absence of understanding its opposition is weakened and “deprived of the
opportunity of exchanging error for truth” (2001, p. 1).
The lesson here is that even our most strongly held beliefs are strengthened when opened to
debate and criticism. Our willingness to “exchange error for truth” also opens our minds to new
concepts.
Resource: Mill, John Stuart. On Liberty: New York. Bartleby.com, 2001, John Mill. Spartacus
Educational Publishers Ltd. Retrieved from: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRmill.htm
Discussion:
What did Mill mean when he suggested we
take every opportunity to exchange effort for
truth?
How might exchanging error for truth
change our current viewpoint?
Management and Leadership Two distinctly different - but complementary roles
Managers… Leaders…
control inspire
ask how and when ask what and why
budget take risks
plan innovate
think short-term think long-term
Discussion: which of these roles is more important to the day to day operations of a business?
Source: Hughes, Ginnett, and Curphy; Leadership Enhancing the Lessons of Experience5
“Progress always involves risks. You
can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.”
F.B. WilcoxAuthor
Management and Leadership
Managers… Leaders…
expect you to enable people to workcome to work together towards aon time common goal
enforce change modify attitudes and behaviors
present annual reviews encourage 360 degree feedback
focus on the goal focus on the vision
can go it alone truly need followers
Discussion: When is a leader not a manager?
Source: Hughes, Ginnett, and Curphy; Leadership: Enhancing the Lessons of Experience6
“There’s an enormous number of managers
who have retired on the job.”
Peter Drucker
7
The Upstanding Professional of Action
Practical Wisdom
“Practical wisdom is the combination of moral will and moral skill” - Aristotle
Barry Schwartz is a widely published psychologist who has focused a great deal of
work on the nature of wisdom. In a Ted Talk originally presented in 2009, Schwartz
offers the concept of “practical wisdom” by outlining the job description of a hospital
janitor.
While the job description lists all the responsibilities one might expect including
mop, sweep, clean, and re-stock, there is nothing about engaging with other human
beings. However when psychologists interviewed hospital janitors about their jobs, they
consistently heard about caring for patients. “Mike” for example stopped mopping the
floor because Mr. Jones was walking slowly up and down the hall trying to get some
much needed exercise. They also heard from “Charlene” who ignored her supervisor’s
admonition to vacuum the visitors lounge because there were family members who were
there all day, every day and were just then taking a nap.
While Schwartz admits that not all janitors show this kindness, care and empathy, he
points out that those who do have the moral will (to do right) and the moral skill (to
figure out what doing right means).
Retrieved from: http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_our_loss_of_wisdom.html
Discussion:
What is moral will?
How does it differ from moral skill?
Do you know anyone who has both moral
will and moral skill?
Towards a personal definition of leadership…
“Leadership is a process, not a position.”
“Leadership is the process of influencing an organized grouptoward accomplishing its goals.”
“The leader’s job is to create conditions for the team to beeffective.”
Source: Leadership: Enhancing the Lessons of Experience; Hughes, et al.
Leadership is the “ability to effectively devise and execute aplan.”
Leaders “set a compelling destination for your organization.”
“Outstanding leaders develop a clear picture of where they want to goand strategize how to get there.
Source: Lessons on Leadership; Jack Stahl, Former President of Coca-Cola
Discussion: The Hughes and Stahl quotes might suggest that goodmanagement over time = leadership. But do you have to be in a management role to be a leader? 8
“The less people know, the more they yell.”
Seth GodinAuthor
Towards a definition of leadership…
“One of the things that distinguishes a good manager from a good leader is vision.”
“There is no one ‘right’ way to lead that suits all situations that you will encounter.”
“To be a successful leader, it’s critical to have superb verbal and written communicationskills.”
“It’s important to dream big and go out on a limb and take a risk every now and then.”
“Creating a vision is very different than meeting sales quotas, producing a commercial…or supervising client accounts. It’s coming up with the big picture – a creative way of looking at the future.”
“A visionary does not follow a path; instead she goes where there is no path and leaves a trail.”
Source: The Little Black Book of Success: Laws of Leadership for Black Women
Discussion: What is the difference between vision and innovation?
9
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”
Steve Jobs
10
The Upstanding Professional of Action
Steve Jobs
Leader? Or Just a Great Innovator?
In his book Grow: How Ideals Power Growth and Profit at the World’s Greatest Companies;
Jim Stengel concludes that the world’s fifty best businesses are guided by an ideal that permeates
throughout the organization. He supports his findings claiming that “an investment in the Stengel
Fifty would have outperformed the Standard & Poor’s index by four hundred percent. Not
surprisingly one of the Stengel Fifty is Apple, Inc. Their ideals statement is “Apple exists to
enable freedom of choice, exploration, and discovery,” and it is Steve Jobs’ incredible vision and
entrepreneurial genius that was responsible for both Apple’s unique ideal, and ongoing profit
performance. Whether he communicated well within his organization depends on one’s tolerance
for his style. That he transformed how consumers view much of their world is without question.
While Jobs was responsible for transforming as many as seven industries, he was also
abusive and mean spirited to the people who threw themselves into their work on his behalf. In
her Guide to Managerial Communication text, Mary Munter provides a communications scale
that ranges from tell, to sell, to consult, to join, all of which indicate ever increasing desire for
collaboration. Jobs’ approach was clearly at the bottom of the scale in which he would bluntly
“tell” and therefore better control his staff. Munter goes on to suggest that one’s use of the tell
style should be when “you want your audience to learn from you” and “you do not need to hear
others’ opinions, ideas, or input.” While this style clearly worked for Steve Jobs, it did so only
because of his remarkable genius as an innovator and marketer.
Discussion:
Do you have the innovative genius to manage
people from the “tell” level of communication?
Which communication level (tell, sell, consult,
join) would work best for you?
Towards a definition of leadership…
“The most effective leaders…have emotional intelligence.”
The five skills of emotional intelligence are:
Self-awareness knowing one’s own strengths and weaknesses
Self-regulation controlling or redirecting disruptive impulses and moods
Motivation relishing achievement for its own sake
Empathy understanding other people
Social Skill building rapport
Source: On Leadership; Harvard Business Review 10 Must Reads What Makes a Leader? Daniel Goleman Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations, Rutgers University
Activity: Each of us have strengths and weaknesses within these five skills of emotional intelligence
Take 5 minutes… and rate yourselves on a scale of 1-5…
…1 being “I really need to work on this one”…
…and 5 being “this is really my best trait” 11
“Consideration and self-control…give a
certain polish to life”
On DutiesMarcus CiceroAncient Roman Philosopher
12
The Upstanding Professional of Action
Incentives, Integrity, and Capitalism
The Story of Gyges Ring
Marcus Tulius Cicero (106 – 43 BC) is a highly studied, often quoted, ancient Roman
lawyer, orator and philosopher who wrote On Duties as a series of letters to his son who was
away at school. His purpose was to provide a “how-to” on leading a good life. At the same time,
being a caring father, Cicero provided his son with what was for its day an extravagant
allowance which his son used most gratefully to do what many college kids would…he partied.
It was not until later in his life that Cicero’s son recognized the value of his father’s words. There
are two lessons here…first incentives are excellent tools, but need to be employed judiciously;
and second, parents seem to get a lot smarter when their children become adults.
Cicero also recounted to his son Plato’s story of Gyges Ring. Turning “the ring inwards
toward the palm of his hand, [Gyges] became invisible to everyone, while he himself saw
everything” (2005, p.305). Since Gyges could not be seen he could do as he pleased without fear
of retribution. Cicero’s remarkably high standards brought him to conclude that a wise person
“with just such a ring…would not imagine he was free to do wrong any more than if he did not
have it; for good [people] aim to secure not secrecy but the right” (2005, p. 307).
With this story, Plato questioned whether justice and virtue would be possible without fear
of retribution. How would we act if we each possessed the precious ring? While fear of
retribution is a strong motivator, honor is a more satisfying accomplishment. It’s not enough to
avoid doing harm, Cicero told his son we must also strive to do good.
Discussion:
What would the typical business person do if
s/he possessed Gyges ring?
Can free-market capitalism succeed in the
absence of integrity?
Towards a definition of leadership…
“Leadership has nothing to do with having charisma.”
“Leadership and management are two distinctive and complementary systems of action.”
“Dozens of people can play important leadership roles in a business organization.”
“The real challenge is to combine strong leadership and strong management and use each to balance the other.”
“Leadership skills are not innate. They can be acquired and honed.”
A leader’s “visions and strategies [do not] have to be brilliantly innovative.”
“Planning is a management process, deductive in nature and designed to produce orderly results. Setting a direction is more inductive. Leaders gather a broad range of data [looking] for patterns. The direction-setting aspect of leadership does not produce plans; it creates vision and strategies.
Source: On Leadership; Harvard Business Review 10 Must ReadsWhat Leaders Really Do. John P. Kotter; Professor of Leadership; Harvard Business School
Discussion: If leadership can be found throughout the organization, regardless a person’s role, where should managers look for new leaders?
13
“The only thing more painful than learning from experience is not learning from experience.”
Archibald MacLeishLibrarian of Congress
Towards a definition of leadership…
“The most reliable predictor of true leadership is an individual’s ability to find meaning in negative events and to learn from even the most trying circumstances.”
Source: On Leadership; Harvard Business Review 10 Must ReadsCrucibles of Leadership. Warren G. Bennis, Professor, UCLARobert. J. Thomas, Professor of Leadership, Tufts University
“Only when leaders come to see themselves as incomplete – as having both strengths and weaknesses – will they be able to make up for their missing skills by relying on others.”
“The incomplete leader…knows that leadership exists throughout the organizational hierarchy – wherever expertise, vision, new ideas, and commitment are found.”
Source: On Leadership; Harvard Business Review 10 Must ReadsIn Praise of the Incomplete Leader. Deborah Ancona, MIT’s Sloan School of ManagementThomas M. Senge MIT’s Sloan School of Management
Discussion: Which emotional skills (see slide 10) best define the “incomplete leader”?
14
“No person will make a great business who wants to do it all himself, or get all the credit.”
Andrew Carnegie
15
The Upstanding Professional of Action
On Being Wrong and Making Decisions
Kathryn Schulz is a self-proclaimed “Wrongologist.” In a Ted Talk presentation, that has
been viewed almost 3 million times, she asks “how does it feel to be wrong.” Her audience
responses are “awful”, “dreadful”, “embarrassing”, and “disappointing.” Then she says “no you
just told me how it feels after you’ve realized you were wrong.”
Just like the cartoon coyote who chases the roadrunner off the cliff but doesn’t realize he
was wrong until he looks down, we make mistakes knowing (or at least thinking) we are right.
Being wrong feels at the time like being right. Far worse, our cultural experiences teach us that
to succeed in life we must never make a mistake. We learn in school that we are penalized for
wrong answers and rewarded for correct ones. So we learn to avoid making mistakes…which
encourages us to avoid making decisions, and considering we might be wrong, which might lead
us to the correct decision.
Ms. Schulz also suggests that when someone disagrees with us, we typically make three
assumptions:
1. They must be ignorant (so I’ll educate them)
2. They must be stupid (I’ve educated them and they still don’t get it)
3. They’re not stupid, they get it – but they are distorting the truth for their own purposes.
As she closes her talk, Schulz suggests that instead of those assumptions, we consider
this…”Wow, I don’t know, maybe I’m wrong.”
Discussion:
How might we make better decisions by
more frequently considering that we might
be wrong?
Would we ask more questions?
Would we more readily accept criticism?
Leadership Principles
Activity: let’s go back through all of the several definitions of leadership we’ve reviewed today…and identify 10 leadership principles…
(note: in the handout, this slide will be filled in by each participant
see next slide for 10 possibilities…)
16
“The first rule of leadership: everything is your fault.”
A Bug’s Life
Leadership Principles
Activity: let’s go back through all of the several definitions of leadership we’ve reviewed today…and identify 10 leadership principles…
1. Vision (a creative way of looking at the future) separates managers from leaders.
2. Vision does not necessarily require brilliant innovation.
3. Leaders have great communication skills.
4. Leaders have emotional intelligence.
5. Leadership and management are complementary roles.
6. Leadership skills can be learned and developed.
7. Leaders don’t avoid making mistakes, they learn from them.
8. Leaders see themselves as incomplete, having strengths and weaknesses.
9. The “incomplete” leader seeks out other leaders throughout the organization.
10. Leaders are everywhere in the organization, regardless their role.
17
“The first rule of leadership: everything is your fault.”
A Bug’s Life
Leadership Skills We Can Use Every Day
1. Leaders make a difference…at any level in the organization.
2. Leaders don’t need to be brilliant, just different.
3. Leaders listen...especially to their customers and their colleagues.
4. Leaders communicate…briefly and enthusiastically.
5. Leaders collaborate…they are motivated to share ideas for the sake of the
achievement
6. Leaders stay in control…and always keep a sense of humor.
7. Leaders develop a personal Board of Directors to mentor them
8. Leaders take great satisfaction in mentoring others.
9. Leaders make mistakes…but always learn from them.
10. Leaders make a list of their strengths and weaknesses…and work on improving
both.
18
“Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”
Winston Churchill
17
The Upstanding Professional of Action
Yogi Berra – Philosopher / Leader
The Yogi Berra Museum, on the Montclair State University campus tells of the
exploits of one of the greatest New York Yankees of all-time. Yogi is regarded by many
as one of the best major league catchers of all time. He was also a feared batter who was
known as a “junk-ball” hitter, often swinging successfully at pitches that were outside the
strike zone. Since he was equally adept at hitting pitches that were over the plate, he
became a very difficult out.
The museum also includes a section on the many witticisms for which Yogi is
famous. Absorbed individually these Yogi-ism’s tickle our funny bone, but when taken
collectively they advance a true American philosopher, with a real flair for leadership.
What Yogi said: “Nobody goes there anymore, it’s too crowded.”
What leaders know: Leaders always adapt and innovate.
What Yogi said: “You can observe a lot by just watching.”
What leaders know: Research and pay attention to the details
What Yogi said: “It gets late early out there.”
What leaders know: Prepare for…and embrace change
What Yogi said: “If the world were perfect, it wouldn’t be.”
What leaders know: Be an incomplete leader.
What Yogi said: “If people don’t want to come out to the ballpark, nobody’s
going to stop them.”
What leaders know: Be an incomplete follower too.
What Yogi said: “When you come to the fork in the road, take it.”
What leaders know: There’s opportunity in both directions. Go for it!
What Yogi said: “I usually take a two hour nap from one to four.”
What leaders know: Life is short, take time to relax.
What Yogi said: “I really didn’t say everything I said.”
What leaders know: Combine your qualities with humility for a truly rewarding
life.
Learning to Lead
Suggested Reading
HBR’s 10 Must Reads: On Leadership. (2011) Boston, MA. Harvard University Press
Offers 10 articles that will help guide you from role player to leader. Read it for Peter Drucker’s “What
Makes an Effective Executive.” It offers straightforward insights into the responsibilities of leadership.
Hughes, R., Ginnett, R., Curphy, G. (2009) Leadership: Enhancing the Lessons of Experience. NewYork, NY: McGraw Hill Irwin.
This is a masters level text that defines leadership as a process rather than a position. It provides an excellent
overview of leadership skills and traits. Read it for the chapter on the Rocket Model of Team Effectiveness.
Brown, E., Haygood, M., McLean, R. (2010) The Little Black Book of Success: Laws of Leadershipfor Black Women. New York, NY. Ballantine Books.
Read this book regardless your sex or race. I had the pleasure of working with one of the authors
at Time Inc. Magazines in New York and I will always remember her as a delightful combination
of dignity and warmth. Read it too for practical advice on emotional intelligence and
understanding your very real leadership potential.
Cicero, Marcus Tullius. On Duties. Edited by Jeffrey Henderson. Cambridge, MA:Cambridge University Press, 2005.
On Duties is a secular bible for leading a life of integrity. It was written by the ancient Roman Cicero to his
son while he was away at school. Impress your friends…the book is presented in Latin, along with the English
translation. Read it to better understand your parents and the life-lessons you will try to impart on your children.
20
Learning to Lead
This seminar was developed based on a 40+ year career in consumer marketing in the hopes that it will inspire the boldness to turn an innovative idea into a cutting-edge vision.
Please feel free to share.
Questions or feedback – please contact me:
Paul [email protected]
(201) 741-0401
21
“Celebrate your successes times 10 and your failures times 1.”
Paul Mahler