It's been just a few days since US President George 'W' Bush faced cameras and made an impassioned plea for his government to approve a plan to bail Wall Street out of its current financial crisis. The severity and complexity of the mess appears to be unprecedented, the global economic impact uncertain and the emotional toll mounting as Joe Public tries to make sense of it all.
Affected business leaders across all industries are asking themselves, what do I do with this? How will I make good choices, handle my own anxiety, fear and anger over the losses and, how can I lead my people now?
John Holt said it best, "The true test of character is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don't know what to do".
Leaders are telling me they feel a bit like the King in the famous children's story Chicken Little. That story opens with Henny-Penny just minding her own business when she's suddenly hit on the head. She doesn't see it coming, doesn't know what it was, has never experienced it before and so concludes that the sky was falling. She runs to tell her friends: Ducky Daddles, Cocky Locky, Goosey Poosey and Turkey Lurkey and they decide that the only rational response to such a catastrophe, is to go tell the King. They get side tracked by Foxy Loxy, outsmart him, escape and finally reach the King. When they inform the King the sky is falling, he looks up, sees that indeed it isn't and tells them everything will be ok, and that they should go back to the barn.
In crisis, or perceived crisis, people want a King like Chicken Little had. People want their leader to tell them it's going to be all right - whether the leader knows it will be or not is irrelevant; they want to hear it anyway.
Inherent within every crisis are both Danger & Opportunity. We don't have to look far to be reminded of the dangers, just tune into CNN; they're trotting them out in graphic detail, every hour on the hour. Near the end of every broadcast they tell viewers, in a variety of ways, to - be afraid, be very afraid. Broadcasters remind us that, after all, this could only be the beginning of the fallout - the worse is surely yet to come.
Riveting television, bad leadership.
During times of uncertainty, leaders need to be realistic about outcomes, and empathetic towards people. They need to talk optimistically about what they do know and sparingly about what they don't know.
And, the opportunities - what about them? They're there - they always are. Tucked in behind the clouds of doom are always little streaks of sunlight; rays of hope, voices that are calm and optimistic. Do you hear them? Are you one of them? Can people count on you for a sensible, thoughtful approach? It's tough - but doable - to remain grounded when the ground is shaking.If you need some help to navigate the changes you're in - call me.
Where Are You Going?
Ah, fall is in the air! It's back to work and school. For lots of people September is a time for new beginnings, for recommitment to routines and schedules. It's a time when we reluctantly leave behind a slower pace and re-position our noses on the preverbal grindstone, yet again. For many, September is a month ripe with an unspoken challenge to step up your game.Many of my clients are expressing the desire to be more real, relevant and more ready for change. They're rumbling about achieving bigger numbers, securing promotions and finding balance, with an intensity that wasn't there in June.
So, what will the next few months mean for you? Whether your dreams are about getting fit, finishing a degree or climbing Kilimanjaro - the question is - how will you make that happen?
Bob Buford, author of, From Success to Significance suggests three ways to plunge ahead with passion and purpose.
First - Get Clear. "Gain clarity about your perspectives, your attitudes, your 'calling', the results that you most want in your life." I would add, get real. Get truthful with yourself. Do your goals match your core beliefs? Do they fit with who you really are? If they don't - they may be great goals for someone else, just not for you. Bob would ask, 'what do you need to get clear? If it were a few years from now and you were living the perfect life, how would you know?" Great clarity questions.
Second - Get Free. "Identify and free your mind and heart of unrealistic expectations, untrue assumptions, unfounded fears and needless financial pressure. " Not easy, especially if you're struggling with limiting beliefs, paralyzing fears or financial burdens that have stopped you in the past. I would add, get relevant. Relevance comes by challenging those habits, practices or people that hold you back and choosing to keep only those that fit now. It's not disrespectful to eliminate people or beliefs that aren't supportive of your loftier goals - it's smart. I would ask, "What will you need to leave behind to move ahead?"
Third - Get Going. There's simply no substitute for action! Bob instructs us to, "Begin simply by talking with those you love, researching what others are doing in the area you are interested in, trying some small projects, preparing for transition and praying for direction." Or, in other words - get ready for change. Ease into it, but get moving - today! For most would-be changers, the feel the fear and do it anyway motto works best. Don't wait till you're 'ready' for the difficult stuff - start now. Sneak up on your resistance and start racking up some early wins to keep you motivated.
Oh, and if you're leading a group towards an audacious goal, how will you help them through this process?
Give it some thought, because September is one of those fresh, exciting months that sends a lot of folks into their boss's office just bursting with great ideas.
So, what will the next few months mean for you? Whether your dreams are about getting fit, finishing a degree or climbing Kilimanjaro - the question is - how will you make that happen?
Bob Buford, author of, From Success to Significance suggests three ways to plunge ahead with passion and purpose.
First - Get Clear. "Gain clarity about your perspectives, your attitudes, your 'calling', the results that you most want in your life." I would add, get real. Get truthful with yourself. Do your goals match your core beliefs? Do they fit with who you really are? If they don't - they may be great goals for someone else, just not for you. Bob would ask, 'what do you need to get clear? If it were a few years from now and you were living the perfect life, how would you know?" Great clarity questions.
Second - Get Free. "Identify and free your mind and heart of unrealistic expectations, untrue assumptions, unfounded fears and needless financial pressure. " Not easy, especially if you're struggling with limiting beliefs, paralyzing fears or financial burdens that have stopped you in the past. I would add, get relevant. Relevance comes by challenging those habits, practices or people that hold you back and choosing to keep only those that fit now. It's not disrespectful to eliminate people or beliefs that aren't supportive of your loftier goals - it's smart. I would ask, "What will you need to leave behind to move ahead?"
Third - Get Going. There's simply no substitute for action! Bob instructs us to, "Begin simply by talking with those you love, researching what others are doing in the area you are interested in, trying some small projects, preparing for transition and praying for direction." Or, in other words - get ready for change. Ease into it, but get moving - today! For most would-be changers, the feel the fear and do it anyway motto works best. Don't wait till you're 'ready' for the difficult stuff - start now. Sneak up on your resistance and start racking up some early wins to keep you motivated.
Oh, and if you're leading a group towards an audacious goal, how will you help them through this process?
Give it some thought, because September is one of those fresh, exciting months that sends a lot of folks into their boss's office just bursting with great ideas.
Golf Anyone?
It's summertime and I bet that some of you are golfing more than you're working. I don't golf often, but when I do I'm struck by the similarities between golf and leading change.
The first time I golfed I was nervous because I assumed that everyone on the course would be a good golfer. I figured that, if someone invested hundreds of dollars in clubs and clothes, plunked down a lot of money to play and then went to a public course to do it, that they would probably know what they're doing. Not so.
I soon learned that there are lots of novices like me who have clubs, enjoy the game but .will never be mistaken for Annika Sorenstam. Sadly, the same scenario exists in most organizations; there are lots of leaders involved in change initiatives, but few real Change Champions.
At work or on the golf course, the right tools are key to success. You wouldn't use a driver around the greens, or a putter in the rough. But I see people routinely reaching for their command and control 'club' when a softer, more elegant communication approach is what's called for.
And, speaking of being in the rough, and place I visit often on my way to the flag, getting out of the rough with minimal strokes can, as they say, really separate the men from the boys. Teams in transition will inevitably spend time in the 'rough'; that in-between place where people and processes aren't like they used to be, but aren't yet what they should be. It's a tough spot to be in and, just like the tall grass and trees that make up the rough on a golf course, leaders need finesse to move themselves and their teams through the uncomfortable parts of a change . The rough requires a sound knowledge of: your clubs (options) the terrain (yourself, the objectives and the company's change-readiness) and your tolerance for risk (that seems to be the same in golf or in business).
Another parallel between playing golf and leading change is that the task is never the same twice, no matter how similar it looks at first glance. Even if you play the same course every Saturday morning, each time you step up to a tee - it's a new shot. Today the wind is a factor, last time it wasn't, or the greens are dryer and so landing a shot is harder. Good golfers understand this. At each hole they check to see where the flag is; they know that flags, just like people or processes, can be in a different spot than they were last time they took the same shot
I don't get out on the links or practice much so I'm at about the same skill level I was when I first took up the game. Oh, I've always been able to drive decently enough, but it's my 'short game' that's well, less than it should be. So, I like playing Best Ball. Best Ball is a great way to describe the work of a high-performance transition team. Each player (team member) has skin in the game; that is, they all accept responsibility for the outcome of the game.
When you're in a game of Best Ball, you quickly learn who has the stronger drive, putting or the ability to get out of the sand trap, and a savvy team leans into the strengths of its members. Each player takes their best shot in turn, but they know that their team- mates are there to help out when their individual effort falls short. They share the goal, the pressure to perform and ultimately the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat.
So, how's your game?
Are you someone who people are thrilled to have lead their team?
Need to brush up on your change-leadership skills?
Maybe I can help. Just don't count on me for golf!
The first time I golfed I was nervous because I assumed that everyone on the course would be a good golfer. I figured that, if someone invested hundreds of dollars in clubs and clothes, plunked down a lot of money to play and then went to a public course to do it, that they would probably know what they're doing. Not so.
I soon learned that there are lots of novices like me who have clubs, enjoy the game but .will never be mistaken for Annika Sorenstam. Sadly, the same scenario exists in most organizations; there are lots of leaders involved in change initiatives, but few real Change Champions.
At work or on the golf course, the right tools are key to success. You wouldn't use a driver around the greens, or a putter in the rough. But I see people routinely reaching for their command and control 'club' when a softer, more elegant communication approach is what's called for.
And, speaking of being in the rough, and place I visit often on my way to the flag, getting out of the rough with minimal strokes can, as they say, really separate the men from the boys. Teams in transition will inevitably spend time in the 'rough'; that in-between place where people and processes aren't like they used to be, but aren't yet what they should be. It's a tough spot to be in and, just like the tall grass and trees that make up the rough on a golf course, leaders need finesse to move themselves and their teams through the uncomfortable parts of a change . The rough requires a sound knowledge of: your clubs (options) the terrain (yourself, the objectives and the company's change-readiness) and your tolerance for risk (that seems to be the same in golf or in business).
Another parallel between playing golf and leading change is that the task is never the same twice, no matter how similar it looks at first glance. Even if you play the same course every Saturday morning, each time you step up to a tee - it's a new shot. Today the wind is a factor, last time it wasn't, or the greens are dryer and so landing a shot is harder. Good golfers understand this. At each hole they check to see where the flag is; they know that flags, just like people or processes, can be in a different spot than they were last time they took the same shot
I don't get out on the links or practice much so I'm at about the same skill level I was when I first took up the game. Oh, I've always been able to drive decently enough, but it's my 'short game' that's well, less than it should be. So, I like playing Best Ball. Best Ball is a great way to describe the work of a high-performance transition team. Each player (team member) has skin in the game; that is, they all accept responsibility for the outcome of the game.
When you're in a game of Best Ball, you quickly learn who has the stronger drive, putting or the ability to get out of the sand trap, and a savvy team leans into the strengths of its members. Each player takes their best shot in turn, but they know that their team- mates are there to help out when their individual effort falls short. They share the goal, the pressure to perform and ultimately the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat.
So, how's your game?
Are you someone who people are thrilled to have lead their team?
Need to brush up on your change-leadership skills?
Maybe I can help. Just don't count on me for golf!
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