Archive for May, 2008

Check out this great article on “The Brain at Work”: March 2008 HR Magazine: Brain at Work

Robert Greenleaf, in his original 1970 essay that coined and explained the term “servant leader” poses the question about “who is the enemy”? Meaning: who is the enemy that is holding back the movement to a better society, organization or institution. Who is preventing mediocre communities from being truly great? His questions and the path that they lead us on are as relevant today as they were almost forty years ago.

There will always be evil, stupid, amoral people in our society – they are not the enemy. There will always be a “system” – it is not the enemy. The true enemies are those who are well intentioned, good people who have been unwilling to step into leadership through understanding that the problem is “in here” and not “out there”. Mr. Greenleaf sums this up with a statement that “In short, the enemy is servants who have the potential to lead but do not lead”.

Being intentional about leadership embodies not just reflecting and taking action on how we lead. To be intentional, we must take a step back and asking some very personal and possibly life-altering questions – Do I want to lead? Do I have the potential to lead?

Leadership, done well, can be hard and lonely work. In order to succeed, one must be intentional and “called” to the work to assure sustainabiity. To be truly great, a leader must continue to be intentional to assure that our communities, systems, organizations and institutions move forward.

A new book entitled “Community Capitalism” by Ron Kitchens details the effects of community leadership pulling together to ignore the effects of globalization that have plagued many communities.

This book is about my community of Kalamazoo, Michigan. It is about making possibility real. I couldn’t be prouder of the place and the people who have made it such a wonderful place to live.

I am staying in a hotel for a few days as I work at a client site. Yesterday, when coming back to the hotel, I automatically passed through the lobby and took the elevator up to the floor my room is on. When I got off the elevator it hit me that this hotel is built on a hill and the lobby is on the third floor. My room is on the second floor – duh – I should have taken the elevator or stairs down. I’ve stayed in my share of hotels, and it’s always worked for me before to enter the lobby and take the elevator up to my room.

Robert Hargove describes a “winning strategy” as something that works for us that we do over and over again. We may not think much about it, because it consistently gets us results (going “up” from the lobby always got me to my room before!). We’re often on autopilot with these behaviors, until something doesn’t work anymore. We no longer get the results we’ve been used to.

I notice the failure in “winning strategy” in my clients when they become stuck in motivating others or they find that their business goals are not being met at an acceptable pace. It is not unusual for them to notice this six months to a year into a new position or organization. Or the organization’s culture may be changing, and they aren’t. Or a new boss may have less tolerance for how the my client gets things done (the “what” is acceptable, but the “how” is not). What worked for them before no longer works in the new context.

An example: Bob is a successful senior executive who has taken a new position in an organization. In previous organization, his very direct style and talent in solving problems got results. He is now in a culture that is very team oriented and appreciative of a more facilitative style of leadership. Yikes! His pushing (rather than motivating)and his telling (rather than asking) individuals what the solutions to the problems are, have created some real problems, and people are leaving or avoiding him. They don’t bring up problems (because they don’t want his solutions, but feel obligated, even if they believe they are wrong, to use them).

So, the talented people in his organization, accustomed to solving problems as a team, have shut down. They don’t tell Bob when there are problems. They avoid him, because he’ll always have a solution and be insistent that it is THE SOLUTION.

Bob’s winning strategy is now a losing strategy. He will need to learn to be more facilitative – to ask rather than tell. To honor the work of the team, rather than to expect individuals to solve problems with his solutions.

What’s your winning strategy?

I’m excited and honored to have worked with two other executive coaches, Donna Zajonc of the Bainbridge Leadership Center, and David Latshaw of Latshaw and Associates on a publication through ICMA press entitled “Reaching Your Highes Potential: Executive Coaching for Local Government Leaders”. It is available for purchase at the International City/County Manager’s Association web site, so click here if you are interested in reading an excerpt and/or purchasing a copy for download.

Sam Singh, the former mayor of the City of East Lansing and CEO of the MNA is on a 16-month global tour. Check out his blog, which has amazing photos and great descriptions of his trek: Singh Around the World

Happy and safe travels to an amazing leader, in everything he does, including this adventure. Sam, thanks for letting us live vicariously through your travels!