CO2Partners - Just Ask Leadership

Free Leadership Assessment

2009-07-08T14:11:00.005-05:00

What’s your Just Ask Leadership Number and how it is impacting your organization?

What is your PEAK leadership style and how do others in your organization see you?

CO2 Partners has been working for two years with several high end assessment and training companies to build the Just Ask Leadership Assessment. We have invested close to $100,000 to develop this tool. We are looking for 200 leaders to pilot the product from June 27th to August 7. This is a 360 degree feedback tool so you will not only see how you compare to other leaders, you will also see how your team views your leadership style. This short survey has 37 questions. When finished, you will get a full assessment report within four weeks.

Results include your Just Ask Leadership Number that lets you know your readiness to engage others via your questioning approach as a leader, and what your PEAK Leadership Style is and how that impacts you and your organization’s success. Please send a message to gary@justaskleadership.com to lock in a place for this assessment, there are only 200 available spaces.

What is your killer experiment

2009-07-08T11:17:00.003-05:00

Last night Jim McCarter, President and CSO of Divergence, a company that is solving major issues in the agriculture world by eliminating nematodes from our food supply, and I went to a fundraiser at Bill Danforth’s home in St. Louis. We were there to meet Secretary of State Robin Carnahan who is running for the US Senate seat in Missouri, following a long tradition in her family. Carnahan was sworn in as Missouri’s 38th Secretary of State in January 2005. “Carnahan’s family has a lengthy history of devotion to public service. Her father, Mel Carnahan, served as Missouri’s State Treasurer, Lt. Governor and Governor, and her mother, Jean Carnahan, was the first woman to serve Missouri in the U.S. Senate. Her grandfather, A.S.J. Carnahan, a congressman from south-central Missouri for fourteen years, was appointed by President John F. Kennedy to be U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone in West Africa.” According to her website.

What was a treat for me was that Dr. Bill Danforth, one of St. Louis’ most distinguished academic leaders and philanthropists, had invited what seemed like the hall of fame of the medical community. Jim and I started up a conversation with Dr. Phil Needleman, a former professor at Washington University School of Medicine where Jim’s had gone to school. Dr. Needleman made the difficult leap from academia into industry by becoming a top pharmaceutical R & D executive. This career led him to become a key developer of Celebrex helping 10s of millions of patients gain critical relief from pain.

“Philip Needleman spent 25 years at Washington University School of Medicine, where he was professor and chairman of the department of pharmacology. In 1989 he moved to industry, becoming senior vice president of Monsanto. In 1993 he became president of Searle Research and Development. He was also senior executive vice president and chief scientist of Pharmacia from 2000 to 2003.” According to the National Academy of Sciences.

Standing back and listening to Phil and Jim discuss Divergence latest findings was like watching a laser cut through ice. Dr. Needleman went right to the heart of Jim’s research and ascertained exactly what the next steps were and what progress would be made over the coming months. When we stepped away Jim explained to me that Dr. Needleman has a reputation for solving scientific problems in a rapid-fire manner. Meaning that when he looks at all the many issues associated with development of a drug, he determines which experiments could prove in the near-term that a project is headed for failure versus other experiments that just fill in the blanks but aren’t likely to doom the project. He is famous for saying, “What is your killer experiment to prove your point?” In other words what is the experiment that will validate or invalidate your point of view? When we spoke he was very clear, “I don’t go for the jugular (vein). I go for the carotid (artery) - it kills you faster.”

Many researchers don’t want to tackle the killer experiment because they are afraid of the answer. Not Dr. Needleman. He goes after the ones that will put him out of business first rather than getting stuck at the end of the development cycle only to find out it does not work and will never work.

In manufacturing this would be what is know as the theory of constraints where we attack the biggest bottleneck first, apply all resource against that issue and then and only then do we move to the next bottleneck. The difference is, in R&D all these are mental bottlenecks because the invention is still in progress. Dr. Needleman said to us time is much more important than other resources. You are in a competition for a new drug that will help people and build your company. You have a 70 month time horizon from start to trials and if you can identify early if the experiment is going to fail and learn your search will not bear fruit, you will save the organization both lives, time and money. He suggests that leaders in these organization need to have a great deal of courage because the bets our big and if enough of them don’t work then your position needs to be eliminated.

What is your killer experiment?

Independence Day Teaches Us About Leadership

2009-07-06T10:01:00.002-05:00

We have more individual choices than ever. We can choose from sixteen movies at a mega-plex, eight different kinds of orange juice (low acid, some pulp, not from concentrate, etc.), and countless shoe brands and styles. Is it any surprise that we want to be free to make choices in our jobs as well? If you grew up with only four TV channels to choose from, you might believe the command-style leadership is still viable. You might believe in shared values and needs, the way we did in the ‘60’s. Unfortunately, centralized leadership does not work with this new generation. They want to work their way, not your way. They know what motivates them, how they best achieve results and obtain information, and they want to receive full credit for their efforts. If you try to steamroll their Independence, you will wind up with flattened cartoon characters, not productive employees. As a leader today, you must decentralize the power and authority. With leadership opportunities, your employees will find personal meaning in the work they do. And they will do it well, provided you meet their needs. Your challenge—accommodating leaders on all levels of the organization—is daunting, maybe even terrifying. How do you align each employee’s needs with the needs of the organization? With so many leaders, so much independence, will chaos be far behind? Not necessarily. Not if you build in some safeguards. It’s important to understand that total independence is often desired, but not always healthy. Individualism can lead to a sense of helplessness, and this helplessness can lead to depression. Despite fiercely independent childhood heroes like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, we want and need to be part of something greater than ourselves. We want the support of a community. We want to feel like the work we do has meaning not only to ourselves, but to others. Chances are, this meaning has already been established—in the form of your organization’s founding mission, vision, goals, and values. These pillars were originally set by the founder and then enhanced through time by the organization’s leadership teams. As a leader, you can bring this meaning to your employees by frequently asking how their needs and goals match the organization’s. In doing so, you give them the respect they want and need, as well as communicate a sense of belonging to a larger community. Do you believe in your organization’s mission, vision, goals, and values? If so, you will be able to impart this sense of togetherness to your charges. If not, you will be herding cats. Authentic leadership requires allowing everyone to lead at times, but to instill one cohesive purpose, so that these leaders will work together and move in one overarching direction. For each and every project, ask yourself, “How does this contribute to our organization’s mission, vision, goals, and values?” Ask the same of your direct reports. And have them ask the same of their direct reports.

Coaching: The Fad that Won't Go Away

2009-07-04T23:58:00.001-05:00

By: Jim BoltTue Jul 8, 2008 at 5:47 PM

Five suggestions for getting the most out of a coach.

I ended my last column noting that we would examine three very popular leadership development methods (Action Learning, Coaching, and Leader-Led Learning) in more depth. So let’s start with executive coaching, which is now a billion-dollar industry experiencing explosive growth. Frankly, it wasn’t very long ago that having coach was sort of a dirty little secret -- you kept it to yourself. It meant you were in trouble and probably on the way out. Now it seems everybody has a coach. It means we’ve arrived, that were a rising star, someone our organization is investing in for the future. Wow, what a turnaround!

Our findings in my firm's executive development surveys (mentioned in the last column) indicated a dramatic increase in the use of coaching: In 2004, 56% of the companies said that executive coaching would be a major learning method they would emphasize. Then in a 2006 follow-up survey, 51% said the use of coaching had actually increased. Given this nearly miraculous change in the status of coaching we recently decided, along with our research partner, Dr. Brian Underhill of CoachSource, to conduct a major research project to explore the murky world of executive coaching in depth.

Our study, High-Impact Executive Coaching, was unique in that it examined the topic in a 3-D manner, i.e., through the eyes of coaches, organizations that retain them, and leaders being coached. The study included 48 organizations and 86 leaders being coached. In this column I want to focus mostly on what we learned from the leaders being coached since it’s highly relevant for anyone interested in either providing coaches to leaders or in being coached. (Read Full Article at Fastcompany)

Do you belong or feel abandoned?

2009-06-27T21:31:00.004-05:00

I was lucky enough to meet David Whyte in my Stephen Covey leadership course many years ago, at the time I had no idea who he was. Since then I have paid to attend his workshops. I have bought many of his books, audios, and videos. He is something very special. I would like to share a poem he wrote that we have hanging on our wall at home.

Self Portrait

It doesn't interest me if there is one God
Or many gods.
I want to know if you belong -- or feel abandoned;
If you know despair
Or can see it in others.
I want to know
If you are prepared to live in the world
With its harsh need to change you;
If you can look back with firm eyes
Saying "this is where I stand."
I want to know if you know how to melt
Into that fierce heat of living
Falling toward the center of your longing.
I want to know if you are willing
To live day by day
With the consequence of love
And the bitter unwanted passion
Of your sure defeat.
I have been told
In that fierce embrace
Even the gods
Speak of God.

~ David Whyte ~

(Fire in the Earth)

From Success to Significance

2009-06-27T18:04:00.002-05:00

When you consider the concept of moving from success to significance. The question arises within yourself along the journey, "Do I have to do something to be significant? Or is it enough that I am who I am? This poem by Mary Oliver called Sunshine brings a greater depth of meaning to these questions.

Sunrise by Mary Oliver

You can
die for it--
an idea,
or the world. People

have done so,
brilliantly,
letting
their small bodies be bound

to the stake,
creating
an unforgettable
fury of light. But

this morning,
climbing the familiar hills
in the familiar
fabric of dawn, I thought

of China,
and India
and Europe, and I thought
how the sun

blazes
for everyone just
so joyfully
as it rises

under the lashes
of my own eyes, and I thought
I am so many!
What is my name?

What is the name
of the deep breath I would take
over and over
for all of us? Call it

whatever you want, it is
happiness, it is another one
of the ways to enter
fire.

TOP HR Professionals on Twitter

2009-06-26T21:15:00.006-05:00

List of top 150 HR and Career Professionals on twitter by Chris Perry, you can down load them fast by going to Ninjafollow. Just copy and paste each list into www.ninjafollow.com and you will be following them. What Would Dad Say Blog by GL Hoffman great source for more top twitter lists!

adriennewaldo,alevit,alisondoyle,askamanager,AndreaSantiago,AnitaBruzzese,engagingbrand,
GradtoGreat,andybeal,andyheadworth,andyinnaples,anthonyfisherpb,barbarasafani,BarbaraSher, Barry_at_IMPACT,BarryMoltz,bencasnocha,byosko,beneubanks,BeverlyHarvey,BeverlyMacy,
billiesucher,blakesunshine,glhoffman,bradleywill,careerealism,crisjobcoach,InterviewAngel,CarlosHernandez,iRelaunch,mightycasey, YourOnRamp,ChadALevitt,chandlee,charbrown,ceonyc,CherylPalmer,ChrisBrogan,garybcohen, CareerRocketeer,chrisrussell,cfocoach,prleads,danschawbel,DanThomas,danielpink,dwestjr,
madmain,DavidSandusky,getajob,dawnbugni,CEOCoach,debbieweil,debrawheatman,
DianaJennings,resumesrevealed,eogez,CareerDiva,fbrahimi,GayleHoward,WorkforceFifty, linkup.
Gillian_Kelly,GLHoffman,HajjFlemings,haroldmellor,harparora,eExecutives,heatherhuhman,
mountflorida,IlissaSmanes,jacobshare,valueintowords,janmelnik,jannwatt,jasonalba,jjbuss,
career_advisor,Seiden,jeffjarvis,jeffrey_blake,ysnjen,joanschramm,cheezhead,ducttape,
theresumebay,jonathanfields,jtodonnell,juliaerickson,junloayza,midlifetrip,workinggirl,katiekonrath, kirstendixson,kgrantcareers,kirshnade,KristenFischer,KristenJacoway,kkaleal,Resumeexpert,
laurenstill,lruettimann,Leonard_Lang,LesleyEverett,workguru

LiveYourBrand,InteviewCoach,lindseypollak,liz_lynch,louise_fletcher,louisemowbray,mariaduron,CandidatesChair,
stelzner,MarthaFinney,MartinBuckland,resumepro,ExpatCoachMegan,megguiseppi,KCCareerCoach,casseracomm,
N2growth,KeppieCareers,monicaobrien,LeadersCoach,TheLongoReport,imnickarmstrong,Rynge,pamslim,
paulcopcutt,Salesrecruiter,philgerb,philrecareered,phyllisshabad,RachelGogos,10GMRachel,
myreinventure,RobCuesta,RoxanneRavenel,sallywitzky,PRsarahevans,sherryfm,scottallen,
scotherrick,nametagscott,career20,SelenaDehne,SusanHeathfield,SusanIreland,DailyCareerTips, teenarose,MakingSense,tmonhollon,tferriss,SpinStrategy,TomScholte,Brandyourself,AResumes,
gradversity,GetHiredGuru,WalterAkana,wendygelberg,wendymarx,WendyTerwelp,williamarruda, willyf,
pathfindernig,MeghanMBiro,careercampaigns,bfederman,daisywright,socialmoves,brigittevanT,
internetinc,keithferrazzi,dirkindallas,penelopetrunk,ohioresgal,StephanieALloyd, prjobs,coachmupboni,sexythinker,JavaSTL,TriumphCIO,lindagriffin,KrisPlantrich,execjobcoach,jobsearchcoach,
socialmediawonk,goodridge,JobSeekersEdge,CJWebster,MelissaWells,mattliptak,LaurenceShatkin, WorkIntegrity,StevenRothberg,BostonRecruiter,allisoncheston

Top Authors On Twitter by GL Hoffman

2009-06-26T21:09:00.003-05:00

List of top authors on twitter by GL Hoffman you can down load them fast by going to Ninjafollow. Just copy and paste each list into www.ninjafollow.com and you will be following them.

danielpink, danschawbel, thecreativepenn,jonathanfields, lindseypollack,tferiss, ducttape,pamslim, jack_welch,jeffjarvis,liz_lynch,scottallen,alivelshi, authordavidbach, suzeormanshow,andreagillies, annettefix, glhoffman,christine22hoef,esmo,helentse,petersagal, stephanieklein, susanorlean, trishryan,wilw,fiora_mackenzie, kriswaldherr, malgeo, maureenogle, benmezrich, elissastein, jennyblee, knitgrrl, marielhemingway, ruthreichl, tammypowley, andybeal, chr1sa, cshirky, debiweil, dmscott, joelcomm, Maggie, mike_stelzner, timoreilly, warrenwhitlock, badastronomer, pd_smith, stevenbjohynson, annettecolby, butterflyhaikus, Deepak_chopra, gtdguy, katebornstein,m_hutchings, michellesedas, mrfire, splver, spunkonastick, stevepavilina, suzywelch,glhoffman, tinatessina, tonyrobbins, zenhabits, ginahyams, hackneye, rtfelton,sandrafriend, bookmarketer,grammergirl, wordywoman, bradshorr, johannayoung, arrianahuff, heytammybruce, matthewemay, petparentauthor,alevitt,keppie_careers, JTODonnell, workinggirl,alisondoyle, garybcohen

Survey: Although Popular, Definition of Leadership Coaching Eludes Managers

2009-06-26T21:03:00.002-05:00

Leadership development tops the list of training manager, coaching managers and executives say they prefer, according to a survey by CO2 Partners, an executive coaching and leadership development firm based in Minnesota.

Actually defining leadership development, however, isn’t quite as popular. Gary Cohen, CO2 Partners president, said many people do not fully understand what leadership development coaching is or what it entails.

“Leadership is a captivating objective for most executives and managers,” he said. “So individuals feel obligated to choose leadership development, even if they have no clear sense of what it’s all about. Despite this lack of awareness, leadership ranks first on any survey of coaching needs.”

Cohen said, though, that leadership coaching is not well-defined and that it makes sense many people do not fully comprehend exactly what it is. (Full Article Chief Training Officer)

Employer and Employee Values Don't Always Align

2009-06-26T20:59:00.004-05:00

One-third of employees say their employer's core values do not always line up with theirs, according to a survey of 615 Americans by CO2 Partners, a Minnesota leadership development firm.

The telephone survey was conducted March 7 to 11 by International Communications Research.

Gary Cohen, CO2 Partners president, said this situation has the potential to lead to employees experiencing an internal ethical conflict, which in turn, might be a factor in the high disengagement levels at many workplaces. (Full Article Chief Learning Officer)

Few Employees Turn To Boss For Advice

2009-06-26T20:48:00.003-05:00

MINNEAPOLIS -- Most employees are unwilling to turn to their boss for advice on problems at work, according to an Internet survey of more than 3,000 employees by CO2 Partners, a Minnesota-based leadership development and executive coaching firm.

In fact, a supervisor was cited by only 11% of employees surveyed as a source for workplace advice. More employees rely on a peer, another senior person, a friend outside the company, and a mentor or coach.

Whom do you turn to for advice on problems at work? (Read Full Article at HR.COM)

Study Suggest More Than Half Managers Get Coaching

2009-06-26T20:31:00.002-05:00

MINNEAPOLIS -- A new study suggests as many as half of mid-level managers have received some sort of coaching in the workplace in recent years. Minneapolis consultants CO2 Partners surveyed middle to senior-level executives via the Internet and found that 50% were provided with coaching on more than one occasion. (Read Full Article in HR.com)

Business Coaching Becomes The Focus

2009-06-26T20:26:00.003-05:00

As executive coaching continues to expand, the field is shifting away from a therapeutic model to a greater emphasis on business performance and leadership development, according to Minnesota executive coaching firm CO2 Partners. (Read Full Article in HR.COM)

If You Don’t Have Anything Nice to Say, Don’t Say Anything at All

2009-06-26T20:12:00.006-05:00

A small office gets back to basics and learns the value of a compliment.

The following story was described by Gary Cohen, a Minneapolis-based managing partner of CO2 Partners, LLC.

THE CLIENT: A small (25- to 30-employee) software value-added reseller

THE PROBLEM: The organization’s employees had very little appreciation for each other, and regular backbiting and complaining had turned the office environment sour.

THE CAUSE: The company was growing very fast, and each employee was focused on himself, his own job, and his position in the organization. The employees did not see how they fit together as a team or how their actions affected others. They also had little gratitude for what they were doing to help each other. (Continue Reading T+D Magazine)

Question

2009-06-24T22:53:00.001-05:00

Who do you inspire?

My name is on the door!

2009-06-24T21:17:00.005-05:00

Denny is a founding partner (and was chief rainmaker) of Crane, Poole & Schmidt. He has aged since he earned his reputation of being undefeated and has gotten what he calls “mad cow”, Alzheimer. The problem that he really faces is a case of narcissism. I see this sense of self happen with many leaders who are aging and have built something very large and have made a great deal of wealth and fame.

I was in a meeting the other day with someone who was an executive at one of the worlds largest beer companies. He said that he would be told what the name of the new product would be by the aging leader. This was a beer that was going to be sold to 20 year olds. No, focus groups, no research no inclusion of the many people who they have hired to do that exact job of product development and naming. How do you know this is the right name? Because I have one of the biggest companies in the world and my name is on the door, was the unsaid answer.

It totally reminds me of city slickers when Barry and Ira who are two ice-cream moguls (like Ben and Jerry’s) who delight in knowing the right flavor for any occasion.

Barry Shalowitz: What do you think? What would be the perfect flavor with this meal?
Ira Shalowitz: Cherry vanilla?
Barry Shalowitz: No. If it was Chinese food, right on the money, but this? Toasted almonds.
Mitch Robbins: What's going on?
Ira Shalowitz: Barry can pick out the exact right flavor of ice cream to follow any meal. Go ahead. Challenge him.
Mitch Robbins: Challenge him?
Barry Shalowitz: Go on.
Mitch Robbins: Franks and beans.
Barry Shalowitz: Scoop of chocolate, scoop of vanilla. Don't waste my time.
[Flings plate at Mitch as if he throws down the gauntlet]
Barry Shalowitz: Come on. Push me.
Mitch Robbins: Sea bass.
Barry Shalowitz: Grilled?
Mitch Robbins: Sauteed.
Barry Shalowitz: I'm with you.
Mitch Robbins: Potatoes au gratin. Asparagus.
Barry Shalowitz: Rum raisin.
Barry Shalowitz, Ira Shalowitz: WOOF!

When challenged to how they know it is the right flavor. ‘We own 1300 stores nation wide…’ Another words, “Denny Crane, name is on the door!”

Are you in danger of saying, __________, name is on the door?

Leadership of Brand

2009-06-19T14:54:00.002-05:00

Leaders want to produce the best work possible, while increasing revenue and limiting expenses. Unless they lose some big clients or receive sharp complaints, they don't always give due consideration to their clients' expenses. They generally want their clients to spend more, not less.

Quality work is important, but leaders need to be mindful of costs--theirs and others'. At Brand Integrity, the partners met a few years back to set top business objectives. Brand Integrity had helped Wegman's Food Markets, Hallmark Cards, Erickson Retirement Communities, and other companies to better define and deliver on their brands, so the partners could have continued their profitable and largely effective practices. But founding partner, Gregg Lederman, thought to ask, "How much of our clients' money are we wasting?"

That question helped transform a pivotal service offering within their business. Over the next few years, Brand Integrity expanded its employee performance practice by moving away from paper-based tools and by integrating a software development and service business. With an online peer-to-peer employee engagement solution, Brand Integrity found they could do more for their clients for less money. The paper system couldn't detect whether employees delivered the brand strategy consistently. Now, their clients can do so internally to reap the benefits of rapid data collection, information sharing, and employee appreciation. In addition, they can better measure return on investment and identify useful new best practices.

While eliminating the paper-based training may have cost Brand Integrity some revenue in the short term, it has led to far superior results and even created new revenue streams. With their Partner Program, they are now offering their solution to other industries that work on strategy development, such as advertising and branding agencies, business consultants, and providers of Human Resource tools. They are also better prepared to address the needs of organizations of all sizes.

Before your clients turn to one of your competitors to provide better value for their money, ask, "How much of our clients' money are we wasting?" The answer may yield more efficient practices and more business.

Aspen Global Leadership Network

2009-06-15T15:10:00.005-05:00

Just returned from the Aspen Institute's Global Leadership Network. This was the second gathering of the alumni from all the Aspen Institute's Leadership initiatives from around the world. Of the 900 members there was a very strong showing of support with 150 members in attendance. If you spend any time at the Aspen Institute you know you get a 'rocky mountain high'. Both the conversation and the network is amazing. And for those of us who have been going for better than 6 years it has begun to feel like a global family. And the most amazing of all is the work this group is doing around the world.

We heard from Dele Olojede one of the fellows from South Africa. He is founder of Timbuktu Media, which is building a platform-agnostic information company in Nigeria and the rest of Africa, including newspapers and digital products. He is the only African to win the Pulitzer Prize and a former foreign editor at eh New York Newsday. Dele spoke to us about what it takes to speak truth to power. In a country like Nigeria where bribery is not even skirted under the skirt of innuendeo but direct and overt. His news paper is the only one to not take bribes in the entire country. This is a country that if your part of the power system you can create a total backout of any news story you want. If you are a politician in Nigeria you will be one of the best paid politians in the world. They have pay and benefits of over $2 million per year. In order for the newspaper to make the story understandable to all readers they break down these numbers into tangible numbers that will be understood. Dele is an inspiration - his willingness to leave his comfortable life in New York to put is life at risk in strating a media company in Nigeria takes an amazing act of courage.

We heard from Jaqueline Novogratz who started and is now CEO of Acumen Fund, a non-profit global venture fund that uses entrepreneurial approaches to solve the problems of global poverty. Acumen Fund currently manages more than 40 million in investments in South Asia and East Africa, all focused on delivering affordable healthcare, water, housing and engergy to the poor.

We were discussing readings and many of us had very strong points of view on being ethical and holding to moral high ground not knowing that Nuhu Ribadu a senior fellow was part of the group. Nuhu was Executive Chairman of Economic and Fiancial Crimes Commission in Nigeria. He was responsible for bringing charges against those who were caught recieving bribes. On October 20, 2006, Ribadu told the BBC that over 380 billion dollars has either been stolen or wasted by Nigerian governments since independence in 1960. While testifying about corruption before a U.S. Financial Services Commssion. He testified against former Niger Delta Governor. Nuhu was offered millions in bribes in cash. Nuhu refused and tendered the cash as evidence against Niger Delta Governor. He is no longer safe in his country and is now living in England as an Oxford Fellow. Again the courage of his leadership and the strength of his values truely informed not only our discussion but the people of Nigeria.

Just Ask Leadership goes global

2009-06-15T12:53:00.003-05:00

Hanover, Germany - Presenting to executives from a a business that manages cross-border MRO supply, V-Line. The participants were from all over the world - Saudi Arabia, Omen, Bahrain, Pakistan, Brazil, North America, Germany, Netherlands, Finland, China and Japan.

You may ask what type of business is that: Whether it is tiny stainless steel screws or entire industrial plants: V-LINE Europe Export Marketing delivers original replacement parts directly from the manufacturer to clients on four continents guaranteed on-time, at a fixed price and including processing of the various custom formalities.

Because the presentation was totally interactive the diversity of opinions on the subject of leadership was dynamic. Each time I work with Global Audiences it continues to inform me how transferable Just Ask Leadership is to organizations around the world.

What seemed to be of most interest to the participants was the message about how leaders who come from a place of knowing with their staff are less effective at engagement.

Question

2009-05-23T09:13:00.001-05:00

What resistance is causing us to stall or slow? How can we use this resistance to our advantage or turn it around on itself?

The Age of the Unthinkable by Joshua Cooper Ramo

2009-05-23T09:04:00.002-05:00

Josh Ramo, the youngest Senior Editor and Foreign Editor ever at TIME Magazine, is both a great writer and a global citizen. A friend of mine for the past eight years, he now works as Managing Director at Kissinger Associates, Inc., which is owned and managed by Henry Kissinger. I’m not surprised that Josh chose to work for the former Secretary of State, since Josh speaks Mandarin and frequently seeks connection between the U.S. and the world at large. In his latest book, The Age of the Unthinkable, Josh examines recent disruptions to well-established institutions and mental models, and finds solutions to problems from unlikely and far-flung sources.
Some of these unlikely and far-flung sources include the chief information officer of the Hezbollah (Who would even think a terrorist organization has such a position?), the Silicon Valley venture folks who founded Google, President Gorbachev, ground breaking physicists, and others. Tying them together under the common banner of revolutionaries, Josh argues that they are more successful than organized bureaucracies like the State Department, White House, and Pentagon. Josh asks, "Why are these revolutionary models so successful?" and "How might we adapt some of this thinking into our organizations?"
Josh's key findings surface as he investigates the notion of resilience. When the unthinkable and unimaginable happen, and our traditional models aren't equipped to handle the aftermath, we need new and better methods to cope and rebound. In The Age of the Unthinkable, you'll learn some of these methods.
Since he advocates a new manner of thinking (no small topic or feat), this book provides only a taste of the advantages we might enjoy and challenges we might face. Josh makes the complex easy to understand, though, so it is a highly worthwhile read.

Understanding Leadership

2009-05-23T09:01:00.001-05:00

In building a training program for leaders, I've given a lot of thought to definitions of leadership. Here are a few that I have come across:

"A leader is simply one who has followers." To have followers isn't much of a threshold. Cults have followers, and so do NFL teams and pop stars. Leaders should aspire to greater heights.

"A leader gets others to do what one cannot do alone." This definition feels too utilitarian. The task is paramount, at the expense perhaps of learning and development.

"A leader gets people to do what he or she wants them to do, but having them want to do it." This definition comes closer to what exceptional leaders do than the previous two, but the word "gets" implies manipulation. The rewards and opportunities are likely greater for coworkers in this context, but there's no indication that inspiration or vision will be properly valued.

Leaders ought to strive to build a legion of thinkers, not automatons. John Searle's Chinese Room experiment helps to illustrate why:

"Searle requests that his reader imagine that, many years from now, people have constructed a computer that behaves as if it understands Chinese. It takes Chinese characters as input and, using a computer program, produces other Chinese characters, which it presents as output. Suppose, says Searle, that this computer performs its task so convincingly that it comfortably passes the 'Turing Test': it convinces a human Chinese speaker that the program is itself a human Chinese speaker. All of the questions that the human asks it receive appropriate responses, such that the Chinese speaker is convinced that he or she is talking to another Chinese-speaking human being. Most proponents of artificial intelligence would draw the conclusion that the computer understands Chinese, just as the Chinese-speaking human does.

Searle then asks the reader to suppose that he is in a room in which he receives Chinese characters, consults a book containing an English version of the aforementioned computer program and processes the Chinese characters according to its instructions. He does not understand a word of Chinese; he simply manipulates what, to him, are meaningless symbols, using the book and whatever other equipment, like paper, pencils, erasers and filing cabinets, is available to him. After manipulating the symbols, he responds to a given Chinese question in the same language. As the computer passed the Turing test this way, it is fair, says Searle, to deduce that he has done so, too, simply by running the program manually.

This lack of understanding, according to Searle, proves that computers do not understand Chinese either, because they are in the same position as he--nothing but mindless manipulators of symbols: they do not have conscious mental states like an 'understanding' of what they are saying, so they cannot fairly and properly be said to have minds." (Searle 1980, p. 2-3)

As a leader, do you want "mindless manipulators of symbols" for coworkers? If you script your coworkers' behavior, that's what you are likely to get. They won't be inspired or feel authorized to employ their own vision or creativity. They may not even understand what it is they are trying to achieve, or how they fit into your vision.

Members of Generation Y want to understand and contribute to the direction of the organization. Sure, material success is important to them, but not at the expense of the environment and the health and safety of their (and future) generations. That's why exceptional leaders embrace a new definition of leadership:

"A leader inspires people to achieve a shared goal and vision, by allowing and encouraging independent thought, and by meeting the unique needs of his or her coworkers."

As a leader, are you offering something greater than financial rewards to attract, align, and engage your followers? Let them understand and contribute meaningfully to the direction of the organization.

Quotes

2009-05-23T08:59:00.000-05:00

"It's amazing how many cares disappear when you decide not to be something, but to be someone." -Coco Chanel

"There are no bad troops, only bad leaders."- John Harvey-Jones

"The most important thing in communication is to hear the thing that isn’t being said." -Peter Drucker

What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful

2009-05-23T08:54:00.004-05:00

Marshall Goldsmith

--author, coach, and savvy marketer--spells out the twenty most common bad habits of executives in this book, but you don't need to be an executive to benefit from his advice. Everyone could stand to take responsibility for their actions, keep a positive and generous attitude, and work on (not celebrate) their faults--which is, essentially, the message of the book.

Here, in Goldsmith's own words, are the twenty habits to avoid:

1. Winning too much: The need to win at all costs and in all situations--when it matters, when it doesn't, and when it's totally beside the point

2. Adding too much value: The overwhelming desire to add our two cents to every discussion

3. Passing judgment: The need to rate others and impose our standards on them

4. Making destructive comments: The needless sarcasms and cutting remarks that we think make us sound sharp and witty

5. Starting with "No," "But," or "However": The overuse of these negative qualifiers which secretly say to everyone, "I'm right. You're wrong."

6. Telling the world how smart we are: The need to show people we're smarter than they think we are

7. Speaking when angry: Using emotional volatility as a management tool

8. Negativity, or "Let me explain why that won't work": The need to share our negative thoughts even when we weren't asked

9. Withholding information: The refusal to share information in order to maintain an advantage over others

10. Failing to give proper recognition: The inability to praise and reward

11. Claiming credit that we don't deserve: The most annoying way to overestimate our contribution to any success

12. Making excuses: The need to reposition our annoying behavior as a permanent fixture so people excuse us for it

13. Clinging to the past: The need to deflect blame away from ourselves and onto events and people from our past; a subset of blaming everyone else

14. Playing favorites: Failing to see that we are treating someone unfairly

15. Refusing to express regret: The inability to take responsibility for our actions, admit when we're wrong, or recognize how our actions affect others

16. Not listening: The most passive-aggressive form of disrespect for colleagues

17. Failing to express gratitude: The most basic form of bad manners

18. Punishing the messenger: The misguided need to attack the innocent who are usually trying to help us

19. Passing the buck: The need to blame everyone but ourselves

20. An excessive need to be "me": Exalting our faults as virtues simply because they're who we are

As a coach, I have seen executives exhibit these habits. It's not that surprising really. Many of these habits develop because executives are accustomed to success and, therefore, reluctant to accept failure. These executives don't always get to work with people who are as smart or talented as they are, which can be frustrating and spark anger.

While the habits Goldsmith addresses are understandable, they aren't defensible. Leaders often come to this realization themselves. They reach a point in their careers where they want to be respected more than feared. They want to change the way they show up.

Goldsmith gives wonderful illustrations of these twenty habits and some suggestions on how to move away from them. So do yourself a favor and get this book, which is available in paperback, audio, and kindle.

Reviewed by Gary Cohen

Repurposing Your Business

2009-05-23T08:51:00.000-05:00

Last month, I described how Charles McCabe expanded his business based upon a simple question: "Why don't you sell your tax school to other independent tax firms?" In the process, he helped insulate himself and his business against ever-changing economic conditions and the competition.

This month, I'd like to continue in the flexible business vein. "Repurposing" has become a popular term and practice, especially for the Green Movement and those interested in reducing waste. Old New York subway cars, for instance, are now serving as breakwaters off the coast of Delaware--and have helped marine life flourish to boot.

As Managing Director of Wave Dispersion Technologies, Jonathan Smith's primary source of business was Floating Breakwaters, designed to stop beach erosion (much like the repurposed subway cars). Then the Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center (NFESC) asked, "Can your barrier be repurposed as a floating security barrier (FSB)/line of demarcation (LOD)?"

Questions are often opportunities to grow (both personally and professionally), provided you're not too entrenched in your ideas, habits, and processes. Smith seized this opportunity for growth. Within twenty-four hours, Wave Technologies developed a prototype, photographed and video-ed it in the water, and delivered the details to NFESC, who dubbed it the "definitive, survivable line of demarcation."

Since that interaction with NFESC, 80% of Wave Dispersion Technologies' sales have been in the area of FSB's and LOD's!

Don't wait for NFESC (or its equivalent) to come to you. Ask your organization: How might we repurpose the products and services we offer?