Tag:

Development

BlogCulture

The Machines won’t stand a chance!

by Ron Potter

Earlier this year I reviewed the book Only Humans Nee Apply. The question raised by the book is:

How do we as humans survive in this incredible technology, robotic age that we’re now entering?

One way to look at history is through the “ages” that have been identified.

  • The Agricultural Age
  • The Industrial Age
  • The Information Age
  • The Technology Age

The Agriculture Age and Industrial Age are well documented and understood. One important thing to remember is the workers at the center of those ages were essentially the upper-middle class of the day.

The landowner or industry owners were the wealthy of that era, but the agricultural and industrial workers were the upper middle class of the day.

The steam engine brought an end to the industrial age when factory workers began making more money. The industrial age ended in September 2007 when the United Auto Workers wages dropped from $60/hour to $20/hour. Industrial workers could no longer make upper-middle class wages.

But when did the information age end? By some measures, it ended 50 years ago. We just haven’t noticed yet.

The Next Age

The next age has gone by different identifies. The Conceptional Age. The Creative Age.

What we know for sure is that we’re entering a new phase where the technology is finally hitting its stride and doing many things that the information or knowledge workers used to do. Several of our major colleges today employ sports writing “robots”. Plug in the stats from the game and the computer writes the sports story.

In his book, Only Humans Need to Apply, Tom Davenport talks about the different ways humans will survive and thrive in this machine age.

  • You can become a machine maintenance person, a technician. Machines will always need maintenance and repair.
  • You can use the machine to augment what you do. My first example of this was using spreadsheets. Spreadsheets began to augment what I did as an engineer. The problem with allowing machines to augment what you do is they quickly get smart enough to take over what you do.

Davenport says our best chance is to augment what the machines can do. How do we begin to use that technology and apply our creativeness? The one aspect that machines haven’t mastered is being creative (so far). How do we begin to apply creativity in ways that machines would never think doing? This is how humans will survive in the technology age.

Augmenting Teams

But, I believe our greatest augmentation opportunities lie in teams, not technology. We need to think about our teams in a similar way. How do we augment each other? If we don’t, we’re not gaining the incredible power of teams. We’re just a group of individuals working together. But in the same way, we think about augmenting machines, we can augment what each other do. By doing so we’re creating a team that can go far beyond even what the best individual on the team can do.

This idea of augmenting each other means we’re required to know each other not as human doings, not as what we do or how we do it but as human beings.

  • Who are we?
  • How do we think?
  • What are our beliefs and assumptions?
  • What are the values that we hold?
  • How are we going to face difficulties together?

This is where growth happens when we’re faced with difficult situations. Teams that learn to augment each other, that function better as a team than as a group of individuals. These are the teams that will be extremely successful in the future. In fact, my belief is that if teams fully augment each other as human beings, the machines won’t have a chance.

1 comment
0 FacebookTwitterThreadsBlueskyEmail
BlogCulture

What’s your Therefore there for?

by Ron Potter

The word therefore has only been used in its current form for around 200 years. It’s a relatively new word in our language.

In the original old English, it meant: for that or by reason of that. Or it could be understood to mean “in consequence of that.”

The question is “What is that?”

We all too often give our reason for something without ever explaining what that reason is based upon.

By reason of that

In consequence of that

One of the practices I find myself talking to corporate teams about is conducting good dialogue. Good dialogue begins with clearly stating the “that” which your argument or conclusions are based upon.

Peter Senge wrote the book The 5th Discipline in 1990. In my experience with corporate clients, it was one of the most impactful books written at the time. Every client I worked with during the late 90’s and early 2000’s was anxious to show me what they were doing with systems thinking (the point of Senge’s book) and re-engineering projects to rethink how they were approaching their work. The book itself was over 400 pages long and my personal notes of highlights were nearly 40 pages. That means I highlighted nearly 10% of all the words written. It was impactful thinking!

One of the basic mental models in the book was Triple Loop Learning. It is most often attributed to Chris Argyris who was a colleague of Senge. In this model, they helped us understand that until we get at the beliefs and assumptions that drive our reasoning we will never actually learn or will always fall short of accomplishing major change efforts. Beliefs and assumptions will always overrule systems, policies, procedures, and processes.

Teams that get good at starting with beliefs and assumptions of each team member find renewed understanding and respect for each other and make great strides accomplishing great things beyond what one individual could accomplish.

In my experience, if you were to watch high performing teams from behind a soundproof glass, you would think they were at each other’s throats. They seem to be aggressively going at each other and getting in each other’s face. But, if you removed the glass and began to hear the discussions, you would be aware that they want to understand each other so deeply that they are aggressively going after the beliefs, assumptions, backgrounds, experiences that support everyone’s starting points when dealing with a difficult issue. By understanding beliefs and assumptions, the team is better at solving problems and reaching a committed solution they all will back and support.

So, what is your therefore there for? If you can’t share what you believe without condemnation, ridicule or repercussions your “therefore” conclusions, suggestions or directions will never be understood or respected. Build great teams that can openly share Beliefs and Assumptions so that “therefore” is understood and respected.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterThreadsBlueskyEmail
Balance on the High WireBlogCulture

Balance on the High Wire – Part IV: Human Needs

by Ron Potter

The world is becoming a very fast paced environment. With each step of increased travel velocity, the world has become more interconnected than ever. With the advent of the internet and pipeline speed that velocity has become almost infinite in nature. It seems like a Niagara amount of information, data and connectivity are swirling around us every moment of every day. With each passing day, it becomes more difficult for us to maintain our balance. Without balance, bad things happen.

Over the last few of blog posts, I’ve introduced that Balance is the key ingredient of great decision-making, health, and happiness (human needs). Today let’s explore Human Needs.

A couple of years ago I wrote a short post on human needs described by Tony Robbins. I’m sure Tony didn’t invent these needs, they have been known and observed through human history as being part of who we are as humans. But, Tony has done a nice job of observing and describing the drives behind each.

The six (in my words) are:

  • Certainty—Uncertainty
  • Belonging—Standing out
  • Learning—Teaching

Certainty-Uncertainty

  • I’ve watched corporate leaders attempt to boil down the big-data they need so that it fits on their laptop or tablet. They are searching for certainty and assume that if they have all the data at their fingertips they’ll always make the right decision. If that’s true, why do we need the human element at all? Just let the big-data make the decision. Leadership is dealing with the ambiguity of the situation and making the decision despite the fact you don’t have all the data. Decisions are about the future. The future is difficult (impossible) to know. Life is full of ambiguity and people in general and good leaders are better at dealing with ambiguity than computers.
  • Leadership is about not being certain about the future but also not being afraid. Balance.

Belonging-Standing Out

  • This one is difficult to balance. I believe it takes a trusting team to accomplish. A great team encourages unique abilities, encourages them and helps develop But the goal is to serve the team, not the individual.
  • Individuals have a difficult time accomplishing just the right balance without trusting feedback. One of our great American philosophers, George Carlin once said: Everyone driving faster than you are idiots. Everyone driving slower than you are Morons. Which means you are one or the other to all others on the road. Balance.

Learning – Teaching

  • When both learning and teaching are taking place, both experiences are better. One of my clients explained to me that I provided the greatest value to them when I was teaching them about what I was learning. My energy and enthusiasm came through when I shared with them the insights of what I was learning through my reading and experiences. Balance

I started my career walking steel up to 200 feet in the air. No safety equipment. Just you, the breeze and balance. Up there, balance was life and death. Balance, Balance, Balance!

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterThreadsBlueskyEmail
BlogCulture

The Number One Habit You Should Drop to be Successful

by Ron Potter

Success.com recently published a list entitled “10 ‘Harmless’ Habits to Drop If You Want to Be Successful.”

Based on the experience I’ve had with successful teams the last several years, I would say just being successful at dropping the first habit will get you a long way toward success.

Number One: Saying Yes When You Want to Say No!

I’ve taught many teams recently the true meaning of the word decide. Top corporate teams are filled with high achievers. They have all been getting things done since an early age. They’ve been rewarded in academics, sports, arts, and business for getting things done. Getting them done faster and in more volume than anyone else. They’re “doers”!

So, it’s very natural to believe that when corporate leadership teams get together they should decide what to do!

But that’s not what the word means. The “cide” part of the word means to cut off, put to death, publicly execute. Think for a minute about the words pesticide or homicide. The one habit that is keeping most teams and leaders from success is concluding that they should be doing more and more. Corporations and individuals don’t have the resources, energy, time or fortitude to keep doing more and more. Successful teams and leaders decide what to kill, what to stop doing.

There are so many variables related to success and failure in the auto industry that I honestly don’t know if this one issue will spell success or failure for General Motors (GM). But, I need to applaud their courage in shifting their measure of success from being the number one car maker in the world by volume. That seemed to be the driving force in GM for decades. But today, they’ve decided to stop producing vehicles in many parts of the world. That takes courage. Will it be successful? I don’t know. As I said, there are many factors to success and failure. But I do believe that deciding where to stop putting your resources is a big factor.

Saying No is Difficult

I really don’t know many leaders who reward and praise their people for not doing something. But they should. Research and my direct experience with many great leaders validate that focusing on the top three issues you face is the best route to success. Rewarding your people for not doing the 10th item on their priority list (and 9, 8, 7, …) will lead to more success than you can imagine. Leaders and organizations never have enough resources to do everything. The assumption is they just need more resources or more productivity out of the resources they have. That’s the wrong assumption. The real answer is assuming you’re trying to do too many things. Deciding not to do the low priority items will help you realize that you have all the resources you need to accomplish your top priorities. And it will lead to greater success as well.

Figure out how to say No!

The Power of a Positive No by William Ury is a great resource. Deciding to say no will be one of the most productive practices you ever learn.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterThreadsBlueskyEmail
BlogCulture

Are you fit enough to think?

by Ron Potter

I have a confession to make. I’m not fit. I’ve never been very fit. It’s just never been a priority for me.

I admire people who are fit. I don’t admire the people who have turned fitness into their religion but I do indeed admire fit people.

I’ve used many excuses through the years for not putting in the effort required to be fit. Today I’m going to share one of them.

I’ve always had a desire for learning and understanding. I’m realizing that I can do a great deal of learning but that doesn’t necessarily result in understanding. That will have to be another blog topic.

For this blog post, I’m confessing that I use my quest for learning as an excuse for not being fit. In the morning, I would rather read than exercise. When I have a moment during the day I’ll spend those spare moments reading or writing or thinking.

Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Then I noticed a picture of Rodin’s The Thinker. I’m familiar with the sculpture. I have the image in my mind of the man leaning forward, head resting on his hand, in deep thought. But I never looked closely. I know his position but I never noticed his back, his arms, his thighs, his abs. That sculpture may be one of the fittest men I have ever seen. The Thinker was fit! Incredibility fit.

I’m not going to make a resolution. I’m just not that sure of myself. But I have been inspired. The Thinker was fit. I enjoy being a thinker but I think I would enjoy being a fit thinker even more.

Hope is not a strategy. Inspiration is not a plan. At this point, I only have the inspiration. But inspirations are a required first step in meaningful changes.

What is inspiring you today? Nothing? That’s a problem. Something? Turn it into an action plan. Do something about it.

Let’s share some stories. I’ll keep you informed on mine.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterThreadsBlueskyEmail
BlogCulture

If you don’t know where you’re going any road will get you there.

by Ron Potter

That is a quote from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol.

I like the Yogi Berra version better. “If you don’t know where you’re going, you might wind up someplace else.” I don’t know if a famous person also said, “If you don’t know where you are, you don’t know where to turn next.” Maybe that’s just something that came out of my head. But, you’re getting the idea. Where are you going and where are you now

Those are the questions?

Are we there yet?

When our girls were young we lived in the western United States. Once or twice a year we would make the 1,600-mile trip back to Michigan to visit family. IN A TOYOTA! Averaging 50 miles per hour with stops, that was a 32-hour trip.

Within an hour of a very early departure time, from the back seat would come the question “Are we there yet?” After banning that question on the first trip, I needed to come up with a constructive alternative. Giving each girl a detailed map of our entire trip (in the days before Google Maps) I allowed them to ask, as many times as they wanted, “Where are we?”

In addition to becoming good map readers, it soon became apparent to them that this was going to be a long trip. The frequency of questions from the back seat dropped dramatically.

Corporate Roadmaps

Years later, working with several clients who were making heroic efforts to become the best they could be, it became apparent to me they were asking the same question “Are we there yet?” Without any real understanding of their destination or where they were on their journey, they needed a map.

We began by describing a simple five-step map. I asked them to describe, for their business or focus, entry-level behaviors and skills all the way up to world class behaviors, skills, and impact. Now, we had a “map” and we could ask the next question “Where are we now?” It always amazes me how consistent they were identifying their current location along the journey once the journey was mapped out.

You Are Here

Once we had their “You are Here” marker, it was easy to identify the adjustments and improvements they needed to reach the next level of their journey. Once the next steps were identified, a realistic time frame for accomplishing the changes was also much clearer. And, just like our long-ago road trips, the anxiety levels dropped, everyone focused on being productive in a reasonable amount of time. Soon enough we were once again asking, “Where are we now?” and mapping out our next steps.

Do you have a map?

Do you know where you are on the map? I’m part of a team creating an app to help leaders and teams determine what their journey looks like and where they are now. It can be thought of as a GPS for Leaders. I’ll keep you informed as we progress but you can start today. Describe your journey and figure out where you are today.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterThreadsBlueskyEmail
BlogTrust Me

You Need a Mentor Too

by Ron Potter

Mentoring is a life-changing part of development. The goal is to coach and guide people through life transitions and structures, focusing on the “being” rather than the “doing.”

In many ways, mentoring resembles a parent who lets a child learn how to feed herself. It can be downright messy! Food ends up on the face, in the hair, on the floor, on Mommy and Daddy—and occasionally in the mouth. Milk is spilled so frequently that a whole industry evolved to provide those nearly spill-proof cups! Parents have two choices: Let their child thrash around and learn how to manipulate a spoon, or continue to feed her themselves. But really there is only one good choice—as is true with mentoring. You just can’t spoon-feed a child forever. Neither should you artificially prop up a work associate who must learn to handle responsibilities. You need genuine concern, patience, and a great sense of humor, whether you are teaching a child eating skills or mentoring an employee in how to handle customer complaints. But it’s worth the effort. People committed to growing together through thick and thin accomplish great things.

Research has shown that leaders at all levels need mentoring. Even though you may be mentoring others successfully, you need a mentor too. Just put yourself in the protégé’s shoes.

There are two issues that we want you to be especially cognizant of:

  1. Vulnerability. You must open yourself up to your mentor by being “woundable,” teachable, and receptive to criticism. The essence of vulnerability is a lack of pride. You cannot be proud and vulnerable at the same time. It takes a focus on humility to be vulnerable.
  2. Accountability. Commit yourself wholeheartedly to your mentor (or protégé) and put some teeth in the relationship by establishing goals and expected behavior.

Accountability should include:

  • “Being willing to explain one’s actions.
  • Being open, unguarded, and nondefensive about one’s motives.
  • Answering for one’s life.
  • Supplying the reasons why.”*

Like vulnerability, accountability cannot exist alongside pride. Pride must take a backseat to a person’s need to know how she or he is doing and to be held accountable by someone who is trusted. People who are accountable are humble enough to allow people to come close and support them, and, when they drift off course, they welcome the act of restoration without the pride that says, “I don’t need anyone.”

Be vulnerable and open to being held accountable. Leaders at all levels need mentoring, and you need a mentor too.

* From Dropping Your Gaurd by Charles R. Swindoll

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterThreadsBlueskyEmail
BlogLeadership

Golf Lessons

by Ron Potter

This summer each of my grandsons wanted to spend time on the driving range with me learning the golf swing. That was great fun. Even though I’m not a professional golf coach and only an average golfer, my coaching at the range made a huge difference in their performance. Each seemed to grow from the experience.
That started me thinking about the coaching aspect of leading a team of people. Let me paint two possible scenarios:

1-on-1 Meeting after the event

I could have let each grandson hit golf balls for an hour, made notes and observations, then returned to the house for a good 1-on-1 evaluation. It might have gone something like this:
Me: I noticed right from the start that you had too many moving parts.
GS: What does that mean?
Me: Your feet were shifting. Your knees were moving too wide. Your arms were flopping all over the place.
GS: So, what should I do about it?
Me: Well, let’s start with your feet. We’ll get those stable first then work on the rest.
GS: Great, can we go back out now and test it?
Me: No, we’ll be having supper soon. Maybe we can try it again over the weekend.

Coaching During the Event

Me: (After about the third swing). Try keeping your feet still.
GS: (New swing with still feet but same result). That didn’t help!
Me: But it was a much better swing. Try it again.
GS: Wow, that helped a lot. (He hit several more balls with much better results)
Me: Now that you’ve got your feet still, try twisting your waist instead of swaying.
GS: Show me. (I demonstrated a few swings myself then had him swing a few times until he got the feel for it)
GS: (He hits a few balls that now go straighter and longer). Man, this is great!

Expected Results

Which approach worked better? It’s obvious. The second approach is much more effective than the first. And, it didn’t make any difference of the skill level between grandsons. The individual instruction may have been different but the process was the same.

Development Process

How are you developing your people? Are you saving your notes and observations for your formal 1-on-1 review time?

1-on-1 Meeting after the event

You: Back in March, you made a statement that shut down Carla. That prevented you from accomplishing your goal.
Them: What was my statement and how did you know Carla reacted?
You: Your statement was something about lack of planning and I could just tell that Carla took it personally.
Them: So, what should I do about it?
You: Well, let’s start with your ability to read reactions then we’ll move on to the next steps.
Them: Great, can we work on it now?
Me: Maybe we can try it again at our next meeting in a couple of weeks.

Coaching Immediately after the Event

You: When you made that statement about lack of planning, Carla took it personally and shut down.
Them: Wow, I didn’t notice that. What did you see?
You: First she crossed her arms. Then she pulled some papers from her briefcase and began working on them. She never re-engaged in your discussion.
Them: What should I have done differently?
You: Keep eye contact with people in the room. If you’re losing the focus of Carla or others, you’ve probably made a statement they don’t agree with. Express the fact that you may have misinterpreted some results and ask that everyone share their beliefs and assumptions about what happened.
Them: We have another meeting tomorrow. Would you help me notice if I’ve lost people so I can try this process?

Expected Results

Which approach do you think would work better?
Coaching requires immediate feedback. Don’t wait for your 1-on-1 meetings. Take the time (it takes both time and courage) to develop your people in the moment. You’ll get better results and they’ll appreciate the time and courage it took to care for them.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterThreadsBlueskyEmail
BlogTrust Me

Becoming a Mentor

by Ron Potter

Last week we discussed being a dynamic mentor that inspires change in others. But how does one get there?

Here are some thoughts on becoming a mentor to others:

Character Over Skills

First, the best mentoring plans focus primarily on character development and then on skills. As Jim Collins reports, “The good-to-great companies placed greater weight on character attributes than on specific educational background, practical skills, specialized knowledge, or work experience.”

Set Clear Expectations

Second, I see many mentoring attempts fail because the participants do not sit down together to discuss and set boundaries and expectations. The process flows much better if the participants take time to understand each other’s goals, needs, and approaches than if they take a laid-back, let’s-get-together approach.

Any mentoring relationship should start with a firm foundation of mutual understanding about goals and expectations. A mentoring plan should be constructed by both individuals, even if it calls for spontaneity in the approach. Nothing is more powerful than motive and heart. Both of the people involved need to fully understand what is driving each of them to want this deeper experience of growth and commitment.

I once worked with an organization where a senior executive was trying to help a new manager. Incredible as it may seem, the manager was frequently not showing up on time—or at all—for scheduled mentoring appointments. We doubt that he fully understood the senior executive’s passion for his personal growth. When they later met to discuss the problem, the senior executive explained why he was willing to get up very early in the morning to help mentor the manager. Once the manager had grasped these basic facts, he started taking the sessions more seriously. Good idea!

Although I strongly endorse the notion of mentoring spontaneously during “teachable moments”, ideally I suggest using a combination of scheduled and unscheduled opportunities to learn and grow together.

Catch the Vision

What image comes to mind when you think of the term mentor? You might picture two people sitting at a table in a restaurant, the older person, his or her head topped with waves of shimmering, gray hair, waxing eloquent while the younger listener is furiously scribbling notes on a legal pad. Although this scene may warm our hearts, it seems just a bit out of sync with the real world.

I would like to offer an alternative image of mentoring: Picture two people sitting across from each other in an office. Obviously, an important project is under discussion. The interaction is animated, intense, and often humorous. These people obviously know each other well. Speech is direct and honest. Mutual respect is readily apparent. Some coaching is occurring, but the protégé is not restrained in sharing some insights on the performance of the mentor as well. This relationship is built on trust.

With this picture in mind, I like to define mentoring as a long-term, mutually supportive and enhancing relationship rather than as a relationship in which a highly advanced human being tutors another who stands a step or two below him or her on the developmental ladder.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterThreadsBlueskyEmail
BlogCulture

Never do this when seeking a promotion!

by Ron Potter

You should never seek a promotion!

The word seek means to

  • Solicit
  • Beg
  • petition for

Don’t you just get a warm feeling when you think about solicitors or beggars or being asked to sign a petition?

Of course not. It feels like we’re being manipulated. When people seek promotions if feels the same way.

Why do people seek promotions?

What’s the mindset of those who are seeking a promotion?

The words I hear include statements like:

  • I deserve it.
  • I’ve been here the longest.
  • I have all the qualifications for the job.
  • I’m more qualified than the person being considered.
  • If I was in control of the larger group I could make things happen.

These sound like Level 2 of the 4 Levels of Happiness.  Simply put, the four levels are:

  1. Money
  2. Ego
  3. Serving
  4. Teaming

When we’re seeking a promotion, we’re attempting to satisfy our ego.

What Happens when we get the promotion we seek?

If the promotion is received under these terms, what are your chances of success? Unfortunately, not great. There is very little support granted those who seek and then receive promotions.

  • They think they deserved it, let’s see them prove it.
  • Because they’ve been here the longest they think they can lead. They can’t.
  • They had the skills to do the work in their previous position. They don’t have the leadership skills to be successful in this position.
  • We should have hired the other person. It’s just a matter of time before this leads to failure.

How should we approach promotion opportunities?

If there’s a job posting and you’re interested in the position, please submit your application. Then let your work speak for itself.

After consulting with many leaders, it amazes me how many times I’ve heard “I wasn’t looking for this position. But, they promoted me into the job and I’m trying to do the best I can.”

Do your best where you are. That’s the key to promotion. Get better. Learn. Grow. Try things. Collaborate. See that others grow and get the credit for success. Strive to be better at what you do. That’s what gets promoted.

What happens when you get that promotion you were not seeking?

Then the things I hear are:

  • Give them a chance. They should have the opportunity to succeed.
  • I’ll give them a helping hand. They earned it.
  • If they make a mistake, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Can you see the difference in the responses? If you seek the promotion you’re on your own. Not even your boss, who may have promoted you will give you much support. But if you were working hard at being the best you could be at your position before you were promoted, people want to help. They want you to succeed. And most importantly, they’ll give you the time to be successful.

Will you sometimes be overlooked for a position? Quite likely. Would it have been better if you had sought the position? Absolutely not!

We’ve had the framework backward for a long time. Success doesn’t lead to happiness. Being happy leads to success. You will find that you’re the happiest when you’re doing your best, learning, growing and enjoying the moment.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterThreadsBlueskyEmail
Absurd!BlogIn-Depth Book Reviews

Absurd!: Leaders Cannot Be Trained, but They Can Be Educated

by Ron Potter

“Training leads to development of skills and techniques…Education on the other hand, leads not to technique but to information and knowledge, which in the right hands can lead to understanding, even to wisdom. And wisdom leads to humility, compassion, and respect—qualities that are fundamental to effective leadership.”

I like the word develop rather than education but I believe the principle is the same. Early in my consulting career, I wanted to teach leaders everything I had learned. I figured out very quickly that I couldn’t teach anyone anything, all I could do was to help them learn. The only thing they would learn was what they were ready to learn and what they wanted to learn. Beyond that, I couldn’t teach them anything.

New or prospective clients wanted me to provide an outline of my “training program.” I often had a hard time explaining that I didn’t have a program, we would figure out what the leader or team needed at that moment and would learn it together. Farson says is well: “Training makes people more alike. Education, because it involves an examination of one’s personal experience in the light of an encounter with great ideas, tends to make people different from each other. So, the first benefit of education is that the manager becomes unique, independent, the genuine article.” They develop integrity. They lead from who they are. Farson further says: “Managers can gain better self-understanding, learn about their own interpersonal selves, their reactions to and the impact on others, prejudices and blind spots, strengths and weaknesses. A better understanding of themselves and of their feelings gives all managers added trust in their perceptions, reactions, impulses, and instincts.

The following are words that appear in this blog. Go back and read them again with thought and reflection. There’s a lot of buried treasure in these words.

Wisdom leads to:

Examines:

Managers [Leaders] become:

Leaders are not alike. They are unique and whole.

I’m continuing my series on an in-depth look at a wonderful little book that’s twenty years old this year. The title is Management of the Absurd by Richard Farson. You may want to consider dropping back and reading the previous blog posts about ABSURD! I think it will put each new one in great context.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterThreadsBlueskyEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts