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Development

BlogFavoredTrust Me

Favored Are the Realists

by Ron Potter

Management’s imperative is to cultivate its human resources. —Zig Ziglar, Top Performance

Photo credit: U.S. Department of Education, Creative Commons

Photo credit: U.S. Department of Education, Creative Commons

Leaders are defined by the leaders they develop. If they cannot or choose not to develop others, chances are good they will not be leaders for long.

Personal humility establishes a healthy foundation in a leader’s outlook. Leaders also need to develop the right qualities in ourselves and others.

C. William Pollard, chairman of the board at ServiceMaster, relates how he and his team finally grasped this principle:

Several years ago the ServiceMaster board of directors had a two-day session with Peter Drucker. The purpose of our time was to review how we could be more effective in our planning and governance. Peter started off the seminar with one of his famous questions: “What is your business?” The responses were varied and included the identification of markets we serve, such as our health care, education, and residential; and the services we deliver, such as food service, housekeeping, and maid service.

After about five minutes of listening to the responses regarding our markets and services, Peter told our board something that I have never been able to tell them. He said, “You are all wrong. Your business is simply the training and development of people. You package it all different ways to meet the needs and demands of the customer, but your basic business is people training and motivation. You are delivering services. You can’t deliver services without people. You can’t deliver quality service to the customer without motivated and trained people.”

Development requires a humble attitude and a long-term commitment to growth and improvement. Benjamin Franklin once said, “You can’t expect an empty bag to stand up straight.” Neither can leaders expect people to grow, achieve goals, and improve the organization without investing the time necessary to develop them into top performers and men and women of character.

Growth must first take place in leaders’ lives. There are some attitudes and habits close to home that must be cleaned up. Some strenuous self-examination is always a good first step.

After we let go of a few personal “planks” and seek to understand the reality of the environment where we lead, we will then be ready to powerfully develop others.

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BlogLeadership

10 Ways to Step Aside So Your Team Will Stand Out

by Ron Potter
Photo credit: Jason Eppink, Creative Commons

Photo credit: Jason Eppink, Creative Commons

 

A humble leader steps aside so that others can run by and seize the prize of their own greatness. But just how is this done?  Let’s take a closer look:

  1. Expect the best of others

Leaders who expect the best of others exert a powerful influence. Many times leaders get caught in the trap of judging others. They measure, categorize, and classify people and the jobs they perform. Put the emphasis on solid behavior and good intentions. It forces managers to assume and reward the best. It helps leaders not make rigid rules that hold down employees who want to soar.

  1. Learn to listen

An ancient adage says “Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow anger.” Being quick to listen implies that a leader is paying attention, that he or she is not distracted but is actively hearing what the other person is saying. A humble leader listens with the intent of understanding rather than responding.

  1. Reward honest communication

How do you react when someone tells you bad news? Does the messenger become a target for your arrows? Our reaction to feedback will make all the difference in being able to move forward.

  1. Admit your mistakes

Humble, open leaders show vulnerability. And nothing demonstrates vulnerability quite like admitting mistakes. “I was wrong” is difficult to say, but it is one of the most freeing and powerful statements a leader can make. Admitting your mistakes allows others on the team to relax and admit their mistakes. It allows the team to breathe and grow.

  1. Commit to developing others

Developing others first takes personal commitment and desire. It means taking the time to know people—their preferences, skills, and goals. This is most often accomplished in personal relationships.

  1. Seek commitment

Once people understand your goals and you begin to understand their needs and potential, you can then seek their commitment. Good leaders understand the need to develop committed people.

  1. Share the dream

Leaders often make the mistake of not being open or sharing their vision and goals with their people. Your vision is not something to hide. Sharing it with others helps them understand what they need to contribute. You can then develop their potential around a shared vision.  A shared vision is the only way to create team unity.

  1. Set goals

Developing people’s potential (and then being open to their ideas) involves setting mutually agreed-upon goals. Individuals also need to know whether they are meeting the standard.

  1. Reward and recognize

In addition to setting goals, it is important to make people feel appreciated. Money simply levels the playing field. Employees believe you are simply providing fair compensation for their additional efforts; therefore, money pays only for what they have already given. A true rewards recognize peoples potential and goals and helps them develop the needed skills.

  1. Allow for midcourse corrections

Do not be rigid in your planning with people. Invariably, changes in market conditions, employee needs, and other factors will alter plans and goals. That’s life; that’s okay. Developing someone’s potential is not a fixed proposition but rather a fluid system that responds to his or her needs and skills as well as your needs and vision.

Humility is costly, but there are incredible and often surprising rewards for leaders who recognize their own personal strengths and limitations while seeing and encouraging the greatness in others. Sometimes the ramifications of this timeless insight bring a smile.

Please share a “smile” with us today!

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BlogTrust Me

Four Qualities of a Humble Leader

by Ron Potter

In the last post, we talked about rigid, proud leadership and how that affects a company. But what about a humble leader? How do they meet their responsibilities and yet be open to the guidance of their direct reports?

They take a much different approach.

Humble leaders are not so self-absorbed as to think that they don’t need to listen and be open. Their spirits are not critical because they are always open and scanning their employees, customers, and systems for new and better ideas. Following are some qualities of humble leaders.

A humble leader:

  1. is teachable
  2. never shuts the door on educating themselves
  3. remains open themselves to the ideas and concepts of others—including their followers
  4. enriches an organization and helps it stay ahead of the competition.
Image Source: Rob Bashar, Creative Commons

Image Source: Rob Bashar, Creative Commons

A teachable leader is open to personal and organizational change. This kind of leader is quick to understand that old routes are not always the best or the fastest. Conditions change.

Research from the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) shows that people can optimize their personal abilities as well as turbocharge their organization’s adaptability and response to competitive challenges when they are committed to learning. According to researcher Ellen Van Velsor:

If things are going to continue to change, the one thing companies need above all else is people who have the ability to learn.

(See also “Learn or Die” by Edward Hess in my Reading List.)

To be teachable, one must devote a significant amount of time to learning.

A humble leader is flexible. An old proverb reminds us that “We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.” Many of us have spent our time trying to be in control, but a humble leader learns how to be effective without being in control. Humble leaders know that they cannot control people or circumstances. The irony is that the more they loosen their grip, the more they gain. The more flexibility—rather than control—that they can build into themselves, the more they succeed.

A humble leader welcomes change. Change often equals growth. But not change for the sake of change. A humble leader needs to discern the right change, a skill that is developed by being open and teachable.

Humility leads to personal openness, teachability, and flexibility. Humility casts fears aside and frees leaders to energize and build their organizations toward common goals and vision. Humility is the fertile ground where the seeds of trust sprout.

Being humble and teachable means learning to trust others and their opinions and instincts. It means listening with the intent of learning instead of simply responding. It means seeking personal development from every situation, experience (both good and bad), and transaction.

What in your life do you need to let go of so you can become more humble?

Have you shared your vision with your colleagues? Have you asked them to participate? If not, why haven’t you?

Whom in your organization can you mentor—develop to his or her full potential?

What can you do to improve your listening skills?           

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BlogTrust Me

No Soup for You! & Rigid Leadership

by Ron Potter

One of the more popular episodes of the Seinfeld television series was the Soup Nazi. The story line centered on an aggressive man who owned a small restaurant where the locals stood outside in long lines to enjoy takeout orders of his delicious soup concoctions. However, these same customers were forced to tolerate this man’s rigid rules:
“Only one customer in the restaurant at a time.”
“Place your order immediately.”
“Do not point.”
“Do not ask questions.”
“Pay and leave immediately.”

Customers were forced to do what this man said, or they were told, “No soup for you! Come back in three months!”

Image Credit: Seinfeld, Season 7, Episode 6, Shapiro/West Productions, Castle Rock Entertainment

Image Credit: Seinfeld, Season 7, Episode 6, Shapiro/West Productions, Castle Rock Entertainment

Leaders with a Soup-Nazi style have one way of doing things—their way. Their focus is totally on themselves. They do not want (nor do they take) any suggestions. They “know” what is best for the organization and everyone in it. They “allow” people to “help,” but only under their carefully prepared set of rigid rules. They are a proud leader.

An “unhumble” leader is notoriously self-focused. Writer and scholar Henri Nouwen once said,

“It seems easier to be God than to love God, easier to control people than to love people.”

Isn’t that the perception most people have? It is far easier (and seemingly satisfying) to be focused entirely on ourselves and not on the needs of others or the opportunities presented by others.

A proud leader seems to “know” the truth and are usually its source. They take every measure to protect their point of view; they deny any effort to clarify the thought process; they do not encourage debate; they resist building a community of advisers.

A proud leader is critical. Such leaders develop self-centered standards and then tend to criticize anyone who does not follow their rules or who shows creativity and independence.

Yet, in today’s fast changing environment we need creativity and independent thinking and ideas more than ever.

Why are so many leaders resistant to change and innovation?

  1. They only want self-initiated change. Leaders who lack humility seek to develop only their own ideas. They have no interest in others’ opinions.
  2. They fear failure. We have seen so many potential leaders paralyzed by fear of failure. They fail to reach out for new territory because they are so afraid of losing. They do not understand the positive or learning side of failure.
    Baseball stars strike out more often than they hit home runs. However, they keep swinging for the fences. The best golfers in the world hit the green in regulation (two strokes under par) only about 75 percent of the time. One-fourth of the time they miss the mark. These golfers accept their failures, however, and give it their best to get back on track.
  3. They are too comfortable. Many times present realities give us hope that we do not need to change. We sit in our current situations, do the same thing every day, and hold on for dear life to past achievements.

A leader willing to change brings about change in the organization. Embracing change fosters an attitude of success and can deliver us from the quagmire of sameness.

Have you demonstrated willingness to:
Change?
Be open and seek new, maybe novel ideas?
Help your teams understand and experience experimentation?

Check your need for control or your fear of failure. It’s a great barometer of future success.

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BlogTrust Me

Is the Hero-Leader Hurting You?

by Ron Potter

Why is humility such a key quality on a leader’s personal resume?

For starters, being humble prevents most of the mistakes that cripple a person who is proud. Consider Henry Ford, for example.

He was an icon of American industry. His revolutionary ideas about manufacturing and design put him near the top of anyone’s list of great American businessmen. Ford carried out his vision with the Model T. The car literally changed the face of America and the priorities of American citizens. By 1914, Henry Ford’s factories built nearly 50 percent of all the cars sold in the United States. Now that’s market share!

There was, however, a chink in Henry’s armor.

He was so proud of his Model T that he never wanted it to be changed or improved. One day, as the story goes, a group of his best engineers presented him with a new automobile design prototype. Ford became so angry that he pulled the doors right off the prototype and destroyed it with his bare hands.

Not until 1927 was Henry Ford willing to change. Grudgingly, he allowed the Ford Motor Company to introduce the Model A. By that time, the company was well behind its competitors in design and technical advances. Ford’s market share had plummeted to 28 percent by 1931.

Image Source: Zeetz Jones, Creative Commons

Image Source: Zeetz Jones, Creative Commons

Henry Ford just could not let go. He had created something, and he was unable to imagine that his “baby” could be improved. Nobody could help him, and he was unwilling to stretch himself to learn how he could make his product better or different.

Consequently, he lost his executives, created havoc in his family, and damaged the company’s market share beyond repair.

Henry Ford’s leadership approach probably resembled what some now refer to as the hero-leader. Many organizations look to a hero-leader to deliver the power, charisma, ideas, and direction necessary to ensure a company’s success. In many cases, the hero-leader does create blips in performance. For a time the dynamic chief is seen as a savior of the organization.

For a time.

In an interview with Fast Company magazine, Peter Senge said,

Deep change comes only through real personal growth—through learning and unlearning. This is the kind of generative work that most executives are precluded from doing by the mechanical mind-set and by the cult of the hero-leader.

Senge points out that the hero-leader approach is a pattern that makes it easier for companies to not change or move forward. The hero-leader weakens the organization and in many ways keeps it at an infant stage, very dependent upon the hero-leader’s creativity and ideas. The people around the leader do not seek or promote change because the hero-leader is not open to new ideas (or ideas that he or she did not originate).

Under the hero-leader, people tend to acquiesce rather than work together as a team with a free exchange of ideas. The hero-leader may take the company in a new direction, but the troops within the organization only go along because it is a mandated change. This type of change is superficial at best.

Despite all of Henry Ford’s incredible qualities, it sounds as if he was a proud rather than a humble leader. In his case, the Bible proverb certainly was true: “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”

Is your pride getting in the way of doing something you’ll really be proud of? Or, often easier to answer, do you see someone else who could do great things if they would just let go of their pride? Share some stories with us.

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BlogMyers-BriggsUsing MBTI to Great Advantage

Using MBTI to Great Advantage – Four Functions, Three Rules

by Ron Potter

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) structure is made up of four pairs of functions. Together they combine for a possible 16 different preference types. Notice that I use the word “preference.” These functions have nothing to do with skill or ability, they are simply different preferences for dealing with the world around us.

Experience Preference. Let’s experience a preference in real time. Take a writing instrument and a piece of paper and sign your name to it. I know, I know, I never actually do this either when a book or blog site asks me to do it but I guarantee you will understand it better if you experience it instead of just imagining it. So pick up that pen and sign your name. Thanks.

Photo Credit: Lucas, Creative Commons

Photo Credit: Lucas, Creative Commons

Now, put you pen in the opposite hand and sign your name again. When I do this in a team of people the room immediately fills with nervous laughter and chuckles. It can be embarrassing.
When I ask people to describe the experience of that first signature I’ll hear words like:

  • Easy
  • Comfortable
  • Natural
  • Without thinking

When I then ask them to describe the second experience (often after waiting quite a while for them to complete the task) they will use words like:

  • Difficult
  • Awkward
  • It took longer
  • I had to think through almost every letter

This is an example of your personal preference at work. Whether right handed or left, when you’re working from your preference it’s easy, comfortable, and natural and you do it without thinking. Let me suggest right here that if you’re trying to make a decision, maybe you shouldn’t do it “without thinking!” When we force ourselves (individually and collectively) to use our non-preference methods, we’re actually forcing ourselves to think more.

MBTI series headerThe best teams and leaders. Over my consulting career I have observed many teams and leaders improve their effectiveness by learning to balance their MBTI preferences. The most effective teams are the ones that, either naturally or through process balance their preference diversities and use that balance for better decision making and corporate impact. Also, the best leaders I have ever worked with seem to have no strong preferences when it comes to working with their people in spite of the fact that they and I know that they possess very strong personal preferences. Great teams and leaders have learned to balance their natural preferences.

Over the next several blogs we’ll first do an overview of each of the functions and then in subsequent blogs I’ll dig into each one in more depth with some practical applications for creating better dynamics and better decisions making.

So the Four Functions are:
1. Energizing
2. Perceiving
3. Deciding
4. Work Life

And the Three Rules are:
1. Balance
2. Balance
3. Balance

With the proper use of these four functions and three rules you’ll build better teams and become a better leader.

Many of you have shared this learning with me in numerous MBTI sessions. Share with us some of your “ah ha” moments or deeper understanding that have helped you become better leaders and team members.

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BlogTrust Me

What’s Trust Got to Do With It?

by Ron Potter

Snoopy, Charlie Brown’s irrepressible dog, once lamented,

“It’s not easy being head beagle.”

And in the wake of recent moral meltdowns at both high and low levels of corporate America, Snoopy’s insight may be more on target now than ever before.

For those who still aspire to lead others well, however, the current leadership climate presents a great opportunity—especially for those who earnestly want to lead right. As never before—in all segments of society—we earnestly want to associate with people who are genuinely trustworthy.

Steve seemed to have it all. He was tough, smart, disciplined, quick on his feet, and an effective strategist. He worked hard and could match anybody’s résumé with an impressive list of business and personal skills. With all that Steve had going for him, why was he failing in his latest and greatest work assignment? Was there a way for him to pull out of his tailspin?

Image Source: The US Army, Creative Commons

Image Source: The US Army, Creative Commons

Before his success in business, Steve had been an Army Ranger. Listening to Steve was like listening to a Tom Clancy audio book, only this was the actual participant reminiscing in real time. Steve’s Ranger training had prepared him to withstand almost anything, including extreme pain, in order to execute a mission. This was one sharp, strong man—Rambo in a business suit. Part of Steve’s extensive Ranger training had included instruction in being a leader at any level of organizational structure. Steve understood both giving and taking orders. He knew how to take charge, size up the situation, and go after the objective.

As part of my consulting approach, I had tested the team Steve was a part of to assess leadership performance. I’ll never forget the afternoon I met with this man who was so discouraged that his whole demeanor drooped. Steve was desperately looking for understanding and some help to regain his footing. What had pierced the strength of this highly trained, combat-proven Ranger?

Steve’s discouragement resulted from feedback he had just received from his peers on his leadership style and how it was affecting his ability to lead, to be trusted, and to be a good team member. He thought his leadership practices were sound, but his peers and those who reported to him directly saw them as oppositional, competitive, and detrimental to the team’s ability to function successfully.

Steve saw himself as a good, competent leader. Before I showed up, Steve assumed he had made all the right moves, had all the right skills, and was doing just great, thank you! Now this devastating feedback from his team told him other-wise. He knew in his heart he had the right stuff, so what was wrong?

What Steve didn’t understand is that skill is only part of the equation. He did have many solid leadership attributes: He was committed and focused, had great integrity, and could endure difficulties. What Steve didn’t understand was that some of his behavior and attitudes were offensive to coworkers. It didn’t matter to them that he was an ex-Army Ranger and had great leadership qualities and a list of achievements to show for it. To them he seemed proud. Steve didn’t understand the difference between being proud of your accomplishments and being perceived as kind of a cocky know-it-all. His air of superiority kept others from feeling they could trust him. Once Steve began to exhibit a more humble attitude in response to his teammates’ feedback and became more attentive to their accomplishments and strengths, trust began to build.

Trust is at the heart of any honest relationship.
Quality leadership is vitally important today, and many people work hard to improve their leadership skills. But all the training and technical skills, as important as they are, will not create an enduring, trusted leader.
Regardless of where you have been and what you have done—or even if you have no experience at all—you can become a leader worthy of trust.

Share with us the leadership behaviors that have prevented you from trusting.

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