Art of Leading: Doing & Being

If I told you now

you are already 

a leader,

a game changer

in my world,

would you believe me?

If I showed you

all the ways

others/I

look to you

for hope,

light,

truth –

would you not see the

magnitude

I

see?

It won’t take you long if you look even for a brief minute. Libraries upon libraries are written every day on the subject of leadership. Steps for success, tips to remember, things to do/not do, people to emulate… it’s all there. It’s exhaustive. And exhausting.

It’s an overwhelming notion, really, the idea of influencing another. We pray to God that we don’t screw them up, or screw big things up like entire corporations. We want so badly to mean something, to make our mark in our insanely short time here. For the bold among us, that often looks like sticking our necks out when others won’t. When things get scary or blurred, the brave among us step in to offer what we can for the benefit of our colleagues and friends. Doing the best with what we have… doing what we can for the benefit of others.

As you may know, title does not equal leader. Authority does not a leader make. Of course, there are incumbent responsibilities with any role. These are the activities an effective leader must do to ensure the well being of her/his people or company. You can read a mound of books on that. All valid and mostly all true.

All the while, the character of a leader must count for something, too, right? Who that leader is as a person? Yes! Of course it does. You can study up on that, too. Typically, this wisdom shows up not in the business section of the bookstore but the self-help or spirituality sections. Business and life wisdom – would we dare? Ask anyone who has been leading for a significant amount of time and they will tell you that what makes them effective is not a simple, one-size-fits-all, disconnected approach. Rather, her/his leadership journey has been a collection of experiences, teachers, insights on the intellectual realm and psychological/emotional/spiritual one. As they’ve acquired knowledge, they’ve also had to strip away parts of a façade to uncover who they really are. The best lead from that aware place – fully embracing their intellect, their action, their passions, and their purpose. That is the bedrock of FMG’s Wisdom Leading™ approach, which holds the Doing and Being capacities of a leader as equally sacrosanct. A wise leader understands and performs in both dimensions, time and again, regardless of context.

So, what does this actually look like? On the Doing side, there are five domains a leader must master. First, know your business. Be qualified to be in the room. If you already have the title, it’s likely that you’ve got this one mostly nailed already. And, we can always learn more about our organization, market, industry. Stay hungry here. Next, demonstrate strategic thinking. Do you see the big picture? Do you make sense for others about how your work, team, or organization fits into the whole? If not, this is an important piece to develop. You can’t lead others with your head in the weeds.

Third, others must want to follow you in the ways both you and they need. In other words, you must enable committed actions from your people. If they don’t see value in what you’re up to, or don’t find a place for themselves in that vision, they won’t buy in. Fourth, leaders are accountable for the growth of their teams through active development. Are you providing what your team members need through delegation, mentoring, and stretch assignments? Put simply, are they learning under your watch?

Finally, your words, values and actions must line up. Demonstrating integrity is critical to your legitimacy. Do you mean what you say, and do you do what you say you will? Even more, do your actions match what you say matters to you? For most of us, this is never a state of perfection, but rather a constant source of watchfulness and diligence. Your integrity is all you have as leader – manage it vigilantly. Seriously.

What about this Being business then? With all those qualities, you’d be in great shape to influence plenty and make a positive difference. However, most of us have had bosses who were great delegators, strategists or communicators, but were really crummy people. What you do alone won’t get you to leadership stardom. You must also be great.

When we say Being, here’s what we mean. First, it means exhibiting an open, inclusive worldview that considers others’ experiences and beliefs as equally as valid as your own. You are willing to listen and value someone else’s truth. Second, it means you generate innovative ideas. Are you willing to challenge paradigms and offer breakthrough solutions to entrenched problems? Are you willing to stick your neck out? Third, a truly effective leader knows what his/her strengths are and knows how to bring them fully to the role. Your unique “genius” – talents, expertise, and passions – is clear and expressed for the benefit of those around you. If others can’t ID your genius, it’s likely you haven’t discovered it yet. Go, now, and find it.

Next, an effective leader shows up “all in.” They are engaged, committed, and find ways to ensure they can remain so for the long-term. They nurture their personal wellbeing so they feel their best, and thus give their best, everyday. Last, the most remarkable leaders are in the room, in the moment. Mindful, aware, and thoughtful. They practice a state of presence. They know how to still their minds in chaos, cultivate calm and clarity when it’s needed most. They can distill what matters into a simple, clear path forward because they’re awake to it. At their core – and at the core of Wisdom Leading – is a reverence for Mindful Presence – that state of being that spiritual traditions tout as the way to the Divine. Wise leaders know that it is the way to access their best stuff. All “woo-woo” aside, this is the juice at the heart of it all.

There is no great leading without wisdom, without acknowledging that what’s at the very heart of who we are is exactly what others need and want to follow. Our actions simply express what we believe inside. At FMG, we say leading is “building capacity of self and others to achieve breakthrough results.” The process is explicitly external – i.e. results matter! – and internal, so does who you are. No one ever said being a wise and great leader was for the faint of heart. Thank God it’s not.

 In tending to our full capacity as a human being, may this sacred relationship between the leader and the led give us access to all we believe is possible. In it, may we find our way.

Transparent Teams: The Dark Side of the Light

“What we do not make conscious emerges later as fate.” – Carl Jung

With the advent of technology, social media, and the new “reputation economy”₁ touted in business today, there is a clear call for leaders to be increasingly transparent. “Be honest, be open, be vulnerable!” they say. In my roles as leader, leadership coach, and follower of leaders, I see so much that this rallying cry for transparency implies that I’m compelled to peel back the layers on transparency itself. While the “what” is exciting and progressive, there is a lot that I’m curious about regarding the “why” and “how.” Most importantly, I wonder, what impact does a transparent leadership culture have on individuals and the teams in which they work? And, how can we ensure it is a positive one?

First, a definition. The word “transparent,” according to Merriam-Webster means, “having the property of transmitting rays of light through its substance so that bodies situated beyond or behind can be distinctly seen.” In other words, transparency is the act of being clear about your intentions, values, feelings, and commitments – i.e. who you are and how you make decisions. The more people know you, the more they can trust and value you.

Now, let’s take a look at the transparency trend in the realm of leadership. According to Forbes’ contributor Glenn Llopis, leaders who are transparent with their people gain five significant benefits: enhanced problem solving, ability to build teams easier, authentic relationships, higher trust, and increased levels of organizational performance.₂ Llopis argues that workers today are disillusioned and in need of security more than ever. Information from their leaders about what’s really going on – for the company and its leaders – will enable them to “plan and protect themselves” against uncertainty. CEO Halley Bock takes it a step further, suggesting that truth telling is critical to sustainable learning organizations.₃ She references the Papau New Guinea term “mokita,” which means “that which everyone knows and no one speaks of.” For Bock, leaders actually cause harm to their organizations when mistakes are not exposed, dealt with candidly, or worse, covered up. Ideally, the number of mokitas in a team or organization is few, and those that exist are quickly brought to light.

Makes sense to me. An avid truth seeker myself, I couldn’t agree more with the demands for openness and honesty. Wearing my heart on my sleeve is standard practice – why beat around the bush when you can create connection and clarity so quickly? And yet…

I’ve seen the challenges of building transparent teams and organizations first hand. I am intimately familiar with the pangs of regret from putting yourself on the line, otherwise known as a “vulnerability hangover.” Brene Brown covers this beautifully in her book, Daring Greatly.₄ I know what happens when trust is broken, when a team is not willing to deal with the truth courageously together, or when transparency becomes a weapon in the fight for survival. I believe strongly that there is a way to be transparent AND nurture emotional safety, to build trust and collaboration WITHOUT creating disillusioned, wounded human beings. It requires not extreme sensitivity but awareness; courage, resilience, and vulnerability.

Let me share two stories: one, an executive team overcomes tremendous interpersonal conflict together in an afternoon; and two, a high-trust, highly transparent executive team unintentionally breeds an organizational culture marked by competition and conflict-ridden teams.

1.     We knew this healthcare organization was in trouble. Its executive leaders were outright warring, no clear strategy was in place, and the financial state proved it. On organizational surveys, employees described the company as “toxic,” with many pointing to the conflict at the top as a significant pain point. My colleague and I began working with the CEO and his top 11 executives at the end of a year marked by brutal change and blistering workloads. The leaders were exhausted, burned out, and in pain. They were also really good people. We began our engagement with leadership 360° surveys, a Leader’s Pulse survey (mini-engagement survey for the top 30), and coaching around a powerful personality profile called the Enneagram. When we met with the group for our first team offsite, we had already spent hours with each leader, getting to know them intimately and hearing their needs/ concerns. Over 2 ½ days, my colleague and I were able to create a space in which the leaders felt safe to be themselves, openly share their fears and dreams, and “lay down their armor,” as the CEO noted. In other words, we invited their human-ness back into the room. Transparency thrived because people felt safe and valued. Leaders dealt directly with the conflict, used tools to understand themselves and each other, and reestablished their commitment to one another. The vulnerability and healing were palpable. The team was restored, and transparency a welcome ally.

2.     All organizations have a unique DNA – this pharmaceutical company is profoundly wired for heart and candor. Their executive team engages in intense dialogue regularly; they have close personal and professional relationships; and they trust each other intimately. These leaders invest in leader and culture development year after year – they “get it.” Transparency is currency and they cultivate it in droves. Yet a peculiar undercurrent has begun to take shape at lower levels in the organization. Instead of creating an open, supportive environment at the manager and director level, this culture of transparency has resulted in fierce competition. Where no “politics” exist at the highest level, scheming and maneuvering are rampant at lower levels. I believe that many factors play into this phenomenon, such as certain hiring practices and work design trends, yet one thing is clear – when transparency is not coupled with a demand for collaboration, vulnerability can be used to pit one against another. Conflict on functional teams, as well as between teams, abounds. While these lower leaders are likely unconscious or unintentional in creating this dynamic (they, too, are incredible, worthy people), without a strong imperative (and metrics) that marry transparency with emotional safety and interdependence, the results can undermine the entire operation. Thus, the executives find themselves running a company with great, unfulfilled potential. Until they figure out how to support a transparent culture appropriately, they’ll struggle to achieve its ultimate promise – great trust, collaboration, and high performance.

As a leader interested in becoming more transparent yourself, or in building an organization marked by transparency, ask yourself these questions: To what end will transparency support my/the organization’s goals? What structures can I/we put in place to support openness with support (emotional and structural)? And, when is transparency serving my organization’s broader goals and when is it serving my own?

As with all things, awareness as to “why” you behave (or want to behave) in a particular manner is often the make-or-break between creating a positive leadership impact and an unintentionally harmful one for your people. Lead wisely.

Resources:

1.     C. Thompson. (2007, March). The See-Through CEO. Wired. Retrieved from: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.04/wired40_ceo.html

2.     G. Llopis. (2012, September 10). 5 Powerful Things Happen When A Leader Is Transparent. Forbes. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2012/09/10/5-powerful-things-happen-when-a-leader-is-transparent/

3.     H. Bock. (2012, April 3). The Case for Transparency in Leadership. Chief Learning Officer Magazine. Retrieved from: http://clomedia.com/articles/view/5001/

4.     Brown, Brene. 2012. Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead. New York, NY: Gotham Books.

The Art of Inquiry

Social constructionists would tell you that our words create our world. If our world is simply a function of our stories about it, then how we think and speak about our experiences holds the key to our ability to empower ourselves and influence others. Many leaders mistakenly assume that knowing the answers is their source of power. Quite the opposite. Knowing the right questions to ask – then asking them – is the most powerful action a leader can take. Framing up powerful questions, or what we’ll call the art of inquiry, that engage those around us in new ways of thinking often provides far more leverage for a leader than inserting their view as truth.

Leaders are storytellers, crafting the vision of what can be, who we are and where we’ve been. They create the frame for the house we’re trying to build. The best leaders communicate brilliantly, yet often through asking more than telling. They dig deep to understand how organizations, markets, and systems work. They invite important stakeholders to share their stories on the “what” and the “why” that contribute to where we are. Through simple, yet poignant inquiry, leaders move us toward what’s possible. They also help us understand ourselves in profound ways, together and as individuals.

I believe that the access out of “what is” into “what might be” is inquiry, which opens into truthful dialogue. Dialogue, described in fable by Native Americans as, “You talk and talk and talk until the talk starts,” is a conversation of appreciation, deep listening, and candid sharing. Dialogue enables us to speak to that which matters, and get at the meaning behind our lives and our actions. Leadership performance is not complete without staking it to an underlying sense of meaning. And inquiry takes us there.

So how does a leader begin to master inquiry? Great question. Look – you’re already doing it! Inquiry begins with calling into question our assumptions and beliefs about why things are the way they are. This includes our own sense of self. Continually calling into question my motives, my needs, my stories gives me access to a broader truth that my view is just one of many valid perspectives. Starting with myself also causes me to acknowledge how I have contributed, and still contribute, to the world outside of me. This acknowledgement is extremely powerful and will change your world – promise.

Once I develop a practice of inquiry into self, I can engage others with integrity about their stories. What do they see, feel, and believe about our collective experience? What is remarkable about the way things are, and what would make it even better? I want to engage in that inquiry with you.

Finding & Renewing Your Source

What is source?  You may have heard experts and advice-givers shout about the need to renew and replenish it. You might have read in a self-help or spiritual growth book somewhere about how to get back to it. You may know it as that longing that subtly tugs at you throughout your work day, begging for some quiet moments – even just a few – by the wild ocean or amongst the towering redwoods. But what is it anyway?

Source, defined by Merriam Webster, is a “generative force or cause; a point of origin or beginning.” In the world of leader development, source is that place inside that gives you life, makes your heart sing, and soothes your soul. It’s the fountainhead of your best thinking, most authentic giving and creating. For those who believe in a higher power, source may go by the name Spirit, God, or the Universe. Regardless of your religious or spiritual affinity, source can be agreed to live both internally and externally – something you access deep within as well as connect to in environments outside yourself.

Why does source matter to leaders? Knowing your emotional and spiritual “home” well – what it looks and feels like when you’re there – as well as knowing how to find it quickly, especially in moments of stress, challenge, or fatigue, is critical to a sustainable practice of leading others. In fact, many scholars argue that this is step one on any leadership journey – knowing how to lead yourself. Knowing and accessing your source relates to two significant elements of emotional intelligence (Goleman 1998): self-awareness and self-management. These two capacities set average leaders apart from the brilliant.

To find your source, let’s start by asking some questions. First, when have you felt most alive, invigorated, happy, and free? What were you doing, and who was there? Take a moment to reflect and recall that experience in your belly, your tip toes, your chest. Next, what is one thing you could do right now that would replicate that feeling of peace and joy? Is it taking a step outside to breathe the crisp air, calling your best friend for a pick-me-up, or reading poetry at your desk? Even small actions like these restore something inside of us that may feel missing. Connecting with our source renews us, brings us home.

Imagine how you would show up for your people if you felt that peaceful and taken care of most of the time? How might you behave differently when your best client called you with an embarrassing complaint or your boss asked for a huge project to be delivered a week early? Boyatzis and McKee (2005) describe renewal as a holistic process involving the mind, body, heart, and spirit. Continually recharging our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual tanks is the difference to showing up as the leader we want to be.

Sources:

Boyatzis, R. E., & McKee, A. (2005). Resonant leadership, renewing yourself and connecting with others through mindfulness, hope, and compassion. Harvard Business Press.
Goleman, D. (1998). Working with emotional intelligence. (1 ed.). New York, NY: Bantam.