I want people to be clear and direct with me.  Clear and direct language can be productive and efficient (as less energy is wasted during the process).  Gone are the opportunities to hem and haw, to be confused, or to do nothing.  Clear and direct doesn’t have to come across as short, harsh or even mean.  Can you be clear and compassionate?  Can you be direct without being abrupt?  Can you be courageous, always have your intensity dialed-up, and still take the time to build consensus?   Let me be clear and direct: yes, yes, yes.

I grant you that getting comfortable with direct speakers is an “acquired taste”.  It certainly was for me (thanks Paul).  Many of us are wired from a young age to be less than direct.  Subtlety is definitely an important quality (skill) and most importantly, you must know when to employ it.  Now back to the matter at hand; hedging your bet, skirting the issue, dancing around bad news…how many of us can fondly recall being on the receiving end of this kind of communication in a business situation?  The silence is deafening (I imagine).

Say what is so and be willing to take what you get in return.  The clearer and more direct you are as a leader; the clearer and more direct others will be in response to you.  This is not to say there will always be agreement and merriment, it is however to say, that what needs to come next will happen much faster.  Here’s to being clear, direct, engaged, courageous, and timely whenever you lead.

Tally Ho !!

Integrity is not a one shot deal nor is it a stand alone concept.  Integrity – do your words, actions, and being-ness match?  What about the old adage:  “Seeing is believing.” ?  Is it …really?  In terms of leadership; what you say, do, and who you are being, consistently, is how others determine if you have integrity.  A consistent display of integrity makes you not only a believable leader, but also a reliable one.

There’s a scientific aspect in seeing or experiencing patterns.  Even when dealing with people, as unscientific as that sounds.  Theories are great if you like that sort of thing, but for many people, experiences that include patterns are the key metric that leaders are held to.  I believe that your “patterns” make it crystal clear what others can expect from you…and what they can count on from you.

Then there’s integrity’s cousin: Alignment – to bring into cooperation or agreement with a particular cause.  What happens when your saying, doing and being elicit the famous line from the robot in Lost in Space – “This does not compute”?  A lack of personal alignment has many negative consequences such as; wasted energy, confusion, lack of trust, or the worst possible scenario…dum dum dum dummm: a lack of results….OUCH!

Integrity + Alignment = a pattern of Success (however you define it).

I can calculate the motion of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people

 – Sir Isaac Newton, English Mathematician, 1642-1747

 

Being direct is different than being directive.  The power of words and actions – direct (current) vs. alternating (current) is where my head is at as I write today.  Direct current (DC) is defined as; the unidirectional flow of electrical charge, for our purposes: energy. DC energy flows in a constant direction, distinguishing it from alternating current (AC).  In (AC) the movement (or flow) of electric charge periodically reverses direction.

Speaking clearly from one place and direction is powerful.  By providing a constant flow of information, feedback, direction, guidance to you team; I submit to you that your leadership can be very effective.  What happens when a leader reverses direction too often?  Is there confusion, loss of energy, or worse…do the lights go out?  At the risk of over-reaching with this analogy:  AC power has its place (transmission, distribution, etc…), but what I’m focused on is the source.  We talked about “being” last week.  Once you are clear who you are being and then provide direct energy through your words and actions; you can supply power to your team for success.    

From Wikipedia –

 Direct current is used to charge batteries, and in nearly all electronic systems as the power supply. Direct current is used for some railway propulsion.   High voltage direct current is used to transmit large amounts of power from remote generation sites or to interconnect alternating current power grids.

Propelling people forward, connecting large amounts of energy with people, and energized people to each other – very exciting!!

As a leader: be the power source, choose direct current, and get results.

ON/OFF

Thanks to my “being direct” teacher (who happens to be an engineer, hmmm)  Paul McAskill - The Compass Points 

compasspoints@comcast.net

In our over scheduled hyper-connected world…everyone has a plan.  In today’s corporate environs it is ever so true that; those who fail to plan, plan to fail.  And wouldn’t it be great if everything always went according to plan, you know; Plan A.  Once you have a plan, we all know what comes next – execution.  That’s the doing part of the plan.  Finally, having a plan B is always a good idea.  I’m a bit more partial to having a Plan Be.

I’ve written about clarity and having everything that you need to be successful (on the inside).  Here’s the third part of the equation:  Who do people see you being when they look to you for leadership?   What do they experience in terms of you being as a leader? 

Are you energizing and up-lifting?  Are you lifting your team to their highest collective level of performance through your being-ness?  Or are you being about delivering results at all costs.  If so, you will expend all cost and resources, human and otherwise.

What is your leadership mantra, your battle cry, in 3 words or less?  “Just do it”, “Take no prisoners”, “Do the Dew”, “Be the ball”, “Be the change…”  As much as I love Caddyshack…I choose Gandhi realizing that there’s more to the last quote, but for me, the first three words capture this point.

Be focused, excited, energized, committed to success and to your team through your attitude, words, actions, thoughts; all the things that constitute “being”.  This is a Plan Be that will support any future plans that you put in place.  Remember; few people gave Gandhi much of a chance to succeed….interesting!

 We must become the change we want to see.

 - Mahatma Gandhi
Indian ascetic & nationalist leader (1869 – 1948)

 

Words are today’s leadership tool of choice.  We lead with wisdom, insights and with the ability to articulate a vision.  First, we think it.  Then we share it through the written word; emails, etc…but oh behold the power of the spoken word, THE communication channel that is charged with emotion, conviction, and intensity…the “je ne sais qua” of leadership.  Haven’t we all been inspired by a leader who speaks from their core; eyes aglow and so clear that we feel the words deep down inside?

Is this type of leadership for everyone?  What if you are quiet…reserved…or dare I say it…a self proclaimed introvert?  Volume is not the same as conviction (think – Bill Gates).  Conviction and courage to lead others, especially in today’s marketplace, is not about waving hands, pumping fists, or customized high-fives.  It is about knowing yourself, knowing what you want for an outcome and trusting that you and your team can deal with all of the unknowns that you will face.  

I encourage clients to “speak” their intention on a regular basis as they help their teams navigate today’s unchartered waters.  Do not assume that people know your intention in any situation.  We all have mental filters that shape the way that we received messages.  And with all of the noise (interference) flowing around the globe 24/7; messages can get lost or at least side-tracked. 

Keep you team on course…and remember to say it out loud.

Why are strong effective leaders relatively calm?  What secret do they know that others don’t?  That “there is a time and a place for everything”?  That “there is a season…turn, turn, turn”?  How about “if everything is a priority; then nothing is”.

I love watching acrobatic troupes and circus professionals perform – you know, the plate spinners, the fire jugglers who hold a sword on their tongue while they fling flaming batons in the air.  What is the difference between them and effective leaders?  (pregnant pause)  Well, normally these folks work alone…they’re not concerned with leading others…they are concerned with impressing others. 

Now, I love a good performance as well as the next person, but let me ask you; what is the end game?  Do leaders seek to repeat the same amazing performance day-in and day-out concluding with the same result?  And what is the cost of keeping all of the plates, or balls, or flaming batons in the air at once?  Can performers perform for days, weeks, or months?  Can they stop what they are doing to reassess conditions and not have a problem?  Let’s say it together: the performance that they deliver and the pace of the delivery are not sustainable in the long run. 

What type of leadership are you committed to?  Here’s a clue…”sustainable”.  How about leadership that delivers results in the short, medium, and long terms, leadership that adapts to the changing global business environment, leadership that can be counted on for support by those that it serves.  Some of you can imagine where I’m going with this…but what about multi-tasking? 

Definition check:  Multi-tasking – the concurrent or interleaved execution of two or more jobs by a single CPU (computers not people).

 Sustain (verb def.)

1. To keep in existence; maintain.
2. To supply with necessities or nourishment; provide for.
3. To support from below; keep from falling or sinking; prop.
4. To support the spirits, vitality, or resolution of; encourage.

Are you a performer or leader?

What if there were no “bad” experiences?  What if every experience that we well…experienced; was beneficial?  Or contained a lesson, a warning, encouragement, a deterrent?  I realize there are negative repercussions from certain experiences, but do they have to get in the way?  We as humans have the ability to reason.  Does this mean that we are always right, always rational?  I’m sure that you know the answer.  The ability to reason means that we can form conclusions, judgments, or inferences from facts or premises.  We can also apply meaning to experiences.  Meanings that we create in our minds (think; double-edged sword).  Does it take more effort or creativity to apply a negative meaning to an experience rather than a positive one?  Do you sort by what’s wrong vs. what’s right.  Or better yet, what happened without meaning?  Think Joe Friday; “just the facts ma’am”. 

As a leader, who is constantly being watched by others, what do you do with information and knowledge acquired though experiences?  Do you find what you need and lead from a place of understanding, self knowledge, and over time; wisdom?  Effective leaders deal with experiences all day long and use them as on-ramps to the highway of success (not stop signs).

“For there is nothing either good or bad, thinking makes it so.”
- William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Hamlet, II.ii

I think that the famous English Bard had it right.

What if you have everything that you need to be a great leader already?  Is it as simple as knowing and trusting yourself? Knowing and trusting your team…your organization?  Let’s take inventory: experience- check, intuition – check, an aligned team of people – check, clear objectives – check.  How are you doing?

Before you look for answers on the outside, I believe that there is great power and fortune in taking stock of what you have in hand.  External factors come complete with extraneous noise, distortion, and distractions.  Now, don’t get me wrong, external information (input and feedback) is important, however it is only one piece of the puzzle. 

Knowledge – insight – wisdom; the children of experience are all critical.  Oh by the way, you already have these (remember?).  Intuition is where trust of self meets the willingness to apply creativity to a problem or opportunity even if it is a “brand new” problem or opportunity.

What if you have everything that you need and by extension so does your team.  How do you cultivate that which you (and your team) already possess?  How do you apply it to create usable ideas, sustainable energy, and a viable strategy?  First, turn down the noise and listen.  People will tell you what they really need, but first, they must be heard.  Once they feel heard; they will tell you the truth.  They will open up to you and give you the information that you need (without all the background noise) to complete the puzzle. 

Simple…right?

We’ve all heard the old adage  “you have to take the good with the bad”  There’s a lot more to taking the good (positive) with the bad (negative) than this cliché might suggest.  In my mind, the duality of leadership lies in the balance of reality and possibility.  As a former mentor taught me almost a decade ago, “it is what it is”.  This simple innocuous phrase can be an ending or a powerful beginning, if you know what to do with it.  Rest assured, I’m not advocating jaded resignation.  My hard earned and now habitual response is “next” or “OK, now what”. 

 Allow me to break it down:

It is what it is = Reality.  Now what = Possible Next Steps.  Translation: what are you (as a leader) going to do with the reality that you’ve just been served-up?

I spend a lot of time reminding clients that they have a finite amount of energy available in a given day and asking them ”where will you spend it?”.  Denying, fighting, or cursing reality (what is) or quickly accepting it and turning the bulk of their energy to leading their team (and themselves) forward?  I can hear the chorus of “it’s not that simple” (see my last post).  I agree it is never that simple, however that doesn’t have stop leaders from focusing energy in a positive, engaging, and forward looking direction. 

There’s a reason why batteries have a positive and negative charge and that energy flows only when they are used correctly.  Leadership contains this same quality of duality.  You have the ability to insert your leadership in a way that supports energy flowing to where it can have the greatest impact.  Now where did I put that flashlight?

Intention is defined as a determination to act in a certain way, what one intends to bring about, accomplish or attain. Pretty simple right?  As leaders, how many obstacles per day or per hour do we encounter that get in the way of exercising intentional leadership?  There is so much to do and often times we find that there are fewer resources to “do” it with.  Whether it is information overload, back-to-back meetings, the constant pressure to be electronically connected, or budget cuts; there are plenty of high and low-tech hurdles to overcome.

As a leader, what if the focus was less on “doing” and more on “being”.   Are you being clear about your intention; what you wish to attain?  Are you being clear about the team’s objectives?  Are you being encouraging to others as they deal with challenges and demands to change?  Are your words and actions consistent with your intentions? Here’s the tough question…are your words and actions in alignment with each other…even when nobody is looking? 

I read a few month’s back that great leaders are great simplifiers and this struck me as quite contrarian.  Call me a heretic for challenging the tidal wave of multi-tasking 24/7 guru’s, but I’m convinced that keeping it simple (and focused) works for most people.  If everything that you and your team have to deal with is a priority; then nothing is.  I believe that staying in alignment with your intentions; allows priorities to become extremely self-evident.

You need only pay attention in the shower for a quick reminder of effective leadership.

Shampoo:  Wash – Rinse – Repeat

Leadership:  Set your Intention – Communicate your Intention – Repeat