What a mess this is - thank you!
Question: Why do leaders create messes?
Answer: Because if they don't no one else is going to.
Question: So why do we need messes?
Answer: Because they disorient us enough to pay attention to our environment, and in doing so we get to notice what we have been "putting up with" that is no longer a fit for the present situation, or a match for what we are out to create.
Leaders, can often get blamed for creating a mess, e.g. disrupting the status quo, or the mindless drifting off course. And, that's exactly what they get paid to do - they get paid to keep bringing the organization forward, in the direction of their "potential" future. What good is potential when not acted on? Realizing potential is what leaders do - for themselves, others and the business.
Next - How do you clean up the mess once you've created it.
Bob Being Bob
www.transpective.com
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
How to Give Every Employee Customized Leadership Advice - Marcus Buckingham - Harvard Business Review
How to Give Every Employee Customized Leadership Advice - Marcus Buckingham - Harvard Business Review
We have finally broken out of the "one size fits all" era. We made the mistake of applying industrial efficiency to human beings. The good news is that the "homework" has been done on this and you do not need to spend any time or money on developing algorithms - we have one. It is the DiSC four-quadrant behavioral model.
We have finally broken out of the "one size fits all" era. We made the mistake of applying industrial efficiency to human beings. The good news is that the "homework" has been done on this and you do not need to spend any time or money on developing algorithms - we have one. It is the DiSC four-quadrant behavioral model.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Leadership is like ice cream - in comes in many flavors. Leadership "flavors" are the many perspectives one views the world from - shaping and constraining ones actions. These perspectives evolve and unfold in time. Pick a topic - family, education, world leaders, incarceration, etc. and look back at your earliest thoughts regarding that topic and how it has evolved from there.
Bottom line - are you still taking action from old perspectives that no longer fit the leader you have become or want to be?
Bottom line - are you still taking action from old perspectives that no longer fit the leader you have become or want to be?
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Time, Money and Efforts - Part 2
Time, money and efforts - the fundamental resources of any organization. Used well - goals and objectives are satisfied, used poorly goals and objectives are not satisfied. So you see there is a direct connection between results and these resources.
First you need to know and understand how these "seemingly" free resources are currently being consumed.
For starters . . .
Do an inventory of everything being worked on in the organization, on your team, or your area of accountability - pick the highest level you influence and/or manage. "What?" you say - how do you know what that is?
Good question! Are you working with a purpose in mind? Or do you just go to work on what shows up via an outside source (complaint, emergency, something fall through the cracks, etc.) e.g. are you just reacting/responding to the circumstances and conditions of the day (or hour)? I call that working from the outside or "reaction centric" - versus working from the inside or "purpose centric".
Setup the inventory - here are the columns: what (are you at work on), why (are you doing that), and how (will you know you are on target).
Then review your inventory - how much of the "why" is connected to a business strategy? How many of the items have specific and measurable targets?
More to come on this and "Job descriptions are DEAD".
Bob Being Bob
First you need to know and understand how these "seemingly" free resources are currently being consumed.
For starters . . .
Do an inventory of everything being worked on in the organization, on your team, or your area of accountability - pick the highest level you influence and/or manage. "What?" you say - how do you know what that is?
Good question! Are you working with a purpose in mind? Or do you just go to work on what shows up via an outside source (complaint, emergency, something fall through the cracks, etc.) e.g. are you just reacting/responding to the circumstances and conditions of the day (or hour)? I call that working from the outside or "reaction centric" - versus working from the inside or "purpose centric".
Setup the inventory - here are the columns: what (are you at work on), why (are you doing that), and how (will you know you are on target).
Then review your inventory - how much of the "why" is connected to a business strategy? How many of the items have specific and measurable targets?
More to come on this and "Job descriptions are DEAD".
Bob Being Bob
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Leaders as "creators" of resources . . . .
In the context of resources, leaders ensure that time, money and efforts are available - or said another way effectively deployed.
Time. You have an opportunity to create more time by ensuring everyone in the organization is working on the "right" things for the viability of the business.
Money. You have an opportunity to create more money by ensuring everyone in the organization is working on the "right" things for the viability of the business.
Efforts. You have an opportunity to create more or better efforts by ensuring everyone in the organization is working on the "right" things for the viability of the business.
Is there a theme here or am I just repeating myself? Yes there is a theme - the "buck stops" with leaders when it comes to ensuring that EVERYONE in the organization is being effective - working on the "right" things.
Announcement: Job Descriptions are DEAD. I am declaring job descriptions "dead" e.g. that is no longer useful in the workplace.
More to come about this.
Bob Being Bob
Time. You have an opportunity to create more time by ensuring everyone in the organization is working on the "right" things for the viability of the business.
Money. You have an opportunity to create more money by ensuring everyone in the organization is working on the "right" things for the viability of the business.
Efforts. You have an opportunity to create more or better efforts by ensuring everyone in the organization is working on the "right" things for the viability of the business.
Is there a theme here or am I just repeating myself? Yes there is a theme - the "buck stops" with leaders when it comes to ensuring that EVERYONE in the organization is being effective - working on the "right" things.
Announcement: Job Descriptions are DEAD. I am declaring job descriptions "dead" e.g. that is no longer useful in the workplace.
More to come about this.
Bob Being Bob
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Do You Wonder? Do You Wander?
Do you ever wonder about things?
Leaders wonder about a lot of things. To wonder is to discover that which lies beyond certainty. To wonder is to have curiosity, sometimes mingled with doubt - healthy doubt - to have curiosity or doubt about what we know or think we know.
Do you ever wander?
Leaders wander all the time - they wander off the path of certainty. They allow themselves to move or go about aimlessly, without a plan or fixed destination - as in a fixed way something should be. They allow themselves to go astray in mind or purpose - to turn away from accepted beliefs or norms and are not afraid of being disjointed, disordered, incoherent, etc.
Let yourself wonder, and take time to wander.
Bob Being Bob
Leaders wonder about a lot of things. To wonder is to discover that which lies beyond certainty. To wonder is to have curiosity, sometimes mingled with doubt - healthy doubt - to have curiosity or doubt about what we know or think we know.
Do you ever wander?
Leaders wander all the time - they wander off the path of certainty. They allow themselves to move or go about aimlessly, without a plan or fixed destination - as in a fixed way something should be. They allow themselves to go astray in mind or purpose - to turn away from accepted beliefs or norms and are not afraid of being disjointed, disordered, incoherent, etc.
Let yourself wonder, and take time to wander.
Bob Being Bob
Saturday, January 29, 2011
What are you liberating?
Look around your organization, department, team or projects. What is stopped - at a standstill? What is stuck - at a roadblock? What has insufficient velocity - lacks momentum? What is heading in the wrong direction - avoiding or going around problems?
Look to see what ideas or actions need to be liberated - set free.
Your job is to set them free - and allow for an appropriate amount of chaos.
Bob Being Bob
Look to see what ideas or actions need to be liberated - set free.
Your job is to set them free - and allow for an appropriate amount of chaos.
Bob Being Bob
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Leadership and Liberation
What do leaders do?
Leaders liberate.
What do leaders liberate?
Leaders liberate the thinking and actions of an organization.
Bob Being Bob
Leaders liberate.
What do leaders liberate?
Leaders liberate the thinking and actions of an organization.
Bob Being Bob
Monday, January 17, 2011
Upheaval and leadership.
You have to have a lot of courage and "stick-to-it-ness"to be a leader. The courage to stand in the face of the upheaval and disorder that accompanies it; and the "stick-to-it-ness" to not be thrown off course by the mess you sometimes create.
Leaders create upheaval - which could look like turmoil, disturbance, cataclysm, commotion, disruption or mayhem - not a "pretty site" if you weren't the author of the upheaval..In fact, even if you were the author of it, it starts to look like a bad choice early on. You more often than not might find yourself wondering if the "business as usual" events, you could no longer allow for, could be as bad as the mayhem you are now facing.
And the only thing to do in the face of the upheaval is to stand right in the middle of it. One by one you will have deal with it - don't try to nail down anything that comes loose, broken away or dislodged. That is anything not worth hanging on to - most of it you might want to just let float away.
What's worth hanging on to?
Bob Being Bob
Leaders create upheaval - which could look like turmoil, disturbance, cataclysm, commotion, disruption or mayhem - not a "pretty site" if you weren't the author of the upheaval..In fact, even if you were the author of it, it starts to look like a bad choice early on. You more often than not might find yourself wondering if the "business as usual" events, you could no longer allow for, could be as bad as the mayhem you are now facing.
And the only thing to do in the face of the upheaval is to stand right in the middle of it. One by one you will have deal with it - don't try to nail down anything that comes loose, broken away or dislodged. That is anything not worth hanging on to - most of it you might want to just let float away.
What's worth hanging on to?
Bob Being Bob
Saturday, January 15, 2011
What's enough?
When do you know what is enough?
Leaders know when they have enough information, data, experience, etc. to make the next move - and then they make a move. They know that leadership isn't about making all the "right" moves - it is about making moves. Moves that get you to the next step along the way. To lead one must be in motion - moving in the direction of a vision. Knowing if you are heading in the appropriate direction comes from movement in a direction - if it isn't going the way it needs to go you will make a correction and get it on track.
What is lying around waiting for you to make a move? Make a list of all the things that are stuck or stopped - and look to see if what is missing is movement.
Take the three most important things on your list and make a move on them - any move.
Bob Being Bob
Leaders know when they have enough information, data, experience, etc. to make the next move - and then they make a move. They know that leadership isn't about making all the "right" moves - it is about making moves. Moves that get you to the next step along the way. To lead one must be in motion - moving in the direction of a vision. Knowing if you are heading in the appropriate direction comes from movement in a direction - if it isn't going the way it needs to go you will make a correction and get it on track.
What is lying around waiting for you to make a move? Make a list of all the things that are stuck or stopped - and look to see if what is missing is movement.
Take the three most important things on your list and make a move on them - any move.
Bob Being Bob
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Where does leadership come from?
As far as I can tell this is one thing you cannot pickup at Walmart.
What do you think?
Respond to the survey at the bottom of this blog.
Bob Being Bob
What do you think?
Respond to the survey at the bottom of this blog.
Bob Being Bob
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Okay - now give it away
You ask - "give what away"?
Leaders are really good at giving things away - the kind of things I am speaking of are ideas, thoughts, visions, possibilities, etc. Leaders "live" out on the edge of the horizon; and that has them see things you cannot see when you are tethered to the past or consumed by the present. If they held on tightly to everything they ran into they would be weighted down and unable to stay out on the edge.
Leaders never feel compelled to "keep" their ideas until the "right" time shows up. They spend a good part of their days talking with others about their ideas - they are looking for someone to grab on to the idea and take it to the next step - advancing it with others.
What are you doing with your ideas? Holding on to them until it is "safe" to let them out? Are you afraid someone might poke holes in it?
Keep a little 49 cent notebook with you and start writing those ideas down - and at the end of the day ask yourself "how have you forwarded or advanced the idea" - who have you given it away to?
Leaders are really good at giving things away - the kind of things I am speaking of are ideas, thoughts, visions, possibilities, etc. Leaders "live" out on the edge of the horizon; and that has them see things you cannot see when you are tethered to the past or consumed by the present. If they held on tightly to everything they ran into they would be weighted down and unable to stay out on the edge.
Leaders never feel compelled to "keep" their ideas until the "right" time shows up. They spend a good part of their days talking with others about their ideas - they are looking for someone to grab on to the idea and take it to the next step - advancing it with others.
What are you doing with your ideas? Holding on to them until it is "safe" to let them out? Are you afraid someone might poke holes in it?
Keep a little 49 cent notebook with you and start writing those ideas down - and at the end of the day ask yourself "how have you forwarded or advanced the idea" - who have you given it away to?
Friday, January 07, 2011
The "Fuzzy Stage" - breakfast of leaders!
Leaders act like a telescope - they allow others to see something that is so far out of their sight range it cannot be seen. Once a leader sheds light on it, brings it into focus so to speak - others can partner in advancing an idea that there is a fuzzy picture of. Leaders bring others into the conversation at the "fuzzy" stage - they don't wait till they have it all figured out or have a clear, crisp picture in front of them. Leaders love the fuzzy stage and have lots of room for the ambiguity that comes with the fuzzy stage.
What fuzzy pictures are in your head - in your view? Who can you share that with? Make a list of all your fuzzy ideas - then ask yourself who could breath life into that idea with you?
Now go do it - have those conversations - what are you waiting for?
Task number 2 in the role of a leader - giving it all away.
More on this later - - -
I HAVE TO GO GIVE AWAY SOME FUZZY IDEAS I HAVE BEEN HOLDING ON TO.
Bob Being Bob
What fuzzy pictures are in your head - in your view? Who can you share that with? Make a list of all your fuzzy ideas - then ask yourself who could breath life into that idea with you?
Now go do it - have those conversations - what are you waiting for?
Task number 2 in the role of a leader - giving it all away.
More on this later - - -
I HAVE TO GO GIVE AWAY SOME FUZZY IDEAS I HAVE BEEN HOLDING ON TO.
Bob Being Bob
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Imagine the possibilities . . . job description for organizational leaders
"And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been"
— Rainer Maria Rilke
. . . that's your job - shedding light on those things that have never been.
Take a look around your business, your life - what is it that you are not doing e.g. what are the things you want to see done and for some reason or another are not being done?
What's in the way? Is it you, is it others, or is it fear of failure?
Bob Being Bob
— Rainer Maria Rilke
. . . that's your job - shedding light on those things that have never been.
Take a look around your business, your life - what is it that you are not doing e.g. what are the things you want to see done and for some reason or another are not being done?
What's in the way? Is it you, is it others, or is it fear of failure?
Bob Being Bob
Sunday, January 02, 2011
When leading "anywhere" will do . . .
John Cage tells us that not knowing where to begin is a common form of paralysis. His advice: "begin anywhere".
Leaders don't look for the "right" place to begin - they just begin - and see what happens. If what is happening is a fit for what they are looking to generate they keep going. If what is happening is not a fit for what they are looking to generate they stop (see last Thursday's blog), and begin somewhere else.
When you "begin anywhere" it allows for growth. Growth isn't something that happens to you - you have to allow for it. You have to let your experiences shape you, impact you, and touch you.
Look around - what experiences are you letting change you, shape you, create you - and ultimately allowing for your growth as a leader? Beginning today write down what experience has "shaped or touched" you everyday - and then ask yourself how it has allowed you to see the world newly - how it has contributed to your growth.
Let go - it is good for you.
Bob Being Bob
Leaders don't look for the "right" place to begin - they just begin - and see what happens. If what is happening is a fit for what they are looking to generate they keep going. If what is happening is not a fit for what they are looking to generate they stop (see last Thursday's blog), and begin somewhere else.
When you "begin anywhere" it allows for growth. Growth isn't something that happens to you - you have to allow for it. You have to let your experiences shape you, impact you, and touch you.
Look around - what experiences are you letting change you, shape you, create you - and ultimately allowing for your growth as a leader? Beginning today write down what experience has "shaped or touched" you everyday - and then ask yourself how it has allowed you to see the world newly - how it has contributed to your growth.
Let go - it is good for you.
Bob Being Bob
Saturday, January 01, 2011
There is no "tomorrow" there is only today . . . "tomorrow" is a narcotic for not dealing with today . . .
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Best wishes for a prosperous 2011. I am creating 2011 as the year for a future of creativity, innovation and pleasant surprises!
Be an organizational leader in creativity, innovation and pleasant surprises!
Creativity produces something new - a new solution to a problem, a new "conversation" or a new product/service. Create an environment rich with ideas and originality of thinking. Allow and embrace the apparent disorder, contradiction, and imbalance brought on by creativity - see it as a challenge.
Innovation is the act of renewal - out with the old and in with the new! Look around and see what needs a "face-lift" - an upgrade to an existing product, process or program.For renewal to take place it is necessary for people to change the way they make decisions, they must choose to do things differently, make choices outside of their norm; therefore they need to see things newly.
Surprise yourself - allow for the unexpected, let yourself be "taken by" that which brings wonder and delight. Embrace the newness, the freshness, and the aliveness of what has yet fully matured. You don't have to have it all figured out.
Bob Being Bob
Best wishes for a prosperous 2011. I am creating 2011 as the year for a future of creativity, innovation and pleasant surprises!
Be an organizational leader in creativity, innovation and pleasant surprises!
Creativity produces something new - a new solution to a problem, a new "conversation" or a new product/service. Create an environment rich with ideas and originality of thinking. Allow and embrace the apparent disorder, contradiction, and imbalance brought on by creativity - see it as a challenge.
Innovation is the act of renewal - out with the old and in with the new! Look around and see what needs a "face-lift" - an upgrade to an existing product, process or program.For renewal to take place it is necessary for people to change the way they make decisions, they must choose to do things differently, make choices outside of their norm; therefore they need to see things newly.
Surprise yourself - allow for the unexpected, let yourself be "taken by" that which brings wonder and delight. Embrace the newness, the freshness, and the aliveness of what has yet fully matured. You don't have to have it all figured out.
Bob Being Bob
Thursday, December 30, 2010
"stopping the unnecessary, the unneeded, and the unwanted"
Leaders operate mostly in the domain of time we refer to as "the future". While being "guided" by the future, they look around to "the present" to see if the direction in which they are heading and the speed at which they are moving are consistent with "the future" they envision. And when the direction and speed are not consistent they make corrections to have it be consistent. This is the choice point that separates leaders from managers - the ability to say when something is not working consistent with a desired future and take the action to STOP whatever is not working.
As we wrap up 2010 look around to see what you need to STOP and then STOP it.
Really great leaders are leaders who are great at stopping the things that are no longer working.
Start 2011 heading in the appropriate direction and speed you need - to arrive at where you want to be and when you want to be there (or your organization to be) and make "stopping the unnecessary, the unneeded, and the unwanted" a habit.
Bob Being Bob
As we wrap up 2010 look around to see what you need to STOP and then STOP it.
Really great leaders are leaders who are great at stopping the things that are no longer working.
Start 2011 heading in the appropriate direction and speed you need - to arrive at where you want to be and when you want to be there (or your organization to be) and make "stopping the unnecessary, the unneeded, and the unwanted" a habit.
Bob Being Bob
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Keeping it simple . . .
Chinese Proverb: Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life lies in eliminating the non essentials.
As we approach the end of the calendar year and the first 10 years of the decade, this is a good time to figure out what the non essentials are. Today's technology has made the volume, speed and complexity of information available to us overwhelming if we do not figure out what is essential and what isn't.
The very best leaders I know are really good at this - not messing with the nonessential.
Everyday look for one thing you will eliminate. I eliminated two newsletters I was receiving today.
Bob Being Bob
Thursday, December 09, 2010
Leadership Strategy - Got One?
What is you r leadership strategy? How will you lead your organization, your team, your project? This is different than how you will manage them. How will you effectively exercise the role of leader? Leaders provide vision, direction, purpose and meaning - what are you approaches for doing that? The work of leaders sometimes occurs as being paradoxical to the "business as usual" activities that one can mistake for direction.
If you don't have a leadership strategy - get one - invent it. Work with someone to help you distinguish leading from management, then come up with several strategies, so if one doesn't always work you have others to rely on.
Bob Being Bob
If you don't have a leadership strategy - get one - invent it. Work with someone to help you distinguish leading from management, then come up with several strategies, so if one doesn't always work you have others to rely on.
Bob Being Bob
Saturday, November 06, 2010
some additional thoughts at 37,000 feet . . .
It is pretty simple - good leaders demonstrate the ability, attitude and appetite for the context, circumstances and conditions they are on the court with. What is at play on your court? Do you know how to "dance" with all of that? And when the context shifts are you going to be left behind?
Bob Being Bob
Bob Being Bob
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