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| More Courageous Leadership Stories |
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In the February issue of the Leader Letter I led off with a section entitled "Courage is at the Core of Leadership" (click here to read it).
I shared some of the key points on courageous leadership that I was
incorporating into the new book I am currently writing. This book is my
first business fable or fictional account of cowardice and courage in a
once successful company that is now in big trouble.
I
am enjoying the process of learning how to craft stories that -- I hope
-- entertain, inform, and inspire. The book's cast of characters and
scenarios is a compilation of many of the good and bad leaders I have
worked with over the past three decades.
Last month I published some of the many Leader Letter reader responses I received on this short piece (click here to read them).
Judging by the quantity and quality of e-mail messages, I obviously
touched a nerve. Here's another great story on courageous leadership
from a reader.
Hi Jim,
I
have read your item on courage and some of the responses. It has caused
me to think again of something that happened to my father years ago
when he worked for a large food processing company. What happened
shaped our family significantly even though the specifics of the issue
were never discussed in detail. I was in Grade 3 at the time (1963ish)
not really aware of what happened. Both of my parents are gone now, and
I am writing a memoir of their lives as a couple. This story plays a
big role.
My father was
Superintendent of Operations for the food company in Toronto. He was
transferred to the U.S. head office in the mid 1950s and then back to
Toronto in 1956. He was then transferred to another Canadian plant
around 1959 - 60 and was in charge of operations there.
The
family version of the story is that he was angered over a plan by
individuals higher in seniority/position than him, to 'water down the
product.' He was upset at a plan to alter the recipe because it would
affect quality and was dishonest. The response to his standing up and
fighting this change was another transfer - to afternoon shift
supervisor at a small plant in a small town. He worked that shift for
10 years – from the time I was in grade 3 to my final year of high
school.
My parents were dropped
from the "A" list of company social circles. People whom my father and
mother thought were friends stopped contact. The result was depression
for my mother. As the breadwinner with five kids my dad just continued
going to work. In later years he always claimed, and I have no doubt he
truly believed it, that the small town was the best thing that ever
happened to him. He loved the little town, the big old house they
purchased there, and the people.
Dad
didn't play office politics. That would never have been his style. We
were all proud of our dad but I don't think I put the word 'courage'
and this episode in his life together. It was just a story we grew up
with. He spoke up against what he thought was wrong. He paid for it in
a significant way. But my dad also died knowing he did the right thing.
He spoke up and had the courage of his convictions. That's something
all of us kids can be proud of. What a legacy.
I
think if we lack courage today in the work world, we can trace some of
that back to a lack of 'doing what is right.' The line between right
and wrong gets blurred. We look at some of the horrible examples today
- Enron etc - and it feeds into the perception that many hold; in order
to be 'successful' you need to blur the line. So, standing up and doing
what is right is seen as foolish instead of courageous.
I
felt compelled to write you and tell you about this. I know how I want
to include this chapter of their lives in the book I am writing. Your
item on courage made me think about this in a different light.
Thank you.
Kim (Dadson) Denstedt, Guelph, ON, Canada
Kim's
story inspired me to share a short scene I wrote last month for my
emerging business fable with you. In this chapter, Pete, the book's
central character, is half-heartedly attending a session on leadership
(go figure; me including a leadership workshop chapter in my story!):
(The
workshop leaders instructed the small groups at round tables) "Take a
few minutes at your table to discuss what sort of fear holds you back
from talking about issues you know need to be addressed."
Everyone
at Pete's table looked at each other without speaking. The silence was
getting uncomfortable. Finally an older man across the table from Pete
broke the silence. "As I look back on my career, one of my biggest
regrets is that I talked about problems out in the hallway or with a
few colleagues in our offices after the meeting. But I didn't have the
courage to raise the issue in the meeting when it really needed to be
discussed. I guess I excused myself by rationalizing that I didn't want
to rock the boat and jeopardize my job or next promotion. The financial
pressure of raising kids, mortgages, and pursuing an ever higher
lifestyle put me on a path that reduced my options and slowly silenced
me into just going along. I didn't think that I could afford to speak
up and live according to my true values." He paused to gather his
thoughts. "I see now that it's far too easy to let our courage ebb as
the tide of responsibility rises. I lost my passion and settled for the
status quo. So I ended up sedating my youthful ideals with food, booze,
and 'busyness'."
Whoa! This guy
is pretty dismal and pathetic Pete thought. Life is about compromise.
That's why it's better to keep your expectations low so you won't end
up full of regrets like this gloomy old fellow. A couple of others at
the table commented that he was being far too hard on himself. The man
allowed that he may be, but he had a few working years left and was
here to get some courage and approaches to start acting like a leader.
"Now is the time to change the next five years," he asserted. "I am
determined to finish my career by speaking up and speaking out."
I welcome your stories and perspectives on courageous leadership and courageous conversations. Please e-mail me at [email protected].
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Still Time to Register!
Public Workshop - Leadership, Change, and Personal Growth |
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 Leading @ the Speed of Change
There are still a few seats left in my upcoming two-day session, right here in my hometown, Kitchener, Ontario, May 31 - June 1, 2005.
In
today's fast moving world, many managers are struggling with how to
strengthen their leadership and how to help their team/organization
successfully navigate change. My Leading @ the Speed of Change
workshop has helped thousands of managers. You'll be inspired to action
and provided with practical 'how to' steps that dramatically boost
personal, team, and organization results. Check out details here:
www.clemmer.net/events/lsc/lsc.shtml
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| Team Spirit: Cultivate the Culture |
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One of my most popular Globe & Mail articles was the one published last December on what kills organization and team spirit and how to heal that spirit. Sales and Service Excellence magazine ran a condensed version of that article in their April issue. Click here to read it.
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Permission to Reprint: You may reprint any items from the Leader Letter in your own print publication or e-newsletter as long as you include this paragraph:
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"Reprinted with permission from the Leader Letter,
Jim Clemmer's free e-newsletter. For over 25 years Jim Clemmer's
practical leadership approaches have been inspiring action and
achieving results. His 2,000+ presentations and workshops/retreats,
five bestselling books, columns, and newsletters are helping hundreds
of thousands of managers worldwide because they are inspiring,
instructive, and refreshingly fun. And best of all, they work! His web
site is www.clemmer.net."
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| More on...Searching for Purpose and Meaning |
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Happiness
research is showing that we can live our lives centered on pleasure,
engagement, or meaning. The happiest are those people living a life of
meaning.
Last month I responded to a reader's question about finding his purpose (read the message and my response here). Following is a message from another reader that provides his experience and another perspective on this vital issue.
Dear Jim;
I
saw the plea for help in finding purpose in your latest Leader Letter.
I have little great wisdom to offer but here are a couple of small
contributions.
First, I will
offer a quotation from an unknown source that my daughter has had
posted in her room since she was a young teenager. It says: "The thing
we want most is a secret that nobody can tell us." How painfully true
this can be! I marvel that it took me so long to figure out and that my
daughter seems to have figured this out much sooner than her poor old
dad!
Secondly, I would
encourage your reader to show perseverance. I wandered through many
assignments in the first dozen years of my engineering career before I
found a project that really turned my crank. Looking back, I had quite
an attitude problem for many of these years which probably did not help
my search. Even so the project found me. Fortunately along the way I
also figured some other things out and my life has been a lot better
since!
Many times life seems
to be a bit that way. Something we need/want finds us, rather than the
other way around. The important thing is not to fret, not to give up,
but to keep looking - even after you think you've found your dream.
I've spent most of 15 years on my dream project and I really believe it
is close to changing the world in a small way. If so, I suspect this
means that now I need to find a new dream to chase. Sounds like I'll
have to heed my own advice....I hate that part. ;-)
Finally
I'll note that a playful attitude can really help. I read an article
(or heard it on the radio?) from Peter Gzowski's (a famous Canadian
broadcaster) daughter shortly after he died. She recounted a
conversation she had with him about how much trouble she was having in
figuring out what she wanted to do with her life. He said words to the
effect of, "Me too! Isn't it great!"
I enjoy your articles.
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| A Higher Performing Performance Review System |
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In response to last month's section on "Fixing Performance Review Systems: Most are a Disaster" (click here to read this),
Sandy Wright sent the following message outlining what sounds like a
very good process that her organization has put together to deal with
what is a bureaucratic mess in most organizations.
I
thanked Sandy for sharing her experience and asked her permission to
publish her message. However, I warned her that readers of The Leader's Digest
know that I have a real thing against the term "human capital" (read a
short book excerpt outlining my issue with this and related terms at www.clemmer.net/excerpts/leaders_invest.shtml).
She said their organization has also struggled with the term and were
looking for alternatives. I suggested they consider "People
Development" or just the "People" department as Southwest Airlines and
Wal-Mart uses. Looking past my aversion to calling people "human
capital," what Sandy describes adds a useful insight to the performance
management conundrum faced by many managers.
Hi Jim,
I enjoy reading your Leader Letter.
Many of your topics are at the heart of the issues we've tackled in our
division. Recently, we had the results of the staff survey which our
organization runs every two years and uses as a measurement of human
capital.
My particular
division had an engagement score of 88% with 97% of our staff
responding to the survey. Naturally we're over the moon at such a
result but our score has been steadily improving over the last 6 years
and is no accident. We invested in the business through system
enhancement, risk procedures, and staff development.
Four
years ago we implemented an online performance management system which
requires staff to fill out first, and then managers add comments, a
face to face discussion is held and the manager signs off. Staff
members have final sign off and comment with the final report recording
both views - staff and manager's to provide transparency and
accountability. The elements of the appraisal include competency and
behavioral evaluation, goal setting, overall ratings, 180 degree basic
feedback on the manager and a development plan. Many performance issues
have largely disappeared as a result.
But
we didn't stop there. We embarked on management training and a ten
month leadership training program out of which developed a vision and
purpose for our division - we already had a strategy (not financial)
with the client at the centre. Financial goals are seen as means to an
end (our purpose), not the end.
The
hard measures of turnover and profit are proof of the wisdom of a
holistic approach. Turnover is down and we've achieved record profit
every year for the last three and we're planning to double our profit
in three years - for which we are on track.
It
is a privilege and immensely satisfying as a Human Capital practitioner
to be working in this division - effective leadership has made the
difference.
- Sandy Wright, Human Capital Director, Banking Division, Macquarie Bank Limited
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| Leadership Starts Here |
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Jim,
I
have been browsing your newsletters for some time now. I finally took
the time today to really dig into some of your information. It hasn't
been easy, the longer I read the more depressed I became!
I
work for the largest private corporation in America. They have some
fantastic leaders at the top and a Mission Statement that has been
developed over time and not just some flowery combination of words or a
buzz statement. I am not in one of the "high end" business units and
sometimes things take a little longer to roll down hill. I have been
challenged with leading our quality group in an engagement process
which is a measurement of how well the slow rolling things are being
understood and put to use.
The
more I read about leading people as opposed to managing people the more
I began to ask myself if we will ever see those great leaders at our
level. I finally got to the passion, commitment, spirit and meaning
quotes.
Isn't it always
the case, that when you start to talk about these things we all end up
on the same playing field!? We will always be just what our own spirit
and passion allows us to be or become – regardless of those outside
influences or who the captain of the team is!
Keep up the good work and thanks for your newsletters.
- Ed Wanlass, Grantsville, UT
Hi Ed,
Thanks
very much for your message. I really appreciate you taking the time to
tell me how my work has affected you. Of course, my books are even
better! :)
I am especially gratified
to see how you're grasping the essence of leadership. Far too many
people spend their time complaining and wishing for someone else
(usually higher in their organization) to show leadership. It's great
when it happens, but it's so unpredictable. Leadership is about taking
control of our own world and leading from the inside out. Ultimately
our own passion and spirit will determine our own effectiveness and
happiness. We truly are the captain of our own team. It's such an
obvious and basic idea and yet so difficult for so many people to grasp
- or take personal responsibility for.
Jim
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| Change Checklist |
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Hi Jim,
Our
senior managers need to have a short handy reference on what they must
be thinking and doing about the human side of the change/transition
process. In the swirl of business pressures, impossible deadlines and
no budget, lengthy articles or workshops don't meet our needs.
I
am now working on producing a "Managers' Checklist -- the Human Side of
Change." But it strikes me I am not the only over-taxed organization
development professional who would love to have a template for this
sort of thing.
"What
indication do you have that most of your employees recognize the need
for some kind of change?" would be a checklist item. If the senior
manager is confident the staff are ready for change, then s/he would
write a simple list of indicators. If not, there would be a second
level where the manager could access 'sample' indicators.
When
thinking about the leadership expert who produces simple, powerful
usable ideas your name sprang immediately to mind. I don't know if this
is a profitable notion, but thought I'd simply suggest it to you. In
the meantime, if you happen to know of any existing sources for a
"Change Checklist," I would appreciate knowing about them.
- Joe
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| Refusing to be Victimized by a Bad Boss |
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Following
are selected excerpts of a series of e-mail exchanges I had with a
reader of my books and articles. It's a great example of having the
self-esteem, and mustering the courage, to do all you can to change
your job situation (some of those details have been left out of this
summary). And when you've done all you can and haven't been able to
change your situation; you need to change your job.
I
am currently working in a very toxic environment...Husband/wife/son and
anyone else that is related...not good for business, but not my call...
How can it be that you are the
only one who is willing to speak out about ineffective (bad)
management? I have spent the past number of years thinking I am crazy
or unemployable....knowing in my heart that the people in management
are my biggest obstacle because they are too worried about their own
jobs to recognize a potential asset to their company.... What a waste
of the last 20+ years of my life.... Is there anybody out there who is
interested in, (or looking for) a super bright, intelligent,
accomplished woman who is willing to give her all to a company that
gives something (however small) in return?
My
friend started sending me some of your articles. Your writing has
confirmed what I knew all along....that I'm not crazy and that not
every manager is a good manager. I am now reading your articles to find
coping skills until I can find another job '-)
There
are more bad managers than good ones. But there are also some
exceptionally good managers around. They are just hard to find. Many
well-run organizations are populated with a large number of good
managers. But even there, a number of poor managers can exist. And
there are also lots of cases of managers providing strong leadership to
their own teams despite the more toxic environment or poorly run
organization they are living in.
Don't
consider that you've wasted 20 years of your life. During that time,
you've become much clearer about what you really want in a manager,
organization, and your job. If you haven't already, I'd encourage you
to get very clear about your own core strengths and values. Then look
for a job that aligns with those, and an environment and manager that
support the things you want, in order to bring out the best in you.
You
might also want to take a look at the growing skill/mind set of "upward
leadership." This means that if you do find yourself in a job and
organization you like but with a bad boss, don't be a victim. Take
control your own situation and learn how to manage your manager. You
can find a large selection of free articles and excerpts from my last
two books, Growing the Distance and The Leader's Digest around the theme of taking responsibility for our lives and choices at www.clemmer.net/excerpts/responsibility.shtml.
Jim
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| Top Improvement Points from March |
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Of the short quotes with links to full articles that were e-mailed out as complimentary Improvement Points last month, the most popular with subscribers were:
"Strong
leaders engage people's hearts. They build ever-deeper passion and
commitment. The key leadership word is "care." When we care about our
work, we will often be harder on ourselves than anyone else would dare
to be. When we really care about the customers we serve, we'll go out
of our way to ensure that each "moment of truth" (contact with
customers) is as positive as we can make it. When we care about making
our organization successful, we'll go above and beyond our job to do
whatever it takes to be part of a winning team. When we care about our
products or services, we'll do whatever it takes to continue feeling
proud of what we do."
- from Leaders Foster Individual Passion for Change and Improvement
www.clemmer.net/excerpts/leaders_foster.shtml
"The
emotional tone or spirit of a team or organization is vital to its
success. The will to win, to excel, or to make a difference, is often
what defines high performance in just about any human endeavor. It's
one of those mighty forces that can't easily be counted, but creates
the results that count."
- from 'Meaning-Full' Work
www.clemmer.net/excerpts/meaning_full.shtml
"When
things go wrong, weak managers too often try to fix the blame rather
than the problem. They point fingers and lay guilt rather than take
responsibility, seek out root causes of problems and fix them."
- from Bridging the Credibility Gap
www.clemmer.net/excerpts/credibility.shtml
Subscribe or view the archives by topic area here:
www.clemmer.net/improvement.shtml.
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Thoughts That Make You Go Hmmmm...
on Being True to You |
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"Truth always originates in a minority of one, and every custom begins as a broken precedent."
- Lady Nancy Astor, English politician and first female member of the British Parliament
"Your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself."
- Richard David Bach, Jonathan Livingston Seagull
"People
are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is
out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only
if there is a light from within."
- Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, psychiatrist, author and "teacher of life"
"Never
follow somebody else's path; it doesn't work the same way twice for
anyone...the path follows you and rolls up behind you as you walk,
forcing the next person to find their own way."
- J. Michael Straczynski , American writer and producer
"Don't
let your special character and values, the secret that you know and no
one else does – the truth – don't let that get swallowed up by the
great chewing complacency."
- Aesop, Greek fabulist
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| Feedback and Follow-Up |
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I am always delighted to hear from readers of the Leader Letter
with feedback, reflections, suggestions, or differing points of view. I
am also happy to explore customized, in-house adaptations of any of my
material for your team or organization, drop me an e-mail at [email protected].
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I hope to connect with you again next month!
Jim
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post or pass this newsletter on to colleagues, clients, or associates
you think might be interested. If you received this newsletter from
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| Copyright 2005, Jim Clemmer, The CLEMMER Group |
