Business

from Triple Crown Leadership, Bob Vanourek, Gregg Van Vanourek, 2012

Les trois couronnes du leadership sont l’éthique, l’excellence et l’endurance des organisations (3E).

Les leaders sont confrontés à des prises de décisions intuitives qui mènent à des succès percutants. Les décisions qui ont du succès résultent d’une combinaison de 3 éléments : la force de caractère (éthique), les capacités (excellence) et la performance durable (endurance).

La force de caractère se voit à travers la manière dont les choses sont faites, ce qui est acceptable et approprié, ce qui convient. La force de caractère se révèle à travers l’intégrité, les motifs et les intentions des gens. La force de caractère prévaut lorsque nous devons fixer des priorités lors de situations de crise. La force de caractère vit à travers toute l’organisation : le conseil d’administration, le CEO, les managers et les personnes sans autorité formelle. Elle symbolise une gouvernance forte. Le leadership résulte du collectif.

Des personnes inadéquates doivent être éliminées (même si elles performent très bien !). Il s’agit notamment de celles et ceux qui ne travaillent pas en équipe, qui défendent des comportements inapropriés, qui intimident autrui, qui attaquent autrui, qui infectent autrui par leur négativité, qui soutiennent une requête tout en connaissant les effets négatifs, qui sabotent équipement/projets/collègues, qui dont du tort à autrui lors dans l’accomplissement de leurs projets, qui empoisonnent la culture d’entreprise.

” Tous les oiseaux volent plus vite en formation que seul “

L’alignement est crucial au succès, les objectifs de l’organisation doivent être clairement nommés. L’alignement apporte la concentration, renforce la confiance, suscite la validation et l’engagement et créée les conditions pour un flux positif. L’alignement permet de répondre à des élans à long, moyen et court terme : l’aspiration (long terme) par la mission, la vision, les valeurs. la stratégie (moyen terme) : stratégie, objectifs, personnes et structures. l’éxécution (court terme) : procédures, plans d’actions, canaux de communication.

” La grandeur se hisse au dessus du succès par la capacité à se sortir de revers et se relever encore plus fort qu’avant “

Il existe 3 sortes de stratégies de redressement : le changement de cap, le retour à la normale et la renaissance. La renaissance nécessite plusieurs ingrédients : un CEO de redressement (qui travaille avec son équipe et se montre réaliste sur les circonstances, optimiste sur le succès à terme et suffisemment lucide sur les risques encourus), un aligement avec le conseil d’administration, une communication claire à toutes les parties prenantes, la concentration sur la vision, la stabilité psychologique (à travers la ventilation des émotions, la fixation de priorités, la mise en place de projets et l’amnestie (ne pas montrer du doigt)), une équipe de redressement alignées, un rythme opérationnel avec des rapports de situations réguliers, et un lieu pour se ressourcer et se reposer.

from de Finland, Norway and Sweden lead the world in 2020 Empowered People Index, new Special, 04/2020

People around the world are speaking out ant demanding a more equal society, fair access to apportunities and a faire chance to lead their lives.

The Empowered People Index (EPI) measures the power of each individual to determine his own future. It answers the quetsion : how empowered are people to make a change in a given society ? The index consists of 3 families of criteria : the empowerment to scan, the empowerment to process and the empowerment to act :

. the empowerment to scan concerns the ability to access unbaised and exhaustive information (which in turn implies freedom of press, acccess to internet, etc.)

. the empowerment to process is the ability to understant the information accessed (which in turn implies access to education, electricirty, security, etc.)

. the empowerment to act refers to the possibility to take action on the information processed (which in turn implies the ability to start a business, access to bank loans, transportation, etc.)

United People Global (UPG) is a Non Profit Organisation that shares its findings.

from 6 Steps to Leading a Life of Integrity, Robert Taibbi, 2017

We either have it or we don’t, it seems, and we generally associate the word with those who seem to have a strong moral compass, clear and consistent principles, and a bold honesty about themselves. It is part of our character.

But integrity is actually more complex ; there’s another layer that often gets misunderstood or glossed over. The word is derived from the Latin word integritas which means whole or complete; it is related to integrate, or bringing together. This is the aspect I’m most intrigued by : Integrity as a psychological process, an integration of your outer life and inner life—two sides coming together, creating a whole, consistent you. In our society such integration can be hard to come by. Many people are disconnected from their true inner core, while somer of us rarely reveal it. Instead we slap on a social persona to carry us through our day, and over time this becomes more and more who we begin to believe we are.

Can we create this integration, and develop this integrity ? Can we reshape our lives to become like those people we admire and respect, who seem so authentic and honest ?

Step 1 : Discover our inner life

If integrity is about having our outer world truly reflect our inner world, the first step is taking the time and thought to drill down and explore and discover who we are: What is our unique inner being? What are the gifts that we alone possess that we can contribute to the world and those around us ? There are several steps to the discovery:

1. Find and define our sense of purpose.

The starting point to creating a life of integrity is to ask these questions about purpose and opportunity, and to keep them always simmering on the front burner of our life. Be willing to acknowledge and then explore our passions, callings, and motivations. Intentionally sort through and set priorities. Sit down with ourself and decide on the meaning of work and relationships for us rather than simply taking what we get.

2. Sort out shoulds and wants.

Asking these big questions sets the discovery process in motion, but now other psychological and emotional challenges may rear our heads. We may have trouble identifying what it is we truly feel; we are too inside our head. 

Consider our heart: this is where passion and sense of purpose come from our wants and desires and bursts of excitement (rather than the staid shoulds). The move from shoulds to wants is a matter of literally rewiring our brain, changing where our information about us comes from. It requires that we keep your ear close to our heart, and then, take action. 

That essential ingredient of integrity is to step away from the crowd and listen to your own inner voice.

3. Define our values and visions.

We have purpose and gut and heart—but this is not enough. The key here is our values. Like purpose, values too are to be discovered and evolve, but also like purpose, they require that we put them on the front burner, intentionally decide what it is we want those values and visions to be.

The challenge here is shaping blunt values into clear behavioral principles: Saying, for example, that family is important to us may be a value, but it is too slack, and doesn’t go far enough in giving us a clear path: What does it mean to us to truly value family? Where does family fit into the other priorities of our life? What does valuing family mean in terms of how we treat them, how we relate to them in the everyday?

After taking the time and having the courage to travel through the landscape of our inner self, we now face our second task in the process: Carrying it forward into our everyday outer life:

Step 2 : Have our outer life represent our inner life

In some ways, the psychological heavy lifting is done. Now it is about translation and application: How do we have our inner life reflect us ? 

1. Make clear decisions.

Think of your inner life as the foundation on which you build your outer life. Build is the operative word, because it is about being intentional: Through the filter of your values, your sense of purpose, your gut instincts and desires you want to make clear decisions. That does not mean the decisions are easy: Do you take a less-stressful job so you have more time to spend with your kids, for example, or do you take a more stressful job but one that pays more and allows you to provide more opportunities for your kids, like a college education? Tough.

Again, sort through your priorities and vision. Take your time.

What you don’t want to do is drift, to not be intentional, or to let life and circumstance carry you along. Integrity requires that you avoid automatically falling into the easy or popular path.

2. Stay committed to what we believe.

This is about being aware and diligent, about checking in with ourself and asking, Am I living my life? Am I proud of my life so far measured by my goals and expectations? This is about having “the courage of our convictions” that people so often talk about—the willingness to step up and speak.

3. Stay open to change.

Keep our ear close to those inner voices, and when our inner life changes, as it probably will, take the time to sort and sift and see what to keep and what to let go. But then integrate, be bold, and bring this redefined version of us into our daily life. Acknowledging and adapting to change is what keeps our inner and outer lives in alignment.

Creating integrity is not a forced march through life, and it’s not about not being better, trying harder, and following yet another should. It’s about self-honesty and having the courage to hear and accept what our heart and life are telling us so that we can more fully become who we already are. 

It’s about connecting ourselves to our true selves.

from Organizational Transitions : Managing Complex Change, Richard Beckhard and Reuben T. Harris, 1987 and from managementstudyguide.com

Stace and Dunphy (2001) state that transformational change involves a redefinition of the overall organization’s strategies, gaining the employees commitment towards the process of transformation and reorienting the culture of the entire organization. As per Chapman (2002), transformational change requires changes in the attitude, beliefs and values of the employees.

For Beckard and Harris, Individuals and Organizations change when faced with the following equation :

D  x  V  x  F  >  R

• dissatisfaction leads to wanting a situation to change
• when people share a reasonably clear vision of a future situation that is both better and achievable
• an action plan to achieve the vision is acceptable and sets out the first steps to be taken
• the combined strength of the three factors above is greater than the existing resistance to change

10 pre requisites are necessary for transformation effective change :

1. ensure the commitment of the senior management towards the change, which will then be visible to all the organizational members
2. produce a written mission statement and the futuristic vision/direction of the organization which will provide guidance on the objectives, policies and values
3. build a shared awareness and change in the perception of the employees regarding the need for change
4. select a team of key managers and opinion formers who will play a crucial role in gaining the commitment of the employees towards the change and disseminate the change widely across the organization
5. generate an acceptance towards the overall process of change and the entire process of transformation
6. develop an understanding that resistance to change is inevitable and it needs to be managed effectively
7. educate and train the participants regarding the necessary competencies required to effectively overcome the resistance towards the change and win their commitment
8. take steps to avoid the blames or any kind of negative behaviour which may generate any kind of resistance towards the change
9. use appropriate resources to facilitate this entire process of transformation or change
10. maintain open channels of communication regarding the key processes, failures, challenges and the learning from the new initiatives.

from life leadership, christopher gergen and gregg vanourek, 2008

Leading life

Some people don’t just live, they lead a life.

Entrepreneurship is often broken into four defining components : creation, commitment, risk and ownership. A life entrepreneur is one who creates a life of significance. A captain of his/her life, with both drive and direction.

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all” Helen Keller.

There are 7 steps to entrepreneurship : discover core identity, awaken to opportunity, envision the future, develop goals and strategies, build a healthy support system, take action and make a difference, embrace renewal and reinvention.

Discover your Core Identity

Core identity is our compass, at its heart are values and purpose, it is the first step to entrepreneuship. Our core identity is built on internal elements (needs, strengths and passions) and external elements (personal history, current circumstances and relationships).

Convictions (values) and commitments (behaviors) need to be aligned. The most common reasons for a gap between the two are staying entangled in past commitments, taking on too many things, being a prisoner to other people’s expectations and being a prisoner of success (Harvard Business Review).

Purpose is at the center of core identity, it is our reason for being, our calling, our mission. Enduring successful leaders create a life that matters. Purpose connects us with our true nature. Our values and purpose form our core identity. The first step to discovering it is through authentic integrity (integer = whole, complete). Integrity means total congruence between who we are and what we do.

Awaken to Opportunity

Once we have a clear sense of our core identity, we become more awake to opportunities that resonate with it. We switch to a mindful mindset, and realize that many limits we accept are illusory, we build awareness. Entrepreneurs are optimists.

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands, but in seeing with new eyes” Marcel Proust

Innovation is the process of generating and applying creativity in a specific process. Entrepreneurs search for ways to change reality in powerful ways with insight. We call disruptive innovation the capacity to overturn the dominant technology.

Envision the Future

The soul never thinks without a picture” Aristotle.

A vision is a bold and vivid picture of a better future. Our vision needs to inform as well as inspire. It clearly describes where want to go and guides our decisions. It needs to be clear enough that we can measure our progress towards it.

A written statement, our vision describes our accomplished future. “We are what we imagine ourselves to be” Kurt Vonnegut. Entrepreneurs refuse to be constrained by presentism. While imagining the future, we develop foresight, prescience.

A vision is grounded in who we are. We are true to it. While circumstances may be difficult, we remain humble.

A vision needs to be shared with relations, professionals and those close to us. “People generally want to be part of something larger than themselves, but only if what they are looking at has a set of values and guiding principles that is compatible with their own” from True North, Bill George and Peter Sims

Develop Goals and Strategies

Effective goals are purposeful, they embody our values. Prioritizing a goal means considering the opportunity cost (what would be more worth my energy). Goals will increase in accountability when they specific, time-bound and achievable. Challenging, yet achievable.

A strategic plan allows entrepreneurs to reach their vision and goals. It is a concrete way to organize priorities and direct anticipated actions. An important first step consists in comparing our current reality to our goals, being clear about the distance between them and about what is required to bridge it. Many strategic plans include a SWOT analysis. Successful strategic plans are achieved by running a careful due diligence (testing our underlying assumptions), remaining focused and flexible (listening to what the market tells us), taking smart risks (while crafting a backup plan), attracting, mobilizing and empowering the right resources.

Building healthy support systems

Effective entrepreneurs have vibrant networks : deep roots, strong support systems and nourishing ressources to grow and flourish. Networks are made of life partners, family and friends, mentors, professional partnerships as well as extended networks of support.

A support network is built by encouraging people to join in our mission, by igniting their interest. Persuasion begins with authenticity, a clear sense of what we know and what we don’t know. Trust is also key to success, and trust begins with integrity. Reciprocity is the third fundamental ingredient, receive and give.

A positive network effect arrises when an idea flows through a broad web of relationships, gaining momentum, sometimes becoming unstoppable. Our root systems become interconnected, creating a unified effort to shape our vision.

Taking action and making a difference

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the capacity for action despite our fears” John McCain

Timing is everything. A window of opportunity can close as quickly as it opens. Purposeful spontaneity is taking action that is unplanned but deeply in synch with our core identity. Entrepreneurs are prepared when windows of opportunity are thrown open. “At that moment where we decide this is what what we are going to do, we do it with everything we have. The moment we definitely commit ourselves, then Providence moves, too. ” Randy Komisar.

Pervasive service is the concept of integrating the broader concept into everything we do through our relationships and actions. Service is the very purpose of life.

Adaptative persistence allows entrepreneurs to cleverly navigate the paradox between anticipation, changing course and sticking with it. Adaptation is about shortening the time to success through ingenuity and flexibility. Persistance is about moving ahead even in the face of adversity.

As entrepreneurs we are able to erase imaginary lines and expand our realm of possibilities.

Embracing renewal and reinvention

Adjustments are necessary to stay on track, often this requires renewal, sometimes it requires reinvention.

Renewal. Renewal allows us to reset our compass, keep us focused on the right priorities and accountable to our vision and goals. The enemy is not stress, it is linearity (the failure to oscillate between energy expenditure and recovery.) It is necessary to move from peaks of concentration into valleys of relaxation and back again as necessary. A sanctuary (a place of refuge and joyful activity where we find peace and quiet for deep reflection) brings us that reprieve. Daily renewal is a cherished habit.

Transformative experiences test our mettle, if we survive them, we may emerge stronger. Everything can be taken away from a man, but spiritual freedom, the freedom to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s way. We grow the fortitude to survive and cope, but also to grow and serve.

Reinvention is when renewal is not enough, it often occurs after a time of great adversity or crisis. Reinvention is about figuring out our next move(s), by paying a lot of attention to what is really essential, by trusting our internal impulse.

from agile leadership principles & practices, university of maryland

“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”  Dwight D. Eisenhower

Born in the IT arena, the Agile method is expanding to all business as it has proven its effectiveness in unpredictable and rapidly changing worlds. Agile is a living system which is based on three main criteria : speed, scope and trust. Speed is the ultimate goal, and it prevails over predictability and innovation, Scope becomes adjustable, while budget and schedule are fixed. The choice of partners is based on trust, efficiency and expertise are secondary.

Agile Leadership is process-defined. The Agile Leader starts by creating the right work environment, in turn leading to ultra high performance, according to two beliefs : (1) the happier the team, that faster it will perform and (2) a well functioning team is much faster than the best individual. He sets a direction and facilitates the circulation of information, then he serves the team members (servant leadership). Regular flow is the key work.

The Agile Leader is a referent for his team, a sort of preferred teacher. Trust best describes the relationship between the leader and the team. As a servant he has long term vision, the capacity to implement the right processes that will lead to the best results, and the conviction that developing his team members is key to success. He also has the capacity to continuously solve all arising problems.

The team members are empowered, they own the result of the work and will be held accountable for it. Their motivation is intrinsic, in the sense that they love what they do (and would do it even if they were not paid to do it) and they work in an environment that suits them fully.

The Agile Leader has very strong emotional – social intelligence (self-awareness, social awareness and self management skills). He is very mindful (the capacity to know what is going on without getting carried away) and is very capable of focusing (effectively deal with distractions).

The Agile Leader keeps the customer needs in mind at all times. He seeks simplicity (knows how to de-scope, know what not to do). He continuously takes into account the customer’s evolving needs and delivers timely and budget set products.

from john c. maxwell, the 21 irrefutable laws of leadership, 2007

1- Lid – leadership ability determines a person’s level of effectiveness, the lid that determines my level of effectiveness, personal and organizational effectiveness is proportionate to the strength of my leadership, to reach the highest level of effectiveness, we have to raise the lid

2- Influence – the true measure of leadership is influence, if your leadership rates an 8, then your effectiveness (that of your organisation) can never be greater than a 7, leadership is based on character (who I am), relationships (whom I know), knowledge (what I know), intuition (what I feel), experience (where I have been), past success (what I’ve done) and capacities (what I can do)

3- Process – leadership develops daily, not in a day, I develop my leadership skills every day thanks to discipline and perseverance, champions do not become champions in the ring, we are merely recognized there

4- Navigation – as a leader I steer the ship and I chart out the course, in order to do so I self reflect, the team relies on me, I rely on the team, I keep faith and adapt to the current reality in an agile manner

5- Addition– as a leader, I add value by serving others and adding value to their lives, I intentionally make others progress and continue to pursue personal growth to have more to offer, I treat people with respect

6- Solid ground – trust is the foundation of leadership, character makes trust possible, character (inner strength, moral physiognomy) determines the level of trust others confide in me, integrity is the key footprint of my leadership

7- Respect – people naturally align themselves and follow leaders stronger than themselves, as a leader, I gain others’ respect thanks to my natural leadership ability, the respect I show for others, my courage which inspires hope, my accomplishments and the added-value I bring to others, as a leader I must know, I must know that I know, and I must be able to make it abundantly clear to those about me that I know

8- Intuition – how I read the world around me is determined by who I am, intuition is the capacity to read what is going on and to read people, the state of mind (including my own), every situation is a challenge, with every challenge, I consider who is the best person to take it on, what are the necessary resources as well as the financial aspects, I empower people to achieve concrete results

9- Magnetism – who I am is who I attract, I attract people to myself who possess the same qualities I do, as a leader I intentionally surround myself with people who are complementary to myself (and fill my weaknesses)

10- Connection – as a leader, I connect with people, I initiate contact and touch people’s hearts before I ask them for a hand, I connect with people one at a time, even in a crowd, I focus on people, what they care about

11- Inner Circle – inner circle members add value to me personally, leader I spend extra time with my inner circle, no more than 7 immediate staff, lead and mentor them directly, give them extra responsibility, place higher expectations on them and hold them accountable, my assistant is my most important hire, as a leader, I spend time with those who get it rapidly and are off and running with it

12- Empowerment – I gain authority by empowering leaders capable of accomplishing results, in doing so I show a pattern of achievement, as a leader I identify, build, give resources, authority and responsibility to other leaders, then guide them into their accomplishments

13- Vision – I live my vision and lead effectively thanks to two qualities : a clear vision of the future (what ?) and a highly practical plan (how ?), I regularly lead in clarity in the midst of uncertainty (as uncertainty calls for leadership)

14- Buy-in – people first buy in to the leader, then into his vision, I build my credibility as a leader by forging solide relationships, answering questions, sharing my ideas, hopes and dreams and by producing growth for the organization, for the team, gaining people’s trust in me and my leadership ability

15- Victory – all leaders share the same hallmark, their certitude that victory is the only option, my tenacity allows me to always find a way to succeed, three components are necessary to do so, unity of vision (my capacity to rally to my vision), diversity of skills (select players with complementary capacities) and my dedication to victory (my ability to motivate, empower and raise players to their potential), as a leader, I take responsibility for the success of the team.

16- Momentum – It starts with vision, passion and enthusiasm, it start with energy, it takes a leader to create momentum, I believe in my vision, I pursue it with enthusiasm, remove the demotivating elements, bring to fruition and make the small steps to get the ball rolling, to move forward, we experience a few wins, build confidence, give hope and move forward, me my team, my organization, I praise effort and reward accomplishments

17- Priorities – busyness does not equal productivity, activity is not accomplishment, as a leader I continually think ahead, the Pareto Principle states that 20% of the input creates 80% of the result, I evaluate my priorities asking three questions : what is required (if not eliminate or delegate it) ? what gives the greatest return (get out of my comfort zone but stay in my zone of talent and strength) ? what brings me the greatest reward (do what I love and energizes me) ? As a leader, I align my priorities, my strengths and my vision.

18- Sacrifice – all leaders make sacrifices, just as athletes the more they go up they more they sacrifice, the idea is to trade something very precious you have for something even more precious that I do not have yet, the higher I go the less I think of myself, the less my time is mine, as a leader I must be willing to give up more than the people I lead

19- Timing – effective leaders recognize that when to lead is as important as what to do and where to go, timing is often the difference between success and failure in an endeavor, naturally entrepreneurial I possess a strong sense of timing, intuitively knowing when its is time to make a move, to seize an opportunity, it’s about doing the right thing at the right time

20- Explosive growth – when you lead followers you add growth, to multiply growth lead leaders, leaders are naturally impatient, we want to move fast, to see the vision fulfilled, we quickly assess where an organization is, project where it needs to go and have a strong idea about how to get it done, often people lag behind stuck in a tension between what is and what ought to be, Leaders are hard to find (we make things happen, we see and seize opportunities, we attract, enlist, rally people to perform with excellence), we are are hard to gather (entrepreneurial, we want to go our own way), we are hard to keep (we need to stay ahead to keep attracting)

21- Legacy – someday people will summarize your life in a single sentence, its is best to pick it now and to live it fully, to choose what I stand for, (whereas achievement comes when we do big things by ourselves, success comes when we empower followers to do big things for us, significance comes when we develop leaders to do great things with us), legacy comes when we put leaders in position to do great things without us