Curse Not the Darkness

Last night we had a three hour power outtage which affected about 15 houses in our neighborhood, one of which was ours. It happened right after dinner and the most remarkable thing followed. We lit a few candles and my daughter brought out her homework and we spent the next two hours talking over her work, evolving ideas and deciding on a theme. She completed a well thought out paper. We had a rich, relaxing, fun time and we were productive.

It reminded me of a friend who had traveled to Poland while it was still under communist influence...before Mr. Gorbachev tore down the wall. He enjoyed many hours of conversation, food, drink, guitar playing and singing (weird, huh?). He returned sometime after the wall fell and found that people no longer socialized the same. They were too busy. Too busy making money. Too busy spending money. Too busy being busy. The shining light of democracy and a free market illuminating Poland after many years of the wall's shadow did little to maintain the very human ties that originally drew him to Poland.

With no computer available, no television, no lights and only the warm glow of candles, I had a valuable experience with my daughter that makes me wonder how far we have come and what value our coming so far offers. I mentioned to my daughter that we should do this again - with or without a power out - just turn off the lights and light a candle and work on a singular task with rich focus and concentration. She agreed with a smile. And for a teenager in today's fast-paced world that's priceless.

"There is more to life than speed"
-Mahatma Ghandi

A Moveable “Truth”

I recall a client’s words from far enough back that I can only remember that this person was an executive at a utility company. The statement was as follows: “The people we hire are only “C” average students who cannot make strategic decisions on the whole…” This was in response to a recommendation that it would be most valuable if a cross section of the organization was included in the company’s upcoming strategy session. Our team was shocked having seen multitudes of so called “C” students produce brilliant solutions to very complex problems. In enterprise-wide solutions, more is better.

I have obviously not forgotten the statement I heard many years ago and the question that it posed for me: Is a “C” average student capable of only providing “C” average performance, solutions and results? Or is the measure of a person not dependent on the measure of most academic and business organizations?

Malcolm Gladwell, in a recent speech by this noted author of The Tipping Point and Blink, points out that measures are not always a true reflection of an individual’s capabilities. In fact they are a mismatch. He uses data collected from professional sports tryouts called the Scouting “Combine”. This is a process where athletes are put through a battery of tests considered to be the measures that will predict the success of an individual in a professional sport. You may or may not be surprised by his findings, however, his thought provoking conclusions are intriguing and question the very foundations that have supported our progress this far. Find out what the difference is between the seven smartest and seven dumbest quarterbacks in football. Listen to his talk and draw your own conclusions. It is rather lengthy, so you may want to reserve it for a time when you can listen:

http://www.newyorker.com/online/video/conference/2008/gladwell

This clip takes me back to my earlier experience: The client we had the opportunity to speak with was a leader in the organization. By all standards and measures he was qualified and expected to make decisions and shoulder responsibilities for the whole organization. Utilizing accepted measures and the resulting predictable performance of individuals and the group, he made a statement of objective truth. That this can be only one of many truths and may not be the best is not his fault. He like, many of us, relies on time-tested models, practices and actions. Unfortunately, while our tools for navigation are sound, our changing business and social environment is increasingly exposing our vulnerability to the shifting winds of change. The truth has moved.

In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.

Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

Our attempts to find time and cost saving solutions by identifying key characteristics of high performance people is wanting. Where process and technology can be predictably mapped and measured – the one being only a concept and the other a finite, layered mechanism, with people it is not that predictable. People are both concept and mechanism, and more. We are the author’s of the former two, endowed with additional capabilities who, up to today, have only scratched the surface of our potential. We are all much more capable than our academic grade point average and our professional status.

Given our changing world, how can we find new truths and measures to help us all to create success in our new and changing environment? I welcome your comments.

I Have Smart , Cool Friends

I really do have smart and cool friends. One of them is Leslie Yerkes. She is the President of Catalyst Consulting . Leslie and I have been friends and colleagues delivering Appreciative Inquiry and World Cafe events around the country for quite some time (She talks - I draw!).

She is also an accomplished speaker and author

Her latest book is Beyond Kicks and Carrots: Motivation in the Twenty-First Century. This is a two sitting book (I am a slow reader) and it is a GREAT READ on the subject of motivation! The information is presented in an easy visual format which one can use as a quick reference when finished. Short paragraphs and lots of bullets make it easy to find the pearls of wisdom within. Quotes are always great anchors for learning, her use of quotes is pertinent and many are different from the old saws repeated over and over again in other books, articles and papers. The chronology of topics build to a useful and actionable set of tools for motivation. All in all Beyond Kicks and Carrots is a book I would highly recommend to organizations - great for developing cohesion among and between teams, as well as individuals looking to self improve. Leslie Yerkes latest offering is big information in a well summarized and brief book.

To see more of her books check out Mark's Leslie Yerkes' List on Amazon

Ten Characteristics of a Humble Leader

We are all called to leadership and as human beings all capable of fulfilling the role, whether we do it through self leadership, leadership within a small group or leadership in a much larger way. Humility does not seem to part of leadership as it is often misconstrued as a lack of self confidence. By conventional terms a leader, in order to be successful in this world needs to be bold, to strike out, draw blood and not show doubt or misgivings. Rather than demonstrating humility, a leader has to show great control, lightning fast decision-making skills and omnipresent information skills. No wonder taking on the role of leadership for most people is discounted, ignored and shunned as part of their makeup.

Though at one time the model of the all powerful leader was the norm in the large hierarchical organizations that dominated the last century, today it cannot be the only way. In may instances we can no longer have one person at the helm of a ship on a journey that is not a route, fixed stars are not our only point for navigation and the crew cannot be trained to only perform the functions for which they were trained. We need the full array of skills available from everyone at hand. You cannot train for an unknown future or that which at present does not exist. We can only acquire a humble, modest sense of self that allows us to adapt.

In an article entitled, Humility: The Most Beautiful Word in the English Language, y Bruna Martinuzz the author draws from the dictionary definition of humility as modesty, “…lacking pretence, not believing that you are superior to others” versus “Having a lowly opinion of oneself, meekness”. The contrast between embracing humility and avoiding it is based on which definition we choose - - modesty (lacking pretence) or timidity (having a lowly opinion of oneself). She embraces modest humility and supports her case with examples from the book, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't. Ten characteristics of successful, modest humility in leadership from her article are as follows:

1. Directs ego away from self toward larger goals
2. Realizes no one individual knows it all and therefore seeks input from others
   
3. Recognizes others contributions
4. Treats all with respect
5. Shuns public adulation
6. Self effacing
7. Aggressive about growth
8. Not arrogant
9. Not boastful
10. Quiet

To summarize, the humble leader is successful by redirecting credit and fully taking responsibility for results. I thought this article was great. To read more of Bruna's thinking on this subject as well as how to practice humility, see her article at http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_69.htm.

My Humility Inventory - Do I Embrace Humility?...What is Humility?

To avoid being preachy, I have decided to direct today’s post to myself. You may direct it to yourself if you choose, but my humility prohibits me from prescribing my questions to you.

Am I humble? Do I embrace humility? I will establish, for the sake of this post, the definition of humility.

I have taken the definition of humility from the often criticized, but more often relied upon Wikipedia website:

The term "humility" is derived from the word "humilis", which is translated not only as humble but also alternatively as "low", or "from the earth". Humility is defined as, "A quality by which a person considering his own defects has a humble opinion of himself and willingly submits himself to God and to others for God's sake ". Humility comprises the following behaviors and attitudes:

1. submission to God and legitimate authority;
2. recognition of the virtues and talents that others possess, particularly those which surpass one's own, and giving due honor and, when required, obeisance;
3. recognition of the limits of one's talents, ability, or authority; and, not reaching for that which is beyond one's grasp.

Given the list above, I ask myself:

1. Do I submit to God?
2. Do I submit to legitimate authority?
3. Do I recognize the virtues and talents of others, especially those who are more advanced than I?
4. Do I give due honor?
5. Do I obey their decisions, direction and conclusions?
6. Do I recognize my strengths and limitations?
7. Do I know my circle of authority and when I am outside that circle?

1. Do I submit to God?

I would like to offer a resounding “yes”, but for fear of getting hit by lightning or kicking off the first firestorm ever to hit Northeast Ohio, or the entire earth for that matter, I would have to say sometimes “yes” and sometimes “no” through ignorance - conscious and otherwise.

Suffice it to say this is totally a personal matter and if you select to not answer this one, you can say you were humble enough not to tackle this question.

2. Do I submit to legitimate authority?

Tough one. There are so many authorities it is hard to know which is legitimate or not. I don’t run from the police when they are following me with flashing lights while I am driving my car, nor do I argue their observation that I was perhaps going over the speed limit. But do I always listen to my doctor even though I recognize his or her authority? Maybe carrying a gun has something to do with it. And do I sometime listen to questionable authority based on fame or popularity? Have you ever heard of Dr. Phil?

3. Do I recognize the virtues and talents of others, especially those who are more advanced than I?

Oh sure! And may I have another? Somehow, my ego has the relentless ability to find something I am better at. “Sure he is a world famous physicist, but do his kid’s think he’s great?”… “Oh, and he was voted Dad of the Year by the Council of Galactic Affairs?” Alright, but no one is perfect…

4. Do I give due honor?

What will it get me? A promotion? More work? And by the way, aren’t there enough people fawning over her or him?

5. Do I obey their decisions, direction and conclusions?

See #2

6. Do I recognize my strengths and limitations?

Yes. They have many limitations and the strength of family ties and slimy suck up tactics. Oh, MY strengths and limitations – why Yes! I am honest, sensitive to others needs, caring (my great grandmother thought I would be the priest in the family), giving, and thoroughly egoless. I am also humorous and never hold a person and their capabilities in judgment – including me and my own capability to conduct an honest self appraisal! My weaknesses are minimal, but constantly magnified by poor managers, colleagues and clients.

7. Do I know my circle of authority and when I am outside that circle?

My circle would be bigger if it wasn’t a case of tons of responsibility and no authority!

So, how did I do?

I soon realized, somewhere around the third question, I had run out of sunshine to pipe and had to reference my darker side to answer the questions. The conclusion of this exercise for me is that I firmly believe in humility as a principle…to be practiced by others (kidding). But perhaps more true is for a multitude of reasons; I am further from humble in reality than I am in concept. Well, if you can’t do it, write about it (kidding again)! Actually I am hoping that my study will be a positive influence. Do they give prizes for the most humble?

Did you answer any of the questions? How did you do? Did any surprise you? I welcome your comments.

So how did you do? What other questions would you ask? I welcome your comments.

They Can't Take That Away from ME!

I was thinking the other day, after one of my daily personal setbacks, that there is one thing no one can take away from me or anybody else…HUMILITY. It seems as the trappings of the past, our ways of work, competition, organization, etc. change , the more opportunity we have to uncover our humility. And while humility may seem like the stuff at the bottom of the barrel, once uncovered, may be what has been covering it is more baggage than it is useful.

We are converging on new realities, as we move from a product to a knowledge to creative economy. Originally, the focus was on a tangible object where all our separate efforts, in lock step order, competed against other groups doing the same and all trying to get to the finish line first. Competition, besting your opponent, to the winner goes the spoils were noble slogans and efforts when the target of such efforts was to produce the tangible. Feelings and emotions, a sense of self and self leadership were all worthily sacrificed and frustration expressed through the back breaking toil of production when the product ensured our livelihood and long-term well being. Appearing educated, groomed and informed AND POWERFUL were the tools of an economy slowly draining away.

All that is different in today’s economy. The product is often the unseen or seen only in the experience. Try to take a good customer experience home. Try to put viral marketing effort in a Plexiglas box on your office desk (if you still have one) and you can see that success and productivity goes by a different reality. And while tangible product is still very much a part of our reality, it is not king. Building a better mouse trap won’t have people beating a path to your door to buy one, but it might have them flooding your website to find out how you did it.

So what does this all have to do with humility? Our efforts today are stuff of the mind, whereas the past was funneled down to things of the body. Engineering, assembly lines, time studies, all centered the physical act of turning screws, bolting bolts and welding joints. While one can have doubts and questions in a physical world and still perform, doubts and questions, being of the mind can severely hamper today’s knowledge based creative professional just as the hero of Kurt Vonnegut’s Harrison Bergeron was hampered by body weights and thick glasses.

Unhealthy competition, office politics, command and control, lock step measures fail horribly for the mind of today’s professional where the major muscle at work is the brain. While you can put your back into a hard physical job, putting your brain into it doesn’t fare as well. What’s needed is an open and unconstrained field, a place where things can come in and out without inventory being involved. Where time is not as important as results and potential is not managed but nurtured and emergent.

And humility is a natural practice in an environment that stresses an unconstrained reality. Lacking an overwhelming set of cumbersome standards, people are not judged by whether they are smart, but how they are smart. We all are. None of us ultimately stands above the rest. In essence: humility.

• How do you see our future?
• What are the prevailing attitudes and approaches we need to be successful in this new economy?
  

I welcome your comments?

Corporate College East - e Marketing Techniques

It has been almost a week since I attended this conference and I am still digesting its information. This is the second annual e Marketing Techniques conference and my second time attending it. It's affordable and the value eclipses the price. Two nationally known authors and speakers on the subject: John Jantsch (Duct Tape Marketing) and David Meerman Scott (the New Rules of Marketing and PR) who linked to a packed luncheon via the web (talk about "e"). The remaining speakers were local professionals who have developed a high level of expertise in their respective fields around e marketing. In addition, all attendants received a book by one of the keynote authors.

The takeaway, in summary of the day, was this:

• It's not about me (or you!) it's about serving the community
• Its about raising all ships
• It's about mutually beneficial giving for free (say goodbye to your intellectual hording)

And to answer the one question that must plague everyone's entrepreneurial mind - "How on God's green earth do I make money?". The question posed by one and only brave participant at lunch was answered in three steps by David Meerman Scott:

1. Step One - Give away your knowledge for the good of the community (it takes up a lot of space, has psychic weight, AND let's face it - there really is nothing new under the sun).
2. Step Two - Write a book by pulling your stuff together around YOUR approach (which is more of a marketing tool than it is a money-maker).
3. Step Three - Sell to clients who can use your services and like your approach ($$$$$$$).

To see my visual notes from the day click here.

BTW, if this seems like a "no-brainer", I have have been in countless meetings and even one since last week where the concept of letting go and giving away was met vehemently with traditional market thinking and warnings of "BE CAREFUL". What do you think: No-brainer or can you poke an eye out? I welcome your comments.