The Lion King

Alexander the Great is quoted as having said:

“…I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion…”

My first impression of this comment was that the lion would be fearless in its’ leadership style.  But on closer examination there are a number of qualities of the lion that translate into effective leadership.  And while I doubt that Alexander necessarily had them in mind, these are equally important to the lion’s effectiveness.

1.    Despite its individual strength, lions work best in the collective strength of the pride.  This allows them greater success in hunting and in protecting against threats.

2.    Lions are very effective communicators.  Their roar can communicate up to 5 miles and yet they can hunt successfully without any sound because of their ability to read each other almost telepathically.

3.    Lions are vicious competitors but are highly social and caring within the pride.

4.    A lion’s vision is 6 times better than a human’s.  As a night hunter this provides an obvious and important advantage that they use to their benefit.

5.    Lions carry themselves with distinction that has afforded them the name of “King of the Jungle”.  There is a dignity and a presence that is both palatable and real.

Take a moment to reflect on your personal leadership style. 

Are you able to use the strength of your team to accomplish goals?  Does your style maximize potential?  Or are you the ‘do as I say’ type that dictates both the goal and the procedure to attain same?

Have you developed and polished your communication style so that others fully understand and buy into the team/corporate strategies? How do you test your style to ensure that what you want others to hear is actually being heard and understood and implemented?  Failure to communicate properly leads to frustration and lost opportunity.

Do you give a damn about your staff or are they lucky to have a job?  Increasingly employees are attracted to and retained by those companies who put employee well-being as a priority.  If your true attitude does not reflect this as a core value, you attract less than the best.  Today’s ultra-competitive workplace will soon separate you from those employers who have established this rapport with their most important asset.

Night vision is a benefit to the lion. Indeed, it is crucial to its survival. Your strategic vision is its counterpart. If you don’t know where you are headed, and why, you only hasten your demise.  If this is not a core strength, get help…professional help…before it is too late.

It has been said that one should dance like no one is watching.  But as the leader you must conduct yourself morally, ethically and legally as if the whole world could see you simultaneously.  Lead with integrity and honour befitting of the privileged role that you occupy.  That alone inspires others to service.

Alexander may have seen the warrior in the lion.  Today that is not nearly enough.  Expand your understanding and expand your performance!

What's truth...but a second hand emotion?

Maybe I am just too old.  I remember when a handshake was more binding that a signature; when my word was worth more than gold.

Perhaps I was too gullible but I generally believed what a news anchor was reporting.

When I looked you in the eye I expected an honest answer to a direct question.

Today we have ‘alternate facts’ or someone ‘mis-remembered’ the details of an incident. When caught in a lie, culprits simply invoke the phrase ‘…I made a mistake…’ when it really should be ‘…I got caught…’

Now lies are not new.  But when those in whom we have entrusted power lie as a natural function of their normal behaviour, authentic leaders must stand up and demand accountability.  To be certain, this takes courage and it involves risk.

But to tolerate the intolerable involves a greater risk!

Society today is behaving like the frog in the pot of water that is heating up.  Initially the frog does nothing to escape.  Only when it is too late does the frog want out of the water.  But by then it is cooked.

The behaviour we are witnessing today amongst key elected representatives around the world fails to meet the ethical and moral tests of character.  And increasingly it fails to meet the legal standard as well.

We are better than this.  Women and men have gone to war and died for the freedoms we enjoy and these freedoms are being trampled by the few who are quick to blame others for their circumstances while failing to first look into the mirror.

Now, before the water boils, leaders in all walks of life MUST STAND UP FOR TRUTH.  They must put right above wrong; they must stand for dignity and integrity; they must be loyal to something, not someone.

How well are the principles of your company communicated across your network?  Do your employees know where they stand because they know where you stand?  Do your clients know what they can depend upon because they know that you are dependable?  Do your suppliers appreciate the integrity of your company and therefore reciprocate in kind?

Let us not get so far down the lane that when we stop to ask for directions we wonder how we ever got here in the first place.  The truth has always been this ‘…evil triumphs when good people do nothing…’

Not all who read this are leaders.  That does not absolve you from action.  Speak truth to the liars.  Demand integrity.  Demand honesty.

Demand better.  The sooner that we all get started on this road, the sooner we reverse a trend that leads only to disaster.

Think again...

We tend to make judgments based on our biases and our experiences. And while these are often accurate forecasters, they are not always an arbiter of the truth.  A case in point…

You have heard, no doubt, of companies that are simply ‘treading water’.  The implication is that this state is a prelude to drowning.  Our experiences have prepared us for the worst outcome.

But the glass half full perspective is quite different.  Treading water can actually mean one of several different outcomes.  These include:

1.     Treading water is far better than sinking.  It may be a time when the company has recognized a need for salvation.  They are strong enough to keep their head above water but too weak to continue competing as they have.  Treading water allows time for them to be rescued, however that is defined.

2.     Treading water may indicate a period of reflection.  Success over a period of time has allowed the company to take a moment of reflection to determine the path it should take in the future.  Rather than blindly following a routine that may not result in future successes, these companies deliberately pause certain activities such as investments or new hires in order to preserve precious assets while laying the foundation for future growth.

3.     Treading water may be a deliberate life-saving activity.  This differs from the above in that it is a defensive maneuver in response to market forces and is done on an emergency basis.  The expectation is that things will return to ‘normal’ after cooling off period and that traditional strategies will still make sense.

As the leader, it may be appropriate for you to implement one of these options in response to your current environment.  Remember that in so doing you are actually exercising strength of character as opposed to acknowledging failure.  Saving the life of your company is clearly a better option to burying it. 

...they're probably...

Position does not define a leader.  Only actions can do that.  Here are ten clues to help you determine a person’s true role.

1.     If they build themselves by putting others down…they’re probably weak.

2.     If the person in the mirror provides them the best advice…they’re probably insecure.

3.     If they can only make their point by raising their voice…they’re probably not being heard.

4.     If only others make mistakes…they’re probably lacking self -confidence.

5.     If people of good character make them nervous…they’re probably lacking a moral and ethical compass.

6.     If their first inclination is to attack when caught in a lie…they’re probably in constant fear.

7.     If they have no ability to apologise…they’re probably vain.

8.     If their circle of trusted friends is only a semi-circle…they’re probably insincere.

9.     If they are constantly seeking praise, but really deserve scorn…they probably should be pitied.

10.    If their default response is to criticise…they’re probably a coward.

Take a closer look at those in positions of responsibility.   It doesn’t matter if it is in business or government.  It does not matter if it is the president of the company or an entry level supervisor.  If you see these signs, ‘leader’ is the least likely definition of their role. 

If you see these signs in yourself, run, don’t walk, to the front of the line and get some professional guidance and training.   Because if you are able to see these traits, you can be certain that your staff has known about it for some time.

Passport Optimism

I recently renewed my passport.  When I was asked how long of a renewal I wanted – 5 or 10 years – the agent told me that the oldest person who opted for the 10 year renewal was 99 years old.  It struck me that the applicant must have had an optimistic view of life.

On the one hand, he was still alive and functioning at 99.  On the other hand, he was confident that he was still be fit enough to travel. Furthermore, his optimism was such that he expected to stay in this shape for a minimum of another 10 years.  I was impressed on all three counts.

I know many people 30 years younger than that who won’t buy an extended warranty for fear that they will not outlive the basic guarantee. Some won’t buy green bananas!

Attitude, you see, has much to do with your outlook on life. 

And it applies equally, if not more so, to the way in which you lead.

Your optimism, grounded in realism, rubs off on all within your sphere of influence.  Even if the prospects are bleak, you have a responsibility to find the positive and to build from there.

Without hope you have little likelihood of success.  And you certainly cannot motivate others to higher levels of achievement. 

As we approach 2018 we can be certain that some challenges lie ahead.  That is the nature of life as it is the nature of business.  Make the decision NOW that your response will always be one of optimism; accepting these challenges as a test of your initiative, your ingenuity and your skills as a leader. 

You don’t want to be a Pollyanna and deny reality.  But the positive attitude that you take in your approach will make success much more likely.

My very best to you and yours for a success in the New Year!

Sophie's Choice

Increasingly we are being challenged to make a ‘Sophie’s Choice’ when discussing those in positions of leadership.  Our choices are, too often it seems, between competence and character.

In some instances it has been this whole issue of harassment – sexual, physical, emotional etc. – that so many leaders have exhibited.  The list grows daily and I suspect that we have only just begun to scratch the surface.

In other instances it has been fiduciary. We learn of schemes like those at Wells Fargo or TD Bank where fake bank and credit cards accounts have been set up simply to achieve financial goals.  This, in turn, has allowed executives to ‘earn’ substantial bonuses and inflate stock values.

And then there are the numerous cover up’s that we learn of only well after the fact.  Equifax, Uber and others come to mind as examples in which leaders have not been forthright with the public in disclosing data breaches or other activities of material interest and importance.

In all of these examples, those in positions of responsibility have somehow concluded that leadership is an either / or proposition.  They expect us to make Sophie’s Choice between competence and character.  Essentially they want us to overlook their moral, ethical and legal shortcomings because the delivered on the performance metrics.

But they miss the point.  Leadership must always be a BOTH / AND proposition.  Competence and character are interlinked.  Indeed the former is only confirmed by the latter.  There cannot be true competence without unimpeached character.

Sadly, we have come to not only tolerate this type of behaviour but to expect it.  There is no universal outcry or rally against it nor is there any true penalty.  Abusers simply cash in their chips and move on.  The consequences rarely fit the crime!

Authentic leaders need to be more vocal in their condemnation of their peers’ behaviour.  The media must find a moral compass and communicate truth.  The public must demand more!

If you are in a position of leadership then you are also in a position of influence.  Make 2018 a year in which you elevate your competence, your character and your voice.  The silent majority must also take its’ stand against these trends and end the Sophie’s Choice dilemma.

Taking a strong position often requires that we offend others.  But the stakes are too high to ignore.  Leaders must lead!

A Leader's Challenge

Every day brings it unique challenges.  Whether your business is prospering or languishing, or somewhere in between, no two days are identical. Your skills as a leader will always be tested in new and different ways.

To succeed you must depend upon the support of your team and the intrinsic skills and commitment that each individual brings to the table.  Your job is to maximize their performance each day and thus to bring closure to each challenge.

The question then is how best to secure this maximized performance. 

Should you use your motivational skills to stoke the flames of determination?  Should you step in and install a ‘how to’ approach for problem solving?  Maybe you roll up your sleeves and pitch in. Any of these tactics might help but you would likely have to hit the ‘repeat’ button each time a new challenge presents itself.

There may be a place for any of these approaches in certain circumstances.  But the one that produces the best and most rewarding results is when you encourage your staff to THINK FOR THEMSELVES.  Define the problem and what would represent an acceptable outcome and then let them get to it.  You are there to equip and facilitate and offer advice when asked.  Your fingerprints don’t need to be all over the solution and you don’t need credit for the success.  The success (or failure) of the team is the testimony of your leadership.

As the leader, what do you need to do to define your success?  I submit the following:

1.    The courage to let go to offer others the opportunity to grow.

2.     A willingness to allow failure to teach because not all outcomes will be a success.

3.     Humility that rejoices when others receive praise while you simply reflect their success.

4.    Satisfaction when these three come together to the mutual benefit of the team.

Those who understand authentic leadership recognize that you can move forward by stepping back when others are recognized for their contributions.  Curiously, there is always enough praise to go around.