Vengeance Will Be Mine

There is a delicate balance in leadership. I see the struggle play out regularly. It seems to me we've evolved our collective corporate lives into something very different from our personal ones. In so doing, we leave behind the messages of support we tell our friends and family, being there for them, and forgiving them when they make an honest mistake.

In the world of work, we've created cultures that are far too often risk averse, mired in negativity and have our team members worried about making even the slightest mistake. 

This simply can not be. Our hyper-competitive world simply will not survive under the weight of an old school command and control management style. 

Beware the New World

As the corporate world begins to open it's eyes to the possibilities of a new way to work (and more and more old school leaders retire) we are beginning to see real change take place.

What hasn't changed however are the pressures and expectations on leaders to deliver. In fact, the corporate post-recession business model seems to be focused on a new obsession with "do more with less."

This simply can not be. I'm a huge fan of efficiency...and don't mind going through some pain to achieve it. But simply being "nicer" while having an underlying my-way-or-the-highway leadership style is candidly a huge fail. Huge. Fail.

Temptations Are Everywhere

Power is what most often seems to get in the way of good work. As the pressure from the senior leadership team flows down, the middle managers have no choice but to succumb to the culture that has been established. 

"Culture is what senior leaders do, not what they say, or post on a plaque, or put in a press release. Yes, words are powerful...but action is culture."

Yet it is so hard to resist the trappings of power, and authority and a fancy job title to make sure good work gets done! When the desire to wrap oneself in their ego drives decision-making  because "they know their view is the correct one" then it's time to call it a day. None of us have all the answers. But collectively all of us do.

Are you with me?

How About You

The culture chase is a tricky one. On one hand we in leadership have an incredible opportunity to transform our organizations. On the other, we have the opportunity to create chaos. Just so we're all clear, chaos is bad. Right?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Sonic Boomers

I'm getting a little worried. Apparently a whole bunch of people are going to be retiring soon and I'm not sure we're preparing the next generation of leaders to fill their shoes. No, you can't replace dynamic leaders, but you certainly can help up-and-comers transition from a wanna-be leader into the leader. Right?

But These Young People Are...Different
Thank God they're different! The style of command and control, share information only when necessary, and consolidate power in one office is a sure fire system for driving away talent. I do not know anyone (and like you, I know a hell of a lot of people) who has ever said they longed for a leader who didn't trust them, preferred never to be kept informed, and certainly didn't want to contribute their talent and experience in the decision-making process for the company. I'm not kidding. No one has ever told me that...and no one ever will.

Prepare or Fail
A new generation of leaders who think differently, were raised differently and who actually embrace modern tools of communication are going to be in charge soon whether the old guard likes it or not. The answer to this is not to shake our collective heads and whine that young people don't have the right work ethic. They have a different work ethic; but they also want to be successful, advance their careers, and make a difference. The last time I checked that was a pretty good combination.

So what are you doing to impart your wisdom, experience, successes and failures onto the next generation before it's too late? Are you mentoring someone, supporting a graduate student, or connecting with a person outside your company who needs a more senior role model? Now is the time to start.

How About You

You didn't begin your career where you are today. Someone along the way offered a helping hand to you (and me!), and you were grateful when it happened. Think back to that time and how much it meant. Now think about someone who would appreciate seeing your hand extended. You need to hurry though...that loud boom of retirees heading out the door is coming fast.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



pic courtesy of kirstenprice

All We Ask Is That You Join Our...Cult!

Finding the perfect job.  The "dream job."  Ahhh, so enticing.  The grass looks so green over there...but how do I get from here to there?  I believe everything they're telling me about this opportunity, and it sounds perfect.  I believe.....I'm expecting this to be just what I've been searching for...

Really?  Wake up.

Nothing is Perfect

One of the issues that has challenged me in my professional life is the notion of expectations. At work we often have such lofty expectations for employees that we forget they are people, not machines. They will have moments of brilliance, and moments when they struggle ( I am really good at the struggling part.) Accepting that variability in performance is key to creating a welcoming culture. 

Beware the Corporate Cult

Sometimes however, a different agenda comes into play. An agenda based on a command and control leadership style. Even though this approach has proven to be incredibly inefficient in the modern workplace there continues to be companies that actually believe this is a good idea. In fact it can be woven into the very fabric of these organizations. Although they may claim to be "progressive" or "current" or even "cutting-edge" their behavior displays a very different reality.  A reality they will want you to buy-in to.  Immediately.

But I Didn't Know
Ask these simple questions to gain a better understanding of your "dream company:"
- Do they believe they do "it" better than everyone else in the industry?
- Do they support any semblence of work/life balance?
- Do they automatically assume their processes are "best practices" and should be adopted universally?
- Do they expect you to devote inordinate amounts of your personal time to the company?
- Do they expect employees to speak, behave, and perform in a very specific and uniform way regardless of background or skill set or ethnicity? (formerly known as "scripting")

This my friends is a classic example of the Corporate Cult.  It's not that their intentions are bad, or that bad people are leading that organization.  My problem is that with such a closed-minded view of how things should be, huge opportunities are lost.  Opportunities to learn, challenge, debate, learn some more, and hear different perspectives on issues that could move the company forward are completely missed. 

"Rejecting diversity in the name of institutional arrogance is the epitome of the Corporate Cult."

 



How About You
Are you contemplating making a move to a new position?  Check it out first. Ask questions. Are your new team members transparent (hello social media) so you have a good feel for what they're like IRL?  Or maybe you've been seduced by the Cult...er...company you're working for today. Maybe it's time to take a closer look at yourself?  I know I'm going to. 


I'd love to hear from you.


No Excuses.



pics courtesy of allthoughtout and buildings