LEADERSHIP: THE FRUGAL OPTION

published: 2009-01-04

Carlos Ghosn, global head of Renault Nissan, talks up “frugal engineering”. He sees it as key to delivering affordable cars in emerging economies like China and India. But, what does he mean? And, by extension, what would “frugal leadership” be?

LEADERSHIP: AVOID NEW YEAR'S IRRESOLUTION

published: 2009-01-19

Every year's different. But, 2009 looks like being really different. For many, the most challenging year ever. So, let's cut to the chase: as you return to work, which of your stakeholders is most frightened - in relation to their dealings with you and your business? Is it customers, employees, suppliers or, perhaps, your bankers? And, what are you going to do to ensure they don't abandon you?

LEADERSHIP: THERE ARE NO TROUBLESOME EMPLOYEES

published: 2008-09-15

In a recent leadership survey, respondents told me their most common problem was dealing with difficult employees.  People, who for one reason or another, didn't want to sign-on, cooperate or pull their weight.  This is interesting, since the only thing a leader has to have is followers.  So, if any are opting out, then I’m not a leader.  At least, for them.  Hands up if you’ve ever had this problem!  I have, and all too often. 

LEADERSHIP: IT'S WHAT YOU DO THAT COUNTS

published: 2008-06-09

Action is the language of leadership.  As elsewhere in life, it's what you do that counts.  Yes, you need to meet with people and talk a lot.  But, the bottom line is "walking the talk."  Action, not theory. 

LEADERSHIP: A STEP UP FROM MANAGEMENT

published: 2008-04-14

Are you a leader or a manager?  And, what's the difference?  For me, the distinction is one of degree not kind.  Most managers spend time leading; and, leaders also manage. 

LEADERSHIP: COACHING AND SELF-COACHING

published: 2009-01-03

Think of your favourite sporting figure!  Who's their coach?  Call to mind how they watch each play or shot – then gently (often almost invisibly) send a message: to relax, focus, push harder or whatever’s necessary.  It's powerful stuff. 

LEADERSHIP: WHAT'S IN A BRAND?

published: 2008-03-24

The article "Building a Leadership Brand" (HBR July/August 2007) is excellent. Assuming, that is, you’re a CEO or HR strategist in a major global corporation. In other words, a few hundred people. But, what about the rest of us: working in smaller organisations, or leading our own businesses? And, worrying daily about delivering products and services, dealing with staff and hoping to improve productivity and profits?

LEADERSHIP: BEAT THE BUST

published: 2008-10-28

The Sage of Omaha, Warren Buffett, says the downturn is going to be both deep and long. Global central banks have caught the falling knife of financial collapse. But, there's blood (and shredded reputations) on the floor. And now, the real economy is in for a bad time. Customers are already delaying purchases; banks are loathe to lend - even to good businesses; and, no-one knows what the next fright will be.

LEADERSHIP: LEARNING FROM NET GENERS

published: 2008-12-14

In 1997, Don Tapscott published "Growing up digital" - and coined the name "net generation" for the natives of the online world.  Now 11 years on, and after a two-year survey of 8,000 people (born 1978 to 1994) from across 12 countries, he's published "Grown up digital".  He concludes that on average Net Geners are smarter, quicker and more tolerant of diversity than the decrepit oldies like the Baby Boomers, let alone the dodos like me, familiarly known as Veterans.

LEADERSHIP: NEITHER BORN NOR BRED

published: 2009-04-06

What do Kim Jong-il, Margaret Thatcher, Bill Clinton, Carly Fiorina, Dick Fuld, Lakshmi Mittal and Conrad Black have in common.  Yes, fame (or infamy). But, not necessarily life stories.  For me, the link is their role as potential exemplars in the debate about leadership being either the result of "nature" or of "nurture".  "Nature" being about genes, family and early life; "nurture" about job experience and training.  So, which is the dominant driver of your leadership approach?

LEADERSHIP: OF MID-LEVEL AND FRONT-LINE TEAMS

published: 2009-06-15

Team leaders split their time between "leading" and "doing".  But daily pressures (particularly now) drag leaders towards the latter: getting things delivered, resolving technical challenges, responding to HO demands, and keeping the admin. flowing.  Too often, they stop leading; and, become managers at best or merely operatives at worst.  Sounds familiar?

LEADERSHIP: AVENGING ANGELS OR GADARENE SWINE

published: 2009-03-30

Dramatic economic downturns inflict pain both widely and deeply.  People lose their jobs, homes and self-worth.  No wonder they join in seeking scapegoats.  Tearing into Bernard (Ponzi) Madoff in America or Fred (the Shred) Goodwin in Europe deflects our own pain.  But, as a leader, how much time do you spend reviewing your own responsibility for what you've experienced recently - for your own organisational and systemic failures?

LEADERSHIP: G20, GEE PLENTY

published: 2009-04-08

Committees are often the worst way to get things done.  Particularly in nervous times.  And, the pre-G20 vibes were net nervous.  There was positive energy (particularly from Barack Obama) about working together to restore financial and economic vitality.  But, from others, finger-pointing - for example, at bankers and, more generally, those with "blue eyes".  And, insistence (from Nicolas Sarkozy) that it would be his solution or none - with a walk-out threatened for good measure.  And, as always, cries for legislation and regulation - noisily slamming stable doors after the credits have bolted.  Sadly, it's often no different in business.  When things go bad, there can be a rush to blaming - and backside covering.  Also, pushing personal solutions.  So, how have you and your people behaved in the downturn?

LEADERSHIP: LOVE IN A COLD CLIMATE

published: 2009-06-08

Nancy Mitford's novel ("Love in a Cold Climate" - dealing with British high society after the Second World War) is not serious reading.  But its title is apt for one of today's most serious leadership issues: making staff feel valued and cared for.  So, what have you been doing?  If asked, would your people report feeling important to the future of your business?  Would they say you care about their well-being and challenges - at work and in their personal lives?

LEADERSHIP: ARE THEY RIOTING IN THE STREETS?

published: 2009-06-22

Social networking sites and TV screens have been alight and aTwitter in recent times with voters rampaging through Teheran, Shiraz and Isfahan.  These historic cities have been host to massive leadership disaffection and revolt against an apparently rigged appointment.  Such disturbances have few parallels in business life.  But, many appointments cause concern; and, often leaders lack full support.  If we polled your team, how would you rate?  What are early warning signs you should watch for?

LEADERSHIP: FOR SURVIVAL AND BEYOND

published: 2009-07-13

Apart from the paramedics, surgeons and undertakers of the business world, the rest of us are struggling.  Only bankruptcy specialists and their like are thriving.  Sadly, I'm not one of them.  So, I keep fighting; but, I also focus on life beyond the slump.  Why?  Because we can all learn something from people who've survived gulags and similar camps.  The secret is not strength or youth, but vision of a different and better future.  So, would your staff say you think beyond surviving the current quarter?  And, even if they're impressed with your "fire-fighting", do they sense you're leading them somewhere worth going in the future?  From recent discussions, here are some pointers I've heard for leaders to consider.

LEADERSHIP: DON'T WAIT FOR THE MUSIC TO STOP

published: 2009-09-14

How's this?  Eighty percent of CEOs expect big changes in their companies' strategies and operations this year!  In a calamitous downturn (trashing markets and businesses), people expect organisational change.  Well, I'd be concerned if they didn't!  The same report also worries about succession.  Two thirds of candidates won't be ready for 12 or more months.  But, one third being ready seems OK to me.  Surely, the real issue is raising performance of all leaders - NOW and in their current jobs.  Not playing musical chairs!  So, what's your plan - other than waiting for the music to stop?  Here are some thoughts.

LEADERSHIP: FOR BOTH NOW AND LATER

published: 2009-09-21

Bad times are tough for everyone.  Fewer sales, lower margins, cancelled contracts - and, yes, lay-offs.  We're each under pressure - trying to find new customers, offer extra service, get bills paid, cut costs.  In sum, improving our effectiveness (in achieving goals) and our efficiency (in delivering them).  Doing more and doing it better - but with less!  This is true whether we're an engineer, front-line salesperson or work in the canteen.  But, it's doubly true for leaders.  You have to inspire and motivate people more than ever.  You've got to be a leader for today and tomorrow - not yesterday.  Which are you?  Here's how you can find out.

LEADERSHIP: BEWARE SELF-DELUSION

published: 2009-09-28

Half a dozen times in the last 20 years, I've worked with a CEO, who'd completely lost touch with reality.  In discussing strategy, they believed themselves as informed and proficient as they'd been in their prime.  Whether talking about customers, markets, technology or staffing, they knew it all - and, worse, felt no-one was ready to succeed them.  But, in each case, their colleagues (particularly their immediate team) saw the fading powers - and the growing self-delusion.  So, how would your team rate you on objectivity versus conceit?  Are you honest about your strengths and weaknesses - and your use-by date?  Here are six check-points.

LEADERSHIP: NOT ANOTHER ASSESSMENT TOOL

published: 2009-10-05

A CEO recently showed me a tool she's considering - to help lift her own and her team's leadership effectiveness.  She asked what my criteria would be for choosing such a tool.  I highlighted the five listed below.  How do tools you've used measure up?

LEADERSHIP: 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY INEFFECTIVE MANAGERS

published: 2009-10-26

I'm no techo, nor a digital native.  But Langdon, V|E|C|T|O|R's technology manager, tries to educate me.  And, recently forwarded an article by Nari Kannan from www.it.toolbox.com* - and, I've borrowed its title for this Potshot.  It's a play on a famous book title and the seven negative habits he lists are all too common - and, not just in IT.  So, why not check below and rate yourself - and see what options you have to overcome such habits!

LEADERSHIP: POWER AND PURPOSE

published: 2010-01-28

US decline and China's inexorable rise are much talked of.  But, in a recent article, Josef Joffe* concludes his rebuttal thus.  "Gainsayers will still dramatise China's growth rates as a harbinger of a grand power shift.  But as the 21st century unfolds, the US will be younger and more dynamic than its competitors."  Whether right or wrong, it's an important issue.  And, his arguments have resonance for the durability of leaders, as well as nations.  He stresses the requirement for "requisite power and purpose."  If asked, would your colleagues say you still have these?

LEADERSHIP: TRUST ME, TRUST ME NOT

published: 2010-02-15

In his first year as Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd enjoyed unusually high poll ratings. He represented a change of both priorities and approach that many voters welcomed. That was 2007. But now in 2010, a survey of five capital-city talk-back hosts* gives us the following quotes. He "talks about taking tough decisions, but I don't think our audience necessarily buys that he's made any tough decisions." "They see his language as contrived, his personality as plastic and they don't think he's got a sense of humour." They "can't understand what he's on about." Assuming you're past the honeymoon phase of your current leadership role, what are people saying about you? What do they want you to do differently? Here are six actions I've read that journalists or other commentators have suggested for Kevin Rudd in recent months.

LEADERSHIP: FROM MARS AND ALSO FROM VENUS

published: 2010-03-15

Discussing the percentage of women in senior roles is a quick way to start an argument. Some people, including some men, argue for gender equality – or a specific level of improvement. Others, including also women, argue that merit is all that counts. Less contentiously, as leaders, I believe we need both hard and soft skills – often categorised as male or female characteristics. IQ and EQ. Numeracy and literacy. Toughness and fairness. If you asked your colleagues, what would they say about your balance – and what might that mean? Here are some thought-starters.

LEADERSHIP: BEING GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO

published: 2008-02-11

Richard Rumelt’s CV includes conquering both mountains and new territory in business thinking. In the latter, from an analytical base, he’s disproved many old assumptions. One of his most notable findings is as follows: being in the right industry does matter, but being good at what you do matters a lot more – regardless of your industry.

LEADERSHIP: THE LUSTIGER LEGACY

published: 2008-01-07

We all have something to learn from Cardinal Lustiger: above all, his courage. Courage to do what he believed in; and, to do it in a way he thought useful to the world. And, I’m not talking about action in some back corner or on insignificant issues. He was born a Jew and never rejected this. He converted to Catholicism as act of faith, but also as a continuation of his Jewish beliefs. Not everyone agreed. But, he set an example for us all as leaders.

LEADERSHIP: LET A THOUSAND FOLLOWERS FLOWER

published: 2008-02-11

“Increasingly, followers think of themselves as free agents, not as dependent underlings. … A confluence of changes – cultural and technological ones in particular – have influenced what subordinates want and how they behave, especially in relation to their ostensible bosses.” I like that expression: ostensible bosses. Are we ever much more than that? Each day and in each situation, we have to win our followers to the cause or journey, for which we’re responsible. So, how are we to do that?

LEADERSHIP: WHERE AND HOW DO WE ALL FIT IN?

published: 2008-02-04

The golden rule of property is position, position, position. And, leadership is similar. But, in this case it’s people, people, people. And the bottom line is simple: you’re not a leader if you don’t have followers. How would your team rate their commitment to you and your plans: high, medium or low?

LEADERSHIP: PHYSICIAN HEAL THYSELF

published: 2010-05-10

The author of this article opens with an unbeatable leadership confession. He states that “The problem with health care is people like me.” He’s a doctor but the article equally applies if “doctor” is replaced by engineer (my training), actuary, lawyer or any other profession. By definition, leaders start with some specialisation – technical, social or commercial. And the better we perform, the more likely someone will appoint us to lead others – first in the same area and later across others. And the rot starts there – unless, like Thomas Lee, we recognise that changing roles requires changing priorities. Leadership is another profession. But we often fail to see that or we come to it after starting to lose our flexibility of thinking and behaviour. How well would your people say you’ve transitioned? High, medium or low?

LEADERSHIP: WHEN IN DOUBT, DISAGGREGATE

published: 2010-05-31

Seth Godin is part blogger, part public intellectual. Some days, he really nails a topic. Here’s an abbreviated introduction to a recent posting*.

“The typical American buys precisely one book a year … (but) when it comes to books, there is no typical American. There are a lot of Americans who buy zero books … and then there are people like me who buy 400. The average is irrelevant.”

It’s the old warning of the non-swimmer, who drowned in a river of one-metre average depth. So, what’s the equivalent for your leadership? Are you just taking “average” one-size-fits-all actions? Here’s a three-step alternative.

LEADERSHIP: GOING BACK TO GO FORWARD

published: 2010-06-07

Australia’s Prime Minister, Treasurer and hapless Government have locked themselves in a citadel of denial. They’re defending a resources super-profits tax, that’s been ill-conceived and badly introduced. The local media are full of it – as are key overseas financial reports. In Australia, not only mining people but also ex Labor Ministers, retired public servants, industry analysts and “friends” of Labor are trying to make the Government see sense. The tax, as proposed, is a national risk. Other countries are welcoming it as reducing Australia’s competitiveness in both attracting investment and exporting minerals. This same week, I’ve had a client CEO attempt a similar denial. Here are some thoughts on getting free.

LEADERSHIP: WHAT’S YOUR SOVEREIGN RISK RATING?

published: 2010-06-15

Daily papers and serious journals are currently full of articles about sovereign risk. The possibility Greece or other European countries (particularly those fringing the Mediterranean) will default or reschedule their debt. This could undermine the standing and even the survival of the euro. Wikipedia defines it thus: the risk of a government becoming unwilling or unable to meet its loan obligations, or reneging on loans it guarantees. What is the leadership equivalent – and how do people rate you as a risk? Let’s explore some ways to reduce that.

LEADERSHIP: ARE YOU DRIVEN BY VISION OR VENGEANCE?

published: 2010-06-28

Kevin Rudd resigned his Prime Ministership rather than face being voted out by his own party colleagues. What transformed a resounding electoral win in December 2007 into this current humiliation? More importantly, as leaders, how can you or I avoid such outcomes? And, what are the warning signs? Here are half a dozen.

LEADERSHIP: THAT ONE KEY LESSON

published: 2010-07-07

How do you rate yourself on the following five actions? Showing self-awareness?. Demonstrating authenticity, integrity and compassion? Understanding and engaging people as individuals? Showing self-leadership and adaptability? Communicating, particularly listening well – and widely? These are my phrases but, taken together, they encapsulate nearly 80% of the responses to a recent online survey that asked “if you could teach one thing to a young leader, what would it be?” From my decades of working with leaders (and being one), I can’t fault any of these suggestions. Even though, at times and to my cost, I’ve ignored some! But, notwithstanding their importance, they’re less than the full picture. Let me explain why – and suggest what else might be needed.

LEADERSHIP: TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT - BUT HOW?

published: 2010-07-13

Google returns 16 million responses for leadership training and 29 million for leadership development. But this begs the question of what is the best approach to either – and a deeper question: do current practices work? From my experience, much of what businesses spend is sub-optimal or wasted. Let me explain.

LEADERSHIP: FIVE FAULTS TO FIX

published: 2010-08-16

Another home run for Seth – my favourite blogger. His posting of 13 June* describes the entrepreneur’s desire for a magic lottery ticket – that sudden, solve-all event that will get you over the hump in terms of publicity, funding or customer uptake. Many times in launching my V|E|C|T|O|R Leadership business, I’ve wished for such a fairy-godmother moment. Think about it, do you by chance lead your people in similar wishful mode: hoping it will suddenly come right? Here are five traps to think about. And, what you can do to avoid them.

LEADERSHIP: WHEN YOU’RE NEWLY APPOINTED

published: 2010-08-09

If you’ve just been promoted, you might want to read “Letter to a newly appointed CEO” by Ian Davis, a former Managing Director of McKinsey & Co. It’s a practical checklist whatever your seniority – and even if you’ve been in your role for some time. When did you last re-think your priorities: what to do more of and what less? How to allocate your time? I bet if I asked your colleagues they’d have some suggestions. Why not get in first? Here’s a summary of Davis’s ten points plus some comments.

LEADERSHIP: 12 FACETS OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

published: 2010-08-23

A valuable gemstone has many facets, each finely polished. To be a valuable leader, you similarly need a range of carefully honed capabilities. For some people, these attributes fall broadly into two categories. First, the technical (or IQ-driven) ones: for example, professional expertise, market knowledge, financial acumen or analytical skills. Second, interpersonal (or EQ) ones: such as showing empathy, listening well, being self-aware, developing successors and creating teams. With regard to the latter, below is a list of 12 EQ actions. Why not re-order them into a list that starts with the one you do best, through to the one you do least well! And, perhaps plan what you’re going to do to improve the bottom couple. After that, I’ll tell you where the list comes from.

LEADERSHIP: TURNING AROUND FAILURE

published: 2010-09-06

I’ve just discovered that my favourite blogger, Seth Godin, is also a columnist with the Harvard Business Review. However, even in this mainstream venue, he retains his quirky preoccupation with what’s wrong in the world. He prises open our minds and this is certainly true when he redefines failure, so we recognise various forms of “getting by” as actually various ways of failing. Below are his eight examples with his introductory wording. For each, I’ve appended an action option – taken from my V|E|C|T|O|R Leadership framework. Ask yourself this: how would colleagues rate you on your readiness to take such actions?