Take Charge (Part IV)

When placed in command – take charge.
-- General H. Norman Schwarzkopf

In this series of posts we have been examining what it means to take charge, to take command, to assume the role of a leader. As we approach the President's 100th day in command, I hope you are able to stop for a second and think about your own transition into your current position and whether you (or the Commander in Chief) have effectively taken charge. In the last post, we looked at what it means to take command. We’ll close with a few final thoughts on how to be successful as a new leader.

Get early wins. Communicate a message to the organization that highlights success yet humbly promotes your proposed agenda. Celebrate with vigor. Champion those who “get it.” Help your team see the greatness you envision through each small victory.

Rudolph Giuliani targeted the “squeegee guys” early during his tenure as New York City mayor. Success in eliminating the relatively small nuisance caused by the actions of that group of unwanted window washers sent an early message that change was possible. The people of New York, the new Giuliani administration, and the “squeegee guys” saw very quickly that this “take charge” mayor had bold plans for the city.

In Detroit, I watched the local news on the evening on which I had taken command of the Corps of Engineers district there. I was shocked to see them blast my organization for allowing a bunch of rebels to party on some island that we “owned” on the Great Lakes. First I was surprised to learn that we actually owned an island! I also learned quickly that this was an important issue to many stakeholders, important enough to be the lead story on the local news, and that I should probably get involved.

It became an early opportunity for my subordinate staff to see how I would operate. I assembled my key leaders, assessed the situation, solicited recommendations, and made a decision. I worked with my public affairs staff to develop a communication plan and contacted local officials to let them know what we were doing. And when we were done, we conducted an After Action Review to see what we could learn from this event. It was an early opportunity to leverage what I had learned in military leadership (far removed from anything having to do with island parties) and to show some level of competence to my new team. It certainly helped my confidence and, I believe, gave my subordinates some confidence in their new leader. I put that in the early win category.

When taking command, leaders must understand from DAY ONE that it is your ship! You have responsibility for the good, the bad, and the ugly. You cannot take credit for successes and blame all shortcomings on your predecessor. You own it all!

Don’t trash your predecessor and his/her accomplishments. Balance professional courtesies with the need to move out on your own path. Don’t lose your team by minimizing all the things they may have done before you arrived. Major course corrections can be misinterpreted as a lack of confidence in the team and their skills. Exercise caution to not portray your new organization as completely broken. If change is required, ensure you have adequately framed, and communicated, the problem. Talk about what “we” need to do to be successful in the current operating environment, versus what “they” must do to address past failures.

Keep your balance. Remember that most leadership opportunities are a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t try to solve all the problems in the first day. Ensure that your personal priorities are consistent and that you initiate a sustainable battle rhythm from the very first day.

Don’t pretend to know everything. You don’t. Solicit input to shape your decision-making and be humble enough to ask for help.

The principal task for new “take charge” leaders is to build trust with their team. Understand that your subordinates will not care what you know until they know that you care. Your early actions will set the tone for the culture you wish to establish. Be positive. Listen, build consensus, and communicate with passion and persistence.

It is a well known fact of leadership that the higher we climb, the more we show our butts! “Take charge” leaders’ actions will be examined under a microscope – from the beginning. Be prepared. Do your homework. Then jump in and start leading. Get a few early wins. Fix what is broken. Make decisions. Shape your organization consistent with your vision. Communicate with passion. You’re in charge. So…be in charge! Your new troops are counting on you. That’s why taking charge is…Leader Business!

Join us on Wednesday for a look at the President’s 100th day and a brief analysis of how he has done in taking command!

Image courtesy of www.wowenergy.wordpress.com

Wrong Impressions

Sometimes, our first impressions can be wrong. By a country mile. Sometimes we let things like appearance cause us to miss out on real talent. Too often, we favor the outside beauty and ignore the beauty on the inside.

One example of this is Susan Boyle, a singer on Britain's Got Talent. If you have 7 minutes, watch this video and see if it causes you to take inventory of your own biases. Most of us would never associate Susan with amazing talent. In many cases, she would never get in the door. And as you can see, that would be a loss indeed.

Have you ever been guilty of letting your first impression cause you to miss out on something special? Let's not ignore the greatness that lives INSIDE of all of us. That's Leader Business.

Our Open Doors

Every leader I know professes to have an open door policy. But often I find that this door is (1) open for some, not for all; or (2) open just a slight crack and almost impossible to get through; or (3) open to all -- to the point where no work can get done. So can we take a minute to look at what it means to have an open door policy? How open should our doors be?

First of all, should you have an open door? Of course. If you embrace the leadership philosophy that says people don't work for us...we work for them, then we need to make time for others. Subordinates, customers, suppliers, contractors, (or Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer for those of us in the public sector to whom we are also accountable) -- all should have some reasonable expectation for access. People whom we serve should be comfortable in the knowledge that the door is open enough to bring issues, concerns, new ideas, or just to say hello -- directly to us.

If you have a gate keeper (your "Directors of First Impressions"), make sure they understand this. In many cases, they will keep people away, believing they are doing their duty to protect you and your schedule. But these well-intentioned people (secretaries, receptionists, etc.) must understand your intent for transparency and availability: The door is open. Be mindful of our schedule and priorities. Let possible visitors know of how much (or how little) time they might have because of other demands before they walk through the door. Embrace visitors and let them know how excited we will be to meet with them (if only in the lobby for a handshake). We work for them...not the other way around.

I believe the open door applies to email and the phone. I have 700 employees. I let them know that they can contact me at any time and by any means. I promise them that I will answer. Now, like many of you, I get too many emails. But I will answer every one of them. Maybe not right away, but relatively soon. It may be a simple, "OK...thanks! What a wonderful suggestion. Let me pass that one to XX department and see what they think. Keep thinking of ways like this to make us better." Or something like that. But I will answer! The door is open.

Here are some critical issues regarding our open doors:

-- Don't let your open door replace the chain of command. If someone brings a problem to you that clearly must be solved by someone below you, let them know that this is where this issue should be addressed. Do it respectfully and without closing the door. When we put ourselves in the position of solving every problem for everyone, we dis-empower our subordinate leaders. And when we start solving every little problem for every person, we will never get anything else done. I tell people up front that they should use my open door for problems that the chain of command has not been able to solve or problems that are organizational and will require my involvement. Problems within their own unit should be dealt with at the unit-level!

-- Don't lose momentum. Our open door cannot be an excuse for failing to address top priorities. We have jobs to do, businesses to run, missions to accomplish. Visitors and those who wish to use the open door must understand that we may have to get back to them. Just make sure that you do!

-- Don't play favorites. The door must be open to all. People talk. They notice who we make time for and those for whom we are always too busy. Keep the playing field level.

Finally, here is the insider secret on open door policies. Leaders who are out and about, who have a regular presence in the field, on the warehouse floor, or out in the stores, who practice "leadership by walking around," don't have open door issues. They are always accessible. They are listening to others and learning of their issues and ideas on a regular basis. They are meeting people where they are instead of forcing people to come to them. These leaders have no doors!

Whatever your open door policy, make sure you share it with others. Put it in an email or on a policy letter and post it for all to see. Bring in your gatekeeper(s) and ensure they share your vision for embracing those for whom you work. Discuss it with your subordinate leaders and encourage them to do the same. Then open your door...and keep it open.

Well friends...let me know what you think. My door is open! That's Leader Business.

First Impressions

On a recent trip to Arizona, I saw this sign on the receptionist's desk. Meet Cassie, the "Director of First Impressions." This title not only speaks to the power of first impressions and how important it is that everyone on our team understands that they are always being observed. It also demonstrates the importance that every member of the team has in the execution of our respective missions. Everyone counts...from the CEO to the receptionist. Everyone is responsible for bringing in -- and keeping -- the business.

And when people are empowered to act in accordance with the importance of this responsibility...there is no stopping your organization.

So who is your "Director of First Impressions?" Is it you?

That's Leader Business!