I.N.T.E.R.N.s

Last week I spoke to a large group of interns we brought into our organization this year. We made a conscious effort to deepen our bench and build from the bottom with some quality people. I view them as the future of our organization. I have put a little microchip on each of them and plan on coming back in about 20 years and see them all running the place!

And what a great group they are -- positive (OK...maybe a little naive but let's not spoil it!), ambitious, and ready to learn. I feel like a college coach looking at this year's group of recruits. They are so talented, eager to make a difference, and ready to "take the hill!"

In any case, I wanted to lay out my expectations for this group. I used the acronym -- I.N.T.E.R.N. I know, I know...but it was all I could come up with on my way into work. Here was my charge to this great group:

I -- Innovate. Our organization is counting on the new ideas that they will undoubtedly inject. I want them to take risks, to be bold, to push us, to challenge the status quo. I want this group of interns to be creative, to find new solutions to old problems. We need more innovators.

N -- Never quit. Interns need to not let their lack of understanding be an excuse for not accomplishing the mission. We cannot accept failure. I want them to ask questions, to learn, to find a way. Too many employees let the clock determine their output. I want interns to find a way to make the output meet the mission. No matter what. Whatever it takes. They are young and hungry. I want to see them put that into action where it counts. Accomplish the mission young troopers!

T -- Talk among yourselves. We brought in a large group this year. I want them to share lessons learned, to bond early, and to build relationships for a lifetime. One of the group has already responded to my challenge and is setting up a network to connect both inside the office and while off-duty. I love it. The sooner they feel like they are members of a community, that they are not alone, that they can share challenges and frustrations with peers who might help them, the more confident I am that they will fight, not just for themselves, but for each other!

E -- Energy. They have it. A lot more than most of us. Interns need to bring that energy into the workplace. Have fun, make people laugh, make mistakes and figure things out. Listen, we've all been there. But if interns cannot bring energy into an organization, then no one can! Brighten up a room, ask stupid questions, and bring that energy.

N -- (K)nowledge. OK, this is the "Ranger" in me ("N" is for "Nowledge." Ha!). Interns should be on a quest for information. Much of this is self-study and learning from your peers. All of our interns have formal and informal mentors to help further their growth. Supervisors are always watching. In a professional organization like mine, I also want them to continue to pursue growth through things like graduate school, professional registration, and other credentials. Trust me -- it gets much harder when you start to develop roots. Get those things early and keep growing -- personally and professionally.

That's it, INTERNs! You have your marching orders! I am counting on you! Don't let me down!

For the rest of us, especially those of us who might wish for a "do-over," it is never too late to be young at heart. Those young people are counting on their leaders to take them over that hill! That's Leader Business!

Image courtesy of www.chicagonow.com.

Hail to the (New) Chief!

Yesterday I was able to attend the pinning ceremony (sorry for the poor photo quality) for one of my employees as he achieved the rank of Chief Petty Officer in the Navy Reserve. Daniel is one heck of a journalist in my public affairs department and is an emerging leader in the ranks of the navy as well. (Truly he wears two hats -- for me in the ARMY Corps of Engineers and here in the NAVY reserves!)

What struck me as unique was the importance of this milestone. The Navy seemed to really mark the transition from led to leader in an important, meaningful way -- more so than we do in the Army. These ceremonies, in which selectees for this promotion pin on the new rank and receive the coveted hat of the "Chief," are worth noting and worth considering the implications for the rest of us.

A "Chief" in the Navy signifies leadership within the enlisted ranks. Sailors progress until they demonstrate in their performance, leadership potential, and technical expertise their readiness for the higher grade. This ceremony then signifies in a meaningful way that readiness and formally marks the transition into positions of greater responsibility and higher expectations.

Really the ceremony was just the public recognition. I learned that Daniel had been preparing for several months for the new rank. He had spent hours studying leadership, memorizing key texts, examining Navy history, understanding more about the role of the Chief and the responsibilities that come with wearing the "anchors" on his collar, mentoring under senior enlisted leaders, and in many other ways preparing for the transition. There was undoubtedly an investment in this new leader that would prepare him for these higher levels of responsibility. Daniel took it seriously and so did the Navy.

I was impressed with the importance of the event and wondered if I do enough to mark these sorts of transition in my own organization. I left thinking that I should do more to signify the importance of the selection of a new leader, that newly "minted" supervisors should do more than just get the bigger desk and maybe a little more in their paycheck. Becoming a leader should be as important and memorable of an event on my team as the Navy made it for Daniel.

I left thinking that I would not let another person become a leader in my organization without the sort of investment that I saw reflected at this ceremony. I need to make sure that my teammates have the necessary skills and tools, that they have a support group in place to help them understand their new roles and responsibilities, and that they are recognized in this important transition.

The Navy gets it. So do I. And that is...Leader Business.

Town Hall Lessons Learned

This summer has provided all sorts of insights into the value of town halls. I have watched with interest to see how various members of Congress have handled themselves during these interactive discussions. I have even been to one on health care back in my hometown. No, I didn’t make any bold statements or create any ruckus (if I did it would not have been about health care but rather about my favorite topic -- the need for our leaders to learn some leadership fundamentals!).

As most of you know, politicians did not invent this forum. Like many of you, I have held a number of town halls, all-hands, and company meetings myself. In general, I find them to be great ways to enable the participation of others in the decision making process. I love the opportunity to give members of the team the chance to raise their issues – unfiltered – and provide their leaders with the sort of raw data that only the troops can provide. I also think it is valuable for team members to hear directly from their leaders and for those leaders to share -- unfiltered -- important information on key issues of the day.

My experiences in these town halls have been varied. Some have gone well while some have produced feedback that barely registered over the sound of the crickets in the room. Some have been live and in person while others have been virtual. At some I have done most of the talking while at others I have done very little. Here is a summary of some of my own lessons learned:

-- Timing is everything. If the purpose is to solicit input, don’t already have your mind made up. Let people know you are there to listen and that their opinions will help shape the final decision. And mean it!
-- Have some leading questions ready. Don’t ask, “What do you want to talk about?” Instead ask, “What do you think about….?” Be specific.
-- Get the word out early on what you want to discuss. Instead of “Town Hall at 10:00 in the break room” use “Town Hall at 10:00 in the break room to discuss new products and proposed office realignment.”
-- Start and end on time. Time is money!

-- Be comfortable holding these sessions virtually. As more of us work collaboratively, we need to be able to link the entire team together, even if geographically separated.
-- Alert your labor unions, if you have them. Many collective bargaining agreements require notification before meeting with union members.
-- Be prepared to immediately follow up. You will get all sorts of questions and opinions. Have a trusted agent write down issues and make sure you follow up. If your answers apply to the entire group, share them widely. Nothing will damage credibility like your failure to follow up and follow through.
-- Seek out two distinct voices in the audience – the strong (whose opinion will be heard) and the weak (whose opinion will not otherwise be heard). Do not let one group dominate the discussion.
-- Don’t try to accomplish too much in these forums. Pick one or two key topics. If you find your agenda is full, seek out other means to communicate your message and receive feedback.
-- Have more frequent town halls and continuously and consistently solicit input from your team. People will arrive frustrated if these sessions are their only opportunity to be heard.

These are just a few thoughts. I do think that forums like these are important participatory events for leaders at every level, in any organization. I think that when done regularly, people will become more comfortable in speaking out and more confident that they are truly being heard.

Like anything else the proof, as they say, is in the pudding. What really matters is that leaders act on what they hear. Town Halls cannot be “check the block” sessions after which leaders go ahead and do whatever they want. In other words, if you are sincere about listening, then be prepared to demonstrate that you have heard what people tell you. If not, these events are nothing more than a show. And that, my friends, is not healthy for anyone!

That’s Leader Business.

Photo shown is a town hall for Microsoft, courtesy of www.mahugh.com.

Astro_Tim

Well...it happened. I could not stand on the sidelines any longer. When I learned that my West Point classmate and NASA Astronaut Tim Kopra (@Astro_Tim on Twitter) became the first to "Twitter" from the International Space Station, I knew I was missing out on something! Incredible! If we thought our world was getting smaller, what does this say about our universe?

So I have jumped in as well. For those who are interested, you can follow me (@LeaderBusiness on Twitter) or...let me know you are out there so I can follow you.

Twitter enables connections through little (140 character) updates that ask, "What are you doing?" By answering that question, I hope that I can provide input into the arena regarding my favorite topic -- leadership. And for those who are interested, I can provide some insight into what I do in leading my organization. I love my job and find it fascinating. I believe that the diversity of the work my organization does as well as the leadership challenges that come from an organization with the size (800+ employees) and scope ($1B+) of my team are worth telling people "what I am doing." If you are interested, come along and follow me.

Like you, I am doing my best to create and maintain connections in this increasingly interconnected world (universe!). Leadership is all about relationships, learning from others, communication, and providing inspiration to those who choose to follow you. I think that some of this is possible on Twitter. I was inspired to see my fellow West Pointer think that connecting with people from space was important. So...here I go...twittering away. Enjoy the "tweets." That's Leader Business.

You Gotta....Know When to Fold 'Em

I still remember the meeting. We had debated an issue with energy and passion. There were a host of opinions about the topic. Everything was laid out. We evaluated various alternatives. I heard from all sides. We discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed courses of action. Then it was time. I made my decision. Everyone was ready to go. Everyone…but one guy. He thought it important to “state for the record” that he opposed the decision. Oh man…did this ever bother me. We had transitioned from decision-making…to decision. And this guy was still fighting. And then I watched as he tried to reverse my decision, and then undercut it during execution. Wrong answer, dude!

There is a time and place for debate. During the decision-making process -- yes. While alternatives are being discussed -- yes. But once the decision is made -- nope. At that point, there are only two ways to proceed:

1. Embrace the decision as if it was your own. Execute with vigor and do all you can to see the decision work out for all. Execute…and accomplish the mission. Git ‘er done! Or…..

2. Leave the team.

Quite frankly, the third way, to undermine the decision, to work covertly (or even overtly) to tube the mission…is unacceptable. You cannot be a part of the team and work to help the team fail. No whispering, spreading rumors, cynicism, or back-channel deals that prevent mission success. Be a part of the solution, not a schemer to make the problem even worse. There can be only one leader. And if you are not it…then deal with it! If you can’t live with the decision, vote with your feet and leave the team. Otherwise, you’ve done your duty in expressing your opinion. Now do your duty and help the team be successful. As the old country song goes – “You’ve got to know when to fold ‘em….”

So here’s the skinny. Fight for your beliefs and opinions before the decision is made. Leaders – encourage debate and solicit alternatives from all sides before locking in on the way ahead. Give everyone a chance to speak and listen to all alternatives. But once the decision is made…everyone has got to be – ALL THE WAY IN (see the last post!). No team can be successful if team members are allowed to undermine, undercut, or otherwise move in directions counter to the mission. The team must be all the way in!

It is encouraging to see US policy making working this way. Rigorous debate on things like health care, war, and energy policies reflect this approach. The town hall meetings are a beautiful thing to observe…and we should have them as a matter of routine! But once the decisions are made…we have to be all the way in. We have to execute in a way that accomplishes the mission, not as mindless robots but as members of a team -- committed to see the team succeed. Adjustments can be made along the way (and of course debate will continue on those adjustments) but…we cannot have the dysfunction that comes from a house (or a nation) divided. We have to find a way to be all in, to work together to reach our objectives! (Note…I say this not as one suggesting one way or the other is right, but one who knows that we have not been united in our commitment to success for many years and hopes there is another way!)

This is a message to all of us. We are all part of teams, we all report to someone. Let’s lead by example in this approach. Let’s build teams that respect all opinions, that encourage debate, and that understand this concept of being all the way in. Once the decision is made, let's know...when to fold 'em. It is the only way a team can be successful. That makes it…Leader Business.

So what do you think? Am I right? We’ve all been in positions like this, whether as team leader or team member. Let me know where you stand on this.

Image courtesy of www.sidesalad.net.