Collisions

 

Innovation is often the result of random conversations -- collisions -- where ideas outside your industry are applied to your own.  We want to acccelerate those collisions among people.  Tony Hsieh, CEO Zappos

I’ve been challenging the leaders with whom I am doing executive coaching to think differently about how to generate new ideas and creative solutions.  Too often, we default to traditional sources such as discussion with peers or attendance at industry or trade group events.  Not that these are bad things but, if this is the only exposure to different ways of thinking, don’t be surprised when we find ourselves limited to traditional solutions.  We need to seek out collisions.

Several years ago, my brother introduced me to Fast Company magazine.  With heavy components of design, IT, and sustainability, it was not really connected to my own profession (at the time military engineering).  But, I am quite certain that I took some idea from every issue and have been a loyal subscriber for almost 15 years now.  I find the same thing in Inc. magazine, a periodical devoted to entrepreneurs and creativity in business.  I’ve got stacks of pages I have ripped out, saving for some later use.  I am quite certain my military teams benefitted from these ideas, all from quite different settings.

Whatever it might be, we need collisions.  I have been to a few of my buddy Steve’s monthly Ripple sessions.  These are networking groups in Austin with amazing diversity, people with whom I would otherwise never meet, yet ideas I would most certainly be a fool to miss.  These events (Steve calls them Ripples) generate collisions – with people, ideas, and concepts different than my own.  They may not be perfectly aligned with what I do but they may be enough to move my thinking in a direction I otherwise may never choose.

The same can be said for the relationships we make and the friends we collect.  We need to be intentional about seeking out people and ideas different from our own.  The dialogue may not change our perspective but it will most certainly help strengthen our arguments, identify weaknesses in our positions, and cause us to examine our assumptions.  Two of my dearest friends could not be further from me politically.  Yet, every time I am with them, I am inspired by their passionate convictions and the energy they have for what they do.  They both make me think and for those collisions, I am thankful. 

Finally, leaders are responsible for creating collisions within their organizations.  From the April 2013 Inc. magazine, “Teams produce many more ideas when team members are encouraged to challenge one another in a debate setting, according to a 2004 study in The European Journal of Social Psychology.”  Co-author of the study, Jack Goncalo, a professor of organizational behavior at Cornell University, says that debate “makes people diverge, so it reduces conformity.  It also fosters competition.”  Leaders seek opportunities for this sort of healthy debate in meetings and when evaluating alternatives for solving problems.  These collisions, not between people but among competing ideas, are exactly what we need in our organizations to help break the mold and broaden our thinking.

As leaders, we cannot allow ourselves to be satisfied with the status quo.  We must keep growing, keep developing.  Sometimes, a good, solid collision is exactly what we need.

Let’s commit to collisions today.  Subscribe to a magazine, pick up a book, or join a group that is different than your norm.  Generate some healthy debate in your meetings.  Get outside of your comfort zone.  Do yourself a favor though.  Have a pen and paper handy.  You never know when one of those collisions might be a game-changer.  That’s LeaderBusiness.  

Tolerating Fools

I read recently where a leader whom I admire was said to not tolerate fools. This is a characteristic I aspire to, as well. I would like to think that I am a quick judge and realize very easily whether someone is up to the task, whether they know what they are talking about, and whether they have what it takes to get things done. If they don't, I won't waste my time. I want someone serious about their profession and willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission and won't waste my time with someone who doesn't meet these criteria. Let's agree together that this is the case and that we generally all will not tolerate fools!

But I hope this doesn't mean we can't act like a fool every once in a while. Yes, this is me doing my best (or worst?) Hulk Hogan at the office on Friday. We have a traditional Halloween costume contest at work and this was my outfit for the day. And despite the fact that my team is spread out over dozens of small offices in three different states, we used technology to ensure that everyone could participate. I wanted to make it easy to not be the only fool for the day!

Nope, I don't mind being a fool. Even in government, I think it is still important to laugh, to joke, and to have fun. In fact, I'm not sure I would want to be a part of a team that doesn't. Would you? I don't think we would have much success recruiting new talent or retaining our best and brightest if we didn't allow for the sort of good times that come from a relaxed, casual, fun-loving atmosphere.

This doesn't mean we aren't professional. We still have a culture of discipline, protocol, and standards (I know...try saying "Yes, sir" to a wannabe Hulk Hogan without smirking!). But we try to have fun along the way, build relationships that enable trust, and create the environment where people will work hard -- not because they have to but because they want to.

We are totally focused on mission execution. We have over 800 great people and we have completed over $1B of work in each of the last two years. We have a well-earned reputation for excellence and quality. And as a rule, we don't tolerate fools. But along the way, we are going to have fun. We are going to let down our hair (I wish!) every once in a while and let off some steam. We are going to create the sort of work conditions in which people feel comfortable, where they like what they do and whom they do it with, and where creativity and innovation are let loose.

So, I lost the costume contest -- came in 3rd. But it was fun for me and fun for those who were able to laugh with me (or at me). But I am thinking that next year we will have some sort of cage match instead of just virtual voting. Now that will be fun. I think I could have crushed the little princess who won! Ha! Now I ask you...what fool did you play for Halloween? That's Leader Business!

Leaders Ask "Why?"

Leadership is often a series of questions:

-- Why do we do things the way we do?

-- When was the last time we asked, "WHY?"

-- What are we doing that we should NOT be doing?

-- What are we NOT doing that we SHOULD be doing?

-- Don't tell me why we can't, tell me how we can? (I think that is a question!)

-- Does this process, policy, or procedure make us better? cheaper? faster? greener? safer?

Don't have a sign to warn people about the sharp edges on your sign! Ask "WHY?"

That's Leader Business!

Flexible Work / Flexible Leaders

Man, how I sometimes long for the "good old days" of the traditional organizational wire diagram. Work flowed from left to right. Promotions went from bottom to top. People worked 9-5. Sure seems nice and clean, doesn't it?

I'm reminded daily that we don't operate that way any more. And if we wish to remain competitive, we can't. We won't be able to recruit energetic, creative talent into an organization like that. We won't be able to be competitive where I work (in heavily urbanized Los Angeles), where people look hard at the Quality of Life impacts of the long commute. And the fact is, work just doesn't get done this way any longer.

This week I spent some time with one of our customers on a beautiful train trip through the mountain passes of the high Mojave desert. I was accompanied by the project manager who was helping solve some of this customer's most challenging issues. The customer was thrilled. Project delivery was first-rate. He could not stop raving about the team and the way the project had come together.

Well...it turns out this project manager is one of my best. And she lives in...Hawaii! How does she do it? Teleconferences, flexible travel schedules, email, and all of the other means of virtual connection. No one cares where she lives. She gets the job done. Customers are thrilled. The organization is successful.

Did I mention that this is the government! Yes, we are moving forward. I am pushing my organization to explore all of the implications of what it means to operate distributed, connected, and flexible. We must be customer-focused, not organization-focused. We have to deliver quality projects, on time and under budget, in ways that energize the workforce, keep us competitive within the marketplace, and improve the quality of life of the team.

So I am learning to be flexible. We are implementing badly needed policies for flexible work schedules and telework. We are equipping our employees with the tools that they need to operate virtually (blackberries, laptops, and access into our system from...wherever). We are building organizational and project delivery wire diagrams that look nothing like the "good old days" - leaner, flatter, and more distributed. We're moving work to people, and people to the work. And we are recruting and retaining those people who are comfortable working this way. Our ability to remain competitive certainly demands that this be the case.

The bottom line, and the message that I constantly share with my subordinates, is to stay focused on the bottom line. Focus on mission accomplishment. Be creative and be willing to entertain different ways of operating - even if senior managers aren't totally comfortable with it! Focus on what needs to be done, hold people accountable for the mission, and worry less about how it gets done. If it works, and the company succeeds, and it improves the quality of life of our team - great! Win/Win! Be flexible, be aggressive, take risks, accomplish the mission.

That works for me. That's Leader Business.

But...We've Always Done It This Way!

Are you fighting the inertia of “We've always done it this way?” This is a sentiment that I am always on alert for. Maybe you can relate to this story:

Start with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the other monkeys with cold water. After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result - all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon, when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it.

Now, put away the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm! Likewise, replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth.

Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked. Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs to try for the banana.

Why not?

Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been done around here.

Leaders must blow through this sort of roadblock to excellence. Ask questions. Challenge your procedures. Reduce your rules by giving intent (task and purpose) and allowing for creativity to run its course.

And don’t be the one spraying the cold water on those “monkeys” chasing after the bananas! Turn them loose. That’s Leader Business!