Got Leadership?

As many of you know, I just got back from Maui after a week of R&R with my wife. It was a nice vacation, to be sure. I needed the time away and that is definitely a great place to do so. I mean, what is not to like: beautiful beaches, perfect weather, snorkeling, parasailing, eating WAY too much, and those drinks with the little umbrellas!

But do you know the first thing we did when we got back? We paid off our credit cards! Makes sense, right? We had saved up the money while I was deployed and then settled up once we got back. Now, contrast that with our “leaders” in Washington. What is the first thing they did after running up the credit card to the max and then doing nothing to pay it off? They created chaos in the markets, struck a deal that only raised the credit limit on the card, and then they all left town and went on…vacation!

Now, I don’t want these pages to become a political battleground. I generally stay out of politics here but then again, we find examples of good and bad leadership in all areas and it drives me crazy to see this example of horrific leadership. There is no sense of urgency, no building of consensus, very few new ideas, and no solutions. We have a real economic hairball, one that we would not allow in our own businesses, let alone our families. Yet this mess will inevitably damage our businesses and our families for generations. Those responsible for it pat each other on the back for making a deal, leave town, and avoid accountability! They stay away from hard choices, going for the “easier wrong” instead of the “harder right!” They blame each other instead of working together. Am I frustrated? You bet I am. Aren’t you? Little wonder that we have the lowest consumer confidence in 30+ years and approval rates among our political leaders that suggest they ALL may be looking for new jobs in November! That may not be such a bad thing!

Meanwhile, we HAVE to find solutions! I’d like to think that the framework for Leader Business might offer a few questions to help us figure our way out of this mess.

Plan – How do we develop a national plan for the way ahead? Note: Forming a committee ain’t it! Where in the world have you ever seen the solution to an emergency is to form a committee??? How about locking people in a room until they figure this out? How about cancelling vacations? How do we have an honest framing of the problem so that the citizenry can see the urgency and be ready to participate in the sacrifices that we’ll all have to make? What are our national Goals and Objectives? What is a reasonable timeline to get back to balance? Where are the bold solutions, what are the risks, and how do we mitigate them?

Prepare – How do we build the teams necessary to tackle these problems? How do we communicate with each other in order to prepare people for the upcoming challenges? What metrics can we agree need to be the focus of this dialogue and how do we hold our leaders accountable to them? What are our priorities and how do we align resources accordingly so that we keep our promises, take care of people, defend our interests, stimulate the economy, make meaningful, strategic investments AND live within our means?

Execute – What MUST we do and what can we put on our National “Stop Doing” list? How do we measure performance, hold people accountable, and WIN in those areas that matter the most (jobs, academics, science, defense)? How do we hold people accountable within our government such that they don’t get to retain their jobs when they don’t perform?

Learn -- How are we taking ownership of problems instead of blaming each other? Who is courageous enough to articulate how we got into this mess while describing the steps that ALL will need to take to improve? How do we avoid these problems in the future? How do we educate the citizenry on where we are, where we are going, and why it is critical to do so?

Friends, I won’t pretend to have all the answers. In fact, you’ll note that above is simply a list of questions. But I have no doubt that we need our leaders to start generating answers to these questions. We have a true financial crisis that is growing across the world. This isn’t time to go on vacation! Nor is it time to blame each other and try to posture to win the next election! It’s time to get to work. Let’s roll up our sleeves, quit fretting about our problems, and start solving them.

I regularly share one of my favorite expressions with my daughters when they are wasting time, wringing their hands over a problem instead of getting going on solving it: “We can’t step up the stairs if we are paralyzed staring at the steps!” It’s time to take the first step. Let’s call it, oh…I don’t know, PLANNING! The rest of the steps will follow. It’s a proven approach. The alternative is…paralysis. Unfortunately, that may be where we are now. It’s my firm belief that we are better than this. But only if our leaders get going and figure out a way to show some basic economic leadership like we expect in our own families and businesses. This isn’t a political statement. This is…Leader Business.

A Week of Learning

Friends,

Can I start by apologizing for doing such a poor job of staying up with this blog? While I have no excuse (see my thoughts on "No Excuse" leadership), I have been going a million miles an hour and have been focusing on the urgent at the expense of the important. Ever been there? I've been on the road for 17 of the last 19 nights. Ugh! I definitely need to slow down!

So while I have not been writing, I have sure been thinking. The events of the world around us and in my own life have provided a number of opportunities to ponder various elements of leadership -- my own and others. In fact, this week has given me a number of things to think about:

-- I watched as Brett Favre almost led the Minnesota Vikings to the Super Bowl at the age of 40. In the discussion of leaders knowing when to hang them up, Brett can sure justify his remaining in the game. Despite the cynics, he had the best statistical year of his career. Let's hear it for the 40+ year old athletes! And let's hear it for leaders with the passion for life and for their profession who leave it all on the field -- every snap, every game!

-- I smiled with appreciation when Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner announced his retirement at the age of 38. This was a superstar who left the game on his own terms. His story is an inspirational one. Undrafted out of college in 1994, bagging groceries and stocking shelves in 1995, Kurt went on to play in 3 Super Bowls, winning one, and set numerous records for his position. Along the way, he remained humble, was a model citizen, and demonstrated true leadership on and off the field.

-- I went to a dinner where former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich spoke. That's me and the Speaker in the grainy photo up above. One does not have to agree with his politics to admire his vision, his leadership, and his intellect. He spoke with confidence for 30 minutes -- no notes and no teleprompter -- weaving in historical vignettes (military and political) while connecting with his audience. Very impressive.

-- I had the experience of a lifetime when I was invited to the State of the Union address at the Capitol in Washington, DC. The thrill of being in that small room with the Supreme Court justices, cabinet secretaries, all the Congress, the VP, the First Lady, and President Obama made for an amazing night. While the speech was long, the President did what he does best -- communicating his ideas in a powerful way. He identified his priorities, talked about aligning resources, and broke his vision down into ACTIONS that will become his administration's "marching orders" for the next year. I can't say that I agreed with everything he said but I did appreciate the way he said it. (Sorry...no cameras allowed in the room but...you can see the picture of my ticket!)

-- In between visits on Capitol Hill with six Congressional Members from my delegation, I spent the week at my agency headquarters in Washington DC aligning our strategic plan. It was great to see that the tasks and initiatives launched by my team in Los Angeles do in fact contribute to success at the higher level. While we are still struggling as an organization with how and what to measure to ensure we are on the right track, I have full confidence that we are doing the right things. Strategic planning, no matter how painful the process, has definite value. Without that clear, consistent, and fully-aligned road map, we just cannot have certainty that we will get to where our goals and objectives point us.

Different stages, different lessons. This was all in just one week. I can't wait to see what happens next week! Bring it on. But first, I'd like to sleep in my own bed for a few nights! Ha!

That's Leader Business!

A Thanksgiving Proclamation

THANKSGIVING DAY BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - A PROCLAMATION

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor - and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be – That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks – for his kind care and protection of the People of this country previous to their becoming a Nation – for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war –for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed – for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions – to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually – to render our national government a blessing to all the People, by constantly being a government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed – to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord – To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and Us – and generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

President George Washington

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. May we appreciate our many blessings and never miss an opportunity to share them with others. That's 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.

Independent Leaders

Leadership can be defined as the act of motivating people to achieve a common goal. It is doing the right thing for the right reasons. It is taking action, no matter the consequences. It is subordinating self for something much bigger. It is the act of rallying people to accomplish things together which they could not necessarily do by themselves. It is ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary things. Leadership is vision, purpose, courage, discipline and passion. It is not who we are but what we do. Leadership is an ACTION verb!


When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security....

Think of the leadership involved in crafting these words. Think of the courage involved with putting one's name at the bottom, declaring a willingness to die for one's convictions. Think of the leadership that the signers exhibited in creating this shared vision and then inspiring a Nation to join them.

On this American Independence Day, let us remember that leadership is an action verb. Sometimes...it can change the "course of human events." That's...Leader Business!


Thanks to Dan McCarthy for including this post in the July Leadership Development Carnival over at Great Leadership!

Image courtesy of www.friendsacrossamerica.com