Former City of New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani gave us a brilliant and memorable quote at the Republican Convention a few days ago. (I'm not showing my colors - I've watched most of both Conventions).
This quote sums up everything I believe in about two grand concepts I love: change and strategy. I take it out of context and I do not apply it to American politics, but rather to my experience in the corporate world and in human relationships.
"Change is not a destination just like hope is not a strategy".
Bullseye.
One leadership book which has had a profound influence on me was 'The Way of the Shepherd' by Kevin Leman. It describes how to be a leader by drawing parallels to keeping a flock of sheep. I know, it doesn't sound like there are parallels to make... but read on. Here are the principles from the book and the studied lives of shepherds. I think what really gets to me is that Shepherd Leadership promotes the notion that leaders are actually servants to their constituents. Now that's counter-intuitive....
Enjoy, and may it bring out the shepherd leader in you.
Know the condition of your flock
- Follow the status of your people as well as the status of the work
- Get to know your flock, one sheep at a time
- Engage your people on a regular basis
- Keep your eyes and ears open, question and follow through
Discover the shape of your sheep
- Your choice of sheep can make flock management easier of harder
- Start with healthy sheep, or you'll inherit someone else's problem
- Know the SHAPE of your sheep to make sure they're in the right fold
-- Strengths
-- Heart
-- Attitude
-- Personality
-- Experiences
Help your sheep identify with you
- Build trust with your followers by modeling authenticity, integrity, and compassion
- Set higher standards of performance
- Relentlessly communicate your values and sense of mission
- Define the cause for your people and tell them where they fit in
- Remember that great leadership isn't just professional; it's personal
Make your pasture a safe place
- Keep your people well informed
- Infuse every position with importance
- Cull chronic instigators from the flock
- Regularly rotate the sheep to fresh pasture
- Reassure the sheep by staying visible
- Don't give problems time to fester
The staff of direction
- Know where you're going, get out in front, and keep your flock on the move
- When directing, use persuasion rather than coercion
- Give your people freedom of movement, but make sure they know where the fence is. Don't confuse boundaries with bridles
When your people get in trouble, go and get them out
- Remind your people that failure isn't fatal
The rod of correction
- Protect: stand in the gap and fight for your sheep
- Correct: approach discipline as a teaching opportunity
- Inspect: regularly inquire about your people's progress
The heart of the shepherd
- Great leadership is a lifestyle, not a technique
- Every day you have to decide who's going to pay for your leadership - you or your people
- Most of all, have a heart for your sheep
Ahhh Internal politics.
I had very little notion of what that was until I joined a big corporation. I had heard about it, but it sounded more like a rumour to me in my small-company-cocoon. For 11 years, the only politics I knew about were the ones I created in my businesses. All the behind-the-scenes action was either non-existent or well hidden from me. (I prefer to think there weren't any, but I'm not that naïve...)
And then I got a bit of a baptism by fire and I was getting quite discouraged.
Everything changed for me when Francois Olivier, the CEO of our company gave me his definition of what company politics are. He said: ‘Jean, politics is a good thing if that means you are being polite and if you are delicately getting your point across on a sensitive subject. But, if a person is putting his own personal interests ahead of the company’s interest, well, that is bad politics.’
So here are my take-aways from my experience so-far.
1. Think of the company first
I now often ask myself: who do I really work for? When I drive down the value chain, I realise I work for the Marcoux family and the TCL shareholders. So the decisions I take are now focused towards these stakeholders. You may say ‘duh’ to the previous statement, but when you’ve always worked as the entrepreneur, it’s a revelation.
2. Get buy-in, get buy-in, get buy-in
Major projects require many experts within the organization. Even if I am a project lead, I am still working with a team of significantly qualified individuals. Their continued involvement and buy-in ensures that the project will be successful… and it valorizes everyone’s expertise.
3. Watch out for the big 3
This three-headed monster kills projects, demotivates people, ruins internal processes, increases churn, increases useless expenses and decreases profits…
- Personal egos
- Hidden agendas
- Keeping information for oneself
4. Titles don't equal real influence
Nuff said.
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I was involved with a wonderful leadership event organized by our Governor General four years ago and again this year. In 2004, I gave a speech to Her Excellence about what I had learnt. I loved delivering it and she later told me she loved it too.
You have to read it with the Pomp and Circumstance song playing and picture me with a bright red flowing Canadian flag behind me. Cliché ? Maybe, but I loved doing it.
Enjoy.
---
AS CANADIANS :
We are quick to listen, but slow to speak
We would rather be peace keepers than war mongerers
We don't want to walk the path of criticism to generalization to stereotype to prejudice to hate
We don't dwell on differences that end up dividing us but on our commonalities that unite us
We choose to love and honor our differences
And it makes us feel good to empower others to be great
WE BELIEVE:
That problems start once we stop communicating
That leadership starts with follower-ship
That there is power in silence
That indifference is the real weapon of mass destruction
That 90% of us agree on 90% of everything and yet spend 90% of our time arguing over the 10% we don’t agree on
That true leaders are defined by the measure of their passion
And that the Measure of a person is based on their heart and nothing else
We believe in Being - becoming - and belonging
And that Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one.
WE SAW IN OUR SOCIETY :
That it takes villages to build this great country
That Front line grassroots workers are the foundation of any initiative
That we value unions and corporations the same
That there are bad apples everywhere but we're glad there are more good apples than bad
That socialism and capitalism can work together in mutual harmony
That anyone who is too adamant to further their cause without listening first , does their cause a great disservice
That youth is more important than adult ego
That we respect our elders and honor their experiences with dignity
That we can have the elderly serve breakfast to kids or kids serve the elderly
That we appreciate the sacrifice of our men and women in blue and those on the front lines
That we respect our outdoors, we conserve, and we see that diversity started and is perfected in nature
That right makes might and not might makes right
That crime is not just about breaking the law, but breaking the relationships in society
That I can disagree with all I got about what you say, but I'll fight to the death for you're right to say it
That all is one and one is none
CANADA IS THE ONLY PLACE
Where you'll see a rabbi in a mosque
Where politicians can speak from the heart without shame
Where people are sometimes way too nice
Where the trademark is diversity and the inclusion of all groups
Where we can dress up for winter and show skin in the summer and be gorgeous both times
Where it’s not just clean, simple and beautiful, but above all, it is humane
Where Her Excellency has a dashing portrait of her young self in the Library and National Archives
----
There is no 'I' in
team
excellence
future
peace
joy
love
acceptance
tolerance
hard work
AND harmony
But there are way too many 'I' s in
prejudice
bias
discrimination
intolerance
ableism
racism
sexism
AND agism
AND FINALLY
It is in the differences where we find our beauty
…
MY NAME IS JEAN FAHMY AND I AM CANADIAN
I was sitting with a colleague during lunch and we were talking about how many leadership decisions are taken today to avoid bad press from the people they are taking decisions for.
It's as if (sometimes) the fear of reaction dictates the decision that will be taken. Politics, business, etc., the examples abound of people in power who take the POLPOP instead of the right decision.
Ok, so we invented a new acronym... and I invite you to find the examples around you and identify the POLPOPs. What is it, you ask ?
Path Of Least Pissed Off People
So here's the introspection part: how many decisions do you take that are based on POLPOP and not the right decision ?
An organization I am a member of (EO) asked members to write about Business Ethics for an upcoming issue. It got me thinking about the importance and the definition of true ethics.
Ethics.
its not a department
its not a business function
its not what you do,
its who you are
its based on your value system
it permeates every decision you make
it determines your tolerance level to everything around you
it determines what kind of people you deal with, you hire, you fire, you surround yourself with
it determines if money is the end or the means to another end
its your litmus test
its your barometer
its your scales of justice
its integrity
and its the most important asset you'll ever have.
Building on the Maslow series, I thought I would venture a little matrix bringing it all together. In each of the 16 combinations the matrix offers, what are my definitions, my objectives, my current situation, my expected results and my roadmap to getting there ?
Simple and soul-searching ... just like I like it.
happiness | achievement | significance | legacy
self | | |
family | | |
work | | |
community | | |
Sometimes, I come across stories that inspire me to be a better person, to excel and go beyond established limits. This story is from the Bible, from the book of Nehemiah.
Nehemiah knew that to be a good leader you had to have clean hands and a pure heart. The basic quality for leadership is the same as the basic quality for success in a person's life. And that is to be true to one's belief and values.
So what made Nehemiah so special ?
Nehemiah had a sense of calling.
Nehemiah patiently waited for the right timing.
Nehemiah established reasonable and attainable goals. You know one of the reasons why leadership fails is 1) they have no goals whatsoever or 2) they establish goals that are not reasonable, measurable or attainable.
Nehemiah made prayer and recollection a priority in his life.
Nehemiah rearranged his priorities in order to accomplish his goals.
Nehemiah acted decisively when it was time for him to act.
Nehemiah took time to rest, to plan, to pray, to think.
Nehemiah became personally acquainted with his task.
Nehemiah made shrewd use of his time.
Nehemiah surrounded himself with trusted allies.
Nehemiah provided vision for the people.
Nehemiah involved a broad-based work team in the work.
Nehemiah never wavered in the face of opposition.
Nehemiah executed a plan to accomplish his goal.
Nehemiah didn't hesitate to take emergency action when emergency action was necessary.
Nehemiah was very visible and approachable.
Nehemiah managed his resources very well.
Nehemiah verbalized his dependence on other's help, and he did it again and again.
Nehemiah was not afraid to get his hands dirty.
Nehemiah took care of his people financially.
Nehemiah personally sacrificed to accomplish his goal.
Nehemiah refused to live above his people.
Nehemiah didn't hesitate to discipline inappropriate behavior.
Nehemiah had a great view of the value of his own work.
Nehemiah exuded integrity before everyone.
Nehemiah showed discernment in dealing with people.
Nehemiah didn't hesitate to attribute his success to others.
Nehemiah kept his promises.
Whether you believe in the veracity of the Good Book or not is besides the point. The example given here of someone who wisely persevered against all odds is worth a moment of reflexion.
Yesterday, I received a wonderful email from a friend of mine, Chrystian. In it, he was wishing me a Happy Easter, knowing this holiday is of special significance to me.
Why a post on this ? Because it embodies the type of respectful relationships I strive to develop with my friends, colleagues and everyone else around me.
I encourage all entrepreneurs to develop that type of respect with the stakeholders in their business. When you're there, you realize that:
- you've been understood
- they know you understand them
- the lines of communication are wide open
- the payoff is priceless
- ...there is hope.
Here's what he said :
"I know this is a special weekend for you and your family. Let me wish you a happy Easter. May the Light, who has a different name for both of us, shine with the same love on the ones we love as well."
Short, sweet, to-the-point and so beautifully put. Best I can answer him is :
Thanks... you too.
This is the last post in the series on Maslow's pyramid and how it affects the corporate strategists and entrepreneurs. Maslow's theories are taken again and again under different words in many business books and it always comes down to this conclusion :
Get people (friends, clients, suppliers, investors, family, etc) to the highest plateau of the pyramid and they will thank you. Get yourself to the highest plateau of self-actualization and they will love you and you will love yourself.
Maslow had it. He described self-actualization as
"A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be at peace with himself. What a man can be, he must be. This is the need we may call self-actualization ... It refers to man's desire for fulfillment, namely to the tendency for him to become actually in what he is potentially: to become everything that one is capable of becoming ..."
So what are the characteristics of these people ? What must an entrepreneur / corporate strategist think about when developing the corporate services they offer ? How can look to help others and myself acquire these characteristics.
The best list I found was in Wikipedia's post on the Hierarchy of Needs. So I am blatantly copying the interesting part of the entry here. I know it's not part of the Blogging Rulebook, but I suspect you won't make the effort to click on the link and find the interesting text. So here it is (and again, I am ripping this from Wikipedia.)
1. Clearer perception of reality.
Self-actualizing people perceive reality more effectively than others and are more comfortable with it. They have an accurate perception of what exists rather than a distortion of perception by one's needs, and possess an ability to be objective about their own strengths, possibilities and limitations. They judge experiences, people and things correctly and efficiently, and have an unusual ability to detect the spurious, the fake, and the dishonest. They are not afraid of the unknown and can tolerate the doubt, uncertainty, and tentativeness accompanying the perception of the new and unfamiliar.
2. Acceptance of self, others, and nature.
Self-actualizing persons are not ashamed or guilty about their human nature, with its shortcoming, imperfections, frailties, and weaknesses. They can accept their own human shortcomings, without condemnation. Nor are they critical of these aspects of other people. They respect and esteem themselves and others. Moreover, they are honest, open, genuine, without pose or facade. They are not, however, self-satisfied but are concerned about discrepancies between what is and what might be or should be in themselves, others, and society.
3. Spontaneity.
Self-actualizing people are relatively spontaneous in their behavior, and far more spontaneous than that in their inner life, thoughts and impulses. Self-actualizing persons are not hampered by convention, but they do not flout it. They are not conformists, but neither are they anti-conformist for the sake of being so. They might act conventionally, but they seldom allow convention to keep them from doing anything they consider important or basic. They are not externally motivated or even goal-directed; rather their motivation is the internal one of growth and development, the actualization of themselves and their potentialities.
4. Problem-centering.
Self-actualizing people have a problem-solving orientation towards life instead of an orientation centered on self. They are interested in solving problems; this often includes the problems of others. Solving these problems is often a key focus in their lives. They commonly have a mission in life, some problem outside themselves that enlists much of their energies. In general this mission is unselfish and is involved with the philosophical and the ethical.
5. Detachment and the need for solitude.
Self-actualizing people enjoy solitude and privacy. It is often possible for them to remain above the battle, unruffled and undisturbed by that which upsets others. They may even appear to be asocial. It is perhaps, related to an abiding sense of security and self-sufficiency.
6. Autonomy, independent of culture and environment.
Self-actualizing persons are not dependent for their main satisfactions on other people or culture or means-to-ends, or in general, on extrinsic satisfactions. Rather they are dependent for their own development and continued growth upon their own potentialities and latent resources. The meaning of their life is self-decision, self-governing and being an active, responsible, self-disciplined deciding person rather than a pawn or a person helplessly ruled by others.
7. Continued freshness of appreciation.
Self-actualizing people have a wonderful capacity to appreciate again and again the basic pleasures of life. They experience awe, pleasure, and wonder in their everyday world, such as nature, children, music and sexual experience. They approach these basic experiences with awe, pleasure, wonder and even ecstasy.
8. The mystic experience, the oceanic feeling.
Self-actualizing people commonly have mystic or `peak' experiences or times of intense emotions in which they transcend self. During a peak experience, they experience feelings of ecstasy, awe, and wonder with feelings of limitless horizons opening up, feelings of unlimited power and at the same time feelings of being more helpless than ever before. The experience ends with the conviction that something extremely important and valuable has happened so that the person is to some extent transformed and strengthened by the experience that has a carry-over into everyday life.
9. Oneness with humanity.
Self-actualizing people have deep feelings of identification, sympathy and affection for other people, and a deep feeling of empathy and compassion for human beings in general. This feeling is, in a sense, unconditional in that it exists along with the recognition of the existence in others of negative qualities that may provoke occasional anger, impatience, and disgust.
10. Deep interpersonal relations.
Self-actualizing people have deeper and more profound inter-personal relationships than most adults, but not necessarily deeper than children. They are capable of more closeness, greater love, more perfect identification, more erasing of ego boundaries than other people would consider possible. One consequence is that self-actualized people have especially deep ties with rather few individuals and their circle of friends is small. They tend to be kind or at least patient to almost everyone, yet they do speak realistically and harshly of those whom they feel deserve it — especially the hypocritical, pretentious, pompous, or the self-inflated individual.
11. Democratic character structure.
Self-actualizing people are democratic in the deepest possible sense. They are friendly towards everyone regardless of class, education, political beliefs, race, or color. They believe it is possible to learn something from everyone. They are humble in the sense of being aware of how little they know in comparison with what could be known and what is known by others. They are ready and willing to learn from anyone. They respect everyone as a potential contributor to their knowledge, merely because everyone is a human being.
12. Ethical means towards moral ends.
Self-actualizing persons are highly ethical. They clearly distinguish between means and ends and subordinate means to ends. Their notions of right and wrong and of good and evil are often not conventional ones.
13. Philosophical, unhostile sense of humor.
Self-actualizing people have a keen, unhostile sense of humour. They don't laugh at jokes that hurt other people or are aimed at others' inferiority. They can make fun of others in general — or of themselves — especially when they are foolish or try to be big when they are small. They are inclined towards thoughtful humour that elicits a smile, is intrinsic to the situation, and spontaneous.
14. Creativity.
Self-actualizing people are highly imaginative and creative. The creativity involved here is not special-talent creativity. It is a creativity potentially inherent in everyone but usually suffocated by acculturation. It is a fresh, naive, direct way of looking at things, rather similar to the naive and universal creativity of unspoiled children.
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