July/August 2006
The developmental digest for emerging leader/managers devoted to growth and excellence
CONTENTS:	Section 1 - Topical Topics   - Leaders and Leverage   - Timely Insights Section 2 - Talk Back   - Dear Coach   - Commentary   - A Point of View Section 3 - On the Horizon   - Opportunities and Challenges   - Reach Out Section 4 - Secure Site
Section 1	- Topical Topics
	Leaders and Leverage . . . What is the secret of success? Expressed in its most simple form it’s making a positive difference! Let’s explore how leaders can leverage success. We begin, as always, with a clear definition of leadership . . . “A leader is one who focuses the desire for change within others and facilitates the creation of a sustainable new reality” Clearly, employing leverage is central to the concept of leadership if this definition is to be accepted. The pivotal role of the leader is to harness the power of the group that is seeking change, to focus it and to help with the creation of a new condition. The integral involvement of others, especially those who are involved and committed, is a ‘given’. The leader leverages the group; the group leverages the leader. Think of it this way for a moment. An Olympic-standard high jumper can clear seven feet, while the pole vault equivalent can exceed eighteen feet. Which is the better athlete? That’s an irrelevant question because they’re different sports. The pole vaulter has the leverage of a pole to propel him/her over the bar, so it’s not a fair comparison. Both are undoubtedly fine athletes – the techniques are different. Let’s focus on the outcome though. If the sole criterion is to clear the greatest height, then the pole vaulter strategy is superior. In sport this would not be accepted as a reasonable proposition, just focusing on height. Within business and similar organizations though, and in leadership particularly, the optimization of outcomes is far more relevant. We need leverage – tools that assist us to apply our strengths and competencies more effectively. In organizational life we need all the help available to optimize outcomes. It’s often our awareness of these leveraging tools that will help us to make that positive difference – placing us among the most successful. Leveraging is an implementation strategy. It doesn’t make up for shortfalls in proper perspectives or for a lack of thorough planning - including a sound appreciation of the situation. As leaders we must pay due regard to each of these underlying components. Proper perspectives demand that each leader has given full and balanced consideration to the basic beliefs, assumptions and values upon which personal leadership strategies and style are resting. The temptation is to focus on ‘doing’ – the actions and interactions that might apply. Leaders who can be trusted however focus elsewhere – on ‘being’ – possessing the characteristics and traits of leadership and applying them consistently. Thorough planning requires that there’s a sound appreciation of the situation, an empathic realization of issues, interests and consequences, and a fully integrated assembly of focus, stability and momentum. A comprehensive appreciation demands an open mind, due diligence and full validation of all assumptions. These are the principles of sound strategy without which the outcomes of any plan cannot be assured. So, where do we find these leveraging tools? Consider the following seven ideas and develop particular strategies that will bridge your strengths and competencies to the desired outcomes in the most effective and efficient ways. Knowledge, Skill and Experience Individual traits and characteristics can be combined into specific competencies, both in you and also in others. What makes each of us truly unique is the combining of singular traits in infinite patterns that adds a personal slant and advantage to our competencies. Deliberately grouping these distinctly individualistic competencies to create synergies is powerful. Benefits are multiplied many times over and wisdom is deepened in the process. This is a full integration of efforts and it is undisputed leverage. Specialization and Technology The precise cognitive abilities that each person develops, aided and abetted by the use of techniques as multipliers, helps us to focus our contributions in specific ways. Automation, organization, research, data mining and panning practices all will serve us well. We match and differentiate our abilities by placing them adjacent to those of others – much like a jigsaw puzzle or mosaic. This is combining of efforts and it’s also effective leverage. Mentoring and Coaching Both of these vital practices are based on arms-length interventions that stimulate and/or enhance the abilities of others. By the artful use of questions, summarizations, clarifications and affirmations, the application of competencies and strengths in another are amplified. This is leveraging through another, but it’s still leveraging. Time – a personal perspective The obvious place to start in this respect is to challenge what it is that one can stop, continue and/or start doing differently that would make a distinct difference. Other techniques include using parallelism (where efforts are combined to reduce the number of needed repetitions; to create efficiencies by smoothing or making seamless a multi-step task; and also by using sequencing and priority adjustments to good effect. Often, this requires proactive considerations, time out and planning, to provide the needed leveraging perspectives. Time – a community issue Work assignment and distribution, properly planned and implemented, is a strong leveraging tool. This is not delegation – using work experience as a competence or confidence building device – but this too can lead to longer-term leveraging benefits. Considerations in community time usage are a highly effective leadership tool made available through clear focusing, sound strategy development, managerial coaching, work sharing, reinforcement and seamless communication. This is leverage at its best. Information This is the ‘blood’ in the body corporate, but it has to flow for it to be useful. Hoarding or ‘pooling’ information is a questionable practice as is restricting its flow. Information works best when it is available ‘on demand’ exactly when it’s needed and in such quality and quantity that fits the application. As Jan Carlzon of SAS Airlines said, “Those without information cannot make decisions; those with information can’t help but make decisions” This too, is leverage. Morale Saving the best for last – we’ve all noted that people who feel good about themselves and also about the others with whom they work, produce better results, faster, more effectively and efficiently, and are far more resilient in the face of setbacks. Having the right people on the team, using shared objectives and standards and sharing common rewards for outcomes, all will help to squeeze every available opportunity for leverage. The role of the leader is to create an environment in which this is likely to occur, so to optimize leverage. In summation, we can find many different ways to leverage others just as the pole vaulter uses the pole to multiply personal effort. When leverage in any one or combination of its various forms is applied ethically and responsibly to one’s competencies and strengths, the outcomes can far out-perform the sum of individual inputs. Outcomes are optimized and success is enhanced in both qualitative and quantitative measures. It makes the investment more than worthwhile. A Note to our Readers . . . Previous series of articles on the topics of Tomorrow’s Leaders – a model for SME organizations The Leadership Crucible – the ‘making’ of leaders Leadership Characteristics – a comprehensive catalogue of leader qualities Succession Planning – the strategic argument, principles and strategies, and Managing Change – every person’s guide to painless processes have been summarized as discussion guides for those who lead and manage through mentoring and coaching. If you would like to secure a copy for your own use, please contact us. It is a pleasure to share ideas with you and we’d welcome your questions, suggestions and comments. They’ll assist us to refine and expand the essential value of these initiatives. Thanks in anticipation for your participation.
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	Timely Insights . . . What are the forces that challenge future leaders? According to the Conference Board’s 2002 study, relevant today still, are eight major influencers that demand our close attention. These are Globalization of markets Pressures of Hyper-competition Escalating Technologies Enforced Governance expectations Volatile Customer relations Changing organizational structures Emerging Employee expectations, and Shifting Workplace demographics Any one of these is sufficient to dominate and/or distort our planning efforts, but when we consider that each impacts upon all other factors, the challenges are daunting. What kind of number is 8 factorial anyway? The Critical Competencies Again, and staying with the Conference Board, successful leaders demonstrate certain specific competencies which can be defined and quantified. Some of these are familiar, even traditional, and have been both studied and well proven – including Cognitive (thinking) abilities in general Strategic thinking ability Analytical ability, and Decision making Now add to these competencies the following six attributes all of which can be determined and quantified as factors of Emotional Intelligence (EQ), namely Personal and organizational communication Influence and persuasion Managing Diversity Delegation and Risk management Identification / Attraction / Retention of talent, and Personal Adaptability / Resiliency Surely it’s no accident that there are six new competencies versus the four traditional ones. Organizational life has certainly become considerably more complex over the past ten years. How does one apply Competencies? There’s a simple six-step process for engaging the competencies needed for optimal organizational performance. While each one can be a significant process in itself, it’s useful to keep these basic steps in mind as we plan for success. Consider: Identify the ‘mission critical’ competencies through analysis of strategic intentions Select an EQ tool that’s appropriate to the selection and implementation of related goals Perform an analysis for domain overlaps of EQ and mission competencies Implement a statistically-based validity study within the structure to verify linkages Develop proper strategies for implementation (integrated operational planning), and finally Conduct ongoing evaluations to ensure process effectiveness. If this seems like a lot of work, it is! However, it needs to be done, for as was said in the old Fram Oil Filter commercial, “You can pay me now, or you can pay me later!” - invest in a new filter or rebuild your seized engine. Is this food for thought?
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Section 2	- Talk Back
	Coach's Corner . . . A selection of frequently-asked questions. Dear Coach: About a year ago I took on a new management role that I was very excited about. It makes great use of my knowledge and skills and I really enjoy the people that I work with on a day-to-day basis. It also means that I now work very closely with a new group of other managers – about eight of them – who for the most part have been welcoming and friendly. The problem is just one of them. She’s cold, distant and even downright unfriendly most of the time and I can’t think why. I’m no threat to her and I’ve done nothing to offend her that I can think of. Her friendship isn’t essential but it really bugs me that she acts this way. It’s now beginning to get to me and I’m wondering if things can ever get better and I’ll be able to relax and enjoy my work. Do you have any ideas? Response: This situation is clearly frustrating and perplexing and it should be resolved before it becomes habit behaviour – the fate of so many similar situations. While the issues are between the two of you, the initial part of the solution lies squarely with you alone. Let’s trace here the probable course of events for a typical interaction. You encounter her - let’s say at a general meeting. Your observation is that her body language is immediately unfriendly and you’ve done nothing to warrant this, in fact it appeared to occur the moment you caught sight of her and she of you. How would you respond? Likely you told yourself a story in that moment that would explain the event. “She doesn’t like me! She doesn’t trust me, perhaps I’m a problem for her?” or something similar. Your body language changes instantly, not because of what she has done but because of the story you’ve just told yourself. She observes your spontaneous response and tells herself or reinforces a similar story that conveniently justifies why she needed to be guarded about you in the first place (the original non-verbal cues that you’d noticed). So the relationship between you spirals downward. Break the cycle. Recognize that it’s the story you tell yourself that causes you to feel the way you do, not her behaviour. This means that you’re now free to interpret her behaviours in different ways. Many, if not most, of these ways will alleviate the situation by making encounters safer and more relaxing for both of you. So, here’s a plan for you to try. Firstly, be on guard against the stories you’ve already created which possibly could be based on false assumptions. Next, ask yourself what kind of relationship would you need or want to have with this person. Be authentic and realistic here - if it’s just a comfortable arms-length working relationship, say so. If it’s more than this, specify exactly what it would look and feel like. Ask yourself too, what benefits are available for her as well as for you if the situation can be resolved to mutual satisfaction. Be careful not to make a new set of assumptions here; you will need to confirm these benefits and to agree upon them, so look for the possible advantages on both sides. Now you’re ready for an honest discussion. For this, you’ll need to establish a climate that is safe for both of you. This means you must have ‘mastered your stories’ by this time – don’t bring ‘baggage’ into the discussion. Focus instead on the relationship, “Can we talk about how we’re working together? Would this be acceptable to you, and is now a good time?” Then state your case expressing your feelings and experiences. “It seems to me that when we’re together I feel a little uncomfortable. I have difficulty relaxing and I sense that I’m less than open and candid. Do you feel the same way or is it just me?” You may also want to declare the kind of relationship you’d like to have. “I’d very much like for us to be completely comfortable with one another, to be open and mutually confident. Would you want this too?” Now be entirely receptive. Strive to hear and understand what the other person is telling you, and without making judgments or being defensive. Above all, make no accusations or rationalizations – they won’t help. Be respectful and focus on mutual safety. Affirm your desire for a constructive, pleasant relationship for the future. As issues are disclosed, work them through. Agree on a plan of action that either one of you can monitor and adjust as you go forward – who does what and when. Then make it so! Good luck!
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	Commentary . . . Tracking Down Great Talent Among the most pressing issues in SMEs today is the search for, and retention of talented people for the organization’s leadership and management teams. Einstein said that one cannot use the same style of thinking to resolve a problem as that which led one into the problem in the first place. How true! Even if this is accepted as ‘common sense’ or as basic wisdom, it is still ignored in the face of recruiting and retention challenges. Show me a leader who is in the throes of acquiring a key person and, in many cases, I’ll show you a conservative, unimaginative, confused and defensive, reactive ‘non-risk’ taker. It simply doesn’t have to be this way. If we can change the way we look at the challenge / opportunity, we are capable of getting far better results. There are no ‘silver bullets’ for sure, but there are several liberating strategies that will pay off for most. Firstly, don’t wait until the specific need arises to begin recruiting – start now! Continuous recruiting processes will ensure that you’ve the right people in the right place and at the right time. Maintaining the interest of a candidate who is going to be right for you at some future point is no more difficult than wooing a prospective customer who’s not quite ready to buy. Promote your anticipated needs inside the organization. There are no better ambassadors than your current valued employees. They know, perhaps better than you do, with whom they’d like to travel into the future. Developing new talent from among current staff sends all the right messages about growth and development opportunities and can secure your present talent more effectively than most other initiatives. Develop an expansive referral network from among your employees, customers, suppliers, alliances and professional / business associations. Develop a brief summary of the kind of talent you seek and hand it out with your business card. Write letters of appreciation and enquiry to the authors of articles that relate to your business, and also to the instructors and teachers of relevant courses and seminars, enclosing the opportunities you can offer. Purchasing people can identify great salespeople, operations types can identify cost accounting talent,engineers know about product marketing specialists, and consultants work with and know everyone. If there’s no direct conflict of interest and no pressure applied, those currently engaged will happily identify the best among those they’ve encountered. Bench marking is a popular practice these days. Every process that draws attention was developed by someone who can advise on where to find good people. The ‘best’ associate with the best, respect one another and will gladly offer a helping hand for career advancement – if they’re aware of your needs. At Procter & Gamble, I learned another amazingly simple yet effective technique. The very best ambassadors for recruiting are those recently recruited. We asked last year’s recruits to handle the initial interviewing and screening of this year’s incoming graduates. We were highly successful in securing the cream of the crop. You can imagine how enthused and credible these ambassadors were. There are so many organizations that omit to sell themselves. Aligning advertising / PR initiatives with recruitment plans makes solid sense – it’s rarely done. Why not tell the world what a wonderful place you are for career opportunities? In so doing remember to identify the passions that drive your most successful staff members. A few live case histories will serve as compelling testimonials. Make sure though that you keep the ‘bs’ factor as low as possible. Technology can help you too. ‘Blogs’, chat rooms, list servers and web search techniques are all vital channels of communication for today’s incoming generation. This is where they spend their time and where they experience credible realities. Traditional market places are nowhere near as popular.As you surface interest do pay attention to good CRM (Candidate Relationship Management) tactics. First impressions do count but ongoing contact and communications are even more important when it comes to sustaining a good profile in the recruiting marketplace. Respond quickly, simply and actively. Make each person feel unique; keep them currently informed; avoid ritualistic, platitudinous rhetoric. It makes sense to fill the pipeline, engage everyone you respect, share the load as widely as possible, align your marketing strategies with your talent search and practice good relationship management. There, that wasn’t too painful, was it?
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	A Point of View . . . This section is a Guest Column. Those with different and interesting viewpoints are invited to state a case on a related topic. Articles are most welcome. WHAT IS YOUR MANAGEMENT STYLE? Black, White or shades of Grey? Wouldn’t life be easy if every decision was black or white, employees acted and responded as expected and there was continual harmony in the workplace – definitely easy but it likely wouldn’t provide much of a challenge to the HR team! Bill Gates said “Life isn’t fair – get over it!” This statement couldn’t be more accurate. It applies to our everyday lives. Effective leaders must thoroughly understand company culture, policies and procedures and have an understanding of how decisions affect the company as a whole. They must challenge the status quo, provide candid feedback to their team and learn from their mistakes. The role of a leader is a fine line, balancing the needs of the employee and the company. Tough decisions come with the territory and the challenge in making those not-so-popular decisions is never-ending. In my career I’ve seen far too many times where companies have great intentions of operating in a fair and consistent manner but that is not necessarily what happens. The challenge for the management team is to operate within these guidelines but understand when and where flexibility is required. Two big challenges come into play - and fortunately this is what keeps HR professionals employed. Managers make decisions without fully thinking through the impact on the organization as a whole; all their decisions are made in the grey spectrum! Think of the employee who asks for an extra week of vacation or flex time and their manager thinks “What’s the harm?” The harm would be the other 49 employees lined up outside my office asking for the same concession. The harm would be the morale issue it creates as it becomes the water cooler conversation of the week. Got to love grey! On the flip side, there is a danger with managers who take a black / white approach with absolutely no shades of grey. They manage ‘by the book’ with no exceptions! Think of a manager in negotiation with a potential employee - the position has been vacant for months, the employee is top in their field and brings 20 years of experience and the manager is not willing to bend - on vacation for example. Although this individual may negotiate more than the company standard and some employees may be upset, the alternative is starting the recruiting process over. Got to love black and white! So, next time you need to make a decision, remember black, white and grey – a healthy balance! Well, that’s my opinion anyway! Janet Balfour, HR Hamilton Port Authority
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Section 3	- On the Horizon
	Opportunities & Challenges . . . Gurteen’s 50 Lessons . . . May I welcome you to an exciting initiative from Gurteen Knowledge and Fifty Lessons? Each month Gurteen Knowledge offers a free video “Lesson of the Month” from Fifty Lessons. By sharing important business lessons on film, executives communicate in the most compelling method of all: one-to-one storytelling. Contributions are edited into short, powerful, highly engaging lessons that can be applied to decision-making across the entire range of business challenges. This month “It Takes Time” by John Stewart, Former Director, McKinsey & Company Try it – you’ll like it! http://gurteen.50lessons.com Summer’s almost over . . . In the interests of maximizing our exposure to the great outdoors, we are passing on our usual article in this column. Please watch for fresh new thinking in next month’s edition of Polaris Digest.
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	Your Development How well are you doing with your personal development? Will you be ready for the opportunities and challenges that tomorrow will undoubtedly bring? Would you like some help with professional / objective assessment? ongoing self development? personal, one-on-one coaching We have a talent for bringing out the very best in people. We help them to focus, to build self and general confidence based on committed results and we contribute to competence and resiliency. We are Polaris – the finest self-navigation program for emerging leaders / managers. You can reach us at info@polarisprogram.com or by calling (519) 766-1178 anytime. Perhaps Polaris would be the right program for you? We’d welcome the opportunity to demonstrate this powerful program and to contribute to the strengthening of your profile and/or management team. Please contact us for details.
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	Reach Out! Harness the power of a sparkling new thought every week. By subscribing to our "Reach Out" service you'll receive a short, high impact, motivating and often provocative quotation every Tuesday morning. It will lend focus to your week, stimulation for your thinking, insights into your whole life and perhaps even solace for your soul. Best of all, it's free! Take a moment for yourself and make room for a little refreshment. http://www.reachoutdirectory.com
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Section 4	- Secure Site
	A New Polaris Program . . . will begin on September 27th/28th, 2006. There are a very few openings for this leading-edge personal development program which is winning plaudits across the board. Please call us for details of qualifications required and registration processes. Polaris participants are invited to use their assigned usernames and passwords to access the extended curriculum and knowledge base at http://www.polarisprogram.com/members.php Review Sessions . . . Polaris program participants are invited to review the modules for Work Out 4 Personal Organization – Vision, Purpose & Values Influencing Others – Group Dynamics Focusing Principles – Management Beliefs & Strategies Work Out 11 Implementation – Reinforcement & Learning Building Relationships – Trust & Confidence Building Relationships – Consensus & Synergies Preparatory assignments . . . Work Out 5 (September 13th) - preparatory materials are on the web site and will also be sent by e-mail very shortly. The agenda for this session will comprise: Personal Organization - Focusing Resources Obstacles & Setbacks – Assertiveness and Conflict Management Integrity & Ethics – Codes and Transparency Work Out 11 (September 7th) - is available on the web site and may be accessed now. An e-mail reminder will be sent to all participants. Our topics will be: Implementation – Reinforcement and Learning II Building Relationships – Mentoring and Coaching Beyond Self – Positive Organizational Culture Please set time aside for your preparatory work, and call your coach with any questions and comments. Use your RED time well!
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	Be kind to yourself - and to someone else!
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