September 2008
The developmental digest for emerging leader/managers devoted to growth and excellence
CONTENTS:	Section 1 - Topical Topics   - Engaging Leadership...   - Timely Insights Section 2 - Talk Back   - Dear Coach   - Commentary   - A Point of View Section 3 - On the Horizon   - The Positive Workplace   - Opportunities and Challenges   - Reach Out Section 4 - Secure Site
Section 1	- Topical Topics
	Engaging Leadership... A good deal of time and attention has been, and continues to be, invested in seeking the fullest levels of commitment and productivity among organization members. Many if not most businesses have realized that such engagement is the true path to profitability – not to mention survival. We can all agree that full employee engagement has to be a good thing for all concerned but how, as a leader, do you make it happen? I was inspired by a recent Towers Perrin presentation to structure and offer the following for your consideration. I’d be most interested in your thoughts and suggestions to expand this dialogue. We’ve come off the tracks . . . You’d think that with all the great and inspiring stories about leadership throughout history we’d be pretty adept by now at making it work. Good leaders abound and bad leaders are innumerable. Comparing and contrasting the different types and styles, we should be able to define quite clearly what works, and what doesn’t! We can’t! Simply stated, we haven’t a clue. We’ve a better idea on how to be a good person, although many of us still struggle in making that work consistently. We have some fairly compelling and consistent rules for success – and there’s a multi-million dollar industry built to encourage its implementation. A few can actually make this work to advantage. Management is a relatively new science and there are copious opportunities out there to practice it diligently. Management coaching is the ‘in’ thing and our business schools have no shortage of applicants. Notwithstanding, we are still somewhat less adept at defining, specifying and measuring success among management practitioners. When it comes to leadership though, we’re still wrestling with the age-old question as to whether leaders are born or made, with passionate advocates on both sides. It would appear that we do not yet have even so much as a standard definition of what a leader is, so developing the right leaders for any situation is problematic. Yet we are escalating the rate of change. All around us there’s a great multitude of people as well as organizations who are beset with change – both incremental and traumatic – all screaming out for leadership. From families through social organizations and communities to whole nations, we are suffering a substantial shortage of leadership talent. The demand outstrips the supply and there’s no relief in sight. Why have we not kept abreast of the need? Why are our experiences so turbulent and unsatisfying? The need for clarity . . . At the Towers Perrin presentation I mentioned above, the intention was to present the findings of a recent extensive survey of best engagement practices in leadership performance. Between the presenters and the senior-level audience the term ‘leadership’ was used extensively and in pivotal ways. The problem for me was the lack of rigor, and especially consistency, in its application. It was employed in four separate and even contradictory ways in the material and the resultant questions and comments from the audience generated at least three more variations on a theme. The term ‘leaders’ was used to depict top organizational executives, those who are responsible for the development and setting of policy. Then leaders were described as ‘all those who influence change regardless of hierarchical position or status’. Later, the term was used in a qualitative sense – those who have earned the recognition of others as ‘constructive’ influencers of change; and then again as those who disrupt the status quo the ‘unreasonable’ people who instigate change by being contrarians. If we are not able to agree on terminology then finding consensus in opinion, strategy and intention is going to be difficult. So, let’s see if a common definition is possible. Starting with change (for without change there’s arguably no need for leadership) the role of the leader is to focus that change in a consensual way. The power arises from those who would follow and the leader builds a series of unifying visions around the emotional charge that generates the desire – this is focusing. This isn’t enough, though. We need action, coordinated and sufficient to create a sustainable, positive new condition and the leader is expected to facilitate this emergence. So, a leader is one who focuses the desire for change resident in others and who then facilitates the creation of a sustainable new reality. It seems to me that leadership, at least in this definition has little or nothing to do with hierarchy, policy or even influence. Effective leaders are simply catalysts and may not even be noticed let alone recognized, and while they are hopefully constructive, they’re far from disruptive. It’s all about you - both of you . . . Leaders are primarily involved in engaging others, in bringing the energies of others to a common point (the focus) and thereby developing or facilitating a critical mass for action and adaptation. This is their job! They need to tune into others’ desires, to reach out to assist the design and development of a personal vision of what could be, then to take action on those visions, to invest time and effort, to overcome resistance and challenges along the way and ultimately to achieve a new reality. The leader is truly focused on the experiences of others past, present and future, in order to bring each follower to a new place. There’s an alliance here, wherein both the leader and the follower need to be fully engaged – or nothing will transpire for there is no leadership. You cannot have a leader without a follower or a follower without a leader, they’re a necessary duality. The bond is initiated by combining passion with focus and it’s sustained by meaningful action. This action has a number of ‘faces’ or different types of expression, all necessary to stimulate and pursue the mutually desired outcome. These faces or behaviors could include sponsoring, communicating, role modelling, collaborating, mentoring/coaching, developing, recognizing and rewarding, among others. I would argue that all faces / behaviors are needed at some point in an ongoing leader/follower relationship and that complex situations demand dexterous switching or adaptation ‘on the run’. To assist with the identification and practice of such faces you’ll find a schematic which includes typical illustrative behaviors for each face attached to this article. Putting it to work . . . Among the first steps in a leadership intervention is the concept of sponsoring. This means that a trust bond, centered on a cause that has shared or mutual value, is established. Leadership is offered and, if accepted, begins to stimulate a vision for each person involved that is powerful enough to generate future action. Personal confidence is a major component and has the power of veto. Communicating is logically the contiguous step. An exchange of meaning is required to shape visions into action plans and supporting commitment levels. Here again, continuing confidence is required as well as rational agreement. It’s essential that the intellectual component of agreement be matched by a positive emotional alliance if the action is to be effective; sometimes emotion alone can carry the day and rational understanding follows later. The supporting mechanism for all this action, often risky, is the clarity and confidence that emerges from proper role modelling. Leaders must, above all, be credible and authentic. It’s true that confidence can be secured on less-than-honest terms but not for long. As Lincoln stated, “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time. Once real people are engaged with one another in the pursuit of a common objective, you have collaboration. For an open, continuous and seamless process to be sustained there needs to be spontaneous enablement, mutual trust and a measure of resilience. Within a given mandate, each would allow other(s) to contribute without judgment or restraint, suspending assumptions and reservations and acting upon faith alone in some instances. In implementing the required change there could be many contingent decisions on what has to be done and how it is to be done. Mentoring and Coaching are the relevant tools and serve as a very useful base for building even closer leader / follower relationships. A realistic, intelligent appreciation and acceptance of risk is made easier wherever there is a progressive, trust-based relationship. This naturally leads to the growth and development of those so engaged. In many cases, it isn’t necessary for the attempted change to be fully realized, but yet there’s a residual and enduring benefit that arises from the leadership experience. Individuals are stretched beyond their original perspectives, more self-aware and feel more competent and confident as a result of the relationship. Recognition can be the cement that holds the leadership construction together. This is an appreciation of the specific contributions and potentials of individual, perhaps even more so than collective, achievement involved. There’s something very primitive in our need to master the world around us, and effective leaders are continuously conscious of this. Small gestures and accomplishments go far in reinforcing individual efforts and commitment. Lastly, there’s the matter of reward. We all want to prevail, to be successful, to win and to gain the spoils of victory. The outcomes need to be tangible, enduring and have universal value; substantial, if symbolic evidence that veni, vedi, vici - ‘I came, I saw, I conquered’. The two components are ‘differentiation’ and ‘significance’ – separating the event from those of lesser impact and also sufficient to make a real difference in the grand scheme of things. The bottom line . . . For those who would offer leadership of a quality that will really engage others, the course is clear – a multi-faceted intervention that is truly meaningful for all participants. Change can be achieved with lower investments and at lower cost but the impact will be markedly reduced. Only those who are prepared to give all they have in the service of the mutual cause can expect the commitment and satisfaction that comes from leading a fully engaged team. There are no shortcuts. The one-on-one relationship is the essential foundation throughout the leadership experience and pivotal to the ownership of input and outcomes. A leader who neglects the essential behaviors that will initiate and sustain effective, sustainable, trust-based and resilient relationships cannot prevail. (S)He may never know the joy of leading a fully engaged and committed team. How sad! I'd welcome your questions, comments and suggestions. We can all learn through dialogue and your experiences will undoubtedly gain more value when shared. Please contact me at david@andros.org. 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 refine and expand the essential value of these initiatives. Thanks in anticipation for your participation.
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	Timely Insights . . . P&G’s Innovation Culture by A.G. Lafley, with an introduction by Ram Charan In his recent book the CEO of Procter & Gamble explains how his company built a world-class organic growth engine by investing in people. He and noted author Charan show how to make innovation part of your company’s daily routine. Going beyond their book, The Game-Changer, they explore the role of social systems in turning new ideas into commercial success. Read the full analysis at www.strategy-business.com   enews is an exclusive platform for business analysis, insights, commentary, and other intellectual capital from the authors, strategists, and editors at strategy+business. The Secret to Success -- by Daniel Goleman New research says social-emotional learning helps students in every way. Schools are beginning to offer an increasing number of courses in social and emotional intelligence, teaching students how to better understand their own emotions and the emotions of others. It sounds warm and fuzzy, but it's a trend backed up by hard data. Today, new studies reveal that teaching kids to be emotionally and socially competent boosts their academic achievement. More precisely, when schools offer students programs in social and emotional learning, their achievement scores gain around 11 percentage points. That's what I heard at a forum held last December by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). (Disclosure: I'm a co-founder of CASEL.) Roger Weissberg, the organization's director, gave a preview of a massive study run by researchers at Loyola University and the University of Illinois, which analyzed evaluations of more than 233,000 students across the country. Social-emotional learning, they discovered, helps students in every way. For more on this topic, go to http://www.sharpbrains.com/ A Dog's Purpose - a 6-year-old’s perspective Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.  I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family I could do nothing for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.  As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.  The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.  The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, 'I know why.' Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.  He said, 'People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?' The six-year-old continued, 'Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.'
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Section 2	- Talk Back
	Coach's Corner . . . A selection from frequently–asked questions Dear Coach, I’m a female manager in a medium-sized corporation who has recently been given responsibility for supervising several junior managers, three of whom are male and three are female. The reaction and responses I get from the two groups are very different and I need to know how to proceed. Are there really fundamental differences between men and women which affect the way they work – as individuals and through others? Response: My compliments on your thoughtfulness; and yes, there certainly are. Men and women are equal but different in very profound ways. This diversity has highly beneficial consequences for insightful leaders and managers. Intelligent persons tend to relate to others as individuals primarily (rather than as gender groups) but they also recognize and respond to three singular differences in the way that gender can and will impact people in general and especially in the workplace. Differences between women and men are profound, for instance: There are major differences in particular brain structures. As examples, the hippocampus, which is a significant memory center, is used differently; women have been proven more adept at remembering specific and minute details of interactions and events. The amygdala – a center for perception – is larger in men and it drives the limbic or response system ‘downward’ into the body for a physical response versus ‘upwards’ in women which results in verbal outcomes - thus men, when angry, tend to be physically expressive whereas women tend to be more verbally expressive. Blood flows follow different patterns. In women there’s more activity generated in the parts of the brain that use words, memories, emotions, and sensory cues. In the male brain the heightened activity areas are focused on physical and kinaesthetic intelligence, spatial mechanics and abstraction. When men are at rest, upwards of seventy percent of the brain’s activity ceases while only ten percent of a female brain closes down. Women are constantly receiving and analyzing cues whereas men are much more focused on particular signals such threats and related tactical action. There are differences in brain chemistry. Men and women secrete chemical ‘enablers’ in quite different ways and this has a profound effect on how leadership and relationships are handled. Males generate more testosterone and vasopressin which are related to aggression and territorial control. Females secrete estrogen, progesterone, serotonin and oxytocin, the latter two being calming and bonding agents. Men feel compelled to define and delineate outcomes while women will emphasize process and relationships. Obviously, there is much greater complexity than is outlined here and my examples are simply illustrative. Also most individuals will likely be biased either to male or female characteristics but there are a very substantial number who demonstrate both genders in their behaviors – the so-called ‘bridge brains’. Management and leadership are behaviourally based, and behavior is driven by perception yet still open to choice. The key is in awareness. Since we normally govern our own behaviors we must be sufficiently aware to monitor and regulate just how we express ourselves. It’s important to be alert to personal differences, many of which are keyed to gender differences, while others are learned responses to contextual cues. When we’re in meetings, for instance, we know that we can be stressed; this is when the level of cortisol will rise in our bloodstream. The general female response to this event is to manage stressors by ‘tending and befriending’ while the male response is more likely to assert, interrupt, mark territory, take risks and pursue the objective.  Similarly, in negotiation, there’re times when we need to take an aggressive approach and others when we’d benefit from a more placatory or relational style. Good ‘gender balance’ enhances success. In the simple act of communication we recognize that women tend to use more words whereas men often become impatient when a perceived word ‘limit’ has been exceeded. And, women are more self critical, especially in the course of building rapport with others, while men are more prone to criticize others in a relative way. Men are goal and success focused, more so than most women, and they can be highly expressive to this end, while women will attempt to build processes and relationships at the same time as achieving outcomes. Men will often posture and assert their own accomplishments to a greater degree than women who tend to be self-deprecating; especially if this will help another person feel good about him/herself. Also, visual cues are clearly different in that women smile more when listening and men frown and/or squint as they concentrate. Women generally use less physical space when communicating (more restrained gestures and body posturing). As you’ve likely noticed too, men will assume that their own relational cues and emotions are being received and understood while, at the same time ignoring those of others.  It’s a wonder we have co-existed on this planet for so long without a gender war - but this might be due to women’s patience! The bottom line is ‘expect people to be different on the basis of gender’. There are many other reasons for people to be different too and so, while we should be alert to the male/female differences, we need to take into account all other forms of diversity. In diversity though, is great strength. All we have to do is to remain aware and to employ it constructively. I hope this helps.
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	Commentary . . . The Best Coaching You Will Ever Get - by Marshall Goldsmith You are now about to receive the best coaching advice that you will ever get in this—or perhaps any other—lifetime! You are about to receive advice from a very wise old person. Listen very carefully to what this wise old person says.   First, take a deep breath. Take a deeper breath. Now, imagine that you are 95 years old and you are just about to die. Here comes your last breath. But before you take your last breath, you are being given a wonderful, beautiful gift: the ability to travel back in time and talk with the person who is reading this column. The 95-year-old you has been given the chance to help the ‘you of today’ to have a great career and, much more important, to have a great life. Figure Out What Counts The 95-year-old you knows what was really important and what wasn't; what really mattered and what didn't; what really counted and what didn't count at all. What advice does the wise "old you" have for the ‘you’ reading this column? Take your time. Jot down the answers on two levels: personal advice and professional advice. And once you have written down these words, take them to heart. In the world of performance appraisals, this may well be the one that matters most. At the end of life, if the old ‘you’ thinks that you did the right thing, you probably did. If the old ‘you’ thinks that you screwed up, you probably did. At the end of life, you don't have to impress anyone else—just that person you see in the mirror. A friend of mine actually had the opportunity to talk with old people who were facing death and to ask them what advice they would have had for themselves. Their answers were filled with wisdom. One recurring theme was to take the time to reflect on life and find happiness and meaning now. A frequent comment from old people runs along the lines of: "I got so wrapped up in looking at what I didn't have that I missed what I did have. I had almost everything. I wish I had taken more time to appreciate it."   Look to the Present The great Western disease of "I will be happy when…" is sweeping the world (see BusinessWeek.com, 3/21/07, "Dogged by a Daydream"). You know the symptoms. You start thinking: I will be happy when I get that…BMW…that promotion…that status…that money. The only way to cure the disease is to find happiness and meaning now. A second theme from old folks was friends and family. You may work for a wonderful company and believe that your contribution is very important. But when you are 95 and you look around your death bed, very few of your fellow employees will be waving goodbye! Your friends and family will probably be the only people who care. Don't get so lost in pleasing the people who don't care that you neglect the people who do. Give It a Try! Another recurring theme was to follow your dreams. Older people who tried to achieve their dreams were happier with their lives. None of us will ever achieve all of our dreams. If we do, we will just make up new ones! If we go for it, we can at least say at the end, "I tried!" instead of, "Why didn't I at least try?" In conducting research for one of my books, my co-author and I interviewed more than 200 high-potential leaders from around the world. A key question that we asked was: "If you stay in this company, why are you going to stay?" The top three answers: "I am finding meaning and happiness now. The work is exciting, and I love what I am doing." "I like the people here. They are my friends. This feels like a team—like a family. I might make more money if I left, but I don't want to leave the people here." "I can follow my dreams. This organization is giving me the chance to grow and do what I really want to do in life." When my friend asked people who were on their death beds what really mattered in life, and when I asked young, high-potential leaders what really mattered at work, we heard about the same thing. If you want to make a new beginning in life—look ahead to the end. Then decide what to do. Originally published in Business Week Marshall Goldsmith is a world authority in helping successful leaders achieve positive, measurable change in behavior: for themselves, their people and their teams.  His latest book, What Got You Here Won't Get You There, won the Harold Longman Award for best business book of 2007.  Marshall invites you to visit his library (MarshallGoldsmithLibrary.com) for articles and resources you can use.
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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. I was flobberchosted! Did that get your attention? It certainly got mine the first time I heard the expression! It’s like the expression “Gob-smacked” – it has no legitimate definition and you won’t find it most dictionaries and yet it conveys a wealth of meaning. Another example I encountered recently was totally “betwizzled” which conveyed to me a state of extreme bewilderment. I didn’t need to ask for a definition because I knew intuitively and exactly what the speaker was intending. It was like being ‘bedazzled’ - only less pleasant! We can have a lot of fun with words such as these and I suspect the reason is because they connect at both rational and. at the same time, emotional levels. I don’t know why but, for me, they focus my attention, diminish tension, signal a directional change, and contribute to bonding and all at the same time. When others use them on me I tend to refocus my attitudes towards and assumptions about that person. My initial response is amusement (centered on the expression) and this often makes personal reappraisals easier. When I find myself using them spontaneously in a conversation, I’ll ask myself why I’m choosing to do that and the answer is often quite self-revealing. Also, it’s much easier for me to tell someone they’re ‘bodacious’ than to attempt to relay the sense through a complex sentence or two or three. This one you will find in a good dictionary but not in general use – it means a combination of bold and audacious or noteworthy. More importantly, ‘bodacious’ will grab their attention and focus much more effectively than any convoluted explanation could. They’re all ‘trigger words’ and they serve a very useful purpose – to get me out of the ‘ruts’ in my communications and relationships. Let’s face it - we all get into habits with our communication and we could profit from a change of pace every now and again. So let’s collect, create, exchange and apply the occasional nonsense word to add a little spice to our conversations. Who knows, you might just be seen as eloquacious! Well that’s the way I see it anyway. Sandy ‘Wordsmith’
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Section 3	- On the Horizon
	The Positive Workplace The Positive Workplace – Who are you?  And what the heck are you doing to your self? – and to others! I’ve been in a hurry ALL day long – yet it’s only noon.  And I’m exhausted! Have you ever noticed how . . . Just three days after a long weekend, we often find ourselves fraught, frazzled and frustrated? We try to manage time....when we know there will only ever be 60 minutes in the hour. We make ‘to-do’ lists...only to do other things,  and then write those up and cross them off  just so that we can have a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. We so rarely learn from our mistakes.  Be honest, how many times have you done something over in exactly the same way you did it the first time? We focus more on the negative than the positive – in both our life and our work. Could it be that mind-less-ness and the language we use are major determinants of how we see the world and what we accomplish – or don’t? Surely we’d be smarter to . . . Be more realistic in our expectations; and when we have a four-day work week, plan accordingly; and consider where and how we might leverage the vitality we’ve gained over the long weekend Make time by taking our time – so we don’t have to do stuff over or in a sub-standard way Appreciate that it is our energy that is not limitless; so we’d be better off managing it, rather than time Both give ourselves permission ‘not to do’ – and permission to think, reflect, consider what is, and to imagine what might be Take time, make time to reflect and consider . . . What, specifically, were we trying to achieve? What and how did we do what we thought necessary to achieve our objective (our behaviours being more important than the steps themselves)? What are the consequences of those actions....not just the mistakes, the failures, but also the positive – the things that went well and any positive outcomes in general. Think ‘big picture’? Focus on what is possible and consciously savour all that is working and going well.  Remember we live in a ‘both / and’ world, where, in our western world, most of us get to take the smooth, with the very smooth. We need to acknowledge that while We are hard wired to look for that which threatens us We have been trained to look for problems to solve That we are more often ‘noticed’ when things go wrong – especially if we subsequently  resolve the issue That business prefers the defensive pessimist to the cock-eyed optimist; these factors need not define who we are and what do. I know I have – how about you? Until next time, Be well, be strong, do good! Amanda http://www.positiveworkplace.com
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	Opportunities & Challenges . . . 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. This leading-edge personal development program is winning plaudits across the board. Please contact us for details of qualifications required and registration processes - info@polarisprogram.com or  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.   Go to http://www.reachoutdirectory.com
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Section 4	- Secure Site
	Polaris Participants. . . Accessing the Essential Information Bank... 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 Any person who has participated in the Polaris Program at any time is invited and encouraged to attend any Work Out at any time and without fee. Please contact Sheila to advise her of your intention to attend.
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	Be kind to yourself - and to someone else!
	Stay well, live long and prosper. David Huggins and Amanda Levy Andros Consultants Limited http://www.andros.org Helping individuals and organizations be their best http://www.ebooks4business.ca Distinctive business books for the discerning mind http://www.polarisprogram.com Realizing tomorrow's potential - today! Shameless Marketing Tip: With close to thirty years of experience in identifying and resolving professional and business issues, we've developed a wealth of expertise that could benefit you. An exploratory consultation carries no obligation. Let's talk! Contact us at info@andros.org
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