In the beginning….Setting Priorities (I)

A friend and colleague, Mike S, recently wrote to me, “I enjoy reading your thoughts on leadership and know you have dealt in the past with how a leader sets an example, acts and lives, but I was wondering if you have considered the topic I will call ‘how a leader starts’. This topic intrigues me because I am about to start something new and the timing is appropriate.”

I am starting a new role as well so this is a great moment to explore the subject of ‘In the beginning’. In a series of posts I will outline some of my thoughts as I start this new role. If you follow this blog you know I took a time out for Bill Taylor a couple of weeks ago. Before my eulogy for Bill, the previous blog was titled “Ask Questions”; I will pick back up here with “Setting Priorities”. This will be the first of several posts on this topic.

How many business books have you seen with a sub-title, “How to do everything all at once”? None; in fact usually we read statements like this from Peter Drucker, “Do first things first, and second things not at all.” I have long considered strategy to be more about what you decide NOT to do, rather than what you decide TO do. We all know we should focus, we all know we should be Setting Priorities, but how should we go about doing it?

In photography, a filter is a camera accessory that is inserted in the optical path. Filters allow added control for the photographer of the images being produced. Sometimes they are used to make only subtle changes to images; other times the image would simply not be possible without them. Likewise, we have a filter as we begin Setting Priorities. Like the photographer, our filter sits in our field of vision and controls our image of the future. Sometimes our filter makes subtle changes to the future and sometimes our view of the future simply would not exist without our filter. The filter we choose to put in our field of vision is critical. In general, I have seen two very different types of filters; serve or be served.

Serve or be served relates to the overall posture you or your organization will maintain. Serve or be served defines your frame of mind which affects all your thoughts and behavior. As I hire managers, the first thing I look at is their posture related to their people. Does this person arrive at work and think, “What will my people do for me today?” Or do they arrive at work and think, “What will I do for my people today?” The same can be said of an organization; does it exist to serve or be served? Long term the posture that succeeds is the “serve” posture.

Therefore, the first step in Setting Priorities is to place a “serve” filter in your field of vision. How is that done? Recently I got my management team together as part of “Setting Priorities” and asked them to identify our constituents; essentially I asked them, who do we serve? They identified four key constituents; employees, customers, partners and investors. Then we went through a process to identify how these constituents see us today and how they will see us in the future if we do a great job of serving them. Here is the output of that session:

• For employees we want them to have a stock that is valuable, we want them to attain their bonus targets and feel engaged and part of the success of the sales organization.
• For customers we want them to say we understand and transform their business, they have a great buying experience, we provide great solutions to their challenges and they are enthusiastic about being references.
• For partners we want them to grow their business, be self-sufficient in driving sales and build successful marketing automation practices.
• For investors we want them to say we are accurate in our forecasts, we perform consistently, we are growing faster than the market and we are the clear market leader.

We now have our filter in place. Our view of the future is seen through that filter. Everything we do next in “Setting Priorities” will be shaped by a future state thought process surrounding those we serve.

“No wind favors him who has no destined port.” - Michel de Montaigne French Philosopher and Writer, 1533-1592

In the beginning…Listen

At the end of the series titled Joshua’s lessons on leadership, I asked for input on topics. A friend and colleague, Mike S, wrote me this in response, “I enjoy reading your thoughts on leadership and know you have dealt in the past with how a leader sets an example, acts and lives, but I was wondering if you have considered the topic I will call ‘how a leader starts’.  This topic intrigues me because I am about to start something new and the timing is appropriate.”

Mike S, your timing is impeccable. I am starting a new role as well so this is a great moment to explore the subject of ‘In the beginning’. In a series of posts I will outline some of my thoughts as I start this new role including what is effective and what is a dud. Mike thanks for the idea – this series may turn out different than you thought, but let’s go on a journey together. I hope others contribute; you all have plenty to share about your own individual ‘In the beginning’ experiences.

Napoleon said, “Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in.” When you start a new role folks around you expect immediate action. Chaos will reign. There is new terminology to learn, decisions are waiting for you, people will use your arrival to advance their agenda, meetings to go to, trips to take, people to meet and all sorts of pop-up crises. Breathe deep and know that ‘In the beginning’ is a rare moment when you are most in control of your calendar. Heed Napoleon’s advice and take time to deliberate. In amongst the cacophony you must answer four simple questions:

What needs to be done? How will it get done? Who will get it done? When will we know it is getting done? With these questions answered you will be far more effective at ‘go in’.

Your most potent tool to discover the answer to these questions is the art and skill of effective listening. If I do a Google search on ‘effective listening’ I get 1,940,000 responses. Cleary a popular subject, yet not one I can cover completely in a blog post. However, I would like to share a few lessons taught to me by my friend and mentor, Margreet van de Griend, senior partner at the consulting firm Axialent (www.axialent.com).

Margreet counsels us to think about interpersonal interactions in the context of a 2x2 matrix where the vertical axis is level of advocacy (low to high) and the horizontal axis is level of inquiry (low to high). This provides four different modes:

1. Low advocacy/low inquiry – observing
2. High advocacy/low inquiry – asserting
3. Low advocacy/high inquiry – listening
4. High advocacy/high inquiry – influencing

In order for us to take advantage of Margreet’s framework, we have to exercise effective advocacy and inquiry skills. Effective advocacy requires that we clarify our intentions, remain centered, express ourselves, support the expression of others and persist with our perspective through the objections of others.

Effective inquiry requires that we park our agenda, attend to the other person through body language, amplify their ideas through encouragement and clarifying questions and reflect the other person through effective summarizing and paraphrasing.

In addition to learning, practicing and implementing these skills we have to determine which mode to operate in given the situation. It should be a purposeful decision to be observing, vs. asserting vs. listening vs. influencing. Think back to the key questions we need to answer; what, who and how. Can we get these questions answered by merely observing? If we spend our time asserting our position, can we discover what we need to know? The answer to both questions is a resounding ‘no’. We need to be either in an influencing or a listening mode. Both call for a high level of inquiry.

Look back at the list of skills under inquiry. If we could pick only one to execute it would be ‘park your agenda’. Here is a challenge. Pay attention to the next five conversations you have. Notice how often during the conversation you are timing the other person; trying to determine when they are going to take a breath and formulating your point or counterpoint to whatever they are saying. If you are like me, the only way for someone to finish a thought sometimes is for them to never breathe. I find myself waiting to pounce on any moment of silence. When that is happening, I am not truly listening. Park your agenda; it is likely the most important action we can take to improve our ability to listen and influence.

In the beginning we are likely more objective than at any point in our tenure. We probably have more control over our time than we will ever have. Objectivity and time are critical ingredients for effective deliberation. There will be a moment to ‘go in’. Take a moment now to deliberate, discover, inquire and park your agenda.

In the beginning…Listen

Joshua's lessons on leadership - Results Matter

In a series of posts, I want to discuss what we can learn about leadership from Joshua ben Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, which would become known as the most militaristic of the tribes of Israel through Joshua's campaigns.  If this is the first post in the series you have read please do a quick review of the 30 March, 2009 blog titled  “Joshua's lessons on leadership - Intro”; that post highlights why I am looking into Joshua’s life.

In the last entry, I discussed the importance of “Inner Strength”.  In this post, Joshua shows us “Results Matter”.

Winston Churchill said, “However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.”  Results matter and for the leader, the ability to demonstrate results is a force multiplier.  People trust a leader that gets it done.  Joshua illuminates this principal during one of the more famous stories in his life - the Battle at Jericho.

Ancient Jericho is located at Tell es-Sultan, next to an abundant spring on the western edge of the Jordan Valley, just north of the Dead Sea. The site’s water supply and climate have made it a desirable place to live from the very beginning of settled habitation. A Neolithic settlement at the site goes back to about 8000 BC, making Jericho the world’s oldest city.

The site is strategically located. From Jericho you have access to the heartland of Canaan.  Any military force attempting to penetrate the central hill country from the east would first have to capture Jericho.  Therefore, Joshua must conquer and hold Jericho for the tribes of Israel to move into their new home. 

Joshua comes into the battle with a great track record.  Recall from the post on 13 April that he lead an important victory early in his career.  Then he was picked by the legendary leader of the tribes to bring the wandering population into their new homes.  He had also just led important victories against the King of Heshbon and the King of Bashan; these two cities lay just east of the Jordan river and their capture allowed the tribes to have a protected launching point for crossing into their desired homeland. Finally, right before the battle, he led the people to cross the Jordan River during a time of year when it should have been at flood stage, yet all got across safely. 

Joshua would need this track record because he asked his army to do something unexpected.  Joshua had in inspiration of how the Battle of Jericho would be fought.  “We will march around the city once with all the armed men and do this for six days.  Then on the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in."

Let me put this in perspective.  The Siege of Antioch took place during the First Crusade from October 21, 1097, to June 2, 1098.  During those eight months battle engines were created, raised up against the walls and destroyed, hundreds of sorties were attempted; the crusaders were under continuous surprise attack.  In the winter months, they ran out of food and ate bark, drank the blood of their animals, suffered disease and famine.  In general, a siege of a walled city was really hard work and it lasted a long time with intense suffering on both the besieged and the attackers.

So I can only imagine the reaction of Joshua’s generals when he laid out his plan, “Guys, you will not have to fight and the siege will only last seven days – seriously”.  The generals look at Joshua and then look up at the walls of Jericho.

An earthen barricade surrounded Jericho with a stone retaining wall at its base. The retaining wall was 12–15 feet high. On top of that was a wall six feet thick and about 20–26 feet high. At the crest of the barricade was a similar wall whose base was roughly 46 feet above the ground level outside the retaining wall. This is what loomed high above the Israelites as they marched around the city each day for seven days. Humanly speaking, it was impossible for the Israelites to penetrate the impregnable stronghold of Jericho.

They looked back at Joshua, “Seriously guys, I am just saying that if we do this and then blow a horn and shout the walls will come down”.  Without a track record of results, I imagine Joshua’s generals looking at each other and raising their eyebrows.  Maybe one or two who are complete sycophants say, “Yes!! That is a great plan”.  Then the rest grumble to each other, “OK, the river is one thing, but shout at the walls and they fall down?  Let’s humor poor Joshua for seven days and then we can build our real siege plan”

Yet, the army followed his command; they were following a man who had delivered increasingly difficult results.  For six days marching and not attacking or even threatening the city probably lulled the defenders.  A change in pattern on the seventh day should have alerted the defenders. The silent marchers appeared as before, but this time marched around the city seven times. This completed, they turned toward the walls and the priests leading the column each blew a ram's horn and the multitude shouted. At this, the walls fell.   This created an easy slope up the earthen embankment between the inner and outer city walls, allowing the army easy access to an impenetrable city.  No description is given of resistance, only of results, “every man charged straight in, and they took the city and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it”

Joshua had an inspiration and asked his army to follow.  Without a track record of results would they have followed the plan he outlined?  Maybe or maybe not.  However it was far easier for them to follow with confidence and energy knowing their leader usually got it done.  Results matter - not just for the mission today, but also for the mission tomorrow.

Passion Part II - Vision

In the previous post, I wrote of passion as a force multiplier in an organization and the creation of passion through individuals who know their role, are convinced their role matters and see the good of their work.  I argued that leaders must focus on five elements to create this level of passion; vision, culture, principles, style and sacrifice.  In this post, I will discuss vision.

Proverbs 29:18 says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish".  People are wired to pursue something larger than themselves.  It is in their microcode.  History is created by humans pursuing extraordinary achievements with passion spurred on by vision.  Two of the most indelible imprints on the United States in the latter half of the 20th century were the civil rights movement and the race toward the moon.  Both were activated with great vision.  

On August 28th, 1963 at the conclusion of the March for Jobs and Freedom, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous speech containing lines like, "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal".  This event and speech was the tipping point for the 1964 Civil Rights Act.  

The promise of landing on the moon created numerous technical innovations and captivated the hearts and minds of a young generation.  On May 25th, 1961, John F. Kennedy challenged Congress and the nation to put a man on the moon and then at Rice University on September 12th, 1962, Kennedy delivered his most quoted words about the mission, "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills"

The civil rights movement and the race to the moon enrolled millions of people into extraordinary, sustained action.  People stayed convinced of their role, its' importance and the good in their work as they pursued racial equality and exploration of space.  Key to this level of passion was the vision cast by King and Kennedy.  Since their visions were so effective, it is useful to study both and understand the four elements a vision must have to captivate people:

1. The vision is focused on hope
2. The vision points beyond the leader
3. The vision is extraordinary but not unattainable
4. The vision is easily communicated

Focused on hope:  A vision focused on hope is more powerful than one focused on fear or negativity.  It is always easy to be against something, but more difficult to be for something.  When you are for something you open yourself up to criticism, second guessing and self-doubt.  Yet it is when you are for something that you can activate hope.  However, we must be clear about hope; what it is and what it is not.  I had these words given to me by a friend at a very difficult time,  "Alex, hope reflects the health of our spirit rather than what is happening at a moment in our lives. Hope is not the equivalent of optimism.  Its opposite is not pessimism but despair and resignation.  Hope is about keeping the faith despite the evidence so that the evidence has a chance of changing."  When we create our vision, a vision based upon hope, we must know that hope is not optimism.  Hope is a deep sense of faith in the outcome. Faith, as Paul says in Hebrews 11:1 is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Both King and Kennedy were sure of what they believed and they were certain of the outcome, even if they could not see all the steps.  They never said it would be easy, they never said it would happen without struggle or sacrifice, but they exuded faith in the outcome.  Our vision must be one of a positive future and believed so deeply by us that our faith in the outcome is unquestionable.  

Beyond the Leader:  Both King and Kennedy pointed past themselves toward something larger and more everlasting.  You may remember the lyrics to a song called Cult of Personality that came out in 1989 by the heavy metal band Living Colour, You gave me fortune, you gave me fame, you give me power in your god’s name.  I’m every person you need to be; I’m the cult of personality.  The purpose of our vision is not to attract people to us as leaders, it is not to tell them that the answer lies with us.  Our role in casting a vision is to point toward something past us, something that can live on beyond the lifespan of the leader.  A vision must connect people to their relationship with the future, not create a cult of personality.

Extraordinary but not unattainable.  I have a good friend, Art Wilson, who owns a company called Critical Path Strategies.  Art leads people through the creation of business goals and plans.  One of the important exercises he facilitates is goal setting.  In this exercise, Art distinguishes between four levels of goals; clear, stretch, extraordinary and pipe-dream.  The clear goal is one that you have high confidence in achieving by working the way you work today.  The stretch goal is one you are a little less sure of, but you will get there working the way you work today; just with more effort.  The pipe-dream is a goal that is so far away from reality, no one believes it.  The pipe-dream is mere fantasy, it is unattainable and it demotivates the team.  The important goal is the extraordinary goal.  This is a goal you can just barely see in the mist, it is audacious and it will require you to change the way you are working today.  You are not exactly sure how you will get there, but you and others can imagine the possibility.  The end point in the journey must be just out of reach, but not unattainable.

Easily communicated.  The phrase, "If I had more time, I would write you a shorter letter" has been credited to Mark Twain, Blaise Pascal, T.S. Eliot and Henry Thoreau.  I do not know who really wrote it, but it is the essential truth in communications.  Take the time to make it short and memorable.  Good communication can be learned through hard work.  Andy Craig is a colleague who knows this well.  He runs a company dedicated to memorable communication, you can find him at www.elevatorspeech.com.  Andy has mastered the art communicating your idea in a clear, concise and compelling manner.  If I can summarize Andy's coaching it is "tell a story".  Stories are remembered, speeches are not.  And tell the story in plain language.  A comment I know is from Mark Twain, "Anybody can have ideas—the difficulty is to express them without squandering a quire of paper on an idea that ought to be reduced to one glittering paragraph.  I never write "metropolis" for seven cents when I can write "city" and get paid the same.  As to the adjective, when in doubt, strike it out".  "I have a dream", "We choose to go to the moon".  Four words and seven words - all single syllable.

You do not have to be a visionary to create, own and communicate vision.  All you need to do is be willing to go through the hard work of creating a vision based upon hope, that looks beyond you as the leader, is extraordinary in its' goal and can be communicated well.

In the next post, I will discuss culture.