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

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.

Joshua's lessons on leadership - Inner Strength

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 March 30, 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 “See the truth; but not for worse than it is”.  In this post, Joshua shows us “Inner Strength”.

The story of Joshua’s “Inner Strength” occurs at the end of his mentor’s life.  Joshua had been #2 to Moses for almost 40 years.  Together they had led the tribes on a nomadic journey that lasted an entire generation.  At the end of the journey, when they are just about to cross the Jordan River and change from being nomads into their permanent residence, Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of everyone else, "Be strong and courageous, for you must lead these people to their future home, the home we have discussed this entire journey and you must divide it among them as their inheritance”.

There is no great time to take over for a legend.  There is no perfect moment to step into a giant’s shoes.  However there are some moments more difficult than others.  Imagine Joshua, “What Moses?  Where are you going?  Just wait a few more miles, get the tribe to their new home and then I can take it from there.  And can you go ahead and divide the land before you leave?  You have a lot more credibility than me.  What if they do not listen to me?”

I had a similar (albeit substantially less dramatic and important) moment in my work life.  I was at a company and had just been asked to take over the leadership of a large organization.  My task was to take over from someone who had been at the company for a long time, was well liked, fire about 20% of the organization and then restore morale.

Gulp.

The day after we let a several hundred people go we had an all-hands meeting.  The meeting was in a large building with bleachers along one wall.  I came in the back of the building and had to walk down the bleachers to the floor and turn around and address the team.  As I walked down the bleachers, I could feel the fear, distrust, frustration, anticipation and worry emitting like raw electricity from the hundreds of people in the room.  Alone, walking down the stairs, all I could see was a solitary microphone like a lost child in the middle of the room.  I realized at that moment, the people in the room did not really care about me personally; they cared about themselves, their future and what was going to happen next.  They really just wanted and needed to know that whoever walked up to that microphone and opened their mouth had their hands on the wheel and was willing to drive.  I was alone.  Fortunately I had a mentor just moments before tell me, “Alex – be strong and courageous, you can do this”

Moses tells Joshua he believes in him, he tells him to be strong and courageous in front of the entire gathering of people.  We learn from the story that Joshua was filled with wisdom when Moses transferred power to him.  Then Moses climbed the 3,300 foot Mount Nebo on the northwest edge of the Dead Sea just across the Jordan River from Jericho, looked into the future home of the tribe, and died.

At that moment Joshua is by himself.  He is the picture of leadership and loneliness.  Joshua is isolated and the only thing he can rely upon is “Inner Strength”.  He looks to that which gives him inner strength.  For Joshua it was his creator and he heard, “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people, be strong and very courageous.  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged”.  Three times he heard these words, the same words he heard from Moses and this provided him “Inner Strength”

In our journey there will be moments when we are alone.  The great philosopher Dr. Seuss tells us this in his seminal work, Oh The Places You’ll Go!

All Alone!  Whether you like it or not, alone will be something you'll be quite a lot.

And when you're alone, there's a very good chance you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.  There are some, down the road between hither and yon that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.

In those moments, you will need to determine what gives you “Inner Strength”.  For me in my lonely moment, it was having the one person I needed to believe in me, believe in me.  A person who knew well the words of Thomas Carlyle, “Tell a person they are brave and you help them become so”.  For Joshua it was the belief that his creator was supporting his next steps. 

What is it for you?   Whatever it is, you must find it and have it, because you will need it.  In those moments, if you do not have “Inner Strength” you will not be prepared to lead.  You will be defined by these crucible events where the only thing that gets you and the team to move forward is your “Inner Strength”

David's lessons on leadership - Intro

In a series of posts, I want to discuss what we can learn about leadership from David, King of Israel. 

I should acknowledge there is a major question about whether David really existed or is some type of Arthurian legend.  For example, the November 21, 1997 issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education contained an article, "Debunking Ancient Israel: Erasing History or Facing the Truth?" Here was the synopsis: "Biblical scholars get nasty in a transatlantic debate over whether King David existed." I do not intend to step into the fray and try to resolve something that biblical scholars cannot even seem to figure out.  Arguing the reality of David’s existence is not the point of this series.

That said; over 3.8 billion people belong to an Abrahamic religion, these are the monotheistic faiths that recognize a spiritual tradition identified with Abraham.  The term is mostly used to refer collectively to Judaism, Christianity and Islam.   Each of these faiths sees David as an important person and leader in the ancient world. 

In Judaism, David's reign represents the formation of a coherent Jewish state with its political and religious capital in Jerusalem and the institution of a royal lineage that culminates in the Messianic era.

In Christianity, David is mainly important as the ancestor of the Messiah. Several Old Testament prophecies state that the Messiah will come from David's line; the Gospels of Matthew and Luke trace Jesus' lineage to David to fulfill this requirement.

In the Quran, David is known as Dawud, and considered one of the prophets of Islam, to whom the Zabur (Psalms) were revealed by Allah. As in Judaism, he is said to have killed Goliath (Jalut) with a rock from his slingshot. In his reign, he is generally believed to have laid the foundations of the Dome of the Rock.

So I figure if 3.8 billion people think David is important, that is good enough for me to look at some of the experiences written about David from his upbringing, to his leadership in war and his actions as a king of a large group of people.  Turns out there are several good lessons in David’s life for those of us struggling to become better leaders.

Here is a quick history lesson for those unfamiliar with David’s life.  Tradition has it that David was born around 1035 BC.  In 1020 BC he kills Goliath at the age of 15-17 years old.  He is sent out to battle for the first time by the king commanding a thousand warriors in 1010 BC at around 25 years old.  In 1005 BC, David liberates Keilah from the Philistines.  Around 1000 BC, David with the help of his allies assumes control of Judah, and is anointed its king with Hebron as his capital.  From 998 BC to 993 BC, David is in a five-year battle with Ishbosheth (who liberated the remainder of the Western territory from the Philistines and was declared king over the northern kingdom of Israel).

That war ends when two cutthroats murder Ishbosheth and David is publicly anointed king over all of Israel, north and south.  In the middle of that war, David conquered Jerusalem, rebuilt it and moved there from Hebron.  After several years of consolidating his empire, his fourth son Solomon is born around 979 – 975 BC.  Solomon would become the heir to the throne.  It is during this time that David goes through the experience of seeing one of his sons kill another one of his sons.  Right before the fratricide occurs, David has his own personal moral failure which leads to the death of a good man.  In 969 BC David suffers through two revolts, one led by his own son.  He fights his last battle personally in 965 BC where he almost loses his life.  Finally in around 960 BC he calls an assembly, provides the blueprints for the temple to Solomon and publicly hands him the throne.  David likely lived 70 – 75 years.

Quite a life, through which he is born a common man, develops into a warrior, becomes king and consolidates Israel.  In the next post, I will start at the end of David’s life and look at what we can learn from “the last words of David”.

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.