Leadership Challenge

Leaders Make Great Decisions

One of the most important jobs of a leader is that of making complex decisions. Making good decisions is an attribute of a leader that is under appreciated by many who study leadership. Researchers have been marginally successful in understanding how people form the ability to make good decisions. Some research has developed complex models for understanding decision-making processes, but they have yet to map the decision- making process in such a way that those looking to develop the skill of making good decisions can learn this process. The reason is that good decisions are unique and vary for every circumstance. In all situations, there are hundreds of thousands of variables that impact whether or not a leader uses good discretion to make a good decision. How a leader interprets these variables, and the weight the leader assigns to each variable when making a decision, is 90% a subconscious process. Because this process is so subconscious, developing the attribute of using good discretion is often dismissed as innate talent and not learned behavior.

A great ecclesiastical leader has been quoted as saying “we are a walking bundle of habits.” The behaviors that we observe in our lives from those who are closest to us in our formative years, have the most impact on the behavior habits we form.  There is mounting research to show that we develop the ability to make good decisions early on in life. The bad news is that for those looking to develop the skill of making good decisions later in life, the cards are stacked against them. This is not to say that one can’t develop this skill later in life, but it does mean that the most important period of our lives for developing the skills to make good decisions is when we are young.

If you are older in years and looking to develop this skill, the first place to start is by developing a keen understanding of yourself. Be clear about who you are, your beliefs, your values, your purpose, your focus, etc.

Over the past three years, I have observed many people who have been looking to acquire leadership skills, and many who are teaching leadership skills. I have noticed a trend in those who possess the ability to make good decisions. The best decision-makers, who are subsequently the best leaders, are those who know themselves. As the first commandment of leadership goes: “know thy self and be true to your core.” Once you have defined your core, have the mental fortitude to remain true to it.

Finding your core and staying true to it is the foundation to all great decisions. Great leaders make great decisions, one decision at a time.

Posted by Daren Blonski

Thought Grenade: Sounds of Sunday Silence

Friday the 13th was a sad day. I lost a friend. No, not a personal one. A political buddy. A colleague. Someone I could count on every Sunday to grill and drill the politicos and power brokers until many of them shrank in fear. Tim Russert of Meet the Press died unexpectantly on Friday.

Each Sunday, his voice, now suddenly silent, shook the walls of Washington and sent shockwaves throughout the world. His was the voice of the common man, yours and mine. It will be impossible to replace him.

With all of his co-workers and friends offering their immediate eulogies over the weekend, it was impossible not to find a positive story about Tim from someone. It turns out that his credibility that poured through the airwaves was real. He was authentic. He showed up. He cherished his family and loved his work. He was passionate about both and it sparkled in his ever-present smile.

Some friend I am. I didn't even know that he was not a trained journalist, but rather a lawyer, turned politico, turned broadcaster, turned tenacious journalist. He will be remembered as one of the best ever no matter the medium.

As an educated journalist and former newspaper publisher, I am always on the lookout for someone in the media to step up and speak truth to power. That is what is necessary when it comes to shining a light on darkness and the survival of the Fourth Estate as a viable alternative to a closed government. Truth tellers are not easy to find. And these days, my favorite truth teller may be viewed as someone else's liar and vice versa.

Tim, rightfully, dealt with facts and probing questions that most often had a follow-up illuminating someone's past quote that was a blatant contradiction. He was always a gentleman (even when I didn't want him to be) but his steely eyes made the liars twitch. It made my Sundays.

Real investigative journalism is an art form. From my view there are not many practicing today. With hubris comes decline. I used to think that the Watergate boys were the best. But since those turbulent times, they and others like them seem to have bought into their own press clippings. Their credibility with me shrinks as their fame rises.

Tim did not seem to allow ambition to cloud his view. He took over a stale program in 1991 and transformed it, allowing MTP to be relevant once again. He prepared for each Sunday as if going into battle. Even though he knew the guests well, he did not shrink from his duty to extricate the truth and tell America what was really happening. Unfortunately, even he was tricked a few times.

If you have read my book The Offsite: A Leadership Challenge Fable, you know that I feel leadership is a way of life. It is a moment-to-moment choice about creating open, honest and authentic relationships that urge others to want to discover their power and focus on what matters to them and their community.

Leaders are credible, visionary and challenging. They welcome learning and teaching moments with others. And they celebrate individual and group success. Hey, they're like Tim!

Goodbye, my friend.

Robert H. Thompson is the author of The Offsite: A Leadership Challenge Fable. You can reach him at www.leaderinsideout.com.

Values and Feedback at PepsiCo

I was reading ASTD’s (American Society for Training and Development) T & D Magazine last week when I discovered a new leader that I liked immediately.  Indra Nooyi is the CEO of PepsiCo and under her leadership (she has been CEO since 2006), she has helped rally her organization behind their vision: “Performance with Purpose.”  In the magazine interview Ms. Nooyi explained what that vision means and trust me, it’s as awe-inspiring as it sounds.  The piece of the interview that stopped me in my Leadership Challenge tracks, however, came towards the end.  When asked about how she supports and values Pepsico employees, she spoke of building a culture that inspires, motivates, and brings out the best in people.  She then went onto explain, “First, it’s important to create an inclusive culture:  a place where people can ‘bring their whole selves to work.’ A place where diverse values, beliefs, and practices are treated with respect.  It’s also vital that people are shown respect by speaking to them with truth and candor.  Give people honest feedback.  Let them know where they stand.” 

Values and feedback…two ideas that are really at the heart of The Leadership Challenge model.  It struck me that bringing your whole self to work is really the result of getting clear about your own values as well as your organization’s values. 

And on the feedback side… I love how she has flipped the notion, causing me to look at it from the other side.  The Leadership Challenge teaches that extraordinary leaders are good at asking for feedback.  Ms. Nooyi’s words make me think that in our role as followers and/or colleagues, we are all obligated to give honest feedback to our leaders…whether they ask for it or not.

Let me know what you think.

Posted by Lisa Shannon

Thought Grenade: Loyalty vs. Kool-Aid

I was nestling down in my overstuffed writing chair to finally start a Blog about an article I read in Esquire magazine. The article “Why We Hate” had been bugging me for quite a while.

And then POW! BAM! BOOM!, the Scott McClellan book bombshell hit like a bolt of lightening which made me glad I have a heavy duty surge protector attached to my computer.

Now there have been others like McClellan who departed a White House job and wrote a “Tell All” book, but it’s been awhile since something like this hit the press.  He doesn’t just share a few anecdotal items and blame the system. He names names, tells specifics and seems to have the credibility to back up his stories. I know I wouldn’t write a book like that unless I definitely had the facts on my side and wasn’t afraid to use them (i.e. a publisher with plenty of lawyers).

I’m sure McClellan’s publisher has been salivating over the fact that he will sell tons of books.  (I’m jealous of course.) Hopefully, his book deal is a good one, since I don’t think anyone on the Republican side of the fence will be offering him a job any time soon. He is definitely a “Man Without a Party” and if I were in his Dockers, I would be watching my backside as well. It will be interesting to see how he does on the speaking circuit.

His book and the subsequent backlash started my head spinning. We’ve seen this all before of course. It happens in politics, government, show business and major league sports. It also happens far too often in our corporate corridors. Places where you and I might congregate.

Like a prairie windstorm, perhaps just like at your workplace, those still in power started to bash him.  Stories quickly appeared with statements like: He’s disgruntled. He’s sad. He’s had an emotional breakdown. He’s lying. He wasn’t there. He should have said something.  The liberal media has hijacked him. He’s just cashing in to sell books. Bash. Bash. Belittle. Bash.

Without dealing with the content of McClellan’s book (which most of you who stay abreast of the news will not be shocked by but rather amused that someone formerly on the inside is using their outside voice), what’s really going on here? And does it have anything to do with leadership?

My first reaction was that this “loyal dog” was kicked way too many times by his colleagues. I’ll wager that many nights, when he went home, he would vent to his wife about what was happening at “the office.”  From what I have heard so far, it appears that the White House, from Scott’s perspective, was being run as if it was in Scranton with Michael Scott at the helm. Too bad millions of real lives were being reamed instead of just pretending to sell reams of paper. From early reports, I also get the impression that there were too many Dwight Schrutes and not enough Jim Halperts. And they are in charge of the freaking world! Gives a whole new meaning to Dunder-Head. (Okay, so to understand some of the above you have to watch  “Comedy Night Done Right”, so sue me.)

And then I thought about the Characteristics of Admired Leaders from The Leadership Challenge.  The usual top four words in workshops chosen by folks are: Honest, Competent, Inspiring and Forward Looking. Then I thought about the folks who are running the country. Nope. No match. (Sure, if you are in the 25% or so of the country who still thinks the administration is on the right track then you can disagree. Please send me a note; I would love to hear from you.)

Why did it take McClellan so long to share his views? Misplaced loyalty is my first thought. (His earliest statement was he needed to write the book because of “loyalty to the truth and the values I was raised on.”) Thanks Mom and Dad McClellan. You might have tried to teach him to not sit on his hands so long too.

McClellan, like many of our corporate cousins, is a victim of distorted groupthink. He served George Bush when he was in Texas and was a devoted follower. He drank the Kool-Aid until he puked. He knew right from wrong when he saw it. But he couldn’t find his voice. He allowed himself to be dragged along through the muck until he was so dirty that everyone figured he would never revolt.  They thought once again “mission accomplished!”

So, how does this relate to you in your organization? Are you the “loyal dog” that sits on its hands? Is your voice distorted by gurgling Kool-Aid? Or, do you just sigh and say, “I hate them all”.

Interesting, I guess I’m back to where I began. “Why We Hate.” Will need to give that more thought.

By the way, full disclosure. I was not wearing a flag pin when writing this.

Posted by Robert H. Thompson is the author of The Offsite: A Leadership Challenge Fable. You may read his more Thought Grenades at www.leaderinsideout.com.