Category: Leadership Development

Imperfect

In the movie Force Majeure Tomas, Ebba and their two children are holidaying at a French ski resort. During lunch at the outdoor restaurant on the second day they observe what they think is a controlled avalanche. Suddenly it becomes apparent that it might not be controlled and a wall of snow is about to engulf the family. The children scream and Ebba attempts to protect them. Tomas grabs his cellphone and runs for safety leaving them behind.

It's a perfect day, but you need to be ready for that to change.
It’s a perfect day, but you need to be ready for that to change.

It’s a false alarm, the wall of snow was fog and the avalanche had stopped clear of the resort. Tomas returns to find his family shaken, and they resume their lunch.

Nothing is said in the immediate aftermath of the incident but it places a dark cloud over the family and their holiday. Eventually Ebba confronts Tomas on why he abandoned his family in the face of such a devastating threat.

Tomas denies Ebba’s version, telling her she is entitled to her perception of events and suggesting that he couldn’t have run anyway, as he was wearing ski boots. A video of the event is produced which shows Tomas doing a runner but he remains unapologetic.

I couldn’t help think that Tomas’ behaviour was probably a “fight or flee” reaction, but leaving the children behind was not something Ebba (or others she engaged about the incident) could really understand.

Much of the movie was spent by me thinking “why don’t you just man up and accept it was a reaction, but wrong?”.

None of us is perfect, and neither is any leader. But we try. When we fail it’s time to man or woman up, acknowledge it, do what is necessary to fix it so everyone can move on.

Ebba and the children couldn’t move on.

Neither could Tomas – that was a big insight for me.

Anything you need to man or woman up on today?

Stephen

Next blog about a stunning picture of leadership.

The power of reflection four years on

On 22 February 2011 my son Thomas was visiting his grandparents in Christchurch. Thomas and Dad were in the basement of Ballantynes when the earthquake struck.

It was a dreadfully concerning ten minutes waiting to hear they were okay. I thought at the time it was an hour. Cellphone records showed otherwise.

That’s nothing compared to the loss that hundreds, probably more, family members and friends of those killed still feel.

Seems like the other day so I read my blog of the day after to remind me. I am reminded it was also a big and sad day for Tim for completely different reasons.  I’d completely forgotten.

Keeping a journal of reflection can keep memories and insights alive.

Stephen

A lap for the team

The Taupo Great Lake Relay is a 155 kilometre running relay.  There’s 18 legs (and aching legs at the end) with hills up and down, flats, dangerous cliff runs, heat, exhaustion, pulled muscles and lots of fun. When our work team went over the finish line the DJ said we’d been supporting the event for at least twelve years.

You need a team to get all the way round.
Lake Taupo is big – you need a team to get all the way round.

I don’t think that there was anybody there from that first team – in fact every year the team is different, but for the three years I’ve participated, I’ve felt the same enthusiasm, connection and commitment.

I’ve run plenty of team building and development sessions and one of the issues which always comes up is “what do we do now that Sarah has gone?”, or Lance has joined?

Should we start all over again and do a new charter, vision and values or what? And what of the cynics who say that the team building is artificial anyway and not necessarily relevant to the work?

A event like the relay this weekend teaches us quite a bit about the process of team building.

You need a goal. All members have a role and if you remember the goal, you should find that part to play that suits – no passengers on board. Flexibility is important – a support person took a leg of the relay today on account of an injury – perfect! it doesn’t matter if you haven’t been there before – others have, go with the flow but new ideas are welcome and expected.

I bet if someone from the team twelve years ago had come along and checked us out, it would be much the same experience that they had all those years ago.

They’d be welcome, just like the newbies were today, and we’d find a role no doubt.

So if you’re new to the team, watch, think about the purpose but get in a do something for the team.  Before you know it you’ll realise you are the team. That’s team building.

Stephen

Who knows you?

Not who you know. That’s what was suggested to me at lunch time with a challenge “there’s a blog for you!” He’s not wrong. It got me thinking. The idea is that if you need to spread the word about yourself then it’s a far better measure of who is talking about you than who you can connect with.

The power of leverage. But it raises a more significant question. What are you known from? What might be being leveraged In a wider network? Or maybe it doesn’t matter: “There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about”.

In a strategic approach to marketing yourself you will want to grow connections (virtual and real) and ensure people are talking about you, and what you have to offer.

An authentic leader won’t be too concerned about the message which is being spread but rather they will embrace Wilde’s message, comfortable about the message which is spread.

But more importantly, the authentic leader will have answered the question posed by my friend and this blog.  By making certain they know themselves first.

So yes, it’s a blog alright! About you. And me.

Stephen