Category: Leadership Development

Leadership Legacy

We visited Waikumete Cemetery today on the Wisdom Retreat. I wasn’t sure exactly what we would uncover but putting ourselves in the environment was going to be important in drawing out the nuggets.

Projecting ourselves forward to help us look back at what we want to be was powerful.  We visited the Erebus Memorial and the grave of a VC recipient who fought in both World Wars. Wise leadership starts with ourselves and those on the Programme brought a richness of experience and insight that I could not have anticipated.

It was windy by the soldiers grave but the rain stayed away which got us talking about our own experiences with those that have gone; and what the limited time on the planet means for all of us.

We need to ensure that what we want to do and be known for, we get on with.  Leadership can be developed and grown, from tactical, to strategic, to authentic and wise. Others watching rightly judge our leadership on what we do under pressure and in times of crisis. We saw that reflected with Air New Zealand 30 years ago. What we have seen recently is the company making amends.

Seeking understanding to build a platform for forgiveness cannot properly begin until an offending party acknowledges a wrong – as Air New Zealand has done.

This recipient of the VC from action in France in 1918 had certainly shown leadership.  We could see that in his story. Was it just because of where he was? Probably in part, but would everybody be ready to lead in the circumstances he found himself in? I’d say no.

So what will our legacy be? It will be partially built already but that most important moment might be from what comes up tomorrow, or next week or next year. Who knows. So we need to be ready with our Ethical Compass strong, our mind and body resilient and an ability to be Present at just the moment we need it.

Stephen

Anxious at number 23?

If you’re not wearing an All Blacks jersey on Sunday evening with the numbers 1 – 22 on it then like me and most of New Zealand you can have very little control over the result at Eden Park. Should anyone be anxious about what they can’t control and won’t directly impact them (arguably of course!)? Leaders who grow and develop others, and place trust in their teams shouldn’t be anxious about whether they will perform. They know that they will, partly because the leader does trust them. Which is probably why Graham Henry said he had nothing to say to the team immediately prior to the game. That’s their time he said.

Last Saturday, there were many wound up people, including in my home! Hearts thumping as we sat down to watch the All Blacks demolish our near neighbours.  At the end it was decided that the Cup was more or less ours, that the All Blacks couldn’t lose now, after such a performance and how poorly the French had played.

But quickly the anxiety crept back in: What if the French played really well? What if the ABs froze? Well, what if they did? Surely this All Blacks team are the best that they can possibly be and better than any team in the world right now. We know that. They know it, and partly because they don’t take it for granted. I trust them to do their best which will win them the game and the cup and make them World Champions for the next four years (at least).

I trust them because they’ve got all the resources, learnings and support that the best Rugby country in the world can give to the best 22 players in the world. I’m excited, but I’m not anxious: not because I can’t control it, but I know the best people are in control.

If you’re leading a team and you trust them you can relax and enjoy the fruits. If you don’t trust you’ll micro-manage, control and destroy any chance of great success.

If that doesn’t convince you imagine two businesses going for a big contract. Business A intends to delight and make money and opportunities for itself and all those it connects with.  The other Business, say Business F has a strategy to undermine Business A before it gets to the tender stage.  Like two teams going into a game: One is prepared, fit and has proven strategies that encourage fast try-scoring opportunities. The other reckons they’ll attempt to stomp on the foot of the captain of the other team. I know who I’d back! With a 22+ points lead at fulltime is what my money at the TAB is on.

Go the All Blacks! Can’t wait!

Stephen

Courage

Aibileen and Minny are maids in the movie The Help.  They live in Jackson, Mississippi – as in Johnny Cash and June Carter’s duet of the same name –  in the 1960s.  With segregation enshrined by law, the women raise all the white kids as defacto mothers, while the birth mothers, although raised by the same maids, treat them largely with disdain and, pretty much like slaves.

A courageous young white woman, Skeeter, decides to tell the stories of The Help.  She’s not the only courageous one of course.  Aibileen, Minny and all the other maids who collaborate show exceptional courage against their own immediate interests to tell their stories. Stories of love, hate, of raising numerous kids, of missing out on their own children’s upbringing and of not being able to use the toilets in the house, ‘cos they had the wrong skin colour.

I read an article today about simplicity in leadership. It struck a chord with me, so I’ll keep this blog short and simple.

Being courageous requires doing the right thing, often against self interest and immediate gain or acceptance. Authenticity. What will you do today that is courageous?

Stephen

ps great cars and music in the movie too

Innovative Leadership

That’s the name of the Leadership Centre I look after and sometimes (but not often) I get asked the question:  So what is innovative leadership?We’ve run the inaugural general management programme this year with one module to go – it’s called the Innovative Leaders GM Programme – it’s a special leadership programme with a focus on strategy and business functions. There’s a reason why it’s called the Innovative  leaders programme and that’s tied in with research that says that innovation is the top skill CEOs are looking for. You might be thinking – well I don’t know where to start, or my role is such that the risk needs to be carefully managed so innovation is not for me. Not necessarily.

Leaders who facilitate innovation are as important (and possibly more important) than those that do it.  I try to role-model what we’re aiming to get our participants to do and on our recent module in Queenstown exploring marketing I threw away many of the things that you might expect on a University-run programme. We did interesting things that others do too – like case studies – but we did them on-site (as we always try to do) and we don’t bother writing up a whole lot of stuff. Innovative Leaders learn by asking why. We had a venue as a base  – but the venue is also a case study so we interacted with the owners and staff who give us direct and important insights on customer experience. Hey! that’s marketing, so we’re learning while being clients and then feeding back with mock up strategies ready to use. Venue becomes tutorial room, customer experience “on the spot”, panelist provider and case.  Others heard of our visits so we carried out field case studies – presenting back on the go and in the premises.  Networks were engaged for a Mihimihi to welcome us to Ngāi Tahu. We sought explanations and asked why where we went – learning about Bungy Strategy and restaurant marketing during our time in Queenstown. Wide and varied contacts on networks came together for the best 48 hours of learning I reckon you could ever have on marketing and leadership.

There’s more to this story which I’ll talk about soon. In the meantime, think about how you will facilitate innovation:

  • Associating – the ability to connect seemingly unrelated events
  • Questioning – why?
  • Observing – going “to the spot”
  • Experimenting – making a mock up
  • Networking – widely and not always for a particular purpose
Stephen