Years ago, soon after being elected a very young Vice President, the Chairman asked me to write, on one page or less…what the Management Information System”, was and what good it would do the organization and our customers?!?!…..well…….. I thought, we do need help if one page has to be the frame of important answers………..Of course I used a “legal” sized sheet….which annoyed him a great deal, but he accepted it, read and questioned..and we continued as one of the first in our profession!!! Actually for a number of years…… It took me many more years to really learn the power of being concise and to do it. Likely still in that quest!!
A long standing client ask me to speak with their leadership team, exploring “StrenghtsFinders” [SF], with the real purpose of knowing more about their own habits/traits/attitudes, and hopefully insights about their effectiveness. We covered a bit about “profiling” in general, but went in depth, with follow-up suggestions for their focus on SF. In my opinion/experience, it’s by far the best….broadest, deepest, with lots of literature available for further examination/application to their work requirements, and to their life!
Upon returning home I dug out my file and multiple books to begin studying again. Very useful.There is still much to improve/fix and tons to learn yet, even though I had believed I was an “expert” of sorts. Actually is something I should have been doing anyways and will follow up, in the mentoring I do there, with 8-10 leaders
Over three months, during which time the site was hacked and unavailable. It’s back up now…will be changed…some material moved elsewhere, but all else continued as I move on past my 85th birthday [May 7th], into this the 7th phase of my life…the best and last phase?!?!?
My your days be blessed too. Your comments and connection are always welcome
Just a month or so ago I blogged [below] my view re. this book’s importance and ordered a copy to mark up….a”learning technique” that works for me———underlining… using arrows from one thought/expression to another…bending pages in several ways for quick reference….. making my own marginal notations. etc., etc. Am now doing so happily…and also proud that I was “early”, publicly, pushing that evaluation….for all the reasons stated below. But now, because IT IS worth every bit of my time/energy, reading fully…carefully. I am clear already about the value to me of re-reading it several more times. I will add it to my “core book” list – covered as part of the Master Book List for Leadership Learning Forums, on this website. Max Tegmark is very optimistic, while being deeply aware of the challenges and un -certaincy we face. His last sentence says it all…..”Our future isn’t written in stone, just waiting to happen to us—-it’s ours to create. Let’s create an inspiring one together”
I hope using the protected part of this website will help some do that!!
Always a struggle. Usually a tendency to change too much or too fast…to keep up with all the disrupting events, or new opportunities seemingly easily absorb-able in any organization. Poster 218 Geodesic Selection process [click here] is a framework for such consideration…Actually it’s an ongoing, every day management technique when running a LLF, since by design it shifts with the need and future of the actual participants. but in great moderation. AND I argue strongly, ONLY by a practiced, superbly alert, facilitator. Even these few facilitators must study the list, it’s implications, and the possible “magic” lost. Like
“Trust”, once lost, the “magic is very hard, perhaps impossible to regain!! Of the handful [ c. 4 of c. 250-300 I have run or helped run]. I have yet ever seen it “regained”. Only stopped. Thus the great care!!
Alan Alda’s new book [ yes, he’s from the TV show M*A*S*H], “If I Understood You, Would I have this Book in my Face – My adventures in the Art & Science of Relating and Communicating” ...especially the part just italicized, is fundamental today for all existing & aspiring I.T leaders. When he was acting [ now writing & teaching], he learned a lot about “Improv”,and shares that professional journey, its deep impact and broad applicability, for us all to benefit from. I’m on my 2nd careful read! Its relevance is essential, and often missing, in our currently fast changing set of I.T roles.Brace yourself for tons of insight, from voices not heard much in our profession. I will incorporate this in my Leadership Learning Forum Process. It adds clarity to needed shifts in every I.T. organization I am aware of!!
We were never famous for being particularly empathetic to line business executives consistently, even to customers or others out in the marketplace. But today having a capacity for this leadership characteristic helps relationship building, and allows trust to grow in ways that eases the disruptive potential of many new technologies engulfing some business efforts. Perhaps few of us have read or studied enough, about how/when/why empathy is useful in deploying the output of System Groups. StrengthsFinders, one of the very best personal profiling methodologies available today, can help substantially in my opinion. AND……. developing an ability to practice broad empathy, especially when it’s not a natural flow, is an absolute must for would be leaders of technology use for organizational purposes
This turns out to be a frequent dialogue for counsel, for many of us. Both developing it and recognizing it! It’s usually a mutual focus
I’ve been think/talking about this for years. Remembering my father’s experience, crafting my own…How? When? even Why? Interestingly, perhaps because of that talk/thought, others, both friends…and clients and network members, have been asking me for counsel in their own exploration of the topic. It’s surely not as black and white as it was in our father’s day. Many more options, permutations. Organizations seem to be focused on retaining some of the wisdom/insight which often [not always] accompanies long experience. And the next two generations, now in or seeking organizational power, are more open to dialogue ,once they discover its usefulness…..even generating opportunities for “round table discussions”,or dialogue with leaders who are partially or soon to be more fully retired.. [They’re safer?!?!?]. Skip the rationale, and it’s depth……….when it’s done authentically, huge value moves in both directions
Phenomenal to part of.
And it spreads
Answer in the “fullest sense”….. of your total input…. talk shows, magazines, newspapers, confidants, TV news, books, research papers etc., etc. This is more important than ever, with so many choices, “fake news”, endless opinions driven by deadlines, a requirement in most walks of life now, to “know more…understand well beyond your immediate chore list.
Some suggested guidelines: MULTIPLE – rely on more than several..push your search boundaries, as much as you can effectively…….. ROTATE – don’t get stuck in any channel, author, or viewpoint., w/o checking other views/sources……SETTLE on some respected /trusted “Readers” with different connections, who would easily discuss/explore together……ACCESS/EVALUATE periodically and carefully,for match up to your needs/ desires
Managing your input flow is one of every mature human’s most precious responsibilities!!
Twice very recently I’ve been part of a discussion about these three views. Likely there are others [ e.g., tell nothing], but this three cornered choice is difficult enough for many of us. Certainly so depending on position/profession. And on the context. The two were in I.T. groups, in large business organizations. I believe that to reap the benefits, and effectiveness of a superb “Internal Consultant”, one must be able to “stir” ….actually customize, that mix to the person(s) engaged, and arrange for a second[ or more] conversation to expand or deepen the response. It may be that the proper mix will always be subject to change. Some lessons from past attempts…..1] impossible not to combine,i.e., to have zero of one view….2]improper to short the “should” view in favor of the other two [ time and pace help here]……3] Like always, preparation and follow -up are often more effective than actual content. 4] It may well be that first interaction is only a preamble, hardly ever an “answer”…so “cooking time” is crucial for acceptance.5]”Can” hear is more central than it may seem..sometimes people are simply incapable of hearing a particular view they don’t want to hear & continuing wastes everyone’s limited resources!!
Gallup provides the “StrengthsFinders” profiling/assessment process. It’s one of the, if not THE, best such tool available, in my opinion. This leads them to other interesting perspectives, as in a recent article in their Business Journal, “The End of the Traditional Manager”,where they make the important point that the most powerful tool a manager has,is meaningful conversations. Conversations that become performance focused,using a person’s strengths, and the application of those strengths to the tasks @ hand. This is especially true ,now, they point out, that so many staff positions [ 74%] have the ability to locate elsewhere to work, and even more [84%] are matrixed into many work directions.
Though most of us believe we are adequate if not good conversationalists, using that simple leadership capacity, consistently as useful in organizations. Can you be a superb conversationalist and lead those conversations to appropriate ends!Think of bringing an easy, everyday conversation, along, to make a business point,when necessary…try it…….
