Leadership in the Moment

In looking for a shot of blog inspiration, a quick and snazzy subject title that makes one take notice, I reached for Pat Lencioni’s book, Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team.  I see there’s a very fitting term that afflicts many of us working in teams.  It’s the Adrenaline Addiction defined by Pat as, “The unwillingness or inability of busy people to slow down and review, reflect, assess and discuss their business and their team.  Also marked by anxiety among people who always have a need to keep moving, keep spinning, even in the midst of obvious confusion and decline productivity.”   Sound like anyone you know? 

Let me know if this topic is over-worked and tired—a description by which we often define ourselves.  Today’s Wall Street Journal brings up that topic one would think has been analyzed quite enough.  But no, at a recent SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) conference, Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, put it succinctly when he said, “There are work-life choices and you make them and they have consequences.”  This set off a storm of protests from men and women over whether it was possible to rise to a high level in corporate America and still take time off to have a family. 

We’ve all heard the debate–mostly by women:  “When I’m at work, I think about my family.  When I’m home, I think about work.”  As the Journal states, it’s not hard to make an analogy between work-life balance as being like the Loch Ness monster.  “There are a lot of sightings but no one has ever found it, and no one ever will.”  Are we over-thinking the inevitable that “there really is no answer”? 

A scan of the internet produced a few positive notes in the fragile financial situation in which many of us here in the U.S. find ourselves.  For example, the investment website, Motley Fool wrote: “We Americans are changing some of our ways — for the better, as I see it. Sales at high-priced stores like Nordstrom and Abercrombie & Fitch are down, while sales at Family Dollar and Ross Stores have been up. We’ve been seeking out bargains and not as readily spending $100 on a new shirt.” They also site The Wall Street Journal’s report that “Household debt in the U.S. went down a bit in the third quarter of 2008. That might not sound so impressive, but get this — that’s the first time it has decreased in more than 50 years!” 

One outcome of belt tightening that may not be quantifiable is that many individuals world-wide are actually finding joy in living a simpler life.   We’re learning that we can do more with less.  What used to be our “must haves” are now “wouldn’t it be nice” items.  We’re asking, “Do we really need more “stuff”?  Are you doing more with less in your leadership role?  How is that working? 

That is only part of the title of Fortune Magazine’s new book.  The rest is….”and Shaped Modern Business”.  A review of this book described unbelievable excesses by power brokers who essentially looted corporations and individuals out of millions of dollars.  We have only to consider schemers such as Bernie Madoff (who allegedly vaporized $50 billion from those who trusted him) to know that he is only one of many in the “Con Artist Hall of Infamy”, as the San Francisco Chronicle  put it.  They quoted the book which asks the basic question, “Why were so many people willing to believe in something that so few understood?”  It appears that we are so easily impressed by the leadership style of one we admire, that we fail to recognize or even question his/her substance. And, isn’t not understanding an investment part of the problem with all the ill-advised home mortgages?   Where’s the credibility on both sides of a transaction?   

The Sonoma Leadership System editor’s idea for this blog title was trumped today by a local newspaper!  But, it’s still worth writing about the relationship between interdependence and independence in leadership.  Since interdependence is the reliance of people upon goods, resources and knowledge from all parts of the world, the interaction is mutually beneficial.  Therefore, leaders need to be interdependent.  One visible way is leaders relying upon the support of others in order forge ahead with their collective visions—with a long line of contented constituents willingly following their path. 

But, what of the independent leader?  Can he/she operate independently and still be successful? Kouzes and Posner write in Credibility that too much support can actually foster dependency.  “Leaders cannot be expected to be available 24 hours a day and still maintain their personal health and worth to the organization.  Leaders need to be alert that neither they nor their constituents make the institution a substitute for the Self.”  Margaret Benefiel - Soulful Leadership Examiner has the final word, “ Should we celebrate Independence Day or Interdependence Day this Fourth of July?  Both.”