Leadership in the Moment

If you’re in an organization that has regular meetings you consider boring, you’re not alone.  Turns out that most employees agree with that assessment.  In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni makes a case for creating a “culture of conflict”.  He reminds leaders that they shouldn’t avoid conflict out of a fear of setting up an uncomfortable environment but, rather, as a door opener for productive debate. Fear of conflict is only one of Lencioni’s five dysfunctions.  He gives us a practical guide for building fully functioning teams by first exploring what is dysfunctional and building up from there.  One of the lessons learned—no more bØring meetings. 

This month’s issue of Money Magazine gives us some admirable, “do good” ideas.  In a climate of giving even in tough times, there are some creative ways to maximize your charitable impact.  While volunteering your time at shelter or charitable organization is greatly appreciated, they suggest the best benefit is to give from the professional skills you’ve accumulated.  As leaders, you can volunteer to use the skills that got you to where you are today.  A CEO can spearhead a fund raising effort.  A financial director can help with the books.  A trainer/facilitator can offer complimentary leadership training to volunteers.  An HR executive can organize a day for employees to work together on a charitable project.  The list goes on.  An important ingredient is that your organization honor employees’ volunteer efforts by acknowledging their work and by getting behind a charitable cause that inspires your team.  In other words, continuously “Encourage the Heart” (as offered in The Leadership Challenge®) inside and outside of your organization. 

The end of the year is the ideal time to rethink your business plan.  Both words, strategic and tactical, are closely connected yet the differences are:  (1) Strategic planning relates to issues that support your organization’s mission and purpose of its existence.  The role leadership is critical in this planning phase as is sharing the vision with ones constituents.   (2) Tactics are the actions that are necessary to carry out the strategic plan.  It’s the “how to” part of the plan.  The key is to answer the question of “How can goals be accomplished within the limits of resources.”  Connecting the tactical moves to the strategic plan takes the input of constituents at all levels of the organization.  Sounds like a good reason to take the time to engage your most valuable resource (people) in this important process.     

 In The Leadership Challenge®, there are Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership® and one is to Encourage the Heart by celebrating collective values and victories.  Successful leaders already know this yet a few ideas of “how to” never hurt. The publication, Bottom Line, offers 5 simple steps to make work more fun (by Dr. Filomena Warihay).  Most would agree that when work is fun, creativity is unleashed and cooperation and collaboration is increased.  A few “how to’s” are, 1.  Smile more – studies show that smiling causes change in the brain and blood that make one feel happy. 2. Use enthusiastic language – crisp, upbeat comments liven things up.  3.  Don’t wait to celebrate – mark small gains along the way to your goals, host a pizza lunch, write a personal note acknowledging a specific act and generally reward your team.  4.  Brag – not about yourself but about your teams’ success in a public way.  5.  Promote silliness – enliven meetings by building in team activities such as hats, fooz balls to toss, candid photos of your team.  Even a few minutes can raise spirits and enthusiasm.  Give it a try at your next gathering!