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July 2024
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PERMISSION TO LEAD7/8/2024 ![]() I was in a consultation meeting reviewing the latest Strategy document of an organization that I'm collaborating with when I discussed the importance of leadership development as one of the capacity strengthening priorities.
One of the consultants in the room, remarked that "some people don't want to become leaders in the organization." That it's not for everyone. So I reasoned out that, we need to be mindful of the barriers and disincentives of leading when in fact, the culture is not supportive and rewarding to become one. I don't blame them. Leaders get shot at first or fired. They seldom get rewarded for what they did/doing/will do. Often times, the organization has unrealistic/unachievable expectations of them. There are many training, workshop, coaches, advisors, and audits to train anyone for a leadership role since high school, but a genuine self-assessment is a dime and a dozen. They eat last (Sinek) but more than that, they don't eat until the rest of the team eats. They are alone/solitary in their decision-making and personal development. It takes a whole amount of vulnerability, commitment to continuing learning and improvement, regular receipt of useful feedback and self-sacrifices and self-abandonment to become a leader. Yes, I agree, some would be great supervisors, managers, and directors without invoking to become leaders in the process. But I doubt, that being a supervisor or manager, will cut it in these modern and complex organizations we find ourselves now. Emergent models of business, structure, delivery, operational efficiencies, among others require not just great managers but a more enlightened, empathetic, and 'just-right' amount of leadership too. In my book: Provocateurs, I talked how well-meaning, intentional leaders can make a huge impact by being grounded about who they are and their willingness to share themselves with others. They lead from within themselves through their passion, purpose, provision, practice, and paradigms. In my opinion, this is a "Permission to Lead" situation. Managers must be permitted to lead by those they are closely working with and also permit themselves to become one. We have in our generation, the capacity riches (gazillion of tools and know-how), rationale, and wherewithal to become effective leaders. Our ancestors who had less in life, who fought in World War 1 and 2 and other wars stepped up as leaders, even without much preparation, tools, or even choice. They just did it. We have a choice to lead and it doesn't mean the top position/role in a company/organization/community. We can lead in our families, neighborhood, and anywhere where we can influence. It's a golden opportunity to grow and become a better human in the process. Take it with open arms.
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SMALL ANNOYANCES7/3/2024 I've just read this interesting article on why most of us postpone taking action or dealing with the issue or situation for far too long until the pain, suffering or consequences of inaction are too large to dismiss, endure, or deny. The psychologists called it, the region-beta paradox. Why small annoyances can harm us more than big disruptions | Psyche Ideas Together with status quo bias, this paradox create an interesting situation for those that have to make a decision to deal with the situation even though, it's just mildly annoying. Everyone's beta-region is different and that not all of these scenarios will accrue to more harm in the future. Leaders, managers, and those in authority over organizations, it takes wisdom, lots of experience, and sensing to distinguish what discomforts in the organization should be dealt with immediately and those other annoyances that should be left alone.
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MAJOR IN MINORS6/24/2024 If organizations want to tackle their big issues they shouldn't major on minors. What color should the chairs be and how office layout should look? What summer staff events should look and have this year? What flowers and vases to choose from for the milestone celebration? What pronouns to use in an airline where safety rules and attention to customer service are more paramount? What venue and comforts can we provide at a planning retreat? So on and so forth. They can contribute to a successful team spirit, positive work environment, and overall good hospitality and welcoming, but to put so much debate, consultation, and energy on picking the right color, theme, and decorations is an overkill and misguided. As in many weddings, the bride and groom and families of both spend way more time with the wedding event, than the actual relationship-building elements such as building trust and loyalty, communication skills, handling conflict and disagreements, finances, decisions about children, and so on and so forth. The list by the way is not exhaustive. Take the same way you treat virtual signalling these days. No amount of bust throwing of Queen Victoria or other queens could help disappear bigotry, discrimination, and racism, it could even fuel more hate from those fence-sitters and observers. Hatred has become a go-to feeling nowadays without deep reason or justification for it. Minor issues in the organization tend to attract those who wanted to get fame, popularity, a certain kind of reputation for sticking their noses out for anything, and other low performers. It's because they lack power to engage in serous but more important conversations about employee engagement, releasing recognition and employee freedom, right compensation and promotions, and getting heard. They have to be in control of the small things at their level to feel a certain kind of power. For example, the front liners who are mean to customers do so because they can't shout and scream at their bosses/supervisors for the lousy conditions they are under. They vent it out through their jobs by doing little sabotages, insubordination, and petty quarrels between their peers, etc. You can't focus on the major issues if you're constantly battling minor league problems in your turf. An event is an event, but most organizational vitality issues are processes. So then focus on the process or processes and then you won't ever feel that you have squandered your precious time, energy, and resources on a good-to-have rabbit holes. |