May 6, 2014 by 6 Comments

Be Unstoppable: The Brilliance of Singles

I love baseball. I am not the kind of fan that follows all the trades and statistics, engaging in vigorous debate. In truth, I often don’t even know the names on the full roster of my favorite team.

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I know where I was when Joe Carter hit his walk off home run to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a come from behind victory in the over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies in the 1993 world series, and I know that Jackie Robinson was the first colored ball player and wore number 42 (thanks to the movie), but I couldn’t tell you much more for dates and big events. I just love the game.  Please Continue Reading …

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September 10, 2012 by 3 Comments

Guiding Leadership, Inside Out

I have had the privileged benefit of a long-term mentorship in business. My mentor had been the CEO with one of the largest companies in our Province. Early in my mentorship, he spoke of the difference between “IQ” and “EQ”. His conviction led him to hire his leadership team with a bias toward EQ. His reasoning was that when the pressure came, EQ would hold.


Think of a soft-sided ball. The ball can be attractive, and bounce ok under normal conditions. However, if we place the ball into a deep pool of water, the deeper we take the ball, the more pressure the ball receives from the water. Under pressure the ball will collapse if there is nothing inside. Alternatively, if there is substance inside, it will either hold the shape of the ball, or seep through as the pressure builds.

 Please Continue Reading …

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August 27, 2012 by 1 Comment

Culture: an elite athlete perspective

I received permission to share an email (below) that one of my clients circulated among the staff of his organization…the day after an intensive culture workshop I facilitated. So often it seems that leaders are looking for a light switch process to “turn on” culture improvement…rather than go through the process. However, it is the process that works the depth of true transformation…painful though it may be.

At the start of a person’s journey from inactivity to elite athlete they have to expend high levels of their energy to do relatively little because they are not in very good shape. At the same time, they make big improvements in their fitness and ability to achieve in their sport.

As they get more fit, that same level of energy expenditure does quite a lot more and they improve noticeably. It’s a nice linear progression and as long as you only want to be good at the sport you can work reasonably hard and be in quite good shape.

However, if the goal is to be an elite athlete then moving from the 90th percentile to the 92nd percentile doesn’t take just 2% more energy, it takes almost as much energy as was expended to get from 0 – 90%. Getting a tiny bit better takes high levels of intense energy and focus. The work to go from 10th best in the world to on the podium is massive.

 Please Continue Reading …

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August 16, 2012 by 2 Comments

Lessons from the Dragon Boat – Part 1

This is an article I wrote for my column “Calibration” which is published in SaskBusiness Magazine.

It was a windy day on the South Saskatchewan. Tension crept into muscles, making them tight with anticipation as six boats drifted towards the start line, paddlers leaning forward at the ready. “Boat 3 – paddle forward, boat 6 – hold your position!” Crack! The gun went off, and the silence was interrupted by the churning sound of wood stabbing and throwing water, and the exhortative shouts of paddlers spurring teammates forward.

Within a few seconds, I began to long for the race to be over. My legs were awkwardly bent back under my seat, and my lower spine was beginning a lobby effort to cease and desist as whole muscle groups began to wage war against each other. Perseverance, however, is the key to fitness and competition, so I determined to finish well and spend myself for the cause. I could do this! I would not be one of the “cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat”! I would press on!

 Please Continue Reading …

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August 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Growing Capacity

In organizations, real power and energy is generated through relationships. The patterns of relationships and the capacities to form them are more important than tasks, functions, roles and positions.

Margaret Wheatly

If you were to take a snapshot view of your organization, based on the perspective of what Margaret Wheatley suggests here, what would you see? Is there a great emphasis on the task at hand, while relationships suffer along? Are departments and/or individuals operating as silos; islands unto themselves? Is it possible that, if the organization were to invest some effort into the “capacity to form” relationships, significant progress would be made? What could your role as one individual be? How much impact could you create?

 Please Continue Reading …

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July 3, 2012 by 2 Comments

Balconey View – Going “deeper” amidst conflict

“The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.” Henry Kissinger

It is easy to get frustrated as we lead/work with people. Especially when we encounter negative feedback or resistance to partnership as we journey together. In the midst of the conflict it is important to remember that conflict gives us the opportunity to see what lies beneath the surface…which would otherwise have remained unseen.

Example: An employee/partner may approach you and suggest that they are disappointed with how they are being treated, how they are being paid, or something like. Your mind goes to the defense…”Have you any idea how hard I…” and so on…

This path leads to the cycle of crazies.

Stepping back and taking a balcony view brings fresh perspective. Why does the employee/partner feel this way? What has/has not be communicated in regards to their feelings? This is the first level of questioning…

 Please Continue Reading …

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June 17, 2012 by 2 Comments

Vision: Fuel for Passion

Seasons come and go, and in them we ebb and flow…and that’s the end of poetry for this blog article.  🙂

I had a friend recently describe how she was lacking passion for anything of late. She described a season of “going through the motions” with little motivation. I found myself instantly pointing to vision as the culprit.

Vision leads to passion…or not. It depends on what we see. If we go to our work with a (even subconscious) view of having little change through our efforts, then why would we need passion?However, if we see great things happening as a result of our involvement, passion flows powerfully.

Let me mix in a metaphor: Boxing. Apparently if a boxer is to be successful, he/she must punch “through” the target…not simply hit it. They must see past the surface, and punch through for power and impact.

Maybe this is where we get hung up with passion. We see the surface of what we are dealing with, and it looks like not much changes. We need eyes to see past the surface to the depth of the change that could be…and aim for that. If we can get a glimpse of that level of impact, we can sense achievement (in boxing: victory!)…which lifts our passion to engage!

This principle does not just end with us as individuals. As we lead others, we must also be aware of opportunities to help them see the impact of what they are doing…the change that is happening below the surface, otherwise they suffer as we do in depleting passion.

What would it take to discover what you do not presently see? How might it feel to live with greater passion for your day?

 

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May 28, 2012 by 4 Comments

Communication…Developing the Will to Understand

Communication between two people, departments, companies, stakeholders…is always a challenge. (maybe even solo…as I think my multiple personalities have trouble communicating within my singular being!)

Why?

Well, there are the many varied components, such as sender, receiver, message and mode of transmission. Then there are the mystical factors…such as the condition of the sender’s heart, the condition of the receiver’s heart, and the tone of delivery.

Then there is the issue of language, interpretation, clarity and interference or distraction.

It’s just plain amazing to me that we ever effectively communicate!

 Please Continue Reading …

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March 26, 2012 by 4 Comments

Partnership – Standing for each other’s success

I read somewhere that every employee has the right / need to know whether their leadership is for them, against them, or for themselves.

We all wrestle with our motives at times, consciously and sub-consciously. It is difficult to understand our “shadow mission” (a whole of the blog topic), whether we are truly for others, or simply for ourselves, and hoping that others will help us get to wherever we want to go.

Imagine a team where everyone is simply there for their own agenda. Engaged in their, sure…but for the ultimate end of furthering their self…all straining to gain one more wrung on the corporate ladder…one more digit in the personal bank account.

 Please Continue Reading …

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February 24, 2012 by 3,850 Comments

Value Recognition

People engage where they feel valued for their contribution.

Organizations don’t value people…people value people.

It is not so much that you “tell” people you value them…more that they recognize (sense) that they are valued. It may be that you have said, “we sure value your contribution here”…but a comment such as this may lead to feelings of being a “tool” – rather than valued as a person.

It is less likely that people really want to be an employee of the month picture on the wall…or have a parking space at the front door…this may actually work against other people on your team recognizing the value you have for them.

How do you feel valued?

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