Inspiration Rolls Downhill
I look at productivity and reward programs with a cynical eye. This isn't to say that reward isn't important, it is just the way it's done. For example, a paper "you did great" award that someone is going to tack to their cube is demeaning, especially when executives are rewarded in far more grandiose ways. Creating a truly inspired team requires a leader to turn this on it's head.
Rather than "Leadership" I like to think of "Servantship". I suppose this is essentially servant leadership, but I fear that concept has been mentally packaged up and hung on a mental hook in the back storage room of many leader's mind.
When leading teams I view my role as having two unequal parts.
Team Leadership
The first, but smaller part is to:
- collect information from the team
- direct discussion about the important topics
- pull the right decisions out of the team
- make sure the direction that gets set is informed by the team and in alignment with the business
Leading with the team, rather than TO the team, is so much more effective, hands down, period. The reality is that when your team is aligned to the goals of the organization (OG), and the project execution (PE) is designed to directly impact these goals (PG), by association the goals of the project directly support those of the organization (PE + PG → OG).
Of course, making this successful assumes you get great people on your team. I think that hiring strategy is something that you are continuously learning how to do well. Jason Fried, CEO of 37 Signals has some good ideas about writing a job description that have worked out well for colleagues of mine, and is something I'll be testing out.
Support Support Support!
By FAR, this is so much more important than leading. Sort of like location in real estate, amazing leadership is all about supporting the team. Disagree? Then you probably aren't someone I want to work for, and my guess is that your team isn't happy about it either.
What keeps me up at night is when there is something I can do to keep my team moving. I'll work to the early hours of the morning or over the weekends if it means that I can keep my team moving.
One of my first bosses had this quality. I was in college working for a remodel construction company. We were contracted to rebuild a parapet wall along the top of a mall that had been damaged in an earthquake. It was over 120 degrees on that roof, and our crew was working with another sub-contracted team. While the other team's leader sat down in the cool air conditioning, our boss cam up with cold drinks then helped us move and place 3/4" plywood sheets. He was a great leader, and this wasn't abnormal for him. But the stark contrast between his behavior and the leader of the other team really stood out.
I think about that often. It's one of my favorite business memories. And as I lead teams I think about what I can do for the team. It might not be cold drinks and moving plywood, but as a metaphor, in whatever I do I'd like my team to feel that I am a part of the team and there to do whatever it takes to support them.
The Downhill Roll
Working in start-up companies has given me a short cycle time with employment, and the opportunity to work for a wide range of leaders. The other thing it's given me is visibility to the top. Even where I've had a boss between the CEO and myself, it is easy to see that the company culture is set by the CEO. Even a great boss can not completely shield a team from a toxic environment (although to the extent possible I think this is part of the 'support' role).
In "Good to Great" Jim Collins does a great job of delineating the difference between Level 4 and Level 5 leaders. Of course nobody is an exact match for one or the other, but as I think back, the better leaders tended to be more like the Level 5, and vice versa. I recommend picking up the book if you haven't read it - or my preference, the audio book and listen while you drive & fly.
>>
Level One: A capable individual who makes productive contributions through talent, knowledge, skills and good work habits.
Level Two: Also a team member, he contributes his individual capabilities to the achievement of the group objectives and works effectively with others in group settings.
Level Three: A competent manager. He knows how to organize people and resources towards the effective and efficient pursuit of predetermined objectives.
Level Four: Goes one step further and becomes an effective leader, he catalyses commitment to and a vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision, stimulating higher performance standards.
Level Five: The person who knows how to build enduring greatness through paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will.
<<
Rolling the Right Stuff Downhill
I had a leader tell me once that he was impressed with my passion, and told me to never lose it. When I'm doing what I do best, getting paid fairly, and aligned to the goals of the organization, having passion for what I do isn't a problem.
But it begins with leadership. If what I'm working on isn't making an impact to the organizational goals, and helping build a great company, there is nothing to be passionate about. The role of leadership is to create a culture with the right people, doing the right stuff, aligned to the right direction.
This brings me back to hiring, support, and Moneyball.
1. Hire people with potential. People who are hungry, anxious to do great work. People who, when you interview them can't stop talking about how they love to do whatever it is that you are looking for - even to the extent that what they do is their hobby that they get paid for. Go rent the movie Moneyball.
2. Align your project to the goals of the organization (this makes the work meaningful).
3. Get your team involved in planning & decisions. With them engaged in the process, the group inherits a strong sense of ownership, and will be extremely driven to deliver.
4. Give credit where credit is due - which is always the team. I like to participate in the great work, but I'm acutely aware that without the great people on the team, the results wouldn't be what they are.
5. Support the team however you can. If there is a problem, fix it.
6. You are accountable. If there is a failure, you probably didn't align the team with the right goals, so it is yours to take.
Want to eliminate passion in your workforce? Detach them from the organizational goals, limit their visibility, and implement a bunch of silly rewards programs.
Want a highly productive team? Roll the right stuff downhill. Besides, inspiration rolls easier and faster than commiseration and complacency. Not to mention that it is more fun and delivers better results. Which makes me wonder why there are so many lackluster leaders - I just don't get it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
