Getting the Change right - Leadership and Innovation

Change is constant. Change is ephemeral. Change is permanent. Change is never-ending.

Regardless of the sector in which you operate. No matter how big your company. Notwithstanding how large or complex your organizational structure. Change can be subtle, it can be violent. Change can be beautiful and embraced, it can be ugly and feared.

Globalization, social media, exponential technological development, morphing markets, emerging new markets, offshoring, and low-cost competitors. These are just a small selection of enablers and accelerators of change.

Many leaders consider their organizations, even themselves, as failing to implement change effectively. Transformational change is one of the biggest challenges facing most businesses whose products, markets and customers are themselves rapidly changing and demanding new and different goods and services.

But some leaders excel at delivering and benefiting from meaningful change. These leaders learn to manage change effectively, so that they get ahead of, and even become the driver of change. One thing they have in common is a view that change is a catalyst of Innovation.

Long gone are day-to-day operations that fall into a static or predictable patterns that are interrupted infrequently by only short spells of minor adjustments. Many employees lament these good old days of predictability and fear larger and ongoing change, but these days the opposite should be the case: periods without change often mean an organization is about to be overtaken by another business that has already recognized and adapted to the changing marketplace.

So, where is your organization heading to in the next few years? Hopefully, you're already trying to balance the mix of a need for quick wins with longer term culture changes and business outcomes. You should be trying to lead your competition in growth and revenue, rather than reacting to their initiatives, developing yourself the next generation of highly new innovative products and services. Or will you simply be manning the tiller and keeping the ship afloat?

Corporations of the future must become well-equipped to adapt and respond to an ever-increasing pace, variety and ubiquity of change. And as leaders, you must embrace change, become expert at understanding and involving change in your business, and constantly encourage innovation across your organizational culture, in the products you deliver and the services you offer.

Break free from your moorings - Leading Change

As a leader, how often do you ask yourself the question: do I steer, or simply man the tiller?

Are you making a difference to your organization, empowering your employees and effecting change, navigating your way through choppy waters towards a sun rising over a broad horizon? Or are you simply sailing the ship, keeping it upright and moving forward, avoiding the rocks and any risk of running aground?

When taking over leadership responsibility of a company or organization, the latter course is likely to be your immediate priority.

But before you nail your colours to the mast, what if your new ship desperately needs you to pump the bilge? Do you throw all hands to the pumps and try to weather the storm, or do you change tack on a bearing for change?

Before making any rash decisions you need to take soundings and get the feel of the tiller, but if the organization is suffering in the doldrums, then undertaking some immediate sail-trimming and realigning your ballast is likely in the long-run to be one of the most effective ways of keeping the ship afloat and it's course true.

Breaking free of your moorings and effecting change sends a positive message to your co-workers, energizing them to stop swinging the lead and empowering them to raise the boom.

12 Most Engaging Leadership Palindromes

Leadership today can be an all-consuming activity, so it's nice sometimes to kick-back and have a bit of fun. Do you ever spend just a few minutes engaging and exercising the mind with alternative intellectual activities during your busy schedule?

Just a few moments of fun thinking can put a smile back on your face, relax you, and reenergize and remotivate you for that all-important presentation or boardroom meeting. So how about a few palindromes? See how many you can spot in the following leadership commentary...

We few who occupy the top spot as leaders of today's corporations and organizations are peppered with so many dynamos that it is natural to ask inevitably: are we not drawn onward to new era?

Back in the day getting things done was a much simpler exercise, such as the example of von Humboldt: a man, a plan, a canal: Panama. These days however, leadership is a more collegiate affair and none of us want to exclaim: I am a fool - aloof am I.

We also need to dip into the reward drawer for ourselves as well as our employees, provided they follow your commands to "pull up if I pull up", observe the mantra that they must sell at tallest sum, and are allowed to fail on occasion, remembering that no demerits tire me Don.

Rewards come in many forms. But don't be tempted to pull out a cigar. Toss it in a can. It is so tragic. A better result for morale is to take your valued employee out for dinner. For me, you can't beat a nice Wurst, and if it's German sausage you're eating, wash it down with a nice Helles, for Lager, sir, is Regal.

How did you get on?

In no particular order, here are my 12 Most Engaging Leadership Palindromes included in the above passage:

• We few
• Top spot
• Reward drawer
• So many dynamos!
• Must sell at tallest sum
• Are we not drawn onward to new era?
• A man, a plan, a canal: Panama!
• Pull up if I pull up
• I am a fool. Aloof am a I
• Cigar? Toss it in a can. It is so tragic.
• No demerits tire me Don
• Lager sir, is Regal

Remember your Munter Hitch - the Leadership safety net

The Munter hitch creates friction by having the rope rub on itself and on the object it has been wrapped around. There is no static friction on any part of the rope as it is a continuously moving knot. A key facet of the Munter is its reversibility; it can be pulled from either side of the rope and it still works just as effectively.

During such times of flux, employees, boards of directors and shareholders alike, all want to know: where's my safety net?

Does our leader know how to tie a Munter Hitch?

Is our leader able to belay us safely and gently, to a position where we can reassess our priorities, regroup our resources, and reascend the peak?

The key for leaders needing to implement the equivalent of the Munter Hitch in the workplace is the establishment of strong employee capabilities. Having an effective, enthusiastic and empowered workforce will enable organizations to glissade gracefully, identify opportunities for change and create competitive advantage in a slowing economy. An elite talent pool should have the determination, enthusiasm and ability to drive the business into increased revenue growth and market share.

The following key leaderships principles are central to creating such a Munter Hitch workforce during a downbeat economy.

Engagement

An organization with an evolved culture of communication is well positioned to overcome skepticism and lack of self-confidence. It is crucial that leaders keep their managers engaged and positively-reinforced, especially at a time when many may have a tendency to "disconnect" due to business uncertainty, high workloads and stress.

Meaning

Storyboard the organization's strategy and vision to make it more accessible to employees. Many will find a concrete example crucial in creating a mental picture of the organization's goals. This in turn engenders buy-in, commitment and ‘ownership’ within the workplace.

Adaptability

In uncertain times it is critical to manage change effectively and remain flexible in your attitude and approach. Challenge long-held business assumptions and practices. Taking a fresh perspective will enable you to focus on the daily execution of strategic priorities and help to maximize employee efforts and decision making in the midst of overwhelming demands.

Best foot forward 

Leaders must lead. They must provide purpose, direction and compelling values so that employees may envision a positive future. Direction must come from the top, but reach all the way down to front line staff who will ultimately pass on your positive vision to your customers.

But a strong vision is not enough.  it must be functional and memorable so that every employee will embrace it, living and breathing the vision through every task and action on a day to day basis.

Transformational Change - the foundation of business evolution

A good friend of mine, let's call him Steve, frequently asks me the question: what is transformational change?

It's a good question. There's change and there's transformation, and these two terms are invariably synonymous. So what's the benefit of the duplicitous adjective? Why not changing change, or transformational transformation? Or indeed a changing transformation? And why is transformational change such a key activity and concept for the modern business?

Let's consider the definition of the terms change and transformation:

change - n.

1. The act, process, or result of altering or modifying: a change in facial expression.

2. The replacing of one thing for another; substitution: a change of atmosphere; a change of ownership.

3. A transformation or transition from one state, condition, or phase to another: the change of seasons.

transformation - n.

1. a. The act or an instance of transforming. b. The state of being transformed.

2. A marked change, as in appearance or character, usually for the better.

So what's the difference?, asks Steve

Well, consider this definition of the evolved term:

transformational change

A change that is not merely an extension or improvement over the past, but a state change. 

This state change can be personal and organizational. The change is no ordinary change, it is far more bold and compelling - not simply a more or better version of busines-as-usual. When used in a business environment, this concept is an audacious vision of a new organizational structure and methodology.

Before being actioned, transformational change calls for a new level of fearlessness, of innovation and collaboration, and excites the people of the organization, unleashing their passion and creativity. After being actioned, co-workers will say that they have more than a large improvement, rather they have a different organization, a state-change, a transformation.

Achieving this state change requires altering and expanding the limiting mindset in which the individual employees and the organization operates. It is a mindset that includes the attitudes, perspectives, rationales and logic of individuals and the business, and alters how each perceives their problems and opportunities. Transformational change radically amplifies the bandwidth of solutions that individuals and organizations consider to deal with their strategy and vision.

Ultimately, then, transformational change is an important concept and activity in the development and growth of the modern business. Call it jargon if you will, as it is an idea not generally applied to the non-business world.

So, a useful summary or definition of the term might be:

transformational change

A shift in the business culture of an organization resulting from a change in the underlying strategy and processes that the organization has used in the past. A transformational change is designed to be organization-wide and is enacted over a period of time.

In a nutshell, there you have it, Steve.

[(ET + LR + IA = BC –> ROI ) | (DVKB > R) | (C = (P+L)xF)]

WTF books have come out with some chestnuts in recent months, but the latest offering from Terry T. Derby titled Formulae for Change, Leadership and Leadership Change amplifies to a tee the whole genre of change metrics.

A compilation of compelling anecdotes and radical simplifications of concrete truths, this synopsis of the mechanisms of change, leadership and changing leadership girates the reader through the full spectrum of organizational scenarios that aim to incubate leadership gametes.

Derby focuses on a range of simple formulae offered by a variety of commentators and experts that help us focus on the weights and measures required to effect the desired results.

These include the Trinity Training Formula - How to maximize ROI from Day Camp, which outlines where to focus efforts in situations where an organization attempts to engender behavioural change through mind management:

   ET + LR + IA = BC –>  ROI

Which means Effective Training (ET) and Leadership Reinforcement (LR) and Individual Application, result in Changed Behavior (BC), which implies some possibly unmeasurable factor of Return on Investment (ROI).

Or there's the Downtown Pastor's negative input formula for positive change:

C = (P+L)xF

Meaning Change (C) comes from Pain (P) + Loss (L) multiplied by a bucket load of Frustration (F).

Or there's the Borat Armalyetee balance formula for implementing effective transitional change:

DVKB > R

Which translates to the idea that Demand (D) x Vision (V) x Knowledge of next steps (K) x Belief (B) must always be greater than Resistance (R) in order that forward momentum be first instigated, then maintained.

In summary, this book is a must-have to all those desperate to be led in how to lead, or those wishing to change their current change management regimes. Available in all reputable book selling locations.

Taming the Leadership peak

"Mountain climbing is a risky activity and not to be taken lightly no matter how easy or benign your chosen peak might seem. Remember: Looks can be deceiving. The mountains are filled with danger and drama. Lightning can stab out of a clear sky. Thunderstorms quickly form and drench you with rain and sleet. Rockfall and avalanches sweep down mountain faces. Difficulties can slow you, forcing you to bivouac in the open. You or your climbing partner can have an accident, causing all kinds of complications. If you’re a novice and inexperienced in the ways of the mountains, then it’s wise to go with more experienced companions or a guide. You can learn from them what it takes to be safe in the mountains so you can return another day for a new adventure." - Friedrich Nietzsche

The above description of mountaineering was written at a time when mountains still evoked in many people the feeling of the Sublime, an aesthetic experience that struck a heady mix of fear, wonder, excitement and terror in those that experienced or even just considered such scenes. These were the places of monsters, demons, or simply bandits that would rob you blind. And if they didn't get you, you'd be just as likely to slip off some precipice, tumbling down the scree to a blunt fate on some rocky outcrop below.

But this was also a time when such previously unvisited regions were being trekked, charted and even inhabited. People were developing the skills - psychological, physical and technical - to overcome their fears and the challenges that such dangerous terrain presented. And a new profession of mountain guides was born to accommodate those new to such adventures.

Whilst on Nietzsche's mountain things are beautifully, if brutally, simple - it is life or death, success or failure - modern corporate culture and organizational bureaucracy make for different rules of engagement to those of mountaineering.

Success or failure of a business or organization, especially that of individual internal projects, initiatives or changes, can be measured in a multitude of ways, but Nietzsche's description holds true for today's Leadership Challenge in the following three ways.

Firstly, Leaders should prepare to take risks. But being aware of just what those risks are is essential in foreseeing difficulties or problems that either need to be overcome or require the taking of a different path.

Secondly, Leaders need to consult their peers. Just as a mountain guide is useful even to an experienced climber when visiting new ranges, so our Leaders should also listen to the wealth of advice, thinking and experience that the Leadership community has to offer.

Finally, don't fear failure. Inherent in taking risks is the risk of failure, but it's critical that Leaders recognize failure early. It's better to scrap an idea as soon as it becomes clear that it will fail, rather than blindly soldier on in order not to lose face.

Stoats, Skunks and Squirrels - leadership styles for etymologists

Leadership style is critical in defining how effective you are at influencing your colleagues and thus how well you effect change and development within an organization. All leaders have a mix-and-match of various traits, but there are 3 principal leadership styles outlined below that all of us will recognize in ourselves and others who influence us.

The Stoat

The Stoat is probably the original type of management style ever employed. Just as the Stoat in real life is a solitary, but lean and effective hunter, the Stoat makes his/her own simple and direct decisions. Employees and team members are directed to follow. The Stoat commands obediency and is a good leadership style for tougher industries and working environments.

This isn’t to say that the Stoat would fail to lead in environments with less physical risk, such as creative industries. However, the more that employees are left to do imaginative or creative tasks largely on their own, the less likely the Stoat would be to really bring out the best in people.

Skunks

Skunks are the complete opposite to Stoats, and so you might expect to find these types of leaders in completely different industries. As stated, Stoats aren't as effective in creative industries, but Skunks aren't just common in creative industries, they're also a dime a dozen in service industries and the professional sector.

I’m talking about lawyers, doctors, accountants, surveyors, architects and teachers. They have spent upwards of 3 years in a training contract and have emerged into either a well paid or respected job. Just as Skunks in real life like to be left alone and are easily unpleasant when disturbed or harassed, Skunk leaders expect a certain degree of ‘laissez faire’ in the way they work. They expect to be entrusted with plenty of responsibility and be left to discharge their professional duties with minimal supervision and oversight.

Squirrels

The Squirrel's style is probably the most popular leadership style in the 21st century management arena. It’s a style that remains popular due to the positive reaction employees have towards it. Squirrels in real life have a tendency to visit many nut trees and store nuts in many places for future use. If you're a Squirrel type of leader, you tend to consult your employees and teams over decisions that will effect them. Even if you take decisions that others disagree with, you'll have no problem returning to others' opinions at a later date and changing tack. 

However, be warned. The Squirrel isn’t perfect in every occasion. Your tendency to consult and store information can mean that decisions take much longer to take. When one only has to consult oneself, a decision can be made almost instantaneously. In high pressure situations the Squirrel is less adept at leading.

So, what type of leader are you?

If you fit the style of any other type of Mustelidae, Caniformia or Eutheria, then please let me know!

Clear your Vision to turbo-charge growth

If you don't know where you're going, you may not like where you end up!

Your organization's vision statement is the first thing to create when writing your business plan. In a downbeat economy, you might think that it's the last thing you need, but having a succinct and easily-communicable vision is imperative to securing your business future.

Your vision, whether it be for a one-, five- or ten-year plan, describes your goals and should be an inspiration for all your colleagues every day they come into work. It's the framework for all your organization's strategic planning and that secret weapon that drives their business ever forward and upward.

So, make your Vision Clear!

And make sure your Pro forma vision remains positive and avoids marginally negative intonations, such as the following example: 

This vision statement clarifies the main goal that our organization wishes to achieve, making appropriate use of “clear quotes” to ensure that it’s obvious to anyone that we have no real substance, direction nor capital assets whatsoever. If that doesn't state our aim, I don't know what does.

 Laker Airlines 1976

10 mantras for Turning FEAR into Leadership

Have you got the FEAR or have you got the Mo?

Thanks to Primate Ian Brown, turn FEAR into Leadership and positive action with 10 simple mantras.

1.   Free expression as revelation.
2.   Freeing excellence affects reality.
3.   Finding eternity arouses realization.
4.   For everybody a ruler.
5.   Final execution and resurrection.
6.   For each a road.
7.   Fantastic expectations amazing revelations.
8.   Freeing excellence arouses reaction.
9.   Following eyeballs aggregates ROI.
10. Forget everything and remember.

You've got the Mo!

Sandboxing your brand value

For many companies, their most mission-critical asset is their brand. It defines their reputation and helps them stand out in an over-crowded marketplace, particularly one bloated by social networks, e-commerce and the competition of real-time supply-chain architectures.

Brand risk is therefore a potent danger that all of us face. But by its nature, sandboxing your brand, unless you live by the ocean or a large quarry, is a goal that many find one of the most elusive. Many talk the talk of strategizing reputation, but how easy is it to walk the walk?

Key is how to measure the impact of infrastructure or product changes on your brand in the marketplace, especially at moments when your business fails to deliver, launches buggy software, or serves Würst without the sauerkraut.

Many of us hire or contract experts from PR to inflate our brands at every corner, whether we're riding high or in a time of crisis. However, brand and reputation will remain forever so nebulous that it's just as easy to ignore such self-promotion. But at what cost?

Ultimately, in today's world of bleeding-edge communication networks, responsiveness and honesty are key. When relaying problems or delays to your customers or suppliers, speed and accuracy matter, and identifying the key impacted stakeholders is paramount.

Easier said than done. Such a strategy requires strong and effective leadership, to manage the conflicting expectations of customers and the business itself. But it also requires those leaders to know what's going on in the engine room. A strong brand requires an equally strong foundation of open communication within the organization that owns it.

Seldom do investors quiz the board at the AGM about reputation and brand, until, that is, something goes disastrously wrong.

Build the right internal culture and commit to open and honest communication with your customers, and goodwill, the cornerstone of sandboxing your brand, will surely follow.

Sipping from the brimming rabbit

Yesterday I ran into the legendary Leonard Stoat, author of the niche change management tome: Morphing Infrastructure Paradigms for the Post-Restructuralist Generation, and he agreed to join me for a mochalattecino at Tully's downtown.

Leonard became affectionately known as The Stoat (hardly a giant leap) through his pioneering cut-throat policy of incisive disintermediation. Despite this reputation for unleashing impactful schemas, The Stoat has since orchestrated and, indeed, monetized a string of more collaborative supply-chain infrastructures.

I recalled, after our brief interview, R. S. Thomas' metaphor of the stoat "sipping from the brimming rabbit", a rumination on the cruelty of nature where the rabbit is viewed simply as a vessel of blood, the spoils of aggression on offer to the stoat.

I got to thinking: does this metaphor describe in any way the key attributes of modern business leadership?

Perhaps our recontextualization of business relationships, operation models and frictionless enterprises, both in terms of architectures and the language that describes them, has merely diluted the vessel contents into a plasma cordial.

Or perhaps we should congratulate ourselves that, also through the aggregation of layers of wireless-linked social communities, modern leaders have enabled us to empower organizational change from the bottom up, helped teams focalize themselves on their meta-priorities, and provided one and all the chance to sip from the grail.