Tag Archive for ‘Peter Drucker’ at DrivenLeaders.com

Tag Archive for 'Peter Drucker'

Great Leaders Ask Great Questions

Published

on November 13, 2009

. 0 Comments

Book Review: Just Ask Leadership

“The leader of the past was a person who knew how to tell. The leader of the future will be a person who knows how to ask.”
– Peter Drucker

This month I had a chance to catch up on some reading, specifically a new book by Gary Cohen, entitled Just Ask Leadership: Why Great Managers Always Ask the Right Questions. It has been said that the concept of “asking the right questions” is one of the most important and least appreciated skills a leader needs to achieve desired results. To reinforce this point, Cohen interviews nearly 100 leaders, including Fortune 500 CEOs, small business owners, military commanders, etc. – explaining how leaders at every level can learn to ask the right questions in the right contexts, thus enabling both individuals and organizations to thrive.

“Leadership is about allowing others the chance to flourish, and you do that by asking questions. This empowers coworkers to find solutions, embrace responsibility, and become accountable. Moreover, it opens the door to greater productivity and creativity. Indeed, more than ever before, leaders can’t know everything. By seeking others’ input, they can inspire powerful and positive change.” - Gary B. Cohen, Author - Just Ask Leadership

In the book, Cohen details many specific questions that leaders might pose in particular situations, however in my opinion; the more valuable takeaway is his explanation of how to create a culture of question-based leadership. In doing so, Cohen addresses five key areas:

1. Improving Vision - Getting Insights form All Levels of the Organization
Vision starts with an awareness of values. Questions can illuminate the values of both the leader and the organization. This, in turn, will enable good choices with regard to interacting with customers, hiring new employees, setting goals, and succession planning.

2. Ensuring Accountability - Increasing Team and Organization-Wide Performance
Having coworkers solve their own problems is critical to building their accountability, states Cohen. Leaders must encourage people to act and, provided good-faith action is taken, failure must be used as an opportunity for learning, not an excuse for punishment.

3. Building Unity and Cooperation - Creating a Culture of Trust
To unify an organization made up of vastly different individuals, leaders must invite coworkers to share their opinions and listen well to their input. This requires asking good questions– those that house the potential for growth and collaboration– not “gotcha” questions.

4. Creating Better Decisions - Getting the Right Answers by Asking the Right Questions
Most leaders make too many decisions, “If you don’t routinely ask, ‘whose decision is it?’ you’ll fall into the trap of doing others’ work,” he writes. The best decisions are often made by those down the chain of command, not up.

5. Motivating to Action - Asking for Success
“Because I said so,” is not a phrase that will inspire coworkers. In this section, Cohen offers insights into how to motivate people by building rapport, customizing incentives, and instilling respect.

Though the general concept of “asking questions” may sound simple, it’s often much harder to execute - especially for young or inexperienced leaders. Just Ask Leadership, is a quick read that provides many opportunities for self reflection and real world execution. Worth the read if you’re looking to define or fine-tune your approach to leadership.

(Disclosure: My copy of this was furnished by the author’s PR company.)

What is the purpose of business? (theengagingbrand.typepad.com)
Marshall Goldsmith: Focus on Results (huffingtonpost.com)
30 Challenges That Can Develop Leaders (myventurepad.com)

Are You an Authentic Leader?

Published

JimTaggert

on October 15, 2009

in Guest Posts and Leadership

. 0 Comments

“I am your servant. I do not come to you as a leader, as one above others.”

When you read these words did the person who uttered them come to mind? Admittedly, the world is adrift in leadership quotations. But what makes these words special is that they were said by Nelson Mandela, a man who truly suffered by years being incarcerated in a South African prison.

What I want to talk about in this post is leadership and to pose this question, which each of us needs to answer. “Am I an authentic leader?”

We’ve heard statements that leaders are born. But then others argue that leaders can be developed. Well, how about going back in time to hear from Aristotle:

“From the moment of their birth, some are marked for subjugation, and others for command.”

Well, that may not be all that helpful, especially when the general consensus now is that leaders can be developed.

One way to look at the issue is this way: I’ve organized the debate over who possesses leadership into two types of leadership: Big L and Little L. My personal view is that only a few of us will ever have the dynamic leadership behaviors and skills to lead organizations, private, public or non-profit, large or small, or the populace of a country, state or province. Only a few of us have what it takes to be a Big L leader.

What propelled people like Winston Churchill, Mohandas Gandhi, Golda Meir, Margaret Thatcher and Nelson Mandela to be world-class leaders? For those who are sports-minded, consider the great athletes like Bobby Orr, Billy Jean King, Wayne Gretsky or Mohammed Ali. Or how about such vocalists as Aretha Franklin, Céline Dionne or Beverly Sills?

These individuals possess an innate talent and drive that propels them to succeed. Why do some children at a very young age show an incredible skill in a certain discipline, yet other children work hard but only attain a certain level of proficiency?

To lead an organization, especially in today’s turbulent world, requires someone with unique abilities. Some of these can be learned. But there needs to be an inner drive and vision that causes that individual to want to lead others. This raises the issue of power and status, for which many people strive in their efforts to rise to the top.

So what about power?

First off, power can be an important component of effective leadership, provided it is used properly and for the right purposes. When top leaders abuse power by controlling and manipulating their subordinates, then these are not Big L leaders. They may be good managers, but when it comes to inspiring people and leading with integrity, they fall short of achieving this.

I love the following quote by the late Peter Drucker, who called things as he saw them. He believed that leadership must be founded upon a constitution; otherwise, irresponsibility will result:

I am amazed that today’s prominent writers on leadership do not seem to realize that the three most charismatic leaders in all recorded history were named Hitler, Stalin and Mao. I do not believe that there are three men who did more evil and more harm. Leadership has to be grounded in responsibility. It has to be grounded in a constitution. It has to be grounded in accountability. Otherwise, it will lead to tyranny.

Drucker was an advocate for shared leadership. He believed in employee responsibility and the need for a “self-governing community,” where individuals and teams share in many managerial activities. And this brings me to the concept of Little L leadership.

What is Little L leadership?

letter l Are You an Authentic Leader? It’s the leadership we see displayed throughout organizations and community - the day-to-day acts that people at all levels engage in. But, there are those who aren’t interested in taking on leadership roles. That’s okay. Some of them will gradually come on board, while others will continue to want to be led by their peers and managers.

This is a key point to remember when reflecting on our personal leadership styles and potentials.
It comes down to each of us being authentic in how we conduct ourselves. We need to strip off the facades we wear and own up to our weaknesses, limitations, and warts. When we’re honest and open with ourselves and others, we gain greater confidence and self-respect, plus respect from others. Be true to yourself and others will be true to you.

Here’s a personal example.

When I was in my early 30s I was promoted to manager of a team of economists. I had zero management training. Because of my own insecurities and wanting to do a good job, I became a bit of a micro manager. That was until a couple of the young economists straightened me out. It took a while but I learned to eventually let go and share the leadership with my team.

I was still the manager, but my team took a lot of initiative and consistently demonstrated leadership in their own ways. There’s no magic formula or cookie cutter approach to this. Each of us has to find our own way. In my case I had to fall on my nose a number of times.

So here are three questions you may wish to reflect on when it comes to developing your leadership skills:

1. What are my strengths and weaknesses? (Be honest with yourself)
2. What do I need to do to be more adventurous and risk-taking?
3. How can I inspire others to want to work towards a common purpose?

I’ll share one piece of advice, something I’ve learned: If you want to inspire others (an essential part of leadership), you need to be passionate about your cause.

Here’s a great story.

I recall watching a PBS program a few years ago that looked at the head surgeon of an emergency room in a large US city. As you can imagine, an ER can be an extremely hectic and stressful place in which to work. People have to know their duties and understand the interdependency of their efforts.

What struck me most about watching the surgeon (middle age black man) was his calmness in dealing with highly stressful situations in the midst of chaos. Multiple victims of car accidents and victims with gunshot wounds. As he stated to the journalist: “My staff look at me to keep it together. If I lose it, they lose it.” When his shift finished, where did go? Home? No, he went to do volunteer work with inner city Black children. For me, this guy showed exemplary leadership! But I ask you, was this man born as a natural leader, or did he develop over time?

Each of us needs to see our personal quest for leadership as one that first starts with the discovery of who each of us really is. We need: mountain Are You an Authentic Leader?

To know ourselves,
To hear ourselves,
To tell the truth to ourselves,
To be honest with ourselves.

Once we address these questions and reexamine our values and beliefs, we’ll be ready to move forward in our leadership journey. Sure, leadership skills can be learned. But the first step is a process in which we look inside ourselves.

This journey is a very personal and private one. We may or may not to wish to share with others along the way. However, one thing needs to be clear and that is every leader must go though it.

Here’s another great quote. Authors Kouzes and Posner (The Leadership Challenge) state:

“You can’t elevate others to higher purposes until you’ve first elevated yourself….You can’t lead others until you’ve first led yourself through a struggle with opposing values….A leader with integrity has one self, at home and at work, with family and with colleagues. Such a leader has a unifying set of values that guide choices of action regardless of the situation.”

Finally… Here are four excellent questions they pose to help facilitate the leadership journey:

• What are my values and beliefs on how people should operate in the organization?
• How strongly am I attached to my values and beliefs?
• How strong is my relationship with those I lead and with whom I work?
• Am I the right one to be leading at the moment?

The last question is especially important in my opinion. It gets at the heart of the shared leadership issue. Regardless of one’s “position” in the organization, there are times when one steps forward to lead and times when one steps back. As Kouzes and Posner state:

“To step out into the unknown, begin with the exploration of the inner territory. With that as a base, we can then discover and unleash the leader within us all.”

I hope this post has given you some new information that will spur you on to examine your personal leadership. Your thoughts and comments are welcome. Special note: Jim will be releasing later this fall his first e-book on leadership, entitled How to Become a Holistic Leader…Using a Principle-Based Approach

___________________________________________________________________________________

BIO
Jim has been a student of leadership for over 15 years, devoting over a decade to applied work in leadership development, organizational learning and team building. As a thought leader, he has initiated and lead several change management projects. He’s also a professional economist, and has lead research projects on such topics as labour market functioning, business innovation and industrial competitiveness. He holds masters degrees (honours) in economics and leadership. He lives in Ottawa, Canada.

Jim invites you to visit his website: http://www.LeadershipWorldConnect.com
He also writes a blog at http://ChangingWinds.wordpress.com
Meet Jim at http://www.linkedin.com/in/jimtaggart

Leading in a Recession: An Interview with Jack Hayhow

Published

Anthony

on February 24, 2009

in Interviews, Leadership and Managing

. 5 Comments

kickingtherecessionsbutt1 Leading in a Recession: An Interview with Jack Hayhow This past week I had the pleasure of speaking with Jack Hayhow, Founder and Chief Operating Servant of Opus Training. Since 1990, Jack has developed training systems that have been used by close to 5,000 companies, training in the neighborhood of a half a million people in a wide variety of industries.

Though he has dozens of training programs to his credit, Jack’s new eBook recently caught my eye, entitled “Kicking the Recessions Butt: Tenacious Tactics for Tough Times.” Having read the book, I found Jack’s insight to be invaluable with respect to leading amidst this challenging environment. In our discussion, Jack shared some excellent advice for new leaders looking to succeed and he has been kind enough to offer a free copy of his eBook for those looking to looking to learn more on the subject. I highly recommend it.

What advice would you give to “new leaders” during these recessionary times?

A excellent question that I can speak to in 3 areas:

1. Be absolutely candid with the people you are leading.

Being honest and helping people understand the current environment is key. Clearly state to your people that we are in a recession, a fundamental restructuring of the business environment. Very little of what we’ve assumed to be true in the past will be true in the future. You must understand that this is no longer business as usual, and it probably never will be again.

Let them know that you can’t guarantee their job this year, and in actuality, you couldn’t do that last year or the year before. Give them the harsh reality, yet give them guidance. My suggestion would be, “Quit worrying about the things you can’t control and focus on what you can. Find ways to contribute everyday to our company and make it really hard for the company to let go of you. Make yourself indispensable to the organization.” If you have people who argue or debate, show them the door. There will be no room for the clueless and the non-believers.

2. When things are as bad as they are, motivation is critical.

Many leaders as themselves the question, “How do I motivate my people in these tough Ttmes?” While it’s a valid question, it’s actually the wrong question. A better question is, “How do I create the conditions conducive to my people motivating themselves?”

It’s a question of extrinsic versus intrinsic motivation. Are people doing the work to get the reward, or is the work so satisfying that doing the work itself is their reward? If you create an environment conducive to people motivating themselves, you will be able to motivate in these challenging times. To do this, start by matching talent with the task. Play to your employees strengths. Figure out who does what and make sure they are spending their time where they can best utilize there talents.

Peter Drucker had said, “Most of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to get their work done.” By putting your people in the positions to best use their talents, you can focus all your efforts on getting any barriers out of the way so people can do the work they’ve been hired to do.

3. Give people some choice.

Choice inspires people. When people have even a little control over what they do or how they do it, they are more committed to and enthusiastic about the task. Give them the option on” how” to do something, the order that its completed, or maybe even who they work with to get the job done.

In your eBook, you speak to this being a time for “extreme leadership”. What do you see as the top priorities leaders must keep in mind during times such as this?

1. Turn up the dial. Set the pace and tone for the business.
You must establish a sense of urgency and reinforce it everyday, if not every hour. Communicate that if something used to take a week, it needs to be done in a day. One reason that I wrote this eBook was to demonstrate to our folks this sense of urgency. Publishing this eBook would have normally taken 60-90 days, yet with this sense of urgency we had it completed in one week.

2. Mandate what gets done.
This is not a time to be focused on non-essential tasks. Each person needs to constantly be asking themselves, “What’s the best use of my time right now?” It is imperative that every single person in your company, including you, has to focus on the highest impact activities.

3. Raise expectations and hold people accountable.
Everyone must understand that increased productivity is a requirement. Get commitment to achieve this and create mechanisms to evaluate performance in a shorter time frame. If you used to measure performance each month, now is the time to change it to every week, or maybe even every day.

Jack, I know that both training and development are true passions of yours. What developmental suggestions do you have for aspiring managers / leaders who may not have available advancement opportunities due to the current economic situation?

Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” The best advice I can give is to read an hour each day in your field. If you’re not doing this, then you’re not serious about success. It’s a crime if you’re not talking to people and looking for advice. Consider getting involved in mentoring situations. Have someone mentor you or reach out to mentor someone else. Utilize every possible opportunity to make yourself better – study hard, read, and talk to everyone you possibly can.

Follow Jack’s Blog at http://blog.opustraining.com/

The Wisdom of the Flying Pig - Jack Hayhow (drivenleaders.com)
Inspiration from Peter Drucker (theengagingbrand.typepad.com)
Winning in Turbulence: The Power of Managing Complexity (ceomemo.harvardbusiness.org)

Managing the Dynamics of Change

Published

Anthony

on August 15, 2008

in Leadership and Managing

. 0 Comments

Perhaps one of the most feared and yet revered words in a leader’s vocabulary; Change can take on a multitude of connotations depending on your point of view in any given situation. Most often it is looked at as negative, being that it often it disrupts what we know and are comfortable with. At the same time every leader knows that change undoubtedly creates opportunity and sparks innovation.

In an excerpt from his book, “Management Challenges for the 21st Century,” Peter Drucker suggests that to thrive in the new millennium, managers must do more than adapt to change: they have to lead it… and I couldn’t agree more.

I thought the following was a very insightful video on the subject, as Carly Fiorina (former CEO of HP from 1999-2005) speaks to students at Stanford University on the dynamics of change and fear. She notes that entrepreneurship is about risk-taking, and speaks to its association with tackling innovation. Fiorina concludes that asserting change involves gathering enough energy and force to overcome the power of the status quo. Sounds easy…don’t you think?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3IbKbDhfKw&hl=en&fs=1]