Posts Tagged ‘learning’

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Making Process Better But Destroying Goals–Leadership Lesson

July 10, 2015

Making the process better, easier, and cheaper is an important aspiration, something we continually work on—but it is not the goal . Making something great is the goal. I see this over and over again in other companies: A subversion takes place in which streamlining the process or increasing production supplants the ultimate goal, with each person or group thinking they’re doing the right thing—when, in fact, they have strayed off course. When efficiency or consistency of workflow are not balanced by other equally strong countervailing forces, the result is that new ideas—our ugly babies—aren’t afforded the attention and protection they need to shine and mature. They are abandoned or never conceived of in the first place.

The quote is from Creativity Inc., Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand In The Way of True Creativity, by Ed Catmul, president of Pixar and Disney Studios.

It’s Friday leadership day. I’ve been reading Catmul’s book on leadership. It is a fascinating look into the creative process of Pixar–and into leading a creative organization.

How many of us have been involved in a project or organization where people (leaders) keep refining the process and then refining some more, and then they lose sight of the overall goal.

I certainly have seen this in business. And in church work. And in non-profit work.

What’s the goal?

Usually it concerns wowing the customer with a product whose quality and timeliness goes far beyond customer expectations. 

Didn’t we just see Toyota do that recently when they took the eye off the goal of pleasing customers?

How many Albert “Chainsaw Al” Dunlaps have you seen trying to cut a company to prosperity? This “Rambo in Pinstripes” destroyed Scott Paper, Sunbeam, and who knows how many other by his terrible management.

A leader works tirelessly to assure everyone affiliated with the company or organization or committee is firmly focused on the end goal. They never forget whom they are serving and what quality consists of.

Another part of what Catmul is talking about is fostering new ideas. Don’t let the process drown out creativity.

I recommend this book for leaders and creative types (who should be all of us).

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Top Ten Leadership Commandments

June 26, 2015

Organizers of the conference a couple of weeks ago gifted us with some books. One of mine was “The Top Ten Leadership Commandments” by Hans Finzel, President and CEO of WorldVenture.

The book itself is fairly autobiographical, but the list is good as lists go. The sub-theme of the book is taking leadership lessons from Moses and extrapolating to present day problems.

The Top Ten:

  1. Thou Shalt Cling to the Vision
  2. Thou Shalt Not Serve Thine Own Ego
  3. Thou Shalt Practice Servant Leadership
  4. Thou Shalt Be Opposed, Resisted, and Misunderstood
  5. Thou Shalt Have a Life
  6. Thou Shalt Sweat the Small Stuff
  7. Thou Shalt Spend Time in the Tent (get away and meditate)
  8. Thou Shalt Lead to Leave
  9. Thou Shalt Never Give Up
  10. Thou Shalt Keep Thine Eye on the Prize

Those of us who have been a leader of something during our lives can look at this list and cringe in remembrance of things we missed. Maybe getting a little too full of ourselves. Maybe ignoring details. Maybe not taking time to refresh.

One of the hardest, at least for me, would be number 4. “I’ve thought this out, what do you mean that you don’t think it’ll work????” Or, worse, when a clash of personal agendas takes everyone’s eyes off the prize.

In the end, Finzel is optimistic and encouraging, even when acknowledging the pain. Go forth and lead!

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Being Humble Explained

June 24, 2015

When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but wisdom is with the humble. Proverbs 11:2

I have a friend who always brings up pride as the sin that lies at the foundation of most other sins. Perhaps he has become aware of himself and repented of past pride that almost proved his undoing.

Think about it a little. When are the times when pride has gotten between you and God? When pride has injured a friend or family member? When pride has stopped you from learning something new?

According to this proverb, humble is the trait juxtaposed to pride.

Humble is often misrepresented by those who think they do not want to lead a self-disciplined life. Or by those “social Darwinists” who believe in “survival of the fittest” and power is a virtue. They have led generations to believe that humble means weak.

But it is actually the opposite. Pride evolves from weakness. It is usually a compensation for the perceived lack of power or strength of the person. How many are they, who puff up with pride only to be deflated later. It’s only the true narcissists who continue in pride oblivious to the wreckage of the people around them.

It takes strength to be humble. One must be strong to put others ahead yet retain the strong spiritual core of a relationship with God. It takes someone strong in spiritual discipline who practices daily the spiritual disciplines of study, prayer, meditation, service, simplicity.

The other strength comes from putting aside the pride of believing that they know everything and acknowledge gaps in knowledge that can be filled through study or through the guidance of a mentor.

To be humble just means to put others ahead of yourself. It is a willingness to learn and grow every day.

I read this saying of a Desert Father that I wholly agree with, “I’d rather have a man who has sinned and repented than a man who has not sinned and thinks he is righteous.”

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Reading The Bible From Different Perspectives

May 4, 2015

We were walking along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. So many events had happened over the past few days, that we just couldn’t get our heads around them. What did they all mean?

Was Jesus really the Messiah? It certainly didn’t appear so. He didn’t fulfill any of the Scriptures that we had been taught about the Messiah. Yet, after he was cruelly beaten by Pilate, he was killed by crucifixion. Stranger still, his tomb was mysteriously empty.

We talked and talked, but we just could not figure it out.

Then a stranger joined us. He asked what we were discussing as we travelled. We asked where in the heck had he been the past few days. Hidden under a stone?

Then the stranger, obviously a man of great learning, explained to us the very scriptures we were trying to understand. It was so obvious when he explained them. When we stopped for the evening, we shared a meal. When he broke the bread and offered a blessing, then we recognized him.

Often when I read the stories in the Bible, I like to read as if I were there. Just like reading a good novel. You become part of the action. I invite those in my classes to do the same.

There is a man I read fived days a week, Jon Swanson at 300 Words a Day, who has a doctorate in communications. I didn’t even know you could get a doctorate in that. Even more, he can actually communicate!

He likes to share the Bible as story. His new video series on YouTube, The Bible for my Friends, is worth watching.  He is working on 52 ways to read the Blble. Some of these are sure to resonate. And maybe even lead to a deeper understanding of God.

Let go. Read with imagination instead of intellect or emotion for a refreshing change.

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On Leadership–Placing Blame

April 24, 2015

The results were in. The project had “gone south” as they say. Actual numbers were far from projected. Team members were discouraged. Worse, they were scrambling to justify themselves by placing blame on others. It was as if a serious virus had invaded the body of the organization spreading disease and death.

Now is the time for the leader to step forward. Can she bring everyone together and salvage something in order to move forward into the future. After all, things fail. Not all projects are successful.

But the leader, oh what a narcissist or worse. The leader places blame. 

“If only the economy were better.”

“If only the designer had done a better job.”

“If only the sales people were better.”

“If only….”

How about–“I’m sorry I let people down. I failed to plan adequately. I failed to get the team working together. I failed to make decisions quickly enough.”

One of my spiritual mentors says that when things are bad there are two responses we should never make. These responses to suffering, failure, bad results will prohibit any further spiritual (or other) growth.

These responses are placing blame and festering in bitterness.

Experience comes from making bad decisions. Wisdom comes from learning from those bad decisions.

The leader could go to the team and own up to the mistakes and then leading a reflection on what went wrong in order to position the team (or committee, business, church, non-profit) for future success.

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Travel Makes You A Better Leader

March 20, 2015

From the blog of Kevin Roberts, executive chairman of Saatchi & Satchi: 

Those who have traveled will understand that it provides much more than an escape from daily routine. Roman philosopher Seneca said “travel and change of place can impart vigor to the mind” and how right he was, and continues to be.

Bruce Poon Tip, founder of G Adventures, is a full believer in the value created by travel both personally and professionally, to the extent that he lets his employees travel for free. An article by Lisa Evans on Fast Company highlights the wisdom gleaned by Tip through his globe-hopping, and in particular the profound effect it has had on his company’s operations and his leadership style.

He recalls a trip to Tibet that taught him about decision-making based on spirituality, obstacles and karma, which influenced his approach to decision-making in business. Instead of relying on data like he always had, he started making decisions based on his gut instinct, recognizing that a big part of business is emotional. Big decisions with heart; little ones with head. 

Organizing and leading an international mission trip is a further example of Roberts’ post about learning leadership from travel–especially with a group.

You know where you are going and why. In our case, an orphanage ministry in Tijuana with guidance from Isaiah 58: 7, “is it  (proper fasting) not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house?”

  • recruit a team around their hearts and the tasks you hope to achieve.
  • plan the logistics of travel down to the minute–flights, ground transportation, meals, projects, downtime.
  • budget the trip and raise funds.
  • hold team building meetings to prepare for the trip
  • provide guidance through the travel.
  • make decisions on the spur of the moment as situations change.
  • keep the budget in the back of your mind as you make decisions on spending the money as the trip unfolds.
  • keep the needs, desires, and vulnerabilities of each team member in mind as part of the decision process.
  • remind the team why we are where we are.
  • rejoice at moments when God breaks through the fog; grieve for situations people find themselves in.
  • make decisions based on grace

There are probably more. My travel has certainly broadened my understanding of the variety of peoples, yet also their similarities. I’ve learned to think quickly and with my gut rather than waiting for data to eventually filter in. I’ve learned when you just have to “go with the flow” when situations change. In other words travel helped me grow up. How about you? I hope not like many people in my county who rarely travel more than 50 miles even today.

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How To Keep on Learning

March 9, 2015

Thanks to Seth Godin for a great thought. How do you keep on learning?

He asks, “Quick, what’s XIV squared?”

Did you know that there is no zero in Roman numerals? You can’t do advanced math without a zero.

He links the idea that if you are missing a few important tools, even one, then your work is hindered. You have to obtain the necessary tools–which usually consist of vocabulary. A limited vocabulary will limit your career growth.

Says Godin, “Here’s my advice: Every time you hear an expert use a word or concept you don’t understand, stop her and ask to be taught.  Every time. After just a few interactions, you’ll have a huge advantage over those who didn’t ask.”

I’d add, read with a dictionary (or dictionary app or browser). When you don’t know a word, look it up.

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Love Language of Receiving

January 20, 2015

He then realized that his wife’s “love language” was receiving. So he decided to give her something every day for a week, and then to give her something every week for a year.

John Ortberg mentioned as an example this story from a book called “Five Love Languages” or something like that. Disclaimer: I have not read the book.

But that example really threw me. A love language of receiving? I suppose that everyone likes to receive a gift. Even me, although I have few wants or needs. But, as a way of life?!

I have another word or two for that “language” or life attitude. Spoiled. Self-centered. Self-absorbed.

Maybe I’ve taken the illustration too far. Maybe there is a nuance I missed or that Ortberg didn’t mention.

It seems to me through observation and reading that one of the major problems of our times–and this isn’t only America–is just that self-absorption or self-centeredness. I’m amazed at the number of times in a day I can observe examples of people thoughtlessly unaware of others around them. (Oh, and you can tell a self-centered person by asking them–they’ll think that there is nothing wrong in the example I just cited.)

But there is a spiritual gift, agape, that entails giving. I don’t know what we learned about the wife, really, from Ortberg’s example. It is obvious that at least one person made the leap from self-centered to thinking of someone else.

For that, the apostle Paul would rejoice. He taught that many times.

Receive as a blessing; give to be a blessing.

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Master The Art of Storytelling

January 8, 2015

When Jesus wanted to make a point, he told a story.

Yes, sometimes he did “wisdom” teaching putting a new twist on sayings from Proverbs. What you remember most are his stories. The lost coin. The lost son. The lost sheep.

There are people who bludgeon you with facts or “you should” statements. But if they would simply share their story, it would be more effective.

In my profession, I write a lot of “factual” stuff. News and analysis in the world of technology, manufacturing, automation. Yesterday, I was interviewing someone about a survey they had completed. They had sent a news release and I printed it with some commentary and analysis.

But while I was talking with Linda, she told the story about why they do these particular surveys, who the people are they talk with, how they collect the information. Then she told the story of three business owners/managers. The deeper she got into the story, the more interesting it was.

Part of the survey news was that a majority of owners and managers (perhaps almost all) of small manufacturing businesses believe that “millennials” have poor work habits and motivation. Most were “baby boomers” but one was Gen X–the so-called “slackers”. Go figure. People originally thought boomers would never work out. We were too self-centered and pampered. Remember that?

Well, we got to stories of owners who were doing something about the skill shortage and need to recruit engineers and skilled trades people. That is interesting.

I will follow up with more interviews and write the stories on my business blog, The Manufacturing Connection.

I am by nature and training analytical. So this blog is mostly analytical. Maybe a skill for me to hone this year is story telling. Maybe that would be a good skill for you to develop this year. Telling a story to make your point may be more persuasive and interesting than acting like Sgt. Friday–“Just the facts, Ma’am.”

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Teach Your Children Well

October 9, 2014

OK, so the song by Crosby, Stills and Nash is one of my favorites (although I never got the sheet music and added it to my repertoire). In this 60s song, one verse says parents teach your children well; then in typical fashion for the times, it flips it over and tells the children to teach your parents well.

This week my travels took me again to Orlando and another engineering conference. A friend of mine put together a session on transferring engineering and process knowledge from the aging baby boomers to the new millennial generation. His co-presenter was not only young but also female. She has a BS degree in Chemical Engineering, is 29, and a staff engineer for Eastman Chemicals Co.

Their topic was learning styles.

Collaboration. Younger people are much more collaborative than we were when I was learning engineering. We were given tasks by the almighty and all knowing manager, and we went out to do them. Because knowledge is more easily found on the Web, young people don’t look to their superiors (organizationally speaking) as the fount of all possible knowledge. They look at them as mentors and coaches who collaborate with them and teach how to approach problems.

New data sources. They have books on iPads, smart phones to look up things on the Web and to text peers to find answers to questions.

Conclusions. What surprised me in the session which was well attended by a mixture of ages was the attitude of several of the older engineers. “Well, if they get all knowledge from the Web, will they have any depth? Any problem-solving skills?”

In this case, they all have college engineering degrees. An engineering degree is primarily a course of study on problem solving. Depth comes through experience. If the guy would mentor a young person, then growth happens.

So, I’m thinking about this paradigm in relation to other organizations. I’m not a youth pastor, but are they able to incorporate this collaborative learning style and mentoring capability? Today’s crop of younger pastors tend to be more “teachers” than “preachers.” People don’t like to be preached at, but most people enjoy learning new ideas.

The weird thing is that even though I am technically a “boomer,” I’ve never felt like one. I’m much more at home with the style and thinking of the millennials. I hope more people of my generation can adapt and help bring the new generation along–whether it’s engineering or become a disciple of Jesus.

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