June 2013: Stop Corporate Cancer from Spreading

"Corporate Cancer" can be defined as interpersonal dysfunction and group friction that reduces the effectiveness of individuals, departments and entire organizations. It manifests as office politics where individuals say things based on the affect on their or others’ careers instead of speaking the truth. Other symptoms include intense and inefficient competition for resources, an abundance of internal “CYA” emails, increased levels of stress, ambiguous direction, conflicting departmental goals, shifting priorities and lack of managerial cohesion.

This dysfunction is rooted in individuals’ behaviors that cascade to others, spreading the dysfunction.

As a leader, it is critical that you recognize whether or not your organization suffers from Corporate Cancer. Remember that the more senior you are, the harder it will be to see the real dynamics playing out in your organization. Start asking questions and listening with your eyes and ears. Then, take bold and decisive action to address the source of the cancer before it takes its toll on your business. Remember, you are responsible for the health of your organization!

April 2013: Be Visible

As a leader, it’s important that you are visible to the people you’re leading.

Visibility takes many forms. For some, it’s about being in the public eye -- being on CNBC or the speaker circuit. But strong leaders understand the most important form of visibility comes from enabling important stakeholders (beginning on the inside of their organizations) to connect with them on a personal level and get a feel for who they are and what they care about. 

Many leaders are ‘time bankrupt’ these days, often sacrificing their visibility to the pressing issues du jour.  And, the prevalence of electronic communication makes it easy to fall into the habit of transmitting messages to people without ever seeing them – or letting them see you.  As a leader, your job is to galvanize others to achieve a goal. The more personally connected people feel to you, the easier it is for them to passionately embrace the mission. 

Today, consider how you can be more visible – how you can interact more meaningfully and personally with the people who matter most to the achievement of organizational goals.

December 2012: Understand the power of purpose.

One of the responsibilities of a leader is to help people connect their work to a higher purpose: the ultimate difference they, and their company or organization, are making in the world.  Everyone wants to find meaning in their work, and having a sense of purpose provides that vital connection. It not only helps to inspire and motivate others, but also helps you lead more effectively.  Using purpose as a guide, your decision-making becomes easier, goal-setting becomes more clear and you're less apt to sweat the small stuff.  A higher purpose gives you courage and conviction to step up to new challenges.

December brings the anticipation of a new year, and with it, new opportunities.  Now is a good time to step back and re-ground yourself on the purpose your work serves.  If it's a little foggy, spend some time sharpening it, and remember the importance of communicating it effectively. Dare to dream a big, purposeful goal, and you and your organization will be better for it.

October 2012: Seek first to understand.

In this ever-changing, chaotic environment, we often feel pressure to move quickly – to make quick decisions and take swift action. An unintended consequence of this fast-paced, pressure-prompted mode of operating is that we make snap judgments about challenging situations and people without taking the time to understand the underlying issues or drivers. Rushing to treat the symptom instead of the root cause can result in wasted money…and, ironically, wasted time.

As a leader, you must manage a very real paradox:  the need for speed and the need for thoughtful decision-making. Some decisions can be made with little input or digging, but not all of them can. When confronted with a more complex situation, seek first to understand, and then decide what to do.  A simple (and fast) approach to help you get to the root cause is “The Five Whys”-- a question-asking technique where underlying cause-and-effect relationships are revealed through five iterations of asking why.

You are accountable for your decisions, so when in doubt, pause and ensure you have a grasp of the situation before committing to a course of action.

May 2012: Make the complex simple.

Effective leaders are master translators.  They know how to distill complex issues and strategies into simple terms that can be understood and acted upon by people at all levels inside and outside the organization. 

Too often, leaders fall into the trap of using jargon, acronyms, buzzwords or technical language that their audiences do not understand.  Sometimes this is a sign that the leader is out of touch; unaware that not everyone is as steeped in “insider language” as they are.  Other times, a leader will hide behind acronyms and jargon simply because they don’t understand the underlying concepts well enough to use plain language.  Finally, they may fear that by simplifying, they won’t sound smart or sophisticated enough. 

Remember that effective communication is not characterized by jargon and complexity.  It is measured by how quickly and accurately the audience understands, retains and is motivated by the message. 

Today, take a look at your communication with a fresh eye.  How can you make your messages easier to understand by those you’re trying to inform, influence and move to act?