A Back Yard Conversation With Lou

He was sitting on his favorite lawn chair in his usual spot in the back yard; the sun on his face and a small table next to him with a half-filled glass of water. I grabbed a chair myself and sat down next to him, we shook hands and exchanged greetings. He leaned over and grabbed his glass and was going to take a drink but stopped midway, smiled rather wryly and stared at his glass and said, "You know they have all this half empty/half full stuff all wrong." I smiled back at him and asked him what the hell he was talking about.

 

Lou was in his late 80's when I had this conversation with him and he had a lot of experience working with a diversified international business before his retirement. Every once and a while during our brief encounters, a golden gem of an observation would be gleaned in between discussions about the weather, economics and, let us not forget, the Green Bay Packers!

 

He said that over his 40 or so years in the business he worked with quite a lot of people. Some were optimistic and upbeat while others were more pessimistic and rather sullen. To Lou though, it didn't matter whether they were half full or half empty kind of guys because all he wanted to know was if they were the kind of managers that knew what to do with what was in their glass! All this banter about your outlook on life is nice but it doesn't move the ball forward. When you are as old as Lou and you are reflecting on your 80 some years on this planet, you aren’t reflecting on how you felt. Instead you are looking back at what you accomplished with the tools you were given. Just like the glass of water, in business we are given certain raw materials to work with but Lou said, “Trust me, no one has a full glass! We all have good and bad behaviors to work with and it’s our job to figure out how to make the most out of what we got!!” When the period of silence that immediately follows such wisdom came to a close, he looked at me and asked if I wanted something to drink. Not wanting to offend my elders, I gratefully accepted and poured water into my glass, but while doing so I could not help but think: What is the balance of my behaviors? How much of this “stuff” do I have? What will I accomplish with it?

 

Not all of my conversations with Lou were this challenging nor this thought provoking, but I must admit this one has stuck with me for a long, long time. I also believe it is this kind of backyard common sense that speaks to almost every over achiever.

 

There were two take-aways that I recall vividly from my conversation with Lou that day.

 

1) No matter how much stuff you have, you can make things happen so there is no room for victims! There may be others who have more to work with or just a better mix than you but you will be judged based solely on what you have done with what you were given. Reflecting on this, I then began my journey to identify my behaviors (and boy that was quite a journey) and once identified, I started leveraging my stuff daily.

 

2) Sometime in the future as I sit reflecting in my lawn chair, I envision the toughest judge imaginable holding court for me. The judge, of course, is me. So no matter how I may rationalize why I was unable to "move the ball" or effectively convince others of the level of success I have accomplished, either by accumulation of wealth or status, the judge (me) would know absolutely if I have done everything I could have. Therefore I have let other advisors into my life to keep me honest – to make sure I am dealing with reality and not some contrived justification that can only work in "Barry's World".

 

So this story begs the following questions – Do you know your stuff? Who is helping you stay reality based and what will your judge be whispering in your ear?

 

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

 

Posted by Barry Moze on October 22, 2013 @ 9:06 am | Comments Off on A Back Yard Conversation With Lou
Categories: Coaching, Development, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Clarity, Reality, Discipline

A True Story for All of My Pragmatists Out There!

Wow! Talk about a response to a blog! I’ve received more feedback on this blog than any other to date. On my website, in emails and in every one of my meetings held over the last three weeks. In fact, I felt like Curley from the movie City Slickers

 

where everyone wanted to know the one thing about life!! Now I understand why there are so many books, professors and other experts pontificating on the key points about driving a successful culture.

 

A business leader put the following statement before me and laid down the gauntlet in the game that is creating culture. He said, “I understand the importance of a supportive culture, but cut the theory and give me a tool that I can use to help me get on the right path!” Ahh… you’ve got to love those pragmatists. So here is a brief synapses of the discussion we had in his office.

 

First off, I told him how shocked I was that he was asking a consultant to work with him on an actionable tool. He agreed that it was a stretch for me (despite my stellar skills) but he was confident that I had witnessed this many times with other clients and assumed that I had copyrights on the stolen process. Obviously he knows me well! So we then moved over to the white board and let the knowledge flow forth.

 

On the white board I wrote these three words: Clarity, Reality, Discipline. 

 

1) Clarity – The desired state, easy to understand with a minimum of worldly adjectives. (Can you get things done?)

 

2) Reality- The actions required to make this culture true-to-life given today’s structure and processes.

 

3) Discipline– Did he, as a leader, have the regulation necessary to support all of these actions totally? (No wink and a smile.)

 

During the course of this conversation, this same leader brought up on his computer his own published vision for the business. We then had a lengthy and rather heated conversation on today’s culture and proceeded to outline it on the white board. For you Lean aficionados out there, this should be a very exciting time because we went on to develop a cultural Gap analysis.  

 

Once he saw the Gap, he went to his vision and crossed out two items that would fail because the reality of the business would not allow them to happen. He then looked at me and said, “We have a huge pink elephant in the middle of the office and it is of my doing, I hate feeling like an idiot.” He went on further to say that, “We need to chop this baby up and digest it a piece at a time, so we need to prioritize our actions with a workable time line. This ain’t going to be easy but we have to do it, otherwise we will never get to the level of success we all deserve.”

 

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Posted by Barry Moze on September 9, 2013 @ 12:20 pm | Leave a comment
Categories: Leadership | Tags: , , , , , ,

And on the Seventh day…

And on the Seventh day they did not rest…. they had an Ops meeting!

 

As a business leader, one of the largest impacts you can have on your department or corporation is the creation of your culture. But don’t just take my advice on it. Peter Drucker's famous quote: "culture eats strategy for lunch" clearly states his position on the importance of a supportive culture to successfully implement your strategy. So if leadership and culture are two sides of the same coin, keeping in mind that the number one thing executives want from their businesses is excellence in execution and consistent execution of strategy by top management, why do so many executives allow their strategy to be the first thing on the luncheon menu?

 

Over the years I have found three key drivers that keep business leaders from creating a highly functional culture. They are:

 

1. Misunderstanding of what a culture is.

 

So first of all, let’s demystify this concept of “culture”. Culture is the set of behaviors, mindsets and practices that defines how you get your work done – that’s it, pure and simple. It’s difficult to capture these definitions but the great part is that, once laid out for you, they are the guiding blueprints you will use everyday to drive your own individual success. When your company’s culture reflects how you think, cultural and strategic alignment are guaranteed.

 

2. Stated culture is a complete disconnect from how things really get done.

 

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve worked with a company and splashed all over the office walls are their Mission and Vision. Then I spend a couple of hours in a meeting room with their top executives who are making decisions that just so happen to be in direct conflict with their stated culture; a complete and total disconnect. And they wonder why they cannot sustain the success they are looking for! As your business grows so does its complexity, so periodically you need to do "reality checks" to see if your culture is still aligned with your actions. Go beyond your direct reports and find out how your people feel about the culture you have created and its functionality.

 

3. Lack of commitment to or understanding of the value of a supportive culture.

 

For some leaders, articulation of their culture is nice to have, especially if they are doing road shows or meeting with key customers to emphasize the purposefulness of their organization. This is what I call a smoke and mirror culture and it does not reflect the reality of the business, but it sure does sound good.

 

For other leaders, they are willing to support their stated culture as long as it does not interfere with the short-term objectives of the business. This I’ve dubbed the Napoleon culture, which is all based on command and control. Napoleon style thinking has dominated businesses for the last 100 years and while it’s a very efficient method for getting things done, it does not allow the business to store this success and therefore dooms the business to repeat these sprints to partial success over and over.

 

So everyday you are taking action in your business and each of your employees are watching for real time examples of success to unfold within the organization. At the same time, you are developing plans to significantly grow your business size and profitability.

Wouldn't it be a great idea to marry the two tasks and put your time and thoughts into a culture that will not only support your plans, but also be able to leverage all of the work that has been done?

 

Now there are only two remaining questions: was Peter Drucker right and what's for lunch??

 

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Posted by Barry Moze on August 6, 2013 @ 5:30 am | 5 Comments
Categories: Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , ,

Why? Why? Why?

No, this blog is not about Nancy Kerrigan and her infamous crowbar attack just before the 1994 winter Olympics. Although, true to good soap opera form, it is a rather compelling story and it has taken many interesting twists and turns since that time. Rather, the why I am talking about is the one that gives clarity, context and color to the decisions that you make every day. Truth be told, why is one of the biggest contributors to accelerating the business results you are looking for.

 

I am always fascinated by how business leaders or management teams go about making and executing key decisions. In my experience, they first spend a day or two thinking, discussing and debating the course of action to take. Then, once they come to a conclusion, they communicate their decisions. But – and if you weren’t really paying attention before, now is the time to tune in – rarely do they share how they came to these conclusions. Sure they share the goal and, at times, the market conditions that drive their decisions, but usually the conversations get very tactical and focus on what the organization needs to do. Despite the importance of these conversations, seldom is there enough context given to assist people in understanding how these actions match up with their overall vision, strategy or even their budget, which is driving their actions every day. In fact, I have found that without enough context and background information, many decisions from above seem very incongruent and thus have a devastating effect on the speed by which businesses get things done. And, for the skeptics, I see proof of this very phenomenon every time I am in the field.

 

I can’t tell you how often I am in offices and the decision from above that was made two days ago or two weeks ago has made it to the business leaders closest to the customers. These business leaders then sit at their desks confused and, at times, disheartened because at first blush, the decision seems contrary to some of the objectives they have been trying to accomplish. Now these are not ignorant people; they look at the inconsistency and then they get on the phone and start to manage up the organization. Over a length of time, which is dependent on how well the business leader manages up the organization, they get the appropriate context (why) surrounding the decision and they go about making it happen in their business. But after this long and drawn out process, the lack of why has sub optimized your decision process and the results you are looking for.

 

So as a leader, how can you instill more why into your communications in order to accelerate your objectives rather than creating culture gridlock?

 

1. Time. A leader has spent considerable time either in meetings or staring at the ceiling late at night pondering their decision. Once they gain clarity they want to take action because we all know that the key attributes of great leaders are their ability to be action oriented and to drive results. We also know that while gaining personal clarity is great, if you cannot instill that clarity within your organization then you cannot drive the results you are looking for. In other words, take the time to explain the bigger picture, tie your decisions to your strategy and allow people to ask questions so that they too can gain this insight. The minutes you take to promote clarity will exponentially add to your business’ success.
 
2. Share your thought process. This is a tough one. In fact, I call it the MBA of leadership. Each of you have a thought process or mind map of how you look at problems, the challenges they present to your daily objectives and at the same time, how they will affect your long term strategy. You then take these multiple inputs and come up with an overall solution that will resolve the challenges before you. This is a unique talent and it has elevated you to the role you are in today. Once you are able to recognize how you do this and are able to articulate this in your conversations, you can then pass on not only insight as to the why of the decision, but also how you arrived there. The gold in this process is when your people start to use this mind map for themselves to work towards better decision-making and ultimately, better results. Bottom line, the hard work that you have put in over the years and that has led to your success becomes a short cut or crib note to your organization and can lead to faster decisions with greater impact on the bottom line.

 

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Posted by Barry Moze on June 26, 2013 @ 3:48 pm | 4 Comments
Categories: Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , ,

The 2% Solution

No, this is not an ad for the latest hair growth cream! But it is advice to help curtail all the hair-pulling going on while trying to manage your business during these challenging times. Wherever I travel, I find business leaders struggling with the slow or no growth economies. Most of you have had experiences in dealing with recessions, high growth markets and economies and if you are old enough, you might even remember defeating the inflationary beast! But this stagnation affecting us today is a much different beast because it is far less predictable than the other foes you have navigated successfully through in the past. This "unknown" environment is challenging even the best business minds and sophisticated models. The irony is that we live in a world where there is more information available regarding your customers, your costs and the markets you compete in. Unfortunately, trying to predict what your business is going to do in the next 3 to 6 months is very difficult and 1 and 3 year plans are almost impossible to put together with any high degree of confidence.

 

I have found that this environment of unpredictable markets is wearing on the leaders I have met with worldwide in last three months. These are not people who are easily fooled or discouraged. They look at each challenge as part of the job but their patience is waning, and rapidly. The interesting part is that their frustration lies with themselves and not with their organizations or people. Ideas and processes that have worked before no longer attain the same level of success they have achieved in the past.

 

Now it usually takes a while to get these executive warriors to admit that they are frustrated. They shrug their shoulders, look off to the side and say they are fine.  The almost robotic response is, "We will get through this." But after a bit of conversation they ask me, "Are other companies experiencing what we are?” and the answer is yes!  "So I am not the only idiot that hasn't figured out this 2% stuff either?" and the answer to that question is no, you most certainly are not. To all of you asking these questions, the truth is that in fact, you are in very good company. The funny thing is that once the leader surrenders to the realty of the situation and they understand that they themselves are not the problem, well then they become re-energized!! And an energized leader and organization is far more capable of fighting the 2% battle than one mired in some inner focus to find the problem.  I know it sounds pretty silly to you Rambo types out there but think about it. You are a far better leader when you know what you are fighting and right now you are fighting the battle of incrementalism and the frustration that accompanies it.

 

These are not easy times, but they are certainly defining times. Leaders who are capable of admitting to their frustration are then able to get their heads back into the game.  So the question I pose to you – where is your head at? Is it ready to get back in the game?

 

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Posted by Barry Moze on May 16, 2013 @ 2:17 pm | Leave a comment
Categories: Leadership | Tags: , , , ,

Pain/Pain Theory

Pain/Pain Theory

The Key to Driving Change Management & Behavior Modification

 

This theory sits right at the intersection of the Strategic and Operating Model and the Behavioral Model. Over the years I have found this theory to be the fastest way for my clients and their organizations to implement the necessary changes they need to ensure they accomplish their goals.

 

The theory is as follows: When the pain of not achieving the success you want is greater than the pain of making a change – only then will you be compelled to make the change.

 

Pretty simple, hey? In fact, it is so simple that it almost seems too easy!  But as we have learned over time, it is always the simple concepts in life that are the most difficult to grasp.  We have all experienced these “change” moments in our personal lives: whether it is our weight issues, relationships, habits, etc.  There just comes a time when –CLICK– we morph. For years, friends or loved ones or doctors tell us that what we are doing will not work, that it isn’t healthy or sustainable. And like all good advice, most of us instinctively allow it to flow in one ear and out the other; none of the “coaching” makes any difference.  But one morning we wake up and the epiphany strikes! We realize that we need to change and just like that – we do. All that was needed was the time for us to wrap our heads around the need for change. The problem when it comes to leading a business and driving results is time. Time is one of our biggest enemies when it comes to achieving the level of success we desire.

 

Over the years I have created a process that is based on this theory and that helps accelerate the change process that leaders and their businesses need to make.  It has not been an easy path to proving this theory though! In fact, I think Einstein was able to prove The Theory of General Relativity in a shorter period of time. Of course, most of my clients would freely admit that I am no Einstein.  

 

Years of study, practice and implementation have shown me that the sheer desire of my clients to succeed or, to put it a different way, their intense fear of failure is confronted by the need to change. Change is scary but ultimately not the most difficult part. The true challenge was putting together the business information that showed the leader where their strategy or level of success was at risk and then defining the necessary changes they or their organization need to make to get back on track. But, like a bolt of lightning, it hit me!! The best way to make some of the toughest people in the world change is to use their own information to convince them (insert diabolical laugh here). 

 

Hence, the Strategic and Operational Model came into existence. Not only is it a tool to identify disconnects in the business model but it is also the navigational beacon, if you will, for all actions that need to be taken.  So I use my clients’ strategy as proof that the tactics they are implementing will not accomplish THEIR objectives.  In fact, one client protested and I paraphrase, “You use my own words and strategy to beat me with, like a stick to the side of my head.” Now, I cleaned up the language a bit but the meaning isn’t lost. These leaders are experts in negotiating and are accustomed to getting what they want. They have a unique ability to discount any behavior or psychological conversation by categorizing it as ‘nice to have but not necessary’. However, when they are confronted with their own information and become aware of the risk at hand, the business reality of what needs to change is apparent and they ultimately Make the Change.

 

Just in case you are still skeptical about good old Barry’s advice, just know there is an even bigger up side to this process. This entire discovery over the need to change and the risk to the enterprise happens in the Executive’s office. There is no need for a burning platform to drive change, no need to create chaos in the business. It’s just like looking into a mirror and seeing the future and adjusting the business for the desired outcome.  Change takes place more quickly when one has a sense of purpose, which is consistent with the strategies of the organization. Now that is an outcome every good leader can afford.

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Posted by Barry Moze on April 2, 2013 @ 1:56 pm | Leave a comment
Categories: Business Management, Coaching, Consulting, General, Leadership | Tags: , , , ,

The Slide

We pass through the stages of our lives like going down the old metal slide on the playgrounds of our youth. The steep climb up the ladder, the high peak at the top where you can see almost all the way to your house!!  You start out with excitement and the rush of adrenaline that’s sure to follow. You push off with the smooth metal easing your passage, begin your decend and before you know it, the momentary feeling of flying is over and you are at the end of the ride and ready for the next one. 

 

This moment of enlightenment came to me this morning as I was lying in bed and reflecting on the fact that I am about to start my 60th year. This, of course, led to another thought – whoever came up with the birthday system was clearly an optimist. I will be turning 59 but in reality, I will be starting my 60th year, so you see, we can always think of ourselves as one year younger!! There really is a silver lining in every cloud and I’m not simply referring to silvering hairlines here.

 

But back to the slide: I woke up from a dream where I found myself at the top of that familiar childhood slide. I began the exhilarating downward decent but the momentum slowed and soon I screeched to a dead stop, so I turned around and was trying to crawl back up to the top to start over. I was gripping the sides, pushing with my legs, straining to get back to the top of the slide but all the while slipping further to the end of the ride. What does that dream represent? Well you don't need to be Carl Jung to notice my lack of euphoria over sliding into my decade of the 60's. But it seems that between gravity and the pitch of the slide I am destined to make it there; it’s an absolute certainty.  

 

So this got me thinking …do I want to continue to fight this inevitable outcome and arrive at my destination ass first? Or do I turn around, give myself a big push and face my new world head on? Well, given that I am an over the top control freak, I am far more comfortable and far less paranoid when my ass isn’t guiding me.  Therefore, I have decided to meet my challenge head on!

 

The irony in this whole situation is that there is no real challenge or battle that I have to prepare for because as it turns out, the slide (otherwise known as my transition) seems to have done all of the work over the years. In reality, all I have to do is, first, recognize my new geography and surrender to the realization that I have now attained my official Yoda status. Once I have that difficult task of surrender under my belt, my second step is to leverage my new understanding and position in life.

 

This, my friends, is where I spend most of my time with my business leaders. You see, they don't have a coach to help them drive to the next level, rather they have a coach to remind them of the knowledge they possess and to leverage and drive that knowledge throughout their organization. In reality, your attainment of leadership happens before you even realize it, but your role as leader only achieves greatness when you surrender to the reality of your arrival.

 

So the question for you to ponder: Are you leveraging your understanding as a leader or are you stuck on your slide pushing yourself to the next level unwilling to surrender to your knowledge?

 

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Posted by Barry Moze on February 19, 2013 @ 7:30 pm | Leave a comment
Categories: Leadership | Tags: , ,

谢谢 – dank u – danke – grazie – gracias – thank you

The corporate world thrives in an environment of continuous improvement – year over year results need to increase and productivity must grow. We need to be leaner, faster and make better decisions than we made last year but, more importantly, far better than our competition. Results are calculated, goals are achieved and then we move on to the next day to start the improvement process all over again. This environment of constant motion elevates our competitive spirits, inspiring us to rise to the challenge and compelling us to overcome any obstacles that stand in our way. To our detriment though, at times we forget that without an engaged workforce, our businesses’ culture will not evolve to support the demands of ever increasing improvements. But lucky for you, there are two words that will ensure your success: Thank You.
 

Pretty simple words; in fact most of us use these multiple times during the day when someone hands us a cup of coffee, a door gets opened, the report asked for is on our desk and so on.  In fact, this phrase is used so often as a way to interact with strangers or just to be polite that it tends to lose its value. Example: When was the last time someone you respect and hold in high regards has come to you, looked you in the eye, shook your hand and said ‘thanks for all the work that you have done and the sacrifices you have made’? Unfortunately, history has shown me that this happens far too infrequently and it exposes a major weakness in today’s leaders. This shortfall reflects a leader’s lack of understanding as to how this missing interaction defines them as a person and the culture they are supporting.
 

Ok, now some of you are thinking that no one has ever thanked you and you are just fine or, on the flip side, you really don’t need any thanks, you just need people to get out of your way so you can get it done. Well that is a nice thought and it brings me back to leadership competencies of the 60’s; I believe they used to call it the “John Wayne Syndrome”. Just slap the dust off of your pants, get right back in the saddle and ride on!! But if you remember, the Duke was usually riding off into the sunset by himself.  Now if you are retiring tomorrow, that attitude may work just fine for you. But if you’ve got a few more years left in that saddle, you might want to rethink your philosophy around giving thanks.
 

You see, when you take the time to have a serious conversation with someone about their work and then you thank them for that work, you are sending two messages:
 

1) They have created value. Every day I have conversations with managers who ask themselves if they’ve really made a difference or not.  At times, we are our own worst enemy as we judge the work we do.  Having  confirmation of value from a leader allows the manager to reenergize the work they are doing and improves their own personal value which makes them a better team player and employee.
 

2) You recognized the value. This one gets lost on most of the leaders that I have this conversation with.  You see, people assume that you have a lot on your mind and when you are cruising at 30,000 feet you don’t have time for the little stuff. Yes, you give good speeches and you talk about strategy and the culture and the importance that people have in your organization but you live in a different world.  The gap between your world and the world of your employees can easily be bridged the moment you walk into their office and look them in the eye. They recognize that you do notice them and therefore their perception of you as a leader changes immediately. This one action has a greater impact than all of the other incentive packages you put together because it tells them that they are giving part of their lives to an organization and leader that cares and that will make a difference. Because when we wake up every morning, isn’t that exactly what we want to do?
 

So if you want to make a difference, get out of your office and give people a reason to do the same.

 

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Posted by Barry Moze on January 10, 2013 @ 8:00 am | 1 Comment
Categories: Leadership | Tags: , ,

The King has No Clothes

The core premise of my Operating Model (SSPP) is that business leaders will always measure the validity of their strategy and actions against the reality of what is going on in the marketplace versus what is happening within their own businesses.  Working with what is real in the marketplace accelerates your desired results but also captures the hearts and minds of your people by allowing them to accomplish their goals.  Getting things done is a bigger motivator than any compensation plan or benefit plan and it is the one thing you can affect the most as a business leader.  So if dealing with reality is so powerful, why do so many leaders lose sight of what is real for their business and their people?  And how can leaders give themselves a reality check?

 

Now, most of my strongest leaders are asking themselves what the hell I was smoking when I wrote this blog. Truth be told, they have an issue dealing with this reality conversation because over the years, they have effectively created their own reality and thus paved the way to their own accomplishments.  This ‘history’ of achievement has created a working model for most of my clients and has allowed them to see through the challenges threatening their plans and to fruitfully navigate their way to success.

 

Unfortunately this success, over the years, becomes a blind spot to new challenges that face the business. Most of the times these new, real facts get discounted as resistance by the business leader.  So the irony is that the more successful you were in the past, the more you know you can create it in the future and therefore bypass the road signs screaming ‘Caution: Your Road to Success is Under Construction’.  The good news is that in most situations these new, real facts that threaten to derail your plans to success are not hidden from sight. In fact, some, if not most of your people are aware of them and their consequences.  So why doesn’t this information make it to your desk? Two reasons:
1) People cannot argue with your past accomplishments and your ability to drive results so they make the assumption that you already know and 2) They are intimidated by you and those very same accomplishments and thus are unable to challenge your thought processes or decisions. This malady is readily known as the King has No Clothes. (Stay with me, I’m still not smoking anything other than a fine cigar.) In plain English, this is where you gleefully walk the halls of your offices secure in the belief that you have addressed the issues at hand and that you are well on the way to meeting your goals. Reality check! You are really naked of the facts that face the business.

 

So how do you keep yourself from being the Naked King?

 

1) Ask questions. Lots of them. Dig for new information and then ask for a reality check from your team to make sure all information has been brought to the table.

2) Remember that a key strength for a good leader is humility and that just because you were right the last ten times, does not mean you’re right this time. Allow others to challenge your thought process.

3) Let your intelligence win over your ego.  Beware of discounting or dismissing information because of the messenger or because you quickly assume any disagreement is resistance to change.  Your prior accomplishments have created a strong belief system that reflects on how success is achieved, what it looks like, how it feels. Remember to always hold those beliefs up against the facts of the day.

So, in the end, leaving yourself and your business naked to the realities of the marketplace not only puts your personal success at risk but also the success of your business.

 

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Posted by Barry Moze on November 16, 2012 @ 4:36 pm | 2 Comments
Categories: Leadership | Tags: , ,

Consistent inconsistency

In the past few years, we have experienced a more volatile economic climate than I have ever witnessed over the course of my last 30 years in the business world. Meeting after meeting, business leaders are begging for reliable forecasts or fundamental insights into what lay ahead for their businesses.  Long term planning has taken on a new meaning – it’s months rather than years now. In fact, budgets are constantly in flux, being redrafted month after month with a multitude of contingency plans or counter measures in place should the economic climate change. 

 

In addition to the macro economic issues, we are also seeing significant geographical inconsistencies. Some economies are struggling to stay above water while others are growing and providing real opportunities to those businesses that can rally their resources.  This global variation puts additional pressures on today’s business model of leveraging centralized services and best practices and boils it down to one simple question:  How do you fund such inconsistent business needs and at the same time meet the budgetary needs of your own company? All of these inconsistencies and ever changing factors result in the slowing down of business results and for any business, time is its worst enemy.

 

Ultimately, all of these inconsistencies and their adverse effects on the business have created some interesting conversations with my business leaders. In most situations the conversations starts out with, “Ok smart ass, you have been preaching to me about being a consistent leader for years so what’s your answer for this?” It’s at this time that most of them have smirks on their faces if only because I have been beating on them for such a long time, they now have an opportunity to take my coaching and use it against me!!! Of course, being the consummate professional I am, I smile back and let them bask in the warmth of putting me on the hot seat for at least 5 or 10 seconds. It’s when my smile begins to fade that I lay it on them: When you look at it, there is remarkable consistency to these inconsistencies!!!  And before they grab something to throw at me, I remind them that they have built an organization that has the ability to take action and to build processes that solve consistent problems once identified.

 

 

So what are the critical steps to consistently manage inconsistency?

 

  1. 1) State the Reality of the Business – Let your people know that you understand the inconsistencies of today’s environment and the pressure it puts upon them, their people and their plans. Acting like these pressures don’t exist does nothing other than make you look out of touch.  People admire a leader who is not afraid of reality.

 

  1. 2) Reiterate the Company Vision and Strategy – Reinforce that it is still the future you see for the company but reiterate that the path to that future may be different or might need to be adjusted at times.  In the end though, the destination remains the same even if the path varies.

 

  1. 3) Identify Crucial Behaviors – Categorize critical behavior styles that you will all need to integrate into your work life to manage these ever changing times and constantly emphasize them. As an example – Strategic Agility, Dealing with Ambiguity, Conflict Management and others.

 

  1. 4) Repeat the above process – Don’t think that once you have identified the problems that all is done.  In an inconsistent world the problems change and morph at an ever increasing rate.  Make sure that your business reality reflects the reality of today.

 

  1. 5) Speed, Speed, Speed. Take action and if that does not work, take action again.  If you wait, the problem has changed and your solution will not work. (If this is a weak point for you, re-read The Scarlet Letter of Indecision to get you up and moving and motivated to take action.)

 

In short, be very consistent in dealing with and managing these inconsistencies and over time, your organization will build its consistent competency in dealing with this ever changing world.

 

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Posted by Barry Moze on September 26, 2012 @ 4:25 pm | 3 Comments
Categories: Leadership | Tags: , ,