This article is based on the following book: Primal Leadership“Leading To Lead With Emotional Intelligence” By Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, Annie Mckee Published by Harvard Business School Press.
Primal leadership takes center stage in this book. This concept goes beyond the set of conventional competencies on the making of a leader. Beyond bottom line figures, this book takes a leap forward with the concept of primal leadership through a keen and in-depth understanding of emotional intelligence and its link to leading and building emotionally intelligent organizations.The authors explore the idea of leadership as an emotional function.
They propose that the fundamental task of a leader is to create resonance at work, thereby unleashing positive traits and attributes in people. Emotionally intelligent leaders bring organizational success to the fore because they inspire, motivate and foster commitment in people.Harness the power of primal leadership in this book and bring out the emotionally intelligent leader in you.Primal Dimension of Leadership The use of emotion in leadership functions is a primal task that sets leaders apart. Great leaders move people by channeling emotions in the right direction, whether it is in formulating corporate strategy in the boardroom or a series of action items in the shop floor.
Resonance EffectThe positive channeling of emotions that empowers people to be top performers is called resonance. The culture of resonance brings out the best in people. On the other hand, when leaders negatively drive emotions dissonance is created. Dissonance is not conducive to harmonious working relationships as it can undermine people’s potentials.Key to Primal LeadershipEmotional intelligence is the foundation of making primal leadership work. An emotionally intelligent leader knows how to handle himself and his relationship with the people he works with in order to drive up performance.Good Moods, Good WorkA good mood is essential for a team to function effectively. It is crucial for a leader to foster positive working relationships because emotional conflicts in a group can hamper a team’s performance.
A study of CEOs from Fortune 500 companies revealed that positive overall mood of top management people leads to better cooperation and better business performance. This argument takes the view that it is top management that creates the conditions for workers to work well.
Resonant LeaderFor emotionally intelligent leaders, resonance comes naturally in their dealings with people. Their actions reinforce synchrony within their team and within the organization. The strength of an emotionally resonant leader lies in the emotional bond he forms which allows people to collaborate with each other even in the face of change and uncertainty.
Four Dimensions of Emotional IntelligenceThe creation of resonance is a hallmark of primal leadership that can only be fostered by emotionally intelligent leaders. For a leader to promote prime resonance in a group, it is important to understand the four EI competencies. Interestingly, these competencies are not innately inherent but are learned abilities. According to research, an effective leader typically demonstrates at least one competence among the four dimensions.
1. Self-Awareness
2. Self-Management
3. Social Awareness
4. Relationship ManagementApproaches to Leadership in a Nutshell
1. Visionary 2. Coaching 3. Affiliative 4. Democratic
5. Pacesetting
6. CommandingThe Five Discoveries of Self-Directed Learning
1. First Discovery: My ideal self – Who do I want to be?
2. Second Discovery: My real self – Who am I? What are my strengths and gaps?
3. Third Discovery: My learning agenda – How can I build on my strengths while reducing my gaps?
4. Fourth Discovery: Experimenting with and practicing new behaviors, thoughts, and feelings to the point of mastery.
5. Fifth Discovery: Developing supportive and trusting relationships that make change possible.
Final NotesPrimal leadership is anchored on emotions. These emotions have underlying neurological explanations to them such as the open loop system. Thus, a leader must work hard to obtain emotional intelligence competencies that will make him a resonant leader because resonance is the key to primal leadership.A resonant leader builds a culture of resonance by demonstrating emotionally intelligent abilities that permeate throughout the organization. A resonant leader aims to live a resonant life for him and his people in order to make resonant work. It is this kind of work that builds an emotionally intelligent organization – a kind of organization that can survive the changing business climate because it has built-in processes that can sustain change.
Showing posts with label Keys to Leadership. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Keys to Leadership. Show all posts
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Monday, July 2, 2007
Good to Great
"Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't"
Jim Collins, co-author of ‘Built to Last'
Explore what goes into a company's transformation from mediocre to excellent. Based on hard evidence and volumes of data, the book author (Jim Collins) and his team uncover timeless principles on how the good-to-great companies like Abbott, Circuit City, Fannie Mae, Gillette, Kimberly-Clark, Kroger, Nucor, Philip Morris, Pitney Bowes, Walgreens, and Wells Fargo produced sustained great results and achieved enduring greatness, evolving into companies that were indeed ‘Built to Last'. The Collins team selected 2 sets of comparison companies:
a. Direct comparisons – Companies in the same industry with the same resources and opportunities as the good-to-great group but showed no leap in performance, which were: Upjohn, Silo, Great Western, Warner-Lambert, Scott Paper, A&P, Bethlehem Steel, RJ Reynolds, Addressograph, Eckerd, and Bank of America.
b. Unsustained comparisons – Companies that made a short-term shift from good to great but failed to maintain the trajectory, namely: Burroughs, Chrysler, Harris, Hasbro, Rubbermaid, and Teledyne
Wisdom In A Nutshell:
a. Ten out of eleven good-to-great company leaders or CEOs came from the inside. They were not outsiders hired in to ‘save' the company. They were either people who worked many years at the company or were members of the family that owned the company.
b. Strategy per se did not separate the good to great companies from the comparison groups.
c. Good-to-great companies focus on what Not to do and what they should stop doing.
d. Technology has nothing to do with the transformation from good to great. It may help accelerate it but is not the cause of it.
e. Mergers and acquisitions do not cause a transformation from good to great.
f. Good-to-great companies paid little attention to managing change or motivating people. Under the right conditions, these problems naturally go away.
g. Good-to-great transformations did not need any new name, tagline, or launch program. The leap was in the performance results, not a revolutionary process.
h. Greatness is not a function of circumstance; it is clearly a matter of conscious choice.
i. Every good-to-great company had “Level 5” leadership during pivotal transition years, where Level 1 is a Highly Capable Individual, Level 2 is a Contributing Team Member, Level 3 is the Competent Manager, Level 4 is an Effective Leader, and Level 5 is the Executive who builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will.
j. Level 5 leaders display a compelling modesty, are self-effacing and understated. In contrast, two thirds of the comparison companies had leaders with gargantuan personal egos that contributed to the demise or continued mediocrity of the company.
k. Level 5 leaders are fanatically driven, infected with an incurable need to produce sustained results. They are resolved to do whatever it takes to make the company great, no matter how big or hard the decisions.
l. One of the most damaging trends in recent history is the tendency (especially of boards of directors) to select dazzling, celebrity leaders and to de-select potential Level 5 leaders.
m. Potential Level 5 leaders exist all around us, we just have to know what to look for.
n. The research team was not looking for Level 5 leadership, but the data was overwhelming and convincing. The Level 5 discovery is an empirical, not ideological, finding.
o. Before answering the “what” questions of vision and strategy, ask first “who” are the right people for the team.
p. Comparison companies used layoffs much more than the good-to-great companies. Although rigorous, the good-to-great companies were never ruthless and did not rely on layoffs or restructuring to improve performance.
q. Good-to-great management teams consist of people who debate vigorously in search of the best answers, yet who unify behind decisions, regardless of parochial interests.
r. There is no link between executive compensation and the shift from good to great. The purpose of compensation is not to ‘motivate' the right behaviors from the wrong people, but to get and keep the right people in the first place.
s. The old adage “People are your most important asset” is wrong. People are not your most important asset. The right people are.
t. Whether someone is the right person has more to do with character and innate capabilities than specific knowledge, skills or experience.
u. The Hedgehog Concept is a concept that flows from the deep understanding about the intersection of the following three circles:
1. What you can be best in the world at, realistically, and what you cannot be best in the world at
2. What drives your economic engine
3. What you are deeply passionate about
v. Discover your core values and purpose beyond simply making money and combine this with the dynamic of preserve the core values - stimulate progress, as shown for example by Disney. They have evolved from making short animated films, to feature length films, to theme parks, to cruises, but their core values of providing happiness to young and old, and not succumbing to cynicism remains strong.
w. Enduring great companies don't exist merely to deliver returns to shareholders. In a truly great company, profits and cash flow are absolutely essential for life, but they are not the very point of life.
"IF YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING YOU CARE DEEPLY ABOUT AND IF YOU BELIVE IN IT , IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO IMAGINE NOT TRYING TO MAKE IT GREAT"
Jim Collins, co-author of ‘Built to Last'
Explore what goes into a company's transformation from mediocre to excellent. Based on hard evidence and volumes of data, the book author (Jim Collins) and his team uncover timeless principles on how the good-to-great companies like Abbott, Circuit City, Fannie Mae, Gillette, Kimberly-Clark, Kroger, Nucor, Philip Morris, Pitney Bowes, Walgreens, and Wells Fargo produced sustained great results and achieved enduring greatness, evolving into companies that were indeed ‘Built to Last'. The Collins team selected 2 sets of comparison companies:
a. Direct comparisons – Companies in the same industry with the same resources and opportunities as the good-to-great group but showed no leap in performance, which were: Upjohn, Silo, Great Western, Warner-Lambert, Scott Paper, A&P, Bethlehem Steel, RJ Reynolds, Addressograph, Eckerd, and Bank of America.
b. Unsustained comparisons – Companies that made a short-term shift from good to great but failed to maintain the trajectory, namely: Burroughs, Chrysler, Harris, Hasbro, Rubbermaid, and Teledyne
Wisdom In A Nutshell:
a. Ten out of eleven good-to-great company leaders or CEOs came from the inside. They were not outsiders hired in to ‘save' the company. They were either people who worked many years at the company or were members of the family that owned the company.
b. Strategy per se did not separate the good to great companies from the comparison groups.
c. Good-to-great companies focus on what Not to do and what they should stop doing.
d. Technology has nothing to do with the transformation from good to great. It may help accelerate it but is not the cause of it.
e. Mergers and acquisitions do not cause a transformation from good to great.
f. Good-to-great companies paid little attention to managing change or motivating people. Under the right conditions, these problems naturally go away.
g. Good-to-great transformations did not need any new name, tagline, or launch program. The leap was in the performance results, not a revolutionary process.
h. Greatness is not a function of circumstance; it is clearly a matter of conscious choice.
i. Every good-to-great company had “Level 5” leadership during pivotal transition years, where Level 1 is a Highly Capable Individual, Level 2 is a Contributing Team Member, Level 3 is the Competent Manager, Level 4 is an Effective Leader, and Level 5 is the Executive who builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will.
j. Level 5 leaders display a compelling modesty, are self-effacing and understated. In contrast, two thirds of the comparison companies had leaders with gargantuan personal egos that contributed to the demise or continued mediocrity of the company.
k. Level 5 leaders are fanatically driven, infected with an incurable need to produce sustained results. They are resolved to do whatever it takes to make the company great, no matter how big or hard the decisions.
l. One of the most damaging trends in recent history is the tendency (especially of boards of directors) to select dazzling, celebrity leaders and to de-select potential Level 5 leaders.
m. Potential Level 5 leaders exist all around us, we just have to know what to look for.
n. The research team was not looking for Level 5 leadership, but the data was overwhelming and convincing. The Level 5 discovery is an empirical, not ideological, finding.
o. Before answering the “what” questions of vision and strategy, ask first “who” are the right people for the team.
p. Comparison companies used layoffs much more than the good-to-great companies. Although rigorous, the good-to-great companies were never ruthless and did not rely on layoffs or restructuring to improve performance.
q. Good-to-great management teams consist of people who debate vigorously in search of the best answers, yet who unify behind decisions, regardless of parochial interests.
r. There is no link between executive compensation and the shift from good to great. The purpose of compensation is not to ‘motivate' the right behaviors from the wrong people, but to get and keep the right people in the first place.
s. The old adage “People are your most important asset” is wrong. People are not your most important asset. The right people are.
t. Whether someone is the right person has more to do with character and innate capabilities than specific knowledge, skills or experience.
u. The Hedgehog Concept is a concept that flows from the deep understanding about the intersection of the following three circles:
1. What you can be best in the world at, realistically, and what you cannot be best in the world at
2. What drives your economic engine
3. What you are deeply passionate about
v. Discover your core values and purpose beyond simply making money and combine this with the dynamic of preserve the core values - stimulate progress, as shown for example by Disney. They have evolved from making short animated films, to feature length films, to theme parks, to cruises, but their core values of providing happiness to young and old, and not succumbing to cynicism remains strong.
w. Enduring great companies don't exist merely to deliver returns to shareholders. In a truly great company, profits and cash flow are absolutely essential for life, but they are not the very point of life.
"IF YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING YOU CARE DEEPLY ABOUT AND IF YOU BELIVE IN IT , IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO IMAGINE NOT TRYING TO MAKE IT GREAT"
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Mind Your Own Business : Book Summary.
A maverick is an independent person who will not go along with the other members of a group (Oxford ESL Dictionary). This book provides priceless stories and insights from a maverick of the business world; an exemplary business leader who prefers not to follow orthodox beliefs in business, nor be eaten by the hyped up ideas of the present. Instead, he chooses the course of action that is appropriate for the changing times.
The Maverick’s Way: New Old Thing
What is effective? This is the question answered by the maverick. He reconciles the good things from both the Old and New times, and focuses on what is really effective in confronting the challenges of 21st century business dealings.
A maverick thinks outside of the bed, knows that it pays to be daring, does not allow technology to tyrannize, finds strength in diversity, maintains balance and harmony among people, sets leadership by example, has a strong ethical base, and values employees and customers. A maverick knows his customers and believes strongly in his products.
To a maverick, a company is a not just a big candy store. It is a living instrument with living human beings. It should have a HEART.
Keys to Leadership
The leader leads. He exercises critical judgment, which will have a great impact on his people.
The leader defines the company. The leader’s responsibility is to explicitly present and advocate the company’s purposes and goals.
The leader inspires. He gives sense and meaning to the job. He makes his people realize, that beyond profit there is an underlying meaning, value, and deeper reason for the work they do.
The leader should be the evangelist. He should be able to exercise his influence, to sell the values of ethical conduct.
The leader must see the company as a coherent whole. He should be aware of the diversity in the company and bring this together to promote the whole.
The leader must know that there is no better way to create a family in the workplace than to encourage the family at home. Harman International introduced the anti-domestic violence program in the company, which reinforces the idea that the company cares.
The leader should never underestimate the value of disciplined hard work.
The leader empowers subordinates to do their jobs. He should institute programs for the guidance and training of his people. He should always keep the lines of communication open.
The leader promotes closure. He should know the right time to get things done.
The leader knows what he doesn’t know. The leader is not afraid to ask clarifications, if he does not understand a particular subject.
The leader knows the meaning of two minutes. He should respect the time of others and that of his own.
The leader teaches.
Above all, the leader develops others. As Lao Tzu advanced: “the leader having accomplished great things, the people all feel they did it themselves…”
The very best leaders go beyond the mere setting of example. He should be able to cause a leap of imagination and faith in his people.
The leader recognizes that people are often at their very best the moment they have been let go. There are times when an employee doesn’t like the work anymore, or he is unable to appreciate how the whole enterprise works- this is the time to set him free.
A Company Must Be Profitable
1. A solid financial base is fundamental.
2. Debt should not exceed equity. A debt to equity ratio of 1 to 1 or better should be the goal, so that a company’s leader and key executives do not spend all their time on mere survival -paying bills, meeting the payroll, and keeping the banks happy- but moving forward and meeting bigger challenges and doing more visionary work.
3. There should be a regular process for annual strategic planning and budget-planning.
The Fundamentals of Profit and Loss
1. Manage expectations, not the profits. Keep the shareholders informed, to eliminate doubts of manipulating numbers.
2. The Chairman and CEO should be financially literate. They should know what the numbers really mean.
3. Good growth and profitability requires the exercise of critical judgment. The leader should make certain that the budget is one the company can live with.
4. In repurchasing the company’s own stocks, make sure that it will add to the company’s earnings.
5. Look into the availability of funds so that the balance sheet will not be compromised.
Make an Edge in the Business World
1. Writing. It is a unique and powerful skill you can use for clarity and persuasion.
2. Public Speaking and Story-telling. Speak directly, and without notes, to your audience. Individuals respond to a well-told story.
3. Thinking. People do not respect sloppy thinking in a leader. Thoughts should be carefully considered then expressed directly, crisply, and clearly.
The Maverick’s Way: New Old Thing
What is effective? This is the question answered by the maverick. He reconciles the good things from both the Old and New times, and focuses on what is really effective in confronting the challenges of 21st century business dealings.
A maverick thinks outside of the bed, knows that it pays to be daring, does not allow technology to tyrannize, finds strength in diversity, maintains balance and harmony among people, sets leadership by example, has a strong ethical base, and values employees and customers. A maverick knows his customers and believes strongly in his products.
To a maverick, a company is a not just a big candy store. It is a living instrument with living human beings. It should have a HEART.
Keys to Leadership
The leader leads. He exercises critical judgment, which will have a great impact on his people.
The leader defines the company. The leader’s responsibility is to explicitly present and advocate the company’s purposes and goals.
The leader inspires. He gives sense and meaning to the job. He makes his people realize, that beyond profit there is an underlying meaning, value, and deeper reason for the work they do.
The leader should be the evangelist. He should be able to exercise his influence, to sell the values of ethical conduct.
The leader must see the company as a coherent whole. He should be aware of the diversity in the company and bring this together to promote the whole.
The leader must know that there is no better way to create a family in the workplace than to encourage the family at home. Harman International introduced the anti-domestic violence program in the company, which reinforces the idea that the company cares.
The leader should never underestimate the value of disciplined hard work.
The leader empowers subordinates to do their jobs. He should institute programs for the guidance and training of his people. He should always keep the lines of communication open.
The leader promotes closure. He should know the right time to get things done.
The leader knows what he doesn’t know. The leader is not afraid to ask clarifications, if he does not understand a particular subject.
The leader knows the meaning of two minutes. He should respect the time of others and that of his own.
The leader teaches.
Above all, the leader develops others. As Lao Tzu advanced: “the leader having accomplished great things, the people all feel they did it themselves…”
The very best leaders go beyond the mere setting of example. He should be able to cause a leap of imagination and faith in his people.
The leader recognizes that people are often at their very best the moment they have been let go. There are times when an employee doesn’t like the work anymore, or he is unable to appreciate how the whole enterprise works- this is the time to set him free.
A Company Must Be Profitable
1. A solid financial base is fundamental.
2. Debt should not exceed equity. A debt to equity ratio of 1 to 1 or better should be the goal, so that a company’s leader and key executives do not spend all their time on mere survival -paying bills, meeting the payroll, and keeping the banks happy- but moving forward and meeting bigger challenges and doing more visionary work.
3. There should be a regular process for annual strategic planning and budget-planning.
The Fundamentals of Profit and Loss
1. Manage expectations, not the profits. Keep the shareholders informed, to eliminate doubts of manipulating numbers.
2. The Chairman and CEO should be financially literate. They should know what the numbers really mean.
3. Good growth and profitability requires the exercise of critical judgment. The leader should make certain that the budget is one the company can live with.
4. In repurchasing the company’s own stocks, make sure that it will add to the company’s earnings.
5. Look into the availability of funds so that the balance sheet will not be compromised.
Make an Edge in the Business World
1. Writing. It is a unique and powerful skill you can use for clarity and persuasion.
2. Public Speaking and Story-telling. Speak directly, and without notes, to your audience. Individuals respond to a well-told story.
3. Thinking. People do not respect sloppy thinking in a leader. Thoughts should be carefully considered then expressed directly, crisply, and clearly.
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