the complexity of leadership

Upon finishing my "state of the university" address this past Monday afternoon, I felt exhausted.  It was not a difficult talk...it was not an overly long talk...it was not a combative question and answer session.  As I drove home I asked myself why I felt so tired and beat up - and then the answer came to me.  By the end of the talk, I realized how complex my organization is, how many different (and differing) constituencies we as an institution must consider, and how quickly the landscape of higher education is changing.  While I might want to claim that this is only true of Concordia (and higher education in general) I know that this is the reality of most organizations today.  Who is our customer? What is our product? How do we gain market share? What about diversity and inclusion? What is the economy going to do today? And how do I keep the people of the organization happy?

Leadership, like organizations themselves, is complex.  Having to consider the multiple questions that come one's way, those in leadership positions must deal with the complexity that is consistently all around them.  This is not about working harder...this is not about working more hours...this is not about hiring more people...and it is certainly not about attempting to make the organization less complex.  So what are leaders to do?  How might they better deal with the complexity of leadership?  Here are a few thoughts:

• slow down...if one does not take the time to breathe and think, how can they even see or understand the complexity that exists?
• read more...in the midst of complexity, those in leadership roles often feel as if they are the only ones dealing with these issues.  Reading helps one to see beyond their own situation and might provide an answer to one of the many questions in front of the leader.
• simplify where you can...the truth is that complexity is throughout the organization.  Where might one simplify and make the decision making process just a little easier (or at least less complicated)?
• listen to stories...in the midst of the complexity, a gentle reminder of why one does what they do can make the stress of complexity a little more bearable each day.
• hire really smart (and emotionally intelligent) people...by their very nature, those in leadership roles tend to take on themselves the entire complexity of the organization.  Let others share in the burden of complexity - it makes life easier and better for everyone.
• take a break...one of the golden rules of leadership is to take a full day off once a week, three straight days off once a month, and two straight weeks off once a year.  Getting away from the organization puts the complexity a little more in perspective and allows the leader to renew their strength to deal with the constant onslaught they face.
• lean into it...at the end of the day, the complexity of leadership is here to stay.  Embrace it, enjoy it, and learn to manage it - because there is no way around it.

Life has always been complex...and people's resiliency has always learned to manage it.  Dealing with complexity begins with accepting that it exists and then moving forward.  Remember that if your organization was not complex, it might just be moving toward shutting down.  What is the better alternative?

what's really important?

Many people wear a badge of honor regarding how busy they are...they're busy with this and that, they are attending too many meetings, their email inboxes are overflowing, they can't find time to read, family time is at a minimum, etc. It almost comes off as if they feel the measure of their work (and especially their leadership) is measured by the amount of time they spend on various activities.  Being in a leadership position will automatically provide more demands in one week than one can accomplish in a 24-hour, 7-day time frame.  The only way to deal with this is to turn one's attention to those things that are most important...and that is easier said than done.  Who determines importance?  Is it what is important today or important in five years? What about the multiple emergencies that keep coming across one's desk?  Here are some thoughts on how one might determine what is really important:

• think long term...what is it that you and/or the organization needs to accomplish in the long run and what, if it is not done today, will put that future in jeopardy?
• ask others in the organization...this is not about having someone else set the agenda; it is about getting a sense what is important to those one leads.
• review the position description...what is it you were asked to do when you started in the position  Does it still make sense and, if so, are you actually doing those things?
• consider the mission...are the activities in which you are engaged helping to advance the mission; and by that I mean in significant ways, not only incrementally
• consider the margin...do your activities have a return on investment for the organization that is tangible and creates a greater financial margin at the end of the year?
• consider the people...while it has become almost trite to say that the greatest resource an organization has is its people, there is still truth in the concept.

Now comes the hard part - choosing the few things that need to be done, narrowing the list down to what only the leader can do (and delegating much of the rest), scheduling the activities on one's calendar, and then actually executing on those items that are really important.  While this can be a difficult exercise for many who have assumed leadership roles, it should also be freeing and rewarding...and it should give back one's time.  Let "doing really important things" be your new personal badge of honor!

it's ALL about leadership

During a recent breakfast with a friend and colleague, we concluded our discussion with the simple phrase "it's all about leadership."  Then we both stopped, looked at each other, and repeated the phrase with a special emphasis on the world ALL...it's ALL about leadership.  Some people might respond with a no-duh...others might respond with a shrug and look of skepticism...still others might respond with an enthusiastic yes and a pump of the fist.  No matter what the response, for this writer it was, is, and always will be ALL about leadership.  So if this is such a no-brainer concept, why might I be thinking about it today?  Here are a few thoughts on why it is important for people to undersand that it's ALL about leadership:

• leaders must lead...once one is placed into a leadership position, there is no going back.  The named leader does not get to wake up one morning and decide not to lead...those chosen to lead must lead.
• leaders must learn how to lead...being placed into a leadership position does not guarantee leadership.  Leadership is a learned act (despite what others might believe or say) and one gets better at leading by practicing leadership skills, attitudes, and behaviors.
• leaders must make hard decisions...while there are many other people within an organzation who do the work and make decisions, those in leaders positions are looked at to make the decisions that make or break an organization.  Leadership is not for the faint of heart or those who like to sit on the sidelines.
• leaders must build and work with a team...no one person leads an organization by themselves (even if they believe they do).  Learning how to work with a team of highly professional people is critical to leading and to the success of any institution.
• leaders must know their business...because of the difficult decisions that leaders make, they have to fully understand the business they are in, the product they produce, and the customer they serve.  While leadership skills are transferable (see last week's blog) leadership in a given context is not.
• leaders must be all in...because it's ALL about leadership, those in leadership roles need to be completely transparent, completely vulnerable, and completely committed to their organization and their role as leader.  Half-hearted leadership not only hurts the institution, it is far from fulfilling for the individual.

A word for followers...when those who are being led realize it's all about leadership, it becomes their responsibility to ensure that leaders can and will lead.  If someone in a leadership role chooses not to lead, who will  hold them accountable to lead?  If someone in a leadership role is struggling to lead, who will encourage them to lead?  If others are hampering the ability of a leader to lead, who will confront their colleagues to allow the leader to lead?  When it's ALL about leadership, then it's everyone's responsibility to ensure that leadership happens at its highests level becuase it's ALL about leadership.

transferable leadership

I had the honor this week to be on a panel with two other college presidents - Rebecca Bergman of Gustavus Adolphus College and Paula Carlson of Luther College.  The three of us reflected for a group of up-and-coming leaders about our first 2 1/2 years in office (each of us began our roles as presidents in the fall of 2014).  Rebecca came directly out of industry into the office of the president following a very successful career at Medtronic in Minneapolis.  When asked what is was like not having taken the traditional route to the presidency, her reply was very simply "leadership is transferable"...and I could not agree more.

There are many who believe that only those who know a certain industry...only those who grew up around a certain industry...and only those who have spent their careers in a certain industry are able to lead those industries.  And yet, there are countless examples of individuals who moved from one industry to another and led in an exemplary fashion (just as there are countless examples of those who spent their entire lifetime in a certain industry and failed miserably in the executive role).  What makes leadership transferable?  Here are a few thoughts:

• leadership is about understanding and being able to work with people
• leadership is about being curious and willing to learn what one does not know
• leadership is about surrounding oneself with really smart people
• leadership is about knowing and understanding the environment in which one is placed
• leadership is about listening to others
• leadership is about understanding that the leader is hardly ever the smartest person in the room
• leadership is about executing strategy and putting in place the tools to ensure execution
• leadership is about having the ability to consider and act on BOTH margin and mission
• leadership is about knowing where and how to spend one's time
• leadership is about building a team and setting that team loose to do the necessary work
• leadership is about articulating the mission and vision through story and data
• leadership is about the ability to know and understand one's own emotions and attitudes

So no matter what you lead or where you lead (and remember that leadership is not always about having a defined position), now is the time to start practicing these leadership attributes to prepare for the next leadership gig...no matter what particular industry for which one is chosen to lead.

Many thanks to both Rebecca and Paula for sharing their stories with me (and others) and to our friend and mentor Loren Anderson (former president of Pacific Lutheran University) who pulled the panel together.  You are all excellent leaders who make a difference in the lives of people and institutions.  May God continue to grant each of you health and peace in this new year.