from "ex" to success

I was listening to an entrepreneurship podcast this morning that started out like most other entrepreneurship talks: "I got tired of what I was doing, left that, and started something else..."  I began thinking about the people I know, and realized many of them are "ex" something or other - an ex-CPA, an ex-fighter pilot, an ex-sales person, an ex-CEO - and the list goes on and on.  I am an ex-band director, who has found great joy in this role as Dean of a business school.  The thing is, none of the people above, including myself, ever disliked what we were doing before.  We weren't looking to get out, but we may have perhaps become a little bored.  Entrepreneurs (and I would also suggest "leaders") are by nature starters...we like to start things...we like to build things...we like ideas...we like growth...we like energy.  And when those things begin to wane, it is time to ask the important question, "what's next?"

I have come to understand that the answer to "what's next?" doesn't always have to be a new career - it can be a new way of living out your current role...it could be a new assignment within your current role...it could be a new way of thinking about how your organize your work within your current role...it could be a new way of thinking - or a new way of living.  Whatever it might be, moving to the "new way" means giving up something form your "old way" - which means you are now an "ex-something or other."

The New Year is always full of possibilities (no matter what Mark Twain might have said).  It is a time to become an "ex-something or other."  Here is my personal list of things that we as leaders might consider becoming an "ex" in:

• become an ex-micro manager
• become an ex-late to meetings person
• become an ex-complainer
• become an ex-gossiper
• become an ex-expert
• become an ex-over eater
• become an ex-worrier
• become an ex-controller
• become an ex-procrastinator
• become an ex-skeptic
• become an ex-_____________________

To step up our leadership, we need to develop new (better) habits...and to do that, we need to rid ourselves of old habits.  Just as many entrepreneurs take the jump from one career to the next (often with much fear and trepidation), so leaders must make the same jump, giving up the old and embracing the new.  Will it be difficult? Will it be scary? Will you wonder whether it is the right thing to do?  Will it feel as if you don't really know what you are doing?  You know the answer to these questions, so just go ahead and do it.  Not only will you find your joy and passion,but those around you will be better off for it as well.  Enjoy the journey!

persistence pays off

Yesterday we celebrated 50 Speaker Series events - a milestone for me as I began the College of Business Speaker Series in October of 2006 with Michael Willard (then Executive Director of Austin Habitat for Humanity) as our speaker and about 30 people in the audience.  The series has come a long way to where we now average about 150 people each time (a mix of students, faculty, staff and community) with speakers such as Drayton McLane, Huston Street, and Sherron Watkins.  The mix of local (and sometimes national) people continues to amaze and humble me as I get the chance to interview some of the coolest people in the world.

One of the questions asked me yesterday (I was interviewed by Concordia alumnus Stephen Kreher) dealt with how the Speaker Series has grown, and the answer included the idea of PERSISTENCE.   For the first two years, we seldom had more than 30-35 people in the auditorium, and trying to get students and faculty to attend was one of the hardest parts of the job.  There were times I wondered if it was worth it, and whether or not I should keep trying to do this type of event. Along with encouragement from others (and the fact that my faculty started to require students to attend), we began to see growth in the attendance and an energy that kept it moving forward.  Jim Collins talks about the "flywheel" concept where it takes a long time to push the flywheel very slowly and with very little visible movement forward, and then - at just the right time - it starts moving on its own and all you need to do is give it a slight nudge now and then to keep it moving forward.  That's an apt description of our Speaker Series over the years.

Leaders need to keep this idea in mind as they introduce new ideas and work to change the culture of an organization.  It feels at the beginning like you are working so hard and seeing such few results...it feels like you are the only one doing things that matter...it feels that it might be easier to stop making changes since noting seems to be happening...it feels as if no one else really cares...if feels as if you were to stop doing those type of things today, no one would notice. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, you look around and behold that you are working not quite so hard and seeing more results...that more and more people are doing things that matter... that more things are happening and others are making changes...that people really do care...and that if you stopped doing these things, people would wonder what happened.  The flywheel is moving by itself!

I'm not sure how one learns persistence or if it comes naturally to some and not to others.  Great athletes know about it...farmers know about it...writers know about it...and so many others who exhibit excellence in their fields know about it.  In leadership, persistence is probably most important when you are trying to change a culture.  Culture shift never happens overnight - it takes saying and doing the same things over and over until they become part of "how we do things around here."  My encouragement is to:

• stay at it
• never give up
• keep going
• never give up
• don't lose zeal
• never give up
• keep hoping for the best
• never give up
• stay positive
• never give up
• do it one more time (and then do it again one more time)
• never give up

teaching leadership

Last night I had the opportunity to work with one of The Concordia MBA cohorts in San Antonio guiding them in the process of learning about leadership.  This group is in the middle of  the Leadership:Self class and I was invited to come down from Austin to "guest lecture."  I put those words in italics because I did anything but lecture as they got to talk much more than I did - and I was  learning right along with them.  By the end of the evening (which was around 10:0 PM) we had become friends and colleagues on a journey of learning about leadership together.  Here's what happened:

• they had read some great writings about leadership characteristics, failure in leadership, and using one's strengths in leadership - the readings gave us theory and context in which to talk about deep things
• they were a small group that allowed everyone to talk in depth about the readings and their personal experiences
• they had been together for awhile (The Concordia MBA uses a cohort style of learning) and had developed trust in which they could go deeper in their sharing and learning
• they had done some reflective work ahead of time, both in the form of journaling as well as their Passionography assignment, giving them something on which to base their dialogue
• they had read about and practiced the power of DIALOGUE and how that type of interaction is so much better than mere discussion
• they had sought feedback on themselves from others through their Passionography assignment, allowing them to more fully reflect on their personal leadership
• they had developed trust among them, knowing that when they shared personal "stuff" it would remain with the group and there would be no judging
• they cam from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, all of which made for a very rich conversation among them
• I asked a lot of questions, let them talk, then guided them in thinking deeper about what they had just said by asking more questions
• I used my experience and knowledge to merely add to their experience and knowledge
• I allowed them to teach me - my "aha's" during the evening only added to their "aha's"
• they were humble in their learning process, knowing that they had a long way to go in this journey of learning about leadership

As you look at that list, consider how you might help others develop their leadership potential - what kind of environment can you create so others can grow? what kind of readings can you give to them? how do you pull together a group of willing learners? do you approach the group with a learning attitude of your own? how can you help people reflect deeply so they better understand themselves? what type of work assignments can you give that help develop leadership?  do you engage in dialogue or discussion with others?  finally, what have you done to grow in your personal leadership - how are you a different/better leader today than you were last year?

Kudos to Dr. Charita Ray-Blakely for her leadership of this class and of The Concordia MBA program in San Antonio...kudos to Dr. Linda Ford who helped shape and build The Concordia MBA to include this type of class...kudos to Roger Clark, admissions specialist at the Concordia San Antonio Center for recruiting this great group of students...and kudos to each of the students in this cohort who gave of themselves for two hours last night so that they - AND I - could learn more about leadership...and about ourselves.

what it takes to motivate others

I knew that title would grab you...everyone wants to know how to motivate other people.  Bosses want to motivate employees...teachers want to motivate students...parents want to motivate children...husbands want to motivate wives (and vice-versa).  So I am going to reveal in my blog to day the one thing you can do to motivate others toward top performance...and here it is:

NOTHING

That's right, you can do nothing to motivate anyone else.  You can only motivate yourself.  Everyone has the choice to do or not to do.  I consistently watch students choose to do their best work or not...choose to engage in class or not...choose to attend class or not.  It is their choice and there is nothing I can do to make that choice for them.

That being said, leaders have the opportunity everyday to create the environment and culture in which others will choose to do the right thing and motivate themselves into top performance.  The literature is full of what people need to be self-motivated (one of my favorite books on this subject is Daniel Pink's DRIVE: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us).  If we as managers and leaders take this information to heart, it is not hard to create the right environment in which those we lead and manage can perform at their very best - and will choose to do so on a regular basis.

Yesterday I sat in on a class that is led by Dr. Shane Sokoll, one of our faculty here at Concordia University Texas.  Shane is one of those teachers who is always trying something new and working hard to engage students in the teaching and learning process.  For this class (Principles of Management) he walked in the first day, told the students what the learning objectives were for the course, then asked them to develop what they were going to do to best learn and master the concepts and ideas that led to those outcomes.  Mind you, he did this with fear and trepidation as he was giving up control over what would happen on a day-to-day basis in the course.  Without going into a lot of detail, the students choose to present to each other a series of manager development workshops which they would create and teach to each other.  I watched a presentation on employee motivation - and let me tell you, these students were motivated!  Dr. Sokoll sat back and did NOTHING for 45 minutes of the class other than take notes on what was happening so he could debrief with everyone afterwards.  The students were engaged, they were learning, they had fun - and they OWNED the teaching and learning experience.

So...what does this mean for us as leaders and managers in our own places?  Obviously, Dr. Sokoll did not do nothing - he worked hard to create the right environment and culture in which the students would motivate themselves to do a great job and to own their learning...he worked hard to wrap his head around the idea that he did not need to be in charge of the classroom all the time...he worked hard to listen and watch so that he could provide proper feedback which would motivate the students even more...he worked hard to not jump in and "fix" things when they did not go according to plan...and he continues to work hard in maintaining this culture and environment which is different for him and for his students.

So look around - ask yourself what type of environment and culture is needed for those who work with you to do their very best - talk with people to see what will matter - give them options as to how they will own their outcomes - and then let them go.  You will be surprised that in order to motivate others, you just have to sit back and do NOTHING.

the hiddenness of leadership

I am currently attending the Faith & Learning Symposium at Baylor University, an event I have been wanting to attend for the past several years.  Sponsored by their Institute for Faith & Learning, this year's Symposium is focusing on the work of Soren Kierkegaard, a Danish Philosopher who is often referred to as the father of existentialism.  Kierkegaard grew up as a Lutheran and much of his thinking and writing reflects this worldview...I think that is probably why he resonates so much with me.

One of Kierkegaard's ideas revolves around the hiddenness of Christianity - that the Christian lives his or her life hiding their faith (so it, in and of itself, does not become the good work which creates pride) and lives out their faith in serving others because it is the right thing to do. ***quick caveat...I am by no means a Kierkegaard expert (not even a novice yet) so I might be wrong...please bear with me.

As I listened to the speakers talk about Kierkegaard and this concept of hiddenness, I began to reflect on a concept that dealt with the hiddenness of leadership.  The great paradox of leadership is that once you have to tell people you are a leader, you are no longer a leader.  I am not a leader because I say so...or because others put me into a leadership position...or because there is a nameplate on my door that says "leader."  I am a leader because what I do causes others to want to follow.  

Many of my colleagues will say to me, "I'm not a leader" when clearly they are...people listen to them, they respect them, they follow them - and that makes them a leader.  Others I know declare, "I'm a leader" and when I look around the room, no one is listening to them, respecting them, or following them.  While their words and actions are not hidden from others, they also are not leading.

So what does it mean (and what does it look like) when your leadership is hidden?  Here are a few thoughts:

• I don't talk about titles, I talk about roles
• I don't micro-manage, I set up a culture in which others can manage themselves
• I don't refer to myself with a title, I use my given name
• I don't sit at the head of the table, I sit in and among my colleagues
• I am not the center of attention, I give others the opportunity to be the center of attention
• I don't refer to myself as a leader, but I do see myself as a leader
• I don't speak about achieving my personal goals, I help others achieve their goals
• I don't tell others how to lead, I invite them into a dialogue about leadership
• I don't try to make others lead like me, I encourage them to bring their whole selves into a leadership role
• I don't talk about positions that are higher or lower, I speak to the way we work together to accomplish the goals and mission
• I don't talk about what I have done, I talk about the accomplishment of the mission

I think you get the idea.  This is not as easy a task as it might seem, especially when you feel as if you are no longer being recognized for your work and leadership.  The temptation will be to stand up and say in a loud voice, "Hey, look at me - remember that I am the leader!"  I encourage you (and I remind myself) to keep leadership hidden, remembering that this is my calling...this is my vocation...and as a good friend of mine reminded me this week, my calling and vocation from God is irrevocable.  Therefore I must lead, and I must do so in a way that brings glory to God and serves the neighbor..and I must do so in a way that my leadership never gets in the way of leading.

be still...

Everyone loves a "man of action," one who is getting things accomplished, who is on the go, and is making things happen.  More appointments...more contacts...more visits...more deals...more???????  And yet, there is that quiet voice in our minds that says "be still."  In the Christian Bible, Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still and know that I am God."  The Tao Te Ching says in chapter 47 "The sage does not go, yet he knows; he does not look, yet he sees; he does not do, yet all is done."  What is it about this paradox that seems so compelling - and what has happened in our culture that celebrates the DOING and demeans the STILLNESS?

There are often times I am seen with my feet on my desk and staring into space.  A colleague might stop in and have a 30 minutes conversation with me about life.  I take the time to wander the halls and see who I run into.  I am probably at my best when I have a cup of coffee in my hand and a colleague is sitting across from me discussing the goings on around campus.  Am I working?  Am I learning?  Am I thinking? or am I just BEING STILL?

How many times do we find ourselves in these type of situations and when we are finished say to ourselves or to those around us, "Its time to get back to work."  There is a certain guilt many of us have when we do not have our nose to the grindstone and working feverishly at accomplishing a task.  And yet, especially for those who are in a leadership position, the times to be still are some of the best times we are given.  Here's why:

• to be still is to to clear the mind and open it up for better thinking
• to be still is to allow for creative ideas to emerge
• to be still is to to acknowledge that God is God and we are not
• to be still is to wait for the right answer to emerge
• to be still is to allow for disparate pieces of the puzzle to come together
• to be still is to wait for others to emerge and use their gifts
• to be still is to acknowledge the presence of others
• to be still is to refresh and re-create oneself for the next task at hand
• to be still is to enjoy the gifts of God's creation that he has given us
• to be still is to revel in joy and laughter with others
• to be still is to rely on God and let Him act on your behalf
• to be still is to remember that life actually goes on without us

So take the time today to be still...to relax and refresh...to laugh and to celebrate...to listen and hear...to create and think...to allow others to be in charge...and to rely once again on that power which is greater than you.  Enjoy your time of working hard by being still!

the books you read

This past Tuesday, I had the honor to be invited to speak to a group of church planters at the 5:2 wikiconference hosted by Crosspoint Church in Katy, Texas.  My friend and colleague Mark Junkans, Executive Director of LINC-Houston, asked me to come and speak to a group of people on the topic of "Taking your leadership to the next level."  Rather than give the group "five ways to improve your leadership" I shared with them two concepts in which they could invest that could dramatically change their leadership - and their lives: 1) the books they read and 2) the people they talked with.  I promised them that I would list the 30 books I shared with them on this blog, so that is what this will be - thirty texts that could dramatically change the way one sees the world...the way one interacts with the world...the way one leads others...the way one sees themselves...and the way one sees God.  We ended the conversation with the idea that to really learn from these texts, readers needed to approach them with an attitude of learning, a willingness to embrace questions, the practice of patience, and with true humility.  Just as God calls each of us to vocations to serve the neighbor, so he gave each of these thinkers and writers the gifts in which they could share great ideas and thoughts with others through the written word...so that we - hundreds or thousands of years later - might be better in our vocations.  I encourage you to consider these works of literature and philosophy...I encourage you to take them up and work through them...I encourage you to read them with your leadership lenses...I encourage you to let them speak into your lives...and I encourage you to allow them to shape and mold you to become the leader God has intended you to be.

10 books that changed the world:

•The Analects – Confucius
•Tao Te Ching – Lao Tzu
•The Iliad and the Odyssey – Homer
•Nicomachean Ethics - Aristotle
•Confessions – Augustine
•Lives - Plutarch
•The Divine Comedy – Dante
•The Prince – Machieveli
•The Wealth of Nations – Smith
•The Structure of Scientific Revolutions – Kuhn

10 works of philosophy every leader should read:

•Meditations – Descartes
•Critique of Pure Reason – Kant
•Genealogy of Morals – Neitzsche
•Fear and Trembling - Kierkegaard
•Truth and Method – Gadamar
•Varieties of Religious Experience – James
•Sources of the Self – Taylor
•Being and Nothingness – Sartre
•After Virtue – Macintyre
•Discipline and Punishment – Foucault

10 novels that are important to read:

•Don Quixote – Cervantes
•War and Peace – Tolstoy
•Anna Karenina – Tolstoy
•Moby Dick – Melville
•The Count of Monte Cristo – Dumas
•Jane Eyre – Bronte
•Bleak House - Dickens
•The Brothers Karamazov - Dostoevsky
•One Hundred Years of Solitude - Marquez
•Short Stories of Flannery O'Conner – O’Conner