The new, Spring 2022 issue number 104 of Leader to Leader, where I am managing editor, is now available. As with the Winter 2022 issue and previously, I’m blogging about key takeaways from many parts of this issue, beginning with the column from our co-Editors-in-Chief, Frances Hesselbein and Sarah McArthur. Our main articles follow, plus each of the two ‘From the Front Lines’ articles, which are based on interviews I conduct with important researchers worldwide. There is a link to the full text of each article, as well as a brief description of each author and ‘Front Lines’ interviewee.
I hope that the content in this issue contributes to your Spring renewal!
Navigating the fourth industrial revolution
Authors/Columnists: Frances Hesselbein and Sarah McArthur; Co-Editors-in-Chief, Leader to Leader
Article: ““Working Together” toward a Bright Future”
Sample quote:
“We are living in the Digital Age, a period of enormous change, of instant global communication and blurred and often nonexistent boundaries between the physical, digital, and biological worlds. And when we dare step out of our algorithmic bubbles, we are deluged with conflicting news from around the globe. And so, we may retreat from the overwhelming flow of information and rather try to force solutions using pat old answers that do not fit our changing landscape and new realities.
As we navigate this incredible period in history, termed the fourth industrial revolution by Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, “Artificial Intelligence/AI, robotics, the Internet of Things/IoT, genetic engineering, quantum computing,” and more are raising critical questions for the economy, society, and governance. And it’s because of this that we believe rarely has there ever been a stronger call than there is now for leaders who are principled, ethical, and effective, and who, above all, value people, all people.”
Enhancing and enabling lifelong learning and continuous improvement
Authors: Alan Mulally (former CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes and Ford Motor Company) and Sarah McArthur (co-Editor-in-Chief, Leader to Leader)
Sample quote:
“The “leader is expert” style from earlier eras, where the leader was supposed to have all the answers, often led using a command-and-control style. “Working Together” leaders are facilitators and coaches who enhance and enable lifelong learning and continuous improvement with performance management, stakeholder-centered coaching, and growth for all stakeholders. The good news is today’s leaders often have more of these characteristics than they exhibit when they are in the workplace.
Our leader ensures that anyone who cannot commit to the “Working Together” principles and practices and our management system is choosing to move on and that it is OK. It is better for them and for the organization.”
Creating environments where people can flourish, together
Authors: Jennifer Edwards (corporate advisor, and Partner at Winning Streak Ventures) and Katie McCleary (social entrepreneur and podcast host)
Article: “Bridge the Gap in Workplace Relationships”
Sample quote:
“Most working professionals don’t get to choose whom they work alongside. Every day, workers show up to communicate and collaborate with people who don’t share common backgrounds, values, ways of doing things, or perspectives. . . and therein lies the rub. In these tough times, people are struggling to connect and research shows that employee engagement and performance is directly tied to the closeness that one feels with their coworkers. A study by Virgin Pulse in 2015, showed that nearly 40% of people said that their co-workers were the top reason that they loved working for a particular company, and 66% of those relationships positively impact their focus and productivity.
As leaders, your core responsibility is to build cultural and commercial success by creating environments where people can flourish, together. In addition, as leaders, you grow your own personal brand by building and maintaining your professional relationships while also helping to foster and grow others’. So, what can we do to help relationships thrive in the workplace and avoid our people jumping ship?”
Mentoring as a “transfer of knowledge”
Author: Brien Walton, Director of the Richard E. Dyke Center for Family Business at Husson University
Article: “Attracting, Mentoring and Retaining People of Color in Today’s Workforce”
Sample quote:
“Mentorship should be viewed as a “transfer of knowledge.” The goal is to provide lessons learned that will help the employee succeed long after the mentor has retired. Ideally, those lessons reflect business best practices the employee could use in any occupation. The indirect benefit of this approach is the employee will often perceive the mentor as their ally or advocate, who can help them safely navigate the challenges of a non-diverse work environment.
In organizations where employees feel respected and valued, with an ally in management, retention rates tend to be higher. Retention decreases in organizations where employees feel unsupported. The logic behind this is fairly straightforward. While human beings naturally want to feel part of the community, it can take years to develop camaraderie with work colleagues. Having a designated mentor from Day One, who supports the employee as they advance in the organization, can create that sense of community.”
Facing a liberty or death moment
Author: Kate Clifford Larson, historian and author of Walk With Me: A Biography of Fannie Lou Hamer
Article: “The Sharecropper and the President: Two Leaders at the Crossroads of Democracy”
Sample quote:
“And so, it was with Fannie Lou Hamer. Poorly educated and raised in extreme poverty in an era when African Americans were denied equality and basic citizenship rights, Hamer developed literacies distinctly separate from the spotty education she received in underfunded and segregated Black schools in Mississippi. She, too, mastered nontraditional leadership skills while working in the cotton fields and in the plantation owner’s house, or singing in church, in juke houses, or fishing for dinner out on the bayou. She, too, read people and discerned character. She watched and listened. But it wasn’t until she, like Tubman, faced a crossroads—her liberty or death moment—that she emerged as a leader.”
Attack problems at the source
Authors: James D. White (former chair, CEO, and president of Jamba Juice) and Krista White (writer and consultant in the field of DEI/Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion)
Article: “Building an Inclusive Organizational Ecosystem”
Sample quote:
“Part of what you must do to change mindsets and stamp out bias is attack the problems at the source. That’s in schools and universities where bias causes certain students to be left behind, in communities where environmental hazards, inadequate healthcare, underfunded schools, violence, drugs, and myriad other detrimental factors keep people from leading fully productive lives. Also key to attacking at the source: establishing an inclusive culture throughout your entire supply chain. You can’t build an intentional culture without the support and participation of your vendors, suppliers, producers, subcontractors, and all other participants in your network. Moreover, as you intentionally build an inclusive supply chain by working with companies owned or operated by people of color, women, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, you help build wealth within underserved populations.”
People have to believe that coaching and inspiration are the intent
Authors: Fred Reichheld (creator of the Net Promoter System of management, the founder of Bain & Company’s Loyalty practice), Darci Darnell (lobal head of Bain’s Sales & Marketing and Customer Experience practices), Maureen Burns (leader in Bain’s Sales & Marketing and Customer Experience practices)
Article: “The Art and Rewards of Winning on Purpose”
Sample quote:
“Today’s workplace can often feel chaotic, moving at an ever faster pace. It’s vital to stake out a time and place for employees to review their results, consider feedback comments, recognize success, analyze failures, and ponder the right action implications. This needs to be done first in private, in preparation for subsequent discussions with one’s coach or colleagues.
People have to believe that it is safe to give and receive feedback. They have to believe that coaching and inspiration—rather than judgment, evaluation, or punishment—are the intent. Conversely, if team members feel that the feedback process is designed to rank-order them, shame low performers, or make their failures a part of their permanent record, they will focus their mental energy on reframing, excuse making, and blame shifting.”
Think differently about the end goal
Authors: Ella L.J. Bell Smith (professor of business administration at Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth) and Stella M. Nkomo (professor in the Department of Human Resource Management at the University of Pretoria)
Article: “Accelerating the Path to Corporate Leadership for All Women”
Sample quote:
“In acknowledging and addressing systemic racism, leaders also need to think differently about the end goal. Currently, companies are prioritizing the pursuit of inclusion—to become “inclusive organizations.” This is a noble goal, but the problem is the assumption that organizations are level playing fields, that the ways of doing business—hiring people, promoting employees, and making working assignments—are fair, nonracial, and non-sexist. This assumption can keep leaders from seeing that what appear to be best practices are suitable for certain people but may exclude others.”
The age of accessible information
Author: Nitin Seth, Chief Executive Officer of Incedo Inc.
Article: “The Organizational Importance of Human Connection in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”
Sample quote:
“Organizations can play their part by giving their employees incentives and time to improve their skills. This is the age of accessible information, which entails employees should have the opportunity to upskill themselves when they feel their present skills aren’t up to the task.
We are at the cusp of change to be brought about by AI. The change will be far-reaching, and to match steps with it will require skill building. It will be pertinent to build these skills right at the school and college level with a reworked and substantially upgraded curricula.”
“Respond with Regard”
Authors: Karin Hurt and David Dye, CEOs of Let’s Grow Leaders, an international leadership development company
Article: “How to Build a More Courageous, Innovative Culture”
Sample quote:
“How leaders at every level respond to ideas and feedback will either build momentum or crush your culture before it gets started. The key to build momentum and energize idea-sharing is to “Respond with Regard.”
Responding with regard means you receive ideas and react in ways that respect the other person, improve strategic thinking, and generate more useful ideas. It starts with gratitude: thank them for their idea and thinking about how we can be better. Then, add information. Information might include next steps, data they’re missing, or where they might learn more. Finally, conclude with an invitation to share more ideas.”
Corporations need to be more entrepreneurial
Article: “The Mutual Benefits of Partnerships Between Established Corporations and Startups”
Sample quote from Shameen Prashantham, Professor of International Business and Strategy and Associate Dean (MBA) at China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in Shanghai, China
“For over a decade, I’ve been studying a specific type of partnering: that between established corporations and young startups. Such collaboration can allow complementary capabilities and resources to be brought together for the mutual benefit of the partners and the greater good of society. To provide guidance to managers in corporations who seek to partner effectively with startups, my book draws upon my research to unpack three aspects of partnering between corporations and startups: the why, the how, and the where. In terms of the why, the starting point is that corporations need to be more entrepreneurial in a world characterized by complexity and disruption —and one way to do this is by engaging with external startups.”
Meeting needs for exploration, appreciation, competition, and transformation
Article: “The Roles of Managers and Employees in the Use of Organizational Ideation Platforms”
Sample quote from Tobias Kruft, Senior Business Consultant – Transformation Architecture, EY Germany
“In the new Creativity and Innovation Management paper, we take a manager’s perspective and analyze how idea platforms, when properly designed, can inherently motivate employees to innovate without the need for extensive face to face encouragement. This is a very important insight, as digital platforms are much easier to upscale than face to face workshops in order to reach the entire organization. In order to motivate employees, the platforms must meet the employees’ needs for exploration, appreciation, competition, and transformation. The need for exploration is shown by employees who are looking for new knowledge and social exchange. Competition reflects the desire for challenge and efficacy. Appreciation is needed by employees who have a desire for self-importance and self-confidence and, finally, transformation corresponds to the need to make a difference and contribute to something the respective employee cares about.”