The new, Summer 2022 issue number 105 of Leader to Leader, where I am managing editor, is now available. As with the Spring 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, “The Greatest Threat to Democracy.”
Takeaways and information about our main articles follow, most of them from authors who are new to our publication. The post ends with the two ‘From the Front Lines’ articles, which are based on interviews I conduct with important researchers to showcase their new work. In this case, one article is about hybrid and virtual meetings, and the concerns loneliness in the workplace. There is a link to the full text of each of the 12 articles, as well as a brief description of each author and ‘Front Lines’ interviewee.
The higher calling of civility
Authors/Columnists: Frances Hesselbein and Sarah McArthur; Co-Editors-in-Chief, Leader to Leader
Article: “The Greatest Threat to Democracy”
Sample quote:
“Civility occurs organically when we live and lead with humility, love, and service. It is a natural byproduct of these principles. To be civil in all of our actions and communications is a higher calling to which we can aspire, and for which we will be given many opportunities to practice throughout each of our lifetimes.
To be civil does not mean we agree or disagree with one another. It is rather the practice of grace that allows for and results in open doors of communication so that we can come together on issues for the good of our society.”
Balancing change and continuity
Author: Karen Linkletter, Research Director of the Management as a Liberal Art Research Institute.
Article: “Leading Through Management as a Liberal Art”
Sample quote:
“Change leadership is in high demand, particularly today. One of the major tenets of MLA is helping people and organizations balance the need for change and innovation with the need for stability. Wholesale change without any continuity to the past is unhealthy for society, and organizations that attempt to implement change too rapidly and too drastically often face enormous upheaval in the form of turnover, resistance, and a generally chaotic climate. Leading through MLA calls on leaders to understand that, while change is constant and cannot be avoided, it must be dealt with in a way that understands human nature. Some people are more averse to change than others; some are better equipped to pivot in terms of their work requirements, while others have less experience with technology or are uncomfortable with training on new skills. MLA leaders recognize that they need to implement change effectively—not just focusing on what needs to be done differently but also what is currently being done well.”
Making the fullest contribution to the mission and strategies of the organization
Authors: Joseph C. High (retired Chief Human Resources Officer of a major industrial supply company) and Willie A. Deese (retired President of Manufacturing at a major pharmaceutical company)
Article: “Five Lessons from Two African American Leaders: Culture Change for Greater Inclusion”
Sample quote:
“All too often diversity efforts get framed as being about under-represented populations. While that is a part of the effort, the overarching goal must be about enabling all people to do their best work and make their fullest contribution to the mission and strategies of the organization. Leading with inclusion, creating a culture in which all people feel respected, valued, and heard creates a critical foundation for achieving the highest organization results. This was profoundly demonstrated in one of the manufacturing plants that was having production output challenges, therefore slowing down getting medicines to market. When the shop floor was truly included, problems became more visible, and solutions were achieved much faster. That is the power of inclusion and its relationship to business results.”
The power of intrinsic motivation
Author: Ruth Gotian, chief learning officer and assistant professor of education in anesthesiology and former assistant dean of mentoring and executive director of the Mentoring Academy at Weill Cornell Medicine
Article: “Applying The Success Factor For Organizational Leadership”
Sample quote:
“In the past, we thought that if we throw money and benefits at our employees, the proverbial carrot, we will incentivize them to do great work. It turns out that the promotions, recognition, diplomas, and awards are all external validators; they do not motivate employees to excel. The high performers are intrinsically motivated to do good work, go beyond what is expected, and learn something new. There is a burning fire within which fuels their passion and purpose. The external motivation of the awards and recognition is simply put, other people validating you. That is not sustainable and will cause people to fail or burn out over time. Instead, look for ways to ignite the intrinsic motivation of the employees, what they are driven to do, and would accomplish for free if they could. Consider what you can do to unleash and support their intrinsic motivation so that their work will be so effective and productive that it will more than make up for anyone who leaves the organization.”
Moments of non-doing and just being
Authors: Rasmus Hougaard (founder and CEO of Potential Project) and Jacqueline Carter (partner and the North American Director of Potential Project)
Article: “Leadership and The Attraction of Busyness”
Sample quote:
“What if we placed more value on not being busy? What if we allowed ourselves to have more moments of non-doing and just being? Too many of us associate not doing anything with being unproductive or lazy. Since we are wired for activity, a natural discomfort often arises when we do nothing. Valuing busylessness is to invite and familiarize yourself with the experience of doing nothing. This experience is the mother of creativity and well-being.
Busylessness is productive inner silence. At first, it can feel of limited benefit. But after a while, we start to notice thoughts and emotions that we were not previously aware of. Valuing nonaction can also be applied to how we lead others. Sometimes as leaders, in our desire to be compassionate, we can be too quick to act. Sometimes, not acting can be the wisest and most compassionate thing we can do to create space for people to figure things out on their own.”
Beware “tightrope bias”
Authors: Joan C. Williams (Sullivan Professor of Law and the Director of the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California, Hastings Law) and Mikayla Boginsky (Policy and Research Fellow at the Center for WorkLife Law)
Article: “Overcoming Bias in the Workplace”
Sample quote:
“Some groups need to be politically savvier than others in order to succeed. Typically, white men can be authoritative and ambitious but women of all races walk a tightrope: they risk being seen as abrasive if they are authoritative and unqualified if they aren’t. In our 2016 study, women engineers were less likely than white men to say they could behave assertively (51% vs. 67%) or show anger without pushback (49% vs. 59%). Men and women of color face additional stereotypes for exhibiting assertive behavior that is readily accepted in majority white men: they may be perceived as “angry” if they’re Black, “hot-headed” if they’re Latino/a, or “untrustworthy” if they’re Asian American.”
Re-wiring to become change-capable
Author: Erika Andersen, founding partner of Proteus; a coaching, consulting, and training firm that focuses on leader readiness
Article: “Why Organizational Change is Hard – and How to Make it Easier”
Sample quote:
“As a leader, if you can understand that fear and hesitation around change are normal—rather than assuming it means that people are “change-resistant” or “negative”—and you can use that understanding and these tools to support your people through the necessary mindset shift, you’ll be much better able to build a critical mass of people who will adopt a given change, and you’ll be less likely to fall into that unfortunate 70% of unsuccessful change. More important, you’ll be helping your people to become better overall at making change: supporting those you lead to create skills and habits of mind that will allow them to approach change in a more neutral, open way, and therefore to be better able to navigate and thrive through the changes that will arise tomorrow, and all the other changes yet to come. In other words, you’ll be re-wiring yourself, your team and your organization to be change-capable in this era of non-stop change.”
The profound effect of gratitude
Author: Shantha Mohan, mentor and project guide at the Integrated Innovation Institute, Carnegie Mellon University
Article: “The Hidden Powers of Vulnerability and Humility”
Sample quote:
“Several studies show humility and gratitude have a strong link, not surprisingly. When we are grateful, we accept we owe our accomplishments and successes to others, feeding our humility. A humble leader is aware that the team members had a lot to do with their success and takes every opportunity to thank them and praise them to others. A humble leader is aware that without the support of the family and community, one couldn’t have achieved the goals as a parent or a business leader.
Gratitude practice does more than build humility. Neuroscientist Glenn Fox at the University of Southern California has been studying gratitude since his days of doctoral studies. He says several physical benefits to practicing gratitude include lower blood pressure and better sleep. Showing gratitude, which is integral to being humble, has a profound effect on your team members. As Adam M. Grant of the University of Pennsylvania and Francesca Gino write in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, “gratitude expressions increase prosocial behavior by enabling individuals to feel socially valued,” which in turn translates to higher performance.”
High performance and high regard
Authors: Richard A. Bobbe (partner, Schaffer Consulting) and Robert H. Schaffer (partner, Schaffer Consulting)
Article: “The Reputation Factor: It Matters What People Think of You”
Sample quote:
“Many managers feel torn between the pressure to achieve very high performance and their desire to be seen as decent, caring managers. This reflects the all-too-common belief that striving for performance excellence may require managerial action that generates negative reputations. We know of no data to support this belief, and our experience suggests strongly that it is incorrect. In fact, the reputation mill in most organizations easily sees through the managers who are preoccupied with how well they “come across” and work hard to look good (rather than just getting the job done). Some of the highest performing organizations we have encountered over many years, with the most exacting standards, are headed by managers who are very highly regarded by both peers and subordinates.”
The smallest shift can make the biggest difference
Author: Delatorro McNeal II, Founder and CEO of Platinum Performance Global, LLC
Article: “Fueling Leaders to Lead: 5 Ways to Refill at the Filling Station”
Sample quote:
“Know when to shift. That does not mean it is comfortable, that does not mean it is wanted, but it is necessary. If everything around you is changing, look at its direction instead of complaining about the direction. You waste fuel when you complain about a change instead of observing how the change can work for your good. The smallest shift in your business, your career, your lifestyle, your relationships, or even your way of thinking can literally save your life and the success of future endeavors.
When a leader chooses to shift, they should know that every movement is calculated and is about more than just them. Yes, one may want to be selfish; however, small shifts made by one can cause a ripple effect of abundance for others. The smallest shift can make the biggest difference. Therefore, do not fear shifting; fear standing still and growing stale. Fill up on THAT!”
The unappreciated value of meetings
Article: “Navigating the New World of Hybrid and Virtual Meetings”
Sample quote from Karin M. Reed, journalist and CEO of Speaker Dynamics, a corporate communications training firm; and Joseph A. Allen, Professor of Industrial and Organizational Psychology at the University of Utah
“We’ve asked people an interesting question about what their ideal day would look like. Specifically, we asked “what would your ideal day include? How many meetings?” and then they had a drop-down menu of 0 to 10+ meetings. To our surprise, the most common response was not 0. Rather, people say they want at least one meeting on their ideal day! What does this mean? Well, it means that we have a norm in our society to hate meetings. It’s not uncommon for people to commiserate when they have a long day of meetings. We’ll provide comfort to our friends, perhaps buy them a drink at the pub, and console them for their long day wasted in meetings. However, inwardly, we all actually want to have meetings. That’s because we need them! So much of what we do in organizations requires collaboration and meetings are where that happens.”
Leaders should look for ways to create more connection
Article: “Opportunities to Decrease Loneliness in the Workplace”
Sample quote from Ryan Jenkins and Steven Van Cohen; founders of LessLonely.com, and hosts of the podcast “The Case For Connection”
“Leaders don’t need to be a therapist or psychologist. And they don’t need to diagnose mental health conditions or heal emotional scars. But rather, look for signs of loneliness and opportunities to create more connection across their team. Because after all, we are all connectable.”