Leadership Quote: Leadership:  The Art Of Getting Someone Else To Do Something…

Leadership Quote: Leadership: The Art Of Getting Someone Else To Do Something…

2013-12-22 iStock_000016897704XSmallThis month’s leadership quote:

“Leadership:  The art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”

-Dwight D. Eisenhower

As human beings, we tend to choose to lead or follow. The role we choose is function of both our style and our circumstance. Even those of us who are leaders are often in a position where we choose to be followers.

As I stop and reflect on who I have chosen to follow in the past and why, this quote resonates, I did it because I wanted to. Here are my reflections on circumstances where I have chosen to follow, please share yours:

  • Something the person said inspired me
  • I observed what they were doing and wanted to learn
  • The person encouraged me, made me feel that I could do it
  • By doing it, I would benefit my business or career
  • I felt there was a “greater good” to be achieved by doing it

I look forward to hearing your stories.

Enjoy the holiday season! See you here on January 5th, 2014.

Elisa K. Spain

Strategic Lessons From David & Goliath For 2014 Planning

Strategic Lessons From David & Goliath For 2014 Planning

Option 2 D and GAs you put the final touches on your business plans for 2014, or for that matter, your personal plans, I suggest a read or a listen to Malcolm Gladwell’s Latest Book, David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants. 

The book is not about how the weak rise up and triumph over the strong, as you might expect given the title. Rather, the book is about how throughout history, people succeed not in spite of, but because of their disadvantages.

Gladwell begins the book with his own interpretation of the David and Goliath story describing David’s triumph as a function of his going into battle using methods unique to him, (i.e. working in his genius as I am fond of saying), fighting Goliath with a sling shot rather than hand to hand, as was the norm. David takes advantage of his small size and wins because he was innovative and confident.

Throughout the book, Gladwell points to examples of successful inventions and innovations that happened because entrepreneurs who, like David, were perceived as disadvantaged, used their disadvantage to win.

So, as you think about how you might win against the Goliaths in your industry, I encourage you to consider the following questions:

  • What do you perceive as your competitive disadvantages?
  • How might you turn these disadvantages into true competitive advantages?

Here is a 15 minute Ted Talk from Gladwell to inspire your thinking.

 

 

Elisa K. Spain

A Tribute To A Great Man, Who Also Was A Good Man

Those of you who know me have heard me talk about my Uncle Leon as a model for a life well-lived. He died this past week, at age 95+. I will be attending his funeral on the day this blog publishes. It seemed fitting to write this tribute to him on this day.

Balaji Krishnamurthy, one of my favorite Vistage speakers, talks about L3, Leadership, Leverage and Legacy. For me, Uncle Lee accomplished all three.

He was an entrepreneur who, in his early twenties, founded the nation’s first convention exhibition business, Mannecraft Exhibition Services. In the beginning he worked with department stores to “exhibit” their store windows. Soon thereafter Mannecraft was setting up conventions across the country. When the company was acquired by a public company in the early 80’s, he agreed to retire at age 65.

Retirement for Leon was investing in young entrepreneurs, providing financing and wisdom to grow their companies. He worked on-site, hands on, with these companies. At the same time, he was fully engaged with his philanthropic efforts.

He was a leader in the Miami Beach chamber of commerce and Kiwanis and was recognized multiple times by both organizations as “Man of the Year”. When it was time to renovate the Miami Beach Convention Center, Leon led the multi-year project – pro-bono.

Leon always said he had only one regret, that he was not able to attend college. His parents could only afford to send one of their three children and his older brother, because he was older, got the opportunity. So… he started a scholarship fund to sponsor young people wanting a college education without the funds to go.

As a child, Uncle Lee was always on my side; and as an adult he has been the person I most want to emulate. While he was always there for advice if I asked, what I learned from him was more from what he did, than from what he said.

A few years ago my cousin and I were talking about Uncle Lee and she asked me, “what do you think you have learned from him?” As I reflected on her question, I created this list of seven “Leonism’s”. He made each of these seem easy and yet for me they are aspirational words.

7. Accept what you cannot do and do all of what you can.

6. Stay active, physically and mentally.

5. Make new friends all the time.

4. Move on – learn from mistakes.

3. Live in the present.

2. Forgive – yourself & other.

And, #1, Make the people around you feel special.

Uncle Lee was loved and admired by his family and everyone who was fortunate enough to know him. When he turned 95, over 100 people, of all ages, showed up to celebrate the man who, as my aunt said so well, “was someone people didn’t just want to know, they wanted to be”.

I will miss him and his legacy will continue to inspire.

Elisa K. Spain

Leading What We Don't Understand

Leading What We Don't Understand

2013-12-01 Who What iStock_000017953256XSmall

 

I have hesitated to jump into the Obamacare website discussion, however it provides such a great leadership lesson that I feel I have to. The lesson is this, even when I don’t understand, when I am the leader, I must lead.

Sounds obvious and yet, so often when it comes to technology and other unfamiliar areas, CEOs choose not to lead. In fact, otherwise effective leaders when they find themselves in situations where they lack familiarity, hire experts and then fully abdicate responsibility for leading these experts.

My sense from reading the press, is this is exactly what happened with the Obamacare website. If you read Kathleen Sebelius’ (Head of Health and Human Services) background, she has held many leadership roles, including Governor of Kansas, and at one time was considered a potential presidential candidate. Yet, at least from what I read, despite her strong leadership background, she hired experts to build the website, left them to figure it out and then hoped for the best outcome.

As Ms. Sebelius discovered in the most public way possible, even experts need to be led.

So, how do we lead when we lack familiarity? I was discussing this question recently with one of my Vistage CEO clients who had hired an expert to install a new ERP/CRM system, here is what we came up with:

  • Accept that it is my job, as the leader, to monitor and evaluate when I am responsible
  • Ask for a project plan with specific measurable milestones and agree on a regular meeting schedule to monitor these milestones
  • Ask questions, and when I hear an answer I don’t understand, assume more information is required, and ask more questions (rather than assuming I don’t understand because I am unfamiliar)
  • Ask the people on the line what they are concerned about
  • Get enough information to know when naysayers are change-resistant or if course changes must be made

What else would you add to this list?

Elisa K. Spain