Developing Leaders

Here is the difference between a smart professional and an equally sharp college grad: assertiveness. Nothing more, nothing less. There is no magic bullet to leadership, no "secret", no ingredient other than time. Folks who have been in a corporate environment for some time know to take risks; they put their ideas out on the line and they back them up, even when the boss questions or challenges them. College grads, or less mature professionals, usually back track, pay lip service (to the boss) and/or acquiesce. Mind you, compromising is not a bad thing and in my opinion, highly underrated. However, there is a thin red line between compromising and not fighting for your ideas or giving up. Know when you are doing what.

I often look around my office and our meetings, observing people and how they present themselves as well as their projects. We have a director who likes to play devil's advocate and who thinks in a very linear fashion (all together now; "IT GUY!"). As such you can rest assured that nearly every idea or project you will put forth will be strongly challenged, if not even shot down at first glance. Argument after argument is dissected and sometimes dismissed, with only the most assertive (strongest?) still standing firm when the meeting is over.

The less assertive folks nervously nod in agreement, while their gaze is fixed into the table in front of them, as if some magic spot in the cheap wood veneer will calm their upset and rejected selves. I've done it, we've probably all done it. However, as the years went on and I truly believed in my ideas (while making sure I was darn well researched and informed prior to going into the meetings!) ... I grew more assertive, more confident and more strong. Nowadays, being assertive on business issues is second nature to me but it took time.

It should be noted that sadly, some managers or senior business folks never get there, regardless of tenure. Makes you wonder about the quality of leadership in Corporate America today, or rather, the LACK of leadership. True leaders develop leaders, over time.

What's in a diploma?

While watching the Food Network’s “Who Wants To Be The Next Food Network Star?” finale last night (the right candidate won in my opinion!) I couldn’t help but ponder Jag’s position and situation. For anyone not familiar, he was one of the final two contestants but ended up taking himself out of the competition when it was discovered that he had lied on his application, listing both service in Afghanistan and graduation from culinary school; none of which he had accomplished. Why anybody would lie on a resume or application when you’re vying for a public job on national TV is beyond me but that’s not what I was thinking about. Jag showed up for the finale and seemed to have tremendous camaraderie and respect from the rest of the cast. It seems that his skills and performance had left a strong enough impression on them that they chose to disregard his fibbing a resume which made his presence on the show even a possibility.

It brings up a topic that is very relevant to the business world as well; the measure of a candidate’s true skill versus what is on his or her resume. Some of the most brilliant people I know never graduated from college. Other very talented professionals (I know) graduated from a community, or non-name brand, college. Michael Dell (Dell), David Geffen (Dreamworks) and Richard Branson (Virgin Air) are among some well known executives never graduated from college.

The pressure to present excellent credentials and an impressive resume weighs heavily on applicants to Fortune 500 companies. In a world where hiring managers and recruiters look only at “names”, whether that is prior experience with a Fortune 500 or a top school, it is tough to stand out. But the question remains, are those candidates without a degree or without the pedigree lesser qualified? I don’t always think so. Unless I am hiring for an entry-level position, I usually look at work experience as the main indicator of a person’s talent, with education being secondary qualifiers.

One might think “once you’re in, you’re in” but think again, a lady I worked with (highly skilled and super sharp I might add) was not applying for higher level management positions because she did not have a college degree. She worked for the company for over 15 years but worries that she wasn't qualified for senior level positions. Frankly, I didn't know anyone MORE qualified!

A college diploma and/or a name-brand school are wonderful qualifiers for those that have them. I would however like to see more “… or equivalent work experience” added next to the required degree in job postings. It opens up the playing field to include some truly wonderfully qualified candidates, many of whom I have been fortunate and honored to work with.

A person shouldn’t have to lie on an application if they truly feel that they qualify. Jag might have had his own TV show today had he not fibbed the resume (though he never was a favorite of mine, for reasons other than his background). He apparently was skilled and personable enough; both of which carried him through to the finals. If anything, that should tell America something about what really matters.

Read Read Read to Grow

I'm a big fan of self-help books. There, I said it. Does that make me an "airy fairy New Agey" type of person? Perhaps. What I'd like to think that it makes me growth oriented. Business and self-help books out there today are better than they've ever been. It should be a priority for any person in business today to read some of the great material out there and to continue wanting to always grow, always learn and always strive for better. Something I've enjoyed discovering is exactly how much I don't know, a fact underscored by every great personal growth author on the market. Every day I hear about a new book I want to read or a new philosophy I'd like to learn more about so there is never any shortage of amazing material. Since time is limited I enjoy listening to books on audio and try to listen to at least one a week during my morning commute. Some of the ones I've recently checked out include:

• "The Tipping Point", by Malcolm Gladwell - a classic for any industry or person. Delving deep into behaviors and what drives consumers at the core, it's a fun and very enlightening read.
• "Why Great Leaders Don't Take Yes For An Answer", by Michael A Roberto - a bit more of an involved read but truly great message; addressing the "yes culture" so prominent in most corporations today, and how to deal with it.
  
• "Made To Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die", by Chip Heath - great logical flow from The Tipping Point. Fun cover and fun read. Marketing must!
  

Just consider an excerpt from Mr. Gladwell: "I think that word of mouth is something created by three very rare and special psychological types, whom I call Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen." Now ... wouldn't you be curious as to which one YOU fall under, or if you are a marketer or salesman, which one your customer or boss falls under?

What is your personal trademark?

Personal expression has many forms. Some paint, some dance and yet others ... blog. ;-) In the corporate world, many think that personal expression has no place. If you are a good worker and/or a "true" professional, you will hide your feelings or position, they say. Anybody who has known a Corporate Rockstar can attest to the erroneous nature of this statement.

Throughout your career, who of your managers (or peers/other managers etc.) do you remember? What do you remember about them?

Usually the memorable folks are the most expressive, those that either championed your causes, brought humor to the work place or somehow differentiated themselves. Everyone does not have to be extroverts, assertive or outspoken. Personal Expression can take the form of simply standing up for what you believe in, backing up the stance of the team (in uncomfortable situations) or simply making sure that your final output is always excellent, not just average. Being consistent, reliable and professional simply is not enough in today's competitive world. Those traits are assumed to be present if you are in the position you are in. You need something else to stick out; something else that makes you memorable - be that in an annual review or five years down the line as you find yourself in a different department or company. When was the last time you said "Oh Yeah, I remember Bob! He was so reliable!"?

Regardless of what your personal trademark is, if you want to be a Corporate Rockstar, you better have one.

Some great personal trademarks include (granted, these are "big" names, but you get the point): Oprah - The Champion of The People, Mike Wallace (60 Minutes) - Is Not Afraid of the Uncomfortable Questions, Barbara Walters - Makes People Cry, Bill Gates - Uber Billionare Philanthropist, Richard Branson - Risk Taker ...

Leadership and Courage

I had a team discussion with my team today in regard to leadership and courage. I recently had the great (mis) fortune to be "forced" to watch Braveheart for (what felt like) the hundreth time as my husband held quite firm about not changing the channel. Although I had seen th emovie multiple times before, there were messages in it this time around that I had missed when watching it (earlier in my professional life). Picking up on messages of courage, honor and integrity, I jotted down notes and thoughts as I received the movie's message. One line in particular stuck out at me:

"People don't follow titles or ownership of land. They follow Courage."

Ah, how true that is in any era, any world and any industry. Even today this line strikes a chord, with many leaders who hide behind titles, assumed prestige and credentials. Courage is not a trait we often see in today's business world or corporate culture. Courage requires sticking your neck out, taking occasionally uncomfortable stances and championing issues that are "right" and true to yourself. So many are fearful of losing their jobs, or the favor of their leaders, with expression or signs of courage. As in my previous post about speaking up for success I proclaim, you have nothing to fear. "See No Evil ..." philosophies are not courageous; they are archaic and conformist. If you are in doubt about what this type of fear can do, watch the movie Office Space, one of the greatest movies ever made about corporate culture in America today.

More to come tomorrow.

Speak up for success

There are close to 100 people in my department and on my floor alone. There are several thousand more in our corporate office. Out of all those folks, possibly 10% speak their mind or have no fear of expression. Speaking out, or speaking frankly, seems to be a relic of the old guard mentality in Corporate America. Suppression and fear of "getting fired" remains and the general employee population whole heartedly buys into this belief. "Lay low", "Fly Under Radar" and "Don't Stick Out" are popular belief sets in our cubicle (often even exec offices) rows. Dilbert is a great example of this mentality, providing us a welcome opportunity to laugh out loud and relate. "That's me!!", we think and silently wish our bosses could read the comic strips. Let me give you a heads up if you didn't know; they do and they are thinking the exact same thing that you are.

Every boss has a boss, unless you're at the very top and if so, you're probably not reading this anyway. Few remember that bosses too are human beings, with their own frustrations, challenges and obstacles. Even the most moronic and arrogant bosses have their human side, they just choose to not show it to you. As such, every boss is also an employee and I can guarantee you that they too wish their boss would change, appreciate them more or just "improve morale". How often have you not read a self-help book and thought to yourself; "I know EXACTLY who NEEDS to read this book!". How often did you think that perhaps you are the one needing to read it?

One of my favorite speakers on this topic is David Taylor, the author of "The Naked Leader". He speaks of many things, including motivation, leadership and innovation. However, one of the things posted on his site are the 7 Principles of Success, which I like to share anytime I get the chance to. Keep in mind that these may SOUND "fluffy" or "New Agey" but in reality, they are not. Read on:

1. Success is a formula, and it is simple
2. This formula does not "belong" to anyone - it belongs to everyone
3. To be successful, you need rely on no-one, other than yourself
4. Success is whatever you want it to be, by your own definition
5. Success can happen very fast, often in a heartbeat
6. Everyone has value, can be anything they want, and is a leader
7. The biggest mystery of life, is to discover who we truly are

Let me tell you why I don't think this stuff is fluffy: Success will come naturally when you simply are yourself and sit comfortably in your own skin, which touches upon my previous post. Think about the truly successful people that you know in your own life. How many of them fidget, conceal their opinions or make excuses for what they want out of life? Of those that do the above, how many do you respect and admire?

Remember, there is NO difference between yourself and that interviewer, boss or senior executive. The only difference is in your head, and what you perceive, will be. Speak up (nooo, I didn't say DUMP - see my other post on Verbal Diarrhea), and know that with your voice, comes success.