From Kona To Manhattan: Reflections From The Journey
We just arrived home from a glorious 11day vacation in Hawaii. First stop Maui for the fairytale wedding of friends and then off to the Big Island Hawaii. We arrived in Maui in what was for us the middle of the night, made it to our hotel and crashed till our breakfast date with the bride and groom. The real vacation did not begin until we landed at Kona Airport the following Monday. Just the drive from the airport to the home we were staying in was awesome. Pulling out of the Dollar Rental lot onto the highway we were awestruck by mile after mile of lava rock. The flow thousands of years old from the active volcano, (there are three or four on the Island I believe) goes into the sea. The contrast from Maui itself was startling, from Manhattan dramatic. Compared to our life in NYC we were on an uninhabited island. As I said to Dan when we landed at JFK, we’ve seen more people in the airport than we did all week on the Big Island. The Big Island is beautiful. Eleven of the world’s 13 eco systems can be found and experienced there. The air is clean and fresh except in those places that “vog” is prevalent. Vog is the combination of fine volcanic ash with the atmosphere that results in a haze that hangs over parts of the island.
What was most striking though was the sound of silence. I’m reminded of the famous Simon and Garfunkel hit Sounds Of Silence. (SONG LYRICS)
We spent a week enjoying the sounds of the Pacific Ocean lapping up the shore, of birds singing at different times of the day and the occasional golf cart going by our home. We played music occasionally, turned the TV on for news, mostly read or took in the sights of the Island. Whether at Volcano National Park, or Akaka Falls the combination of nature’s majesty coupled with her natural music made for an extraordinary experience. Coming from NYC where residents have become unconscious to the bombardment of noise, I found myself luxuriating in the sound of silence. In last week’s NYTimes, Maureen Dowd (CLICK HERE FOR LINK) writes about the new film The Artist that made a splash at the Cannes Film Festival. It’s a silent film in black and white. It’s hard to believe but we have generations of people throughout the world who have no appreciation of the importance of silence, quiet moments alone or being with another with no interruptions.
I speak for both Dan and I when I express our gratitude for the “sounds of silence” we experienced on the Island of Hawaii. Look for our holiday newsletter coming out shortly.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
While driving back from the East End of Long Island Sunday evening I had to do some dancing along the airwaves to find the music I wanted to listen to for the 115 mile trip. Traveling through different counties interferes with FM radio reception. As I went from rock, to Greek, to classic and jazz, I couldn’t believe that one of the stations was playing non stop Christmas Carols. We haven’t even celebrated Thanksgiving yet and they have full Christmas programming? What is this saying about our culture? Autumn itself seems to speed up time. In what seems like a blink of an eye we go from Halloween to Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. In between a variety of Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim and other religions are celebrating special feast days. I’d like to use this blog to invite us each to slow down and breathe.
I’ve heard a lot of people comment recently about how they love Thanksgiving. No gifts, being with friends and family and sharing food. For the past fifteen years or so I’ve decided instead of sending Season’s Greetings to clients in December I send handwritten thank you notes at thanksgiving. Appreciating clients have a choice of who they hire I like to let them know how much I appreciate they’re choosing Bova Enterprises.
Similarly I invite you to take a moment this Thanksgiving to thank your employees for the effort they have expended for your business, and to you personally. When people feel appreciated they want to give more. As managers we too need to recognize how grateful we are. This week spend a moment in gratitude to reflect on what you do have.
These are trying times. Most of us have less than we had before. We are doing more with less staff at work. Perhaps it’s harder to close that new deal. Are we being asked to adjust our price? I encourage each of us to reflect this Thanksgiving and express gratitude for our gifts. Thank the people you work with on a daily or scheduled basis. Slow down, take a deep breath, smile and express your gratitude to someone else. Not only will you feel good but you will make their day!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
FYI we are off to Hawaii and will return to the blog the week of December 7th .
Does Money Really Incentivize Employees?
In a recent conversation a woman who was lamenting her recent college graduate son has been unable to find a job. I asked what he majored in and she said he was an engineer. I commented. “I thought engineers are in demand” to which she said, “he wants to work in finance”. “Guess he wants the big bucks” I said and she smiled. Throughout the years people have debated what really incentivizes people in the workplace. If you listen to those in the finance industry they say its clearly money. From a Requisite Organization perspective being paid fairly for the work being done coupled with working in an atmosphere characterized by trust, respect and recognition is the answer. I recall discussions with Dr. Jaques wherein he’d express outrage and frustration at the belief you have to dangle a carrot in front of people to make them work effectively. He’d invite his audience to look at the underlying values and belief systems from which they were operating. Now with the younger generation in the workforce we have a new set of wrinkles that complicate the situation. They come with a different view on the role of work in their lives. See Younger workers.
There was also a story this week about a young entrepreneur in SC who has instituted a $50,000.00 bonus for all of his full time employees if they work at the company for 5 years. See Money. At 30, Dan Schneider, has already had two successful companies. His last company sold for $35m. Presently he has 30 full time employees. The company, SIB, is three years old with revenues of $6M projected for 2011. He has recognized that hiring and training employees costs thousands. By offering the $50K bonus to full time employees he hopes to engage them and create a sense of loyalty. He has two years to test out his theory. Anticipating rapid growth over the next 18 months he is hoping this incentive will develop loyalty. He also anticipates that the longevity bonus will keep people happy. “When employees are happy they perform better”, he says.
Schneider is experimenting with a new model. Only time will tell how effective it is. Personally, I’d like to think that effective managerial leadership within a culture characterized by colleagueship, coupled with fair pay is enough to motivate employees to be and do their best.
What's That Sparkle In Your Eyes Telling Me?
Inspiration comes from many sources. But you’d never guess it from the negativity we hear about everywhere. I was just listening tovideos of Benjaminn Zander on YouTube. You can learn more about him at http://www.benjaminzander.com At a business meeting last Saturday a twenty minute video was played from his Art of Possibility series. I found it truly transformative. He describes the "aha" moment he had years ago when he realized as a musical conductor he makes no sound. A conductor has power and is ultimately accountable for the music the orchestra plays, but makes no sound. After his aha moment he began to look into the eyes of his musicians for an answer. Simply, if their eyes were shining brightly the music they played was bright. Getting many musicians all to play different scores brightly to create magnificent music people feel and experience is the goal. The contrast to managerial leadership is obvious isn’t it? Here are some other gems from him.
“A leader must not doubt for one iota that which s/he is asking of employees is possible".
If your employees, teams, children, lover’s eyes are not shining we must ask ourselves “Who am I being now?”
The story he told to get this point across is a poignant one. It's worth paraphrasing here to capture the message. A Holocaust survivor after having been separated from her parents found herself on the train to one of the camps with her younger brother. She looked down at him and noticed he’d lost his shoes. She scolded him for not keeping his things in sight. The train arrived and they were separated. She never saw him again. She survived and upon leaving the camp made a vow. “I’ll never say something that won’t stand as the last thing I ever say to someone again". She’d been haunted by the last words she said to her brother.
Lastly he emphasizes the important distinction between “positive thinking” and his phrase of “radiant possibility”. I for one have had difficulty with positive thinking in that, it has often felt empty, inauthentic. I was raised to tell the truth and have difficulty even with “little white lies”. Radiant possibility acknowledges what is so and creates an optimistic perspective on it. His illustration of this distinction comes from his childhood. His father would say, “there is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing”.
I suggest visiting his website and listening to some of the You Tube videos. There is much to learn from this very special man and beautiful music to listen too as well.
Do You Check Your Horoscope Daily?
Are you one of those people who like to read your horoscope in the newspaper regularly, or follow an astrological newsletter? Most who have been reading my blogs know I frequently mention mercury retrogrades. I guess I am one of the curious about the influence astrology has in our everyday lives. Yesterday I received a newsletter from Rose Marcus discussing the current astral configuration as one “moving great multitudes over great distances” Go to Rosemarcus.com In the past week my mailbox has been flooded with invitations to listen to webinars or sign up for teleconferences addressing the need to come together and influence the course of events here on earth. You can visit the Shiftnetwork.com or worldwidetippingpoint.com to learn more about these efforts to align people to focus on world peace, responsibility and accountability. In its simplest form this is an attempt to test out the Hundredth Monkey Theory that was so popular years ago. Why not participate? The thought of having millions of people aligning towards world peace is thrilling to me.
From the standpoint of the workplace wouldn’t it be exciting if management and employees truly did align according to a set of core values and actually walked their talk. I met with a company last week, which seems to be doing just that. A bank intent on realizing its strategic plan to become a full scale commercial bank ( I won’t name them without permission) has trained branch managers and personnel in new ways of thinking and shifting their mindset by introducing some of Napoleon Hill’s concepts. They’ve expanded the program to tellers and corporate personnel. The Napoleon Hill work stresses self-responsibility for what happens in one’s life. This is an exciting attempt to build greater engagement throughout their organization.
I do hope you will check out some of the websites I’ve referred to. Note that mercury will begin retrograding at the end of the month Thanksgiving Day to be exact. Wishing you all a Blessed Thanksgiving. BEI will be closed from November 24th –December 6th. Watch for our next newsletter in mid December. Blogs will continue weekly.
What Role Do Commitment & Trust Play In The Workplace?
I happened to catch Neville Isdell a former CEO of Coca Cola who had worked for the company for 42 years being interviewed on CBS the other day. He’s written a new book entitled Inside Coca Cola. Two things stood out for me from this interviewthe first that he had studied social work at university. Go to http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7385779n&tag=mncol;lst;2 Of particular interest to me as my graduate work is in Social Work. The knowledge and skills I learned at Columbia University School of Social Work are foundational to my skill as a consultant and inform my thinking about the role of social policy in community building. Isn't community organization closely aligned with building a vibrant culture in a company? Isdell also commented on the importance of gaining the commitment of your workforce to the success of the business. “You can have compliance but to be truly successful you need commitment.” What is commitment? Simply stated for me when workers will do what they say they will do, and if they can’t will inform you as soon as they realize it. When they feel part of something bigger than themselves and recognize the role they play is important to overall success and valued management and co-workers.
If you read my blog a few weeks ago 4S you know I am passionate about Steve Jobs. Little did I know the biography was in print, ready to be shipped when I commented about looking forward to reading a biography of the man. Walter Isaacson has been interviewed on most news outlets about the man and the book. Today in the Fast Company daily journal there is a short piece with a wonderful video of Steve talking about the essence of teamwork. He addresses the importance of collegial working relationships while speaking of his executive team, the ability to trust people will do what they say they’ll do and the importance of these elements cascading down throughout the organization. Go to http://www.fastcompany.com/1790791/steve-jobs-biography-walter-isaacson?partner=homepage_newsletter to hear for yourself. He also references simplicity of organization structure which I'll talk about at another time.
Engaged organizations are built upon values and business strategy. People are essential to building a product or delivering a service. The role of a manager has inherent in it the accountability to build a team among those in roles directly subordinate. Three- tier team building helps insure the cascading of ways of working and the communication flow throughout the organization. BEI exists to assist managers to build engaged organizations and transform the world of work. Trust and commitment are key components to this process. Businesses, which utilize and celebrate the talents and skills of employees, are trust inducing. and characterized by a committed and loyal workforce. When people are acknowledged for their contributions and have clarity regarding what is expected of them they are most effective. Trust inducing work systems provide profit for shareholders, satisfaction for employees, and add value to society.
Why A Coach?
It always amazes me how life goes in cycles. A few weeks ago I was reading the New Yorker and saw an article about coaching in the medical profession. Anal Gawande (in Personal Best, October 3rd www.New Yorker.org) discussed his use of a coach while performing surgery in an operating theater in an attempt to reach his “personal best”. In 1983 when I started by business I introduced the term executive coach. I recall it was an uphill battle as the concept of coaching was only acceptable in professional sports. I had been accountable for developing managerial effectiveness across all tiers of management. Responsible for organization and management development and training in the Equitable’s Pension business, I’d consult with executives on how to be more effective managers, how to build teams and how to solve organizational and performance problems. I was accountable for strengthening the managerial effectiveness of existing management as well as developing programs for newly hired professional talent. I referred to it as consulting, which consisted of a series of one on one meetings with clients.
When I started my own firm I was looking to brand the business and distinguish it, and set me apart from other consultancies. An avid tennis buff I realized all professional athletes and most wannabes have individual coaches. Why not management? My emphasis was and continues to be the executive interested in reaching their peak potential. The individual who recognizes having an objective coach will accelerate reaching that pinnacle.
Since that time a whole new industry of coaching has emerged. Many people call themselves coaches. Certifying bodies have emerged. Coaches can be tactical, skill development oriented or strategic. Specialist coaches can prepare you for public speaking; help with writing projects and dealing with the media. Clients have to be clear on what they need.
Gawande approaches coaching from a personal skills best orientation by hiring another surgeon to observe him operating. This is an outstanding use of coaching. I’ve coached MD’s who suddenly find themselves in senior administrative roles not having any education or skill development in business or management. Designing a personalized executive development system conducted over a 4-6 month period is a unique solution. Combining intensive managerial knowledge building with skill development and coaching within a relatively short period of time results in significant professional development. It allows highly competent doctors to augment their professional skills set and get direct feedback so that they can be more effective managers.
4S
An avid Apple fan I like millions around the world was saddened by the death of Steve Jobs. When he stepped down in August we all knew his death was imminent. But just like knowing my father would never leave the hospital 14 years ago, and my mother, brother and I and the rest of our immediate family “prepared” ourselves for his death we learned we are never prepared. I have been a Steve Jobs fan since Apple was launched. I am proud to say I’ve never bought a PC nor worked on a PC for more than 10 minutes. I was always puzzled why people bought PC’s, which were susceptible to viruses and would break down. Yes they are inexpensive but most require some kind of repair or fix when attacked by a virus. If you add up those costs the PC is much more expensive than any Mac.
I’ve learned a great deal about Steve in the week that he died. Not being a techie I never closely followed launches of new products or truly understood the scope of their uniqueness. A genius he’s being compared to DaVinci, Michelangelo, Edison. His legacy continues to grow as we learn much more about this unique individual. I hunger to learn more about this man. I hope the biography is written by a masterful wordsmith, one able to capture the full spectrum of the man.
A Buddhist. Simply dressed in jeans and a black turtleneck. Perceived as being difficult individual, yet he inspired loyalty among employees and customers. Holding himself to a high standard, and holding others to high standards as well. His love of beauty and appreciation of esthetics and precision was influenced by calligraphy. I love my apple products. I love my iMac with its floating screen, my macbook is eleven and on its last legs but I love the feel of it when I take it out of its case. I replaced my iPhone 3 S with a 4 last March. As I write this morning I’m moved to free it from the confines of its case. Now I feel and appreciate it simple elegance when in my hand.
There has been much talk that no one can replace Steve Jobs and Apple will never be the same. I’d like to think Steve did everything he could to transfer his gifts to those who have been selected to take the helm now. I think he has created a engaged organization with a strong foundation. When word came out last week that the launch was not for the iPhone 5 but for the iPhone 4S many viewed it as a negative. I wondered if that was to provide Jim Cook with the opportunity to introduce the next version on his own terms. This morning watching a review of the new iPhone with its magical capabilities one of the commentators wondered aloud about 4S…for Steve.
My heart aches for the loss of this very special business leader and innovator. All of us who love what he created can honor him by bringing a little bit of him into everything we do. Imagine the world we’d create.
Rest in Peace Steve! Condolences to his wife and children and all who have been touched by his greatness.
Do You Know How Structure Affects Engagement?
Engagement is a buzzword in organizations these days. Most often engagement references an aspect of employee involvement. Since our first post we’ve introduced a comprehensive and robust use of the term. The etymological origins of engage/engagement are under pledge/formal promise. I recall my mentor, Dr. Elliott Jaques emphasizing the importance of the employment contract between an employee and the company for which they worked. This contract, sometimes unwritten and subtle is at the core of all employed work. People agree to do X and in return the company agrees to do Y. Thus solidifying the pledge /formal promise on the part of both parties. Consequently, we at BEI see organization engagement as more complex. Organization engagement incorporates not only the employee’s agreement to perform the tasks assigned within quality standards, time and within resource allocation applying their personal effectiveness but also the responsibility and accountability of the organization’s management structure towards providing the conditions and resources within which the employee can best complete their assignments. When this context is present a sense of engagement flourishes throughout.
An engaged organization is characterized by trust, open communication between managers and those in roles subordinate to them, and a network of role relationships that enables work to be done with clearly articulated accountabilities and authorities.
Essential to the development of an engaged organization is the understanding and knowledge of how work is done. Appreciating the importance of a network of role relationships consisting not only of the managerial hierarchy (better known as who reports to whom), but also the lateral relationships, which support business process flow.
A few weeks ago I said I’d be addressing the invisible aspects of organizations. You might imagine an iceberg. Less than a third of it is visible to the naked eye. One could make the argument organizations are similar. For most companies the organization chart illustrates the structure. Upon closer scrutiny these charts don’t distinguish which roles might be larger than others, or more complex. They illustrate who reports to whom. They don’t indicate how work gets done, who accounts to whom, and what roles have what authorities over other roles. The organization structure is the network of role relationships in a company. It exists even if there are no people in the roles. Each role has tasks, accountabilities and authorities associated with it. Clarity about the structure allows you to fill the roles with the right people. Having the right people in the right roles is key to organization effectiveness. All too often we focus on people not the role. This puts the company at a disadvantage. We need companies working at peak performance, totally engaged. Wouldn’t you agree?
An EngagedOrg Audit uses objective measurement to provide new knowledge about your organization. The audit analyzes specific “reporting spines” identifying places of weakness and strength. Referring back to the iceberg metaphor, it makes visible what was formally not visible.
This knowledge allows you to align the organization’s structure with critical business objectives. Having the right roles with clearly articulated accountabilities and authorities, and the right people in those roles creates the basic conditions to sustainably engage your people in meeting goals and achieving profitability. It results in an engaged organization.
Let’s strengthen corporate America by creating engaged organizations based on trust, effectiveness and the American work ethic.
Nothing Like September To Get Your Juices Flowing!
Don’t know if it’s the subtle change in weather indicating the transition to a new season but my in box has been flooded with opportunities to listen to webinars featuring well known speakers in the fields of sociology, psychology, leadership and world peace. I signed up for two, week long fests Peace Week (did you notice the link in last weeks blog), and The NLP Mindfest. I’m curious if any of you took my suggestion to sign up for Peace Week? I never know whether I’ll be able to attend the many offerings scheduled but why pass up a free opportunity. In the spirit of generosity and sharing knowledge this blog summarizes cogent points. Two presentations stand out for me. And it happens that each was from one of the aforementioned events. Yesterday I listened to Matthew James talk about NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) and Huna (the ancient Hawaiian spiritual and healing tradition). NLP when first identified focused on “finding excellence in communication”. It demonstrates how the conscious and unconscious mind work together. When I became a certified NLP practitioner there was no mention of the role energy might play in this process. In his book The Biology Of Belief, Bruce Lipton addresses the role energy plays in belief. Simply stated when you believe something and want to adopt a new belief, the amount of energy you can put behind the new belief will affect your success in actualizing that new belief. James’ discussion went on to discuss The 3 Selves: the conscious mind; the unconscious mind and higher consciousness also referred to as energy, spirit or in Jung’s terminology the collective unconscious.
According to James the 3 Selves must be in full alignment with the 4 Aspects of who we are, a core component of Huna. These are Spirit/energy, Mental, Emotional and Physical, which can be presented in a hierarchical fashion with a trickle down affect stemming from energy or purpose through the other aspects and manifesting in the physical world. Go to www.Huna.com for more information. Must say I appreciated the introduction to Huna and weaving it together with NLP teachings and technique.
Friday, September 16th I listened to a couple of consecutive programs sponsored at Peace Week conducted by Michael Beckwith, Deepak Chopra and Marianne Williamson. Deepak talked about the importance of having quiet time each morning as you start your day. He also discussed having a focus of peace for each day.
- Sunday: Being Peace;
- Monday: Feeling Peace -love, joy, compassion and equanimity;
- Tuesday: Thinking peace by letting peaceful thoughts permeate your thinking;
- Wednesday: Speaking peace focusing on creating happiness in the listener;
- Thursday: Acting peace furthering peace in your interactions with others;
- Friday: Creating peace engaging in approaches to reduce conflict, eliminate misunderstanding;, engaging in non violent speech, and
- Saturday: Celebrating peace through ritual and celebration.
He suggests if you notice a strong emotional energy rising up in you, take a few deep breaths, smile to yourself, think a loving thought and then speak. This can even be done when you are answering a phone call. According to Deepak it totally shifts the vibration. This is a technique for living mindfully. It can be used in all interactions.
I’m Letting The Dust Settle What About You?
Summer is almost over. The kids are back in school. I can’t wait for autumn to arrive officially. In NY film festivals will be kicking off soon the end of this month in the city and in mid October in East Hampton. It’s a time when NYC comes alive. I love crisp mornings energizing me, and the hustle and bustle permeating the city. Fall is a wonderful time in NYC. But what aboutthe last three weeks in NYC? Perhaps the most intense period in my recent memory. On August 23rd we experienced a 5.8 magnitude earthquake. I experienced the house I grew up in sway. My initial thought was something happened to the foundation. After all we were in the midst of the rainiest August on record. Did the excessive water compromise the foundation? No sooner had we dealt with the earthquake (or had we?) later that week we were preparing for Hurricane Irene. She came and went relatively quickly. NYC and Amagansett where I was were prepared but Irene took her wrath out in the form of flooding and loss of power in many communities throughout the east coast. Irene passed but the heavy rains kept coming causing continued flooding till last week. Just about when the rains subsided a terror alert was intensified and those of us in NYC in particular, confronted car and truck checkpoints throughout the city and subway riders had their bags checked. Police presence was increased everywhere as we got ready to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the WTC attack.
The harvest full moon of September 12 was majestic and according to astrologer Rose Marcus, http://www.rosemarcus.com“suggesting there is opportunity for significant healing to occur. The days following suggest a completion or endpoint is reached, and on its heels comes a new initiative and rapid moving forward time.”
The commemoration of 9/11 was cathartic for me. I saw and understood things in a different way than ever before. I recognized I too may have been suffering post traumatic stress and found some of the programming and perspective healing.
I’m being gentle with myself these days. I’m letting the dust settle from the intense energy of the natural storms and residue of the tragedy of 9/11. Among colleagues, friends and family we don’t seem to have the language to help one another heal. When I mention the intensity we experienced these last three weeks most slough it off. I’m suggesting doing something different. Just as I watched family members caress the name of loved ones etched in the bronze borders of the reflecting pools and listened to Dr. Benjamin Luft from Stony Brook Medical Center speak of his oral history program I recognized the importance for all of us when we experience trauma of one sort or another to acknowledge it and treat ourselves gently and with respect. Don’t underestimate the impact of this intense time in our world.
- Hug one another especially your kids.
- If you journal, write about it.
- At work around the water cooler acknowledge what’s been happening even though you, like me, may think you are unaffected.
We live such a faced-paced lifestyle. It’s impossible not to be affected. When we address what’s hidden, the invisible, the more likely we are to be unaffected by it in the long term. Quite the segue as I’m in the process of putting the finishing touches on an initiative that addresses this very issue in organizations. Analyzing the hidden infrastructure provides solutions to chronic problems in organizations. I’ll be saying more about this next week.
One last note Peace Week starts tomorrow. For more information and to register, go to:
WHAT WAS IN MOTHER NATURE’S LESSON PLAN WHEN SHE GAVE THE EAST COAST THE ONE TWO PUNCH LAST WEEK?
Earthquakes, hurricanes, New Moon causing exceptionally high tides, mercury in retrograde…just a few of the tricks Mother Nature used last week to get our attention. I don’t think in my wildest dreams I could have imagined experiencing an earthquake in NYC followed a few days later by a devastating hurricane. Irene, although she did not inflict the flooding damage in NYC and the East End of LI that was anticipated, nonetheless wreaked havoc in other parts of the state and in New England. Tuesday August 22nd I happened to take the day off to be with my soon to be 93 year old mother. Engrossed sitting at her kitchen table putting her prescription medication into a weekly organizer she asked me “do you feel the floor shaking?” My initial thought as I looked over to her and saw her legs shaking was that she was fooling around. An instant later, I too felt the floor shaking and then saw the house swaying. A vase on the table was bouncing around. My first inclination something was happening with the foundation of the house. It’s about a 110 years old. I told her we had to get up and get out fearing it would collapse on us. As soon as we opened the front door and saw neighbors across the street standing in their doorway I knew we had just experienced an earthquake. It was my third or fourth, my mother’s first. How exciting life can be for a soon to be 93! I’m always amazed at times like this when something happens in just a few seconds and yet my memory of the event unfolding seems as if a much longer time transpired. The following day, although we’d been hearing about a storm forming in the Caribbean, we decided to leave for our weekend house. It was too early to say whether the storm would come ashore. By Thursday evening we knew it was headed our way. Friday morning it was apparent the storm would be hitting NYC and LI (where how home is). We needed to get preparations underway. Just filling up my gas tank was an experience with people pulling into the station from all directions. Anxiety and frustration were palpable. The potential for an argument or worse to start was increasing by the second. Frenzy in the IGA supermarket. People grabbed whatever they thought could get them through the storm, and its aftermath assuming power would be out for a few days.
Blessedly we got through the storm without damage to our home. We were without information for two days, after just having been bombarded with storm talk for the two previous days. Strangely enough the transition from nonstop information overflow to listening to the wind in the trees in the dark is not easy to make. We learned to cope without power. Eating food at room temperature. Taking time to read good books by flashlight and retiring early.
When we arrived home Monday we were surprised to hear of the devastation in counties north of the city and particularly Vermont. I thought of what it must have been like before the technology boom of the last 20 years. Imagine life a hundred years ago. People would be out of communication for days if not weeks or months. They would be forced to rely on their own skill, creativity and ingenuity. Communities would be forced to pull together.
What lessons do these recent occurrences hold? Must say I think NYC’s Mayor Bloomberg and his team did an outstanding job of communicating the seriousness of the situation and setting out specific guidelines that needed to be followed by residents of the city. Scheduled press conferences helped me feel informed even though I was in LI. Closing down the city’s mass transportation system was unprecedented; it kept people off the streets, out of harms way, and protected equipment from potential breakdown and erosion from salt water. For those who might think the city went too far, just imagine what could have happened in such a densely populated city? The Mayor demonstrated outstanding leadership his team modeled true organization engagement. The cynics will say this comes after the debacle with the snowstorm last winter. Obviously they learned from their mistakes.
These natural disasters force us to shift our attention to the human aspects of life. We walk around engrossed with our iPhones, Androids or Blackberries. It’s not unusual to see a family sitting together and yet everyone in on their own device “communicating”. The storm forced a whole generation of children, and families to entertain themselves without the benefit of power. What a novelty in today’s world.
Teamwork and community spirit are two other byproducts of Mother Nature’s fury. A friend was woken up in the middle of the night by pieces of sheetrock from her ceiling falling on her. A huge tree branch had struck their home crashing into the roof and breaking it. Once over the initial shock, neighbors rallied to help them cover up the gaping hole in the roof until contractors could start repairs.
The human spirit naturally full of the power of engagement is alive and well. We need to embrace it regularly otherwise Mother Nature will continue to create weather that insures our education.
How Are You Navigating the Trials of Life?
The heat of August usually influences the pace of business and life in general. As you may have noticed I’ve taken to a more relaxed schedule of frequency with my blogs. Everyone tends to slow down, those who can take vacations and many embrace much needed rest and relaxation. Not so August 2011.
This is perhaps the most turbulent August I can remember in a long time. For the first time in out history we are experiencing the results of the downgrade of the US credit rating. We have witnessed a debacle as we watched our Congress’ dysfunctional process. Thousands if not millions of Americans have learned to discuss and compromise on critical issues confronting them. For three years we’ve had to tighten our belts. The American people, having spoken through polls, wanted a compromise solution comprised of reduced spending and increased revenue. Instead we were held hostage, forced to witness intractable position-taking that both in the long and short term is self-serving and supports the political ideology of a few, not the American people.
As I write this blog dramatic swings on Wall Street capture the airwaves. Economies around the world are in trouble. We are awaiting news from the Feds, which hopefully will create some sense of order and security. In England, riots have broken out around London and have spread to three other cities. Are they economically or racially motivated? In the horn of Africa millions are suffering from famine and drought. Children the most vulnerable, are demonstrating resiliency when given nourishment. Basic necessities are in short supply at the world’s largest refugee camp. Sanjay Gupta’s report of a family of five, who walked for 30 days at night to get to the refugee camp only to be robbed of their meager possessions after crossing the border, is heartbreaking.
I went to Mass Sunday and the homily addressed “The Crisis Of Trust”. The Monsignor referenced an article in The London Tablet which was reprinted from Enlightenment Magazine (http://www.enlightennext.org/magazine/j9/andrew_crisis.asp) It is worth a read and I’d welcome your reactions. The chasm between word and deed is widening. We are suffering the effects of a global loss of trust in our personal relationships, business relationships and with our governing, financial, religious and other global institutions. Some of my previous blogs have addressed the diminishing lack of trust workers have for their employers.
The issues confronting the world are monumental. I’m thinking the answer has to lie within each of us. We need to spend time getting to know who we are and taking the time to reflect on our own behavior. We need to account for our own actions and begin to develop a trusting outlook for ourselves. We need to then bring this attitude and associated behaviors into our relationships and our workplace. Individually we need to do our part in addressing the issues. When I studied at the Gestalt Institute we learned we could intervene in an organizational problem at the individual, group or organizational level. It seems to me now that our best hope lies in us working at the individual level. In this way we can once again trust in ourselves and ignite the spirit of the American Dream.
"Hot Time Summer In The City…"
Summer’s heat and humidity is on the increase with the temperatures reaching into the 90ºs, high humidity and poor air quality. As is tradition in our house Monday evening we watched the 4th of July Fireworks on TV. The Capital, Macy’s and Boston Pops each had unique programs. Patriotism was planted on all the faces celebrating Independence Day. I couldn't help but think what if those feelings and enthusiasm for patriotism were applied to work in Congress and Corporate America? What might our economy be like? What might the American worker be doing, feeling, experiencing? I wondered if people were riled about the new “speed up” process I wrote about last week. What would happen if workers expressed their dismay about the state of affairs in their organizations? Would more tasks be loaded upon their already heavy shoulders? A voice for organization engagement, I have been writing about it in all its facets for the last year and a half.
Workers are engaged when they feel valued, appreciated, and respected by others with whom they work. Celebrating the 4th of July provides an opportunity for all of us to experience patriotism. The joy and delight on the faces of people from all walks of life and backgrounds celebrating our day of independence was a sight to behold. No dangerous incidents were reported as far as I know. To feel a part of something important and larger than each of us individually is essential to engagement.
On the job engagement results when one feels well matched to the tasks assigned them. Tasks need to be assigned in a clear fashion, with clarity about what, how, when and where. Managers, who clearly understand and value accountable, managerial leadership principles and practices, create the conditions in which organization engagement flourishes.
Perhaps a lesson from experiencing patriotism will help us re-engage.
Are You Running As Fast As You Can?
Did you know that corporate profits in the US are up 22% from their rate in 2007? These are pre-recession numbers. How has this dramatic growth influenced the American worker?As jobs have been eliminated the tasks that accompanied the eliminated jobs are reassigned to other workers. Unlikely to resist the assignment of additional new tasks workers quietly accept the additions to their workload. Given the job market perception is they have little recourse. It takes a very courageous person to speak up in this environment, let alone decide to leave when they see leaving as their only recourse. Most are doing the best they can to keep up. Once again fear runs rampant. Speed Up is the phenomenon I’ve just described. It’s a term that was used years ago when the American Worker was turning to the union movement to get relief, respect and fair wages. Mother Jones has a comprehensive story about this in its current edition http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/06/speed-up-american-workers-long-hours You might also want to listen to an interview on WNYC's Brian Lehrer's show Monday June 27th with Clara Jeffrey co-editor of Mother Jones Magazine. www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/2011/jun/27/great-speedup/
It’s disturbing to learn these facts. Passionate about building engaged organizations I can’t help but wonder what the underlying assumptions and values are of the executives in corporate America that continue to amass fortunes on the backs of workers. Totally supportive of greater effectiveness, efficiency and profitability in our work systems I have seen and helped to create initiatives that incorporate principles of fair pay, managerial accountability and effectiveness. This is possible while at the same time engaging the workforce. Dr. Elliott Jaques the architect of Requisite Organization outlines a science based set of principles in Social Power And The CEO Leadership and Trust is a Sustainable Free Enterprise System published by Quorum Books. After all aren't we all in this together wanting to feed our families and build a better life?
Campaign 2012 has begun. What kind of patriotism is there in corporate systems undermining the American and worker and their families?
THINK !!!!
Last Thursday, June 16th 2011, IBM celebrated its 100th Anniversary. Most news reports honored the occasion by featuring aspects of its history and showing the evolution of the IBM logo. What struck me was the evolution of the tagline Think I’ve been reflecting on thinking ever since. Have we as a culture abandoned thinking? Our young people live in a world of immediate gratification and instantaneous communication. Analysts on the stock market emphasize quarterly goals not long- term strategy and continued profitability. Are we teaching our children to think for themselves or are we making them good test takers? Is the superficial overtaking substance?
Thinking has seemingly become a luxury for the average person when it should be a routine part of everyone’s day. Merely reflecting on my own daily routine I’m embarrassed to say I am caught up in “doing”. Obviously there has to be a balance. What happens when the acceleration of time in our society transforms thinking into a luxury only a few can experience? Doesn’t that affect all of us in the long run?
We find ourselves in a recession like no other. Millions are unemployed. Small businesses are holding on for dear life. Individuals, the lucky ones, have been receiving meager unemployment benefits for multiple years. Those fortunate to have a job are exhausted. They are asked to do the job of two or three and work under the anxiety of the threat they may be the next to lose their job. Fear at the level of basic security is a crippling emotion. We all remember, “Open the pod door, HAL.”
More than ever before that I can remember our society needs our best and brightest minds to THINK us out of this recession. We need managers welcoming innovation and thinking at the workplace. This is not a paid or unpaid advertisement for IBM. However it is worth your time to visit two of their websites. One to read their Centennial Essay at www.ibm100.com which I think is a great piece on building culture. Secondly, to read the book they've developed entitled, THINK. It demonstrates the importance of thinking by putting the complex world we live in into perspective. Visually it's interesting as well. Go to http://www.ibm.com/ibm/think
Let me know what you THINK?
Paid In Full
Likely disclosing my age with the comments that follow. The other evening I was getting ready to shut down my computer when I decided to check my email account one last time. An email from a business associate sadly announced the untimely death of a mutual friend and member of the National Association of Women Business Owners NYC Chapter. Kethrin Gentile was one of those lovely people who always was willing to pitch in and lend a helping hand to associates as well as working diligently for the benefit for the organization. Although I knew Ket was seriously ill, having met her for lunch a few months ago, I got the impression she was out of the woods. I still don’t know what exactly happened because by the time the email reached me early that evening, the wake was over and the funeral mass which was scheduled for early the next morning, was about 150 miles from where I was. There was no way I could get there.
This is the first time I experienced the shock of death via email. Must say I was startled. There was no one to talk to. I experienced an ache in my heart. A flurry of email responses followed from other women equally as startled as I at this news.
Grief is an important aspect of life. How do we grieve in the world of twenty-four hour electronic communication? I realized today another friend probably hasn’t heard about Ket’s passing. The dilemma do I send an email or do I call her? I chose to call her only to get her voice mail twice. What kind of message does one leave?
This age of instant communications and messaging perhaps requires some new rules. Another colleague put it aptly when she said “There is no off button in our lives anymore”. Can we stop long enough to acknowledge the departed? Experience our own response to the news? Human interaction, comforting, holding literally and figuratively, is so important to the grieving process. Coupled with the context of cultural mores this is a complex aspect of life.
I’ve been writing for almost two years on the subject of organization and employee engagement. Stressing the importance of human contact a pat on the back, a smile, looking into another’s face, perhaps a hug when distressed. In her death Ket has once again made a contribution, as Shakespeare said, “He that dies pays all debts”. May Ket rest in peace. Sending virtual hugs to Sal and her family.
2011°F
Sitting here in my office in the sweltering heat. If anyone had told me we’d reach 97 degrees in early June I would have told them they were crazy. What’s the old saying, “misery loves company I’m not alone in that more than half the country is experiencing this unprecedented heat wave. I often wonder Is the universe sending us a message? Thousands of acres are burning in AZ, we’ve had a run of deadly tornados in April and May killing over 450 people, destroying over 8000 buildings In Joplin, MO and devastating the cities of West Springfield and Springfield, MA. Here in NY the news waves are obsessed with the Congressman Weiner sexting scandal. We are hearing little about the impressive community and team efforts in the Dakotas, Iowa and Nebraska to offset the rising Missouri River. Those communities destroyed by tornados are slowly picking up the pieces. This morning I received an email from a friend and colleague in Sweden, actually he is the founder of Next Level-USA the company I’m affiliating with and mentioned in my Newsletter last week talking about “a good life”. Runar was asking and answering the question, “What is a good life?”
Taking his lead I ask you the same question. What are the components of a good life? How does it differ for each and every one of us? How does living a good life affect you at your place of employment? Does it affect how you run your business? Does it affect how you are with family? Technology has sped up the world to such a great degree that many of us, particularly the young have never even asked themselves these questions. When I put this in the greater context of devastating weather throughout the US and the volcanic eruptions and earthquakes around the world, I begin to think the “universe” (that which is greater than all of us), is telling us we need a course correction. We need to bring humanity and compassion back into the forefront of our daily lives. How do you define a good life?
Snaring The Bluebird Of Happiness
The Findings column in the NY Times May 17th 2011 by John Tierney starts off with the question, “Is happiness overrated?” NYTimes.com The story follows the intellectual explorations of noted psychologist Martin Seligman. In a nutshell he caused a stir in the psychology world when he questioned whether colleagues were spending too much time on mental illness and not enough on life’s joys. He authored a best seller in 2002 “Authentic Happiness”. Now almost ten years later he is questioning or perhaps identifying further distinctions in his most recent book “Flourish” which was published a few weeks ago. You might be wondering …what if anything might this have to do with organization engagement. I think there is much to ponder here. Apparently his own study and the plethora of books on happiness got Seligman thinking about whether focusing on happiness is too limiting. Have you thought about the relationship between happiness and accomplishment? Just think about colleagues and friends who have accomplished a lot. Are they happy? When introducing Requisite Organization principles to managers we emphasize the importance of an individual valuing the work s/he is engaged in. We introduce the concept of an individual’s maturation of capability needing to be aligned with the complexity of the tasks assigned them. Appropriate task assignments are like manna for the brain. They nourish us and help the maturation process. When individual capability is aligned with the tasks assigned the phenomena of internalized flow takes place.
In “Flourish” which I’ve not yet read, Seligman focuses on “well-being” considering it to be more a robust, comprehensive and descriptive concept to capture the evolution of his thinking than happiness. Engagement, one of five components of wellbeing is defined as “the feeling of being lost in a task”. For the last year I’ve been blogging about organization engagement… creating conditions wherein employees at every level of an organization can feel engaged. I love this definition of engagement as being “lost in a task”. I must admit I’m not sure if it’s Seligman’s or Tierney’s but its great. What is so powerful is when engaged we are totally focused, in the present although we might be weaving in thoughts from past experience and/or future anticipation. This is a powerful state to be in. Athletes refer to it as the zone, psychologists as being in flow. Employee engagement is essential to organization effectiveness and greater profitability. Only when people are engaged with their work individually as well as when in teams can we hope to have the release of human imagination, creativity and innovation, which will be the engine that drives our economy.
"X Marks The Spot"
Those of you who are regulars to my blog know we skipped last week. It was an extremely busy week and writing the blog slipped from consciousness. Bova Enterprises is in the midst of exploring some new alliances, and new entrepreneurial ventures. Personally I’ve just taken on a new board position. I’m always amazed at people who are extremely well read. Those that read the NY Times from cover to cover daily, or are regulars reading The New Yorker Magazine, or the Economist in their entirety each week. I just never seem to have the time to do that. However last week I did treat myself by reading the New Yorker cover to cover. The edition with Osama Bin laden’s face “rubbed out”. For those of you who haven’t seen it I think it’s a must. There are some really great articles in it. http://www.newyorker.com
I was particularly intrigued with Malcolm Gladwell’s piece The Creation Myth and the article about the reinvention of PepsiCo, Snacks For A Fat Planet. Gladwell writes about how Steve Jobs as a young entrepreneur visited Xerox’s PARC and saw the original concept of the mouse and icons on the screen. The trade off was Xerox could buy shares in Apple before the IPO, for allowing Jobs to see the small computer they were working on. He built on the idea and totally shifted the direction in which his company was going, resulting in the creation of the Macintosh. Apparently this is a well-known story in certain circles but it was new to me.
I am fascinated by the parallel tracks of the evolution of an idea or new product, and the trajectory a company then takes. After a brief foray Xerox went out of the personal computer business and into the laser printer business and Apple created the out of the box MAC.
As I ponder this evolution of two companies American icons, we have Jobs resigning from leadership of his company after a power struggle with his Board in 1984. He goes off to create a new company, which in turn gets purchased by Apple in 1996 bringing him back to Apple. In the interim he creates Pixar, sells it to Disney and becomes the largest individual shareholder of Disney. Since 1997 he’s CEO of Apple and has overseen the transformation of the music industry through iTunes and smartphones through the iPhone. You probably realize by now I am a huge Apple fan. I have never owned a PC.
Granted I follow Apple a bit more because I am one of its loyal customers and shareholders. But I think it’s important to look at Xerox. It was established in 1906 and has reinvented itself a few times in its 105 year-old history as an employer. Go to http://www.xerox.com for a treasure trove of facts on a page. A few things stand out for me about Xerox. One the name of the company has become synonymous with making a copy of a document. Secondly it was one of the first Fortune 100 companies to have a woman CEO Anne Mulcahy in 2001. It now has the distinction of being the only major publicly traded corporation worldwide to have successive women CEO’s and Chairs in the selection of Ursula burns to follow Mulcahy.
Innovation and creativity repeatedly show up in these two American corporate icons.