"It's important that we focus more on what we need to be that on what we need to do."
--Max De Pree, Leadership Jazz
"People do not lack strength; they lack will."
--Victor Hugo
"To lead the people, walk behind them."
--Lao Tzu
In response to the question "Why do you play so long?"
"It took me that long to get it all in."
--John Coltrane
List of Questions
"There are four questions of value in life, Don Octavio. What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for and what is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same. Only love."
--Lord Byron
"The three questions: How many walkers have you have you killed? How many people have you killed? Why?"
--Abraham Lincoln as Rick Grimes in "The Walking Dead"
Showing posts with label Max De Pree. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Max De Pree. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Leaders understanding the details
There is a ongoing debate about whether it is better for managers and leaders to be promoted from within or brought in from outside an organization. Both approaches have merit. Regardless of how senior managers acheived their post, they should always stay in touch with the day to day details of the organization.
In Leadership Jazz, Max De Pree proposed that leaders ask themselves the following question.
How long ago was it that I actually saw the products may business sells being made? A college president might ask, how long ago has it been since I visited a classroom? Or taught a class?
Princeton University requires all professors to teach classes, including undergraduate classes. The former chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, William Bratton, with previous police careers in Boston and New York, had to re-qualify as peace officer in California. The television show "Undercover Boss" uses this concept.
In Leadership Jazz, Max De Pree proposed that leaders ask themselves the following question.
How long ago was it that I actually saw the products may business sells being made? A college president might ask, how long ago has it been since I visited a classroom? Or taught a class?
Princeton University requires all professors to teach classes, including undergraduate classes. The former chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, William Bratton, with previous police careers in Boston and New York, had to re-qualify as peace officer in California. The television show "Undercover Boss" uses this concept.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Make Yourself Sick of Communicating--De Pree on Leadership
"If you're a leader and you're not sick and tried of communicating, you probably aren't doing a good enough job."
Max De Pree, Leadership Jazz
Most leaders have several constituencies to communicate with. Make a list of those groups and track how often you communicate with them.
Often, you will find that you are overlooking one or more groups. Maybe long term clients? Maybe long term employees. Maybe vendors and collaborators.
Here is a list of potential groups that a leader should try to communicate with on a regular basis.
Max De Pree, Leadership Jazz
Most leaders have several constituencies to communicate with. Make a list of those groups and track how often you communicate with them.
Often, you will find that you are overlooking one or more groups. Maybe long term clients? Maybe long term employees. Maybe vendors and collaborators.
Here is a list of potential groups that a leader should try to communicate with on a regular basis.
- Inner circle: John Maxwell talks about a leader's inner circle of close advisors. Do you routinely communicate with them. Do they feel that you listen to them?
- New Employees
- Veteran Employees: Long time employees are often key to an organization. However, they may feel that their voices are no longer heard. Ask for their insight on changes.
- New Clients
- Long Term Clients: The marketplace is constantly changing. Your clients are being approached by other service providers with new deals and new products. Communicate why these clients should stay with you. More importantly, why should they refer new business to you.
- Vendors
- Community Leaders: Most successful organizations have strong connections to the community. Think beyond an annual donation to a national charity. Find out the needs of local non-profits and local schools. Can you provide a local college with an intern opportunity?
Sunday, October 7, 2012
De Pree Questions for Leaders, Part III
In a previous post about Leadership Jazz by Max De Pree, a list of questions was provided. This list is questions that leaders should expect from their followers. One of those questions is:
Are you ready to be ruthlessly honest?
Stepping back, when looking for people to add to your organization, look for people who ask hard questions. Good followers and good leaders ask hard questions and will want ask follow up questions to dig deeper. Good followers will also appreciate the honesty and sincerity; if you disclose personal or corporate details about a difficult decision, they will not share it with every employee, every newspaper, and every social network the moment they leave your office.
Be ruthlessly honest. Most hard questions require complex answers. Give the full honest answers. Notice if most of your answers are a few words, a few sentences, or a few paragraphs. Most answers to complex questions will requires a few paragraphs. You may need to develop your ability deliver answers that build trust.
Connect back to core principles. Both leaders and organizations have core principles, visions, and missions. Connect the answer to complex questions from followers back to these core principles. Often, being ruthlessly honest is the most difficult when a question is about deviation from core principles.
For example, a certain decision may be completely in the interest of short term revenue but completely against the interest of long term employee development. If a follower ask about this, be honest about this. A good follower or fellow leaders will be more interested in the answer to the next questions: How do we prevent this or change this in the future?
Some leaders only give partial answers. Avoid this when possible. However, some information may be confidential due to personnel matters, confidentiality, or legal issues. In these cases, simple state these boundaries. If you use these issues sparingly, and have the demonstrated honesty in other matters, followers will respect these boundaries.
Are you ready to be ruthlessly honest?
Stepping back, when looking for people to add to your organization, look for people who ask hard questions. Good followers and good leaders ask hard questions and will want ask follow up questions to dig deeper. Good followers will also appreciate the honesty and sincerity; if you disclose personal or corporate details about a difficult decision, they will not share it with every employee, every newspaper, and every social network the moment they leave your office.
Be ruthlessly honest. Most hard questions require complex answers. Give the full honest answers. Notice if most of your answers are a few words, a few sentences, or a few paragraphs. Most answers to complex questions will requires a few paragraphs. You may need to develop your ability deliver answers that build trust.
Connect back to core principles. Both leaders and organizations have core principles, visions, and missions. Connect the answer to complex questions from followers back to these core principles. Often, being ruthlessly honest is the most difficult when a question is about deviation from core principles.
For example, a certain decision may be completely in the interest of short term revenue but completely against the interest of long term employee development. If a follower ask about this, be honest about this. A good follower or fellow leaders will be more interested in the answer to the next questions: How do we prevent this or change this in the future?
Some leaders only give partial answers. Avoid this when possible. However, some information may be confidential due to personnel matters, confidentiality, or legal issues. In these cases, simple state these boundaries. If you use these issues sparingly, and have the demonstrated honesty in other matters, followers will respect these boundaries.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
De Pree Questions for Leaders, Part II
Will I reach my potential by working with you?
This is one of the questions that Max De Pree suggests leaders should expect. In a previous post, De Pree list of questions was provided. De Pree is the former CEO of Herman Miller Furniture and writes on leadership and business management.
Often, people are hesitant about discussing such questions with their managers and leaders. Good leaders should ask and encourage such questions. You many want to start the conversation with a related question such as "how do you see your role in the organization evolving?" This will start them talking about themselves before going into the more difficult topic of you as their leader.
What is good? What is bad?
Move the conversation by discussing what you as a leader had done to move them towards their potential. Then discuss how you are holding them back. If the conversation needs more encouragement and direction, consider these three areas: freedom, challenges, support.
You may be tempted to come out of this conversation with a quick list of action items. The ideal goal of this conversation is to provide broad guidance for future decisions and mentoring.
Sometimes, the leader's truthful answer to this question is no, you will not reach your potential with me. There may be a mismatch in chemistry between the person and the leader. There may be a mismatch in vision or approach. The sooner this is addressed, the better. Alternate plans can be pursued.
This is one of the questions that Max De Pree suggests leaders should expect. In a previous post, De Pree list of questions was provided. De Pree is the former CEO of Herman Miller Furniture and writes on leadership and business management.
Often, people are hesitant about discussing such questions with their managers and leaders. Good leaders should ask and encourage such questions. You many want to start the conversation with a related question such as "how do you see your role in the organization evolving?" This will start them talking about themselves before going into the more difficult topic of you as their leader.
What is good? What is bad?
Move the conversation by discussing what you as a leader had done to move them towards their potential. Then discuss how you are holding them back. If the conversation needs more encouragement and direction, consider these three areas: freedom, challenges, support.
You may be tempted to come out of this conversation with a quick list of action items. The ideal goal of this conversation is to provide broad guidance for future decisions and mentoring.
Sometimes, the leader's truthful answer to this question is no, you will not reach your potential with me. There may be a mismatch in chemistry between the person and the leader. There may be a mismatch in vision or approach. The sooner this is addressed, the better. Alternate plans can be pursued.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Leaders Need Authentic Relationships
Dan Rockwell writes a great blog called Leadership Freak. He provides insight on a number of topics in the field of leadership.
Recently, he had a post on how leaders need authentic relationships with other leaders. One suggestion that Rockwell gives is "take the first step by opening up, authentically. Don’t spill your guts. Just toss a bit of your heart out."
I am trying to connect to other leaders, both inside and outside my company. More and more, I have been opening up to others. When others talk, I listen carefully to those small "bits of their hearts." Sometimes, I ask them more details about those comments later.
Max De Pree talks about how many aspects of leadership are fragile. Authentic connections are fragile. A lot of care is needed to start them and a lot of care is needed to nurture them.
Recently, he had a post on how leaders need authentic relationships with other leaders. One suggestion that Rockwell gives is "take the first step by opening up, authentically. Don’t spill your guts. Just toss a bit of your heart out."
I am trying to connect to other leaders, both inside and outside my company. More and more, I have been opening up to others. When others talk, I listen carefully to those small "bits of their hearts." Sometimes, I ask them more details about those comments later.
Max De Pree talks about how many aspects of leadership are fragile. Authentic connections are fragile. A lot of care is needed to start them and a lot of care is needed to nurture them.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Questions Leaders Should Expect: De Pree
Leaders should expect the following questions from their followers.
From Leadership Jazz by Max De Pree (New York, Dell Publishing, 1992).
Max De Pree was CEO of Herman Miller and guided it to outstanding levels in terms of Top Companies to Work For and Most Profitable Companies. In his writings, he takes examples from Herman Miller to convey solid leadership principles.
From the eight questions above, "Can I achieve my own goals by following you?" is a very challenging one for leaders to address with their followers. Each follower has a list of distinct goals.
The first step for the leader is to build the trust so that the follower can openly share. This will take time and constant work. Consider the interview situation. One common question for the candidate is "What are your goals." Everyone knows the answer will be slanted toward what the hiring manger wants to hear. As the leader builds the relationship over time, the follower will feel comfortable to to go beyond the safe, generic interview goals and start sharing her true goals.
Once the leader learns the goals of the followers, the leaders should look for ways to bridge various activities to the activities of the organization. The leader should constantly expand their outlook so that they can see various connections. For example, if a follower has a goal to eventual start their own business, the leaders can introduce new roles and there connection to starting that new business.
- What may I expect from you?
- Can I achieve my own goals by following you?
- Will I reach my potential by working with you?
- Can I entrust my future to you?
- Have you bothered to prepare yourself for leadership?
- Are you ready to be ruthlessly honest?
- Do you have the self-confidence and trust to let me do my job?
- What do you believe?
From Leadership Jazz by Max De Pree (New York, Dell Publishing, 1992).
Max De Pree was CEO of Herman Miller and guided it to outstanding levels in terms of Top Companies to Work For and Most Profitable Companies. In his writings, he takes examples from Herman Miller to convey solid leadership principles.
From the eight questions above, "Can I achieve my own goals by following you?" is a very challenging one for leaders to address with their followers. Each follower has a list of distinct goals.
The first step for the leader is to build the trust so that the follower can openly share. This will take time and constant work. Consider the interview situation. One common question for the candidate is "What are your goals." Everyone knows the answer will be slanted toward what the hiring manger wants to hear. As the leader builds the relationship over time, the follower will feel comfortable to to go beyond the safe, generic interview goals and start sharing her true goals.
Once the leader learns the goals of the followers, the leaders should look for ways to bridge various activities to the activities of the organization. The leader should constantly expand their outlook so that they can see various connections. For example, if a follower has a goal to eventual start their own business, the leaders can introduce new roles and there connection to starting that new business.
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