Fear of Success vs. Fear of Failure?

Lets be honest:  All of us have doubts that block us from doing things. It's even socially acceptable to talk about some "fear of failure."

But "fear of success?"

It's just as real. Being afraid to achieve the very things that we want.

How does it happen?

The Future/Change Factor: Personal

The good news is that when we experience this fear, it's because we're imagining a "better" future. We're actually thinking about change.

But we don't know what else that's going to bring. Since it's all about the future, we can imagine anything and everything about what might be. In the absence of factual information we fantasize, often negatively.

• "I don't deserve it"

• "If I achieve what I set out to do, everyone will know that I don't really deserve it"

• "If I get it I won't be able to sustain it. Why try?"

• "If I am successful, someone will come along who is better than me. Then, what will happen to me?"

• "If I am successful, the nature and equilibrium of my relationships will change and I'll have to make new friends. My current friends would never accept a more successful (bigger, deeper, better, healthier) me."

(Feel free to list your own and others you've hear in the comments section).

What happens as a result of this kind of thinking?

• Self-defeating thinking leads to self-defeating actions. Here are just a few:

• Doing the wrong thing even when you know the right thing to do. That way, one can avoid having to deal with success.

• Minimizing your accomplishments so they are ultimately negated. Then, you don't have to live up to being all that you really are.

• Feeling guilty when you have a success. This creates a slowdown in momentum, hesitancy to act, and a self-fulfilling inability to move on to another success.

What you can do differently

Here are some suggestions that aren't complicated but do place the responsibility clearly on our personal shoulders:

1. Act in a way that will genuinely help build a sense of self: Find ways to encourage and acknowledge accomplishments of those around you.

2. Get an accountability partner--or maybe a couple. These people have your explicit permission to give you feedback--positive and negative --about how they are experiencing your progress. This is a reality check. Honest, factual, periodic conversations will help you replace the unknown negative fantasies with reality-based information.

3. When someone compliments you, respond with a firm "Thank you!" No false modesty or additional talk. Simply hear the compliments and let them begin to influence how you see yourself.

Dawud Miracle's "How Do You Shine Your Light" post (prompted by Phil Gerbyshak) included this quote from Marianne Williamson. I hope you'll take it to heart, make it part of your heart, and take it with you today:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Coming up next on All Things Workplace: How Fear of Success plays out at work and organizational life.

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5 Favorites About Managing Change and Transitions

It might be trite to say it, but change is the one thing we can be sure of. 

This is true for life in general and business people in particular. And it's borne out each day when I look at the search words that led people here.

But what should you and I really be paying attention to if we're involved in an organizational change?

I like to synthesize things until the seemingly complex becomes clear and simple. After 25 years of consulting and implementing large-scale changes at organizations such as AT&T, Saudia Airlines, Computer Sciences Corporation and PECO Energy, I think there are 3 key facets of change that contribute to it's success or failure:

1. Initiating change: presenting a compelling scenario using a few specific goals that are readily understandable by everyone

2. Managing the change: Making sure that everyone's efforts stay focused on the main things

3. Being adaptable to change: Change breeds more change. Even the person who initiated it is going to be surprised at the number of ways (s)he has to adapt along with everyone else.

Five Faves about Change

Here are 5 posts from All Things Workplace that look at the topic from different angles. Some may surprise you. All are based upon experience (and doing lots of things wrong early on).

I hope you find them helpful in your work or in your consulting practice.

1. The Retinal Change Agent!

2. Be Patient With the "Aha!"

3. Initiating  A Change: Think About This

4. You Want An Organizational Change? Then. . .

5. What Style Do You Use To Manage Change? 

Bonus!

It's not often we get a chance to hear about what an IT manager in Viet Nam is learning about implementing change.  Have a look at what's happening in the life of Hai Phuc Nguyen.

What's your experience been with organizational change? Add to the conversation with a comment below.

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If You Believe in Building Talent, Encourage Someone Today

When I check the keyword searches that land people here, a lot of them have to do with "find my strengths" or "how do I manage talented people?"

People at work appear invested in clarifying their own strengths and understanding the inherent talent in others. If that's so, I was wondering why there is so much angst about retention. It seems that people would be committed for the long term if their strengths and talents are being valued.

The Managerial Equivalent of "Your Lips Say 'Yes' But There's 'No-No' In Your Eyes"

There is at least one reason why some people--including managers-- are shopping their resumes. It has to do with the distinction between advocating development and then doing the opposite.

Here's a real life example:

Luke (not his real name) is an operations manager at one of my client companies. He's experienced and has been in the manufacturing industry for 20+ years. He is the most well-read client ever. Whenever I see him, he waxes poetically about the wonderful "new" managerial ideas he's picked up from the most recent leadership books he's read.

One of those ideas had to do with recognizing someone's small successes and following through with verbal encouragement or even a small reward (lunch, movie tickets, a $25 gift certificate. . .) Better yet, acknowledge the person's fete during a regular departmental meeting. He also talked about the importance of those ideas during a meeting with his supervisors.

But he wouldn't do any of those.

I asked him why not.

His reply "I'm not going to spend time rewarding or telling someone how good they are if the company is already paying them a salary. They are supposed to do good work."

He doesn't have the same approach with his kids. I've seen him. He acknowledges them when they've succeeded at something. Anything. And he does it spontaneously.

What the heck happens in life(?) between:

and

.

Every day we're all trying to learn or do something new. Let's be honest: part of our day is spent being a kid again when it comes to struggling with a new problem that needs a solution. And we could use a few encouraging words of recognition when we demonstrate a talent that helps the organization.

("Gee, that felt good. I think I'll do it again!)

What would a well-known, successful business person say about the importance of encouragement?

"My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me."
~ Henry Ford

What Do Our Brains Say About Encouragement?

According to the ATW resident neuro-gurette, Dr. Ellen Weber, brainpower is lost to common critiques. In this instance, the absence of acknowledgment can easily turn into the perception of a "critique." For those who can't seem to get their hearts in gear, maybe a look at how serotonin builds better businesses will offer an intellectual bridge to encouraging action.

You may want to check this out, too, if you want to help someone see talent more clearly.

What's going on at your workplace when it comes to recognizing people's strengths and talents?




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Good Management Is All About the Immediate Superivisor

I just returned from visiting my father who is in Assisted Living.

He got his wish: a bigger room.

He wants to go back to his smaller room.

Why?

"The nurses here aren't nice like the ones in the other wing."

"How so, Dad?"

"When I buzz for help, they don't come for nearly an hour. When they do come, they act as if I'm imposing on them and get huffy. The other nurses were all prompt and friendly."

"What else is different, Dad?"

"The supervisor here is as bad as the nurses who work for her."

Here's the deal: We know the executive administrator of the Assisted Living center. He is positive, upbeat, caring, and dedicated to doing the right thing.

It doesn't make any difference.

The workers work for their supervisor.

That's who makes the difference.

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Isn't Your Niche Market Really Your Career?

(Note: This post was originally titled 'Isn't Your Career Really Your Niche Market?" Thanks to  Dean Fuhrman's take on the ordering of things, I decided to tweak the title and some of the post accordingly).

Thanks, Dean!

I just finished a career coaching call with Erica. She's a smart young woman who discovered that what led her into her current career isn't being satisfied the way she expected.

Not unusual for any of us, eh?

So we explored the parts of the job she likes, what she doesn't, and looked at the answers to "Why?" for each.

Then it dawned on me:

Niche Markets are Careers!

We have an expertise and a passion. When we dig deeper, we find that while Marketing interests us, most of it doesn't . But "Market Research? Yeah, that's the part that really excites me! I'm good at it and sometimes it doesn't even seem like work."

Once you know who you are and what you are about, you target the people who fit your customer base (employer, co-worker) better than others. You begin to see opportunities more clearly because you've defined your niche first. You now know a real opportunity from a somewhat- related-but-not-in-the-niche career mirage.

It really is about You, Inc.

That's how I'm going to start framing them from now on. What do you think?

BTW: Coincidentally, my RSS reader is telling me that Liz has a series of posts that will help you whether you are thinking about your career niche or a business niche.

They are quite the same, aren't they?

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5 Good Articles on Leadership You Can Read Today

Leadership involves a commitment to building up other people.

I think having a blog carries the same responsibility.

So here are some "good reads" from others that I enjoyed today and hope you will, too.

• Weird Guy  Eric Brown asks of The Carrot Principle "Why does this book exist"? He says it is because many in leadership are unwilling, or worse yet, unable to change. See what else Eric has to say.

• Adrian, The Coyote at Slow Leadership, says:

"If macho management is not a sensible way to operate, it must be possible to show why. Organizations won’t be convinced by saying it’s unpleasant, so long as they believe that it works in their interests. Here's why it doesn't."

• "Reproduction Not Allowed" should be enough of an incentive to read the entire post at Managing Leadership.

• My longtime friend Bud Bilanich, The Common Sense Guy, discusses how to apply The 4 Secrets of High-Performing Organizations.

• And one of my own favorites from the ATW Leadership archives: "Want to Build Trust? Just say 'No!'"

Note: Do take a minute to share your own thoughts and reactions with a comment. We really enjoy the conversation here.

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Job Hunters, Consultants, and Coaches: Give Them Something To Talk About

This is a George Clinton.

This is George Clinton in the pre-funk Parliaments era.

George Clinton wid da Funk!

Happy belated birthday to George who was 66 on July 9th. Here's George's funkadelic look at life:

   "The pursuit of happiness is what it's all about. I don't wanna catch it.
                        As long as I'm chasing it, I'm gonna be fine."

You want to stand out with a future employer or client, right?

Then do something different. Don't follow the entire "Here's how you should..." template that everyone else is following.

Sameness doesn't create buzz. It doesn't excite. It doesn't make someone want to see you again.

Are you a first-time job seeker? Bring along a few photos. One of you skydiving, one of you working on a volunteer project with a team, one of you in a cafe in Malta. They offer evidence that you thought about the interview, your experiences are broad, and that you are a do-er.

Are you a coach or consultant? On your web presence, materials, and emails show what made you useful to others in a different way. That's how I got the tagline "Teaching smart people practical ways to become extraordinary." I asked a client why he kept bringing me back. He told me that every time we were together, he had more than one practical thing to do (that worked) after I left.

Mid-Career Change? You can set yourself apart by stating clearly and firmly what you don't want because of what you've learned about your real strengths. You have examples and real-life stories to tell. Your clarity will boost your image and make the interviewers life a lot easier.

Did I mention that I once made 59 speeches in 63 days in 22 cities and towns across South Africa?

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Talent Management from the Inside Out: DIY

Do you want your special talents to be noticed at work?

Of course you do. Me, too.

Then you'll probably have to identify what they are and use them to get recognized. By the "right people." (I know that you know who they are).

Yesterday I started writing about Talent Management and some of my experiences with it. The folks at Management-Issues have been in a similar groove for quite a while. They cited a Towers Perrin survey of CEO's and HR Execs that said:

• Groups now considered to be "talent" included senior leadership, employees at mid-level with leadership potential, key contributors or technical experts and entry-level employees with leadership potential.

• Together, these defined talent pools made up, on average, no more than 15 per cent of the total workforce, said Towers Perrin.

Become Part of the 15%

Does focusing on 15% make sense? I don't think it does for some of the reasons mentioned in yesterday's article. Wally Bock shares similar sentiments in Why Develop Just High Potential Leaders? And Jim Stroup at Managing Leadership highlights the dilemma posed when young managers are trying to excel at their current assignments while trying to demonstrate their potential for advancement.

Forget whether or not it makes sense, is fair, or is actually in the company's best interest. If someone in power thinks it is, then it is.

Three things you can do:

1. Self-assess. Use a combination of tools such as the StrengthsFinder, MBTI (Step II), and informal 360 feedback from trusted associates. Find those few areas where you are number one.

2. Ask yourself what you "can't not do." Pay attention to those things that you gravitate toward and that don't feel like work. That's where you are the Big Kareer Kahuna.

3. Ask your boss for a meeting. Share what you've found and ask for the opportunity to demonstrate those talents. Head up a project, a committee, an event. Something that will get you recognized and have your strengths acknowledged.

You have to take charge of managing your personal talents in a way that will contribute to your employer and clearly show that you've got what it takes. (Whatever that may mean).

Talent Management is a program.Your talent is your life.

View it as the gift that it is and view yourself as the caretaker of that gift. No one is more qualified than you.

Don't ya think?

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Free Coaching Session: An Offer You Can't Refuse

Passion + Talent = Success.

Mistake + Reflection + Action = Growth.

Focus + Action = Results.

Mess with The Godfather + Get Caught = Sleep With the Fishes

Act Now!

This is an unabashed plug for Kent Blumberg's  very cool way to give you a shot at a free 40-minute coaching session with him. Kent is a verrrry experienced executive who can offer you a lot in 40 minutes. He also looks a lot like Don Corleone.

All you have to do to enter is visit Kent and leave your favorite formula in the comment box.

Deadline and drawing Sunday, July 29.

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Is "Talent Management" Really Managing The Talent?

"Organisations can talk about talent management until they are blue in the face, but fewer than a third of American companies are actually any good at it."   Source: Management-Issues, 20 July 2007 .

What is your experience with Talent Management? And is there actually a War for Talent other than the one being waged by those who might benefit in some way from a war for talent?

Talent Management Defined

Google "Talent Management Defined" and you'll get more than 2,000,000 results. 

That tells us there are a lot of people who are at least exploring the idea. But what is it really about?

This definition from bNet is about as exciting as a corporate mission statement but works prettty well:

Talent management is the integrated process of ensuring that an organization has a continuous supply of highly productive individuals in the right job, at the right time. Rather than a one-time event, talent management is a continuous process that plans talent needs, builds an image to attract the very best, ensures that new hires are immediately productive, helps to retain the very best, and facilitates the continuous movement of talent to where it can have the most impact within the organization.

Maybe I'm getting a bit jaundiced, but isn't this what organizations have been doing for years?

Which brings me to what I think I've been seeing in the workplace: The notion of "talent management" is a natural, managerial function that has been made into a movement (not unlike "leadership") whose proponents have marketed it well. It plays on the best positive psychology (come on, who is going to argue about the need for talent?) and combines it with the best negative psychology (the WAR for talent!).

How Does It Really Work?

I consult and help develop Talent Management processes alongside executives and others who are expected to "make it happen." 

If you are at all involved in that process, here are a few things I've learned that I hope will prove helpful:

1. Start by dealing with the real issue.

If you are thinking about designing a Talent Management program, ask "Why?"

Really. Then listen closely to the answers. You may have a recruiting problem, an orientation problem,  an image problem, or a development problem. If you have all of them you're probably not financially solvent.

By isolating the issue (if there is one), you can focus your efforts on those areas that will give you a real payoff.

2. Managers manage talent.

Teach managers how to interview, hire, manage performance, and develop people. Programs don't manage talent. People do.

3. Managing Talent is a management activity, not an HR initiative.

Everything you do with people touches, and is touched by, HR. This is not a swipe at HR. They have an important support role to play. But unless your HR people are as strong in organizational development(OD) as they are in compensation & benefits, don't expect them to offer the kind of expertise needed in leading an initiative. Managers need to do that. But if they are strong in OD, they can be a big help in supporting your efforts and being intimately involved in planning, explaining what's happening and why, and follow-through.

4. "High-Potential" labels can be counter-productive and just plain useless.

I've been waiting a long time to put that into print. When I'm not writing here at ATW, I spend about 40% of my time working in companies assessing individual strengths and designing developmental activities. Those activities range from full-blown corporate leadership programs to developmental work assignments. This is what I believe I've learned and continue to track closely for accuracy:

• The term "high-potential" is tough to define. Get a group together at work and try it out in earnest today. You'll see what I mean.

• When you do define it, it can only be in terms of what you think the organization will need in the next x years. While you are in committees defining "high-potential", your dorganizational needs are changing because the world around you is changing.
  
  That doesn't mean you shouldn't define how a really good manager or executive should look and act. But your company's future is situational. So is managing. If you start isolating people now and referring to them as "high potential" you raise their expectations, diminish others, and do both using a word (potential) that, by definition, refers to an as-yet-unrealized state.
• Put people into increasingly responsible situations early in their employment.
  
  Why ruminate about potential when you can start building people and see the actual results straight away? Let people manage a project, a committee, an office picnic--anything to help them try stretching and learn from the experience. If you watch what they do and how they do it, you can help them manage their personal development. Likewise, if you see a glaring gap in large numbers of peoples' abilities, you'll know what kind of training and development to provide. That means you can stop some of the training that is costing you money now but not necessary.
  
  Factoid: I've noted this in previous posts. Whenever we ask the direct question of leadership program participants, "What has been most helpful to your managerial growth?", the answer is always--overwhelmingly--"on-the-job assignments."

More to  Come. . .

Wow. This post is getting long and I've only done some stream-of-consciousness, albeit based on first-hand experience. I think throughout the week we'll delve into other aspects of talent management activities and how to view them accurately and productively.

What is your experience with a Talent Management program? There are a lot of organizational managers who visit All Things Workplace each day and can benefit from your thinking. So take time to comment; you'll help someone as a result.

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Age of Conversation: The Musical

Before The Age of Conversation made it possible for people globally to help kids through The Variety Club, we raised money the old-fashioned way in Philadelphia: we sang for it (false_alarm.mp3).

I wondered when the shot on the left taken from an ABC broadcast would come in handy:TaDa!

Back in the day, our group did the Philly-Atlantic City circuit singing acapella street corner doo-wop . During one of our "Hey, We're Not Dead Yet!" revivals we did a spot on a TV show to help raise money for the Variety Club--a charity that has always been huge in the Philadelphia area. It was an honor to be a part of it. (Note: Yes, the suits glowed in the dark).

Great Buzz, Great Book, Great Cause

Fast Company, Business Week, Ad Age , and other publications worldwide have latched on to the phenomenon: 103 authors writing from 103 perspectives on the impact and future of social networking. My "chapter" on page 84 is "Want to Change the Organization? Change the Conversation."

The authors use their specific expertise as a starting point for looking at the Age of Conversation. You'll find the breadth and depth fascinating, with perspectives ranging from marketing to customer service, writing, blogging, branding...

Mine is where I'm most comfortable: organizations and workplaces. Here's an excerpt from my "chapter:"

            Critical Conversations Reaching Critical Mass Create Meaningful Change

Forty years ago we talked about tasks, got them done, and went home. Thirty years ago we added attention to “the process” and talked about “how” we approached the task—and we spent time learning more about who we were.  And now, it’s about task + process+ meaning.  “What is it about your organization—or the change you want to make—that enhances the meaning of my life’s work?”

Visit These

Drew McLelland, Gavin Heaton, and   David Armano provide regular updates on the global buzz and the sales generated for charity. For a look at what's happening locally, as well as some good reading, take some time to visit the authors listed below. You'll see why this is the Age of Conversation!

Gavin Heaton
Drew McLellan
CK
Valeria Maltoni
Emily Reed
Katie Chatfield
Greg Verdino
Mack Collier
Lewis Green
Sacrum
Ann Handley
Mike Sansone
Paul McEnany
Roger von Oech
Anna Farmery
David Armano
Bob Glaza
Mark Goren
Matt Dickman
Scott Monty
Richard Huntington
Cam Beck
David Reich
Luc Debaisieux
Sean Howard
Tim Jackson
Patrick Schaber
Roberta Rosenberg
Uwe Hook
Tony D. Clark
Todd Andrlik
Toby Bloomberg
Steve Woodruff
Steve Bannister
Steve Roesler
Stanley Johnson
Spike Jones
Nathan Snell
Simon Payn
Ryan Rasmussen
Ron Shevlin
Roger Anderson
Robert Hruzek
Rishi Desai
Phil Gerbyshak
Peter Corbett
Pete Deutschman
Nick Rice
Nick Wright
Michael Morton
Mark Earls
Mark Blair
Mario Vellandi
Lori Magno
Kristin Gorski
Kris Hoet
G.Kofi Annan
Kimberly Dawn Wells
Karl Long
Julie Fleischer
Jordan Behan
John La Grou
Joe Raasch
Jim Kukral
Jessica Hagy
Janet Green
Jamey Shiels
Dr. Graham Hill
Gia Facchini
Geert Desager
Gaurav Mishra
Gary Schoeniger
Gareth Kay
Faris Yakob
Emily Clasper
Ed Cotton
Dustin Jacobsen
Tom Clifford
David Polinchock
David Koopmans
David Brazeal
David Berkowitz
Carolyn Manning
Craig Wilson
Cord Silverstein
Connie Reece
Colin McKay
Chris Newlan
Chris Corrigan
Cedric Giorgi
Brian Reich
Becky Carroll
Arun Rajagopal
Andy Nulman
Amy Jussel
AJ James
Kim Klaver
Sandy Renshaw
Susan Bird
Ryan Barrett
Troy Worman
S. Neil Vineberg

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You Can Develop Brain-Based Integrity

Dr. Ellen Weber checked in with a comment on last week's Collusion  contribution by Dr. Peter Vajda. It was a follow-up to a conversation about Commitment and Compliance in case you missed it.

Ellen notes:

". . .one can see how collusion slips into interactions. It reminds me that what we do daily reshapes and rewires the brain nightly. On this topic - each time we act with integrity we actually rewire for more integrity the next day."

As Ellen points out in her comment, isn't that a great justification for "doing the right thing?"

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Peter Vajda Reveals How Collusion Creeps Into Compliance

Monday's post about on-the-job  Commitment vs. Compliance started a good conversation about the distinctions and their implications.

Dr. Peter Vajda weighed in and added another dimension. He raised the issue of how people collude, in often unspoken ways, to support certain unhealthy behavior in the workplace. The phenomenon is not unlike families who play out unspoken roles to enable someone who has an addiction.

Collusion is something that those of us organizational consulting pay attention to. But I asked Peter to give his take on collusion. His comment ran deep and touched on the dishonesty involved. So I asked permission to publish his response as the main content of this post. Always gracious, Peter agreed.

Please note that although my site carries a Creative Commons license, Peter is a published author and continues to publish. I would ask that you honor the copyright associated with his text in the box below.

Peter Vajda on Collusion at Work

Peter, you've filled both the heart and mind with food for reflection.

We don't often think this way or dig this deeply, do we?  Especially in the work that we so closely associate with task accomplishment.

Yet the integrity associated with our interactions--spoken and unspoken--influence who we are and how we are.

I'm doing a collusion self-check. Will you join me?

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Why You Should Never Answer the Phone at Work

Thank you, dear reader.

The text on Slide 2 was transcribed and forwarded to me by a highly-reliable All Things Workplace  source immediately following the referenced phone conversation.

Names have been changed to protect certain individuals and multi-national corporations.

Although I'm not sure that protection is deserved, I do know that they have more lawyers than I do.

If you are self-employed, this will affirm your decision.

(The text was originally animated. Slideshare  doesn't reproduce the animation).

If you are suffering from the inability to play Flash at your workstation due to oppressive internal regulations, just click below for a copy:

Download RealPhoneCall.pdf

 

   
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Are You Seeing Commitment, Compliance, or an Ambigram?

Do You Know About Ambigrams?

An ambigram  is the expression of a word or phrase that can be read in more than one way. For instance, in a common form, the word MOM read upside down is WOW. (Check out the link for more).

Sometimes you say "yes" and really mean it.

Sometimes you just say "yes" because what you really want to say--"no"--isn't acceptable.

We all do both.

When it comes to how we perform, the difference between the two is huge.

With the first, we give everything.

With the second, our body shows up but not much else.

What are you seeing at work and in life?

How to Use Commitment and Compliance to Live and Manage Better

1. Look at your schedule. Where are you agreeing to do things just to "go along" or because they sound vaguely related to your real purpose? Get rid of them.

2. Who is showing up regularly at work, being agreeable, but not delivering anything? If you are a manager, give them a binary choice.

3. Pay attention to when and where your heart is captured and your mind is magnetized. That's where you want to be spending your time.

This is what "Engagement" is really about.  It's the issue of Commitment vs. Compliance.

From now on, ask yourself this simple diagnostic question: "When I (or they) say 'yes,' which 'yes' is it?"

Where do you see this coming into play in your work life? I'm thinking that this is a big contributing factor when we see victory declared on an initiative, only to find that there was compliance but no excellence.

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The Age of Conversation Arrives Today

Today marks the official launch of The Age of Conversation, an eBook co-authored by more than 100 authors from 24 states and ten different countries.

One of the fascinating facts about this book is that the authors hunkered down and served up their commitments in 7 days! Kudos to Gavin Heaton in Australia and Drew McLellan in Iowa who organized and coordinated the project with grace while performing the online equivalent of herding cats! Visit Drew's site to find out who else went the extra mile and how.

The best part: all sales benefit the kids served by Variety, the Children's Charity.

What Is It About?

It's all about how citizen marketers are changing the way marketing is done and how the Internet can bring people from all over the world together to make a big difference in the lives of others.

But it's not just about marketing. My chapter looks at the relationship between conversations and organizations: "Want to Change the Organization? Change the Conversation."

As you consider your summer reading schedule, give some thought to kicking back on the beach or by the pool with The Age of Conversation. I believe you'll find that it's time well spent--and at the same time,  you're helping a youngster who really needs it.

Some very cool things have already happened: Preliminary press in  AdAge and Social Computing Magazine. That's a testimonial in itself.

And there are three ways to "get the goods" at Lulu.com , each very affordable and suited to all tastes:

Hardbacks $29.99  ($8.55 goes to charity)
Paperbacks $16.95 ($8.10 goes to charity)
E-book $9.99 ($7.99 goes to charity)

Note: No author is being compensated in any way for this project. Learn more at Age of Conversation. 

More Than 100 People Who Will Help You Grow

Here are links to the contributing authors. A visit to each will bring a new look at some aspect of life, marketing, and business.

Contributors

Gavin Heaton Drew McLellan CK Valeria Maltoni Emily Reed Katie Chatfield Greg Verdino Mack Collier Lewis Green Sacrum Ann Handley Mike Sansone Paul McEnany Roger von Oech Anna Farmery David Armano Bob Glaza Mark Goren Matt Dickman Scott Monty Richard Huntington Cam Beck David Reich Luc Debaisieux Sean Howard Tim Jackson Patrick Schaber Roberta Rosenberg Uwe Hook Tony D. Clark Todd Andrlik Toby Bloomberg Steve Woodruff Steve Bannister Steve Roesler Stanley Johnson Spike Jones Nathan Snell Simon Payn Ryan Rasmussen Ron Shevlin Roger Anderson Robert Hruzek Rishi Desai Phil Gerbyshak Peter Corbett Pete Deutschman Nick Rice Nick Wright Michael Morton Mark Earls Mark Blai

CB Whittemore Mario Vellandi Lori Magno Kristin Gorski Kris Hoet G. Kofi Annan Kimberly Dawn Wells Karl Long Julie Fleischer Jordan Behan John La Grou Joe Raasch Jim Kukral Jessica Hagy Janet Green Jamey Shiels Dr. Graham Hill Gia Facchini Geert Desager Gaurav Mishra Gary Schoeniger Gareth Kay Faris Yakob Emily Clasper Ed Cotton Dustin Jacobsen Tom Clifford David Polinchock David Koopmans David Brazeal David Berkowitz Carolyn Manning Craig Wilson Cord Silverstein Connie Reece Colin McKay Chris Newlan Chris Corrigan Cedric Giorgi Brian Reich Becky Carroll Arun Rajagopal Andy Nulman Amy Jussel AJ James Kim Klaver Sandy Renshaw Susan Bird Ryan Barrett Troy Worman S. Neil Vineberg

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Personal Growth Week: Posts = Time + WiFi

Live (almost) From Baltimore

The best laid plans of mice and men...

I decided to spend a full week involved in some workshops and seminars for my own personal growth. First, 3 days in Baltimore working with in-depth applications of personality types and leadership--then back home to BlogPhiladelphia on Thursday and Friday.

My intent was to post along the way about what was being learned. The intent is still there, but the hotel connectivity and workshop schedules aren't cooperating! So this week's posts will probably happen once I find a local cafe that opens early or closes late.

If you posted a comment, sent an email, or asked for a loan to buy a new car, thanks for your patience in awaiting a response. I'll take care of the first two as soon as that cafe opens.

Steve

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Can You Make The Complex Simple: Part IV

Getting From Silos to Connections: Simple?

When last spotted, we were lamenting the Silo phenomenon. In the spirit of the Complex/Simple series, I noted that Silos can present what seems like a simple solution--or maybe reaction--to the real and perceived vagaries of power and politics in organizations.

Why do Silos seem simpler than connecting across the organization for the greater good?

Have a look at these images:

Forget the power stuff for a minute. Those silos have the allure of a nice, neat, safe, cozy refuge. 

Who would want to leave that warm, comfy silo for the unpredictability of all those connections outside?

And the messiness of the relationships that go with them.

Besides, look at how many people are out there. It's overwhelming--and you don't know half of those people. But you do know, intuitively, that the most effective thing to do is to be connected.

Why?

Let's see.

1. We get things done in organizations because we know who to go to when, and that we trust:

a. their information.

b. their ability to get it done.

2. We trust them because we've had some successful experience with them.

3. We didn't know that we could trust them until we had a relationship that led to successful experiences.

4. Somehow, some way, we got connected with them to start the whole thing going.

You Have To Start Somewhere--And You Already Know How

We already have all of the tools that we need to do this. And we've mastered them.

This may seem simple. It is.

1. Who might need information that you have? Who might have information that you need?

Start with a single connection outside of your group.

2. Watch this magic. My fingers will never leave my hands.

Least threatening: send an email giving or asking for something mutually relevant.

Caution: You need to invest energy in the tone of the email so the intent isn't misunderstood.

3. Call the person on the phone.

How quaint. We can't go to the supermarket or the gym without being "in touch"--why not give the same consideration to a colleague in another silo? Who knows, you might start a good working relationship  that leads to some good results. Maybe you'll be known as "the person who built doors into the silos with only a telephone and an inner-office directory."

Upside: You communicate and hear nuance and tone in real time. You can adjust accordingly.

Caution: You might discover that you like working with Phyllis in Accounting, despite what Paul in Purchasing thinks of her.

4. Drum roll, please: Face-to-Face conversation.

Look how short the connecting line is here. The reason is simple: being with someone shortens the communication distance and boosts the chances for understanding. Or at worst, an amiable understanding about where the different approaches in a project might be. Which then leads to more conversation about how to unify or integrate those.

Increased caution: You might not only like working with Phyllis in Accounting, you might actually like her.

Your challenge

If you're in a place that values hierarchy and silos to the exclusion of working relationships across the organization, you already know it.

What to do?

Someone has to go first. Really. It's like dating. You may be afraid of rejection but one thing is for sure: if you don't reach out, you will spend Friday evening in the comfort of your living room silo watching re-runs and eating nachos.

Silos create re-reruns. How?

Since they are focused inward, the same scenarios get played out day after day. There can't be much of anything new.  Nothing changes except the intensity of wishing that "somehow things were better."

I understand the reality of large organizations very well. I've worked in them, consult to them, and I've left some (in both capacities) because it was so difficult to reach out to the right person to get something done.

But I never changed my situation by accepting it. And I suggest the same for you.

Everyone talks about leadership and personal leadership. This is one area where you have the ability to start something different and lead.

If you find out that it's so dangerous that your employment is in jeopardy, you are still one-up on the person who tells you that your employment is in jeopardy.

How?

You've made new connections. Who knows where that might take you if you decide to leave the silo for a new haystack.

What Do You Think?

Give a shout-out with your own suggestions or your favorite silo/connector stories. You can bet that there is someone needing encouragement or a new idea right now.

See what three other managerial mavens have to say about leadership, management, and business issues. Visit Jim at Managing Leadership, Shane at Zoomstart, and Wally at Three Star Leadership. You can benefit from their experience and their thinking by tracking their comments throughout the series. Many thanks!

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Can You Make the Complex Simple? Part III

Silos: Where the Aura of Simplicity Masks a Lie

Every one of us who is an organizational animal knows about organizational silos.

Wikipedia has a useful explanation for those wanting to re-visit the concept:

The expression is typically applied to management systems where the focus is inward and information communication is vertical. Critics of silos contend that managers serve as information gatekeepers, making timely coordination and communication among departments difficult to achieve, and seamless interoperability with external parties impractical.

Therefore, the more desirable approach must be to reach out and stay connected across the organization.

So why is "breaking down silos" still a hot topic after:

1. Years of familiarity with the problem and its negative effects

2. Buying books, reading articles, and attending seminars on the evils of silos and what to do differently

3. Understanding what to do differently but not doing it

I'll tell you why.

Silos Exposed! (Right Here on All Things Workplace)

Silos look simple. And they are easy to manage.

You group similar tasks into nice functional groups, slap a label on each, and keep people together who do the same kind of work and have similar professional backgrounds and interests.

On the surface it makes sense.

Underneath the surface it can get ugly.

Why?

1. When like-minded people huddle together, separated from others, we start to become "right" about things. Then we become "righteous." And then, "self-righteous."

2. Separation vs. Connection produces "us" vs. "them." Forget that "them" folks are working for the same organization.

3. Companies are all about information. So is power.

Here's how it goes:

If I give you my information I give you some of my power. If I tell you what I'm thinking about Project X then I lose my element of surprise at the next meeting. Who knows, maybe you (you IT/HR/Sales weasel!) will incorporate part of my thinking into yours. You're ahead of me on the meeting agenda. People will think that you are brilliant. And then you will be prepared to ask me difficult questions when I stand up. I'll look like a jerk. You'll look even more brilliant.

See, I knew I couldn't trust you people from IT/HR/Sales.

It's sooo much simpler if I don't talk with you to begin with. Besides, I had my people talk with more of my people and we know I'm right.

Does any of this ring true in your organization? Please check in with your personal take or even a real-life example. (Unless, of course, you don't want me to have the information-power-and potential weasel status).

For a really good look at office politics and power, read this at Slow Leadership.

Tomorrow, Part IV: Making the Simple Complex

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Can You Make The Complex Simple? Part II

(With thanks to Wally Bock for the perfect quote for this post).

If Einstein was into simple, then why aren't we?

Whether you're an entrepreneur, coach/consultant, or someone slugging it out every day in corporate life, you know how complex things can become. But why?

3 Reasons Things Become Complex
When They Don't Have To Be

1. Complexity can be the result of no clarity. When nothing is number one, everything becomes number one--all at once.

2. Many people view complex explanations and business presentations as indicative of superior intelligence.

I've not seen that proven to be true. Instead, they are often indicative of lack of focus and preparation, or an attempt to overwhelm the listener(s) into thinking that what is being said can't really be understood by the uninitiated; therefore, the speaker should be granted carte blanche to proceed with the  proposal or  project, whatever it is.

Note: From now on this should raise a red flag for you. Why? Because you are about to learn

Roesler Rule of Life #27:

Truth comes in sentences.

B_ llS_it comes in paragraphs.

3. We are bombarded with so much new information and imagery that our senses are overwhelmed . Our immediate reaction is:

    a. Trying to make sense of all of it in the midst of what we've already begun to do for the day.

    b. Multitasking to deal with all of it.

Einstein Gave Us The Answer To This One, Too.
And The Answer Is You and Me.

One of the principles within the Theory of Relativity is this:

"It is impossible to detect the motion of a system by measurements made within the system."

(What a great sales line for coaches and consultants!)

As individuals, we can't sort out our blind spots from within. We need a relationship with someone who will tell us the truth, give us another perspective, and with whom we are accountable to follow through.

It's an issue of honesty.

Corporations have an even more difficult time. Systems, procedures, and programs built from within are understandably (given human nature) protected and defended by those who are attached to them. Yet the only way to clearly see the reality of a situation is to have someone stand up and tell the truth about it, good or bad. That can be a career-limiting opportunity for the keen observer. Yet to make changes that mean something, successful companies will have to promote that kind of candor or shrivel and die.

It's an issue of honesty.

With ourselves and our companies, the only thing we can decide is what we will do, personally:

Will we speak the simple truth, ask for the simple truth, or claim that our lives are so complex that we can't know the truth?

And then lament the fact that nothing has changed.

3 Ways To Help Make the Complex Simple

1. Before you start the day, answer this question:

"If I can only have one result today to the exclusion of all else, what must it be?"

Pay attention to that. Let go of the rest.

2. Edit your professional language--in length as well as terminology--so a 9 year-old can understand it. Then everyone around you will know that you understand it, too.

3. When you catch yourself multi-tasking, see how you are coming along with #1. Then go back to #1.

Finally, pay a visit to Dr. Ellen Weber and Drew McLellan who ask a very good question: Are you confident enough to be simple?"

What kind of simple vs. complex examples are you seeing that we can learn from? Weigh in by clicking on "Comments."

And...

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Can You Make the Complex Simple? Part I

What Do You Need to Eliminate?

I used to have a grand office setting on a major highway that served the NY/NJ/PA tri-state area. The thought was that our clients would appreciate a private place for coaching and training sessions.

I was wrong. After 4 years and about $200,000 in extra overhead flowing out of the checkbook, one of my independent contractors asked, "Why are you spending all of this money? We have laptops, cell phones, and plenty of coffee shops where we can meet. And 90% of the time we're at a client location."

He was right.

So I called some of our biggest, long-time clients who had used the office and asked what they thought.

The answer:

"Gee, we wondered why you were spending all of that money on office space. We're perfectly happy to use our meeting rooms. And no, we don't care if you have a big office. We just care about your service and the results."

The New View from the CEO's Office and What I Learned

My office partner on the right doesn't add much to the conversation but does provide some peaceful inspiration. And she doesn't walk away with my coffee cup, either. (The Pansies and Zinnia are another story).

What I Think I Learned:

1. The complexity of the big office was my need (want) and subtracted, rather than added to the business.

Why?

I spent as much time managing the details and finances of the facility as I did gaining and servicing clients.

2. Even though the decision to get the office was mine, I could have asked my clients what they thought. The answer would have saved 6 figures and simplified my existence. And it would have been one more conversation that brought us closer together in the business relationship.

3. Conventional wisdom isn't.

After many years in business with the "office building" model, the model had changed. It no longer involved the complexity of physical facilities. It was now the Woody Allen model: "90% of success is just showing up." Being in an office wasn't "showing up."

4. Simplicity and peacefulness, not complexity and busy-ness, are indicators that you're doing the right thing.

There's a difference between business and busy-ness. But the second can make you think you're doing the first.

What have you learned about complexity and simplicity that can add to someone's well-being? As always, the door is wide open by clicking on the Comments box below.

And after your boss walks by and out of sight, have a look at Eduardo's thoughts.

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