Stephen H Baum Leadership

One of my private client CEOs is a former highly successful litigating attorney. He is brilliant, passionate, committed to his enterprise and has the good purpose of the enterprise at heart. Yet he has experienced significant problems engaging and inspiring others to follow his leadership. To stimulate his thinking, this piece was presented to him for his private percolation.

Consider the world class litigator. How much of his experience may be characterized as follows?

1. The courtroom is theater

2. He controls the room and the pace

3. The audience is with 12 strangers in a box

4. Communication is one -way and relies on persuasion

5. He cannot know the expectations and motivations of the audience

5. When communication is not one way it is an interrogation

6. He rarely asks a question to which he does not already know the answer

7. The interrogation is about building the record, not a normal conversation with give and take in the context of a long term relationship

8. He is often smarter than anyone in the room, thinking several steps ahead so he can manipulate the direction

9. He presents the closing statement

10. His motivation for high performance is his own reputation and the fate of his client (not usually an organization or the common good)

*                        *                        *                        *                        *

Should we then be surprised if these areas for self-improvement apply to a litigator now leading an organization as CEO[1]:

1. Thinking ahead of time about  the desired state of mind you want in others afterward

2. Deciding ahead of time who could play what role in the meeting so you don’t have to do all the leading, heavy lifting (who is your “Go-To[2]“?)

3. Speaking your view last, speaking less

4. Listening actively:

– Ask for other’s input as a conversation (what is their view? why? what do they assume or believe? what did they hear you say? what do they think of your view? why?)

– Demonstrate he values the process and the input

5. Considering the participants: are they understanding? are we moving too slowly or too fast in the conversation?

6. Enlisting someone else to make the closing statement (what did we decide? who will do what in follow up? when will we inform each other about progress and results? when will we meet again?)

7. Obtaining feedback on your leadership, direct if possible, indirect from people whose objectivity and purpose you trust.

*                        *                        *                        *                        *

How can the litigator as CEO make progress on the above? Consider these mechanics or techniques:

1. Make a personal commitment to specific improvement by a certain date. Express that commitment to a colleague who can provide caring feedback.

2. Use private techniques (get a sweep-second hand timer or equivalent and look at it periodically when speaking). No one can comfortably listen actively to a monologue more than one minute or so or with more than two or three points. In group meetings, get someone close to you to give you a signal when you are over-speaking. Take a bio break during a long meeting and ask.

3. Before each 121 or group meeting, take 2 minutes to define the desired state of mind you want in others afterward. Ask yourself who could play what role in the meeting so you don’t have to do all the leading, heavy lifting

4. Keep a diary with really short entries (thoughts before meeting, thoughts after meeting)

5. Ask yourself these questions frequently:

– if my name appeared on their call-screening, would they want to answer it?

– do I need to control this myself at a detailed level? is there another way or person to do this?

6. Increase the number of moments when you ask a question or make a request that invites comments (e.g.,  please say more)

7. Build on what others have just said to the extent that it is credible

8. Try waiting for others to make your point and note who does more often.

9. Develop a “listening system” of a few people[3] who will answer the question “What does Joe need to hear that no one will tell him?” and who

*                  *                 *                 *

You have succeeded by virtue of your commitment, intelligence, persistence and passion for the enterprise. None of the above is meant to diminish your application of those traits and abilities to the goals.

This note was intended, as I said, to stimulate a look in the mirror with suggestions for practical ways to make progress toward better leadership.

That’s my view. What’s yours?