Stephen H Baum Leadership

I am going to address two different kinds of questions in this posting. 

First, the AMA Webcast Q&A included several questions on a personal growth program, for example, “If a formal leadership advancement program is not available in an organization, what do suggest to one who’s interested in management (beside so indicating to your boss)?” 

The text which came with this question leads me to presume that the person asking this question does not have direct reports. So, we’ll focus on what you can do for yourself (vs. with your direct reports). 

We did address this more or less general question “live:” the answer was to take advantage of every opportunity at work to test yourself in leadership positions and to be seen doing this. For example, there are usually task forces or projects that cross department lines. Your organization may “tap” selected individuals for these assignments. If you do get tapped, don’t blow off participation. Make the time. If you hear about such projects, volunteer <If you do have direct reports, design a project to take team performance up a notch and try to engage and inspire them to give it a shot>. 

If your organization’s menu of such growth opportunities is very limited, seek a position in a community activity that offers a leadership role. Or just get inside the tent as a grass roots volunteer and be observant about chances to be an informal leader first. 

Second, there one question I particularly like that demands a more detailed response was: “About leadership fitness, can you describe what the “weights ” look like?  What should your workout be?”

During the webcast, I spoke about shaping experiences, particularly swimming in water over your head (go outside your comfort zone and do something worthwhile to you without a clue how to proceed when you start). This is about confidence to embrace calculated risk. It is one of the most frequent reasons otherwise potentially great leaders truncate their growth. So test yourself (in incrementally more challenging situations). 

Get good on your feet. If you shy away from speaking, look in the mirror and find out why. Then seek opportunities to speak with multiple people present. Read “Words that Work” by Frank Luntz so you focus on what ppeople hear. Read books on neuromarketing by Christophe Morin to understand what registers when people hear you. Read Gordon Bethune’s book on the turnaround of Continental Airlines and get a sense of how he engages and inspires others. Take some on-line assessments to improve your communications skills and understand what drives your behaviors: Meyers-Briggs, Emotional Intelligence,

Take your critical thinking up a notch with exercises and readings in critical thinking, challenging your assumptions and analogies, improving your memory and working logic problems with greater speed. Read Dick Neustadt’s book “Thinking in Time” to learn about flawed analogies.  Lots more suggestions are at the end of Chapter 6 in my book, including the notion of improving your “crap detector (how you evaluate input from various people).”  Coming soon: in a few weeks, I will also be putting on the site several links to my favorite resources.  

Finally, I cannot overemphasize the importance of character and authenticity as key traits. It is downright depressing to see so many leaders in the news who make poor moral choices. And this is a trait that, with a modicum of good intent, can be further developed. Start with readings and workshops on business ethics. Read Stephen M.R. Covey’s “Speed of Trust.”

As always, let me know what works for you and what does not. Every case is different but there is always learning for me and for the community who aspire to be extraordinary.

Questions remaining to be addressed in future blog postings: making the transition from subject matter expert (e.g., scientist) to leader, issues affecting women, how extraordinary leaders do so much so well and some specific questions like managing long distance. Stay tuned.