The Self-Awareness Lens is the one most often lost or buried in the bottom of the leader’s bag. Leaders see the word “self-awareness” and they back off as though the word itself might cause them to lose their ability to control the world around them. Yet, self-aware leaders hold the keys to the castle. Leaders from CEO Glenn Senk of Urban Outfitters to Alysa Miller CEO of Public Radio International advised University of Chicago Booth School of Business MBA students to “be self-aware by seeking as many varied experiences as possible, developing emotional intelligence and using good listening skills” as it provides a competitive edge. Leaders who are self-aware know what they treasure and hold dear, they understand how to create the right path by tapping into their wisdom, and they are fearless.

On the other hand, the experience of getting to really know oneself, and one’s personal power, can be unsettling. When leaders focus attention on themselves they may end up evaluating and comparing their current behavior to their internal standards and values, or worse still to those of others. They become self-conscious and may end up over-criticizing themselves and losing confidence. Read More

Interpersonal communication is the exchange that takes place between people who are in some way “connected.” Through the words, tone of voice and non-verbal behaviors of others, leaders can learn how to connect with the full messages sent by others and decode those messages down to the nuance. By looking through the Interpersonal Lens, leaders see things that are often missed by those who are disinclined to develop a real connection with other people. Effective

Interpersonal Lens use allows leader the space to test their understanding of the verbal and written messages they receive. By tuning into the cues and clues sent by the other person, the leader gains insights into who they are and what they need. This information helps leaders adapt their leadership style and their communication methods to better fit with the preferences of the other person and in so doing stands a better chance of relating. The primary tool associated with the Interpersonal Lens is appreciative inquiry, a sophisticated listening and questioning practice of remaining “in the moment” with the communicator to gather accurate information and increase new understanding. Read More

The “Change” Lens makes it possible for leaders to zoom in and out to see the complexity of change situations, the degree and pace of change that an organization can tolerate and the most effective methods to align people, communications and other resources to implement successful change. Leaders who are facile in the use of the Change Lens recognize that change is about “change” and it is about “transition”.

What? Sound redundant? Maybe not. Change is about a move to a new office building or a change in working hours. It is about the resignation of your mentor or the mandate to use new technology to perform your work. It is the switch from one group health plan to another, the addition of a major account to your workload, and the new company acquired by your employer. It does not matter if you create a change situation, are asked to lead a change situation created by another, or are the recipient of a change situation. Whatever the circumstance, wearing the Change Lens can help you identify the most effective methods to align yourself and others with the desired outcomes.

As a leader, use the Change Lens to help others navigate change: (source: Harvard Business Review. Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail, John P. Kotter, January, 2007.)

• Develop a clear rationale for the nature and timing of the change
• Build momentum by sharing background information about what will happen if the change is not realized
• Mobilize efforts through the work of a guiding coalition
• Communicate expectations, benefits and tradeoffs and send aligned messages about the future that is being created
• Cast a wide net to find the early adopters and give them room to run; build momentum with quick successes and integrate new practices where appropriate
• Combine successes to create a critical mass of support

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The starting point for leaders to ensure tight connections between strategy, organization and talent is learning how to use the Shockproof Lenses. These lenses provide a kind of super-sensing capability that makes it possible to keep the critical connections among strategy, organization and talent in place. We looked at The Systems Lens  in our last blog entry. Today we take a closer look at The Value Lens.

The “Value” Lens makes it possible for leaders to see, prioritize and act on the real, underlying and primary sources of value; leaders are able to use their understanding of business strategy to defeat the “tyranny of the urgent” and focus instead on those things that are most important to creating long-term value. Read More

If aligning strategy, organization and talent will deliver lasting results, then it makes sense to get on with the job of figuring out how to best link them together, right? Finalize a well thought through strategy, design an organization that supports the realization of that strategy and fill out the structure with the very best people. Done. Finis. Run the credits. There’s only one problem.

Changing business conditions creep up unexpectedly just like new opportunities peek enticingly around the corner. It doesn’t matter if these changes make you sweat or swoon. When change occurs, even the tightest connections among strategy, organization and talent may bend or break. It becomes the role of leaders to take action to ensure effective recalibration.

When leaders see what has come undone and then act to create or sustain the linkages, Shockproof Leadership is in play. Only leaders can align strategy, organization and talent. Understandably, some leaders end up sitting on the sidelines, feeling overwhelmed by change and complexity, wishing someone else would put the linkages back in place. But most leaders recognize the special role they play in helping people navigate complexity and pull together toward shared goals and meaningful results. Read More