By Kevin Meyer
Regular readers know I have a strange habit of flying off to Hawaii on just a couple hours notice when I feel the need to clear the mind and refocus on what's important. That happened again last week, and here I am getting ready to head home energized to make a difference. Again. Perhaps one of these days I'll realize that I should just stay over here instead of making a crazy trip three or four times a year. Believe me it has crossed my mind. There's just something about the tranquility and stark beauty of the Big Island's Kohala coast that seems to cure every ill.
On my way over here I came across a tweet from our friend Matthew May regarding his new article on Open Forum, How to Lead Without a Title. Perfect timing for my recalibration and rejuvenation trip as the book he discusses, Robin Sharma's The Leader Who Had No Title, also talks about the need to go back to the basics of leadership. The concept has been gnawing at me the last few days, but in a good way.
A couple of key takeaways for those of us who always seem to be juggling too many balls:
Focus on five. “Over the past number of years I have studied the traits of people most consider geniuses. One of the things geniuses do is to develop an obsessive focus around a few things. Most businesspeople try to be all things to all people and as a result end up as members of the cult of mediocrity. The essence of mastery is being obsessively great around about five things.
“So, articulate the five things that need to happen between now and the last day of your career to feel you led a world-class career. Then every day, focus first on those five things. Small daily improvements over time lead to stunning results.”
I won't bias your own analysis by telling you mine – of course I can't because I haven't sorted mine out yet. It's an interesting exercise.
Keep thinking. “Work on the way you think about things, your mental outlook, your mindset. Exercise your mind like you do your body. Every outer result is a reflection of the way you are thinking and perceiving a situation.”
I know many of us do that, but consciously? Several months ago I took my first yoga class and have since dived into it with a passion wondering why I didn't try it a couple decades earlier. Although I've always exercised regularly, yoga taught me how to really become at one with my body – to truly understand the mind-clearing power of breathing, feeling each extremity, and sensing what was happening to and around me. We need to do the same with our minds – truly being conscious of how and why and what we're thinking, and challenging those precepts.
The other concepts deal with leading people as people and as a person, and challenging them to also be good leaders. Many of us in the lean world understand the power of people, the oft-forgotten second pillar of lean.
Think about it: what would your company look like if everyone shows leadership in everything that they do? What if every day everyone comes in looking to innovate, to wow customers, and leave everyone they meet better than they found them?”
Once again, people as an asset, not a cost. It requires changing our thinking, our traditional perception, and exercising real leadership. It can be done.
I'll leave you with one memory – a photo of dinner at sunset last night. Take the time to refocus, to rejuvenate.
david foster says
One of the things that can help in leading without formal authority is for the individual to have measurable accountability, and for that accountability to be known throughout the organization. for example, if a product manager has actual revenue/profit responsibility for his product line, he will have much more moral authority in dealing with engineers, manufacturing people, salespeople, etc, than if he does not..in which case he will likely be perceived as just another staff guy with no skin in the game.
Lost in the Northeast says
Easy to say, difficult to do. First define what you mean by “leading.” Next, make sure you are not actually undermining those who have the authority.
To the comment by David Foster: assigning accountability without authority does not give that person moral authority, it just sets them up for failure. Authority and accountability must go hand-in-hand and are the essence of empowerment.
Jason M says
“Regular readers know I have a strange habit of flying off to Hawaii on just a couple hours notice…”
Wow, you must have a very understanding wife AND no small children at home.
Kevin Meyer says
Jason – you got it. It’s rather funny… all my wife’s female friends ask her if something is wrong with us, and all my male friends want to know the secret of how I’m able to do it. Vive la difference!
david foster says
Lost in Northeast…it is not possible to design an organizations structure in which clear actual authority is given to individuals to handle any opportunity or problem whatsoever. A classical example is product managers matrixed across a functional organization. The product manager does not have authority to hire and fire the executives in charge of engineering, manufacturing, sales, etc..indeed, he probably has a title and organizational position less lofty than theirs…but he is dependent on them for the success of his product line.
Roy Waterhouse says
To plan a career around 5 things is brilliant. Many times I and people around me are trying to become OK at too many things and not great at a fewer number of things. The power of focus is something lost on too many people. Wonderful post.
Jim Fernandez says
I really like the “focus on five” concept. Thank you for that.
Regular ‘friends’ know I have a strange habit of flying off to ‘the sidewalk to take a walk’ on just a couple ‘minutes’ notice when I feel the need to clear the mind and refocus on what’s important.
Harold says
Authority and accountability typically accompany a title so in this case I believe what Kevin is driving at is that anyone should be able to be a leader, regardless of title or position within the company. In my humble opinion I believe that this is totally possible as natural leaders rise to the surface all the time. These are the people with no power but who can get people motivated and moving through their actions, behavior, words, etc. Leading is a skill and like any skill can be improved with practice and focus.
I love the “focus on five” concept by the way. Thanks for sharing.