I received my copy of Jeremie Kubicek’s book “Leadership is dead: How influence is reviving it,” free from his publicist. Let me first say that the book never fully delivers on its catchy title. While I believe that leadership might be unwell, it is certainly not dead. And while I love how Jeremie describes influence, it’s impossible to show that influence is reviving leadership because influence has been and will always be the heart of leadership.

I’m going to recommend this book because I love the message, but I have to tell you honestly that I did not enjoy reading it. I’ve heard this message before, so I found it distracting that the author never credited sources that have previously written similar things. For example, his first two of seven actions to make leadership come alive are 1) give trust to become trustworthy, and 2) be credible. James Kouzes and Barry Posner emphasized the importance of trust and credibility a long time ago.

The core of Jeremie’s message can be summed up in his list of attributes that define a true influence leader (p. 77):

• leads with vision
• leads from the head and the heart
• practices humility and service to others (let’s go of status and self-preservation)
• influences rather than pushes or demands
• invests in the success of others first
• rises above unethical practices, pressure, and petty politics
• attracts a diverse and dedicated team of future leaders
• delivers more than expected
• wields the tools of forgiveness, gratitude, and laughter
• reaches out to make the last first

Jeremie goes on to say:

Leadership is influence. Influence is power. How that power is used comes from the intent of the leader, from the motives of the heart (p.78).

I love that message, even though it’s very familiar to me and many others. If this message is either new to you or you’re not entirely sold on it, then you will be very well served to get your hands on this book and consider it very carefully.  If you’ve seen it before and are already sold, then you should probably save your money.

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In their 2010 book entitled “The Truth about Leadership,” James Kouzes and Barry Posner assert that credibility is the foundation of leadership. Credibility “means that you must be so clear about your beliefs that you put them into practice every day.” (p. 28)

That is a high but very appropriate standard. Later in the book they state that trust rules credibility. They sum up the value of trust nicely:

Getting people to work together begins with building mutual trust. Before asking for trust from others, you must demonstrate your own trust in them. That means taking the risk of disclosing what you stand for, value, want, hope for, and are willing and unwilling to do. You also have to be predictable and consistent in your actions; forthright, candid, and clear in your communications; and serious about your promises…There is nothing more destructive to trust than deceit, and nothing more constructive than candor. (p. 89).

These claims are supported by high quality empirical research published in leading peer-reviewed journals. When I teach organizational behavior to my MBA students at the University of Nevada, Reno, I drive home the point that few things are more important to their success as leaders than the ability to develop, maintain, and leverage trust with their employees, peers, bosses, suppliers, and customers. Trust is huge.

On Tuesday, May 24, 2001 at 8 pm EDT (5 pm Reno time!), I will be the guest host on Lolly Daskal’s #leadfromwithin Leadership Chat on Twitter. Our topic will be trust. I’ve given Lolly 10 questions to present to the chat participants that deal with various aspects of trust, and I will try to focus on trust in the workplace. We will discuss what trust is, why it matters, how it develops, how it is destroyed, how it is repaired when broken, how we can help our leaders be more trustworthy, and how we can better trust ourselves.

If you’d like to participate but are not sure how, here is a nice YouTube video by Torrey McGraw that describes three ways to participate in a twitter chat.

I hope you will join Lolly Daskal, me, and the rest of the #leadfromwithin community tomorrow night to talk about trust! Lolly does an amazing job with this – I bet you will be as impressed with her as I am.

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I’ve reached the point in my MBA class in Organizational Behavior where we are covering theories and philosophies of leadership. One of the concepts presented in the text we use is called authentic leadership. I’ve been aware of the concept for several years, but because I never really paid much attention to it, I realized yesterday that I did not understand it well enough to explain it to others.

I searched the highest quality peer-reviewed management journals for the most recent article on authentic leadership. I wanted to know 1) how is it defined, 2) how is it measured, and 3) where does it fit in the nomological network.  I found a 2008 article published in the Journal of Management entitled “Authentic Leadership: Development and Validation of a Theory-Based Measure,” by Fred Walumbwa and 4 other co-authors.

Here is how they define authentic leadership:

A pattern of leader behavior that draws upon and promotes both positive psychological capacities and a positive ethical climate, to foster greater self-awareness, an internalized moral perspective, balanced processing of information, and relational transparency on the part of leaders working with followers, fostering positive self-development. (p. 94).

Frankly, I think that definition is a mess. It’s too complicated, which makes it impossible for normal folks to remember. In my opinion, that renders it useless as a guide for behavior in the real world.

The scale they developed to measure authentic leadership is better than the definition. For some strange reason, they did not publish the full measure they developed, but they did share these 8 questions that they use to tap self-awareness (1 and 2), relational transparency (3 and 4), internalized moral perspective (5 and 6), and balanced processing (7 and 8). These 8 questions would be asked of the follower to determine the degree to which a leader was seen as authentic:

1.      Seeks feedback to improve interactions with others

2.      Accurately describes how others view his or her capabilities

3.      Says exactly what he or she means

4.      Is willing to admit mistakes when they are made

5.      Demonstrates beliefs that are consistent with actions

6.      Makes decisions based on his/her core beliefs

7.      Solicits views that challenge his or her deeply held positions

8.      Listens carefully to different points of view before coming to conclusions

I like those questions a lot, but the reliability of the subscales were disappointingly marginal (highest was α = .77, low was α = .70). Because it is very difficult to publish a study with a measure that has reliability below .70, it is risky for other researchers to use these measures in their own research; consequently, I don’t anticipate seeing a lot of high quality research on authentic leadership the way it was defined and measured in this study.

The nomological network established in the study was also limited. Authentic leadership was a significant predictor of follower satisfaction, follower job performance, and organization climate. In a separate sample, they found that authentic leadership predicted organizational citizenship behavior, commitment, and satisfaction with the supervisor.

My favorite part of the study was this statement by the authors:

In sum, the proposed view of authentic leadership suggests that authentic leaders show to others that they genuinely desire to understand their own leadership to serve others more effectively. They act in accordance with deep personal values and convictions to build credibility and win the respect and trust of followers. By encouraging diverse viewpoints and building networks of collaborative relationships with followers, they lead in a manner that followers perceive and describe as authentic. (96).

I think any follower that observed that behavior in a leader would simply call that good leadership.

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My Best Leaders: Part I

I think it is smart for bosses to have an equitable, unambiguous system for rewarding consistently effortful and ethically productive employee behavior. Your power to reward behavior stems mainly from your formal authority and position; however, smart bosses learn early that sincere praise and thanks, two very effective rewards, require neither title nor budget.

The use of power afforded by your formal position is both a privilege and a responsibility. The leader’s responsibility to discipline undesirable behavior is an inseparable aspect of the proper use of power.  Yukl (2010) offers the following ten guidelines for using power to maintain discipline at work (p. 160):

1.      Explain rules and requirements, and ensure that people understand the serious consequences of violations

2.      Respond to infractions promptly and consistently without showing any favoritism to particular individuals

3.      Investigate to get the facts before using reprimands or punishment, and avoid jumping to conclusions or making hasty accusations

4.      Except for the most serious infractions, provide sufficient oral and written warnings before resorting to punishment.

5.      Administer warnings and reprimands in private, and avoid making rash threats

6.      Stay calm and avoid the appearance of hostility or personal rejection

7.      Express a sincere desire to help the person comply with role expectations and thereby avoid punishment

8.      Invite the person to suggest ways to correct the problem, and seek agreement on a concret plan

9.      Maintain credibility by administering punishment if noncompliance continues and threats and warnings have been made

10.  Use punishments that are legitimate, fair, and commensurate with the seriousness of the infraction

Discipline is not a dirty word. If you don’t learn to discipline properly when necessary, you simply can’t be an effective boss.

Make sure your list of undesirable behaviors is complete, but as short as possible. Explain why each specific behavior is unacceptable, as well as the procedures (what, when, and how the discipline will be applied) employees can expect for each unacceptable behavior. For example, excessive absenteeism, bullying, and stealing each have different effects on the workplace; therefore, each requires a separate disciplinary approach.

If you fail to discipline when the behavior occurs, you have effectively redefined the behavior from unacceptable to acceptable. Random discipline will undermine the credibility almost every other personnel system (e.g. staffing, scheduling, performance appraisal) you use to operate your business.

Most of your employees will hold themselves accountable for standards far above your boundaries. Expect everyone to behave as adults at work, but be prepared for those that don’t. You do yourself and your employees a tremendous disservice when you fail to address bad behavior in your workplace.

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Power: The Heart Of Leadership

I got my copy of “Be Bodacious: Put Life In Your Leadership,” by Steven D. Wood free of charge from the publicist. When this thin book with a goofy title arrived, I was glad I did not pay for it. To be completely honest, I did not look forward to reading it.

But now I am going to recommend it. I did not love this book, because I prefer evidence-based books on leadership over anecdotes and stories. If you are someone that loves stories more than research, this book could be for you.

Even though I did not like the style, I did love the message – a lot. The message boils down to these six words:

• Be extraordinary
• Be unrestrained
• Be bold

We’ve all heard this message before, but few of us actually live it. Through the stories Steven shares in his book, he reminds us how important it is to doggedly pursue an uncompromising commitment to others by holding ourselves to very high personal standards. It’s impossible to be the leader others need you to be if you live an ordinary, constrained, and timid life.

“Change your future by changing what you do today” (p. 89).

This book would be an especially good read for young people or new leaders, but even the most seasoned among us need to constantly remind ourselves how easy it is to become complacent and comfortable with our own mediocrity. It’s not a new message, but it is an excellent message – one I bodaciously recommend.

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Are You Remarkable?

I am VERY pleased to feature the first of two guest posts by Debra Bachar. I met Debra on Twitter, and I like her thoughts on leadership very much.  She is also one heck of a nice person. Make sure to leave Debra a comment below and to follow her on Twitter!

Here is Debra’s brief bio, followed by her article

Debra Bachar is President of the Blueberry Business Group Ltd, a food industry consulting partnership. She has been advising senior executives since 2000 and produced numerous white papers and training seminars for and on behalf of industry associates. Blueberry Business Group Ltd. is based in Illinois and services clients across the country.

Some interpret a newly-awarded position of leadership as an anointment of power to be extended through their direct reports and into the ranks of the organization. Taking an organization or department from “good” to “great” however, begins with developing a sense of purpose for each employee, not through the balance of power, but through the Balance of Influence.

It may not be easy to discern the difference between the two words. Power is commanding, closely associated with clout and dominance. Given a leader’s ultimate accountability for outcomes, power has a rightful place in management by engaging the minds and bodies of employees by answering the Who, What, Where and When of a particular strategy or task.

Influence, on the other hand, compels action. It inspires, persuades and motivates by answering two additional questions: Why and How. While Power engages the mind and body, Influence engages the heart and spirit. It is an art form intended to win others over to an idea, executed in a particular manner, by sound use of evidence, facts and persuasion. The right and responsibility to influence and to be influenced resides with every employee.

Leaders focused on creating a Balance of Influence can produce an organization kitten-full of purposeful employees. As a leader, are you receptive to being influenced by others around you? Will you occasionally allow yourself to be led by those you lead? How can you help employees develop, contribute, justify and advance their ideas, especially if some are at odds with your own?  This level of involvement from all rungs of your ladder creates and improves buy-in on the company’s direction by enabling everyone to better understand it, defend it or suggest alternatives with passion and purpose.

Management offices and conference rooms should be creative centers where productive rounds of respectful disagreement and inquiry occur to motivate progress and ultimately, achieve alignment. So, in the spirit of influence and persuasion, let me put my rubber to the road: Here is the Why and How to create Balance of Influence in your organization:

Why:

• The sieve through which information, opinions and ideas pass on their way to the leader must be eliminated to extract meaningful and purposeful contributions from every employee. CEOs claim to want this transparency; most are not sure how to get it.
• The top cat’s lofty position inhibits his or her direct participation in employee skill development. Supplementing your open-door policy and extending the boundaries for submitting new ideas by asking “why” and “how” questions promotes solid rational to flourish from initiation through execution.
• Providing all employees an opportunity to influence creates employee value that extends beyond job descriptions.  Executives develop a strong offense and ready defense for critical decisions or ideas. There’s nothing like the passion of a team aware and absorbed in their purpose!
• Customer data is almost always the most influential “why” a strategy or task is undertaken or altered. Managers must tap deeply into the perspectives of those who experience the customer first hand.
• Reinforcing the Balance of Influence culture will help prevent power overrun that can damage morale and suppress innovation.
• Input from the organizational trenches where implementation occurs transforms the “how” into flawless and timely execution.

How

• Imbed the Balance of Influence throughout your organization, from recruitment to onboarding and throughout each employee’s tenure. Make it a part of the employee handbook and work it into the company’s mission statement.
• Write the company’s “open door policy” policy, then publish it. Make sure employees understand the ground rules for positive and productive debate. Most of all, make sure you and your managers do.
• Make communicating with higher ups comfortable by removing any element of intimidation. Get out from behind that big desk. Turn off your IPhone. Ask your guest to do the same. Maintain eye contact. Keep an open physical stance. Listen, make inquiries, then listen some more. Lavish praise for coming forward. (Obvious? Of course, but you’d be surprised at how rarely these features are simultaneously in play during Influence sessions.)
• Cultivate trust and ease before inserting a qualified “but” in the ideation volley.  Then, be willing to set aside alignment in favor of healthy debate in a rewarding, sportsman-like manner.
• Probe by taking the “why” and “how” path of questioning when listening to perspectives that differ from your own.  Do not accept perfunctory answers and be alert to lack of clarity or general ideas that seem to have little foundation in rational. Resist “idea dumping”; do not allow an employee to cut and run without supporting it.
• Practice what you seek to instill by incorporating solid “why” and “how” rational into every decision, whether they be go-to-market strategies or summer hours. Leave no employee to wonder about the validity of your mission, strategy, task or policy. By the same token, do not allow them to leave you wondering the same about theirs.

No doubt about it, the Balance of Influence is an art form to be practiced and perfected by everyone, starting with leaders and developed in every employee. When integrated into an organization’s culture, the results are an energetic, passionate and sportsman-like environment abundant in free-flowing exchange and creative sparring. Do it and watch your company succeed, financially and beyond. And that’s a powerful feeling shared by all.

Thanks, Debra! Bret

Angie Chaplin, a certified facilitator for The Leadership Challenge, is back to discuss the first of The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership – Model the Way.

Angie discusses that in order to model the way as a leader, you need to have personal credibility. To have personal credibility, you must DWYSYWD – Do What You Say You Will Do.  Angie gives a great example of this in the video.

But you also need to have leadership credibility, and to get that you must DWWSWWD – Do What We Say We Will Do.  As I have discussed before, in my mind leadership credibility means integrity.

Please take the time to watch Angie’s video and leave her a comment here!  And stay tuned, Angie will be back sometime soon to discuss the next practice of exemplary leadership, inspiring a shared vision.

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This is the last video I made the morning of my recent visit to Lake Tahoe.  Here is second way I love to think about leadership:

Others also talk about leadership as a relationship (e.g. Kouzes and Posner) but I just happened to get this specific definition from a text by Richard Daft.  In this video I only focus on the relationship aspect of this concept, and in four minutes I barely scratch the surface of how important relationship is to leadership.  If I left anything out – and I’m sure that I did – please share your thoughts about the importance of relationship to leadership at the end of this post.

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Communicating Concerns About Performance: Follow-up! from Bret Simmons on Vimeo.

This is my fifth and probably final video message in this series. If you’ve had a good conversation about behavior or performance with your employee, understood why they are doing the things they are doing, partnered with them to help improve the performance, and documented your conversation and shared your commitment, then you MUST follow-up on all of this to ensure success.

Follow-up first to make sure you do the things you told the employee you were going to do to help them improve their performance. Holding yourself accountable is the foundation for holding others accountable.

Follow-up next with the employee when and how you agreed to follow-up to make sure they are making progress on improving the performance. If you don’t follow-up, you will send the message that it really doesn’t matter. Good follow-up also gives you the opportunity to once again demonstrate that you are transparent and fair in the way you deal with people.

If the behavioral change is successful, celebrate! Not only have you helped an employee, but you have also shown them a process that they can use to help others as they progress in their career.

If the behavior does not improve and you end up having to terminate the employee, it’s very important how you get to that point. Never forget that when that employee leaves, the employees that remain need to believe that you are fair and that you care.

As always, your comments are welcome and appreciated!

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In this fourth video in my series on communicating concerns about performance, I talk about the importance of documentation.  If you are serious about improving employee performance, documentation of the conversations you have about behavior are critical.

The documentation process helps communicate to employees that you really do care, and because you do, you are serious about helping them change and improve. You don’t do yourself or your employee any favor by not keeping a record of these critical conversations about performance.

The documentation process also gives you the opportunity to reinforce that you intend to be transparent and fair in your treatment of the employee. At the end of your conversation about performance, tell the employee that you are going to go away and document the conversation, and that you will share that documentation with them. Invite them to make sure the documentation accurately reflects what you talked about and agreed to. If your intention is truly to help the employee, and they know it, then this process should be facilitating and not threatening.

I was thinking this might be my last video in this series, but I can think of at least one other topic that I need to cover – follow-up.  Is there anything else you would like to know that I have not covered?  Do you have any other suggestions for improvement?

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How Do You Communicate Concerns About Performance or Behavior to Your Employees?