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The Leadership Advisor
"Helping Leaders Develop Leaders"
October 2009 - Volume 4 Edition 9
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"I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught." ~ Winston Churchill

"If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write things worth reading or do things worth writing about." ~ Benjamin Franklin

"If you were another person, would you like to be a friend of yours?"~ Something Pondered

"The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their field of endeavor." ~ Vince Lombardi

"The best way to cope with change is to help create it" ~ Seen on Mr. Anderson's classroom wall

Shaking Hands
As the leader, the people I lead should adapt to my leadership style.

By Phil Eastman

Leadership is a glorious burden! Of course saying that does not diminish the fact that it is also very rewarding. The bottom line is that leading people well is a burden that persistently nags a conscientious leader. Leaders who take their responsibility seriously know that they are being observed in a much different way than the other team members. Great leaders feel the responsibility of making good decisions so the team and organization will prosper. The best leaders take their role seriously, but not themselves.

Leaders like those described above have overcome the myth that, as the leader, the people I lead should adapt to my leadership style. This myth easily ensnares a leader because they may believe that their position offers them the privilege to lead in ways that fit their leadership style. Even though followers intuitively understand the style of their leader, the real challenge and responsibility for adaptation belongs to the leader.

Each of us has a personal style driven by our innate temperament. In our leadership development work, we use the DISCStyles Assessment to provide leaders insight into their personality and their leadership style that rises from it. It is never our goal to change a leader's personality; however, it is our goal to teach them that their approach to leadership is only one of the four major style choices they have at their disposal.

If a leader is self-aware, they will recognize that their style can be a source of frustration to some of their team members. This awareness combined with humility and coaching allows a leader to adapt their style to the needs of the team. Leaders who insist on making others conform to their style will eventually lose respect from some of their team members and will stifle the important connections that are the lifeblood of a leader's relationship to their people.

Like all our myths, the root of this one is found in a partial truth. Historically, leaders attained their position by being expert in the work of the organization often starting at the bottom and working upwards into management and leadership roles. In those times, leaders did in fact possess experience that made them experts in providing direction for the organization. This can still be the case, but more often than not, leaders now rise in organizations, not because of their technical expertise, but because of their leadership ability.

In today's complex organizations, leaders cannot possibly possess the experience and expertise to direct all the activities, so they must rely on teams to accomplish the organization's work. This means casting off the notion that followers should conform to the leader's style and putting on the reality that leadership-style adaptation is the burden of the capable leader.

The challenges faced by great leaders in adapting their style are real. The need to provide leadership in ways that bring out the best in followers is worth the effort. Practicing adaptability makes the leader more valuable to their team and to the organization.

As the leader, the people I lead should adapt to my leadership style, is #8 in a series of leadership myths, Phil is having fun exploring.

Phil Eastman combines more than 25 years of leadership experience with his passion developing leaders, building teams, and enhancing performance.

As an advisor, consultant, teacher and coach Phil works with a growing and diverse group of clients in a variety of industries and countries. His leadership experience and expertise have made him a sought after speaker and advisor to organizations in the United States, Canada, Asia and Australia.

Phil earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Management and Organization from Idaho State University and holds a Master of Arts degree in Theological Studies from Bethel Seminary. He is a graduate of and instructor for the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington. Phil is also a Master Instructor for Prosci's Change Management Learning Center.
Mark
By Lorene Rasmussen

One of the benefits of working where I do is all the dynamic people I get to meet along the way. Even though most of them are clients, I also have the privilege of working alongside remarkable leaders and other consultants throughout my encounters. Of course, three of my favorites (I know I am being prejudiced) are Phil, Karl, and Robert. The four of us make up the Leadership Advisors Group, with each of us bringing our own sense of distinctiveness to the mix.

I have known Phil forever, but met Karl and Robert when I joined the team of leadership warriors in August 2005. Karl's book, The Leader's New Clothes, had been released, and the three of them were in the process of turning it into an interactive workshop that creatively teaches the seven "naked truths" of authentic leadership.

The Leader's New Clothes is a modern day business parable loosely based on the principles taught in Hans Christian Anderson's well-known story, The Emperor's New Clothes. The fictional characters in both stories are colorful leaders who find themselves up against a dilemma where they did not want to ask the obvious question, "Am I naked?" Clearly, in Anderson's story, he was talking about a literal nakedness when the emperor's new royal garb was really only make believe, leaving him unclothed in front of his kingdom.

In the case of Karl's characters, they are not apparel designers stroking a king's ego in order to convince him he is wearing a magnificent invisible garment sewn together with magical thread. Instead, Karl's characters are caught in a much more hideous kind of deception: deception of self.

Most people give lip service to the importance of being an effective, authentic leader, but for various reasons do not always "walk the talk," present company included. Whether it is our own lack of confidence, shortcomings, or just trying to avoid a potential conflict, many of us go about our day ignoring the elephant in the room while tripping over its trunk.

In Karl's parable (just like real life), the characters Mark, Jan, and Hap are faced with leadership pressures of running a company that has dissatisfied customers, declining sales, low employee morale, and a sluggish economy. In order to get things back on track financially, Mark instituted annual layoffs, placed higher demands on employees, and streamlined processes.

As hoped, the company experienced first quarter improvements and was praised for turning things around. Even with the good news, Mark was not satisfied and wanted something more. He was aware that his predecessor failed trying to reach the same goal and knew that the changes, albeit good, were only touching the surface of a deeper problem, leadership. After meeting with "The Team," they all agreed there would need to be some radical changes if they wanted to move forward.

As the reader of The Leader's New Clothes, you are drawn into the boardroom with the characters, encountering uncomfortable conflicts, readjusting expectations, and seeing things in new ways. As "The Team" begins articulating and living what it means to be authentic leaders, not only does ServiceProne continue to prosper, but so do the individuals.

When the story climaxes and comes to a happily- ever-after conclusion, the seven naked truths of leadership become the guidelines from which we all can operate as we continue our leadership journey.

When it comes to authenticity:
  • Perception is all there is.
  • The higher you go in the organization, the more "out of touch" you become.
  • If you are not ready to act - don't ask!
  • Even little things mean a lot.
  • You are what you habitually do.
  • It is a journey, not a destination.

    • This list appears to be daunting and almost unachievable, and in one sense, it is. I guess that is why authentic leadership is more about a journey instead of a destination!

    Even with that said, I have the honor to work with and observe one leader that continues to amaze me. He is a former Marine, who has held the CIO position in both government and private sectors. He is not only "in- touch" with his people on all levels, he is known for releasing employees who are more about their ego and less about the team. He understands the power of one's perception and is not afraid to ask the hard questions. Even though I am not part of his literal team, he leads me by the sidelines with encouragement and support while modeling authentic leadership.

    As I mentioned earlier, I am privileged to work with three of my favorite leaders who embody these seven naked truths. Although not perfect, I know each of them strive daily to be better than they were the day before. If they are not ready to act, they don't ask! They realize we are all on this journey together, and consequently, we will never arrive. They each intuitively understand the power of perception and manage expectations well. They know that little things mean a lot, so they continue to put up with me.

    The Naked Truths of Leadership is #7 in a series of informal book reviews.

    Lorene Rasmussen is the Partner for Business Operations which guides and supports the daily and strategic operations of Leadership Advisors Group. She combines a unique sense of fun and organization to ensure operations run smoothly and that clients receive
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    It is our desire to get The Character of Leadership Model into the hands of 100,000 people.

    There are many ways for you to connect with us:
    1) We have a dedicated website, www.characterofleadership.com that has information about the character of leadership model and a free assessment. I invite you to visit the site and complete the assessment.
    2) You can find our blog by clicking www. characterofleadership.blogspot.com
    3) You can follow us on Twitter @phileastman
    4) Connect on LinkedIn
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    If you are interested in the reading The Character of Leadership: An Ancient Model for a Quantum Age, you will find it at www.characterofleadership.com or on www.amazon.com. We look forward to hearing from you with your comments and feedback.
    Leadership Advisors Group helps clients achieve success through:
    • Competency based and character driven leadership development.
    • Comprehensive, flexible, and focused strategic plans.
    • Results oriented change management.

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    Phil Eastman & Lorene Rasmussen
    Leadership Advisors Group

    phone: (208) 344-0471
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