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Navigating the Territory: Good Ideas for Leading in Complex Environments
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Volume 2, Number 4
May, 2010
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 Greetings! In this issue of Navigating the Territory: Good Ideas for Leading in Complex Environments, we focus on breakthrough as a theme. If leadership is "the activity of mobilizing people to work toward a desired future that not only meets people's needs but elevates them" (my definition of leadership), then being able to create breakthroughs is an important leadership capacity. The first article describes several examples of potential breakthroughs and asks you to think about what characterizes each. Then situations that call for a breakthrough are suggested: Do any of those look familiar? And there are several powerful questions that help people focus on creating a breakthrough. And finally, there is an update on the pilot running of the Team Survival Intensive at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center.
For back issues of this newsletter, you can find them in the archives:
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs076/1102561682356/archive/1102700377250.html
Thanks for your interest and support.
Deborah
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Showcasing a Breakthrough: The {iBracket} by Gravity Switch and Other Potential Breakthroughs
| by Deborah Reidy
| Whenever I think of the word "breakthrough," my mind glazes over. It's one of those buzzwords that seems to be inherently desirable ("We need a breakthrough!") yet meaningless. What actually is a breakthrough? My colleague Dave Flanigan has shared this definition of breakthrough:
"Something that would not
have happened on its own and will never go back to the way things were." That still leaves me struggling to understand what a breakthrough actually is.
In order to better understand what is clearly an important part of the work of leadership, I've tried to pay attention to examples of things that might be breakthroughs to see if common characteristics emerge. Recently, the company that designed my website, Gravity Switch, came out with a new product called an {iBracket}, a bracket to hang a custom iPad application in a secure way. With their permission, I am reprinting the article describing the {iBracket} and its development.
"What is a touchscreen kiosk?
You may have seen a computer kiosk at a science museum or an art gallery. If you were shopping for a Honda Odyssey in 1999 you may have seen the kiosks that Gravity Switch programmed for Honda's showrooms that let you customize your vehicle (e.g. color, options) and print out a spec sheet.
So what's an {iBracket}?
Flash forward 11 years. iBracket is a mounting bracket that Gravity Switch designed and is now selling to hang your custom iPad application up in a secure way (think new age kiosk).
From concept to reality in 21 days
April 5th, 11 am: Jason Mark uses iPad for the first time
April 5th, 11:20 am: Jason thinks up the iBracket
April 8th: Jason mentions the idea to Ray LaRoche of LB Manufacturing
April 16th: Gravity Switch begins iBracket website design & marketing plan
April 22nd: Prototype is completed. Photo shoot of the first iBracket for the website. Hurry!
April 26th, 9 am: Website launches
April 26th, 10 am: iBracket is featured on the first blog
April 26th, 11 am: First order is taken
April 26th, 9 pm: Search of "iPad mounting bracket" in Google and we're #9
April 29th, 7 pm: Search for "iPad mounting bracket" in Google and we're #1"
For more information on the iBracket, go to {iBracket}
Okay, now here's the question: Is the iBracket a breakthrough? How so?
Here are some other examples of possible breakthroughs. See if you can identify what characteristics they share. Please email me with your reflections and I can share them in the next issue.
My friend Jane designed a fleece blanket that she and her husband can adjust according to their temperature preferences. She purchased two long strips of fleece at Jo-Ann Fabrics and sewed them together about 1/4 of the way. This was then laid out on their bed with the seam at the bottom and the two sections side-by-side but unattached. If either of them wants fewer covers, they can just fold down their half. Is this a breakthrough? What makes it one?
Shadow, my Himalayan cat, is very resistant to any medication by mouth. Two years ago, she was put on medication that needed to be given every day. Previously, that would have been impossible, but the vet told us about a new way to administer medication by ear: The medication is compounded into a cream which is then rubbed inside the tip of the cat's ear. Shadow is very willing to tolerate that as long as she also gets petting. Breakthrough? What makes it one?
And finally, a coaching client has been trying to envision a career that brings together her many experiences and skills. She is a gifted listener, has excellent recall, is very curious, and has a rich and complex family history. She's had many jobs and traveled extensively. She highly values her independence. In her late 30s, she is interested in pulling these skills and experiences together into a "profession," yet worries that it's too late for her. The other day, I asked her, "What are you lacking in order to do what you want to do?" And she said "I don't have a title." After a short brainstorming, we came up with the title of Personal Historian. (How) is this a breakthrough?
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When Are Breakthroughs Needed?
| - Have you been doing the same thing in the same way forever and getting consistently mediocre results?
- Are you in the middle of an unimaginably dire crisis that you can barely envision getting through (never mind using the crisis as leverage for a transformation)?
- Do you and your people feel like you are always pushing a huge boulder up a hill: It doesn't get any easier and it's not fun anymore?
- Are your products and services "good enough"?
- Is there a need out there that no one has thought of a solution to?
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"Great leaders
create breakthroughs. They listen for the 'noise' in the
system, take on persistent problems, step up to untapped opportunities." (Source: Dave Flanigan)
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Great Breakthrough Questions
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by Deborah Reidy
Powerful questions are one of the most useful tools to facilitate the kind of thinking that leads to breakthroughs. The trick is to encourage people to shift their mindsets from the familiar ("We already tried that; it didn't work," "There's nothing we can do," "It's someone else's fault/responsibility.") to the possible.
Here are a few of my favorite:
-What would it take to move things forward?
-How might we interrupt history?
-What' so great about this problem?
-What could we do if we knew we couldn't fail?
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| What We're Up To
| This month, Cynthia Way and I completed our pilot running of the Team Survival Intensive at the National Institutes of Health. It was a big success. Here are some interesting statistics: It is not unusual for this organization's offerings to be canceled due to low attendance. Nor is it unusual to have several no-shows the day of the training. So we were skeptical about whether people would make the big commitment of 2 days and also the half-day follow up. Well, we were quite surprised. Not only did this offering fill up, but it ended up getting overbooked, thinking that there would be drop outs. There were none! 100% attendance. We had 16 people. 13 of them came to the follow up. This sends the message to us that this offering speaks to a critical need that people have. And the evaluations reflect that.
As I described last month, the
Team Survival Intensive was developed specifically for teams being deployed to
a war zone, but is equally relevant for teams that face high stakes, high-pressure
situations. Through increased
self-awareness, self-discipline and conscious choice, people take personal
accountability for their contribution to their team. Participants learn and
practice new capacities in a low stakes environment in a way that is directly
relevant to their past, current and anticipated challenges.
Here is what some of the NIH participants wrote:
"I no longer dread the idea of coming to work because of changing my
mindset in regard to my challenges at work. The challenges are still there but I am better equipped to
handle them now."
"At least for me, it has given me the tools to make the necessary
changes in my life."
"It allowed me to face my challenges and be more assertive."
"Less resentment for cultural situation and enhanced understanding. I have renewed energy to come to work
and tackle challenges. Applied to
work and personal life."
"Provided insight to increase self-awareness and how I can contribute
solutions to the problem."
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Reidy Associates offers customized solutions that enable leaders and their organizations to succeed in complex and uncertain environments.
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