leadership – Page 5 – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

Does Your Workplace Culture Need an Alignment?

Posted June 14, 2023June 14, 2023
by admin

A statement of shared values, no matter how inspiring, does not make a healthy culture. – Tod Bolsinger (Canoeing The Mountains)

I read with great interest a study at Team Stage which reported that only 28% of executives understand their company culture. They stated, “While they understand its importance, they fail to fathom the culture itself.” From a leadership perspective, I found the disconnect quite disturbing. How can one believe culture is important while at the same time failing to understand their own culture?

Imagine, if you will, that you are driving your car and you notice that it is pulling to the left or to the right. Intuitively you know that your car is out of alignment. Knowing that your car is out of alignment is a good thing, but if you ignore it for too long, it’s going to create bigger problems that you will have to address. And the longer you put it off, the more damage it can cause.

Simply having a mission or value statement plastered up on the wall somewhere in the office is no indication that anyone truly knows what it is, how it pertains to them, and how it impacts the day-to-day operation of the organization.

As a leader, you need the awareness of knowing if your organizational culture is out of alignment and what corrections are needed. Here are a few things that may help guide you in that process.

Focus more on alignment than organizing

Writing in the Harvard Business Review, John Kotter states, “The idea of getting people moving in the same direction appears to be an organizational problem. But what executives need to do is not organize people but align them.” In other words, align them around your values. The more your people are aligned with your mission and vision, the healthier it will be.

It will always be hard for your organization to move forward if it’s out of alignment. Just as your car will want to go off the road, so, too, will your organizational culture drift if not properly aligned. Once you take care of alignment, organizing will be a much simpler process.

Lead by example, not by decrees

When only 28% of executives understand their company culture they will not be in a place to lead by example. Here’s the rub – organizational culture is leader driven. If the leader doesn’t get it or know it, then the leader will not be able to align with it.

Writing in A Tale of Two Cultures, David Burkus writes, “People typically do not look to written codes for clues about how to behave; they look to others.” And this is the void leaders must fill. They need to know their culture and the people in your organization ultimately need to look to each other in terms of knowing how to behave – not a poster on the wall. As a leader, you must set an example and it happens when your words and your actions are aligned. Click To Tweet

Final Thoughts

Tod Bolsinger writes that “culture creation work rests on identifying the gaps between aspired values and actual behavior, and then working with the leaders to bring every aspect of the organization into alignment…” As a leader, this is your responsibility. A healthy workplace culture just doesn’t happen – it’s intentionally created.

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Lifting the Lid Off Your Limitations

Posted June 5, 2023June 8, 2023
by admin

Life has no limitations, except the ones you make. – Les Brown

During his first year of graduate study at the University of California, at Berkeley, George B. Dantzig (later known as the father of linear programming) arrived late for a statistic class. He saw two problems on the blackboard. Assuming they were homework, he copied them and a few days later turned in his solutions.

One Sunday morning about six weeks afterward, the professor appeared at Dantzig’s door, waving a manuscript. It turned out that the professor had merely written two examples of unsolvable problems on the blackboard. The work was Dantzig’s manuscript for publication.

The story is a great example of what we can achieve when we set our minds to something – but beyond that, what can happen when the label of “unsolvable” is removed from the conversation?

As much as I’m fascinated by the story and what Dantzig did, it also makes me wonder how many other classmates attempted to solve the problem and how many didn’t even make the effort due to the problems being labeled unsolvable.

Think for a moment about your own experiences. Can you think of a time when you attempted to do something but quit somewhere in the process because someone came along and convinced you that it couldn’t be done?

Now think for a moment about how that situation could have turned for you had you not listened to the voices of those imposing those limitations on you.

Amelia Earhart said, “The most effective way to do it, is to do it.” The great divide between stepping up and doing, and just wishing you could is found by embracing the courage to act. It’s all about lifting the lid off of your limitations. Click To Tweet

Lifting the lid off your limitations begins with identifying them. Here are two of the most common limitations lids you will face as a leader. Which one is holding you back?

The limitations of your own creation

The single greatest lid on your limitations is the ones you create in your own mind. When your fears and reservations play like reels on a loop in your own mind and it’s all that you entertain, it will hold you down at every turn. If you don’t win this battle, you will never lift the lid off your limitations and reach your full potential.

The limitations of others that you believe

Any person committed to growing and reaching their full potential will eventually hear the voices of those who say that what you are attempting to do can’t be done. They will try to convince you that your dream is too big or your dream is unattainable. At this point, at this crossroads, you have a choice to make. And the choice will either move you close to the direction of your dreams and goals or will hold you back.

Final Thoughts

Mark Twain advised, “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” And this is the decision you must make. Keep away from people who belittle your ambitions, embrace a positive mindset, and never give up on your dreams.

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Fish Tales and Reclaiming Humility in Leadership

Posted May 18, 2023
by admin

Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility. It is often only the carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast. – Jane Austen

Once when I was just a young boy, our family was all together visiting my grandparents. One of my favorite places to gather with the rest of my cousins was a big pond around the corner from their house.

The lake was far enough away to get out from under foot of the grown-ups but close enough to get back to quickly for a snack.

On this particular visit, I was about five or six. One morning, I made my way to the pond before my siblings and cousins and met a man fishing on the bank. Seeing that I had no fishing gear with me, he gave me a cane pole to use. The only catch was, there was no hook on it, just a clothespin.

About the time that some of the others joined me, the man caught a fish. Seizing an opportunity to play a joke, the man took the fish off of his hook and placed it on the clothespin attached to the line on my cane pole.

With all the glee that I could muster, I showed everyone the fish that I had just caught. My cousins were beside themselves in astonishment that I was able to catch a fish with only a clothespin for a hook.

All these years later, that fish tale continues to be laughed about with my cousins. Perhaps you have a fish tale that has taken on a life of its own or a story that has seen numerous revisions and embellishments.

Be it fish tales or tall tales, we have stories that we love to share, and the more embellishments the better.

But in the real world and in your leadership, a more humble approach needs to be embraced.

Patrick Lencioni observed, “People who have a sense of peace that their priorities are in the right place also have a sense of humility and a realistic view of life.” And this is exactly the outcome and by-product of humility-driven leadership.

When your priorities and values are rightly aligned, you can lead with a greater sense of humility and purpose. Click To Tweet

This is not a false humility that secretly craves attention, but a humility that willingly concedes the spotlight by putting someone else in it.

On a day-to-day basis, what does humility in leadership look like? Here are a few ways to tell:

The humble leader listens more, talks less
The humble leader takes less of the credit and more of the blame
The humble leader seeks collaboration and input
The humble leader lifts others and celebrates their success
The humble leader takes on the mindset of a student; never stops learning
The humble leader is forgiving and patient with the growth challenges and mistakes of others
The humble leader is willing to put a fish on your clothespin in order to make you look good

Final Thoughts

Over my decades in leadership, I’ve seen leaders of every stripe. But the ones who last are the ones who do not think more highly of themselves than they should. I think it’s time to reclaim humility in leadership.

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Don’t Give Up On Your Dreams

Posted May 4, 2023
by admin

Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in. – Bill Bradley

I read a story about a turkey and a bull. One day a turkey was chatting with a bull. “I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree” sighed the turkey, “but I haven’t got the energy.”

“Well, why don’t you nibble on some of my droppings?” replied the bull. “They are filled with nutrients.”

The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest level.

The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch.

Finally, after the fourth night, the turkey was proudly perched at the top of the tree.

He was promptly spotted by a farmer who shot him out of the tree.

Moral of the story:

BS might get you to the top, but it won’t keep you there.

This funny story illustrates in some way the ambition that many people have – especially in leadership.

As a leader, it’s great to have goals, dreams, and aspirations. Every leader should. But the motives behind those aspirations are what you need to pay close attention to.

Here are a few reminders for leaders as you consider getting to the top.

There’s always a price to pay for your ambition

Your goals, dreams, and aspirations come with a price tag. In order to achieve them you must count the cost and be willing to pay it. Ambition alone will not get you to the top. But combine it with hard work and persistence, you can get there.

Not everyone will share your dream

In leadership, you quickly learn that not everyone shares your ambitions and some will question your motives. Resolve and settle these things in your own heart and mind in the beginning because there will be some days it’s all you have to hold onto. Your journey will not be understood by everyone and you have to be OK with that. Stay true to your dreams and don’t worry about those slinging manure.

Your success will make you a target

Just as the farmer spotted the turkey at the top of the tree and shot it down, you must understand that climbing the ladder of success will at times make you a target. Others will be jealous of your success. Some will resent you for leaving them behind- not everyone will pay the price and take the journey with you while others with impure motives, will want to see you fail. Keep climbing anyway!

Final Thoughts

Take to heart the wisdom from Mark Twain who said, “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people do always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great”. And this, in part, is the key to your success. Stay away from the people who belittle you or want to hold you back. You’ve got too much invested in your dreams and goals to allow others to hold you back.

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You Play Like You Practice

Posted April 28, 2023
by admin

Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good. – Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers

Like most young kids growing up, I played my fair share of sports. Be it on the dusty baseball fields channeling our inner Hank Aaron or playing football all the while believing that we would be the next Roger Staubach.

In football practice, our coach would say to us, “Boys, if you’re gonna do it wrong, do it wrong the best you can!”. His statement puzzled me. We would go through our drills in practice and I was under the impression that he wanted it done right the first time.

But for whatever reason, there were always a few of us who just didn’t execute the drill properly. And while the coach could have chosen to be harsher in his disapproval, he opted for a more sympathetic approach for us boys just learning to play. Over time, the drills became more and more routine and our proficiency increased. That season our fierce little team went undefeated. Roger Staubach would have been proud.

I’ve heard it said in more recent years that you play as you practice. In terms of leadership, that can either be good or problematic. How you conduct yourself as a leader is important and the stakes are higher than the outcome of a rec league football game.

So when it comes to the practice of leadership, what should be your focus? What are the disciplines to pay attention to? Here are a few (in no particular order) worth your consideration.

Practice the discipline of humility

Rick Warren describes it this way, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” Humility in leadership empowers you to be authentic before others and it demonstrates that you are willing to set aside your ego for the sake of growth.

Practice the discipline of reading

It’s been said that leaders are readers. I agree. For leaders, the learning never ends. When you practice the discipline of reading you demonstrate that you are committed to your personal growth and development.

Practice the discipline of serving

The capacity of your leadership will always be tied to your willingness to serve. It’s when you place others first, and look out for the needs of others, that you will rise as a leader. If serving is beneath you then leading is beyond you. Click To Tweet

Practice the discipline of reflection

Your effectiveness as a leader will be gauged by your ability to think long. Reflection gives you the ability to put your present into focus and align your future with your values. Reflection keeps you grounded with purpose and clarity. This can be achieved through prayer or meditation.

Practice the discipline of generosity

Generous leaders are contagious leaders. Generous leaders practice an awareness that’s uncommon in most. They are observant of the needs of others and are always willing to give up their time and resources. In a self-absorbed culture, we need generous leaders now more than ever.

Practice the discipline of forgiveness

Leadership can be hard. So can life. And everyone is fighting a battle we know nothing about. The discipline of forgiveness can go a long way in establishing your leadership for the long haul. But know this, life is just too short to walk through it holding a grudge.

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Checking Your Bags

Posted April 14, 2023April 15, 2023
by admin

We all have baggage. The question is: What baggage can you deal with? – Jaime Pressly

I recently took my first trip out of the country since Covid. As a person who loves to travel it was great to once again get the proverbial passport stamp and experience a different culture.

Belize is already hot as it’s summer there. But the trip was great, the water was beautiful, and snorkeling with the stingrays and sharks at Cay Caulker was a thrill.

When it comes to air travel, of course, the more things change, the more they stay the same. I’ve traveled the world, and prefer to travel as lightly as possible. But there comes that time you have to decide whether to check a bag, carry-on only, or both. One way or another, you have to decide what you’re going to do about your bags.

In leadership, as in life, you have to decide what you’re going to do with your baggage. We all have some and how we deal with it makes all the difference.

Here are a few lessons I’ve learned as a traveler and as a leader about carrying baggage. See if you can relate to any of the following.

Only pack the essentials

When traveling, it’s wise to only pack what you need. Keep it to the essentials. The lighter your load the farther and faster you can move. I’ve seen people pack for a week-long trip and you would have thought they were going to be gone for a month.

Leadership Tip: In leadership, excess baggage such as a poor attitude, grudges against a colleague, poor morale, etc. can weigh you and your organization down. In travel, excess baggage will cost you. It will cost you in your leadership as well. To move forward, you will have to have some items in your bags so you’d better be smart about it.

You don’t have to carry other people’s bags

You are not responsible for other people’s baggage. When maneuvering through an airport, you typically have all you can do to keep up with your own bags, much less anyone else’s. And, you never leave your bag unattended.

Leadership Tip: In leadership, you will deal with a variety of people with differing levels of baggage – some good, some not. It’s essential as a leader that you recognize that there will be some people who will try to bring their negative baggage with them into your culture. And once it gets in, it’s hard to get it out. Just as you go through screening at the airport, you have to screen and weed out negative influences and toxic people from within your organization.

Don’t weigh yourself down

We’ve come a long way over the years when it comes to moving about with luggage when traveling. You no longer have to bear the burden of heavy bags and moving about with them – think spinners.

Leadership Tip: In leadership, you want to utilize every tool at your disposal and surround yourself with people who can help move things along. You don’t have to be weighed down by outdated methods and procedures. You can lighten the load for yourself and others by checking your bags carefully and packing in such a way that everyone can benefit.

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How Leaders Embrace Their Mistakes

Posted April 3, 2023April 3, 2023
by admin

If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes. – John Wooden

As an avid photographer (semi-professional) of many decades, I’ve come to learn a thing or two about mistakes. There’s nothing more satisfying than taking a good picture. Many factors come into play to make that happen, and oftentimes a little luck.

But on a typical photoshoot, it’s not uncommon to take 300-plus pictures in order to narrow down to 20 or 30 pictures that will pass muster for consideration in the final selection process.

Why do so many pictures not make the cut? In a word – mistakes. If the photoshoot was outdoor it could be lighting issues, eyes were closed, hair was a mess, the picture was not in focus, the composition wasn’t right, the 3-year-old quit cooperating, I hesitated too long on the shutter, and the list goes on.

Photography has been a rewarding passion for me over the years. But it’s also quite humbling. It humbles me when I step into the home of a family member or a friend and see their family portrait prominently placed and knowing I took it is humbling. Knowing the backstory of my countless mistakes in getting to that prominently placed picture is equally as humbling.

In leadership, as in photography, mistakes are bound to happen. Sometimes they are mistakes of our own creation while others are not. Either way, it’s part of a leader’s life.

My leadership mentor John Maxwell writes, “All leaders make mistakes. They are a part of life. Successful leaders recognize their errors, learn from them, and work to correct their faults.” And this is what separates successful leaders from the rest of the pack. Let’s look a little closer look.

All leaders make mistakes

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Welcome to the human race. But in leadership, perhaps we need to ask what mistakes are we making. Are they the same ones over and over? If so, perhaps the lessons haven’t been learned. But that aside, as a leader, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Making mistakes is a sign of progress and without making mistakes there will be no progress. Click To Tweet

Successful leaders recognize their mistakes and learn from them

This is the distinguishing characteristic of a strong leader. Being able to recognize one’s mistakes is essential. This involves humility and being grounded in reality. Perhaps you were just tone-deaf at the moment and made a poor decision. You didn’t take advice or listen to others before making a critical decision. Perhaps you didn’t delegate a task when you should have and it created issues you otherwise could have avoided. Successful leaders recognize this.

Successful leaders work to correct their mistakes

In order to be successful in your leadership, acknowledge that you make mistakes and also pour yourself into learning from them and making the necessary corrections. This is your work and obligation as a leader.

As a leader, there will always be something to work on and improve, but as you stick with it, you’ll be well on your way to significant growth as a leader.

*To see more of my photography visit Facebook.com/dougdickersonphotography

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The Courage To Find Your Voice

Posted March 19, 2023
by admin

When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful. – Malala Yousafzai

By age 17, most teens are simply mustering up the courage to figure out where to go to college, whether or not to get a job, who to date, or are more concerned about their social media accounts.

But by the age of 17, Malala Yousafzai was the youngest Nobel Prize laureate. She was only the second Pakistani to receive it. By no means was she your typical 17-year-old. Her mission? Fighting and advocating for the rights of Pakistani women and children – especially for education.

In October 2012, Yousafzai and two other girls were shot in an assassination attempt on a bus after taking an exam in retaliation for her activism. Her physical recovery and therapy eventually took her to Birmingham, England. Afterward, she formed a non-profit and wrote an international best-selling book entitled, I Am Malala. Time magazine featured her as one of the most influential people in the world.

Not everyone’s life mission and purpose will be discovered in tragedy. But in the midst of hers, Malala found her voice and life calling.

Looking back on that singular event that changed her life, she said, “ I don’t want to be thought of as “the girl that was shot by the Taliban” but the “girl who fought for education.” This is the cause to which I want to devote my life.”

The courage to find your voice is essential in leadership. Not because of what it can do for you, but because of the good you can accomplish for others with it. Click To Tweet

President Harry Truman said, “Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.” Truman’s words ring just as true and relevant today as when he spoke them.

The question for our day is whether we have the courage to find our voice. For each person, it will look different. But here are some common characteristics.

Finding your voice will empower you

The day you find your voice and lend it to a cause greater than yourself is the day you begin to make things better. For Malala it was and is for the cause of education for women and children. Your cause and your voice will be equally as important to you. As a leader, you will be empowered when you find your voice and move toward action.

Finding your voice will elevate you

Leaders who will be remembered are not those who sit in silence on the sidelines while things continue to get worse. It will be those who step up, speak up, roll up their sleeves, and work to make things better and say, Join me.” Finding your voice will not only elevate you but will also separate you from those who only talk.

Finding your voice will energize you

Finding your voice is tantamount to finding your passion. Your passion is what gives your voice conviction and credibility. When you find this courage you raise your stature as a leader and you become a force for good.

While not everyone will embrace your voice as was the case of Malala, don’t let it stop you. Be courageous. Find your voice and embrace it. With it, you may not be able to change the world, but you can make your world better with it.

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About My Altercation At The White House

Posted March 6, 2023March 6, 2023
by admin

Conflict is drama, and how people deal with conflict shows you the kind of people they are. – Stephen Moyer

I believe the time is now right and any concern of repercussions would be covered by the statute of limitations.

It all started innocently enough while on a family vacation. Our tent was pitched at Bull Run in Prince William County near Manassas, Virginia.

We spent our days taking in all the sights in Washington, D.C. This also included a much anticipated White House tour.

I was only about 6 or 7 years old at the time. We were queued up in line to go inside the White House and when we arrived at the door to step inside, a guard greeted us. He reached out and patted my head and said, “Hello, curly.”

At that time, I had blondish-brown curly hair. The only thing I hated more than having curly hair was someone mentioning it. At the moment, I did not appreciate the “compliment” that he was paying me. I was offended and I let him know.

With all the strength that I could muster, I reared back and proceeded to kick this White House guard in the shin as hard as I could.

It was not the proudest moment in my young life and more than once I heard about it from my parents.

I’ve been back to Washington numerous times since and have stopped by the White House to take a picture, but have never been back inside. I hope to again someday, and, if so, I promise to be on my best behavior.

As leaders, we all have choices with regard to the way we handle conflict. You see it play out on a daily basis in your place of work where conflict and tensions seem to always be simmering just beneath the surface.

Recent research by The Myers-Briggs Company revealed that managers spend nearly 4 hours a week dealing with conflict on average.

The research included insights such as:

Poor communication is the number one reason for conflict
Nearly 1 in 4 people think that their managers handle conflict poorly or very poorly
The more time that an individual spent dealing with conflict at work, the lower their job satisfaction and the less included they felt

In this day and time, leaders can’t afford to be passive bystanders when conflicts are occurring all around them. There are some things that a leader can delegate for the sake of good organizational management, but when it comes to a healthy organizational culture – and preserving it, the ownership of it starts with the leadership.

Final Thoughts

Conflict is never easy but not all conflict is bad. Not every pat on the head is an act of hostility, and not every kick in the shin should be seen as a rebellion. People’s perspectives are different, and that’s why smart leaders are relentless communicators to bring out the best in others, discern the motives, and rally the team to its higher purpose.

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Leadership Lessons From a Weary Traveler

Posted February 20, 2023February 20, 2023
by admin

A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving. – Lao Tzu

Some years ago, I was with a group of friends and we were taking a day trip from Athens, Greece up to Delphi – some 115 miles away. We were off to see some of the ancient ruins – including the famed Delhi sanctuary and the Delphi museum.

After enjoying our day in Delphi, the time came to return to Athens. But there was a catch. The weather turned bad and they were experiencing the worse snowstorm they’d had in many years. The route back to Athens would not be the one we would take going back.

We made our way over to the coast and hopped on a ferry that eventually returned us to Athens. What normally would have taken only a couple of hours turned into a long and tiring trip that got us back safely but exhausted.

On a humorous note, while aboard the ferry, some in our group made mention of the need to use the restroom. A smiling deckhand kindly pointed to the sign on a door where the restroom was located. Upon opening the door, the “facilities” was simply a hole in the floor a couple of inches in diameter. Several made the decision to wait until we were back on land.

In your leadership, there will be times when things do not go according to plan. And when this happens, you will have to adjust accordingly. Here are a few things to remember as you face the unexpected.

Flexibility is essential

It’s been said that what doesn’t bend, breaks. And in leadership, you have to anticipate the unexpected, and when it happens you have to be flexible at the moment. John Maxwell observed it this way, “Flexibility says there is more than one answer.” And this is what smart leaders recognize – there is more than one answer to whatever you’re going through.

Your attitude matters

When we left Athens for our day trip over to Delphi, we had no way of knowing that one of the worse snow in decades was going to happen that day. But – snow happens! In leadership, sometimes the unexpected happens. In these moments we are reminded that it’s not what happens to us that matters, it’s how we respond. Your attitude in times of adversity will make you or break you. Choose it wisely.

Adaptability is your ally

One definition says an adaptable leader is “someone who is able to change their behavior in response to changes in a situation.” It’s inevitable that you will face challenges and changes in your leadership. When they come, being adaptable will not only serve you well but can be an invaluable teachable moment for your team to learn from.

Final Thoughts

Just as it was for my trip to Delphi, the road that has brought you to where you are today, may not be the same road to take you to the next level tomorrow. Conditions on the ground may change and you have to learn to be flexible, guard your attitude, and be adaptable.

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