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Read to Lead Group Book Study

“Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” – Margaret Fuller

Dragonfly Consultants is offering a series of Read to Lead group book study sessions, starting next January 2018. Join us in the Dragonfly Reading Room (virtual) as we explore and discuss books on a variety of interests that will be sure to engage, challenge and inspire you as a leader. With each selected book, participants will read on their own and then join in on a lively 90-minute discussion led by a Dragonfly moderator and special guests, the authors of each book. The reading room is limited to 20 participants. You can still register for the last session for Humble Inquiry with Ed Schein on May 7th for $25. To sign up, get tickets here.

What participants will get out of the book study sessions:

  • Study guide questions
  • Post meeting recording
  • Access to a private Dragonfly Reading Room Linkedin group where you can continue the learning
  • Overall, the ability to connect, discuss and learn with other leaders, the books’ authors and experts

Layout of each virtual session:

  • First 45 minutes – Book discussion facilitated by Dragonfly Consultants
  • Last 45 minutes – Q&A with the book’s author

Featured books and sessions: 

Michael Papanek’s From Breakdown to Breakthrough on January 12, 2018 from 5:00pm – 6:30pm PST 

Read to Lead Group Book Study Book 1 - From Breakdown to BreakthroughIn From Breakdown to Breakthrough, Papanek introduces the concept of the heat curve, a graphical representation that shows how relationships perform under stress. There comes a point where the “heat” – in the form of creative tension, interpersonal conflict, and extreme emotions – becomes too much for the relationship to handle, which leads to breakdown. The goal of building resilient relationships is to shift the heat curve as far as possible, so that it can withstand heat before breaking down.  “The more resilience you have, the higher you are able to ride the heat curve and leverage the benefits of increasing stress, without the costs,” he says.

Michael Papanek, grandson of the pioneer of group dynamics and organizational psychology, Kurt Lewin, draws from the latest research and his thirty years’ track record of success with clients, including Apple, Facebook, VMWare, Salesforce, Kaiser and Google to reveal the success strategies of the most resilient leaders.

 

Florence Williams’ The Nature Fix on March 12, 2018 from 5:00pm – 6:30pm PST 

Read to Lead Group Book Study Book 2 - The Nature FixFor centuries, poets and philosophers extolled the benefits of a walk in the woods: Beethoven drew inspiration from rocks and trees; Wordsworth composed while tromping over the heath; Nikola Tesla conceived the electric motor while visiting a park. Intrigued by our storied renewal in the natural world, Florence Williams sets out to uncover the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain in The Nature Fix

From forest trails in Korea, to islands in Finland, to groves of eucalyptus in California, Williams investigates the science at the confluence of environment, mood, health, and creativity. Delving into completely new research, she uncovers the powers of the natural world to improve health, promote reflection and innovation, and ultimately strengthen our relationships. As our modern lives shift dramatically indoors, these ideas—and the answers they yield—are more urgent than ever.

 

Edgar Schein’s Humble Inquiry on May 7, 2018 from 5:00pm – 6:30pm PST 

Read to Lead Group Book Study Book 3 - Humble InquiryCommunication is essential in a healthy organization. But all too often when we interact with people—especially those who report to us—we simply tell them what we think they need to know. This shuts them down. To generate bold new ideas, to avoid disastrous mistakes, to develop agility and flexibility, we need to practice Humble Inquiry.

Ed Schein defines Humble Inquiry as “the fine art of drawing someone out, of asking questions to which you do not know the answer, of building a relationship based on curiosity and interest in the other person.” In this seminal work, Schein contrasts Humble Inquiry with other kinds of inquiry, shows the benefits Humble Inquiry provides in many different settings, and offers advice on overcoming the cultural, organizational, and psychological barriers that keep us from practicing it.

Leadership Message: Purpose Matters in Business

“Lean in to Purpose” – Jonathan Mildenhall

I was recently at a conference where Jonathan Mildenhall was a keynote speaker. For those of you who don’t know Jonathan (and I don’t expect you to), he was previously the Chief Marketing Officer at Coca Cola and is now the Chief Marketing Officer at AirBnB. His marketing pedigree is not the topic of this message, but his passion for building “purpose-driven companies” is.

His presentation was fantastic. In fact, as he took us through a journey of his career and some of the hallmark marketing campaigns he has overseen with Coca Cola and AirBnB, you could clearly see the impact that purpose has on those two organizations. And it’s not that these two companies are charities – far from that. But their commitment to purpose helped drive both to notable growth and brand success. Consider the following elements of purpose from each of these companies:

  • Coca Cola: To refresh the world… To inspire moments of optimism and happiness…
  • AirBnB: Creating real connections/friendships between like-minded people

When you think about it, those are meaningful and impactful purpose statements. They say something unique and different about the culture of each company and can inspire both employees and customers alike behind their brand.

Which leads me to the purpose (a little play on words) of this post. Purpose-driven companies are more successful than those who are not. And by successful, I mean in virtually every aspect of its definition – growth, profit, engagement, retention, and satisfaction. As leaders and team members alike, the importance of embracing purpose in business has never been more important.

Jonathan’s speech inspired me to do a little research on the concept of both “purpose” and “purpose-driven companies.” Turns out this isn’t such a new concept. Having “purpose” in our lives is the essence of what it means to be human. Our consciousness and awareness of both ourselves and others, the knowledge of our mortality, the need for meaning, and the yearning to make something of it is what separates us from all other animals.

Ask any Millennial, and they will tell you quickly now important purpose is to them. Ask any Boomer to reminisce on their youthful days, and they will no doubt recognize the same struggle for purpose behind their generational stereotypes. And for those stuck in the middle (like me), no doubt our struggle to be recognized as something other than some random letter (Gen X – how generic can you get) is driven by the need for purpose.

So if purpose is so fundamental to what makes us human, why only recently are we hearing so much about its place in business? Again, not a new concept. There are examples throughout history of organizations whose existence was closely tied to purpose. To be fair, not all businesses embrace this concept. But there are plenty that do. The more recent awareness is likely tied to the advancement of technology and the awareness it has created. With social media, the gravity of the masses are empowered to recognize and both reward or punish those organizations that don’t embrace purpose.

But what I find most interesting is how dramatic the impact is for purpose-driven companies. In researching for this message, I did a search on Google for “why purpose-driven companies are more successful.” I got back 20 million results. Articles from Harvard Business Review, E&Y, Forbes, Fast Company, Inc., Huffington Post, Gallup – to name a few. Consider the following studies that suggest purpose-driven companies:

  • Have more motivated employees. According to a recent study by BNET, “29% of respondents said that doing something meaningful was the most motivating thing about work. Money motivated 25%, and recognition 17%.” (BNET)
  • Increased productivity by up to 30% (Center for Economic Studies)
  • See improved engagement scores of up to 240% higher (Gallup)

The outcome is an increase in both revenue and profit. According to one recent 10-year study by The Purpose Institute:

  • 42% of companies that were not considered “purpose-driven” showed a drop in revenues.
  • On the other side, 85% of purpose-led companies showed positive revenue growth.

No wonder noted business strategists like Jim Collins, Peter Drucker and others have harped on the importance of purpose in building a business. Many share the same sentiments as Paul Klein of Forbes Magazine: “Great companies go beyond ubiquitous statements of corporate values to nurture a dialogue to keep social purpose at the forefront of everyone’s mind and ensure that employees use the organizational values as a guide for business decisions.”

Purpose matters in business. Will you “Lean in to purpose?

 

Kip Wright Lean In To PurposeAbout Kip Wright

Kip is the President and CEO of Genuent, a national IT staffing and Project support provider. Prior to Genuent, Kip was President of Manpower Global. He’s also the Champion for the promotion of new age leadership principles. To read more of his blog posts, visit www.leadingwright.com.

Leadership is a Group Activity

I was born at a time when Gloria Steinem’s name tripped off the tongue of every woman as part of the second wave feminist movement. I had many strong female role models, including my own family. Our voices, those of my generation and my mother’s generation, shaped a new narrative for women, breaking barriers and paving the way for women to take their place as leaders. Our declaration has always been at the center of it:we are stronger together than apart.  

“A dream you dream alone is only a dream; a dream you dream together is reality.”  John Lennon

Today, women of all generations are facing similar divisive forces but on a new battleground.  The doors may have been opened, but the culture remains the same.  Galvanized, we understand our movement is bigger than any one of us.  

I recently went to an event where men and women gathered to listen to a known leader in the women’s movement, Valerie Jarrett.  And during the event, audience members asked questions, made comments and talked about their experiences.  In the moment, one woman reached out to another from across the room and offered an opportunity to be a part of her company.  The overall experience was like I was in a giant invitation to be a part of something bigger.  The invitation created space for more of these micro gestures of support and change.  

Group of Leaders in the Women's MarchUpon reflection, I realized women and leadership have a style we have learned from years of experience and history related to our role as caretakers and matriarchs of our families, community leaders and organizers, and in our participation in the women’s movement.  

So…What have we learned?

Leadership is a group activity.

What does that mean?

A leader is what galvanizes a group into action, but the group must want to believe in the dream.

  1. A leader believes the group has the answers.  It requires an invitation and the ability to step back and trust what happens.
  2. Leadership is about abundance.  It is the opposite of limited resources.  It is the belief that the group is resourceful when working together or with other groups, and through that, we find abundance of both resources and answers.  
  3. Leadership is about resilience, but not just personal resilience.  Resilience of the group means that at any one time when one person is down, another offers a hand in support, and the group is stronger for it.
  4. Leadership is about optimism.  The energy and strength of the group is what allows us to rise above any challenge.  As Heraclitus wrote in ancient Greece, “The sun is new each day.
  5. Leadership is about empathy. The ability to see a situation with clarity and suspension of judgement. A means to understanding difficult problems from all sides. To appreciate diversity. To learn.
  6. Leadership is about a cause. You can’t be a leader if you don’t believe in change.  Leadership is the ability to provide the space for the group to pause and take notice, be present and see clearly the difference between the noise and the truth. To be a part of the change they want to create.Group of women at the women's march

The women’s movement has an agenda. It is a cause. And, it has also provided us a perspective on leadership that is not necessarily gender specific but has many female role models.  However, at the heart of this cause, is changing the culture of individualism and self-service to that of harnessing the energy of the group. By removing the conditions that divide, we can  reach across to invite others to participate. It is the profile of a leader who understands issues of bias and inequality have no place in their organizations. In fact, they truly believe diversity and equality are a core competency and a right and what makes groups stronger. And leadership does not have to be lonely.  

“If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together”  (African proverb)   

Where have you seen examples of this type of leadership?

My Name is On the Label

My Name is on the Label: (My name is courage. My name is math whiz. My name is loser. My name is fat. My name is old. My name is strength.)

Let’s start with something simple: Math.  For many years, math and science were the domain of men.  Girls grew up believing they were not supposed to be good at Math. They were encouraged into Language Arts, Social Science and History.  And this twentieth century cultural phenomenon created a generation of women who believe they have no aptitude for Math. The most important word here is “believe.”  Because, we know the truth is that women can do Math!

I was that generation. Until 11th grade, I always received good grades in math. But, I grew up with the idea that I should be good at English, History and Social Science, not that I could be an engineer or a scientist or a mathematician.  On the other hand, I also grew up with a mother who worked and broke barriers for women entering the workforce.  So… I also believed I could have a career; I could be successful.  Ultimately, I am happy with my career path. However, I can’t help but wonder how my generation contributed to the void in STEM careers for women.

We are influenced on many different levels to wear labels that shape who we are. Like the example above, there is a cultural/societal element.  There is also family.  And finally, there is our genetic blueprint.  All of which create the complexity of who we are and the narrative in which we live.

Some of these labels we wear proudly and boldly; others work quietly in the background. They sometimes work together harmoniously, but often they undermine each other.  They feed the voices of our inner critic.  And they become the affirmations that foster our positive mental energy that allow us to move out of our comfort zones. The question we have to ask is: What labels are you living with today?  How are they influencing your choices and decisions?

Are they stopping you from doing or being what you want to do or be?

Or

Are they enabling you to defy your own expectations ?

About the author: Adrienne Seal is a co-founder and Managing Partner of Dragonfly Consultants.  She is an ICF professional certified coach.  She is known and appreciated for her insight into human nature and team dynamics and her thoughtfulness and innovative approaches to coaching, organization effectiveness and culture transformation.

Power and Poise

Power and Poise: When you see a dragonfly in flight, one understands that power is not a force, but an energy that when used positively and in the possession of poise, gets results.

With leadership comes power. With power often comes distance, as if the energy of power is too formidable to touch or get close to.

I have worked with leaders who, with each promotion felt an ever-increasing distance with the people in their organizations. Their direct reports, once peers are now looking up, immediately experiencing that distance. Eventually they find themselves lonely at the top, with few they can confide in, even amongst their peers. The distance is palpable for both the leader and the organization.

In many organizations, this distance is per design. Based in the belief that one can-not lead without some professional distance in order to make objective and sometimes unpopular choices or decisions. It is so deeply held that it happens naturally.

My client, a recently promoted Vice President, explained it this way, “I walked out of my new office with a view of the city and the hallways became quieter. People I have known for years waited for me to talk to them. There was a different, more formal energy in the air. I suddenly realized I had power.”

Position power can be a heady experience. Left in the head, the ego can take over resulting in command and control behavior. These organizations create vacuums that suck the passion and inspiration out of their employees. Employees are powerless, and it becomes the role of the leader to empower them, again creating a reinforcement of ego involved position power.

But if we think of power as the energy that moves us forward, that wakes us up, it can shift the role of leadership. Power does not have to be formidable but instead can be a channel to energize not deplete or suck the life out of the organization. Poise, defined as the state of consciousness, awareness and calm that allows leaders to find their center of balance brings a new dimension to power and what it means as a leader. Power and Poise combined create a connection between the head, the heart, and the feet firmly on the ground. Wendy Palmer and Janet Crawford write in their book “Leadership Embodiment”, “This level of clarity and commitment springs from a unification and alignment of Head, Heart and Core that is represented in the synchronization of all aspects of motion, and deep desire to act on the behalf of others.”

When we work with clients on these concepts, we begin with helping our clients become comfortable with the word power. We have them explore what it means for them to be a leader, and what is at the core of what they stand for. It is the differentiation between thinking about what is expected of me as a leader, to who I am as a leader. It is the difference between being awarded power and possessing power. It is power emanating from the heart.

What does this mean for a leader and distance? My client the newly promoted VP, surprised by the cooler reception, became very clear about creating an organization of support. Focusing her leadership energy on building community, trust and strength. Understanding that her leadership is at the center, not the top. She shifted her energy to creating emotional connection, versus detached space. This expansive way of leading is no longer about status or level or position, but about a true and core belief that we are all in this together.

“Remember that poise and power are inseparably associated. The calm and balanced mind is the strong and great mind; the hurried and agitated mind is the weak one.” Wallace D Wattles

The role of the leader who possesses Power and Poise is to stay connected to purpose, be present and centered while creating energy to move forward with the company and creativity of others, have the humility to know that while they possess power, they do so with gratitude, and they do not take themselves so seriously that they lose sight of what is truly meaningful.

To Fly like a Dragonfly….

All Talk or Do you Really Live it?

Are you an Effective Leader? How do you Know?

Leadership is a topic that has been studied and debated for centuries, and simply one definition of leadership would not suffice. There are distinguishing differences between a manager, leader, and an effective leader, but they are not mutually exclusive. Over time, leadership styles have changed to adapt from a stability model to change and crisis leadership; some willingly and some hesitantly. The greatest leaders are high influencers, relationship builders at all levels, and are highly adaptable to diverse situations and personalities and can be extroverted or introverted. Effective leaders exhibit an advanced level of emotional and contextual intelligence, and encompass both management and leadership competencies.

To lead high-performing teams, you must first create a motivated team. Many managers do not realize that directive and authoritative leadership is not effective in the modern business world and is counter-productive. I believe that we are people, not workers, or simply a number, and in order for an organization to be profitable and competitive, it needs to be high performing. In the long-term, leading out of fear in an environment of low morale will not prevail. Employees need to be motivated to be high performing, and in order to accomplish this, the organization needs to employ effective leaders – leaders who “lead by example, who walk the talk.”

Effective leaders know how to adapt to each employee and understand if intrinsic or extrinsic rewards motivate them. One employee may be motivated by an increase in salary whereas other employees may be motivated by recognition for a job well done. Once the motivating factors are determined based on dialogue with your employees, you need to create a personal development plan, which should include incremental goals. The key is to create a “great place to work” where everyone looks forward to coming to work, feeling their work has a sense of purpose and meaning. Once there is a positive work culture, even menial tasks are not looked upon as loathsome.

I have been in situations where morale has been exceptionally low due to several factors such as previous poor leadership, mistrust, downsizing (“do more with less”), bureaucracy, unethical business practices, etc., and I have introduced several methods that were effective. Team building is one of the first steps to creating a motivated workforce. Depending on the team location and culture, determine an exercise that will take the employees offsite, out of their comfort zone, and engaged in interactive activities. In the case where there may be teammates who are known to have interpersonal issues between each other, I suggest pairing them together for a fun activity. It is amazing what an impact icebreakers can have on easing the tension. This allows individuals to view each other in a positive perspective that they perhaps never had up until this point. In my experience, if there are issues in the future, they will be more mindful and not as emotionally reactive; they will become better team players.

In instances where teams consist of varying cultures, it is important to provide cross-cultural training. This helps reduce misunderstandings and how to effectively work with other cultures. For example, as an American working with China, I know that in a meeting, I will have to directly engage with individuals who are below me in position or if their manager is in the meeting. Their culture is not to be forthright even if there is an issue, so I know that I cannot expect them to openly discuss an issue or debate with a superior.

I also established 1:1’s where I would meet regularly with people on my team to have an open discussion in addition to setting and tracking goals and development plans. As a follower, this was tremendously beneficial for me to have with my managers. Depending on the team and employee, I suggest meeting weekly or bi-weekly for 30 minutes to an hour at set times to ensure they do occur. I also encourage you to get creative. Think about taking a “walking meeting.” Not only is this a healthy option, it creates a more informal setting that may foster deeper and more creative discussions.

To keep the team engaged, either creating or revisiting the mission and as a team through participative decision-making is optimal, and having regular team building sessions (quarterly or bi-annually depending on the situation) will ensure this is executed. This is in addition to regularly scheduled team meetings, which should be held weekly or bi-weekly.

In summary, ask yourself, are you an effective leader who is capable of being adaptable, open-minded, and willing to change? Are you truly leading by example? You have more influence than you may realize.

The Virtuous Leadership Cycle

Our experience is that virtuous leadership comes from a place deep within a leaders character, from their source of truth, where their values are hard wired.  True leadership occurs when truth connects to higher purpose.  They understand that with leadership comes power and they define power as the capacity to create positive energy in the organization.  They use their power to inspire action.

A leader who understands their own higher purpose, create organizations with intentional cultures where people of similar intention love to work.   They value culture as a differentiator.  They understand it is the difference between people who punch the clock and people who work because they are passionate about what they do.

These same leaders understand that the most important investment in a company is in the people, because people create high performing organizations.  They see cultural fit as more important then aptitude, because they can invest in development, but a person’s values are not easily changed.  With the right culture and the right people great companies are made.

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Generational Stereotypes –It’s Hurting Us, Not Helping

Generational stereotypes can be experienced in abundance in our everyday world.  As a marketing strategy, these stereotypes use generalizations to target and sell products.  Later these same stereotypes have been adopted by HR organizations to develop strategies around everything from company culture (how do we create workplaces that attract the millennials) to hiring practices.  Yet with 5 generations working side by side, this exclusionary approach doesn’t solve issues, it creates them.

How many of us define ourselves by our generation?  Do we look across the table at someone of relative age and think because he/she is of the same generation we have the same beliefs and experiences, that we approach the world the same way?  How many of us can relate to someone of a seemingly different generation and think I actually have more in common with that person.

Because we are working more closely together, because we are sharing common experiences at different ages, we are blurring the lines.  Women are having babies in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s, sharing new mom stories as if they were all one generation.  People are starting new careers multiple times in their lifetime, reinventing themselves at different ages, going to or back to school at different ages.  These create common experiences across generational lines.

I personally, am tired of checking the box for my age group.  How old I think I am on any day changes and rarely do I see myself as my chronological age.  Therefore, I now declare my age lives on a continuum.  And so I navigate the generations with ease, and I employ ways to connect with people as individuals with interests and experiences I value.  And when a generational stereotype sneaks up on me, and I find myself feeling excluded or boxed in, I use that as an opportunity to open myself to learn something new.  Learning is generationally agnostic.  So I invite others to think about generations as a continuum, one not defined by chronological age, but by how we feel on any given day.  See how it changes how you view the world.

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