Nirupama Subramanian

Category: Leadership Development

  • The Diversity Candidate

    The Diversity Candidate

    Sometimes, the pressure to prove it, to be the role model for an entire gender is so strong that the ‘diversity hire’ performs below her potential

    ‘The problem is not with her leadership style. Everyone knows that she is a diverse candidate, and they don’t take her seriously’ a senior Human Resource leader said of a potential coaching client.

    The organisation had a mandate that two positions on the management committee had to be filled by women. It was a good step that served the agenda of diversity, but it seemed to have backfired on the woman. She had to work twice as hard and be doubly mindful about every step- just to prove that she had not been a wrong hire. Sometimes, the pressure to prove it, to be the role model for an entire gender is so strong that the ‘diversity hire’ performs below her potential. Sometimes, she becomes demotivated by the lack of support and exclusion by other colleagues This, in turn, affects her performance and gives the old guard an opportunity to say ‘I told you so.’

    In 2022, most people in the working world acknowledge the importance of a diverse and inclusive culture. Yet many well-intentioned efforts do not have the required outcome. There is backlash from existing structures and sometimes even from the minorities whose cause has been championed.

    How can organisations ensure that the people who have been hired as a part of the legitimate organisational need to have a diverse workforce are set up for success rather than failure?

    Communicate the benefits of D&I to all

    It is important for all employees to see Diversity & Inclusion as a business imperative and not a warm touchy-feely HR initiative. There is enough research to support the fact that a diverse workforce enhances the profitability of the organisation. Deloitte’s research across 50 global companies showed that high performing teams are both cognitively and demographically diverse. Mckinsey’s 2019 analysis found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25 per cent more likely to have above-average profitability than companies in the fourth quartile—up from 21 per cent in 2017 and 15 per cent in 2014. It is important to make sure that such researched inputs and information are shared with all employees. D&I is as much a business issue as Six Sigma, Lean or Digitalisation. Companies are not doing it just to be nice but to stay profitable.

    Design sound recruitment practices and policies

    Diversity Hiring is often misunderstood to mean ‘Just go and hire some women or persons with disabilities since we have a target’. It is actually about designing a hiring process that provides an equal opportunity for candidates of diverse sexual orientation, gender, race, and other minority groups to take part in the interview process and get recruited. Humans are inherently prone to bias and high stakes processes like job interviews are rife with all kinds of biases. Organisations need to actively share the hiring policies and reasons why the pool needs to be broadened. Whether it is including more campuses to recruit from or redefining job descriptions or adopting a blind hiring policy, the focus needs to be on the process of hiring as much as the outcome. If all employees are aware of the stages and principles of hiring, it brings legitimacy to the hiring process and makes it easier for any new hire to assimilate into the system.

    Embed Inclusive values and mindsets

    It is not very difficult to hire diverse candidates. Including the minorities and enabling them to succeed is yet another important task that cannot be left to the good nature of others. People naturally resist and resent those who are different and those who are perceived to have received an unfair advantage. The same behaviors are seen in colleges where the ‘quota’ candidate is treated shabbily and excluded from mainstream activities of the merit-based students. It is important to reiterate core values of respect, belonging and inclusion – not just once a year but daily. Leaders need to role model inclusive behaviors- asking the minorities for their inputs, inviting them for informal get-togethers, calling out bad behaviors by others instead of ignoring or laughing off offensive comments.

    Provide allies, mentors and coaches

    In her book, My life in full, former Pepsico CEO, Indra Nooyi credits her success to the many male mentors and allies she had during her career. As an immigrant woman of colour, she found this support to be invaluable. As the numbers increase, support cannot be left to chance. Organisations need good mentoring programs and active allies to welcome, nurture and groom diverse talent. I have coached a CEO who was moving to new geography- even though he was the leader, he would be the first Indian boss in that country. The organisation wanted to set him up for success- so they provided local culture training as well as leadership coaching so that he could succeed in the new role. Until D&I becomes a part of the organisational DNA, it is important to provide some mentoring and coaching support as a part of the onboarding process for new leaders.

    Invite open dialogues about differences

    ‘I do have reservations about hiring young women. Three of my earlier hires quit when they got married or became pregnant. But I can’t talk about this to anyone. It won’t be politically correct.’ A hiring manager of a large ITES company confided in me during the break of a workshop. Many managers do hold biases and often they believe that they are justified. Not just about women but about people from certain institutes or geographies or cultures. Women are frustrated about mansplaining and prejudices they encounter and confused about their status- diversity candidate or genuine hire? There are no safe spaces to discuss and talk about these ‘unmentionable’ topics. Some companies consider it unprofessional and after all, no one wants to be seen as prejudiced or narrow-minded or as a victim. In the absence of open dialogues, the biases fester, frustration mounts and passive-aggressive behaviors become common. As attritions and conflicts increase, there is a strong temptation to go back to the same old-same old ways of doing things. It is important to hold discussions and dialogues and not just canned unconscious bias training to the surface and acknowledge everyone’s fears and fancies. Talk, Share, Listen and be heard. It will not immediately resolve issues but will begin the healing process.

    There is no easy path or quick-fix solutions to change mindsets and cultures that have been around for long. Leadership commitment and intentional actions are required. As systems and individuals commit to these five actions, everyone can reap the benefits of a diverse, inclusive, equitable workplace.

    The original article appears in Business World here- http://bwmarketingworld.businessworld.in/article/The-Diversity-Candidate/28-02-2022-421581/

     

  • The secret sauce of Great Communities

    The secret sauce of Great Communities

    Humans have always been a part of some kind of community, from the family to the tribe to teams at work to special interest groups. We are born into some communities, thrust into others and sometimes choose to be a part of a group in the hope that it will be a beautiful confluence of like- minded souls.

    Communities where membership is voluntary are held together by some invisible glue that has bought disparate people together for some compelling reason. I have been and am a part of several communities- some are just Whatsapp or Facebook groups, a couple of book clubs and an online community of coaches and facilitators. My participation in the communities have varied from being a passive observer in some, an active or occasional contributor in others and on one occasion, an initiator.

    Some communities thrive, some wither away and some grow to become a force for good in the world. The communities that survive the initial teething troubles and become a community in the true sense of the word have a few things in common. These may sound obvious but they are part of the secret sauce of successful communities.

    Intentionality

    The community and each of its members need to have a common intention and be purposive. ‘Lets meet for brunch and just chat’ is great for a group of friends but not enough for a community. A community sets out with a mission or has a strong common interest- food, motorcycles, books, crochet. This mission or interest has to be equally important for all members and all have to be aligned to it.

    Ignition

    Ignition for the community has to be initially provided by the founder or founders who start the community. Since membership is voluntary, the engagement can flag quickly and the initial spark of enthusiasm can easily be doused. If the founder or Admin does not put in the necessary effort and have an inexhaustible supply of energy, the community will flounder. Mature communities become organic and take a life of their own with members taking turns to provide the spark and verve needed to keep the group forging ahead. A small core group that is invested in the community needs to step up and reignite the group as and when required to ensure that it does not get extinguished.

    Interdependency

    Reciprocity is the lubricant of human relationships. Every community is sustained by the need for support and desire to contribute. We can move seamlessly between the roles of givers and takers but there has to be some kind of overall balance between the two. Networking groups helps members get new contacts and lead to business, others provide a safe space for sharing, food groups thrive on recipe exchanges, book clubs on the give and take of reviews and suggestions. Some communities put a structure to this interdependency- a group I am a part asked for volunteers to lead a learning session every month, a book club rotated the hosting of the meet and another community has an annual offsite for its members. Even in whatsapp groups, the asking and giving of recommendations for a mechanic or Maths tutor nudges the community forward.

    Intimacy

    While intentionality starts the group and interdependency and ignition moves it forward, what sustains the community together is the connection between its members. This connection cannot be the cold transactional exchange of an organized group or a familial bond that stems from compulsion. It is more than that- it tends to intimacy, a closeness that comes alive in that space created by choice. Even in large communities, there are small groups of people who are close to each other, who have a greater degree of trust, affection and loyalty towards each other. Without this connection, the community cannot grow and fulfil its purpose.

    Alone we can do so little, Together we can do so much, said Helen Keller. It is this aspect that makes communities not only a compelling force for positive change but also a refuge from loneliness and heartache that is a part of the human condition. Keeping these four factors in mind can help founders and members of the community leverage its huge potential.

  • The Vicious Cycle Of Women Leadership

    The Vicious Cycle Of Women Leadership

    Both genders have to work together-Men need to make way and women need to step forward to take up leadership roles.

     

    More girls are going to school, more girls are topping crucial exams, more women are employed outside the home and more women are challenging the last few male bastions of employment. However, when it comes to leadership positions, the story is still dismal for women in India.

    Only 14% of Parliamentarians are women and barely 5% of the top 500 companies have women as CEOs. In the course of my work in leadership development for over 20 years, I have barely seen an increase in the number of women participating in senior-level leadership programs.

    Though we offer equal opportunities and believe in the capabilities of women, research has made a strong business case for greater representation of women in leadership, why don’t women make it to the top?

    The reasons are both institutional and individual. Together these forces trap the women in a vicious cycle.

    Our culture perpetuates the idea of women as submissive and subservient. The

    Manusmriti says of women-‘Her father guards her in childhood, her husband guards her in youth, and her sons guard her in old age. A woman is not fit for independence’. These mindsets are entrenched deeply in our patriarchal society. The institutions are powered by men with this mindset, who naturally prefer to promote other men and hold on to power.

    There are women too who believe in traditional gender roles. They feel that their career needs to be subordinate to those of the men. They do not opt for leadership roles due to a confidence gap or ambition deficit.

    The systems and processes in organizations are not conducive to balanced lives- Long working hours, intense competition, after-hours networking and frequent travel affect both men and women. Women carry the additional domestic and childcare load which puts even greater pressure on them.

    Many women, especially mothers, choose not to deal with this pressure. It is smarter and easier to quit than deal with daily exhaustion and energy drain. I have heard many women say that the additional responsibilities that come with a leadership position are ‘just not worth it.’

    As a result, there are not many women in leadership roles. Therefore, the decisions that get made are the same old ones perpetuating male dominance. This reinforces all the biases against women leaders. See- there are so few of them. Maybe, women really can’t be leaders. So, we don’t have many women leaders.

    Is there a way out?

    Vicious cycles need to be broken with clear intentionality and concrete actions.

    Hiring and promoting women to leadership positions has to become an intentional business decision not just a checkbox on the Diversity agenda. According to a Linked In research, when women hold leadership roles, it leads to more women employees across the board. It also ensures better systems, governance and inclusive policies.

    Parallelly, we need to proactively change the mindsets of both men and women-through dialogues, workshops, coaching, story sharing and experiential learning. Showing women in leadership roles in films, OTT media, television serials and books is also a way of initiating and normalizing this change.

    Both genders have to work together-Men need to make way and women need to step forward to take up leadership roles.

    Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article above are those of the authors’ and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of this publishing house. Unless otherwise noted, the author is writing in his/her personal capacity. They are not intended and should not be thought to represent official ideas, attitudes, or policies of any agency or institution.

  • How to have Inclusive virtual meetings that energise and connect

    How to have Inclusive virtual meetings that energise and connect

     

    If you are reading this article, you would have attended at least 1 virtual meeting over the past month. Any meeting, apart from your family members at home, would have been on some virtual medium. It seems that this will be the new normal! Everyone should get used to it in the post COVID world.

    Virtual meetings have had their advantages- global access, convenience etc but they also come with inherent drawbacks. Most people in large meetings don’t use the video option citing bandwidth issues-it could be that you don’t want your boss to see that week-old stubble or early morning makeup-free face! Since more than 60% of the impact of communication is visual, this means that you make inferences based on voice and words alone. Attention span is limited. The speaker has no idea if others are really listening to her or checking their Whatsapp messages.

    Apart from these, virtual meetings are often not inclusive. There is greater disconnection and diverse voices remain unheard. Earlier, an observant boss may notice that someone is looking uncomfortable or sense the need for further discussion. Everyone gets a nod or some eye contact so that they feel present. Virtual meetings can become monologues or cause many to get disengaged quickly.

    I have been working from home for over 15 years and many of my meetings are virtual. Over the last month, even my workshops have become virtual. I have realized that there is a need to make virtual meetings more inclusive and engaging. Ideally, keep the video on and limit the number of people. If that is not possible, you can do some of the following that will help to make the meeting an opportunity for connection and information rather than an ordeal or a sleeping pill!

    1.      Establish meeting norms upfront. You can do this for a particular meeting or in general for all your meetings. Put up a slide with the norms before every meeting so that people remember it. You may think that some aspects- Stay on mute, Raise your hand for a point, Use the chat etc are obvious but we all know that common sense is not common practice. Keep the slide on till everyone joins the meeting.

    2.      Use names -Start the meeting by welcoming everyone who joins in by their name. It takes 1 second but makes that person feel noticed and present. Use names of people as often as you call- Thank you Samir for your point. Geeta, I have a different point of view etc. Using the person’s name is like giving them eye contact.

    3.      Actively include silent participants. It is easy to ignore someone who hasn’t spoken in a virtual meeting- you don’t remember that they are there. If they show up only as disembodied initials, then you are not even sure who is actually present in the meeting! Call out people who haven’t spoken and ask them to share.

    4.      Invite dissent-Unless people are passionate about some issue that affects their lives, there is a tendency for participants to remain silent about disagreements during a virtual meeting. They think they will catch up on a call later and express their opinion. That call never comes and you have not got the complete buy-in that you need. Actively ask for dissenting opinions. Keep some time for disagreements. Say – The next few minutes are for the Devil’s advocates to speak up. Or Lets move to the Dissent Zone now.

    5.      Mind your language-  it is common for people to say ‘ You guys’ or Gentlemen forgetting that there are a few women present in your virtual meeting room. Even women can forget that there are other women present. Be more mindful about your language in virtual meetings since people can’t make out if you are joking or not!

    6.      Paraphrase and Acknowledge speakers- The skill of acknowledging needs to be practiced even more during virtual meetings. Every speaker on such a meeting is not sure if he /she has been heard and understood. Imagine you have just said something profound and are greeted with dead air for a few seconds. It is very disconcerting! Here is where the host or member can use the skill of acknowledging another person’s point of view. Say, “ What you are saying is…..” or “ I appreciate your point that…..” “ So, you are saying that….”. The ability to paraphrase and acknowledge is a quality of inclusive leaders.

    7.      Enhance psychological safety- This factor is critical for open inclusive dialogues. Research shows that teams that have psychological safety perform better. The host, leader or facilitator needs to role model this by showing some vulnerability. Do a Check in before the meetings by asking,” How are you feeling? What is on your mind? Share an example of any stress, anxiety or challenge that you have faced. It is okay to show the human face especially when people feel that they are talking to a black box!

    If you can practice these, it will help to make virtual meetings not just more productive but also provide an opportunity for engagement and authentic connection.

  • I took the plunge and couldn’t believe what I saw down there!

    I took the plunge and couldn’t believe what I saw down there!

    Lessons in stepping out of the comfort zone

    When I was 13 years old, my swimming instructor, possible exasperated at my lack of effort, pushed me into the deep end of the pool. I still remember the feeling of choking, the thought that I was going to drown, the sheer panic and helplessness. I hated that coach and completely stopped the swimming lessons.

    It took me 30 years to get back into a swimming pool. I am still a nervous swimmer with little confidence and less stamina than a six year old child in water. I have a fear of the deep and only venture into pools where I can stand and touch the bottom with my feet. When I walk on a beach, I make sure the waves never reach above my ankles.

    So, there was no way I was going to go snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. Ever!

    I had always been fascinated by the life that lived in the sea. Watching Finding Nemo a few years ago, made me curious about the creatures of the reef. But, I was more like Marlin, Nemo’s fearful father, scared to venture beyond the safe limits of my swimming pool, content to dream about doing it someday, one day..

    Last week, I found myself on a Catamaran in Australia, heading towards the Outer Reef. There it was, the great Pacific ocean, shining under the tropical sun like a brilliant blue portal to another world.

    The reasons to avoid going into the sea were plenty.

    – I could always see the corals through the window of the submersible vessel or Observatory- dry, safe and secure.

    -I had never been snorkeling. I would not be able to do it. I could barely swim.

    -I would make an utter fool of myself in the water.

    – It was too tedious to change into the lycra suit, wear flippers and masks and then change back, shower etc etc

    -Besides, I would look fat in the lycra suit.

    – I had allergies and wouldn’t be able to breathe properly.

    – I could get attacked by a shark.

    – I could get stung by a jellyfish.

    But when I reached the platform on the pontoon at the edge of the great reef, I realized that I would probably never get this opportunity again. I am a leadership facilitator who helps people overcome fears, a coach who motivates others to come out of their comfort zones. Here I was, taking the easy way out, playing small, frozen in the grip of some inexplicable terror.

    “I am going in,” I said to a crew member on the boat and strode purposefully towards the bin that held the flippers.

    The life- guard showed me how to fix the snorkeling mask and assured me that plenty of people who didn’t know how to swim had been able to snorkel. I put on a life jacket over the body suit and agreed to stay within the roped off enclosure.

    It took me a few minutes to get off the diving platform. I dithered by the edge wondering if people were watching me. Actually, no one cared.

    At first, I sat and just put my head into the water, getting used to breathing with my mouth. Then I slowly swam into the water, still holding on to the rope.

    I could breathe! I was not drowning!

    I put my head down into the water and almost gasped at what I saw. A magical turquoise world lay beneath the water. The large cabbage coral and boulder coral were castles in a fairy tale kingdom. Yellow fish darted in and out like little sparks of pixie light. Anemone and seaweeds danced gracefully to ocean music. A shoal of black and white zebra fish swam briskly, a guard of honor before a regal parrot fish with a fine pink and green pattern. My fear ebbed away and I was lost in the beauty of that wondrous underworld forest. I let go of the rope and floated on the surface of the water, without taking my eyes off the ocean floor. It was nothing like I had ever seen before. Seeing the corals in a film was one thing but experiencing it with your own eyes, feeling the water around you and being a part of the ocean was completely another.

    I reluctantly came out of the ocean since it was time for lunch. After half an hour, I was ready to go in again. I swam off the diving platform without holding on to the rope. I swam quite blissfully for the next few minutes, this time noticing more, allowing the beauty to seep in deeper without the underlying current of anxiety.

    As we headed back to land, I felt as though I had been through a transformational experience. This was almost like going on a Hero’s journey- the call to adventure, the initial fear and reluctance, meeting the mentor in the form of a helpful life- guard and then overcoming my own inner demons to embrace the new experience. I came back not with just a visual treat but treasures that would serve me in life and work.

    What had I learnt about overcoming fear and doing what scared me most?

    Fear is usually all in the mind due to some long- ago experience or irrational beliefs.

    There are always 10 sensible reasons to not do it and just 1 big one to go ahead.

    It is okay to feel scared but that is not an excuse.

    It is okay to ask for support and admit what you don’t know. People will usually help.

    There is a difference between courage and recklessness- so take precautions and prepare before plunging in.

    But you need to let go of the rope, the crutch, the shallows and strike out on your own.

    There is a whole new beautiful world waiting for you at the edge of your comfort zone. This is the world where the magic happens, where dreams come true.

    I now feel more confident, more powerful not just about snorkeling but about handling other challenges, about tackling things that scare me. The memory of having conquered one fear will always act as a positive motivator, nudging me to explore my edges.

    Maybe, scuba diving next time?

  • Get them into the Room-Excited,Engaged and Punctual

    Get them into the Room-Excited,Engaged and Punctual

    It is 9.15 a.m and there are only 5 people in the room. Asha, the Training Manager is on the phone desperately calling her colleagues. “Are you coming or not? We are supposed to start at 9.00 ” she screams into the phone. Dhruv, her team member comes and whispers, “BB can’t make it. He has another meeting.”

    “Sorry,” Asha looks sheepish. The invites went out two weeks ago. I can’t understand why these people don’t show up. After all, we are doing this for their benefit.”

    “Let us wait for sometime,” requests Dhruv. Those who are there want time to finish their emails and are quite happy to start later.

    Lokesh, one of the participants informs Asha that he has received an email and needs to step out for 2 hours for a Very Important Meeting with his boss.

    I take a deep breath and center myself.

    We finally start at 9.45 a.m with 15 out of the 20 who signed up for the session. The Leadership Development workshop goes off well and the feedback is very good but I am not hopeful about the sustainability of the action plans that participants have agreed on. I feel bad for Asha and Dhruv and the people in L&D who try very hard to create learning opportunities and don’t see the results.

    After spending 20 years in the Learning and Development Industry, designing and delivering sessions for more than 6000 people across 50 or so companies, I have reached a Zen state when it comes to punctuality and presence of the participants at the start of the session. I know that this is only a symptom. This is a symptom of the state of Learning and Development in the company.

    Over the years, I noticed some of the practices that Learning organizations follow that ensure not only the timely presence of the participants but also effectiveness of the intervention as a whole. The role and effectiveness of the facilitator and program content is only one part of the solution. The mindset with which the participant enters the training room has a huge impact on how the program goes off.

    Here are 3 simple actions that can be taken before the training to make training programs attractive and sustainable.

    1.      Communication from the Line Manager – Many research studies including Broad and Newstorm’s research on Transfer of Training show that the role of the line manager is the most important in ensuring sustainability of training. An email or a quick chat from the manager outlining the objectives of the program, expectations from the participant and a promise of support before the session, will ensure that the participant will turn up on time and stay in the room. The Line Manager needs to make the link between the training and on the job success. Too often, training, especially ‘soft skills’ training is seen as an ‘HR agenda’ by the manager and there is a lack of seriousness about it. Successful L&D managers coopt the line manager and ensure that they are kept in the loop through the intervention.

    2.      Brand and Market the Training- Yes, we live in a world where there is a constant battle for eyeballs and ears. Even stuff that is good for you and the world like Milk or Cleanliness or Single Use Plastic Bans need campaigns and promotions to get traction. Just a boring old email telling participants to show up for training, unfortunately, is not enough. Sometimes, Training Managers feel that they are doing everyone a favor by organizing a program. Sometimes, it is mandatory to attend the session and the training invite becomes a summons. Yes, it is mandatory to wear seat belts and not talk on the phone while driving, but how many do it? So, it is important to be creative, design that colorful poster, give the program an attractive name, release some teasers , make a splashy launch for a long- term intervention, throw in some swag and ‘pull’ people into the training room. The facilitator has to step up and do a great job as well. But then you work with excited participants not bored or cynical ones which makes a big difference. The best results happen when the Facilitators and L&D folks work together to design the entire intervention.

     

    3.      Executive Signaling– I have noticed that in organizations that are serious about Learning and Development, a VSL- Very Senior Leader, opens the workshop with a few ‘words of wisdom’ to inspire and motivate the participants. When the sales managers of my pharma company client knew that their MD would be addressing them in the morning, they not only showed up on time but could connect the leadership training to the organization context. The MD, who was a skilled story- teller also motivated them to get the most out of training. Training Managers need to influence senior leaders and insist on a 10-15 minute signaling speech. Senior leaders who want to groom and influence their people must carve out time to address this captive audience. This is an opportunity to shape the minds and engage the hearts of the people. If senior leaders view training as a chore, a check box item or leisure activity that takes people away from the ‘real’ work, it is unlikely that the organization will get any results from the interventions.

     

     If Asha and Dhruv ( not their real names) are reading this, I hope they can some ideas which will not only save them from frustration and embarrassment but will help them to get excellent results for their efforts in doing a very important job.

    Note to self– Support and Influence Asha and Dhruv be more successful and make my work more meaningful.

  • Mind the Gap-between espoused and actual corporate culture

    Mind the Gap-between espoused and actual corporate culture

    While no one knows what really happened at that time, a customer who was supposed to fly off into the air, was wrestled to the ground by the airline staff. For a past few days, the media has been buzzing with the viral video of a customer being manhandled by a couple of Indigo employees The CEO has issued an apology, the ‘culprit’ has been sacked and an inquiry demanded by the ministry. But the damage has been done. I have occasionally travelled by Indigo and so far have not faced any major issues. But now the image of the struggling customer has been downloaded into my hard drive and any future interaction with the airline might be clouded by this data.

    All it takes is one incident to damage the reputation and image that has been carefully cultivated over many years. Almost always, this incident is the result of human behavior. It could be sexual harassment , fraud or just uncouth behavior- Think Nick Leeson bringing down Barings bank or former the Uber chief yelling at a driver.

    Peter Drucker once declared ‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast’ and most companies did sit up and take notice. Organizations do spend a considerable amount of money and effort to identify and communicate the values and code of conduct for all its employees. Websites and walls of many organizations proclaim their values and competencies.

    Yet incidents happen.

    If you search  through Indigo’s website, across the banners flashing low fares and new routes, and delve into Careers, you can find its Culture Values- Integrity, Customer Orientation and Future Mindedness. Customer Orientation- means always seeing things from a customer’s perspective, identifying customers unstated as well as emerging needs.

    Clearly, not everyone saw it this way.

    Even if all employees do believe in all this good stuff, it goes out of the window during a crisis.

    The writing on the wall can be quite different   from the writing on the ground.

    Over the course of the last 20 years of working with organizations, I have seen that there are often two cultures that exist in organizations- the desired culture which is visible in pockets and the actual culture which is displayed on a day to day basis. All individuals in a company are different carrying their own baggage of life experiences, values and mindsets.

    So how do companies create a culture where diverse individuals , different departments and different geographies can happily  adhere   to a set of values- no matter what the situation is. Certain norms can be enforced through the rule of law or through fear. However culture cannot be sustained through fear or coercion. The organizational health gets damaged through years of fear based culture just as smoking may slowly but surely kill a perfectly healthy person. We many not admit it or see it in the short term but long term effects will be deadly. Culture building needs commitment not just compliance.

    Let us assume the organization has identified the values it stands for and the culture it wants to create. There are tools for identifying values  such as the Barrett Culture Transformation Tool or Culture Assessment Tool. This can also be done through a facilitated session with senior leaders and organization wide surveys.

    Now let us say the organization has identified 5 core values and the related descriptors of these values.  They leaders know that they want to create a culture that focuses on Innovation, Integrity, customer orientation and Discipline. This is the easy part.

    How do you make it stick? How do you make it last? How do you make everyone realize the importance of it?

    Many leadership gurus and consulting firms have their theories and 16 point plans for this. Most of these can be synthesized into the 3 Rs- 3 simple things that every leader, every organization needs to do – daily and with determination.

    Role Model

    ‘The culture of an organization is a reflection of the values and beliefs of the current leaders, and the institutional legacy of the values and beliefs of past leaders that have been institutionalized into the organization’s structures, policies and procedures. Therefore, if you want to transform your culture you must change your leaders or your leaders must change.’ – Richard Barrett

    Monkey see, Monkey do holds for humans as well. We don’t really care about what the leader says unless he or she ‘Walks the Talk’. Kids learn about values more from the behavior of parents and teachers than from moral science classes or Aesop’s fables. Leaders have to live and breathe the company values. It helps if your own values are aligned with the organizations. If not, you are possibly not a cultural fit and might not last long in the place. If the senior leader needs to see a change in the company’s culture, she needs to role model it in every interaction, every meeting, every touch point. It can be daunting but that is why leaders are paid – of course to get performance but also be custodians of the organization’s culture. If the leader punishes those who take risks and does not actively seek new ways of doing things, it is unlikely that there will be a culture of innovation in the organization.

    When the board wanted a change in Uber’s culture, they changed the CEO. Dara Kushrowshahi’s Uber will possibly look different from Travis Kalanick’s. He has now replaced the 14 values of Uber with 8 new cultural norms to reflect the new desired culture. These now need to be modeled by all leaders first.

    Reinforce

    Culture cannot be built in a day. Leaders need to reinforce the culture in many ways. Systems and processes need to be aligned with culture and not just for getting maximum performance from employees.

    I was recently doing a workshop on coaching for some leaders and we all agreed on the importance of developing and supporting employees. ‘I want to do this,’ said a leader,’ but there is no time. It is much easier for me to direct my team member or do it myself because the company wants quick results.’ When leaders are incentivized only on numbers, there is no reason to focus on people development.  Some organizations use the Balanced Scorecard to ensure that numbers alone are not recognized. Others do give awards for being great team players. What gets rewarded gets repeated.

    Reinforcement can also be done by giving behavior based feedback openly and fearlessly. Most leaders are comfortable giving performance feedback but feedback on behavioral issues is more challenging. Just as positive behaviors need to be rewarded, behaviors that are not aligned to the culture needs to be pointed out quickly and effectively. Make a distinction between things that are’ Not done’ and areas for coaching and promoting diversity. A swift and just punishment for violating a value is just as important to reinforce behaviors.

    Culture can be reinforced through structural alignment. An organization that wanted to enhance collaboration among different teams created a Collaboration space on each floor next to the coffee machine. The departments that needed to work closely together were put on the same floor so that they could meet and interact informally. Sometimes, processes need to be defined and aligned to the culture as well. A diverse and inclusive organization’s hiring process needs to reflect its ethos by broadening the candidate pool and consciously avoiding biases during the interviews.

    Rituals

    Rituals exist to remind and engage us. Rituals are a series of actions performed  in a specific order. While rituals are usually associated with religions, they are of immense importance in creating cultures. Every religious ritual, even those we do without thinking has some meaning attached to them.

    In a bank I work with, every morning starts with a group prayer which all employees sing together. In another company, a workshop cannot start without a safety briefing. Safety for this manufacturing organization is a key value. Some organizations have a Values day when different employees come together for a celebration of living the values. To reinforce Discipline as a value and behavior, another organization has a penalty box in every meeting room for every late comer to put in 100 Rs. The money collected every month is given for the CSR activities.

    Rituals provide powerful visible reminders and involve everyone in a set of actions designed to promote the culture. A ritual exists as long there is meaning and energy around it. The ritual can fall apart if there is no role modelling by the leader. Imagine if the senior most person in the meeting comes late and does not put in his penalty. No one would do it again.

    The culture needs to reflect the organization’s mission and vision and the changing context outside the organizations. While analysts and senior leaders monitor stock prices and profits, it is just as important to keep a check on the pulse of the organization’s culture. If there are symptoms such as attrition, absenteeism, destructive conflicts, customer complaints and poor performance, it is a sign that it is time to revisit the culture. If this is not done, then culture could become the monster that eats strategy and systems for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

  • Who we are is how we lead

    Who we are is how we lead

    When we talk about leadership, we usually think of grand important words to describe great leaders. We speak about vision, strategy, business acumen, influencing skills, great oration. In most workshops, leaders like Mahatma Gandhi or Martin Luther King or Dhirubai Ambani and JRD Tata are discussed in reverential tones even as we know that we can never match their stratospheric achievements.

    However at a recent leadership workshop, I asked participants to talk about the leaders they had experienced, people they had known personally who may not have been the CEO but who still left a lasting positive impression and inspired others. What did these leaders do? This is what many of them said.

    They really listened to me.

    They took quick decisions.

    They responded to my queries promptly.

    They always remembered my name and also that of my family members.

    They genuinely cared about my well- being and enquired after my health.

    They believed in me and gave me a lot of responsibility though I was new to the job.

    They didn’t shout at me even if I did  something wrong.

    They always appreciated my efforts.

    They were fair and impartial during appraisals.

    Almost all the descriptors of the leaders pertained to their behaviors as individuals. These were not skills to be learnt at business schools or techniques that the leaders had mastered by reading books. These were simple human traits which we display in and out of the office. These are the qualities that distinguish a leader from just another ordinary person doing his or her job. The highest level of leadership as per John Maxwell is at Level 5 Pinnacle- People follow because of who you are and what you represent. These people may not be in positions of official power but they have risen to a place where they can exert personal power irrespective of the context or situation. They are good human beings first, then good leaders.Such leaders are congruent and authentic in situations in and outside of work.

    A man who is rude to a waiter at a restaurant is probably rude to the front line employee.

    A leader who does not listen to his/her spouse finds it difficult to listen to the team members.

    A woman who is partial to one of her children finds it difficult to be objective during the time of appraisals.

    A man who forgets the birthdays of his friends will probably not remember that of his colleagues.

    A woman who is stingy with praise for the domestic help will not appreciate the efforts of her subordinates.

    A person who tends to distrust his neighbors will tend to distrust his peers.

    We all do adapt to some extent at work. Some people slip on a professional mask when they enter the office. We might reduce spontaneous reactions, behave with more gravitas, try to get along with people but we cannot change our whole personality when we step out of the home. If we continue to fake it at work, we will soon be stressed or burnt out. Our mindsets and beliefs that lead to the thoughts and feelings which in turn influence our behaviors are the same whether we are at work or home.

    One of the main failings of typical leadership development programs is that they try to address only the skills required on the job. I myself have conducted several such workshops and though they provide for an engaging learning experience, I have to confess that they do not immediately enhance leadership qualities. The momentum wears off on Monday morning, the Action Plans are relegated to the bottom of the To Do list and workbooks gather dust. A few highly motivated individuals may see an improvement in some aspects of their life but for the most part, it is life as usual after the intervention.

    If we want to change the way we behave as leaders, we also need to change the way behave as individuals, irrespective of context. Apart from a robust workshop design that caters to the holistic growth of a person followed by individual coaching, there are some other important  measures that can help to bridge the gap between personal and professional.

    Feedback from Family and Friends– Usually a 360 degree feedback or a psychometric assessment is the starting point of a leadership development intervention. Complement that by taking feedback from the spouse and children. They often give the sharpest critique from a space of trust. Ask a good friend for an assessment. Check in with your parents about your qualities that stood out for them. Recently, I asked the participants of a leadership program to spend the evening getting feedback from people outside of their organization. The experience threw up many surprises and gave them valuable insights about their behavior. For many participants, the icing on the cake of this activity was the strengthening some of the most important relationships in their lives.

    Focus on Well-being – Scientific research in the recent years, apart from our own common sense shows a strong connection between the body, mind and soul. Exercise and adequate sleep not only lead to better health but also promote happiness and well- being. Being a leader in position of responsibility can be a grueling task that calls for peak physical and mental fitness. Most interventions neglect this aspect and leave it to the individual to manage their physical fitness. While the ownership for this lies with the individual, enhancing the awareness of this aspect and motivating them to start off on a wellness routine will help them to become better leaders as well. Include a Mindfulness walk or bodywork as a part of the intervention. Set a weight loss goal, start a yoga class, do a daily mindfulness practice or just get people to use the gym in the office.

    Meaningful action plans- Most action plans or Individual development plans that are created as a part of leadership interventions involved tasks related to office work only. There are cost saving projects, innovation projects or even resolutions to delegate more and enhance communication skills. These are important and must be accomplished. Along with these include some actions that are important to the participant at a personal level as well. This could be taking up a new hobby which has been a long cherished dream. One of my participants wanted to start music lessons since she was out of touch with this for many years and singing used to give her great happiness in her early days. Some might want to focus on a social cause close to their heart. Another senior leader in a workshop wanted to do something for underprivileged orphans but did not set aside any time or make concrete plans for this. Once he put down a weekly visit to a nearby orphanage as a part of his personal goals, he felt a great sense of satisfaction.

    Set up mentoring relationships- Many organizations these days, sponsor performance coaching for their employees. Coaching forms a part of many leadership development interventions. As a coach, I have seen that my clients struggle with issues that are both personal and professional. Often, the mandate is to coach people so that they deliver on performance parameters only. However, during coaching, we uncover values, beliefs and limiting mindsets that impact the individual as a whole. I see that many clients need support on personal decisions and aspects as well. Most of them would benefit from a mentor with whom they have a trust based long term relationship. A mentor either from the organization or from outside would support them in their goals and challenges cutting across the personal and professional domains. Even if the organization does not provide a mentor, a leader should find a mentor who they will involve in their leadership journey. Some organizations like Biz Divas or the Cherie Blair Foundation provide mentoring support  for women leaders and this has proved to be hugely beneficial for their growth.

    The workplace of the 21st century is changing rapidly. The traditional way of looking at work life balance in terms of only time has changed. People no longer do 9-5 jobs, many work out of home; with smartphones and wi-fi, the lines between personal and professional space is blurring. In such a world, only leaders who can bring their whole authentic selves to work will succeed in work and life.

  • Trump,Clinton and Aristotle-How to persuade people to believe anything

    Trump,Clinton and Aristotle-How to persuade people to believe anything

    As a consultant and facilitator in the area of communication, I have been fascinated by one aspect of the American Presidential elections- the art and science of persuasion. After all, Mr.Trump has managed to pull off the biggest deal of his career, selling himself as the ideal Presidential candidate and persuading the voting public to elect him to the most powerful position in the country.

    So how did Trump and Clinton fare when it came to their persuasive skills over the course of their campaign? The oldest and still relevant theories of persuasion were propounded by Aristotle in the oldest democracy in the world, Greece. His book On Rhetoric, talks about the three pillars of persuasive appeals -Ethos,Pathos and Logos,which need to be followed by anyone who wants to be a successful influencer.

    Though I have not followed every speech and interaction of Trump and Clinton, I have formed a collective impression based on the debate and news reports, which I believe is enough to provide an idea of their powers of persuasion. So, here is my analysis, along with the 5 star rating system that is so popular these days, on how the two candidates fared with respect to Ethos, Pathos and Logos.

    Ethos refers to the character and credibility of the speaker.

    Ethos is the sum of everything that a speaker is, from basic demographic characteristics to reputation and experience. A speaker’s ethos is what makes the audience trust and like him or her.

    Let us look at each of candidates’ Ethos in the context of suitability for the post of President.

    The role that gender played in the elections will be a subject of many researches and studies for a long time to come but since I have definite views on this subject and a tendency for a bias towards Hillary Clinton, I shall take gender out of the equation, for the moment. That aside, both are wealthy,white, married,Christians of approximately the same age.

    On one hand, we had Donald Trump, with no political experience, no track record of having held any public office and  a dodgy reputation as a real estate businessman, reality TV host and promoter of casinos and beauty pageants. His personal character, which emerged over the course of his campaign showed him to be a misogynistic, xenophobic, racist with scant regard for the conventions of human interactions.

    Then there was Secretary Clinton, who was  already familiar with the White House, first as FLOTUS and then as Secretary of state. Hillary Clinton, with a major in Political science, a law degree from a prestigious American University was also elected to the Senate from New York. She has an extensive knowledge of the political system and a strong record of public service as a champion for universal healthcare and the rights of women and children. She is, by all accounts, a loyal, hard working, patriotic woman who is known to be kind, empathetic and a resilient fighter. The recent email scandal did dent her image as a trustworthy candidate but compared to Trump, she had years of goodwill, the endorsement of President Obama and the support of the media.

    If you had to choose someone to be the CEO of America Inc. ,a firm in which you have a major investment, which candidate  would you hire?

    At the start of the campagin, Hillary Clinton had a definite advantage over Trump.

    Ethos Score- Clinton- 4: Trump-2

    Pathos- the ability to connect to the emotions of the audience

    The first part of using pathos well is to understand who your audience is. Whether you are standing for election or writing a novel, it is not possible to please all the people all the time. Smart salespeople select their audience based on their decision making power. When I make a sales presentation to the senior team of a company, I need to ensure that the CEO’s needs and motivations are kept in mind as a priority.

    As per the United States Census Bureau, the American population comprises 77% white Americans, out of which 66 % are non Hispanic whites. Out of these, 95% of them are middle class or working class as defined by their average income. If we assume that at least 50% of them will form the core audience of any speech made by either of the candidates, then the communication has to be tailored to this critical chunk of the audience.

    The working class whites were Donald Trump’s core audience and everything he said was focused on this segment.

    Hillary Clinton’s audience was a mixed  bag of educated liberal whites, African Americans, other minorities, women and the young urban college goers, each a distinct segment.

    The second aspect of pathos is the ability to evoke a certain emotion from the audience which motivates them to take a particular action. As Aristotle put it brilliantly-

    Take, for instance, the emotion of anger: here we must discover (1) what the state of mind of angry people are, (2) who the people are with whom they usually get angry, and (3) on what grounds they get angry with them. It is clear that it might be needful in a speech to put [the audience] into a state of mind of those who are inclined to anger and show one’s opponents as responsible for those things that are the causes of the anger and that they are the sort of people against whom anger is directed.’

    Trump’s speeches capitalized on the two most visceral emotions, anger and fear. His core audience was told ‘They are stealing our jobs’, ‘They are bringing drugs, they are bringing criminals, they are rapists’. ‘They may be ISIS, they may be ISIS related ’ The only thing worse than ‘them’ was the previous government that allowed ‘them’ to do that. Trump painted a bleak picture of the future, stoking fear and uncertainty and then projected himself as the savior.

    On the other hand Clinton said, ‘I am not a single issue candidate and we don’t live in a single issue world.’ A statement that is undeniably true but did not reflect the needs and motivations of her target audience. ‘Hillary for America’ did project herself as the voice of reason and the President for all. She was also the champion of the minorities and women but she was unable to tap into the core emotions of that group as Obama had done in the past elections.

    Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people, said Yeats.

    The third aspect of pathos is the ability to connect to the audience by talking their language, at their level of understanding. To succeed in the aspect of pathos, the speaker has to communicate in such a way that the target audience can relate to the way the content is delivered.

    Sample the comments from the two candidates on the same issues.

    Trump– I would knock the hell out of ISIS in some form. I would rather not do it with our troops, you understand that.

    Clinton– A more effective air campaign is necessary but not sufficient. We should be honest that to be successful, air strikes have to be combined with ground forces.

    Trump – I believe in really really smart trade where we can come out on top, that is what I believe in, alright?

    Clinton– Any trade deal has to produce jobs and raise wages and increase prosperity and protect our security.

    Even if you don’t think like a wise man, it is important that your communication makes people feel that you are the one with the answers they want to hear. If you are an angry white American working class male who is worrying about losing his job to a large Asian nation or being attacked by hateful brown men who have sneaked into your country, who will you listen to?

    Pathos Score- Clinton-3, Trump-5

    Logos- the ability to appeal to the reason of the candidates

    The word logic is derived from the Greek root logos. Yes, even in elections which are emotionally charged, the logical argument is important. People want technical or artificial proof, either the real numbers or examples and hints that show some cause and effect relationship and allow both inductive and deductive reasoning.

    Effective use of  Logos requires the language to be simple, understandable and have a stickiness that causes the audience to remember the message long after the speech.

    I am going to examine just one segment of one of the national debate which calls for the candidates to produce rational responses to questions on policy to see how Clinton and Trump did with respect to Logos.

    In response to the question- Why are you a better candidate to create better jobs that put more money in the pocket of the American worker, this is what the candidates said. I have partly edited the segment but the key words have been reproduced verbatim.

    Clinton– ‘We need good jobs, new jobs. I want to invest in you. We need to raise minimum wages, and ensure equal pay for women’s work. … encourage profit sharing and support people who want a better balance between work and family life. Let’s have paid family leave, earned sick days, affordable child care and debt free college. How are we going to do that? We want the wealthy to pay their fair share and close corporate loopholes.’

    Trump – ‘Our jobs are fleeing the country. They are going to Mexico and other countries… China is using our country as a piggy bank to rebuild their economy. My friend said.. Mexico is the 8th wonder. They are putting up these big plants there…You see Ford is leaving. Thousands of jobs are leaving Michigan and Ohio. Carrier Airconditioning fired 1400 people. We have to stop that. Under my plan, I will be reducing taxes from 35% to 15% for all companies, big and small business. ..Companies will come, they will build, they will expand. It will be a beautiful thing to watch.’

    Remember Pathos. See how Trump never forgets his core audience and their fears. Note use of examples, specifics, numbers and the creation of artificial proof. Which segment will you remember more?

    The Trump campaign seems to have understood the galvanizing power of the three syllable chant-‘Bring back jobs! Lock her up! Build the wall! The words when repeated again and again by large crowds carry an explosive energy of their own.

    They had a strong slogan- Make America great again. America was great. Now, it is not so great because of all the bad things done by the current government. I will make it great again. A simple proof.

    The Clinton campaign lacked a powerful unifying message. Let us make history did not resonate with a large part of the population. Hillary for America was too vague. Though Hillary Clinton has a better vocabulary, superior sentence structures, an elegant turn of words and adequate data to bolster her statements, her logical appeal at many times lacked the simple stickiness that the majority of the audience required.

    Logos score: Clinton- 3: Trump-4

    Total Score in Persuasive skills- Clinton- 10 : Trump 11

    When it comes to persuading people to vote or buy into any product or idea, all aspects of your appeal have to be stronger that your competitor’s. If your competitor’s Ethos is stronger, then you need to destroy that even as you bolster your own logos and pathos. Even though many factors determined the final result of the elections, the respective campaigns will at least will be a great case study in the art and science of persuasion.

  • Not just another Leadership theory

    Leadership has been one of the most researched, most written about, and perhaps the least understood topics in our modern world. From the Great Man theory in the late 1800s, to the Behavioral theories in the 1970s, to more recent concepts like Servant Leadership, academics and business practitioners have tried to demystify the concept of leadership. Leadership programs usually start with a discussion of the differences between a manager and leader at the end of which each person is convinced that he is a true leader and others are mere managers. Then, there is the eternal debate of whether leaders are born or made which ends only when someone remarks that all leaders are born–they don’t come into the world in any other way!

    Most leadership theories include certain important aspects of leadership, but none of them gives a complete picture of a leader. Leaders are human beings and at their best, humans are messy, complicated, contradictory and full of surprises. Even with extensive research and sophisticated behavioral models, we cannot predict human behavior with 100% accuracy.

    I am sure we will have more versions of leadership in the coming years and yet we will never have a perfect formula for what makes a good or great leader. In times of rapid change, even theories of leadership behavior and old paradigms are shifting rapidly. However, it is possible to unearth and understand the factors that lead to great leadership. We know that family background, economic and social status and education have little to do with the quality of leadership. Individuals from humble backgrounds like Dr. Abdul Kalam or Oprah Winfrey have become excellent role models while those born into privilege like Rahul Gandhi, scion of the Congress family, or Jeb Bush, the son of former U.S President George H. W. Bush, have not become successful leaders.

    So what does Leadership depend upon?

    Having studied leadership theories, facilitated several leadership programs and followed the histories of some people who have been successful as leaders, I still cannot say that there is a form of leadership that is best. However, I have seen that certain factors determine the kind of leadership a person will display.

    The quality of our leadership depends upon the quality of our Purpose, Principles and Practices. If I were a famous leadership expert, I would propound the Leadership Quality Theory in abstruse academic jargon. But for now, I am content to examine these three elements in more detail.

    Purpose

    ‘He who has a why to live for can bear anyhow.’ — Friedrich Nietzsche 

    Martin Luther King had a dream which gave him the energy to fight against all odds for a just and equitable social system. Bill Gates wanted to put a computer in every home. Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yew had a clear mission of securing the future of Singapore. Some people just know what they are going to do, some others come by their calling through an opportunity or an upset, many people stumble from one role to another hoping to discover their purpose. A clear purpose is both the starting point and the pole star for a leader’s journey. It provides energy when a leader faces hardships; it is the fuel that spurs the leader forward, it is the shining light that attracts others on the journey.

    What we set out to do in the world determines who we are and the kind of leader we become. The starting point is a strong desire to accomplish something. The larger and bolder our dreams are, the larger the canvas is on which we choose to create our actions. It does not mean that everyone has to become a CEO of a company or a Nobel Prize winner. Nor is every CEO or President a great leader. Everyone does a job or pursues a career for financial security, for social acceptance and for their own growth. Their contribution is important and noble. One can choose to be a leader in the family, at the rotary club, a thought leader in an area of expertise or a business head in a corporate setting. Having a clear personal mission statement is essential to both exceptional performance and psychological well-being.

    Nick Craig and Scott Snook, in their Harvard Business Review article say that ‘We believe that the process of articulating your purpose and finding the courage to live it—what we call purpose to impact—is the single most important developmental task you can undertake as a leader.’

    Principles

    One of the popular topics for debate in many leadership workshops is, ‘Was Hitler a great leader?’ He did have a clear purpose and several qualities required in a leader, but everyone usually agrees that he cannot be called a great leader because he lacked certain core human values.

    The quality of leadership depends upon the quality of a person’s principles and values. If the purpose is the guiding star, principles are the building blocks of the road on which the leadership journey takes place. Principles are core values that lead to specific beliefs, which in turn drive behavior. The principles that we consciously or unconsciously hold as adults come from our upbringing, culture, religion and the sum of our life experiences. We do not choose our principles, they are acquired over a period of time and usually difficult to dislodge.

    Two leaders may hold the same core principles but different beliefs around the core values, which make a huge difference in the quality of their leadership.

    Let us take the example of two leaders – Leader A and Leader B both value achievement and want their team to succeed.

    As a result of his experiences, A believes that people will be motivated to achieve through fear of punishment and insecurity.

    As a result of his experiences, B believes that people will be motivated to achieve if they are recognized and rewarded.

    Both A and B may achieve their goals, but the quality of their leadership and the impact they have on the people around them will be different. It is important for leaders to connect to their principles and beliefs and examine how it impacts their ability to tap into their leadership potential.

    Practices

    Dr. John Maxwell, the leadership expert and author of ‘The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership’, talks about the Rule of 5. Leaders need to identify the 5 essential activities for success and practice them every day. In the Law of Process, he notes that leadership is what you do daily. Stephen Covey has written extensively about the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, emphasising the importance of doing simple but powerful things regularly.

    Even if we have a lofty goal and noble principles, we cannot achieve anything if these are not translated into concrete actions. Practices are the regular steps we take on the leadership journey, these are the observable behaviors people see. Practices include the how of everything from the time we get up in the morning, how we greet other people, how we prioritize tasks, how we take care of our health, how we handle conflicts, how we put forward a point of view, how we react under stress and how we solve problems. While leaders do need to adapt according to the situation, daily practices give them the ability to read the situation and respond in the right way.

    One of the leaders in a workshop, told me that he has a practice of meditating for 15 minutes everyday. This helps him to stay calm through the day and react in a more positive way to situations. Another CEO holds a coffee morning with one of his team members every week and spends the time just listening to that person. Another leader reads one relevant and useful article every alternate day and circulates it to his team.

    The quality and consistency of our practices determines the outcome of the leadership journey. While the quality of the practices can be enhanced by acquiring skills and techniques, reading and learning, consistency requires discipline and determination.

    The quality of the purpose, principles and practices individually are extremely important, but what is even more crucial is the alignment between the three. All leadership practices have to be powered by the right set of principles which in turn are in service of the larger purpose. In today’s fast paced world, it is easy for people to lose sight of the core elements of the leadership and life journey. Reflecting from time to time on of their Purpose, Principles and Practices is a practice that all leaders can and should do to grow in their leadership journey.

    – See more at: http://elavateleaders.com/blog/not-just-another-leadership-theory/#sthash.Ukyam1c0.dpuf