Tag: Corporate America

The Collision of Profit Motive and Meaningful Work

I'm all for profit, wished I had more.  And I'm very into meaningful work. The problem is found in the collision of profit motive and meaningful work.

The problem rears its ugly head when the profit motive starts taking greed steroids.  Meaningful work exits when this happens.  I wish this scenario was rare, but you and I know it's not.  The crazy part is profit and meaningful work can coexist and thrive.

In many ways we live in a tale of two cities.  One city is a place where management (entry to executive) is focused on profit, expenses, quarterly news, and the like.  The other city is a place where the employee is looking and longing for meaningful work.  They're not immature children or idealistic dreamers, just people who understand that life is a limited time offer and they desire to make the most of the time given.  This is the reality and the reason we're in such a mess, relating to how we do and live out our work.

So why are the two at odds?

  1. At some point we put a higher value on things (money, possessions, titles) versus people and the lives they lead.  And what is valued most, is what will get the lion-share of attention.
  2. Greed and power can be just as addicting as any drug.  The person is overtaken and refuses to give it up.
  3. We started telling our children to fit in a box.  See standardized testing as a measure of intelligence, for example.  We've all but poisoned their ability to recognize meaningful work.
  4. Wall Street (for those entities in the publically traded realm).
  5. The absence of courageous leadership inside the halls of management.

I've always been about people-for better or worse, so I'm not writing to offer solutions on how to fix corporate America.  In the spirit of giving you a place to start, a place to begin discovering where meaningful work may be found, I want you to take a look at the following video clip:

 

 

 

7 Things Your Manager Wants You To Know

Corporate maze 

I spoke with a friend yesterday about the role of her manager in her job.  He's an advocate for her and a buffer.  The buffer part was what struck me.  He's a buffer between my friend and senior management.  Sadly, senior management in this organization is living in an alternative reality, so they need someone who is deft at translating this reality into real world application.  This happens a lot in the corporate world.

This post is not a defense of the middle-manager, nor is it a rant about how bad they sometimes can be.  In the spirit of balance I want you to consider 7 things your manager wants you to know:

  1. Your manager is afraid.  In many ways this makes them like everybody else, with one huge exception.  Your manager has power and influence over the work of human beings.
  2. Your manager thought they wanted the job when it was offered.  Many managers are conflicted.  The organization dressed everything up well, put on the nicest face, but decided to let themselves go after the honeymoon.  Now your manager sees themselves as stuck.
  3. Your manager wants to do the right thing.  She realizes she can't please everyone.  She knows that making a decsion swiftly and resolutely is sometimes needed, even if you don't see it or understand it.
  4. Your manager wants ongoing learning and growth.  But it's very difficult when profit tries to push an unseen opportunity out the door.  Or worse, the organization doesn't care about learning and growth.
  5. Your manager has been a bully all their life and has no intention of stopping.  Unless, of course, someone decides to push back.  He believes the organization is weak for not putting a halt to his behavior.
  6. Your manager is intimidated by people who are smarter and wiser.  They see vulnerability (being ok with not being the crown jewel in the room) as something to be avoided.
  7. Your manager feels like their life is ebbing away.  The other parts of life are demanding much from her, just like the organization.  In many ways she wonders where is the life she dreamed of.

More Shedding of My Corporate Skin

Sshedding Skin

As I make my way through my 30 Day Breakthrough Plan, I thought I would embrace some more transparency.  Here are some things you might not know about me:

 

  1. I have been a musician for over 30 years
  2. I have had Type I diabetes for over 20 years
  3. I once stated that working for a bank was the ultimate sell-out
  4. I have been married for 20 years
  5. Miles Davis's music was a constant source of finding my muse when writing my first book
  6. I would do what I do for free
  7. I underestimated the impact of my dad's passing-the good and the bad

 

The Role of the Corporate Rebel

You may not know this, but I once was a corporate rebel.  A mostly associate that term with Lois Kelly, the person I first heard and connected the idea with.  I'll get to Lois's work in second. 

I was the guy who would get on top of filing cabinets (I'm not kidding) and protest bureaucratic processes and meaningless rules that hurt clients and employees.  Needless to say I had a reputation.  In many ways it's a miracle I lasted as long as I did in that world.  The main point is about heart motivated action to change things for the better.

I didn't work for companies that appreciated rebels.  I'm certain I was tolerated because of my knack or ability to make money for the organization.  Rebels were a threat culturally.  Rebels saw what many preferred to ignore, either for convenience or fear.  This is quite ironic since rebels (at those with integrity) really seek the organizations well-being.

Alas, my story leads into an even better one.  Lois Kelly has done a lot of good work for quite some time.  I think she's brilliant.  You can get to know her and her work better here.  But take a look at the following story and background for her take on the corporate rebel and why they should be embraced, not shunned.  Here's to all the corporate rebels out there.

 

Corporate rebel ebook

View more presentations from Lois Kelly

 

When Managers Are Vague-2011 Update

The following is a re-post of something I wrote over 3 years ago.  Had a conversation yesterday with a peer and we still see way too much of this:

Talked to a friend yesterday who works for a large organization with many deadlines and targets to hit.  She's a star in the company's eyes.  And like other "stars," she tends to get access to places and people that average performers don't.  She takes advantage of the opportunity-in a good way.  What's frustrating this star is managment's lack of clarity around directives.  Management has taken the approach of "need to know basis."  That might work at the CIA, but not in an organization made up of performance-workers.

Funny thing about star performers, they demand clarity.  It isn't given often with management.

Why the dichotomy?  A languishing leadership/management culture as far as I can see.  The company may have a viable product, long-standing customer base,  and a model that's effective in good times and bad.  But getting managers who understand how to lead great performers is tough.  Here are a few reasons:

  • High insecurity on the part of the manager.  Maybe they were taught (erroneously) that they were supposed to be the smartest gal/guy in the room.  The reality of this can be crushing to some.
  • The manager may talk a good game around diversity, but leading diverse people in real-life does not come through.
  • The manager has atrophied in their leadership and just wants people to follow orders.

When managers are vague, it creates an environment of vigilantes.  Everyone (star performers and bottom-feeders) wants to take control based on how they need to survive.  In many ways, the manager has become nothing more than a body in a suit.

Restoring (assuming it was there some time in the past) clarity is vital.  To not to do this would be organizational suicide.

The DNA Seminar

Human eye 
The following is an updated post I wrote a few years ago.  Subject matter is still relevant and the problem is still pervasive.  Leaders/managers hear the bell.

A friend of my wife's lost his job this past Monday.  It was done in the name of saving costs.  Yes, at one time or the other you're a cost.  No promises, right?  It's a tough situation that is only made worse by organizations who make lots of promises.

Funny thing is the group he worked in was just started a year ago.  How can you know in twelve months whether something will fly? 

So what to do when Mommy and Daddy fly?  Sorry for the flippant reaction, but this guy just moved here from the west.  Why not use some candor and tell the employees that the organization isn't sure about the prospects and it may not go the way of success?  Two faces are the issue here.  And before you think I'm conjuring this stuff up, please know I've delivered the "two-faced" speech in my former corporate management life.  It went something like this; one face was in the room with management stating we'll let them go if the unit oesn't meet targets (usually unrealistic).  Another face was in front of the employees stating how the future was bright.

I write this post today to communicate something simple, yet complex.  Every leader who has human beings following them should be required to attend an all-day seminar on the marvels of human DNA.  If I were conducting the seminar I would say the following at its conclusion:

"After today think long and hard about who follows you.  And when you make your plans think about the implications-they're real and worth your consideration."

You can read here about some of the dynamics of our DNA.

What A Leader Should Focus On

If I had one piece of advice to give a new manager/leader in a corporate environment, it would be the following:

    Pour your heart, skills and strengths into followers who have the greatest potential to follow even after your title is nothing but a memory.

If you do the above, you will be an authentic leader who has authentic followers-for the rest of your days.

Quite powerful.

The Future of the Corporation: Seven Dangers Ahead

Fireworks 

The relevance still remains.  Good to look back to look forward.  Wrote the following post about 2 1/2 years ago:

Talked to my attorney this morning over breakfast (no problems, he's a friend too).  We got to talking about security inside of corporate America.  I, of course, said security in corporate America is pure fantasy.  No bitterness hear, just the facts ma'am.

As we talked, I went out of my way to mention that corporate America is pretty young from a historical point of view.  Why is that important?  The winds of change blow harder on youth.

The main point here is to alert you to what I believe are some dangers (keep in-mind danger is a relative term) ahead for corporate America:

  1. The flight of talented men and women to entrepreneur ventures.  I personally see this as a good thing.  I like the idea of small and nimble organizations increasing.  Besides, anytime you increase the odds against bureaucracy, the world is a better place.
  2. The harvest from the bad seeds of poor leadership.  Some organizations have failed in this area for so long that poor leadership is part of the culture.  And we know how powerful culture is.
  3. Apathetic employees who spend extended (10+ years) inside of the same organization.  Apathy works well when things are going swimmingly, not so well when the tough times come.
  4. Age demographics.
  5. Prosperity.  It was once said that Rome was never conquered, because it committed suicide.
  6. HR departments that have no true say in the corporation's future, but are asked to babysit/discipline employees (managers and staff) who are doing their own thing.
  7. Workers that have no vision.  Without vision, an organization will crumble slowly over time.

Each of the seven dangers are solvable.  But the greater issue is do we have the courage to solve?

Top Ten Reasons Managers Won’t Lead From a Position of Responsibility

The following post first appeared in 2008.  It's worth a look again.

 

FIRST, HERE'S TO ALL THE MANAGERS WHO LEAD FROM RESPONSIBILITY AND THOSE WHO WANT TO LEARN THE ART.  THESE PEOPLE PROVIDE HOPE.

Now for problem in need of fixing.  In my post on What Management Doesn't Get: Leadership Implies Responsibility I made the argument that managers have a gaping hole relating to leading.

Here is a good list (a starting point) of why managers won't lead from a position of responsibility:

  1. It's easier to command and throw your weight around.
  2. Too many organizations teach (by their actions) that people are a means-to-an-end.
  3. Most managers, if honest, would have to admit they're soft.  When I was escorted out of corporate America for the last time, I discovered this first-hand.
  4. Managers, and those who promote them, don't teach and guide.  Therefore, many managers go by instinct.  It is not instinctual to take responsibility.  If it were, I'd be writing about something else.
  5. Fear and greed.
  6. The tools for education focus too much attention on skills and the attainment of position.  Without a strong emphasis on character, responsibility will not be a priority.
  7. Managers have bought the lie that everything begins with them.
  8. It's hard to lead from responsibility.  It requires a creativity of the highest order.
  9. Deep down many managers have given up.
  10. Too many organizations have become instant everything.  No time for anything except for what's immediately in front.

When Leaders Decide To Turn Around

When a leader decides to repent (I know that term conjures images of a fire and brimstone preacher, but it simply means "to turn around") it's a great thing.  It signifies an awakening and a desire to change.  I applaud leaders in, and out, of the corporate world who are courageous enough to make this type of move.

Now for the painful dangerous part.

As much as I would love to tell you that all of the followers will applaud when a leader turns around, I can't.  There will be opposition and resistance to the leaders new-found awakening.  The why question is multi-layered, but one big answer can be found in the history of the leaders direction and actions.  For example, if the leader has for years only praised you when senior management was around, then it's a sign of career posing.  It takes time (a lot of it) for people to accept and believe in the change from counter-genuine to authentic.  

The dangerous part is found in the leader who gives into the temptation of giving up because of skepticism on the part of their followers.  Our culture likes results fast.  But the leader should not expect speed here.  If the leader can set the expectations appropriately, then the chance of perseverance grows markedly.  The take-away here is, don't give up if you believe in the "turn around."

Make the decision to turn around…you won't regret it.