Jacqueline Novogratz, CEO of Acumen Fund: Lessons in Leadership

I just watched this short video clip and was totally inspired. Had to share it!

Jacqueline Novogratz, CEO of Acumen Fund, shares lessons in leadership from her work in venture philanthropy.

This interview was conducted by Bill Javetski, an editor with the McKinsey Quarterly, in February 2009. It was recorded in the New York office of Acumen Fund. A wonderful video clip that you will not want to miss! Truly!

http://tinyurl.com/cqxj8l

The Experiment

I could not resist posting this email that went around. If you have seen it, what did you think about it? If not, read and let me know what you think the implications are for not only our country but for how we ensure high performance and purpose in organizations. This just facinates me!

An economics professor at Texas Tech said he had never failed a single student before but had, once, failed an entire class.
The class had insisted that socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.
The professor then said OK, we will have an experiment in this class on socialism. All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A.
After the first test the grades were averaged and everyone got a B.

The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy.
But, as the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard
decided they wanted a free ride too; so they studied little.. The second Test average was a D!
No one was happy.

When the 3rd test rolled around the average was an F. The scores never increased as bickering, blame, name calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for anyone else.

All failed to their great surprise and the professor told them that socialism would ultimately fail because the harder to succeed the greater the reward but when all the reward is taken away; no one will try or succeed.

Are you a leader? Are you sure?

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." John Quincy Adams

So many leaders are worried about the "transactional" side of work; getting the details done correctly, ensuring their staff is working on the right things, answering questions, pointing out where they have made mistakes or missed something, etc. While this can be important, it is so very limiting to creating great results and true sustainability.

Great results happen when leaders create an environment where people are inspired and given the opportunity to grow, create and call forth their best self. Effective leadership means creating context for the organizational direction; translating that context in a way that allows employees to connect it to their work; and creating conditions that both encourage employees to fully engage and allow them to contribute with purpose, to the success of the company.

"Leadership is not magnetic personality. It is not ‘making friends’. Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to high sights and raising performance to a higher standard." Peter Drucker

A must see leadership survey. Important implications for leaders and their organizations this year. http://ping.fm/bz3jm

The Irrational Side of Change

I wanted to take a quick minute and simply post a link to a great article for those of you who are leading change, involved as a consultant or engaged in organizational development.This article discusses "WHY" all the things we know should work in change - do not always work!

It then provides some options to consider and I found it to be well worth the read.

http://ping.fm/wlXUU

Enjoy it and let me know hwat you think!

Are you awake?

On my morning run today I starting pondering about what it means to be fully awake in our life. (I realize that sounds a bit nutty, but after years of running I find it to be my best "reflection time" and the random thoughts just seem to come.) I then thought of the various spiritual teachers that point us to becoming more conscious.

“Awake, Awake” The Old Testament
“Can you coax your mind from its wandering?" The Tao Te Ching
“Well awake they arise, at all times…Constantly there is mindfulness…” The Dhammapada

My first husband and I are what you might call “opposites;” I learned a lot. He likes taking things slow, enjoying the small things in life and desires more than anything, peace and enjoyment in his life. I could have chided him with this line from Mary Oliver,

"Do you think that this world is only an entertainment for you?
No wonder we hear, in your mournful voice, the complaint
That something is missing from your life."

I have always been a “seeker.” Seeking a new quest, acquiring more knowledge, growing, and learning. I have been guided in my life by a need for meaningful work, passion and "what can or might be." In a younger time, I may have told you that my first husband was much better at being “present,” the word used to describe “in the moment” and rather smugly, I might have said that I was more about growth and achievement. This morning the more I thought about “awake” and it’s significance to being present, the more I thought about wholeness; wholeness is completeness.

I love the line from Mary Oliver,“What will you do with this one wild and precious life?" I love it because it calls us to be clear about our choices and to do that we need to awaken and be conscious!

Awakening from our all too often zombie like auto-mode, requires a deep comment to wholeness which includes a willingness and a desire for personal deep development and possibility and perspective & appreciation for “what is.” It is in the AND here that I draw a critical distinction: Amicably listening to an employee, for instance, without being willing to put an issue on the table that needs to be discussed is not being “present,” rather it is avoiding being present. Likewise, striving and striving for more or better without noting how far you have come or without noticing the present state of your health or the cost to your family is not development or growth, it’s just more driving and ego. True development requires becoming more capable of being mindful and fully present and being present requires committing to a rigorous path of development and action; they go hand in hand where one without the other can never be wholeness.

There are a few disciplines I follow pretty diligently that enable me to access “wholeness” in any given week: (I hit and miss, but when I do these things, it makes a big difference in my experience of life and the outcomes I create)

1. A practice of meditation and prayer


2. Physical exercise that acts as a clearing and cleansing


3. Consciously deciding to see people as real people versus things or objects; in the way, slowing me down, means to an end, to be managed, here for me and my needs, etc. (You'd be surprised by how often we can slip into seeing people as objects when it comes to projects and tasks!)


4. Regularly engaging in development and feedback that emerges the un-awakened me, allowing me to see my “blind spots” and staying open to it without justification


5. Slowing down and working hard to keep my plate not quite full (or not too full) so that I can pay attention and be present in the unexpected things that always come.
   
6. Reminding myself that things generally work out for the best; no need to control or wring my hands, I just need to stay awake, stay with it, not become attached to the outcome and see it through.
   

I look forward to learning from you about the yin-yang of wholeness. Keep the dialogue going and be awake!

Change is Change

Recently we had a “change experience” that reminded me, again, of how unsettling change can be even when it is great news. To the left is my darling grand-daughter, Hailey Elizabeth. She is 2 and ½ years old.

Below is our brand new grandson, Gavin. He was born on Monday. Hailey was not sure exactly what was happening at first and what "baby Gavin" actually would mean to her life.









On Thursday last week, I took Hailey out for a little one on one time. We had a great time getting our nails painted and playing. On the way back she started to get mad! I said, "Don't you want to go home and see your mom and dad and baby Gavin?" Her response: "No mommy, no Daddy, NO BABY."

It cracked me up! Poor darling was weary of this new new situation and wanted her "princess - one and only - status back immediately." Two and a half year olds are great at letting go (a lesson for us all) so by the time we got to her house she was happy to see her mom and dad again. She was especially happy to show off her newly painted finger and toe nails and she gregariously shared the stories of time with Grandma. Her parents were wonderful to acknowledge and support her by giving her the appropriate attention filled with "ahhhs" and "wows." She still is a little unhappy about all the attention the baby is getting from her mommy, but she will adjust and she loves helping with the baby most of the time.

While this change in Hailey's life may seem small; it is big for her! If we were to really pay attention, we would know that many of the people around us are having their own "change experience" that is big to them. I once heard something that I have never forgotten, "Treat the person you meet as if they are in trouble and you will be right more than one half the time." After hearing this comment, I really started to pay greater attention to others and I have found that it tends to be more true than not. Think about those you know of right now that are worried sick about a teenager, those that are dealing with sick parents and who may need to be put in a nursing home, those with family members who have cancer or serious health problems, or who are dealing with the loss of a job or a failing marriage for starters. When we choose to really see each other, we see people doing the best they can with very difficult changes and difficulties in their lives.

Regardless of the kind of the change experienced, good or deemed not good, change is hard and sometimes life is difficult! As leaders, parents and friends there are a couple of things that help people get through change and difficulty a little more smoothly:

1. Be truthful about the situation. This is especially true if you have greater perspective or information. Delusion only prolongs the pain. (Baby Gavin is living at your house with you!)

2. Show individualized consideration. Good leaders and parents (who are also leaders) pay special attention to each person who is in their stewardship. Individualized consideration primarily consists of two important things; listening and mentoring.

• Listening: Listening is never over rated. Proverbs in the King James Version Bible says, "Incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding." This suggests that we gain wisdom by working to understand with our hearts as we listen. Making it safe for others to share their feelings, fears and vexations helps them to be more open and honest, acts as a diffuser for pent up emotion, and in the end, engenders trust and confidence.


• Mentoring: This consideration is given to individuals by providing opportunities to be a part of the change and enabling growth and development that facilitates higher levels of human potential. (You are an amazing big sister and you are so good with Gavin! You went on a date with Grandma all by yourself and got a pedicure - that is really a big girl! Do you want to help wash Gavin's hands?)
  

As for the changes in my life....I hate them! :)

Perfectionism: Virtue or Vice?

Being a perfectionist is a good trait, right? You get things done "the right way." Nothing gets by you or goes unnoticed. You can make anything better. Your projects are always meticulously planned and implemented. You personally ensure there are no mistakes. What could be wrong about that? Nothing except the “cost” to yourself and to others; rarely discussed, the dark side of perfectionism.

While thinking about this post, interestingly enough, I was viewing a program on the history channel this weekend about “the 7 deadly sins” and in the discussion of “sloth” perfectionism was mentioned; perfectionism leads to procrastination, which in turn leads to sloth. Procrastination occurs of course, because if it has to be done perfectly. We rationalize: I need to ensure it can be done with my proper attention, or I need to ensure I get complete agreement and all input possible to the idea from my boss (or my spouse or whomever) before moving forward, or I need to read a particular essay or email over and over again and/or wait until I have all the latest information before sending it, or I can’t make a decision until I am sure that I have all the research available on the topic. The rationalizations are endless.

On a practical level the cost to perfection is worth considering:

1. You’re wasting your time and other’s time. Is it really necessary to triple and quadruple check everything? Is it worth having everyone wait for your approval? Is it worth having others re-do something because it is not exactly what you would have done? Productivity and leadership are suffering at your expense; as a perfectionist, this should trouble you.

2. You’re not getting things done that could get done! Have you considered the things you don’t do, the things you don’t pursue or you procrastinate doing because you’re worried you won’t do them right?

3. Perfection is unattainable. This is obvious. But somehow easy to forget. Repeat it often!

4. This is really important: Perfectionism is primarily motivated by fear. Looking perfect and maintaining its facade becomes about “not being found out and superiority.” It’s making you scared of mistakes, of opening up, of being human. This is holding you back from what you really want to achieve. Start to fear regret of missed opportunities and deep relationship more than mistakes.

At Maxcomm, we sometimes use the contrast below to help fellow perfectionist see the difference between maintaining the “image” of perfection, because in the end that is all perfection can be in this life – an image, and manifesting potential. The quality of our life experience is dramatically different from each frame.

Perfection------------------------------------------Manifesting Potential

(Image)---------------------------------------------(Being human)__________________________________________________

No room for error-----------------------------------Learn from mistakes

Motivated by FEAR of loss ---------------------Motivated by love for opportunities

Fear of Failure---------------------------------------Excitement/fun/humor

Calculated safety-------------------------------------Calculated risks

Judging/Comparing----------------------------------Support/Acceptance

Controlling ----------------------------------------Extend gifts and influence

Bottleneck/procrastination---------------Create opportunities and enable action

Results only (perceived by me)-------Results/Journey/Relationships/Experience

Unfold your own myth, without complicated explanation,
so everyone will understand the passage,
we have opened you.
Your legs will get heavy and tired. Then comes the moment
of feeling the wings you’ve grown,
Lifting.
---Rumi