Lessons From Leaders

In Memory of Judith E. Glaser, A Game-Changer in Leadership

We are sad to share news of the recent passing of our friend and colleague, Judith E. Glaser, Founder and CEO of Benchmark Communications, Inc. and Chairman of The CreatingWE® Institute. She was widely acknowledged as one of the most pioneering and innovative change agents, consultants and executive coaches in the consulting and coaching industry.

Judith was the world’s leading authority on Conversational Intelligence® (C-IQ). Her transformational approaches use neuroscience and anthropology to enable leaders to raise their Conversational Intelligence and build agile and higher performing individuals and teams. She was the author of 7 best-selling business books, including her most recent best-seller, Conversational Intelligence: How Great Leaders Build Trust and Get Extraordinary Results.

Over the years, Scott and I have been powerfully impacted by Judith’s research and framework for Conversational Intelligence®, which makes complex scientific concepts simple to understand and apply. As described on her website, “Conversational Intelligence is a framework for knowing which kind of conversations trigger the lower, more primitive brain and which conversations activate higher-level intelligences such as trust, integrity, empathy, and good judgment.”

Judith definitely lived into her philosophy. We enjoyed our conversations with her so much that she held the honor of being our most frequent guest on Growth Igniters® Radio over the past three+ years. She was willing to discuss anything that would be helpful to us and our top executive listeners, no matter what was happening in her own life. In fact, she was always so bright and engaged in our conversations that during one of our recording sessions Read More

A More Valuable Way To Reach Out For Help

When reaching out to your network for help or advice, going beyond a transactional request will enable you to get a more valuable response from your contacts.

A story, video or some other way of engaging your contact’s imagination provides a clearer and more concrete picture of what you need. This is especially true when your intent is to convey the intangible characteristics of your ideal employee.

For example, I just received a message from Brian Scudamore, CEO of O2E Enterprises (1-800-GOT-JUNK? and other brands). He’s looking for Read More

What Business Are You REALLY In? – A Thought from Richie Havens

What Business are your in April 2013 has been a rough month for celebrities. Icons who’ve passed away over the last few weeks include Roger Ebert, Margaret Thatcher, Annette Funicello, Jonathan Winters, and Richie Havens – may they all rest in peace. These losses make us stop a moment and consider the passing of time and how we can make each day the best it can be, creating value that really matters in the world.

The foundation for truly creating value is to be clear about what your business really provides to your customers.Read More

Sustainable Innovation: the Key to Steve Jobs’ Icon Status

It’s been less than a week since Apple Inc. released the iPad tablet computer, and the amount of press it has engendered is impressive indeed. Whether it is hailed as yet another stroke of technological genius, for a questionable foray into the ill-fated land of tablets, there’s no doubt that this latest launch further establishes Steve Jobs has an enduring icon of innovation.

Today, the Washington Post asked this question of its readers:

“Not every product the Apple CEO has introduced has been a hit. So what accounts for the aura of incredible success that surrounds Steve Jobs? Why don’t others who are possibly just as successful become cult figures like he has?”

Here are my thoughts on the puzzle, as posted along with the other responses to the Post’s question:
A key element that has made Steve Jobs a cult figure of innovation has been his ability to sustainably tap into consumers’ hidden aspirations and enjoyment of useful devices that are easy to use and just plain “cool.” Lots of companies have made products that were successful for a while but then lost out to the next cool thing. Job’s distinction is that for over 30 years he has been consistently able to think about what people do in their everyday lives that they could do easier and better, then morph existing technology into a cool, sexy form that does the job well.

This single-minded focus on the customer and the marketplace is not easy to maintain, as illustrated by the dismal performance of Apple Computer in the years between the time that Steve Jobs was forced out of the company and subsequently brought back to revive it. Clearly, coasting on success while losing focus on the evolving market and customer expectations very nearly did Apple in before they brought Jobs back as their nexus of inspiration.

However, the ability to create exciting new products and continue evolving from a customer-centric focus is only one part of the consistency that has made Steve Jobs an innovation hero. Another, perhaps less obvious aspect of his genius since his return to Apple has been his ability to keep the company aligned on his vision of the user as the center of the company’s efforts. Although there have been ups and downs, it’s clear that more often than not, all parts of the company from R&D through marketing, sourcing and production are aligned and focused on designing, producing, and marketing the next cool thing in a consistent, but flexible manner. This aligned support from the top on down is critical in creating and maintaining a high performance organization that is capable of developing and implementing flexible processes and systems that support a consistent stream of business results.

Just as the Rolling Stones’ four decades of ability to successfully tap into the public’s rock consciousness will mark them as cult musical icons, Steve Jobs’ sustainable ability to inspire joy and satisfaction with cool, highly functional products and services places him securely and enduringly in the innovation Hall of Fame.

D. Scott Harper, Ph.D. is Sr. Partner and COO of Business Advancement Inc. (BAI). Since 1991, BAI has enabled companies to sustainably unlock innovation and dramatically increase market leadership. For more information, visit our website to see how we can help you Increase the ROI of innovation.

An Innovative Vision of Innovation

In a January 27, 2010 speech, the prime minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, said that the perception that innovations and creativity only belong to the scientists, technologists and highly qualified intellectuals is totally inaccurate, according to a Malaysian national news agency press release. (see “Innovations And Creativity Belong To Everyone, Says Najib“)

Putting forth the belief that innovation belongs to and is the responsibility of all groups and individuals in the society, Najib said, “I want to see innovations not only confined to the computerisation system, but also covering all delivery systems, public services and customer touch-points so that they are more innovative, efficient, swift and effective.”

We find it fascinating and inspirational that a world leader could put forth so vividly a vision of societal innovation that we have long felt could so strongly benefit businesses, yet sometimes seems to be overlooked in an emphasis on new technology and new products as the principal advancing forces in a company.

It’s undoubtedly true that innovation in technology and marketing can truly be enormously invigorating and bring benefits to a company’s prestige as well as top and bottom line. It is also true that tangible, technological innovations can have highly significant impacts on society and commerce far beyond an individual company’s return on investment. Just witness all of the excitement that today’s launch of Apple’s iPad tablet computer is generating, and the speculation that it could change the face of publishing and how people interact with the written word, video, and goodness knows what else. However, if we as leaders embrace Najib’s message to the people of Malaysia and apply it to our companies, the reach and impact of innovation could be unaccountably greater and more beneficial.

Imagine the powerful and undreamed-of outcomes that could emanate from a company’s very core if leaders at all levels of business promulgated Najib’s vision, supporting through word, deed, and resources the spread of innovation to all corners of the organization from the mailroom to the manufacturing line, from customer service to accounting as well as research and development and marketing. The benefit to the top and bottom line, customers, and all manner of stakeholder this support could engender are potentially mind boggling.

We’ve seen the power of this kind of viral spread of innovation in some companies, and are always deeply impressed when we encounter it. The scope of the results that come from this sort of company-wide innovative mindset frequently go well beyond what anyone could have imagined. It is this very spread of thinking about and creating new ways to produce value that can drive what we term “sustainable innovation,” the ability of a company, or even a people, to constantly reach into its deep reserves of resourcefulness up and down the line to produce remarkable benefits.

We applaud Prime Minister Najib’s vision of a country in which innovation is not the property of a select few, but is the lifeblood of the entire nation. We wish to see the same vision lived out in our own countries businesses and institutions as well, and are inspired by this prospect. This vision, and its consistent support, truly represents being innovative about the very nature of innovation.

Since 1991, Business Advancement Inc. has enabled companies to sustainably Increase ROI of Innovation.

How to Build a Product Development Portfolio in Tough Economic Times

Announcing Pam Harper’s New Podcast Series – “Accelerating Progress”

Tune in on a monthly basis as I interview some of the top thought leaders in the world on issues related to strategy, leadership, organizational growth, and business performance. Podcasts can be accessed on iTunes, as well as through Pam’s Blog.

My first guest is product development expert Katherine Radeka of Whittier Consulting. We discuss “How to Build a Product Development Portfolio in Tough Economic Times”.

Click on the grey bar below to play the interview:[podloveaudio src=”/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/pharper0209b.mp3″]Accelerating Progress – Pam Harper Interviews Katherine Radeka

How to Increase Ethical Behavior

According to an article on msnbc.com, Chesley Sullenberger contacted his local library to ask for an extension and waiver of overdue fees because the book he borrowed from them was left in the cargo hold of the jet he landed in the Hudson River several weeks ago. The librarians told reporters they were impressed with his sense of responsibility, waived all fees, and dedicated a replacement book in his honor. The subject of the book Sullenberger left on the plane was “Professional ethics.”

Unfortunately, there are few situations that have such clear cut prescriptions for how to behave ethically. Most of the time we’re faced with messy circumstances that contain multiple nuances. The right answer is often wedged between a rock and a hard place.

While policy manuals and ethics officers can help, they’re no substitute for personal accountability. Ultimately, each of us must be clear about our own values, how we interpret circumstances, and where we will draw the line when faced with demands that aren’t in line with our standards.

The more ingrained these personal values are, the less we need to rely upon policy manuals and ethics officers, even when faced with messy and extreme circumstances. Just ask Chesley Sullenberger.

The Power of Ceremony During Tough Times

On the three days leading up to and including January 20, 2009 the world had a chance to join in multiple ceremonies honoring the inauguration of President Barack Obama. It was impossible not to be moved by the grandure of the events as they unfolded, and news reporters frequently referred to "the orderly transition of power" as an important part of our country's system of governance. What's interesting, however, is that we often overlook or underestimate the power of ceremonies in our own companies during times of major transition.

I'm struck by how often I've come into the aftermath of major leadership transitions (large-scale layoffs and reorganizations due to merger and acquistion) that have been marked by little or no ceremony except for former employees being escorted out the door by security guards in front of their traumatized colleagues. The next day everyone is expected to go on as before – only with faces missing and responsibilities scrambled.

Can an organization going through major upheaval benefit from a ceremony to ease the pain of transition? Absolutely. Here are three ways:

Accept major transitions. Whether or not people agree with what is happening, it's essential to acknowledge that life as it's been is changing. The bigger the change and the more people it impacts, the more important it is to process it collectively.
Take stock of the past. Going through any type of ceremony leads to reflection about what has been happening up until this point. For example, during the presidential inauguration there were many references to history and the progress we've made as a country – for better and for worse.
Focus on the future. Ceremonies also get us thinking about what we're moving toward. Painting a broad picture of the future with a few concrete priorities to begin to focus on provides a common understanding and continuity. For example, while the President Obama's speech was visionary, I also watched a feature about the new presidential website where you can learn more about initial priorities and sign up for updates.

While we don't need to have multiple day ceremonies marking company leadership and organizational transitions, neither should they be ignored altogether. Ceremonies can help us get through the tough times in order to see better times ahead. Yes they can.

How to Overcome the Odds and Win

Just a few short years ago, when our country elected George W. Bush for his second term as President of the United States, many people would have found it inconceivable to imagine that our country would elect an African-American president in 2008. Whether or not you agree with the outcome of the election, I believe we have seen an exciting demonstration that it is possible to overcome tremendous odds to get more of the outcomes we really want.

So what are the most important factors for overcoming the odds? Here are three of the lessons we can take from observing the 2008 campaign:

Focus on unshakable passion and commitment to a vision: To me, this is the foundation for overcoming the odds of any endeavor because it helps us to push past the obstacles. For example, at the beginning of the campaign, some of the most popular reasons either candidate could have used to stop campaigning included “too old,” “too young,” “no money,” “not enough experience,” “a minority,” etc. It would have been easy for either candidate to never try or to quit had they lived into their very real obstacles. But these obstacles represented only half of the truth. Both candidates tapped into their passion and commitment to find the rest of the truths: these were all of the good reasons why they could win. Certainly, passion and commitment to a vision won’t guarantee a desired result. However it’s more likely that we’ll be doing everything that can be done under the circumstances.

Acknowledge the odds – no matter how long – then develop a strategy to win: At the earliest stages of the primaries, Obama acknowledged that winning was a long shot and that Hillary Clinton had more organization and funding behind her. She also connected strongly with a large percentage of Democratic women. But rather than let these realities get in his way, Obama and his staff used them to develop a counter strategy: a grassroots campaign that especially appealed to a larger number of voters Clinton had more difficulty connecting with – young people, minorities, and the middle class. Applying this lesson to any other situation that has long odds, the question we can ask ourselves is, “If one approach is closed, what other options are open to us to get us where we want to go?” Often, there are more choices than we originally thought possible.

Galvanize your supporters: It’s undeniable that Obama not only knew the characteristics of his strongest supporters, he also knew how to reach them and galvanize them into action on his behalf. The key was to understand their needs and tap into their hearts before he tapping into their minds. He communicated directly with his supporters, bypassing the media and using a variety of channels they actually tuned into. For instance, no other campaign has used the Internet as effectively to reach out to young voters.. Applying this lesson: Who are our strongest supporters, and how can we improve our communication with them so that they are galvanized into taking positive action on our behalf?

I’m sure that over time there we will learn other lessons from both the Democratic and Republican campaigns. Stay tuned.

What Families of 9/11 Can Teach Us About Resilience

Living in the New York City Metropolitan Area brings a unique perspective to the yearly observances honoring those who perished in the attacks on 9/11. It’s personal. Our newspaper is still filled with stories of neighbors who lost their loved ones. But this year there are more stories that reflect a spirit of determination to take control and live life to the fullest despite the tragedy.

For example, one woman who lost two sons in the attacks described how she and her family and friends now use 9/11 as a day to get together and celebrate the lives of these men, rather than mourn their loss. This shift in focus has given the family a strong measure of comfort that helps them live into life, rather than folding as victims.

It’s easy to get caught up in major problems and believe we have no control. However, the reality is we always have a choice regarding how we deal with what’s in front of us – even during tragedies. Many times, the best thing we can do under extremely tough circumstances is shift our perspectives:

Who is still with us?
What resources do we still have?
What can we still do to move toward what we need and want?

These questions, and others like them, can go a long way in opening our minds to new ideas and behaviors that can lead us to a better place.

Resilience isn’t just about recovery. It’s also about making the best of the tough times. Just as the family above had to come to terms with who and what they still have in order to get to the most out of life, we can all benefit from their example in shifting perspective when faced with any type of adversity.