DDI’s Talent Management Intelligence

Leadership Lessons from a 16-Year-Old.

By Kris Routch

Recently the LPGA came to Pittsburgh for their signature event, the Women’s US Open, at historic Oakmont Country Club. Among the many stories told that week, perhaps none was more compelling than that of Jaye Marie Green, an amateur golfer who had qualified for her sport’s highest championship at the ripe old age of 16. While that in itself might seem remarkable, that’s not what attracted me to her story. And no, she didn’t set any scoring records; in fact she didn’t even come close to making the cut. What brought her some notoriety wasn’t how she played but rather how she approached the experience.

Sometime during the second round of her sport’s penultimate event, while standing in the middle of a fairway on one of the most historic golf courses in the world, she stopped what she was doing, turned to her caddy (who was also her father) and asked this simple question “What can I do to improve myself?” Keep in mind that this was a girl who had ascended to the top ranks of her sport in an amazingly short time, was already living the dream of any girl who ever picked up a golf club, and who had every reason to assume that if she just kept doing what she had been doing thus far in her career she would continue to succeed. Instead she had the maturity to stop and realize that if she was going to continue to succeed in her profession, she had to be humble enough to realize that she still had a lot to learn and the sooner she started, the sooner she would see results…even if that meant starting right in the middle of the biggest tournament of her life.

It got me wondering about business leaders, especially those who have had a lot of success and have moved up the ladder to mid-level or even senior level positions and how they might handle a similar situation. How many of these leaders, in the middle of the biggest project they had ever been assigned, would be willing to turn to their boss and ask: “What can I do to improve myself?” My firsthand experience working with executives would tell me that only a small percentage would.   

So, let me rephrase my challenge: How many of those who would ask the question do you suppose would end up accelerating their development ahead of those that wouldn’t?  Who would get to hear critically important feedback before the other? 

And what about the impact to the relationship between the leader and his/her boss?  Would it build trust or reduce it? Would it inspire a senior leader to take a personal interest in the development of an individual who asks such a poignant question at such a critical time? To answer that, we have to go back to the middle of that fairway at Oakmont and see it through the eyes of her caddy (and father) who said:.  “We mended together, right there on that fairway, she bares her soul right there…”  

I think it inspired him to commit to do whatever it took to help her improve. Especially when the next day, while the rest of field was playing the third round of the US Open, and the other competitors who missed the cut were journeying to the next tournament, Jaye Marie and her father hit balls on the practice range at Oakmont in searing heat for over six hours.

I, for one, am rooting for her to be successful on the tour for years to come. Whether she is or not, I’m confident of one thing …whatever she decides to do in her life, she’ll be successful not only because of her physical talents, but because of her mental maturity and the commitment to excellence that she showed on that bright sunny day in the middle of that Oakmont fairway.

Kris Routch is an Executive Consultant for Development Dimensions International (DDI).

Executive Derailment – It Doesn’t Have to Happen…

By Mike Hoban

Maybe you’ve noticed too - it seems that not a week goes by without a story on the front page or in the business section about a prominent and respected leader who has flamed out, derailed, driven his own bus off the cliff. That is, a smart, capable and seasoned executive in the private or public sector does or says something which puts an end to his/her career and embarrasses the organization. Their choice “derails” what had been theretofore a successful and high profile career.

These situations are not usually about competence. Sure, executives get shown the door all of the time for failure to perform, whether that is rooted in a lack of the right skill sets or a job/role mismatch or just plain bad timing. This is something different. This is more about who they are rather than about what they know or what they can do.

The same personality characteristics and talents which work together to make us effective can also, under certain circumstances (like intense pressure) or when used in excess, lead to our downfall. For example, candor or plain talk can be a personal strength in our business organizations or in government, which seem to thrive on buzzspeak and purposeful ambiguity. But when dialed up too high, extreme candor can become unfiltered disrespect (sometimes public). I think we’ve seen those headlines recently.  Similarly, self-confidence, unquestionably a good thing, when taken to an extreme can become arrogance, which is also a vessel for that extreme candor and a condition that can color judgment.

We humans are complicated creatures and we are more like marble cakes than layer cakes and our motivations, talents, traits and behaviors swirl within us, creating the potential of misusing our strengths in ways that work against us. A healthy attention to detail (a strength) when dialed up too much can hijack a leader’s focus and lead to micromanagement and an emphasis on the tactical instead of the strategic.

Other examples of the overuse of strengths? Decisiveness (a good thing) can become impulsiveness (not such a good thing). Passion can become volatility. Caution and prudence can become risk aversion. Being a team player can morph into approval dependence.

The best leaders are those who know themselves very well and understand their internal “wiring,” both their strengths and their vulnerabilities. Self-knowledge is aided by widely available personality inventories and 360°s and an openness to feedback.  And if a situation arises in which one’s personality defaults might lead to an undesirable outcome, the self-aware will recognize that and employ a behavioral workaround to try to achieve the desirable outcome.

It’s not about trying to change who you are, it’s about choosing wisely what to do about who you are. And making those good choices can help leaders be successful. It’s not as easy as developing a readily learnable skill, such as a problem solving methodology or public speaking, but through self-monitoring and being intentional about our actions, self-aware leaders can mitigate or avoid altogether their potential derailers. That’s good for them and obviously good for their organizations. Hence, the best practice is for organizations to ensure they have an insightful read on their leaders and up-and-coming leaders, so coaching, development, assignments and roles are planned to at least take into account their personal “wiring.”    

Today - yes, this very day - as you read this blog there will be leaders in organizations who are taking actions that will derail their efforts and their careers, perhaps because of the unintended misuse of the very things that got them where they are. Make sure you know thyself and use that insight to choose wisely.

Mike Hoban is a senior consultant for Development Dimensions International (DDI).    

Strategy vs. Culture - Which One is Your Money on?

By Simon Mitchell

During my 30 something years as a football (or soccer as its called in the US) supporter (I won’t reveal which club) I’ve been struck by what a huge difference a manager makes. Same club, same players, same supporters but different manager equals different results. Some managers come in and succeed – more often than not, they fail. Look at England’s manager Fabio Capello in the World Cup. One of the most decorated managers in the world leading England's “Golden Generation”; the team looked destined for success.

The result however was such failure as to be bordering on farce. Take that analogy to the business world. Over the years I’ve worked with many leaders and when starting a new role, they almost always have really good ideas about driving a company forward fueled by enthusiasm and boundless optimism. But like in football, the promise seldom lives up to the expectation.

Why is this?  A manager is selected precisely because they are more than capable of driving forward strategy, so why doesn’t it happen often enough?

Nine times out of 10, it’s because they are trying to drive a sound strategy, but in the wrong environment.  No matter how confident leaders are of their plans, strategies just won’t take root in a conflicting culture.  Example: an organization whose culture is highly process-driven is unlikely to succeed with a strategy based around innovation. Likewise, in a culture where innovation is king, a cost control strategy, which restricts budget and implements more stringent processes, may find itself flailing in the wind.

So, is it possible to drive changes which alter the culture of an organization? The answer is yes, but not easily - and not overnight.

To ensure strategy and culture are working in harmony, organizations must take the time to first understand the culture of an organization and then set an achievable plan which moves the company towards the desired position. Culture starts at the top with what leaders say and do, and how they behave. Process and systems then institutionalize leaders’ behaviors into a culture. True culture change is achieved when systems are challenged and leaders are selected, promoted, rewarded - and sanctioned - in line with the desired behavior.

Senior leaders must be prepared to work with resistant employees, lead by example and should be prepared to make tough decisions if some people are identified as a barrier between success or failure.

It is not easy changing the culture of an organization and there will be many challenges along the way. However, if your business strategy is to succeed, be mindful that if strategy and culture are conflicting, culture will win every time. Unfortunately watching England at the World Cup demonstrated this only too painfully.

Simon Mitchell is the European Marketing Manager for Development Dimensions International (DDI).