The
World Is Changing
Future
Shock in the ‘60s said we could only accommodate so much change
before a melt-down; many believed Toffler but does it still apply?
Change happens at a breakneck speed, however it takes time to
recognize and adapt.
The
Information Interview, a mainstay of job transitions, doesn’t work
anymore.
Thought
Exercise: Identify a ‘rule’ that was the foundation for thinking
in the past – but no longer applies today. Got several - pick the
best and share it with others to see what they think.
Changes
and Influencers
“Want
it done right – do it yourself.”
Want it to scale – must do
through others; express the results wanted - not process they should
use. Be amazed that there are ways to accomplish the goal that are
different from what you would have done.
Next
3 years will find more of the following:
Do
it yourself (DIY).
Fix
yourself – reorient how you get and use information and vision.
Scale
– small or large are both available now; do you need an expert to
help – if so, when?
Fail
Forward Frequently (F3) – experiment and learn, experiment again.
We have tools to do this now. Try it yourself first
(small,economical scale), learn what you can, then bring in the
expert if you need one.
Here’s
a description of what’s here now and what’s next : Chris
Anderson: Makers; David
Weinberger: Too Big to Know – two books about manufacturing and
information acquisition changes that are radically affecting our
world – today and into the future.
Traits of Learned
Leaders:
Relentlessly
tell yourself the truth and require it of others.
Surround
yourself with people committed to change.
Keep
reading, keep learning, keep doing, and keep sharing.
If
you are not learning, you are losing ground...regressing.
The
economy is about 80-20 right now – 80% is below earlier levels and
hard going, but 20% is on fire. Why? Not evenly distributed and
winners are providing what’s needed and wanted.
How
do you feel about leadership in the businesses today? Not ‘big
organizations’ or ‘big government’ that you read or hear about
– the ones you actually know and deal with frequently – on a
scale of 1 (low) – 10 (high) – how are they doing
leadership-wise? I raised the question with a group today and found a
lot of 2's and only one at a 5. Plenty of room to improve.
How
Do We Learn Today?
The
quality of leadership has improved year by year – but like pouring
water in a tank, it’s improving for others too – if you feel that
leadership IS ESSENTIAL for quality of life, business, and the
economy - We need the very best you have to offer!And as a leader
inspiring that level of commitment in others. How? Learning about the
changes, sharing your knowledge and experience, mashing it up to
apply the mixture – and seeking what others – peers, and others
in and out of your organization – have learned, experienced, and
know. Learning is a collaborative (not competitive) sport.
Acquiring
information has changed. Where do you get your information today? –
newspapers, biz magazines, TV or on-line news, blogs, user comments?
All of the above and more.
Learning
by doing – a new emergence of do-it-yourself – permits us to roll
up the sleeves and get our hands dirty making something – physical
or virtual. We learn much from what doesn't work, and our next
'prototype' is much better.
Funny
thing - there are no tools of a leader – but there are tools to
help you be a leader – like sharing experiences, thoughts, and
vision with peers. Ronald Reagan painted an image of the ‘shining
city on the hill’ during the downtrodden time - and got him
elected.
Historic
or Functional Structure
If
you are not doing something worthy, start doing something worthy.
Don't know who said this, but it's brilliant.
For
tasks – add technology not people. Meet ‘Boots’.
After
30 years of high water in the pond, we are now seeing the shopping
carts & tires.
How
to capitalize on a market – Jack Welch (be # 1 in that market) v.
Clay Christensen (disruptive innovation – make it simple and cost
less and take over that market)
Today,
if you can make a change without redesign, you have waste – serious
change must redesign.
Business
is NOT about being a benchwarmer and getting a ‘show-up’ trophy
at the end of the season. It’s about getting results, paying your
bills, and having funds left over to reinvest or to repay for
investment.
Success
comes from doing real work – not from the posers…no matter how
articulate…who are not producing.
Collaborate
– share to build better with more efficiency less fixed
costs.
Leadership Will
Return The USA To Greatness
This
is not what we read from those playing to our pessimism – their
message: be prepared for no growth into the future. I see that as an
active embodiment of defeatism. Observation shows that there are
islands of growth and prosperity in businesses around the country
today. Winners are filling wants and needs of the customer, user, and
buyer.
What’s
our role as leaders today and in the near future? Things are changing
and a new order is about to revealed…soon. Limitations and barriers
are being disassembled. Tools are available to do things we have not
– could not do before...like additive manufacturing (3-D copying)
and affordable small batch production jobbers.
Leadership is
like a preference in art – you'll know it when you see it. It's
elusive to capture by definition or articulated vision. But it is
essential for our future success to create leaders and improve
leadership. Let’s come up with what it takes to be a great leader
before the end of this year. How – use the tools: learn about
change, share experience, knowledge, vision - and practical
application through others.
How
Leaders Speak - Frank Reagan Quotes (from Blue Bloods TV show):
Situations
like these don’t build character, they reveal it.
Courage
is not the absence of fear, it is the judgment that something else
is more important than fear.
Everything
has a cost, even the truth. But the reward for truth is a clear eye
and a clear conscience.
Three
Final Questions
What
was the most important thing you learned here today?
What
is the role your organization in advancing leadership from this day
forward?
What
are the last two words following the National Anthem? [Play Ball]
Add
to the conversation – what are your thoughts?