Using Steps 4 and 5 of The Five Step Path

   

   Tyumen, Russia - May 18, 2013

"Organizations learn only through individuals who learn.

Individual learning does not guarantee organizational learning.

But without it no organizational learning occurs."

- Peter Senge -

(The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization)

Previously addressed in The Ronin Post were Steps 1 through 3 of "A Five Step Path to Leadership and Effectiveness". This issue we set forward Steps 4 & 5. Consistent with the process of the past few months, these final steps are reframed for personal reflection and organizational self-assessment.

Three crucial practices support the FIVE STEP process. They are:

1. Be present with people and situations.
2. Make external focus a mindful practice.
3. Stay connected with what's happening for you, particularly physical responses, mental chatter and emotional flow.

A REVIEW OF THE FIRST THREE STEPS

STEP #1. Focus on the strengths of others - especially those following you, or who you are responsible for leading. This builds rapport, trust, respect and growth, and initiates the process.

STEP #2. Encourage and inspire others to develop, practice and unleash their personal strengths and uniqueness.

STEP #3. Be certain that your directions are clear, and that your actions are grounded in constructive principles shared by you and those you are responsible for leading.

Moving forward.

Step #4. As often as possible, get yourself out of the way of other people, especially those you are attempting to influence and lead.

We must acknowledge that people are going to make mistakes. It's often through mistake making that we find what we're really looking for. We must have a solid understanding of our own personal values and motives. We must give people permission to do the best they can do in their own way. Mistakes are part of learning, growing, leading and following processes. So, make room for mistakes - yours and others. There is nothing more inspiring than someone who, by acknowledging his or her own mistakes, allows others to develop and grow by taking risks. There is nothing more demoralizing than someone who gives opportunities, and then micro-manages or removes opportunities altogether before any real chance for success or failure can be realized.

Step #5. Be a dedicated learner yourself.   Most importantly, learn as much as you can from the people who you think you are or should be leading.

Being a leader has nothing to do with having or attaining a titled position. Being a leader is a function of who you are in any given moment. Any human being, regardless of rank or title, who for any reason influences another person's action is a leader in that moment. A crying child, in the middle of the night, influences mom or dad to get up and cross the room to see what's happening. In that moment the child leads, and mom or dad follows. More often than not, great ideas and methods come from the people we call followers. When a follower recognizes that his or her ideas have been genuinely received and acted upon by the someone considered to be "in charge" - who we commonly recognize to be the leader - then confidence grows system wide. These are important moments, moments when followers become leaders... and the people who the followers consider to be leaders become leaders of other leaders.

Make it a goal to daily ask and answer these two questions: "How can I get myself out of the way of other people so that they can maximize their potential? What can I learn from others today, especially from those who I think I am leading?

Questions for Self Reflection:

1. If your friends, family, neighbor, teachers, enemies, ex-husband, ex-wife etc., walked into a room and told you honestly and without malice what they know from their experience to be your self-defeating habits, what would they say?
2. If these same people were to answer the question - "What does he or she stand to constructively learn from others" - what would you hear them say?

Questions for Professional Reflection and Effectiveness:

1. If your co-workers, employees, managers, competition, vendors, former employees, etc., could give you feed back regarding your business' actions, without the intent of degrading you, yet being honest in their assessment, how would they describe your organization's self defeating habits and practices?
2. What answers would these same people have for this question: "What does this organization stand to learn from others in their industry, and from us ... their vendors, customers, clients and competitors?"

Take on the above assessment practices for thirty days. Spend ten minutes each morning to forecast your thinking, and ten minutes each evening to reviewing your results. If you are in business, consider using the business related questions to boost creativity in focus discussions at your weekly or monthly team or manager meetings.

"I think the one lesson I have learned

is that there is no substitute for paying attention."

-Diane Sawyer-

(ABC TV News Anchor)

 

 

© Lance Giroux, August 2013

Using Step #3 of The Five Step Path

 

   

"If you think of your life as a journey and yourself as the captain

of your ship, you know that nothing is more important to your survival

and the quality of your life than learning to navigate efficiently."

- Richard Carlson & Joseph Bailey -

(p. 31, Slowing Down to the Speed of Life, 1997)

Previously in The Ronin Post we addressed Steps #1 and #2 of "A Five Step Path to Leadership and Effectiveness". This month we present Step #3. And, we'll reframe it for personal reflection and organizational self-assessment.

Recall the three crucial practices that support the overall FIVE STEP process:

1. Be present with people and situations.
2. Make external focus your mindful practice.
3. Simultaneously, stay connected with what's happening for you, i.e. physically (your body responses), mentally (your mind chatter & images) and emotionally (the flow of your feelings).

REMEMBER STEP #1. YOU MUST FOCUS ON THE STRENGTH THAT OTHERS (especially those following you) POSSESS. This essential builds rapport, trust, respect and growth, and initiates the process.

REMEMBER STEP #2. YOU MUST ENCOURAGE and INPRIRE others to DEVELOP, PRACTICE and UNLEASH their own strengths and uniqueness.

Now on to ....

STEP #3. Point in directions and take actions that are grounded in constructive principles shared by you and those you are leading or attempting to lead. This is a vital practice - whether you are a teacher, a parent, a military commissioned or non-commissioned officer, a business manager, a sales person, someone invested in customer service, a doctor, an attorney, a bellman, a card dealer at a Black Jack table ... or some average Joe or Jane sitting down to a counter or table to order lunch. Any position that you might hold in life is temporary. That you are constantly developing yourself as a person of effectiveness or a person lacking in effectiveness (and likewise influencing others) is a life-long condition.

You must be clear about the directions you and your actions are giving. How can you be certain your directions are clear? Look to others for feedback. What do they understand your directions to be, and for what purposes?

(1)                   Listen closely. Ask others to verbally explain in their own words what they think you mean. Listen to the cues that are more than you simply satisfying a need to hear a recitation. Listen to the tone others use when they give you feedback. What are they really saying? Look at what their body is saying. Reflect on all of this without taking any of it emotionally personal, i.e. don't build yourself up OR tear yourself down. Don't jump to premature conclusions. SLOW DOWN and be an honest observer.

(2)                   Watch closely. What are others doing? This is powerful feedback. You may think that the notion that actions speak louder than words is a worn out cliché. But it is the truth. Don't deny what your eyes are seeing. (read on)

(3)                   In giving directions, make absolutely certain that you pay attention to what you are personally experiencing, i.e. your own feeling and your own body responses.   What's happening in your gut? What's happening with your skin and eyes? Are you fading out and drifting? Are you hooked in and connected with others? Are your directions being given in a way that honors and respects yourself and others? You have to remain grounded in your own constructive principles. Make certain you deeply understand the guiding principles of your followers. Make certain there is congruency.

You are always pointing in a direction. Others will take this to be what you expect or want. From here they will either move in ways you desire OR they will resist. Most people point in directions oblivious to the fact that this is what they are doing. You must stay alert, remain clear and operate in a mode of self-examination. Direction without self-reflection is dangerous and becomes a self-destructive road to walk.

It doesn't matter that you occupy a leadership position. The fact is, all of us are being followed, but most of the time we are clueless to this reality.  

Directing others extends far beyond a function called verbal command giving. Directing others is based primarily upon what one does, next on the tone one uses, and least of all on the words one says. Doubt that? Have you ever watched someone lead a masterful game of Simon Says?

If you find that others who are supposed to be following you are actually moving in directions that you don't desire, consider the likelihood that these folks think and believe that you are pointing them in that direction - even if your words appear to sound otherwise to you. The actuality of this may be altogether inaccurate, but ONLY by considering this as a possibility can you truly make responsible and non-blaming corrections.

Step #4 of "A Five Step Path" is the topic for June's issue of The Ronin Post. But for now, spend your time honestly examining: (1) your own core values, and (2) the directions that your actions, tone and words are suggesting.

Then take a step every day to ask yourself, "Have I displayed constructive or destructive core values? What directions do my behaviors suggest? Have I engendered respect, dignity and honor in myself and others?"

Two Questions For Personal Self Reflection:

1. If your friends, family, neighbors, teachers, enemies, ex-husband, ex-wife etc., walked into a room and told you honestly and without malice what they know from their experience your core values to be (both constructive and destructive) what would they say?
2. If these same people were to answer the question - "In What Direction Is He or She Pointing?" - what would you hear them say?

Two Questions for Professional Reflection and Organizational Effectiveness:

1. If your co-workers, employees, managers, competition, vendors, former employees, etc., could walk into a room and give feedback to you regarding your business' actions and soul, without the intent of degrading you, yet being honest in their assessment, what words would they use to describe your organization's core values? Understand that values can be either constructive or destructive, i.e. a core value could be that you hold customers with respect; or a core value could be that you hold customers with contempt.
2. If these same people could likewise answer the question - In What Direction is This Organization Pointed - and if they continue in that direction - Where Will They Find Themselves? - what would you hear these people truthfully say?  

Take on the above practices for one month. About ten minutes each morning to forecast your thinking, and about ten minutes each evening to review your reality should do just fine. This may feel difficult to do. BUT - you will like yourself for having done this, and others (including some people who don't like you) will respect you for the effort.

A FUN ASSIGNMENT. THIS MONTH VIEW THE FILM "MONEY BALL". Even if you have already seen it, NOW watch it within the context of what is written above, plus what was covered in the March and April issues of The Ronin Post. You will see these first three steps of "A Five Step Path to Effectiveness and Leadership" covered in detail again, and again and again.

"Pay close attention to your colleagues or adversaries.

Listen carefully to what they have to say. Can you

paraphrase their main message? .... Find as many ways

as possible to get close to your people and their issues."

-David Baum and Jim Hassinger-

(p.77, The Randori Principles, 2002)

© Lance Giroux, May 2013

News Updates

News Updates. 

Congratulations! Saskia de Winter, Ana Cortes, and Lourdes "Lulu" Lopez of Mexico City have completed Samurai Game® facilitator certification to lead the Game worldwide.   Nine Mexican citizens now serve Mexico with this simulation created by George Leonard. Four candidates from Mexico will soon enter the facilitator training process.

May 18-19. "The Spiral for Success" a seminar company based in Tyumen, Russia, hosted a Samurai Game® weekend. This was the Game's first delivery in Siberia, opening the door for owners Konstantin and Elena Volzhan to make it an ongoing offering in the region. Konstantin begins his certification training next month in Petaluma, California. Also attending the Tyumen weekend program were two other Petaluma bound Russians, Marina Klimova of Rustov and Yana Tyzhnova of Moscow. Yana served as translator for the May Tyumen program. Welcome!

July 8-9. The Poconos of Pennsylvania. A successful second annual leadership program was hosted by East Stroudsburg University's Upward Bound Program. "These are skills that can only be learned through actual practice. There is a practice that goes beyond just books", stated Uriel Trujillo, ESU's Upward Bound Director. The program engaged sixty youth from the region in aikido based movements and the Samurai Game® for the purpose of enhancing communication, influence and personal effectiveness.