When?

Enlightened Leadership was published in 1991. In it they quote Jack Welch; "we need a fundamental revolution in our approach ... to work itself". The book goes on a few pages later to state; "we will have to undergo a total demolition of American style of management".

1991.

Did I miss the revolution? Did we really not need it?

I'd say we're way overdue.

Let me re-emphasize the quotes; fundamental revolution, total demolition.

fundamental: the very nature of something
revolution: drastic and far-reaching change
total: entire, everything
demolition: destruction


So, didn't Welch say we need to make far-reaching changes to how we view the very nature of work? Didn't the book go on to say we need to completely destroy (leaving no remnants) the way we manage?

I wonder if they could have stated it any clearer, or more sternly.

If we really did completely destroy how we view work, and how we manage people - what should the new result look like?

What's the model for North American competitive advantage look like?

I certainly don't have that answer, but - the beginning of the correct answers is the correct questions.

Discontent

I'm reading a new book, Success with People by Cavett Robert.

This quote ties in so closely with a recent conversation that I just had to post it here;
on page 64 - "To meet with any measure of success in this life, we must have the gift of dissatisfaction. We must want circumstances to be better than they are now. If we are completely satisfied with our present state of life, and with everything that surrounds us, the pilgrimage has ended for us and we have already settled in our little city of compromise. We are then bogged down in the quicksands of complacency, lost in the sterile valley of inertia, and frozen in the ices of status quo. It is only through divine discontent that we keep moving forward."

So that's what's wrong with me! I'm discontent! I hope it's my "holy discontent".

My son and I attended a Leadership Summit a while back at NorthRidge Church. It was a simulcast from Willow Creek. Bill Hybels spoke about "holy discontent" and he referenced Popeye; "That's alls I can stands, and I can't stands no more." He meant; "what is it that you see happening in this world that tears at you?" More importantly, what are you going to do about it?

It reminds me of the Scott Krippayne song, "What Breaks Your Heart"
Want to get to know You better
I want to understand what matters to You
I want to know what moves You deeply
I want to see the world the way You do

What breaks Your heart
What makes You cry
What would I see
If I looked through Your eyes
I want to grow closer and closer to You
'Til what breaks Your heart
Will break mine too

Don't want to be numb to injustice
Don't want to get used to the evil I see
Don't want to grow cold to those who wander
Or forget about those who don't believe

That's what I want!

Isaiah 35:4

say to those with fearful hearts,
"Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he will come to save you."

I read this a few days ago and was immediately hearing the words of the song from Bob Fitts;
Say to those who are fearful hearted, "do not be afraid,
the Lord your God is strong, with His mighty arm,
when you call on His name." He will come and save

He will come and save you, He will come and save you
Say to the weary one, "your God will surely come"
He will come and save you

I really appreciate that there are people who can take Scripture and put it to music for me. I hadn't thought of my time reading Scripture as a time of praise before.

The Puck

Notes from Enlightened Leadership.

"We must anticipate where the market is going and will be, not where it is or has been - we need to ask the right questions"

Powerful stuff - reminds me of a couple of Gretzky quotes;
“I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.”
“A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.”

So, where is the market going? If you're in mid-career and you have 20 years left until age-based retirement, which basket are you going to keep your eggs in for that time? What is the "safe, secure" marketplace for the next 20 years?

I'm not going to pretend that I know the answers to those questions.

I know the internet is going to be involved. I know that success is going to take excellence. I know that the marketplace will need leadership.

Beyond that, I know that there are people who know.

Decide who you're going to take advice from, then - follow their advice (now there's good advice that I should really take myself).

That first quote really has two parts - the second being - ask the right questions.

I've learned that our subconscious brain will go to work to answer any question we ask of it. Why don't my wife and I get along? - ask myself that and my brain will go to work and give me answers. Answers that won't necessarily help me to improve the situation. How can I demonstrate to my wife that I love her? - when my brain goes to work on that question, I can expect the improvements I am hoping for.

Ask the right questions!

Feedback

I've already started looking for feedback. I've realized I shouldn't need it. If you know what you're doing is right - that's all the feedback you need.

I'd love to know that others think highly of me and appreciate what I have to say, but my self worth comes from a much better source than that.

He has already provided all the feedback I need.

Have You Ever?

Have you ever borrowed something, a book for instance, from someone for so long that they forgot you had it? they even forgot it was theirs? and if it was a book, you had it so long that you thought "oh, I'm going to see AEP, and I still haven't read that book she lent me!"

So, I pulled the book off the shelf to scan through it, and found a few pages of notes. My handwriting! Notes for the whole book! So, I had read the book! When did I do that?

Have you ever had that kind of thing happen?

It was this book (posting of notes to follow);

Enlightened Leadership

Soapbox

I was having a "soapbox" kind of day yesterday. I even got an early start on it.

We had an old friend over for dinner, and I even got "called out" on it. She suggested that maybe I even like expressing my dissatisfaction with things.

It seems that people who have known you for a long time can see the habits and patterns that you don't see in yourself.

I think I need to put the action behind my words.

AEP, thanks for the "adjustment" (and the perspective).


Remember; leadership involves planned conflict against the status quo.