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Thoughtful Leadership |
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Published by Randy Hain - Bell Oaks
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Wednesday, 27 February 2008 |
In today's professional landscape,
the term "thought leadership" can be interpreted any number of ways. You see the phrase included
in a company's laundry list of expertise areas, or voiced throughout the course
of a strategy meeting. Some business executives embrace the concept more than
others, and many bring it to life in a way that benefits the bottom line. Based
on my understanding of the subject, I have come to define it this way: Thought
leadership is the creation and advocation of an original idea that stimulates
change for the benefit of an organization.
But has thought leadership itself
become a cliché? Is it a tired and overused buzzword in corporate America? What does it really mean? I suggest we
consider a more evolved version of thought leadership-one of thoughtful leadership. One that reflects
the enlightened self-interest that should be part of business today, both
externally and internally. Consider this
quote from David Kelley, philosopher,
teacher and writer: "A truly productive
person is motivated not only by the monetary return for his work but also by
the satisfaction of creating value in the world. The money one earns is a
social recognition of that value but cannot replace one's own judgment and
commitment as its source. In the same way, there is a satisfaction in creating
value in one's social environment, a satisfaction that remains even when the
value cannot be returned in the form of a definite trade." - An excerpt
from his article titled, Generosity and Enlightened Self-Interest.
The External Focus
Recently, I was invited to serve
as panelist at a business forum on thought leadership. As the meeting progressed, it occurred to me
that many in the room were looking for ways to connect thought leadership with
winning clients and making money. It's a
logical correlation to make, but one that poses risks and challenges. My take on thought leadership is that it must
emanate from a pure place in order to
be authentic and credible ... thereby making it more about thoughtful leadership.
Andrew Dietz, president of
Creative Growth Group (www.creativegrowthgroup.com), makes this
observation about its appropriate application: "Thoughtful leadership is a
critical step when evolving from selling services to building relationships. It
is the act of sharing intellectual capital to benefit clients and help them
grow. It distinguishes your firm in an otherwise cluttered market and demonstrates your point of differentiation as
an expert and advisor. Thoughtful
leadership must be driven by the desire to establish long-term relationships
versus just affecting the bottom line."
If you want to be perceived as a thoughtful
leader, impart your ideas and intellectual capital for the benefit of
others. This selfless investment can range
from articles, white papers and case studies to forum sponsorships, speaking
engagements and discussions over a shared meal.
I believe people recognize when an ulterior motive is at hand. Dare to be different. Make your thoughtful leadership flow from a
genuine desire to give voice to your ideas and the hope that your opinions will
make a beneficial difference in another person's life or business.
Thoughtful leadership is not just about
selflessly sharing your own
ideas. Why not promote the great ideas
of others? I have found one of the best
ways to invest in clients and friends is to make a gift of a book that has made
a positive impact on me. Sending
interesting and relevant articles or white papers written by others shows that
you have taken an interest and actively listened to their preferences and
desires.
Also, thoughtful leadership may be
demonstrated through helpful introductions.
We all have a specialty of some kind to offer. When clients and friends need help in an area
outside your core expertise, why not make an active introduction to another
professional who can lend a hand? Think about individuals in your network
looking for a new job or needing help of a personal nature. Making any kind of thoughtful connection is
easy and a genuine act of kindness that will be best received when there is no expectation
of compensation.
Thoughtful leadership is greatly
needed in the realm of our local communities.
Thoughtful leaders, selflessly investing by actively helping non-profits
and charitable organizations, can make a dramatic impact as good stewards. Think about causes that affect you, your team
or your company ... then act.
Charlie Douglas, J.D., AEP, CFP® is a nationally recognized
expert, author and professional advisor in the estate and wealth management
industry (www.strategicsteward.com). He shares these thoughts: "Corporate stewardship begins with the
mindset that our duties to shareholders, customers and the community are best
discharged when we see ourselves as God's trustee. Much like the laborers in
the Lord's vineyards, we too, are called to high standard of management in the
marketplace. As faithful stewards, it takes more than just simply seeking to
maximize profits through self-interest. It takes an understanding that we have
a responsibility beyond the immediate
marketplace, and beyond providing for only our family's wants and needs.
It is inspiring to know that when we go to work in association with others we
can positively influence and impact the unspoken needs of many both here and
abroad."
Charlie's point is clear-we have a
responsibility to be good stewards in the communities where we operate our
businesses. But, donating to earn a tax
break is not enough. We are
accountable for utilizing our influence, expertise and time
to leave a lasting legacy of good works.
The Internal Focus
Being a thoughtful leader to the
people in your charge will perpetuate a work environment that is highly productive
and poised for growth. Just as thought
leadership must emanate from a pure place in order to be authentic, thoughtful
leadership must also be approached with a genuine desire to lead and support others
in the same authentic way. Thoughtful
leaders are committed to creating a culture based on love (not fear),
clear and uncompromising values, passion for investing in and developing people,
and inspiring their team to pursue high-minded goals and visionary ideas.
In one of my favorite books, Heroic
Leadership, author Chris Lowney has written a business case about the
Jesuits, identifying them as one of the most successful companies in history. One of
the four "pillars of success" that serve as the foundation of the Order started
by Ignatius Loyola is their commitment to building a culture of love. Lowney
says: "Everyone knows that organizations,
armies, sports teams and companies perform best when team members respect,
value and trust one another and sacrifice narrow self-interest to support team
goals and their colleagues' success. Individuals perform best when they are
respected, valued and trusted by someone who genuinely cares for their
well-being. Loyola was unafraid to call this bundle of winning attitudes ‘love'
and to tap its energizing, unifying power for his Jesuit team. Effective
leaders tap its power today as well."
It is important to understand that
the love being described here is agape,
the Greek word for love that means charitable
or selfless love. The other pillars of success described in the
book-self awareness, ingenuity and heroism are critical, but few things define
a thoughtful leader more than their ability to foster a love-based
culture.
Dean Harbry, managing partner of
TROVE (www.troveinc.com),
a coaching, leadership development and assessment testing firm in Atlanta, recently shared
with me his view on this topic: "The DNA
of a true thoughtful leader is empathy, self-control and a powerful drive to
develop others. Some would say it's a calling but I rather view it as a
discipline. True love is choosing what's best for another, not simply feeling
an emotion. Our own ego-driven nature sometimes makes the issue more about ‘us'
than ‘them.' Simply, skilled thoughtful leaders always put others first, manage
distressing emotions and reframe interpersonal interactions through the lens of
love-willing the highest good for others."
Nearly every company has a values
statement, but rarely can the typical employee recite it, or even articulate ways
in which the company practices them. Values
must be more than a plaque on a wall or a bulleted list on a web site. They are
defining and guiding principles, and it is important that personal and
professional values are aligned.
Although faith is critically important in defining values, they can and
should transcend any one religious affiliation.
My Catholic faith is vitally important to me, but the values of our
38-year-old company should and do appeal to anyone who prizes integrity,
teamwork, loyalty and selfless investment. Thoughtful leaders will work hard to live up
to their values and make sure the clients and employees in their circle of
influence will always feel the positive impact of those values.
Dion DeLoof is president of Anteo
Group (www.anteogroup.com), a highly-regarded technology staffing firm
named one of the Best Places To Work in Atlanta
the last three years. He shares this perspective: "We have an opportunity to affect lives deeply every day as technology
recruiters that make job and career matches between candidates and
employers. Conducting business around
our value set is the most important responsibility we have to our clients,
candidates and peers. If sales alone were our primary focus, all those that
interact with us would sense it. Selflessness,
honesty and integrity are our core values, and people pick up on that clearly. Actively look for opportunities to demonstrate
you are a thoughtful leader. Great
things happen to good people who proudly communicate what they represent."
Thoughtful leaders invest in and
develop the people they lead. One of the
most counter-intuitive aspects among many companies today is the focus on sales
first, people second. Logically, you'll never achieve optimum business results
without a motivated, trained and inspired team who feels sincerely appreciated,
developed and mentored. Fear-based leadership is doomed to fail. Peter
Drucker, author and management guru, once said, "No executive has ever suffered because his subordinates were strong
and effective."
As the leader of an executive
search firm, I can share with absolute certainty the overwhelming majority of
candidates we interview want to leave their jobs because they aren't receiving
this selfless investment, mentoring and personal development from their
companies. One of the best ways to
demonstrate your commitment to a successful work culture is to show your people
charitable, selfless and unconditional love (or agape). Help them develop into
the best versions of themselves through aiding their personal growth and watch
your retention dramatically improve.
Think you don't have time to invest in your team? Weigh this investment against the notion of
leading a team with open positions that is underachieving and performing
poorly. Thoughtful leadership will fix
this problem.
Inspiration and vision casting are
effective tools of the thoughtful leader.
Inspire your team to practice many of the external manifestations of
thoughtful leadership discussed earlier in this article-sharing ideas, selfless
investment in others, active stewardship, etc.
Rallying your team to pursue high-minded goals and visionary ideas will
increase teamwork, improve retention, boost morale and absolutely drive better
results. Read some recent studies about
the millennial generation and you
will learn that they crave inspiration, vision and everything else the
thoughtful leader has to offer.
In conclusion, I challenge you to
rethink your approach to thought leadership.
As a thoughtful leader you
will begin to consider more ways your actions can help others; selflessly
investing in people without an expectation of return. Share your great ideas as well as the ideas
of others freely with clients, friends and employees. Connect people in your
circle of influence just because it is the right thing to do. The community will be grateful as you wield
considerable influence to help those in need. Your team will respect you for investing
in them and putting their interests ahead of your own. Overall the quality of your relationships
will improve dramatically with a more thoughtful approach. And by the way, your business will thrive
when you cease to pursue direct financial gain from your thought
leadership.
You are already a leader, why not
be a thoughtful one?
Randy
Hain is Managing Partner and Shareholder of Bell Oaks (www.belloaks.com), a
nationally-recognized executive search firm. He has an established track record
of leading successful searches and building teams in diverse industries and
functional specializations ranging from individual contributors to C-level
leadership. He has played the lead role in hiring, training and developing of
one of the most successful search consultant teams in the business, and has
earned a reputation as a values-based leader who invests heavily in his
colleagues, candidates and clients. Randy's deep sense of community is
reflected in his work and that of the Partners of Bell Oaks. He may be reached at rhain@belloaks.com
or (678) 287-2031.
With a nearly
40-year legacy in executive search, Bell
Oaks specializes in identifying, attracting and hiring professionals to
critical positions with companies across the country. Founded in 1970, the national firm has particular expertise in the
areas of sales and marketing, human resources, finance and accounting,
information technology, and manufacturing/operations/engineering. Bell Oaks is consistently ranked as one of the leading
search firms in the South and was recently named one of Atlanta's Best Places to Work by the Atlanta Business Chronicle for the
second consecutive year.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 27 February 2008 )
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