Self Reliant Leadership has moved

The Self Reliant Leadership Blog has moved to http://janrutherford.com/blog/

Thank you!

Jan Rutherford

Passion and Stamina

I had the opportunity today to ride with some of cycling’s greats, and I was impressed that after nearly thirty years, they still have a deep passion for the sport. They love talking about racing tactics, and mostly, their kid’s accomplishments. They have all become leaders beyond the sport in business and charities, and their passion and pursuit of excellence must be one of the things that have allowed them to exert leadership for such a prolonged period of time. It is a good reminder that passion is the key, and the dedication and sacrifice are the other parts that do not go unnoticed by followers.

Cultural Values

I met a pleasant shopkeeper in Nice, France, and she asked a lot of questions about Americans.  She expressed a desire to see the "real" America someday, but then said her choice destination would be New York!  She admires the American work ethic as the French only work 35 hours per week, and take 5 weeks of Holiday per year.  With her praise, she also said that she perceives that many Americans are very closed-minded.  She was aware of her bias, and at the same time, believed her perceptions were accurate.

With the topic of leadership, there is always a discussion of values, but the concept is often abstract.  When captured in a brief conversation, the differences in values become quite apparent whether cultural or individual.  The conversation with the French woman made me think of my own perceptions and biases.  How do your values define you; and do they determine how you define others?  Are you open-minded when and where you need to be?

A Race

I watched my son win a cycling race today (see video), and I was an ecstatic and proud father, but not for the win.  When he crossed that finish line I thought of everything he did to be competitive.  I remembered all the times he struggled up the hills, and all the times I pressed him to persevere.  I thought of his setbacks, and his tenacity.  I thought about everything that led up to his achievement more than I thought about the moment.  It wasn't his win that I was most proud of - it was what he did to become the young man he is.  The race was a moment, but it was years in the making.  It makes me think about leadership in general.  It's not one victory, or one decision that defines leaders.  It's the character they build bit by bit in sacrifice, sweat and tears.

Two questions if you're spending money on training

I recently finished teaching a course at the University of Denver called, "Evaluating Training Strategies."  The students' primary project was to find a local firm and create a training evaluation plan.  The key part  of creating an effective training evaluation plan is to tie together the learning objectives, and the business metric(s).  This was also the primary challenge, because many people managing training don't connect the investment in training to making or saving money for the firm.

A lot of people charged with managing training (and their leaders) aren't demanding to see the connection between training and results.  I believe Self Reliant Leadership is synonymous with knowing which questions to ask yourself, and having the courage to answer them and act.  In the case of a training department, it really boils down to asking What and Why.

1. What training should we construct/conduct?
2. Why will we invest in this training?  Is this the most productive way to enhance knowledge, skills and attitudes to improve the business (i.e., save or make money)?

Can it really be as simple as these two basic questions?  What and Why are the "purpose" questions; while Who, Where, When and How are the operational questions.

Does this apply to more than just evaluating training?

The Healthcare Summit and Team Size

By most accounts, there was little progress at the President's Healthcare Summit.  I am not surprised.  Not because of the political and policy differences on the intricacies of healthcare, but because of the size of the group.  There were 40 people in that room, and multiple studies have shown that large teams are ineffective due to an inability to maintain focus.  The size of a team is a major factor in a team's performance.  How big is your team?

Uncommon company - uncommon leader

Paul Spiegelman is the Founder and CEO of Beryl based in Dallas. The company claims the distinction of being the second Best Medium Company to Work For in America. What's uncommon is that this company is a call center focused on the hospital market. What's uncommon about Paul is that he was running the company successfully for 18 years before he read a business book! He will tell you that he's since become a voracious reader of business books, and they have made him a better leader. I can't help but wonder if running a company for so many years on "instinct" made the company what it is today? That is, he focused on creating a foundation built on uncompromising values rather than short-term profit.

Paul wrote a book called, "Why is Everyone Smiling?" and in it he shares his passion for creating a culture focused on creativity. Paul put his team first, and trusts they will take care of the customers, and profits will come. A call center is traditionally a high-turnover operation, and Paul has figured out how to create and build employee and customer loyalty while growing the company's bottom line.

Paul knew he was on to something, so he is leveraging his passion and talents as CEO of the Small Giants Community, "a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting companies that choose to be great instead of big."

Uncommon? Absolutely.  But why?

The Mirror

The good you find in others, is in you too.

The faults you find in others, are your faults as well.

After all, to recognize something you must know it.

The possibilities you see in others, are possible for you as well.

The beauty you see around you, is your beauty.

The world around you is a reflection, a mirror showing you the person you are.

To change your world, you must change yourself.

To blame and complain will only make matters worse.

Whatever you care about, is your responsibility.

What you see in others, shows you yourself.

See the best in others, and you will be your best.

Give to others, and you give to yourself.

Appreciate beauty, and you will be beautiful.

Admire creativity, and you will be creative.

Love, and you will be loved.

Seek to understand, and you will be understood.

Listen, and your voice will be heard.

Teach, and you will learn.

Show your best face to the mirror,

and you'll be happy with the face looking back at you.

~~ Author Unknown ~~

Reading, Writing and Leadership

There are many reasons writers write, but why do readers read? A writer might write to persuade, but I doubt many readers choose a text in order to be persuaded. A reader might want to be informed, entertained, inspired, or emotionally connected to a story.

As I tackle to complete my first book, I have found that I am asking myself the same questions a leader would ask: What do I hope to accomplish? Who is my audience? Why am I doing this? It's not very different than a leader deciding on vision, mission and values. That is, where are we going, how will we get there, and why should you follow me?

For me, I am writing to inform and inspire through a few stories I hope will make an emotional connection to a specific audience. The harder question to answer is why, and my best response is that I feel compelled.

Seth Godin writes in his new book, Linchpin, "The reason that art (writing, engaging, leading, all of it) is valuable is precisely why I can't tell you how to do it. If there were a map, there'd be no art, because art is the act of navigating without a map."

Like writing, there is no sure path for a leader. No map, flowchart, checklist, algorithm, theory or foolproof method can insure a leader’s success. Perhaps a leader’s true path is best illuminated by reading other leaders’ stories.

The Ultimate Listener

The amazing thing about Jo Berry is not that she forgives the man responsible for killing her father in Northern Ireland in 1984. The amazing thing is how she got to a place where she could forgive. Her reconciliation came by meeting and listening to the man who was an IRA bomber - the man who killed her father. By investing the time and truly listening, she came to understand Pat Magee. By listening, she came to know the unique circumstances in which he came of age, and what motivated him to commit such a horrific act. Learn more about their remarkable story.

Think about the people you work with... particularly a person that is difficult and hard to get along with. By engaging them and really listening, you will better understand where this person is coming from. That is, you will learn more about their values, beliefs, assumptions, interests, experiences and expectations. Equally important, your ability to focus and listen may help you influence this person's interactions with you and others. The power does indeed rest with the listener.