Jumping Into the Deep End of Leadership by Donna Karlin
April 4, 2007
10:26 am | 0 recommendations | 1 comment
OK it’s spring and it’s time to do some spring cleaning. I’m not talking about the ‘stuff’ that’s accumulated over winter, though cleaning that out gives a boost to your mental energy as well. I’m talking about clearing out all the thought processes, ways of being, 'programs' you've accumulated over the years that are buggy and no longer serve you.
My colleague used to say “Time to update your personal operating system”. Many laugh at that concept but in truth we have to do that on a regular basis. How we operated and lived our lives 10, 20 years ago no longer applies. The world is quickly changing in every way shape and form. The paradox of our world is that the only constant is change and if you think you can handle it using the same methods and ways of being that you did a decade or two ago, well you’re going to be left in the dust. When that happens, there’s a great deal more inner conflict that arises because you can’t seem to get a grasp on things as easily as you used to. It’s happening because the old ways aren’t necessarily still applicable. That’s not to say you have to totally change everything to a new way. It’s saying you should look at new ways and integrate them into the old to develop a way of working, living, leading that is applicable in this day and age and that will help you stay on top of your world rather than trying to catch up to it.
When that inner conflict raises its ugly head one tends to become stubborn in old ways of being and effective leadership breaks down. That’s because staff will work around you and figure it out because they see you're not able to or want to. Respect for leadership in this instance breaks down as well because they see you’re not current and 'with it' and that you need to be 'always right'.
Think twice before you negate what the young up-and-comings are telling you. They’re not as green as you think. Share your wisdom with them, listen to their innovative ideas and if you combine the two it will be very powerful. So when you think of upgrading your personal operating system, what are you going to replace and what will you keep? Now’s a good time to figure it out. It’s even a better time to do something about it.
Donna Karlin • Executive and Political Shadow Coach™ • Ottawa, Canada • donnakarlin@abetterperspective.com •www.abetterperspective.com
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March 28, 2007
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Some people think they can do everything . Well, many executives keep doing things themselves because "it's a lot easier to just do it than take the time to train someone and then have to check the work anyway". These same people start coming in a little bit earlier and leaving a little later to just finish something when it's quiet. Then they start coming in weekends to clear up a few things, straighten their offices so they can think straight and wade through a pile of work or emails. Slowly but surely time and life evaporate.
On top of it all, budget time comes and they have a hard time justifying bringing in support because the work is getting done anyway. Right?
After a while when a lightbulb goes off and they realize it's just not sustainable, they think of bringing in a coach to 'fix things'. Coaches don't fix things. They challenge, inspire, motivate, help them evolve perhaps, but it's up to them to clear away some time and mental clutter to work with a coach to make that happen. It doesn't happen all on its own. Just as support staff have to be trained to work with them and their style. If they're not trained properly there will be more friction than a synergistic, effective working relationship and because of that things will be missed, problems occur and all that will be left is a chaotic mess.
Bringing in anyone to help them through the clutter when they don't free up time only causes them to push harder rather than live better.
So if that applies to you, my question is how can you simplify? The hardest thing to do is begin the process...giving the first things up or putting them on hold. But if you could let go of one thing, what would it be? How can you unclutter? You're not perfect. Someone else can do it too, yes, perhaps differently but the end result will still be what you need.
Just this afternoon I asked a high level executive "What is your biggest problem?" I'm getting material ready for my newsletter and thought the best approach would be to respond to clients' greatest needs. His answer was "My biggest problem would be retirement" He didn't have a life to look forward to once he retired. He was so busy, he didn't have time for the people in his life and eventually, they too evaporated into thin air. He said it was like a series of weekends and he couldn't wait to get back to work after the weekend. He didn't know any other way. Work and doing everything gave him a sense of worth, of purpose.
Before it gets to that point for you, what one thing can you pick to give up? Right now. Get rid of it, delegate it, put it on hold while you get the real priorities done. But do it. Don't just talk about it. Once you start giving things away strategically, it'll get easier. Plus you'll come to the realization that it might not be so hard to let someone else help you out along the way. That's called partnering. A great concept. And you just might have time for a life in the process.
Try it. You might like it!
Donna Karlin • Executive and Political Shadow Coach™ • Ottawa, Canada • donnakarlin@abetterperspective.com •www.abetterperspective.com
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March 21, 2007
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We tend to be so busy trying to figure things out, look at trends, strategize etc. that we don’t tend to fix problems. What if, instead of analyzing things to death we fixed them? What if we didn’t look at trends and the why’s and how other companies handle similar situations and worked with someone to fix things and now? What a concept! Why make things more complex than they have to be, at least in most day to day situations.
We live in a world that has to be … should be … politically correct, however sometimes we get into more trouble because of all the checks and balances we dance around for every move and decision we make rather than just fixing it.
I believe there’s a place for looking at industry trends and successes, however I also think problems have to be fixed and not studied and sometimes a fast fix is necessary to move an organization forward. If you get so mired in what’s not working and look for reasons and dynamics and everything else, you’ll still have the problem. Sometimes a quick is just the trick and will help remove all the other roadblocks that will stand in your way.
Next time you find yourself stuck, stagnating, with a defeated attitude, look at fixing the problem instead of ruminating about it or studying it. Have a generative meeting not to rehash everything that went wrong, that can be left for the analysts…but one where the rules of the game are to generate a solution and way forward right now. It might mean scrapping something and starting from scratch to look at a perspective you haven’t thought of yet. If you can’t figure it out yourself, call in a coach who will help you. Again, not a long drawn out contract but a one shot, one session meeting, where you don’t leave the room until you know exactly what you’re going to do.
Leave the trends and analysis for the strategists who will make sure the same mistakes won’t happen again in the future. That’s their jobs. Yours as leaders is to lead and get people and organizations past roadblocks and fast, before you’re left in the dust.
Donna Karlin • Executive and Political Shadow Coach™ • Ottawa, Canada • donnakarlin@abetterperspective.com •www.abetterperspective.com
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March 14, 2007
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People become who they might be when they let go of who they are.
I’m creating a whole new program based on that statement. We might complain that our bosses, family, friends etc. put up roadblocks to our success --- whoever and whatever we can find to blame for our setbacks --- but the bottom line is we hold ourselves back more than all the other people, circumstances and strokes of fate put together. If you get over yourself, then you can let go over who you are at least enough to open your mind to possibility. Everyone in this world knows something you don’t know about something. Until you let go and open your mind, you’ll never know what that something is. Look at what you’re missing out on!
Organizational leaders look for people who don’t hesitate to jump into the deep end of whatever they’re about to embark on. Innovation comes from people who not only think out of the box, but don’t acknowledge there is a box in the first place. Remove your own self-limitations and you’ll attract all kinds of amazing opportunities. That energy will attract others and the ripple effect will go well beyond anything you imagined.
Opportunities whisper, they don’t knock and if you don’t pay attention and are so hell-bent on being the person you’re expected to be or who you’ve boxed yourself into being, those opportunities will go poof into the night. The greatest discovery you will ever make is that you’re unique. By letting go of ‘who you are’, you’ll find out just what that means.
Ceiling? What ceiling?
Donna Karlin • Executive and Political Shadow Coach™ • Ottawa, Canada • donnakarlin@abetterperspective.com •www.abetterperspective.com
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March 7, 2007
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Recently, I read a passage about leadership that defined it as "The capacity to influence others by unleashing their power and potential.” Those leaders who are charismatic, powerful speakers with energy and passion can quite easily lead an organization to success. The question is, what happens to that organization when the charismatic leader leaves? These individuals are very unique in character and it’s almost impossible to bring in someone who would have the same impact and their distinct nature and way of being is what captivates the staff and you can’t nor would you want to clone him/her. It wouldn’t be possible at any rate.
The key is to look for a leader who creates a vision so powerful that it goes beyond the individual leader; it translates through the entire organization, embraced by all and lived by all. It becomes the organizational culture and transcends any one person.
Now imagine combining both and how powerful that would be. If I challenged leadership by asking the question “Who have you influenced to unleash their power and potential, helping them evolve into their level of excellence?” Is it something you consciously think of every day when interacting with staff or identifying ‘rising stars’? Are you paying attention? It’s not about you so get over yourself and it, whatever 'it' may be. True leaders transcend the pettiness, the need for constant personal attention. They create a sustaining culture of high involvement and thus shared power.
Donna Karlin • Executive and Political Shadow Coach™ • Ottawa, Canada • donnakarlin@abetterperspective.com •www.abetterperspective.com
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February 28, 2007
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Recently I came across an article by Bob Parsons where he talks about the 16 Rules he tries to live by. I thought it was brilliantly written and certainly an eye opener for anyone in any line of work, no line of work, trying to get a handle on life as, in some cases it seems to be getting away from them. If you're trying to get a handle on your life, then who or what is in control of it right now?
I would encourage all of you to read his rules and see if and how they're applicable to what you might be living. In the meantime I'd like to share my rules for getting the best in life, as they apply to life, work, relationships -- any and all aspects of putting life in perspective.
•Get the job done
•Recognize feelings, issues and circumstances that might stand in the way
•Rule 3 is Rule 2 NEVER gets in the way of Rule 1
Getting the job done might be keeping a commitment, or finishing a personal or professional goal for example. No matter what it is, remember intentions equal results. If you intend to do something, feel something, complete something, it will happen...good, bad or indifferent.
How many times have you let petty differences, circumstances, 'Doubting Thomases' get in the way? If you let others hold you back, then you will be held back. Simple! Which brings me to Bob's rule 12 (Never let anybody push you around). I tell people "If you give your personal power away to someone you least respect at that moment in time, or don't respect at all, what does that say about how you respect and value yourself?"
And when you read Bob's rules, my favorites are 3 (when you're ready to quit, you're close than you think), 7 (Always be moving forward). But they they'll all wonderfully relevant, don't you think?
Donna Karlin • Executive and Political Shadow Coach™ • Ottawa, Canada • donnakarlin@abetterperspective.com •www.abetterperspective.com
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February 21, 2007
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...or as I call it walking in your own shadow.
As a Shadow Coach and teacher of Shadow Coaching I have to be doubly aware of what I do in order to be able to put words around reality and reproduce models, snapshots in time or contextual insights so they can be repeated. I need to articulate what I do in such a way others can almost reach out and touch it.
When I am able to teach my clients the same concepts of mindfulness, those dynamics are present and I love watching as the awareness sinks in. They not only learn how to go deeper and wider in the dynamics of working with others but their self-awareness or walking in their own shadows increases as well.
That’s what happens in every realm of life, isn’t it? Every day someone might say something to to of which you have no clue and if you pay attention and your interest is piqued, you will be eager to learn more. If you do let that happen there won't be a day where you won't grow and learn and become even more masterful in your role. If you don't pay attention to anything other than what you already know, it's the same as having a conversation of the deaf.
Paying attention creates interdevelopmentalism. Doing something with a seed that's planted can create the intermagical. If your relationships aren't interdevelopmental then you're looking at your world from a position of someone who knows it all. If that's the case you do in fact know very little as it's limited to you and only you.
Paying attention automatically creates an atmosphere where you're both mentally stimulated and energized by your interactions. Being open and aware of possibilities as they unfold keeps you on the cutting edge of an evolving organization. If you are so intent on having control of a process or interaction you can't be open to possibility. It can't be about what's possible. It's about you. Time to get over yourself and past who you presently are.
If we were more mindful of everything as it unfolded and let go of the control of what we think we want before it happened, life would go in a totally different direction. We would learn more, grow more, meet people we hadn’t intended to meet and evolve on a totally different plane.
We would evolve period. Control ensures stagnation. Awareness opens the world to possibility. Which sounds better to you?
Donna Karlin • Executive and Political Shadow Coach™ • Ottawa, Canada • donnakarlin@abetterperspective.com •www.abetterperspective.com
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February 14, 2007
08:06 am | 0 recommendations | 1 comment
People look at their worlds through the perspective of what they know. It’s obvious, right? What I love to see is when they discover what they didn’t know and then want to dive into the deep end of it and learn everything they can. That’s the best part of being a Shadow Coach; watching awareness as it dawns.
It happens to me on a regular basis. When I'm teaching seasoned experienced coaches and look at paradigms, concepts, ways of being and touch on something that had never occurred to them before, all of a sudden the energy in the room is tangible; enthusiasm so intense you can almost 'taste' it. Now what if leadership brought that to an organization?
Not only would staff want to dive in with both feet, but they'd know instinctively through every day they’d learn something that would shift their developmental level exponentially. Now what would one have to do to make that happen?
The first thought that comes to mind is to dialogue and often. Not meetings that drain everyone in the room of any energy they might have arrived with at the start of the day but a true brainstorming dialogue to create and listen to ideas and experiences they never heard or thought of before and to explore the possibilities?
What if, instead of regular meetings, there were creative sessions once a week or bi-weekly that brought out the best of every individual around the table, no matter role or responsibility?
Possibilities are endless. But what steps would you have to take to make that happen and then do something with the outcome? Ahh now that’s a whole other conversation for another time. It’s call paying attention to what unfolds.
Donna Karlin • Executive and Political Shadow Coach™ • Ottawa, Canada • donnakarlin@abetterperspective.com •www.abetterperspective.com
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February 7, 2007
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Leaders are alchemists of vision and potential --- i.e. 'potentialists'. They’re also chess players and understand that all the pieces, or their people, move differently. Each individual leaves an impact all their own. True leaders discover what is unique about each individual, capitalize on it, and assign roles and tasks based on that uniqueness. The trick is not compromising these unique talents and strengths while at the same time creating and defining a vision and commonality that brings all the uniqueness together in order to move the organization and its people forward.
Budding leaders will take jobs based on people and leave their jobs because of people. They will be inspired by leadership or turned off by the lack of it. Ask yourself this "What if you could transform your organization by the very next act you undertake?" How would your leadership be transformed if you asked yourself that question on a regular basis? A benchmark of sorts.
Coaches are potentialists. We bring out the best in our clients based on their talents and strengths and, as a Shadow Coach™ what’s even more powerful is when I am able to make my clients aware of talents they hadn’t recognized before. We all have shadow personalities. Often we suppress them believing we need to demonstrate a specific façade or way of being based on our roles and responsibilities. How much richer would our leadership be if we brought all facets of ourselves to the table, thereby speaking to the personalities of all those we work with, not just a select few?
Donna Karlin • Executive and Political Shadow Coach™ • Ottawa, Canada • donnakarlin@abetterperspective.com •www.abetterperspective.com
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January 31, 2007
08:28 pm | 0 recommendations | 3 comments
Congratulations....you got the promotion into a position of leadership.... Now what?
You’ve gone from being managed to doing the managing without a “how to” book (and no...manuals tell you the bare minimum. It's the intangibles, intuitive power of a born leader or one with extensive experience that really make it 'work'). As an executive coach I'm sure you expect me to say that experience beats any book. I know I'll get flack from that one. I'll concede and say the most powerful combination of all are books and experience. Doing beats reading about it any day!
So how do you make that transition? People are often catapulted into positions of leadership they're nowhere near ready for. They end up being overwhelmed and under-qualified when it comes to leading. It’s not that these individuals aren't capable. That's not it at all. It’s just that they’ve been put into positions without the proper training and told to “just do it” or "figure it out".
Large organizations wouldn’t hear of letting someone loose with a dangerous piece of equipment without having the appropriate training, so why is it many companies put people in the positions of power, having a direct impact on staff, the bottom line and future of an organization with sometimes no training at all?
My three cents for starters so you're ahead of the game and not just keeping your head above water is this:
•Call in a coach, one who's a good fit. Like any professional you should choose one who resonates, who you can relate to and respect.
• Don't ever forget where you were before you got here
• Don't be a know-it-all. Because you're not perfect so get over yourself and listen, especially at the beginning. Everyone has something to learn and if you're a new leader, you need to learn more than most; even the bare basics.
• Lead each person according to their strengths and let them be known by their talents. But figure out a commonality at the same time to bring all those talented minds together to work as one. The team might not be unique but each one making up that team, is.
• Pick and choose what you spend your energy on, especially at the beginning. Do something you've already been successful at to achieve what I call a quick and dirty or early success. It's much easier to get the staff on board if they feel you're successful. They'll want it too!
• Let others know what you're passionate about so they see you from a position of energy and enthusiasm. That'll capture their imagination and attention.
That's about it....for now. If you have any others to add, I'm all ears. Let us all know!
Donna Karlin • Executive and Political Shadow Coach™ • Ottawa, Canada • donnakarlin@abetterperspective.com •www.abetterperspective.com
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