NuLeadership

Category: Leadership Development

  • Guest Blogger – Burnout: An Unseen Blaze

    Guest Blogger – Burnout: An Unseen Blaze


    In this brief piece, I want to begin an exploration of burnout. Some believe burnout is self imposed by workers who can’t take the pressure. Others find that in the current economic and organizational climates, burnout is imposed by business that do not recognize or accept that workers need periods in their work days to decompress.
    During the Vietnam era, American military members often recited a refrain for which I do not have a clear attribution; although one source attributes it to Mother Teresa.  

    “We, the unwilling, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing.”  

    Many of the service members who recited this also suffered from the stresses of war, constantly being shelled by the enemy, constantly being on patrol in jungles where the enemy hid, constantly being exposed to team members injuries, wounds, and death.
    Movie watchers saw this portrayed with some degree of realism in Band of Brothers. These military men and women were constantly in a state of high arousal with few or no opportunities to decompress.
    Is there a parallel to that refrain in the current economy, the current organizational climate? One source explains the parallel by citing that in the current climate (economic or organizational) there are often mismatches between job expectations and expectations of the person performing the job.
    Often, organizations place economic consequences ahead of human values. This confusion of values against economic needs of the employee to survive in an unstable work climate may result in lost productivity brought on by stress.
    Question, who are the unwilling and why did they become unwilling? It their book, The Truth About Burnout, Maslach and Leiter found several reasons why people become unwilling. They find overwork and lack of control over their jobs as part of the problem.
    Another question, who are the unknowing? The comic Dilbert provides an example of the unknowing in the depiction of the pointy-haired boss who reaps all the rewards for himself sharing none with workers.
    Why has working become doing the impossible? Although the work may not be impossible to complete, workers feel a loss of community in the workplace. Political intrigue and rumors often force workers to withdraw from those around them.
    An example of the ungrateful comes from the movie Office Space. The unit manager who strolled the isles of cube dwellers showed his lack of gratitude in his interpersonal interactions. Today, workers feel that they are not treated fairly and have to deal with values conflict.  

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOx8DiiUpTo]

    Citing Maslach and Leiter again, they write, burnout is a result of “erosion in values, dignity, spirit, and will — an erosion of the human soul” (pg. 17). This is a strong provocative statement meaningfully explaining “doing so much, with so little, for so long.” The human spirit can become willing again if organizations take steps.
    The modern military tries to relieve effects of stress and the resulting PTSD in the field and before and after a deployment. What are organizations doing to combat stress and burnout? The first step organizations must consider is the truth of burnout.
    Since the bottom line is the bottom line in contemporary business, one truth is that burnout takes an economic toll. Another truth is the emotional toll zapping the strength of workers both mentally and physically.
    Organizations cannot afford to have unwilling and ungrateful elements if it wants to survive. Relieving the economic and emotional toll of burnout can take the “un” out leaving willing and grateful. People do not exist because of an organization; an organization exists because of people.
    Please comment on this topic from your personal or professional experience.

    About the Guest Blogger

    Dr. Paul Hoffman holds a Doctor of Strategic Leadership from Regent University, a Master of Arts in Leadership and Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communication from Bellevue University.
    Doctor Hoffman is an adjunct professor at Bellevue University and Metropolitan Community College in Communications Arts, English, and Communication and Humanities. Before his teaching role, Dr. Hoffman was a graduate enrollment counselor at Bellevue University and enrollment representative to the University’s Quality Council.
    Dr. Hoffman came to the academic arena after ten years in retail management. During this period he managed in speciality mall stores, and multimillion dollar warehouse style stores. Dr. Hoffman owned a small business and was an insurance agent for a fraternal insurance provider.
    Dr. Hoffman was a U.S. Air Force active duty noncommissioned officer retiring in 1990 as a Master Sergeant. During over 21 years of active duty, Dr. Hoffman was a Security Police sentry assigned to guard aircraft, missiles, and nuclear weapons on alert and in storage.
    For three years, he held the speciality of Military Training Instructor while supervising an installation correctional custody facility. In the concluding seven-plus years, Dr. Hoffman worked as an installation human relations and equal opportunity treatment NCO and finally as Superintendent of Social Actions overseeing both human relations and substance abuse prevention activities for an installation.
    Military assignments saw Dr. Hoffman stationed at major Air Force Bases of the Strategic Air Command, U.S. Air Force Europe, and Pacific Air Force. During the Vietnam era, Dr. Hoffman had one assignment in support of major air operations over Vietnam.
    Dr. Hoffman is married to Su Yun and they have two adult children. Son, Leslie Donald, is the oldest formerly a Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. Les has two combat tours in Iraq.
    Daughter, Theresa Ann, was a member of the U.S. Peace Corps serving on the island of Carricaou, the Grenades; her Peace Corps specialty was Community Health focusing on AIDS awareness and prevention and presently studying to become a physical therapy assistant.

  • Social Mobility in America

    Social Mobility in America


    Economic turbulence has overtaken the American way of life.  In Europe and Asia, investors stand uncertain of their next moves.  Even America is part of an economic casualty.
    Yet, these problems are very personal to the average citizen. Higher gas prices and costs of living; the housing bust; and the financial crisis cause most people to worry about their future. With a weak job growth, many U.S. jobs continue to be shipped abroad.
    Global competition continues to cause Fortune 500 companies to search for cheap labor to increase profitability.  This reality often places developed countries like the United States at a clear disadvantage.  Consequently, there has been an increasing gap between the wealthiest people and the poorest people in this country.  The reality has become the shrinking or disintegrating of the middle class.
    America is a shining symbol for social mobility across the world.  Social mobility can be defined as “the passage of individuals from one social class to another.” Most people feel that if they work hard, they can achieve a better life, regardless of their social standing. 

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvD7pczQRGo]

    In some countries, a person is stuck in an economic class with no hope of further advancement.  If your parents are uneducated and work a low paying occupation, the children will grow up in this same status.
    Marketing expert Michael Solomon argues the natural progression of social mobility: “People do improve their positions over time, but these increases are not usually dramatic to catapult them from one social class to another.”  The current economic picture makes social mobility more difficult.
    Michael Snyder, editor of theeconomiccollapseblog.com, argues the systematic destruction of the middle class: “The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer at a staggering rate. Once upon a time, the United States had the largest and most prosperous middle class in the history of the world, but now that is changing at a blinding pace.”
    Snyder supported his claims with 22 statistical facts.  Below is a sample of his analysis:

    • Eighty three percent of all U.S. stocks are in the hands of one percent of the people.
    • American workers now must compete against situations like China where a garment worker makes approximately 86 cents an hour and in Cambodia a garment worker makes approximately 22 cents an hour.
    •  Sixty one percent of Americans “always or usually” live paycheck to paycheck, which was up from 49% in 2008 and 43% in 2007.
    • Average Wall Street bonuses for 2009 were up 17% when compared with 2008.
    • More than 40% of Americans who actually are employed are now working in service jobs, which are often very low paying.
    • Sixty six percent of the income growth between 2001 and 2007 went to the top one percent of all Americans.
    • Only the top 5% of U.S. households have earned enough additional income to match the rise in housing costs since 1975.
    • In 1950, the ratio of the average executive’s paycheck to the average worker’s paycheck was about 30 to 1. Since the year 2000, that ratio has exploded to between 300-500 to 1.
    • As of 2007, the bottom 80% of American households held about 7% of the liquid financial assets.
    • The bottom 50% of income earners in the United States now collectively own less than 1% of the nation’s wealth.

    Many people hold that a political change will rescue the middle class.  As we have witnessed in the 2012 Presidential Election, petty politics are more important than solving the economic crisis.  Therefore, all families are held hostages. Any rescue will not be soon.
    Snyder doubts there is any hopeful solution for the stale social mobility occurring today: “The reality is that no matter how smart, how strong, how educated or how hard working American workers are, they just cannot compete with people who are desperate to put in 10 to 12 hour days at less than a dollar an hour on the other side of the world.”  Many people hope that America can compete in the future without sacrificing her core values related to social mobility.  Others have given up this hope.
     Do you feel social mobility is unsustainable in the U.S. , given global competition?
     © 2012 by Daryl D. Green

  • Leading from a Public Platform

    Leading from a Public Platform


    I was in the process of getting another laptop since my last one was broken.  I decided to visit a local computer store to talk with its owner; I had been doing business with this company for over several years.  I was looking for an inexpensive laptop since I already had a desktop. 
    However, the owner suggested that he could build me a basic computer for a small price. I trusted and respected his opinion.  Yet, I went against the opinion leader because he didn’t fully understand my bottom-line.  Likewise, today’s opinion leaders who lose sight of their own constituents can lose their followers also. 
    For the record, an opinion leader is someone who is frequently able to influence others’ attitudes or behaviors. Michael Solomon, author of Consumer Behavior, suggests that opinion leaders tend to share consumer values and beliefs so that there is a connection between the opinion leader and the consumer.  
    Marketing expert Guy Bergstom further maintains that an opinion leader is anyone who has an active voice in a community. Therefore, these individuals often speak out on issues and get asked to provide advice. 
    In society, there are people who possess natural stature and credibility. Product developers use Hollywood celebrities because they are popular icons that allow them to be opinion leaders.
    Currently, the media heavily influences consumer behavior. The Washingtonpost.com has over 10,000,000 readers worldwide. Opinion leaders use this medium to influence public discussion while others come to learn more about the issues. 
    For example, most Americans feel negatively about outsourcing abroad, primarily to China and India. They view these foreign countries as a serious threat to American way of life. A recent Gallup-China Daily USA survey demonstrates how media can shift public opinion. Two-thirds of the public and a sample of United States opinion leaders view China to be a friendly ally of the United States.  

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ac5Q-DHY7FI]

    With the assistant of the Internet, many individuals can influence other people like never before.  In fact, bloggers and website owners often upstage traditional media because these nontraditional sources because a frequent source for the average person.  However, it is important that opinion leaders never forget their followers in this social engagement.
    Discuss your professional and personal experiences with opinion leaders.
     
    © 2012 by Daryl D. Green                                    

  • Mapping out the Green Economy

    Mapping out the Green Economy


    Most businesses are promoting ‘Going Green’ while politicians peddle the concept as a way to grow jobs.  Many people have been disappointed with the perceived ‘hype.’  My question, with this concept, was who was going to lead this green economy?
    LMU’s Dean Jack McCann and I published an article entitled “Benchmarking a Leadership Model for the Green Economy” to address this subject.  This paper examined benchmarking leadership theories in order to build a new leadership model for the green economy.  This academic journey opened my eyes on the green economy.
    Let’s explore this green economy. Many hope that the green economy will provide new prosperity for America’s future. The current economy is fueled exclusively by oil, natural gas, and coal. As these resources continue to become scarce, the cost increases.
    On the contrary, the green economy is environment friendly and provides an opportunity for more innovation. Many experts support the green economy concept. Thomas Friedman, author of The World is Flat, suggests that the stage is set for a green economy with billions of people from China, India, and the former Soviet Union demanding their share of the energy treasure chest.
    There will be more energy demands to feed the world’s microwaves, vehicles, and other power hungry technology.  Friedman argues that this global demand would create an environmental disaster. This reality could infuse a new desire for renewable energies and environmental sustainable systems.
    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHCJhPdtu9w&feature=related]
    For example, Michigan has created more than 11,000 renewable energy jobs in four years; these jobs are compensated with sustaining a fair and equitable wage. Critics argue that some jobs will be lost as more rigorous energy regulations are in place and companies are forced to make energy transitions.
    Jerome Ringo, the former president of the Apollo Alliance which has a coalition that promotes clean energy and green jobs, further maintains that these setbacks could be overcome by taking the proper steps. Therefore, the green economy could become a positive driving force in the future.
    Ringo argues that green jobs could revive the U.S. economy while resolving some of the worst environmental problems facing the world. He points to this fact based on several states implementing the green economy.  However, other individuals have their doubts about any financial success from the green economy.
    What do you foresee as leadership challenges for launching the green economy?  Please share your personal or professional experience on this subject.
     
    © 2012 by Daryl D. Green
     

  • Making a Special Connection with Followers

    Making a Special Connection with Followers


    Immediately after the first 2012 Republican Presidential Debate in Florida, Former Governor Mitt Rommey released his 2010 tax statement. However, Rommey’s wealth did surprise most people.  Some individuals probably harbored class envy of him. Yet, I was also amazed at the other presidential candidates’ great fortunes in comparison to most Americans. Let’s go deeper.
     How can leaders build a connection with their followers who are well below them economically?  For example, GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney isn’t just in the top 1% of America’s highest income earners; he is at least at the top .0006% based on his 2010 tax returns.  According to AP reporter Connie Cass, adding up the wealth of the last eight presidents from Richard Nixon to Barack Obama wouldn’t  equal Rommey’s wealth.  It’s also about perspective.  Among the ultra-wealthy in the world, Rommey is not among the rich elite.  Yet, this discussion is very interesting since the U.S. President is seen as a representative of all citizens.
    Here’s a look at some of the 2012 Republican Presidential Candidates’ worth: Mitt Rommey’s worth $85-264 million, Jon Huntsman’s $16-72 million; Newt Gingrich’s $7-31 million; Ron Paul’s $2.4 – 5.4 million, Rick Santorum’s $1-3 million, and Rick Perry’s $1-2.5 million.  Even President Barack Obama, a member of the Democratic Party, is not far behind with a net worth of $2.8-11.8 million.  One of the greatest assets of effective leaders is making a connection with followers. 

    Great wealth may be problematic to many people who want to show they understand the common man.  However, this isn’t always the case.  For example, some former U.S. Presidents with great wealth made a connection with followers such as Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.  Leaders want to have good followers championing their cause.  Presidential candidates are no exceptions.  Rommey, like most wealth people, may have some connection problems.   Many people undermine the importance of followership. They shouldn’t.

    Followership is underrated. Yet, effective leaders can’t afford to not have stellar followership.  Followership can be defined as ‘the ability to effectively follow the directives and support the efforts of a leader to maximize a structured organization.’  Kent Bjugstad, Comcast Spotlight, Elizabeth Thach, Karen Thompson, and Alan Morris, followership experts, outlined the problems associated with followership: “The assumption that good followership is simply doing what one is told, and that effective task accomplishment is the result of good leadership, doesn’t amplify the merits of the follower role.”  Therefore, leaders cannot afford to underestimate this concept.

    Connecting with followers is vital.  Rommey, like other leaders, must bridge this gap.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the typical household worth is approximately $120,300.  That means Rommey is 1,000 times richer than most American citizens. Fred Fiedler, a leadership researcher, noted that a leader’s personality can determine how he or she will be an effective leader.

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND0fsgoVcyk&feature=related]
    Gareth Jones and Jennifer George, authors of Contemporary Management, further noted the critical needs for effective leader-follower relationships: “Situations are more favorable for leading when leader-member relations are good.”   Therefore, connecting with followers is an important goal for most leaders.
    Discuss how leaders effectively connect with their followers.
    © 2012 by Daryl D. Green                                    

     
  • Leading in a Volatile Society

    Leading in a Volatile Society

     
    The question of effective leadership continues to plaque modern society.  This month, the captain of a cruise ship that capsized off the coast of Italy has received public scrutiny.  The cruise ship, Costa Concordia, had more than 4,200 people aboard when it hit a reef off the Tuscan island of Giglio.
    Panic filled the ship; cruise workers appeared unprepared for the emergency. Yet, the biggest casualty was leadership.  Captain Francesco Schettino is accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, and abandoning his vessel during its ground.
    Tapes were released of a conversation between the cruise captain and a coast guard officer who demanded the captain return to the ship: “What are you doing? Are you abandoning the rescue…Get back on board now (expletive) sake!”  What has been abandoned globally is the lack of effective leadership in a volatile society.
    Today’s workers exist in a volatile world. According to the Forrester Research, approximately 3.3 million jobs and $136 billion in wages could be moved overseas to countries like India or China by 2015. In fact, many developing countries are projected to continue to grow strongly over the next decade.
    Furthermore, these countries steadily shift to consumer-led growth instead of export-led growth.  The dollar spiral downward and foreign currency goes upward.  China and India have added millions to their labor force creating products as well as outsourcing their services abroad at a fraction of what American workers can provide.
    These upstart countries are positioning themselves to become the next Super Power.  The middle class hold their breath as the threat of more job cuts become a reality, thereby further eroding their quality of life. Yet, business executives express little moral remorse as they keep American workers at bay.
    There needs to be a different type of leadership in a volatile world. Today’s hypercompetitive environment needs high performance organizations to sustain market success. Yet, many organizations operate from the same business structure from the Industrial Revolution.

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biCGAWcXIN4]

    In this setting, managers oversee workers to control their performance due to the fact that managers believe workers are inferior and have no passion to work. Yet, most workers are willing to work if they are placed in a position to be successful and there are shared rewards.
    Yet, I have heard too many complaints about bad bosses and uncaring organizations. There are too many managers and organizations that do not value the importance of their employees.
    These same managers are great at distributing tasks but are unsuccessful at motivating their own workers.  Therefore, future leaders will need to be able to navigate global markets while inspiring their workers.
    What characteristics are needed for today’s leaders in a volatile environment?
     © 2012 by Daryl D. Green

  • Practicing Philanthropy

    Practicing Philanthropy


    In most cases, individuals are not hurt by giving to others.  My co-author, Noriko Chapman, emailed me last week about royalties on our book, Second Chance, and how the funds would go to charity.  While I looked at this book as an opportunity to provide assistance for nonprofit organizations, it was her idea to leverage our written work over the long-term.
    Noriko, who is a DENSO production manager, selected the Tennessee Rehabilitation Center (Maryville) as part of her MBA project.  We pledged 30 percent of the book proceeds to this organization.  Noriko’s giving attitude helped the Center’s financial needs.
    However, it provided unintended consequences by bringing more media attention to this cause and the public in general. In fact, it landed the Center’s director an expense paid visit to DENSO in Japan.  Therefore, philanthropy can start from small beginnings.
    Individuals can build a philanthropist mindset when giving to organizations or people. Social responsibility is a buzzword in a society demanding more accountability from its corporate citizens.  Social responsibility speaks to a company’s stance on the way its managers and employees view their duty or obligation to make decisions that protect, enhance, and promote the well-being of stakeholders and society as a whole.
    Gareth Jones and Jennifer George, authors of Contemporary Management, argue about the importance of social responsibility: “The way a company announces business problems or admits its mistakes provides strong clues about its stance on social responsibility.”
    With the economic crisis, there are many institutions in trouble.  According to Merriman-Webster.com, philanthropy is defined as an act or gift done or made for humanitarian purposes. Most people associate philanthropy with the wealthy.
    However, philanthropy must start with a mindset and attitude for giving, regardless of where a person stands on the economic ladder.  Marc Benioff, Chairman & CEO of salesforce.com, built his organization with a philanthropy-focus.  Salesforce.com is a cloud computing company with a mission of ‘The End of Software.” 

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcBSC8CMs_4]

    Benioff has had a history of successful business ventures, including Oracle Corporation and Macintosh Division.  However, he noted for the achievement of designing a new philanthropy model.  The Salesforce.com Foundation aims to inspire companies across the globe to give 1% of their resources to support charities and social causes. Other companies like Google have embraced this model.
    This 1%; 1%; 1% philanthropy model includes one percent of company’s time, one percent of its equity, and one percent of its products donated to charity.  For Salesforce.com, this model means giving employees 6 paid days of volunteer time to use over the course of the year.  To date, Salesforce.com employees have donated over 178,000 hours.
    The Salesforce.com Foundation has supported giving of products to 8,000 nonprofits in 70 countries.  On the equity front, one percent of founding stock is used to offer grants focused on technology innovation in nonprofits and youth development programs.  The company has given over $20 million in grants to qualified nonprofit organizations.
    Therefore, a philanthropist mindset can carry great rewards in sustaining meaningful programs in society.  It is not exclusive to the most wealthy people.
    Discuss your personal experiences on this topic.
    © 2011 by Daryl D. Green

  • An Educated Society

    An Educated Society


    On Thanksgiving morning, I ran to Kroger to pick up some grocery items.  I went to the cashier and talked to him during my purchased.  I wished him a happy holiday season and stated at least he was making double overtime and leaving early.  The cashier pointed out that he was not making anything extra.  It was just a normal day for the store.  I thought this was sad for him.
    Many employees live paycheck to paycheck.  Some employees in low paying jobs like retail are college and high school students attempting to put some money into their pocket as they move on to something else.  However, there are many people for the next several years these jobs are their endpoint due to the lack of advanced education.
    The economic crisis has wreaked havoc on America’s prosperity and its future. According to a 2010 Pew Research survey, one in four adults between the ages of 18 and 24 moved back in with their parents during the recession.  Furthermore, the cost of a college degree keeps rising like gasoline for my car.
    From 1999-2000 academic year through 2009-2010, the price increase of a four year degree from a public institution was 42% with the average annual cost for four-year undergraduate tuition, room and board being $15,014 (private: $32,790).
    For many students, an education is an investment. According to U.S. Census Bureau, there were over 19 million students enrolled in college in 2010 which represented an 11.5% increase from 2007.  In fact, graduate school enrollment jumped over 19% during this time.  Horace Mann, an American education reformer, noted “A human being is not attaining his full heights until he is educated.” Another education reformer John Dewey added, “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.”  

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqJEW1NyNTU]

    However, an education is not a silver bullet or the solution for an individual’s well-being.  In an economic crisis, even highly educated or seasoned professionals can be a casualty.  Yet, an education provides unique opportunities.
    Doors can open with the right preparation. With a bachelor’s degree, the median income for individuals in 2010 was $47,422 which was 80% higher than those individuals with only a high school diploma.
    For individuals with a graduate or professional degree, this figure jumped to a median income of $62,618.  Therefore, it becomes more important for students to be strategic in their education.
    There should be a component of selecting the appropriate college degree or technical training, obtaining  practical experience in the specific industry, and developing a robust professional network to seize on career opportunities.
    Discuss your personal experiences on this topic.
     © 2011 by Daryl D. Green

  • Sustaining Employability

    Sustaining Employability


    When my job as human resource manager was eliminated in September of 2010, I felt a sense of gloom and doom for exactly two days. It happened on a Tuesday, one day after my six-year anniversary.
    (At least they allowed me the mandatory six-year vesting period for my 401k.) By Thursday I was reminded of six years of morning prayers to be free of the job that caused me heart palpitations and migraines.
    The entire management team was eliminated between July and the end of the year.  When I look back at what transpired, I realize the basic principles I was taught in business school were overlooked. Human capital was not an asset, thus, how could the business sustain?
    The general manager used to say if we didn’t have to work or deal with customers, our jobs would be easy. The same rings true with human capital.  Looking back, a common thread my company seemed to have was they disposed of their assets too quickly.
    If an employee needed help in a certain area, the answer was to terminate their employee. I always challenged the managers to invest in the employees.
    After all, the employees were to provide a service for the company, right? Likewise, the company should provide a service to the employee by investing time into making them a more valuable asset.
    Sharing is essential in business—big business. It is hard to assume not sharing what’s going on with business will foster a sense of well-being among employees. It is true you can’t share everything, however, keeping employees involved and in the loop on things, aid in the overall pulse of the organization.
    Employees who know what’s going on are empowered, tend to work smarter, more efficiently and want to do a good job over all. In my case, morale was always low, thus making my job difficult.

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-cbx08CNp0&feature=related]

    As a result, before us managers met our ultimate demise, sales were dropping due to the failing US economy. Customer satisfaction ratings continually dropped during the last three years due to inconsistencies in product quality which I know were in part due to the incredibly high turnover rates we had.

    # # #

    What’s an HR Manager to do when she’s the one laid off? Thankfully, my husband has a job, and unlike many Americans who find themselves in the same situation, we are able to make it on one income.
    I reinvented myself. My first love is writing and that’s what I aspired to do while working. I moonlighted as a novelist—touring, speaking and writing inspirational novels while holding down my full time job. Once I cooled off after my position was “eliminated,” there’s a new HR Manager now, I dug deep and found some freelance writing gigs that helped to build my almost nonexistent writer’s resume.
    I’m a novelist, not a journalist—although I have a college degree that would say otherwise. The last year has been interesting: I’m encouraged one day and discouraged the next.
    How am I sustaining? I’m pushing through on the days when I’m discouraged. I search for writing jobs and have had a few that paid me a little. I reach back into my skill bag and offer resume writing services. I write articles on effective management policy, write company manuals, or whatever is trending.
    During a time that seems tumultuous, the only thing to do is to stay encouraged. For me, it’s the right thing to do. If my position hadn’t been “eliminated,” I’d still be trying to help someone else achieve their dream—not my own.
    Please share your comments with this blogger.

                                                About the Blogger                                               

    Daphine Glenn Robinson

    Daphine Glenn Robinson acquired a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communications with a minor is Sociology from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC. She worked in administrative positions at the Rock Hill Herald and the Charleston Post & Courier newspapers before going to graduate school to pursue a Master of Business Administration Degree.

    Robinson worked as human resource manager for more than ten years where she was responsible for employee relations, safety, benefits, and worker’s compensation.

  • The Designful Leader

    The Designful Leader


    Last night I was reviewing the Design School Boot Camp Bootleg, an interesting document put out by the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford. In the opening of the 36-page PDF is the “Design Mindset” or “D. Mindset” (supposedly because everything looks cooler when you shorten a word to one letter and add a period). As I read them again, I started to wonder if they couldn’t also apply to leaders. The D. Mindsets are as follows, with my leadership commentary below:
    Show, don’t tell
    We all know how frustrating it is to receive “orders” from a leader who is solely focused don telling, especially if what we need is to see the action, behavior of value from the leader first before engaging in it ourselves.
    Create Clarity from Complexity
    Much of the role of leadership is sense-making, reducing the complex system they view to a tangible action or behavior that followers need to understand. Leaders make sense.
    Be Mindful of Process
    While making sense of complexity for followers, leaders also have to juggle their attention on the overall process of their objective. In addition, leaders need to know that their development and the development of their followers is a process.
    Collaborate across boundaries
    In most organizations, the leaders who get things done are often those who step outside the lines of hierarchy to do so. Collaboration is becoming increasingly more vital…and that doesn’t even consider the effects of globalization.

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k8TcF-3ofY]

    Take Bias toward actions
    In the end, leaders influence others toward action. Leaders who can get to that action the quickest (with sufficient background knowledge) are of distinct advantage.
    Get experimental, and experiential
    As the literature on innovation grows, our understanding of the need to experiment grows with it. Leaders need to let followers experiment, and experiment themselves. In addition, leaders ought to consider the experience of what it is like to work on their team and build a positive experience.
    Focus on human values
    I’d love to think this one is obvious, but many “tactical” or “transactional” leaders are focused on accomplishing the objective first and appealing to human values second. While this may work in the short-term, it is not sustainable.
    Seven mindsets billed as required for engaging in proper design. Still, I can’t help but wonder if they ought to be re-billed as the “L. Mindsets.
    Please provide comments or feedback to our guest blogger.

    David Burkus is the editor of LeaderLab, a community of resources dedicated to promoting the practice of leadership theory. He is a consultant, a speaker and an adjunct professor of business at several universities. David focuses on developing leaders putting leadership and organizational theory into practice.
    David is a graduate of Oral Roberts University and holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Dynamics from the University of Oklahoma. David is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Strategic Leadership from Regent University. He can be reached at david@davidburkus.com.