Future Leaders of the Conceptual Age...

Should I just focus on my strengths?

2012-02-05T03:32:00.000-05:00

For Every Truth, An Equally Opposite Truth to Explore

Since the Tilt Leadership Predictor is a strengths-based instrument, I often get a particular question from students and leaders in our audience... "should I just focus on my strengths?" Many have read literature or heard views by proponents of the Strengthsfinder Instrument or other self-assessing strength tools, that our energy is more effectively utilized by tuning into strengths built into the infrastructure of our existing brain development. This idea strikes me as a gross oversimplification and distortion of what seems so obvious to me. We CHANGE ALL OUR LIVES and the potential of our brain to expand in unimaginable ways is not something to minimize. My answers to this question, I admit, does fly in the face of this limiting theory and I admittedly disagree with what is being presented by this convenient stream of thinking. But because I get this question so frequently now, I decided to answer it and invite exploration by my readers and practitioners.

The Brain's Bias for Heuristics

I can understand the popularity of a theory that would give me permission to stop challenging myself to break boundaries that the subconscious psyche would like to ignore so that I can take it easy and keep doing what I'm doing until I die. A lot of people go through life with a self-imposed glass ceiling in their thinking and the subconscious psyche will go along with this quite nicely because of the negativity bias of the human disposition. But for me, personally, that would really be boring. So, in this post, I will speak for myself and lay out the logic of my challenge in my own story. I find it intriguing that proponents of this idea focus their logic on the neurosciences. Here's why...

My Brain as it relates to Strengths & Change

Our natural inclination, as human beings learning to survive in this world, is to form rules of thumb regarding our experiences and our miraculous brain likes to oversimplify decisions (particularly related to harm) to increase its efficiency. So, in essence, we can potentially cheat ourselves by self-limiting beliefs that keep us from risking too much change. For example, if I touch a hot stove once, it learns that stoves are hot and it hurts to touch stoves. But when it comes to certain decisions, this same mind-trick can impose unreal limitations. For example, if I go out with one man on a date and he lies, then should I assume that all men lie (it hurts), so I should never go on a date with a man again? It doesn't make good logic in this particular case. This is the main problem I have with any methodology that may cause us to subscribe to self-limited thinking. "I should just focus on my strengths" is one of those that may work for some situations and may be efficient, but not necessarily effective in an overarching sense. Perhaps it is useful for those who are specialists (musicians, chefs) or whom are easily satisfied in individual contributor roles over long periods of time. But, alas, this is dangerous thinking for those who wish to be leaders of a diverse audience of followers or for those who could do so much more if they could bust the biases they buy about themselves. Even biases about strengths that put one into a specific box or type or profession.

We contain multitudes...

My own life is all about change and I love nothing more than to decide to master something I have never attempted before. Something totally out of the realm of what I have previously experienced. Indeed, my entire life has been about EXPANDING the boundaries of my thinking into the widest possible range, often in the extreme opposite direction from the strengths I have developed previously. For example, thirty years ago, my undergraduate degree was in accounting. I had a gift for numbers and sequential thinking was interesting to me. I was curious about the perfection of absolute numbers and quickly learned to manipulate spreadsheets and solve complex problems that ended in black and white, right or wrong answers that balanced perfectly to the penny. But by the time I graduated four years later, with perfect scores in my major, I had grown bored with the whole thing and had become much more interested in the ANALYSIS of what the numbers meant for an enterprise and how one might make decisions and judgments based on the implications of the data. My brain had mastered the empirical formulas and had moved on to another region of mastery...analytical reasoning. Another region of the brain at work developing brand new strengths!

Altered Path

So, instead of taking a job as a public accountant, I chose to go into the hotel business where I soon mastered analysis and moved on to another interest. The social reasoning region of my brain had awakened and alas, I was now keenly interested in learning sales, marketing, branding, e-commerce and leadership. Relationships and systems were delightfully complicated and intriguing, so this interest lasted for almost a decade and developed into multiple strengths that were useful and interconnected with other older strengths. I decided I wanted to teach, so I began to develop training programs in sales and leadership and went on the road to broaden my influence as an executive. Moving up quickly, I broke the proverbial glass ceiling and became interested in enterprise leadership. After two decades in an executive role, I had learned everything I wanted to know about the industry, business and commerce of hospitality and I began to get very restless for a new challenge. Taking a big leap and switching careers at age forty was exciting and terrifying, and if I had believed I should focus on my strengths, I would never have taken the leap into graduate school and an entirely new career. For the last decade I have been pursuing knowledge in an entirely different field (psychology and personal development) and I can say that none of the strengths I mastered before this would hold interest for me now. Those who know me today, are aware that I am a considered a subject matter expert on Leadership, but that I have no wish to lead any longer myself. Having mastered excellence in leadership in my previous career, I am now off on another trail and pursing creative endeavors that entail intellectual imagination about the future and positing how to bring about change in a way that contributes to the greater good of the world in some way.

Is it Strengths or is it Interests?

My belief, after a decade of study on the subject at hand, is that it is INTERESTS that ignite and energize us, not strengths. But that depends on one's definition of the word. To me, strengths are part genetic predisposition, and part development through practice. Once a strength is developed it can go dormant if not used regularly, but much of the infrastructure is still there and provides a springboard for new strengths. Yet strengths are not what energize and motivate me. My interests are responsible for the fire in my belly and they are what drives me toward what I do next, including what strengths I may develop next. To illustrate with one more poignant example, a decade ago I became interested in sailing but could become seasick by simply standing on a boat at the dock. My brain did not have the wiring for this adventure (this was not one of my strengths!). But I didn't let this stop me from pursuing this amazing sport. My INTEREST in sailing adventures propelled me forward. Now, 12 years later, my brain has learned how to manage the fear that was the causal influence of the seasickness and I can now relax and enjoy one of the most important pleasures of my life...sailing with my husband. And I have developed some significant strengths associated with navigation of an ocean-going vessel.

Why Do I Need a 360?

Many who know of my work, know that I am an advocate for a strengths-based approach to development of character strengths in leadership. My research and that of other prominent thought-leaders in I/O Psychology posit that people are very often just as unaware of their strengths as they are of the derailers they bring into relationships and systems that cause dissonance and conflict. Having debriefed hundreds of reports for people who should be the most self-aware people in industry (coaches, therapists, psychologists)...I find that MOST people have hidden strengths that they do not know they are exhibiting in their behaviors. Collecting perceptions from others is one of the most important aspects of our work because helping people be more aware of their strengths helps to increase our overall effectiveness and lessens our self-imposed limitations. A self-reported assessment cannot tap into the hidden aspects of our nature that are obvious to others, but blind to us because we take them for granted. Knowing what we do well increases our sense of self-esteem and improving our self-concept has a direct result on our leadership effectiveness.

Test Your Self

I have invited some of the experts who promote self-assessed strengths instruments to try out the Tilt Leadership Predictor, but none of them have taken me up on my offer to give them a free trial and debrief. No surprise to me that they don't want to expand their thinking beyond their currently established strengths. How about you? Will you go beyond your own self-imposed glass ceiling this year?

Pam Boney
Chief Creative Officer and Founder
Tilt, Inc.
Copyright, 2012

Making Distinctions: When is an Overused Trait Okay?

2011-08-29T13:18:00.000-04:00

Tilt Practitioners know that I often teach that overused traits and strengths are very effective unless they have a frequency problem associated with them. For example, as a leader, I can make a very strong point if I choose to be blunt on occasion, and people will respond to that with thoughts such as "Wow, she really means it and is convicted to what she just said....". Yet, if I choose to be blunt dozens of times today, the frequency of that overused trait now takes on a whole different energy and intention.

I was recently talking with a colleague that is obviously exceptionally intelligent and has a particularly creative mind on many subjects. We were conversing about the overused trait of "arrogance" and I wanted to share my thoughts about the subject here with our Tilt readers.

Here's the premise. An overused trait is only bad if it is an overcompensation for low self esteem or frustrated ego needs and has an underpinning of negative intention.

Here's an example of how I think about this distinction about what is too much and what is not. This example comes from our discussion about leadership and the personal integrity a leader has to have to be confident about their vision when others don't agree with them and may call them arrogant because of that lack of alignment:

The Psychology of the UPPER LIMIT problem:

Source for the term: (Upper Limit Problem: Hendricks, The Big Leap).

Taking on guilt for being more intelligent than the majority of people (bell curve) can sometimes render a course of shame that creates an upper limit problem (self-imposed glass ceiling) for the gifted individual and creates a temptation to overcompensate for the feeling of shame by tamping down their voice and rights to the vision they have. Those who are less insightful than the gifted visionary leader, are often the majority and are skilled at ensuring that the most intelligent are kept under the upper limit. This often begins in the family of origin and often the way it is shaped is to withhold love and acceptance if the child becomes more intelligent than the parents or other beloved favorite children. The desire for love and acceptance, in effect, trumps and limits the true potential of the unique genius of the gifted child and if this cycle is not corrected later in life they are doomed to underachieve what they could have if they understood the morale right they have to actualize their full potential. This right is one of our greatest treasures. To contribute one's unique ideas to the world. And we count on our gifted thinkers to change the world in meaningful ways.

One drawback of our Herding Mentality

One of the strategies we (society) employ to keep our gifted thinkers "in their place", is by labeling them as arrogant. If they want our approval, this will render them less effective in leading the way. They will succeed, beyond the standard of most others, but not to the full potential of their capability. Yet, truly gifted people must have an element of arrogance in their identity just to have the guts to challenge the status quo. Would you ask Einstein or Edison or DaVinci or Steve Jobs to stop being arrogant in their thinking (specifically, that they can do and create things the world has never seen?)....and ask them to trade that for acceptance? If we ask this of them, then we don't advance as a result of their genius!

The Development Lesson:

The gifted person must accept that they will always be perceived as arrogant by some who are less confident and knowing this allows them to go forward with their convictions, believing in their vision but remaining balanced in their way of being to includes respect, dignity and rights for all humankind to be different and find their own voice. Acknowledging guilt and shame MUST be put into perspective and shifted. This will have the effect of unleashing energy for potential. (Inner conflict robs great amounts of energy).

The Distinction of the Underlying Intention:

Truly immoral arrogance is of another brand. Hitler, Hussein, Bin Ladin and others examples are also considered arrogant, but should be in a whole different category for important reasons. What is different? TWO KEY DISTINCTIONS. 1. Low self-esteem creates an overcompensation of arrogance that is considered by many as morally evil in its manifestation. This most often stems from a core identity formed by a negative reaction to frustrated needs (unmet needs in Belonging, Significance, Freedom and Autonomy). 2. Their underlying intention is not positive, but is instead focused on taking, consuming and disrespecting the rights of others (to life, freedom, choice etc.), instead of supporting, producing, creating, contributing and adding to rights of others (life). The relationship with the rights of others and to life in general is the key to understanding the continuum of good to evil. Moral to immoral. Right to wrong.

My main point. You may not agree with me, and I am okay with that. I have a vision of my own and believe in the right we all have to actualizing our voice in the world. My intention is to contribute. Whether I do or not, will be contained in the history of my profession, long beyond my own life.

Pam Boney, Author and Executive Coach

CONSIDERATION: The Core Strength of HUMANITY Meta-Factor

2011-07-23T10:10:00.000-04:00

TRUE TILT LEADERSHIP...Balanced, Conscious, Creative and Inspired.

LESSON on CONSIDERATION in the

Tilt Leadership Model

Category: HUMANITY Meta-Factor

(Includes the Core Strengths of Trust, Consideration, Diplomacy)

Definition of Humanity Meta-Factor: The quality of having harmonious and collaborative relationships that come from conscious concern for ones impact on others, so that social influence is expanded.

Proficiency #1. Understand potential unintended consequences. (Strength=Consideration)

Consideration is about careful thought regarding the emotional and social consequences of one's words and actions as they impact the world and others around us. Sadly, the desire for immediate gratification and short-term results has increased in recent times and has served to chip away at the focus on this particular strength in many organizations. The word "careful" implies taking the time to think forward a few steps to consider the impact your words and actions may have. Then, making adjustments that indicate respect for that impact. Being thoughtful and careful means you are mindful and conscious of yourself and others. It also means being able to project the potential ripple effect of decisions and actions into the future.

CONSIDERATION balanced with BRAVERY= The MOMENTUM Polarity

Momentum is needed in any endeavor and moving forward toward goals is part of the responsibility of being a leader. We all know that moving too slowly (with excessive consideration) can be just as negative as moving too quickly. And taking too much risk with bold, brave action that may later be considered reckless will eventually have a negative impact on momentum as well. The mess that will have to be cleaned up after reckless decision-making will cause even longer setbacks to goal accomplishment. Balancing both sides of this polarity is essential to good decision-making to build steady, forward-movement toward goals.

The Four Traits of Consideration:

1. Compassionate:

The leader is compassionate toward people and other living organisms in the world. The leader that is compassionate is concerned for the circumstances of others and thinks about how their decisions contribute to improving or detracting from that, whether planned or unintended. Compassion toward the planet is becoming increasingly included in this important trait as companies become more educated about the potential environmental impact of their goods and services. Educated leaders are concerned about the regenerative impact of their goods and services more and more today.

2. Accepting:

The leader behaves in a way that accepts self and others as imperfect human beings. The leader who is comfortable in their own skin and doesn't take themselves too seriously is a leader that helps others around them to do the same. This contributes to positive self-esteem and self-concept, which in turn allows the leader more stable in their patterns of behavior. It is the person with low self-esteem that acts in ways that are over-polarized, detracting from effective behavior by all those in close proximity.

3. Empathetic:

The leader has the ability to understand and relate to the feelings of others. Because they can do this, they tend to respond to difficult situations with kindness and respect toward those affected. This does not mean they take responsibility for how others feel, but that they are aware of it. Many times, leaders of companies can make decisions that end up having a negative impact on their stakeholders because they were not thought through entirely. The way they respond to the situation will either contribute to ongoing trust or it will reveal the lack of empathy toward those affected. When this trait is missing, the entity could end up on a slow, steady path to demise because of lower and lower consumer trust.

4. Forgiving:

The leader is aware that no-one is perfect and knows that they are just as likely as anyone else to make errors in judgment. Because of this self-acceptance, they are forgiving of others when mistakes happen and don't overreact or lay blame. They listen to the problem and are part of the investigation and planning regarding how to prevent the problem again, but do not deflect responsibility. They know that in organizations nothing happens in a vacuum and that many people may have been involved in a mistake. They don't excuse errors, but they do forgive them. They hold others accountable for repeated mistakes and errors, and provide consequences for the behavior, while forgiving the person.

So, how does the leader demonstrate CONSIDERATION in climate & culture?

The Systemic Challenge:

Organizational consideration is established through commitment to explicit and written agreements about behaviors that ensure reasonable thought and care toward unintended consequences. Since the leader has the highest level of responsibility for the culture created by their actions, they must be highly attuned to making responsible decisions about what may happen as a result of their actions. When this aspect of leadership is ignored, collateral damage can be expansive, taking a toll on human capital, the planet, and eventually profits as well. Mitigating negative consequences is one of the most critical responsibilities of leaders today because of the expansive connectivity and complexity of systems today. The ripple effect can be devastating if decisions are not thought through carefully.

Interesting Learning for this lesson:

One of the most memorable classes I had in graduate school was a class about Risk Management and the text was called "Normal Accidents: Living with High-Risk Technologies" by Charles Perrow. The author of this book posited that because of the complexity of technology today, it is inevitable that we will have catastrophic accidents that will have wide-reaching impact to the world and it's inhabitants beyond anything we have experienced previously. Such accidents, according to Perrow, should be considered "normal" because of the increased probability of them happening. In class, we studied tragedies such as oil spills, fires, nuclear and chemical spills, as well as marine and aircraft accidents. The main point is that we must expect a certain number of these accidents and that as we add safety precautions, the complexity of systems is just increased. Therefore, leaders must take even more precaution, so that bad judgment doesn't exacerbate already concerning risks and dangers that could be devastating. Especially in this age where we have technologies that could damage the planet beyond any chance for recovery.

Quote by Charles Perrow:

"As our technology expands, as our wars multiply, and as we invade more and more of nature, we create systems and organizations that increase the risks for the operators, the passengers, innocent by-standers and for future generations. That's the bad news. The good news is that if we can understand the nature of risky enterprises better, we may be able to reduce or even remove these dangers..."

Questions for thought:

What are YOU doing to ensure that CONSIDERATION and BRAVERY are in balance are are supported by intentional focus by your leadership and the leadership of all those you influence in your organization? Are you part of the problem or consciously supporting CONSIDERATION in your life and actions?

NEXT time:

Meta-Factor of HUMANITY and Proficiency #3: Diplomacy.

Pam Boney, Lead Instructor

Tilt Academy for Innovative Leadership

pam@tilt360leaders.com

Change the World, One Leader at a Time

2011-04-13T08:05:00.000-04:00

True Tilt Leadership: Lesson on the Strength of TRUST

2011-04-04T15:57:00.000-04:00

TRUE TILT LEADERSHIP...Balanced, Conscious, Creative and Inspired.

LESSON on TRUST in the
Tilt Leadership Model

Category: HUMANITY Meta-Factor
(Includes the Core Strengths of Trust, Consideration, Diplomacy)

Definition of Humanity Meta-Factor: The quality of having harmonious and collaborative relationships that come from conscious concern for ones impact on others, so that social influence is expanded.

Proficiency #1. Advocates for Authentic Transparency. (Strength=Trust)

Trust is the first of the core leadership strengths and the one that correlates most strongly with all of the others. If trust is established, then all of the other strengths will unfold more quickly. Yet the establishment of trust takes time and involves building a relationship over time. To do this successfully it requires genuine and transparent communication so that each person understands the motives and values of both sides. An experience of predictable behaviors eventually enables an understanding about what is valued on both sides and is respected so that the cadence of effective relating unfolds.

Attending to the feelings and needs of the other in a relationship is paramount., but the primary attending by the leader must focus on serving the mission, NOT to please individuals but to serve the objectives of that mission. Helping others to achieve CLARITY about how their role serves the shared goals of the enterprise is the purpose of leadership trust. If a leader reveals honest goals and reasoning regarding the mission then followers have an opportunity to choose whether this also serves their personal values and goals for good organizational fit. When agreement occurs, the organization can benefit from those individuals who serve those shared goals.

When goals or values of constituents are at cross-purposes or too divergent to the accepted norms, then trust cannot be established and this is where the opposite end of the polarity to trust comes into play; through the personal confidence of the leader. In this case, the leader has an obligation to balance the attempt at trust with personal confidence and accountability to goal alignment if fit cannot be achieved with a reasonable investment of time.

TRUST balanced with CONFIDENCE= COMMAND PRESENCE

The Four Traits of Trust:

1. Humble:
The leader is modest about one's self importance.   The leader contributes to trust by acknowledging that they may not know everything that is needed for perfect or flawless decisions, but they must make decisions based on what they know to be true at this point in time.   Being willing to listen to other points of view that may shed light on the subject can help, but eventually a decision must be made in the service of momentum. Perfection in decision-making is not a reality in most domains of leadership.

2. Authentic:
The leader behaves in a way that seems genuine.    The leader contributes to trust by being a real person that is grounded and present. If the attempt at building trust is superficial and isn't supported by a commitment to personal values that can be communicated, then it won't last. This means expressing one's own truth specifically and quickly. Honesty is always better than being nice on the surface and holding back true emotions so they can be dealt with promptly.

3. Respectful:
The leader shows deference toward others. The leader contributes to trust by being respectful of human rights and helps all involved take responsibility for their own choices. This does not mean taking too much responsibility for others, nor does it mean taking too little responsibility. Again, the reasonableness question comes into play. If followers do not take responsibility for their choices and behaviors, it will be the leader's responsibility to provide coaching that balances respectful contribution to mutual purpose by all.

4. Discreet:
The leader keeps commitments when trusted with private information.   The leader contributes to trust by knowing what should be shared to advance learning and what should not be shared because it would be detrimental to the enterprise. A leader demonstrates discretion by honoring those who are absent by saying to others only what they are also willing to say directly to that person or is in service of shared developmental support.   Leaders also hold discretion regarding what should be kept private or public as they communicate with constituents outside of the organization.

So, how does the leader demonstrate TRUST in climate & culture?

The Systemic Challenge:

Organizational trust is established through commitment to explicit and written agreements about behaviors that ensure healthy and productive focus on higher level behaviors (those that encourage individuals to subordinate self-focused interests to those that benefit the enterprise they serve).

All of us have certain individual interests in our choice to work. The receipt of financial consideration and the ability to contribute our gifts in service of the purpose of the organization are two primary reasons many of us work. Behavioral norms in the culture are accepted over time through organizational behavior standards AND by the tacit approval in the actual implicit behaviors of leaders. Behaviors that are unhealthy (blaming, gossiping, manipulating, coercion) can become the norm if the leader does not engage accountability to healthy behaviors (respect, responsibility, good judgment, effective communication, emotional fit). Over time, the norms will proliferate virally and result in exactly what the leader is committed to supporting through tacit approval. Since the leader has the highest level of responsibility for the culture created by their actions, they must be highly attuned to what is healthy and what is not.

Unhealthy behaviors create a culture of politics, drama, chaos, churn and internal competition. Healthy behaviors create a culture of emotional alignment, collaboration, shared leadership and positive change that is sustainable. The most senior leader has the highest level of responsibility for accomplishing and maintaining culture, but pockets of accountability reside within teams lead by mission critical leaders as well, since senior leaders often risk being isolated from potential issues. This is the primary reason why TRUST and CONFIDENCE must be balanced by a commitment to healthy and sustainable results and outcomes.

Interesting Learning for this lesson:

The Key Factor in a Global Economy: TRUST

"As we move rapidly into an even more transparent interdependent global reality,
trust is more career critical than it has ever been. My interactions with business leaders
around the world have made it increasingly evident that "speed to market" is now the
ultimate competitive weapon.

Low trust causes friction, whether it is caused by unethical behavior or by ethical
but incompetent behavior (because even good intentions can never take the place of bad
judgment). Low trust is the greatest cost in life and in organizations, including families.
Low trust creates hidden agendas, politics, interpersonal conflict, interdepartmental
rivalries, win-lose thinking, defensive and protective communication-all of which
reduce the speed of trust. Low trust slows everything-every decision, every
communication and every relationship.

On the other hand, trust produces speed. And, as Stephen points out, the greatest
trust-building key is "results." Results build brand loyalty. Results inspire and fire up a
winning culture. The consistent production of results not only causes customers to
increase their reorders; it also compels them to consistently recommend you to others.
Thus, your customers become your key promoters, your key sales and marketing people.
In addition, results win the confidence of practical-minded executives and work forces.
Consistent results also put suppliers under the main tent as strategic partners, which is so
vital in this new world-class, knowledge worker, global economy."

Steven Covey in the forward to his son's book Speed of Trust, by Steven M.R. Covey.

Quote by Steven M. R. Covey:

"Simply put, trust means confidence. The opposite of trust-distrust-is suspicion. When you trust people, you have confidence in them-in their integrity and in their abilities. When you distrust people, you are suspicious of them-of their integrity, their agenda, their capabilities, or their track record. It's that simple. We have all had experiences that validate the difference between relationships that are built on trust and those that are not. These experiences clearly tell us the difference is not small; it is dramatic."

Questions for thought:

What are YOU doing to ensure that TRUST and CONFIDENCE are in balance are are supported by intentional focus by your leadership and the leadership of all those you influence in your organization? Are you part of the problem or courageously supporting TRUST in your life and actions?

NEXT time:

Meta-Factor of HUMANITY and Proficiency #2: Consideration.

Pam Boney, Lead Instructor
Tilt Academy for Innovative Leadership
pam@tilt360leaders.com
Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved to Tilt, Inc.

Book Launched!

2011-01-13T15:59:00.000-05:00

Pam's new book is NOW available! It's a fiction novel packed with adventure & wisdom too!

True Tilt, an uncommon quest

Four executives, each in a personal crisis of their own making, suddenly find themselves thrown together on a sailboat in the Caribbean to embark on an adventure that will change them forever. Nothing is as it seems, as they wrestle with their demons and attempt to unravel the puzzle they have been given to solve together. TRUE TILT brings to life the Tilt Leadership Model in the lives of four modern heroes and helps them to transcend their own interests to discover bold, creative purpose lives within them!

Tilt Research Presented at ILA

2010-10-31T11:09:00.000-04:00

Greetings Tilt Practitioners and Followers:

We had a successful reception at the International Leadership Association Conference where we presented our research findings on the relationship between balanced Tilt Strengths and a Team-Level Climate for Innovation. We also presented a very short description of the 18- year journey that ended in the creation of the Tilt 360 Leadership Predictor and Innovative Culture Predictor.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the slide-show and Executive Summary of the research, please contact pam@tilt360leaders.com

Book Release: True Tilt, an uncommon quest, was just launched for online purchase. The book is fiction and is a story illustrating the archetypal journey through the four meta-factors of Tilt through the lives of four modern heroes. We will be doing a press release on the book in November, so stay tuned.

Pam Boney

Confidence: Taking a Stand in Ambiguity

2010-09-30T16:05:00.000-04:00

What, SPECIFICALLY, do GREAT leaders DO differently?

LESSON SIX on Confidence in the Tilt Leadership Model

Category: Courage Meta-Factor (Integrity, Bravery & Confidence)

Definition of Courage: The ability to face risk with confidence and integrity, creating momentum for fair and just action.

Proficiency #3. Takes a stand in ambiguity. (Strength=Confidence)

The leader who creates a strong followership and has strong positive influence is one who can make a decision and communicate their stand on an issue or action with a reasonable amount of certainty. They may not know all of the necessary information to make a flawless decision but they understand the need for a cadence of momentum and provide the best decision given what they know now, so that the organization can move forward. This does not mean they may not course correct later, if new information comes to them, but they trust in themselves to make spontaneous shifts as new information is assimilated. In essence, they trust themselves to be competent and able to make adjustments as they go, while knowing the core decision must be made now, so that results are achieved.

The Four Traits of Confidence:

1. Self-Assured: The leader is confident in their own good judgment and competence to call the shots and is willing to be the one to call them. This trait springs from years of knowledge in the domain of expertise, through hard work, education, experience and practice, so it is hard-earned through tenacity and persistence. The trait says “I know who I am, I know what risks I am facing and I am willing to be the one to take the risk and bear the consequences of that choice.”

2. Decisive: In the face of ambiguity and uncertainty, someone must stop at some moment in time and make a decision, given the information available. Otherwise, nothing ever happens to move action forward. This does not mean the absence of fear or doubt, because those are naturally occurring feelings that accompany making a decision without 100% complete information. Certainly the more accurate and thorough the information, the more potential there is for a good decision, but at some critical point in time the True Tilt Leader knows when to stop and make a call, so that action can ensue.

3. Certain: The trait of certainty comes from a willingness to take risk and be vocal about it. The danger behind certainty is connected to the presence or absence of true competence. Sometimes the least competent person is the one most willing to express certainty and in this case, they are simply taking an instinctive risk that will not pay off because they don’t know how much they don’t know. Something called coherent instinct (Dr. Robert Cloninger) is the trait we are looking for in great leadership. This brand of instinctive certainty comes from years of experience, responsible awareness about the skills requires for the role, and depth and breadth in the domain of expertise whereupon the leader has a wide body of knowledge from which to draw an instinctive response. When a leader with good judgment is certain, the outcome is more inclined to be successful.

4. Assertive: The trait of assertiveness is the balanced way to move momentum forward without rocking the boat with aggressiveness or worse, passivity or passive-aggressiveness. Being assertive means giving just enough information to explain one’s actions and help the recipient know why the action is necessary. It is a forward-moving communication that paves the way for action in the best interest of advancing the mission. It includes an awareness of boundaries that are clean and clear. It lets others know what to expect and why. And it ensures that right action unfolds according to the plan that best serves the desired results.

So, how does the leader demonstrate CONFIDENCE in climate & culture?

Many people refer to confidence as the core driver of accountability and a leader has to be the center and core example of this in their own circle of influence. Clear decisiveness, accountability and assertiveness are the pacesetting dynamic of a team and must have a forward-action cadence that keeps the tactical motion of the mission on track. Without it, mayhem and mutiny are inevitable outcomes of poor leadership that occurs when a leader does not pay attention to this critical component of courage in leadership.

The Systemic Challenge:

In most organizations today, leadership confidence is critical but it must also be tempered by an awareness that, as the leader, one cannot possibly know everything that may affect the outcomes of our decisions. The plethora of knowledge in the world today, along with the extreme dynamics of interconnectedness, means that one person cannot possibly know everything they need to know to make the most effective decisions alone. Many unintended consequences are possible with every single decision. Therefore, it is imperative that each leader is aware of the limitations of their personal biases and perceptions, so they are committed to keeping feedback loops open. This ensures that they have the benefit of collaborative synergy from their trusted teams and advisers, especially from those who are experts in other fields of knowledge pertinent to the decision. One cannot be successful in a vacuum today. The more we are open to being challenged, the better our decisions will be. Ironically, it is the leaders who are most comfortable with this idea who may be our most confident leaders of all. They trust themselves to adjust to new information and seek it voraciously every day.
Interesting Learning for this lesson: (The Power of Focus, by Canfield, Hansen, & Hewitt, 2000).
“In the absence of confidence, fear and worry take control. It’s a constant struggle, a mental battlefield that must be won if your life is to be filled with abundance. One must make a commitment to stamp out the negative forces and protect oneself from the slings and arrows of negativity…to master the confidence factor.”

Quote by Nelson Mandela, South-African President.

“Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to manifest the Glory of God that is within us. It’s not just for some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Questions for thought:
When are we going to embrace Nelson Mandela’s belief that “Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure?” What are we willing to do today that will begin to let our light shine?

NEXT time:
Meta-Factor of WISDOM and Proficiency #7: Perspective.

Pam Boney, Lead Instructor
Tilt Academy for Innovative Leadership
pam@tilt360leaders.com

Future Leaders of the Conceptual Age...: True Tilt Leadership: On Bravery

2010-09-12T08:50:00.000-04:00

Future Leaders of the Conceptual Age...: True Tilt Leadership: On Bravery

True Tilt Leadership: On Bravery

2010-09-11T13:41:00.003-04:00

Blog re-send: Part of the previous blog-post was misplaced in the body of content, so pardon the duplication. This one should read more smoothly. Pam

What, SPECIFICALLY, do GREAT leaders DO differently?

LESSON FIVE on Bravery in the Tilt Leadership Model

Category: Courage Meta-Factor

Definition of Courage: The ability to face risk with confidence and integrity, creating momentum for fair and just action.

Proficiency #2. Engages respect through personal will. (Strength=Bravery)

The leader who commands respect, does so through a vitality and energetic commitment to what they believe strongly in their conscience. Bravery always includes some form of vitality, boldness and persistent strength in the face of risk.

The Two Sides of Instinct

Bravery is a guttural and often swift act that has some kind of risk, is usually instinctual and comes from a deep knowing of what is right in the moment. Stories about bravery are usually heroic stories about someone who had a split-second instinct that caused them to do something that advances good, but much more clearly about learned character and a commitment to doing what is right that comes from a deep place inside oneself that is already there. If you don't have solid character, the ability to do the brave act in that split second will not exist. So, the brave person has been prepared for the event long before it presents itself.

I am reminded of two stories that illustrate both sides of this point. I was recently reading an article about sailing in one of our cruising magazines and read a story written by a man who had NOT done the brave thing in the moment of crisis. While sailing in the dark at night, he had gone below decks to fix a cup of coffee and when he came up he saw that a huge carrier was passing directly in front of them and a crash into the the huge vessel was imminent. He screamed below to his son who quickly scrambled up to the deck, but the son's girlfriend was asleep in her bunk tucked behind a lee cloth and did not come up in time for the sidelong crash into the carrier. The captain, in a moment of fear, dove off of the sailboat before it crashed into the carrier without a second thought to what would happen to the other two aboard. Thankfully, his story ended well, and all of them survived, but as he swam back to the broken sailboat, he described the agony of guilt swarming his soul and I doubt he will ever be the same again.

The other story that always comes to my mind when I think of bravery is a story reported in the news a few years ago about a heroic event that happened on the Chicago subway. A young man tumbled onto the track from an epileptic attack of convulsions. Another man saw the danger to the young man, saw the subway approaching and decided he had to take action. In a split second he made a decision to risk his own life to save the young man who would have surely lost his life if not for the bravery of this heroism. He flung himself on top of the young man to pin him down in the middle of the tracks while the subway raced ahead over them. Both survived. In a final testament to his solid character, the hero would not accept credit for his decision as anything other than a decision to do the right thing. I found myself wondering if I would have made that choice and I am not sure that I could have. I was recently in Atlanta and decided to take a good look at the tracks, pondering the choice I would make given the same set of circumstances. These stories make a person think.

The Core Principles of Bravery:

1. Principle of Vitality: Demonstrating bravery always includes a form of strong energy that emanates from the gut of the individual. It comes from a primal and physical instinct that promotes survival of the strongest. That goes without saying. Yet recently, I've been thinking that bravery can actually be even more powerfully demonstrated through a more quiet brand of strength. It takes even more fortitude and commitment to exercise internal strength as it does to act outwardly. Think of the strength of Victor Frankl, Nelson Mandela or Gandhi whose inner bravery demonstrates the power of choice most profoundly.

2. Principle of Bold Morality: Bravery also implies that the action is taken in the face of personal risk of some kind through bold choices taken to advance the greater good of something meaningful. It includes a morale implication because we would not consider someone brave when they do something that is not good, but is instead promoting self-interest. One can be bold in pursuing self-advancement at the expense of others but this would never be considered an act of bravery. This shows up through actions that demonstrate unbridled vices, like greed, vanity, envy or pride.

3. Principle of Persistence: Inherent in every form of bravery is the consistent commitment to tenaciously moving the greater good forward in ways that may fly in the face of popular opinion. Tenacity is required to trust one's gut that you have an idea or view worth sticking with, despite the discouragement of others. This quality of bravery is more like a slow boil and often grows stronger over time as one invests personal energy into the endeavor.

So, how does the leader demonstrate bravery in climate & culture?

Bravery can be demonstrated through leadership in both short-term and long-term momentum toward some mission. The leader who needs to be popular will not do well in this strength, by virtue of the fact that one must be willing to put approval from others aside to advance what is right and good. I am reminded of the last two decades of discouragement that came my way as I posed my ideas for Tilt to others. Most people in corporations and even in the psychology domain were not interested in exploring how building virtues and mitigating vices through balance could be connected with performance. But because I had tested my theories in practical implementation through my own leadership and experience a remarkable phenomenon connected to innovation produced by my teams, I forged forward despite the lack of support from others. They would say "No one will be interested in measuring character strengths like integrity and trust." I would think to myself "Well, we are all in trouble then, so I have to stay after my work...one day we may care and I will be ready." That day has come. And it was my brave and bold persistence over two decades of work that will help change the world in some way. Even if my research only makes a dent, then I will have the knowledge that I did my part. I can't explain the tenacity inside me, but I always know what I need to do next and that it is a long process that has unfolded in remarkable ways over time.

The Systemic Challenge:

In most organizations today, bravery is critical. In the 1990s I once learned from a wise futurist named Dr. Kami, that we should "learn to love the gorillas in our organizations". He said that they are the only ones who are willing to tell us when we are wrong or that we need to change direction. I am still an advocate of that advice today. If we don't reward those who give us bold input to our decisions, we put ourselves and our leadership agenda at great risk. We need feedback anywhere we can get it and should place high value on those who are willing to take personal risk for the good of the whole.

Interesting Learning for this lesson: (Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway, Dr. Susan Jeffers)

In her popular book, Dr Jeffers presents 10 Dynamic Techniques for Turning Fear, Indecision, and Anger into Power, Action, and Love. I am still reading it, so the ten steps will be added later!

Quote by Thucydides, ancient Greek philosopher.
"The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.

Questions for thought:
Think about the last time you were faced with a high risk decision. Did you do what is right, or did you do what protected your own selfish needs? We all need to keep thinking about that one so we are prepared for the split second moment when our character will be required to call the shot.

NEXT time:

Meta-Factor of COURAGE and Proficiency #6: Confidence.

Pam Boney, Lead Instructor
Tilt Academy for Innovative Leadership
pam@tilt360leaders.com
Copyright, 2010

Integrity in Leadership (Strength #1 in Courage)

2010-08-15T10:22:00.000-04:00

What, SPECIFICALLY, do GREAT leaders DO differently?

LESSON FOUR on the Tilt Leadership Model

Category: Courage Meta-Factor

Definition of Courage: The ability to face risk with confidence and integrity, creating momentum for fair and just action.

Proficiency #1. Demonstrates Behavioral Congruence. (Strength=Integrity)

The leader who is great at this knows his or her values well and demonstrates them through action and behavior. This requires thoughtful reflection so that the leader has clear beliefs and values that are articulated easily and are clearly seen in what they choose to do each day. A lack of this congruence on the part of a leader is confusing to others and can be disastrous to the leadership agenda because of the chaos it renders.

The Core Principles of Integrity:

1. Principle of Wholeness: Demonstrating integrity requires a consistent framework of internal moral and rational principles that are exemplified by the whole person. Tilt is by nature a whole person model that includes head, heart, gut and spirit and measures the internal consistency of a person's framework as demonstrated in their perceived behavior. Therefore one might say that Tilt is a model that clarifies the integrity of the whole person so that they have greater awareness.

2. Principle of Consistency: Integrity also implies an avoidance of arbitrary exceptions for one person or group of persons as exempt from the rules that apply to everyone else. In law, there is a principle of universal application that requires the people in authority and power are subject to the same law as the citizens.

3. Principle of Cause & Effect: In science, integrity refers to a cause and effect relationship that can be predicted consistently. This implies that one can expect the same effect every time the "cause" is initiated. In leadership, this would mean that every time a particular issue arises, the leader can be predicted to respond with a consistent "effect". This contributes to sustainability and predictability which stabilizes organizational behavior and helps clarify "what's okay" and "what's not okay" as demonstrated by everyone in the organization, including the leader.

So, how does the leader create integrity in climate & culture?

They stand for what is right and just AND they are willing to take a stand for what is rational and moral through their actions. They have an internally consistent moral compass that guides them in all they do and they teach this to others. Especially through accountability and encouraging moral responsibility in others. Even if there is a personal cost. One of my favorite movies about leadership is "The Last Castle" which is a story about a five star general (played by Robert Redford) who, because of a moral conviction, breaks a law that is in conflict with what he thinks is right and good. He takes an action at great personal risk, because he knows he will also go to prison for making the decision. They are willing to pardon him because of his rank and he insists that he must pay for his decision by serving his time in prison, even if the law is irrational. He therefore, demonstrates the classic core principles of integrity.

The Systemic Challenge:

In most organizations today, temptations are rampant. Excessive financial incentives for senior leaders promote such enticing temptations that many fall prey to human vices such as vanity, greed, and a false sense of grandiosity. Loss of integrity happens over time, when small actions that are in-congruent lead to accumulation of bigger compromises. Recent stories of previously successful leaders gone awry are rampant in the news today, caused by a loss of integrity. Mark Herd, of HP, is one example and his termination costs the shareholders of that company millions upon millions. The cost of integrity by a mission critical leader is tangible and debilitating to the value of the firm they represent.

The Tilt model as a whole is about leadership that will bring about personal wholeness and integrity. Development of whole person integrity happens through achievement of balance and polarity management. If a leader masters the polarities of the Tilt leadership model, the natural outcome is the sustainability and viability of the organization as a healthy vibrant contributor to society.

Interesting Learning for this lesson: (Integrity, Carter, 1997)

"In a formal study of the term "integrity" and its meaning in modern ethics, law professor Stephen L. Carter sees integrity not only as a refusal to engage in behavior that evades responsibility, but also as an understanding of different modes or styles in which discourse attempts to uncover a particular truth. In other words, there are necessary tools required to maintain integrity.

Carter writes that integrity requires three steps:

1. Discerning what is right and what is wrong;
2. Acting on what you have discerned, even at personal cost; and
3. Saying openly that you are acting on your understanding of right from wrong.

Stephen regards integrity as being distinct from honesty."

Quote by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

"Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you."

Questions for thought:

What are you doing to discern, act on and speak about integrity so that it lives through your example and in your team? What personal cost are you willing to risk in order to be consistent with these principles?

NEXT time:

Meta-Factor of COURAGE and Proficiency #5

Pam Boney, Lead Instructor
Tilt Academy for Innovative Leadership
Copyright, 2010
pam@tilt360leaders.com

Creative Process through Leadership

2010-07-25T11:25:00.000-04:00

What, SPECIFICALLY, do GREAT leaders DO differently?

LESSON THREE on the Tilt Leadership Model

Category: Resilience Meta-Factor

Definition of Resilience: The ability to quickly catalyze change to adapt and respond to a complex, dynamic environment.

Proficiency #3. Facilitates Creative Process. (Strength=Creativity)

The leader who is great at this understands that everyone has the potential to be creative and intentionally facilitates creative process every day. The increasing complexity of the world we live in has increased the value of those leaders and individual contributors who learn, adapt, think and contribute their ideas to solve problems and create value. In fact, if an enterprise or organization is not cultivating this process intentionally today, they may be at risk of significant loss of competitive viability. In the last 300 years we have moved from a world of certainty to a world of utter uncertainty, so our ability to adapt creatively may the single most important capacity to develop in ourselves and others.

First, some definitions may be helpful. Creativity is a process of applied imagination where an individual creates something novel. In order to be considered "creative" the idea must also be considered valuable to others. So, it isn't enough to think of an idea. It must also be adopted by others who consider it viable.

How is this different than innovation?

Innovation is when a creative idea (both novel and valuable) is adopted and applied in widespread use. Acceptance of the idea by a large audience is the test for what is considered an INNOVATION.

So, how does the creative leader facilitate this process?

They embrace opposites or what we call polarities, and manages them. Both in themselves and in others through group process. For example, on the Tilt Expertise Polarity, the leader must encourage divergent thinking (receptivity) and convergent thinking (applied diligence). They can help teams playfully brainstorm and facilitate openness and exploration of a wide spectrum of ideas. Then they balance that with synthesis and action to apply the best idea. Creative leaders are able to manage ALL of the polarities in the Tilt model and provide the example for balanced thinking in their interactions with others... and through discipline in themselves.

In most organizations today, time pressure and focus on short-term results ends up short-circuiting the balance that must occur in the polarities. Leaders under pressure to perform will inevitably push to move to action prematurely and lose the benefits of idea time and evaluative process so that the ideas that are applied are the optimum solutions and contributions. For example, a leader must balance risk with the potential unintended consequences when deciding if an idea has merit. In short, the leader must be excellent at holding vigil for the team...deciding when to move from divergent to convergent thinking and get into action. Too soon, and the idea could end in disaster. So the mission critical leader must posses a capacity for good judgment about when to move from idea to implementation.

The Tilt model as a whole is about leadership that will bring about creative application. The creative process happens through balance and polarity management. If a leader masters the polarities of the Tilt leadership model, the natural outcome is the innovation. (Note: Research results to be presented at the International Leadership Association Annual Conference in Boston, MA in October of this year.)

Interesting Learning for this lesson: (Adapted from Csikszentmihalyi, 1996)

Creative Process includes a five step process that takes time to produce novel ideas which add value and are adopted by the domain where they emerged.

1. Preparation through immersion in a domain of choice. Ex: If I am a musician, I must spend years developing knowledge, skills, abilities and talents to be fully immersed in my chosen field of study. This happens when a person is immensely attracted to a particular aspect of mastery and enjoys diving deep into the field.

2. Incubation period in which ideas bake below the surface of consciousness. During this time connections and unexpected combination of concepts come into being.

3. Insight emerges from the incubation of thought and breakthrough ideas pull the pieces of the puzzle together in the conscious mind and manifest concretely. After years of immersion, the potential for creative novelty in the chosen field increases due to an informed instinct.

4. Evaluation is when the creator must decide if the insight has worth and value. Is the idea "novel" and will it contribute something of value to the domain? This is an emotional period of uncertainty and risk for the creator and sponsors of the idea. If the decision is to pursue the last step in the process, it will be a huge commitment of time and effort.

5. Elaboration is the step that takes the largest investment of time and often requires resources to support bringing the idea into application. This also entails the hardest work in the process because the idea must be researched and fully developed for its viability for widespread application. Many do not have the patience to invest in this costly process and therefore, many ideas never make it past stage 4. Most often, it is the tenacious human spirit of the creator that drives forward through the years of effort required to forge the breakthrough in their domain of choice.

Quote by Thomas Edison

"Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration."

Question for thought:

What are you doing to cultivate creative process in yourself and in your team?

NEXT time:

Introducing the Meta-Factor of COURAGE and Proficiency # 4.

Pam Boney, Lead Instructor
Tilt Academy for Innovative Leadership
pam@tilt360leaders.com

Proficiency #2 in Resilience: Casting a Compelling Vision

2010-07-19T13:24:00.002-04:00

What, SPECIFICALLY, do GREAT leaders DO differently?

Introduction

LESSON TWO on the Tilt Leadership Model

Resilience Meta-Factor

Definition of Resilience: The ability to quickly catalyze change to adapt and respond to a complex, dynamic environment.

Proficiency #2. Casts a Compelling Vision. (Strength=Inspiration)

The leader who is great at this is a person who possesses a capacity to see a future state of the organization they lead and are able to articulate it in a way that engages the hearts of others through common values that support the actualization of that future state. It is important to note that a vision must be something emotionally compelling or it will not engage transcending behavior (a person devoted to the mission must transcend their selfish interests in favor of the mission). So, in short, it must be about a future state that engages an idealistic outcome.

If a leader communicates a vision about "making more money" or being more profitable, this automatically engages resistance by the followers because it is not about an emotionally compelling future state. This is an interesting phenomenon that merits consideration. If companies are about making profits and making money, then why wouldn't profitability be a compelling vision? You have to try it to observe the outcome. When a senior leader talks about the money, people automatically think about greed and wonder how the "Man" will make more money...will it come out of squeezing more from me? From paying me less bonus? From taking away benefits and privileges. From saving money by not doing proactive things that are important? Essentially, it instigates worry about the underlying vices of man that are natural.

On the other hand if you have a vision about great service to others, or top quality or great people...something that instills pride in the particular objectives of the company AND it is stated in a way that is compelling, the phenomenon of "Spirit" unfolds and enables people to transcend their own interests in the interest of the shared vision. This creates a mental image of the virtues of mankind being brought forth.

Vision casting is about communicating a mental image of a better future that everyone wants, and that is communicated in a way that spells out that future state. For example, when I was in the hospitality business, our vision was "We will be the friendliest hotel to do business with!" This became the answer to every business problem we had. Our team had a powerful commitment to it, because as the leader, I tested everything we did against it. This gave it the legs it needed to become the way we are every day. As a result we were in the top ten hotels in the world for service every year. And had sustainable market share and profitability too.

The bottom line is that Vision has to appeal to the desire for meaning and purpose in people....and exceptional financial results that occur are a very real and powerful by-product of the commitment produced by an effective vision that engages the spirit of the team.

Interesting Learning for this lesson:

Taoist Diana Whitney, wrote a book in which she explains "visioning."

"Shared vision and common values are said to create organization meaning and to provide the impetus for organizational change. Leaders at all levels of the organization are guided to inspire (to fill with spirit) rather than to motivate. Visionary leadership, . . . is said to make the difference between successful and unsuccessful organization change. 'Visioning,' or conversationally projecting the organization into the future, and creating alignment among organizational members about the desired future are essential organizing endeavors." (p. 193-194) [emphasis added]

Quote by George Bernard Shaw

Some men see things as they are and say, ''Why?'' I dream of things that never were, and say, ''Why not?''

What is your vision of the future and is it alive in the spirit of everyone on your team?

NEXT time: Requisite Proficiency # 3.

Pam Boney, Lead Instructor
Tilt Academy for Innovative Leadership
pam@tilt360leaders.com

Tilt Guidebook for the Meta-Factors

2010-07-09T12:56:00.000-04:00

What, SPECIFICALLY, do great leaders DO differently? We are going to lay it out very precisely over the next four months because our readers want a guide for how to think about leadership performance and we have decided to lay it out a little at a time!

Introduction

FACT: Great leaders have META-Cognitive Capability that others have not developed.....we call those Meta-Factors at Tilt. So, let us explain....

A Meta-Factor is developed when a leader demonstrates a number of specific commendable Traits (habits).....which combine into Strengths (muscle)....and thus, combine into Proficiencies (performance results). But we must measure them by starting with the most specific traits in order to diagnose what needs to change. And unless a leader has specifics, instead of generalities (competencies)....they don't really change all that much.

Now, may I Introduce...

LESSON ONE

RESILIENCE

The FIRST Meta-Factor is RESILIENCE and we will be writing about it for the next three posts. In each post we will discuss the three strengths associated with the factor, along with the proficiency it produces.

Definition of Resilience: The ability to quickly catalyze change to adapt and respond to a complex, dynamic environment.

Proficiency #1. An insatiable Curiosity for Learning. (Strength=Receptivity)

The leader who is great at this is interested in IDEAS. They are curious, voracious readers, who are always connecting the dots between IDEAS and how they can be implemented. They take their profession seriously and collect ideas that may improve understanding, mastery or performance by reading about what others have done before them and thinking about how they can expand on these ideas for application in their own company or team. These ideas can come from diverse fields of knowledge and completely different industries. The gift is the ability to see the idea in one domain and be able to translate how that idea can be used in their own.

It is important to note, that they do not for one minute think they have all of the answers and they see the world as a huge plethora of knowledge that can be accessed when they are wrestling with a question. They know that ideas don't come out of think air, they come from what is stored in our brain and they feed that magical storage container consistently. They have an essential understanding of something called the Dunning-Kruger effect. The more they learn, the more they know that certainty is often a measure of how much we don't know yet.

Interesting Learning for this lesson:

The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which an unskilled person makes poor decisions and reaches erroneous conclusions, but their incompetence denies them the meta-cognitive ability to realize their mistakes. The unskilled therefore suffer from illusory superiority, rating their own ability as above average, much higher than it actually is, while the highly skilled underrate their abilities, suffering from illusory inferiority. This leads to the perverse situation in which less competent people rate their own ability higher than more competent people. It also explains why actual competence may weaken self-confidence: because competent individuals falsely assume that others have an equivalent understanding. Thus, the miscalibration of the incompetent stems from an error about the self, whereas the miscalibration of the highly competent stems from an error about others. (Wikipedia)

Quote by Bertrand Russell:

"One of the painful things about our time is that those who feel certainty are stupid, and those with any imagination and understanding are filled with doubt and indecision."

What are you doing to feed your brain right now?

NEXT time: Requisite Proficiency # 2.

Pam Boney, Lead Instructor
Tilt Academy for Innovative Leadership
pam@tilt360leaders.com

What Chief Executives Really Want

2010-06-07T12:11:00.000-04:00

Is it...

Drive for results?
Execution?
Revenue Generation?

What you don't know may surprise you... read on...

A recent study indicated that what was valued BEFORE the economic crisis is not the same as what is valued NOW in the midst of the toughest business climate since the Depression.

"CEO's identify 'creativity' as the most important leadership competency for the successful enterprise of the future...

...That's creativity- not operational effectiveness, influence, or even dedication. Coming out of the worst economic downturn in their professional lifetimes, when managerial discipline and rigor ruled the day, this indicates a remarkable shift in attitude. It is consistent with the study's other major finding: Global complexity is the foremost issue confronting these CEO's and their enterprises. The chief executives see a large gap between the level of complexity coming at them and their confidence that their enterprises are equipped to deal with it." (Business Week, May 18, 2010).

Why? Because today's dynamic environment... full of technological complexity and rocket speed innovation requires creative thinking and personal consciousness at its best. And creative thinking comes from SELF mastery and SELF leadership.

Come find out more about how to develop this capacity... in yourself and in the leaders you coach.

Register this summer at the Tilt Academy below.

Are you ready for the WAVE of demand that will inevitably come when you have a solution for developing the TOP competency desired by CEO's today?

Join the worldwide network of Tilt Practitioners and be part of the Tilt team goal to...

Change the World, One Leader at a Time.

Pam Boney, Lead Instructor
Tilt Academy for Innovative Leadership
http://tilt360leaders.com

Future Leaders of the Conceptual Age...: The Transcendent Follower

2010-02-27T08:23:00.000-05:00

Future Leaders of the Conceptual Age...: The Transcendent Follower

The Transcendent Follower

2010-02-27T08:22:00.000-05:00

All great leaders have some important traits in common.

When you ask a great leader how they accomplish what they do, the answer is always the same. “It wasn’t me, it was my team…without them I could have never done it.” They recognize that nothing is accomplished in isolation and that the bulk of “doing” happens by their team and others who support that team. They know that, as the leader, they set the tone and create the climate for greatness and are highly persistent about accountability when it comes to keeping a positive climate where greatness can unfold. They have humility about their role in the big picture and care most about doing the right thing for the enterprise. They know greatness is earned and they know that they will always be working toward it. They know that you never “arrive” and they love that this is true because they love a challenge. It is their great humility that creates the strong drive for ongoing self-development and self-leadership.

The Interconnected Nature of Everything

All great leaders are also great followers. They have an instinct about the fact that we all need each other and that nothing is done alone. Not only are they aware that they are accountable to their followers, they know they are accountable to an authority greater than they are. Very few of us are at the top of the pyramid. Even a CEO is accountable to the Board of Directors. The Transcendent Leader also believes they are accountable to their Maker and that there is a greater power that governs the universe, so they are mindful of the idea that they are part of a larger body of life that they must answer to eventually. They know that no one walks alone in life. They feel responsible for contributing back to the community at large and giving back to the greater system that supports them.

Wisdom and Courage in those who are Transcendent

The Transcendent Leader is also the Transcendent Follower. They know how to approach others who are in a higher authority with both great wisdom and great courage. They present a strong case for what they believe in and they are persistent about creating momentum for that direction with courageous conviction that is contagious. They proceed with the confidence that they have the right to put their ideas forward. But they also know that a unified vision is critical to success. They possess the savvy to know when to pick their battles and when to align with their leader, even though they do not agree with the direction because they want the enterprise they serve to win more than they want their way. They don’t pout, complain and argue about not getting their way. They are not paranoid about all of the things that might go wrong. They are not apathetic and indecisive. They are not paralyzed by fear. Instead they move forward and they commit despite uncertainty because that is what great leaders do. And if they are really good, they usually do win others to their way of thinking, because they do their homework. They develop the skill to convince the powers that be that their judgment is sound and that their ideas will work. They have a plan and they believe in it, so they are successful at leading their leader.

Resilience in those who are Transcendent

Transcendent Leaders and Followers are also adept at reading the proverbial tea leaves and knows when the climate is changing. They keep track of trends and build a compelling case for change that stays ahead of the curve in bold ways. They don’t whine about the past or the way things used to be or should be. They don’t quote rules and they don’t stall progress to defend a fixation they may be holding about the good old days. Instead they are resilient and realize that their role is to help everyone reframe, adapt, change and adjust to a new reality every day. Change happens every minute, every second. And if we don’t mastermind the way it unfolds by working with the best aspects of what is unfolding in our reality, it will most certainly unfold without us and leave us in the dust. Transcendent Followers create hope and are optimistic about their ability to adjust so they help their leaders build unity toward a greater good for the enterprise that may one day go on without them. Transcendent Leaders enable change and help others reframe and adapt in healthy ways.

Humanity in those who are Transcendent

Perhaps most importantly, the great follower has compassion and understanding for their fellow comrades and this includes those who are in a position of authority over them. They do not hold their leader up on some pedestal and expect them to be anything other than a human being. As such, they are understanding, forgiving, supportive, and always give their leader the benefit of doubt. They know that unity under the leader is imperative for momentum toward a positive future. They do not build factions of dissonance, they do not gossip, they do not blame and they do not complain about their leader. Instead they help their leader grow. And they are invited to do so, because they have earned the trust of their leader who openly welcomes their input. The Transcendent Leader sets the example for seeking feedback in order to grow. They do not get angry and shoot the messenger when they receive feedback. They do not punish others for giving them feedback by the “silent treatment”, intimidation or by other manipulative methods designed to shut down feedback loops. Instead, they welcome and even solicit feedback regularly because they care about taking responsibility for their own growth.

Every great leader, is first.. a great follower. How are you doing at great followership today?

Copyright, 2010
Pam Boney, MA, PCC, CTC
Tilt, Inc.
http://tilt360leaders.com

"I'm Okay, You're Okay"

2009-11-18T07:33:00.000-05:00

The Forbidden Fruit Calls

When I was a teen I remember there were a lot of books lying on the big round table next to my parents bed. Those books were always intriguing to me because they were grown up books and I was not supposed to read them. Well, of course, that made me WANT to read them. I distinctly remember that one of those books was called “I’m Okay, You’re Okay”. As a teen I thought that was kind of a big “Duh” sort of title, but nevertheless, I decided to pick it up and read it one day when no one was looking. At the time, it wasn’t as fun to read as some of the books I saw there, like the Godfather and Atlas Shrugged, so I let it drop off my radar. For the time being anyway.

Many years later when I was a leader in the hotel business I found myself studying human behavior and I ran across this book again. Someone had mentioned a theory called Transactional Analysis and that it was useful for coaching about boundary issues in relationships. When I looked it up, lo and behold I found the book my parents had beside their bed. As an adult and leader, this turned out to be one of the most important books I have ever read to help me understand the underpinnings of conflict and how to choose healthy boundaries in relationships. I find that I refer to it often and go back to read it when I find myself in a pickle.

Real Life

Recently I found myself in the uncomfortable position of being caught up in some relational dynamics that reminded me that all of us can take a dip south emotionally when we find ourselves in a situation that reminds us of past hurts deep within our psyche. This reminded me, ever so clearly, that we all have certain limitations that we must honor about ourselves. Those limitations are there for good reason and are there to protect us from what feels intolerable because of our own unique past. One of the good things about being an adult is we get to choose who is in our inner circle. We can decide who is good for us and can choose to spend our time with those who bring out our best transcending self. And we can stay away from those relationships that take us back to places that are just too uncomfortable or draining.

But it does not mean that we should judge those who stimulate those negative memories, because that is more about our own past than it is about the person being bad or wrong. Very simply, when two people get together and behaviors go south, they are more often than not, both reacting to past hurts. When we approach these relationships from a perspective of “I’m okay and You’re Okay..but we just don’t fit together” we are choosing healthy boundaries for ourselves and can move away from the relationship with mutual benefit.

The Trouble with Attraction

But here’s the rub. These strange patterns of human behavior can be confusing when you are in the middle of them. One pattern that I hear a lot in coaching calls is that we are often attracted to the people who are precisely the ones who rub us the wrong way. And we are strongly attracted to this same dynamic over and over again… until we learn the lesson in our development journey. I call those people the “mirrors” who show us ourselves and reveal our opportunities for development. Thank goodness for a good sense of humor or we could get very frustrated with ourselves for being so dense that it takes a repeated pattern to figure it out. Why do we choose to stump our toe over and over? Especially, when it really hurts?

The good news is that if we are growing, we pull ourselves up by the bootstraps as quickly as we notice we are repeating an old pattern, we examine the lesson in it and we decide to change something important. This is a healthy response and it takes courage to break the pattern. It is one of the reasons leadership is not for babies. These are hard decisions and hard choices. And we often have to make those choices for other people if they are unable to hear feedback or make changes themselves.

The Blame Game

When I teach this concept to clients (or myself when I need a good licking!) very often the first reaction we have is to blame. The “other person” is always “much worse” when we are hearing a story from one side. And yes it is true, that some people are less able to control these impulses and can wreck havoc in the workplace because they operate more in their negative patterns than in their transcending self. But the bottom line is that we can all have these tendencies in certain situations if we feel threatened. It is then that we must choose to act with courage. The “choice point” we must embrace is that it takes two to sustain a pattern and one person must be the one to break it. If not, then they must accept the negative consequences that go along with continuing the negative “dance”. It’s a little like feeding the monster, in both ourselves and the other person if we stay so it really isn't good for anyone. Breaking the pattern with new choices is the only healthy choice. Then as quickly as you can, embrace forgiveness and move on. Forgiveness does not mean reconciliation, but it does mean letting go of judgment and accepting that both parties were complicit in the dynamic to some degree.

Where it all Begins: The Three Ego States

To understand the underpinnings of conflict, one must first understand the various ego states that exist in our psyche. When we are growing up in our family we have memorable experiences that stay with our psyche for life and become part of our repertoire for how we relate to others. We have the ego state that comes from our parent role (superego) which is learned by observing how they interact and teach us how to survive (be safe) in the world. The second is the child ego that is really about the inner experience of what it was like to be a child in our family. The third ego state is the adult ego which develops slowly over time as we begin to use our frontal lobe and learn how to reason, think logically and problem solve effectively. In children, this ego state is not fully developed until our early twenties when the frontal lobe is fully matured so they need consistent parenting and control for their safety. When we become adults, we want much less parenting from other adults and only when requested. In the workplace, the preferred state is therefore "adult" reasoning with a little mixture of friendly parent and friendly child just so we can be whole.

The Healthy Adult Ego State

Here’s where the problem comes in. Development of the healthy adult ego state can be impeded by parents who operate in unhealthy ego states of parent or child and this can set us up for a lifetime of patterns that take years to mature. Here’s one example…
Some parents can exhibit overly nurturing or overly critical parenting, causing the child to stay in their child state far more often than in the developing adult ego. The parent usually has good intentions and is trying to protect their child. But often their own unmet needs play a role in their overdoing it. Some parents become overly controlling and others may be overly childlike. The child instinctively knows they have to play along to survive and this can imprint patterns that impede the normal development of the healthy adult ego state.

There are three primary reactions to this overly controlling parenting (that continue to feed our reactions later in life):

The Anti-Authority Rebel

One way the child can react is with excessive rebellion, needing “to be against” something, resistance to authority figures and general acting out against anyone or thing that remotely reminds them of authority. This is the ego, desperately trying to get what it needs (specifically, the freedom to grow and be an adult with full autonomy over oneself). Yet the adult ego has not been exercised early in life, so the development of the adult reasoning is always overshadowed by strong emotions of anger and this gets them into trouble when they need to cultivate a cooperative relationship with a supervisor or want to create a peaceful family environment.

The Compliant Dependent

Another way overly controlling parenting can manifest negatively is when a child resorts to compliance. This person develops into an adult who is overly self-forgetting and missing key boundaries that protect the self from the manipulation of others. The child in this case survived the family of origin by flying under the radar and not causing trouble. The choice to fight held too much emotional or physical risk and therefore the child says “yes” when they really mean “no”..deep down inside. This can work to keep the peace in the short term, but as the child grows up and wants to be an adult, they begin to sense that they are betraying themselves if they give in to others who attempt to control them. The adult ego state wants to develop and is thwarted by the overriding desire to keep the peace. Therefore, as an adult, this person becomes a doormat for others unless they can do the hard personal work to operate more in their healthy adult ego state and choose reasoning and objectivity. As in the example above, the healthy adult is not fully developed and will continue to cause relationship problems because they are inviting other to take advantage of them and they are bound to get angry eventually and will withdraw completely.

The Wandering Escapist

The third reaction to this kind of parenting manifests the child who wants to live like Peter Pan. This reaction to being controlled is one form of rebellion that is a little harder to pin down. This person develops into a person who diverts the control by being unattainable and only wanting to spend time on the novel fun things of life. The trouble is, they want others to pick up the pieces and take care of the mundane duties of life and are often therefore unable to take care of themselves. They are wonderfully fun, humorous and entertaining, but getting a true commitment may be an exercise in futility.

The Child Parent

When the parent errs in the other direction and has never matured their adult ego state fully themselves, then they can give up on trying to be a parent and instead behave in irresponsible ways that are more childlike. This can look like dependence, wanting to be a friend instead of a parent, wanting to be the "fun" parent and deferring all of the responsibility of the tough love to the other parent and so on. In this case, the other parent is left in a quandary and must take on all of the adult responsibilities, which polarizes the two parents and allows the children to divide and conquer through learning to manipulate them both. In this case, no one wins, because the other parent looks like the bad cop all the time and their is no unity in the parenting. OR if the other parent is absent, then the child instinctively knows they must grow up fast and become the parent to the parent. We've all seen this scenario in movies!

In short, it is a daunting role we have as parents to navigate all of the possible problems our imperfect parenting creates. We all do the best we can to protect our children and help them prepare for the world at large. The point is that we will all have certain tendencies toward these patterns in different doses and we are all responsible for our own wonderful journey of learning.

The Journey of Lifelong Development

These "hardwired" aspects of ourselves (roles) play out in the world of work, because now we have entered another domain of hierarchy that can feel very similar to the family unit. So, we react to the new "system" in similar ways to what worked in our childhood and play similar roles. These are the limitations we must become aware of if we want to grow beyond our limitations. But that is a long and arduous process that takes a lifetime. So, we must be kind to ourselves along the way and sometimes say "I am not ready to transcend that particular experience" so I must remove myself. Yet, that doesn't mean we won't grow beyond it later.

How all this Connects to the Tilt Model and the Work Environment

The Transactional Analysis theory is well developed in the Tilt Leadership Model as follows:

Overused Humanity=

Nurturing Parent (creates dependence in others and takes too much responsibility for others) SOLUTION: Green Zone= Help others take responsibility and be assertive with accountability)

Overused Wisdom=

Compliant Child (wants everyone to follow the rules and do it right or withdraws) SOLUTION: Green Zone= Be assertive in ways that honor yourself and let go of being rules-bound.

Overused Courage=

Controlling/Critical Parent (wants to dominate others, often assuming they are weak) SOLUTION: Green Zone= Be respectful of others as equally capable of taking responsibility & thinking for themselves.

Overused Resilience=

Rebellious Child (Wants the freedom to do as they wish without others controlling) SOLUTION: Green Zone= Learn to discipline your time and say NO when you are tempted to over-commit, rather than doing workarounds that you hope will keep the peace.

The Solution: I’m Okay, You’re Okay

The ideal ego state for the work environment is healthy adult ego where both parties are responding objectively to the hear and now facts. In this case, both can employ healthy parent (offering respectful guidance when needed) and healthy child (having fun together but not at the expense of the work) but mostly stay in a place where blaming, criticizing, controlling, complaining and rebellion do not play a role. But it takes two to commit to this approach, or else the demise of the relationship is inevitable. If both can say, I’m Okay and You’re Okay, and they resist the urge to blame (I’m Okay, You’re NOT Okay) then the relationship can be mutually respectful, mutually beneficial and for the most part peaceful and fulfilling.

So What Now?

The answer is to be aware of your own ego states, to notice them quickly and to get them under wraps when you notice them going into the unhealthy range of operation. No one is perfect all the time, but we are going to do our best when we catch our reactions quickly and meet the other person with honesty to hold them accountable for who they are being with us. We must find and honor our boundaries. We CANNOT do nothing, because doing nothing means the organization loses. One person who is acting too often in an unhealthy ego state can be poison for a team and leaders must be the ones to make the hard decisions to neutralize this behavior quickly for the good of the team.

When you notice for the first time that you are in a repeating pattern, that is the time to make the change. Beating yourself up for noticing too late is not helpful and is something you cannot control. One cannot be 100% self-aware all of the time. These life lessons often come in threes. We can be a little thick headed, it is true! A sense of humor is handy in such circumstances.

Courage is the Answer.

It takes courage to stay in healthy adult ego, when so many people bring their old patterns into the workplace. That’s why leadership is so critical to the norms, beliefs and values that make up the workplace culture. It is our job to balance those norms and help people have a healthy work environment. For others and for ourselves.

Pam Boney
Copyright November 2009

Untapped Potential and the Creativity Process

2009-09-13T12:05:00.000-04:00

The Challenge:

The knowledge society, the global economy and the digital revolution emerging in the last two decades have resulted in a business environment with levels of complexity, uncertainty and change unlike anything we have experienced before. What better time than now, to get proactive and ready yourself for the next wave of growth? Are you challenging your mind to access the hidden possibilities that lie beneath the surface of your awareness? Increases access to information and rapid social networking systems contribute to the hyper-competition of today’s workplace and can serve to provide a plethora of distractions that can take your attention off of your true priorities. All of us can identify with the sudden dawning awareness that we have just spent four hours surfing the internet and answering our social networking inbox, with almost no regard for what we had intended the day to entail. Where is the time going? To your relationship with your electronic tools, that’s where. We’d be sleeping with them, if they were a little more cuddly!

The Solution Unfolds:

Recently one of the Tilt coaches I am mentoring had to coach me on something for her practice session. I presented this problem to her to see what she might do with it. She had recently taken a course in her graduate program about creativity so I was expecting some interesting ideas that would creatively help me to master this mounting challenge that has only increased in my life as I now juggle leading a new start-up business that serves coaches, along with my coaching practice. What I learned from her coaching process with me was simple, as all remarkable answers are. She helped me discover that the freedom I so desired can only come from what I seem to dislike most….self-discipline! An utter paradox!

Self-Concept as the Starting Point:

I consider myself a highly creative person and therefore I consistently value an unstructured approach to almost everything! Sure, I am disciplined about many things, especially those things that drive my businesses forward, but I had not thought about putting discipline together with creativity until this budding young coach cornered me so elegantly! She said, “Well, I wonder what might happen if you were to reshape the way you think about the freedom you want, by partnering it with discipline?” WHAT? I thought to myself..how could that be?

My current paradigm of creativity required unparalleled freedom and white space. But, somewhere inside I knew she had me. As a person who values the idea of polarities, I immediately knew she had struck gold. We agreed that I would adopt a mantra of “Discipline for Freedom” with regard to structuring my time.. which would be so valuable over the next three months as I completed the culmination of my research, thesis and the book I am currently writing for publication. I had to go underground, start saying no to everything except those three priorities and make some effort to build specific disciplines around how I spend my time. Bingo.

The Plan: Discipline for Freedom (A polarity!)

The workday plan I set forth would be organized by priorities:

1. Clients & Income Activities.
2. Writing the book and thesis.
3. Exercise to break those up, since they are sedentary activities.
4. Creative time for what I love: Collaboration with my business partner and other people in our startup. (This builds our future!)

The first step I took was to set up an appointment system in a product called Genbook, so that my clients would know when I am available for coaching time and so that I would not have to play email tag to set up appointments with prospects or clients. The second thing I did, was place blocks in my calendar for writing time for both my book and thesis. The third thing was to add exercise slots, so that all of this computer time would not bog me down physically. I added small incremental blocks of time, three times a day for dog walking, Cybex aerobic, and yoga practice. Then I added my collaboration time to give me fun time that would keep my creative juices flowing. Then lastly, I gave myself permission to give EVERYTHING ELSE AWAY. So, the last step was to find other capable people to move the other responsibilities to for the next few months. My business partner and others were only too happy to take them on when I told them what I was up to.

Sometimes its the Obvious, That Isn’t Obvious!

My husband and I went sailing a few weeks after I set this process up and I took along a book I had been wanting to read called Creativity, by Mihaly Csikszenthihalyi. I should not have been surprised to learn about the polarities that exist in creative people and systems! Upon reading about his qualitative research project in the 90s, I learned that creative people possess personality traits that extend in polar opposite directions in ten groups of traits that were identified in the interviews of 97 supremely creative people. Because this matches the theory we have put forth in the products we sell at Tilt, I was thrilled to discover that I wasn’t the only creative thinker who refused to put themselves in personality boxes. I simply cannot say whether I am extroverted or introverted, because I know I am both. Likewise, I am both an open-minded person and a person of objectivity. As I read the results of the study narrated in this book, I almost jumped out of my skin in joy, as I felt understood for the first time in my life!!! And strangely enough, I had created a leadership model that contained twelve polarities that I determined are required for the greatest leaders. Indeed, this is what I was writing my thesis about. The idea that a Transcendent Leader must develop polar perspectives in order to create the environment for creativity is the topic of my thesis! Shazam.

Mihaly’s Creative Process:

So, as I read this delightful book, I learned about the creative process according to some of the great thinkers on the subject and decided that it has tremendous implications for the coaching profession and process. After presenting them here, I will share my thoughts to stimulate a discourse of conversation in our practice.

The Creative Process..

Step One: A period of preparation, becoming immersed, consciously or not, in a set of problematic issues that are interesting and arouse curiosity.

Step Two: A period of incubation, during which ideas churn around below the threshold of consciousness. It is during this time that unusual connections are likely to be made where unexpected combinations may be made. (Conscious decisions are usually made employing logic, but this linear avenue can actually impede creative insights).

Step Three: The Insight, the Aha, the Eureka moment occurs when the pieces of the puzzle come together. These can come in one big insight or multiple insights.

Step Four: Evaluation is the next necessary step when the person must decide whether the insight is valuable and worth pursuing. This step is emotionally trying and the time when the person may feel the most insecure. Here is the time when we must look at the idea in light of the domain of work. Is it truly novel or it is obvious? This is when others in the domain will be exposed to it and react to it so it is a period for self-criticism and soul-searching and is very personal.

Step Five: The last component of the process is elaboration. This is perhaps the hardest and most labor intensive part of the process involving hard work and long periods of time. This period can take, months, years or a lifetime to complete and whether the work will ever be deemed truly successful depends upon whether it is ultimately accepted by the domain or field of work as a contribution. For this reason, one must employ a systems approach to considering the potential for contribution. Many times, a creative person may bring something forward that the environment is not ready for, so centuries can pass before the novel discovery is adopted as an idea that contributes to society in some fundamental way.

This period can be constantly interrupted by periods of incubation and small epiphanies along the way, before being adopted by society.

Creativity…It’s No Wonder!

After reading about the lengthy and sometimes unrewarding aspects of the creative process, its no wonder that many do not possess the patience and steadfastness required to bring novel ideas into reality for widespread adoption. Yet, never before in history has there been so great a system of acceptance for new ideas, than NOW. The positive aspects of the knowledge and digital age is that when new ideas come out, they can be widely spread rapidly, multiplying many times over the possibility for adoption. The trick is to know which ideas to pursue and which to abandon, because someone else has already done them better. This requires a high degree of self awareness and higher levels of intelligent consciousness that require us to know the difference between an ego that is driven by conscious awareness or unconscious rigidity.

The Contribution of the Coaching Profession!

As I have learned about the precious process of creativity I am more and more adamant that the human right to err is a right we must strongly claim and advocate if we are to move through the tenacious process required to bring novel concepts to the world. After all, what if Thomas Edison had given up after the thousands of trials and the ridicule of colleagues who scoffed at his vision. Creativity is not for babies, or for the nonchalant at heart. And thankfully, I find myself right at home with the professionals I meet in the coaching industry. We are the ones who support and challenge our clients to unfold this process within themselves. We are the facilitators of creation. We get the awesome and sublime experience of joining in the journey to surface the unconscious potential in our brilliant clients. And in the joining, we are transformed ourselves. Even by those who are just joining our profession. Like, the coach I was mentoring who stimulated a whole new development in my creative process with one powerful question. As I thought about this, I acknowledged something that is foundational to our work: It is through our relationship with others who are our mirror and often our guides...that we find ourselves!

Pam Boney, PCC
Founder and CEO of Tilt, Inc
Copyright September 2009

From Transformational to Transcendent

2009-08-16T08:27:00.008-04:00

Transparence=Accountability

The digital age has unveiled a new climate of order. Twenty years ago you could use your hierarchical power and get a away with being a jerk as a boss. Then came climate surveys and eventually the 360's. Accountability started to happen but many were able to avoid such systems and managed to hide in the dynamic of coercive power.

Then came the twenty-first century with its blogs and online news. All of the sudden the power started to shift into the hands of social networking. The world flattened and the power dynamics began to change. I remember the first time we realized the power of this in the hotel business over a decade ago when we had a very unhappy customer at one of our hotels. This person posted a very damaging report about how this particular hotel managed the service recovery process poorly and within weeks it was all over the internet. I remember our Brand Marketing team exclaiming in dismay at the power this had on lost customers in that hotel brand within a very short time frame. Welcome, the Age of Transparency. Companies are waking up, one by one.

The Popularity of Transformational Leaders

Add to that dynamic, the sentiment most of us share in the western world that we have loved our charismatic leaders a little too much. One of the temptations of the mind, is what critical reasoning experts call social conformity. The mind is like any other system, it likes to be lazy (aka efficient) and come up with easy solutions to hard questions. So when a leader shows up in our midst and tells us with confidence that they know the right answer, the right vision, the right path to success..we enjoy their confidence and let ourselves be seduced by it. In a free enterprise system, we love to love our entrepreneurs and our big company leaders and whether we like to admit it or not, many of us jump right on board for their agendas without doing our due diligence.

The positive aspects of the "great man" leader who has such motivating charisma, is that they are fun to be around, they motivate us emotionally and they seem to make big things happen very quickly. They have big bold visions and can make us believe in ourselves. The truth in the research is that they can indeed gain exponential results and fast, so it appears on the surface that this type of leadership works. In the field of Organizational Development Research, we have been studying the power of the Transformational Leader for the last three decades and continue to be enamored by the power they wield in our organizations today.

The Big Hidden Problem

But here's the problem that lies hidden just beneath the surface. When we follow a Transformational Leader, we don't always know about the motives, values, ethics, integrity and beliefs that lie beneath the surface of the leader when no one is looking. They may have a compelling vision, they may have smart strategies, but they MAY be motivated by underlying character issues that will cause them to make grave errors in judgment. Case in point, the tragic ripple effect of Mr. Maddoff's leadership. Why is it that those who trusted him were not able to see the hidden motives of the man? Because we wanted the promise of financial returns that were too good to be true. That one is a pretty clear cut case. But there's more..

Unconscious Leadership

Perhaps even more precarious, are the Transformational Leaders who are not quite so obviously bad underneath, even to themselves. What about the leader who is simply moving too fast because they get enamored with the power they build and become the kind of leader who simply moves too fast without considering the unintended consequences of their decisions on the various constituencies who put their trust in them? There are times when the problem is simply a lack of personal self-awareness. Unconscious leadership happens every day. The sense of urgency in the climate of acceptable norms is usually the culprit. When the pressure is on, who is going to take the time to consider the impact on all of the people depending on solid, just, long range decision making? The ripple effect of unconscious leadership is all around us now and our desire to move too fast may feel good in the short run, but reeks havoc in the long run. We have not kept balance in our perspective. The system upon which our lack of patience was built, is now crumbling around us. And waking us up this year.

Multiple Perspectives

It would not be fair to present only one side of this perspective. There are many Transformational Leaders out there, who are exemplary in their judgment and impeccable in their integrity. This is the age of their glory. But you won't find them on stages so much as you will find them in your community, looking for ways to contribute without seeking attention. They don't care about overstuffed compensation packages that make them into rock stars. They wouldn't think that it is fair to their employees. They are not that interested in fame, but more in how they can set a good example and be part of the solution. These Transformational Leaders have the right formula for sustainable success and they truly care for the community in which they reside. They are the true leaders that have held us together in tough times and are the inspiration that will give us the resilience to bounce back.

The Good News

It's not all doom and gloom in this story, because the impact of the last few decades of Transformational Leadership (based largely on consumerism and opportunistic marketing) have given us THE BIG WAKE-UP call. Nearly everyone has been impacted by the ripple effect of the few leaders who have made poor decisions and broken the foundation of Wall Street, making us vulnerable and putting us in the biggest crucible since the Depression.

But we are a resilient bunch. Everyone we talk with lately have battened down the hatches and are paying attention to financial mindfulness. The adversity we are experiencing is building character and we are being more careful in our decisions. That is what happened during The Great Depression too. This historic period spawned the responsible "silent generation" who earned the name "The Greatest Leaders". Our grandparents were good people for a reason. It was because they found character in their strategy to survive and thrive. And we can do that too.

Transcendent Leadership

"Leadership of Self" is the start and how we can take personal responsibility for being part of the solution. And Transcendent Leadership is the key to a more positive future where we can build sustainability through the mutual governance of a flattened world that has shared goals. Character and great nations are built on many people doing the right thing. Now is the time. Rising above our selfish interests and considering the greater impact of our actions is what its all about. The term "transcendent" is used in history every time there is a population that becomes highly creative due to some kind of previous adversity. Stay tuned. We are poised to grow in big ways.

Transcendent Leadership is the leadership of NOW.

Pam Boney
CEO Tilt, Inc
Copyright 2009
http://tilt360leaders.com

Next: How can I become more self-aware and conscious of my own underlying motives through observation of how I am perceived?

The Four Pillars of Transcendent Leadership

2009-07-29T08:18:00.004-04:00

The Leadership Skills for a Global Economy

The Art and Practice of Transcendent Leadership starts with leadership of self. The plethora of models focused on leadership of others and leadership of strategy are sufficient to help anyone to form a delegation strategy or a plan for effective meetings. But what is missing from the extensive literature on leadership in general is a framework for leadership of who a leader is being as a person and how well they are managing to balance the key ingredients of leadership presence while they oversee the climate of the organization.

Climate or Culture?

Lou Gerstner, the infamous leader who saved IBM from becoming a dinosaur in the late 20th century said it right. Helping organizations to change is like "teaching an elephant to dance". The important ingredient he noticed is that companies are built on teams, not on big infrastructure. As he split the company up into manageable teams and zeroed in on how to lead teams well, he helped the organization to morph itself into the 21st century.

At Tilt, we believe that it is through individual leaders and how they lead teams that success in today's fast changing environment will be achieved. Culture is the big elephant and has deep roots that keep the norms in the larger organization in place. So this is the force that often prevents large scale behavior change that is needed to keep companies competitive. Team level climate, on the other hand, is something that is defined largely by the team leader behaviors and the psychological impact that leader has on the norms in that team can be the change agent that virally makes positive or negative change possible. It is through these people that a company will survive or thrive.

Measuring Team Level Climate

This fall, we will publish the seminal research on our hypothesis that a balanced formula of character-traits and meta-factors will correlate positively with the nine dimensions of innovative productivity in team level climate. Specifically, we will publish early indications of a longitudinal study about leader behaviors associated with self-leadership. We believe that a strong locus of control on self mastery and balance are key to creating an atmosphere where the team can show up and not have to waste energy on politics, gaming, internal competition and dysfunction and will instead be able to focus energy on the creative aspects of the work itself. When the leader holds themselves accountable to creating the best climate for this highly actualized level of support, the team is not reacting with defense mechanisms, but is rather focusing energy on creative work.

Innovation is Key

Ask any senior executive and they will tell you that the key to surviving in a globally competitive and rapidly changing environment is harvesting innovation. Companies who are still trying to compete with traditional methods of leadership can't possibly respond to the change quick enough to thrive. And the most innovative talent isn't going to stay there either. Creative leaders and contributors are moving to places where the work is not only challenging but is fun and rewarding. Or they are starting business of their own.

The Four Pillars

Transcendent Leadership is the new model of the future and the new generations understand it. We feel they will embody it, even if their baby boomer parents don't get there in the next two decades. The best organizations are embracing new ways of leading and are helping their boomer leaders to shift perspectives NOW.

The four pillars of this new form of leading, include leadership of others and leadership of strategy, but more importantly have added leadership of self, which leads to leadership of community. Today's highly educated knowledge worker knows about the bigger issues we are facing in the world and want to be a part of the solution, not a contribution to "head in the sand" leadership that doesn't have a positive impact in the greater community in which they live. Good people are not just born that way. They work on improving themselves as a lifelong journey of commitment.

From Transformational to Transcendent

In my next post I will discuss the journey required to develop Transcendent Leadership and how the focus on Transformational Leadership over the last two decades is sometimes successful but it often the culprit for large scale failure. The ripple effect of leadership failure we are watching unfold in 2009 is no surprise, given the focus of our attention on consumerism. The adversity in which we find ourselves, has within it, the key to a better future.

The Core Foundational Strength in Wisdom: Temperance

2009-02-19T07:50:00.001-05:00

Why Philosophy is Critical to Great Leadership

The context of great leadership can be studied throughout the course of history and a favorite habit of mine is to delve into the annals of philosophy to deepen my understanding about how great cultures came about historically. The trajectory of mankind is fascinating and much can be learned from combining what we know about science with what we know about philosophy. I understand why it is important to separate the two for the purpose of specific research, but when studying leadership, I have a certain personal belief that one cannot exist without the other. We inherit our natural predispositions from our biology and we hone our potential with our philosophy. How could a leader exist and retain followers without having some kind of expressed philosophy that provides hope or potential for the follower? Who holds the space for a group of individuals to have faith in possibility for greater potential?

Very simply, the leader. How? The climate they create around them. What is created by a leader is simply the psychological impact held possible by the particular philosophies of the leader who holds the power in the relational dynamics of the group. The leader’s behaviors, resulting from their philosophies, either helps or hinders the potential of the group manifest. Therefore the philosophies held by the leader may be the single most influential aspect of their power. For this reason, I am known to collect the leadership mantras of my clients as we move through the process of leadership development. My experience as a leadership coach has taught me well..that it is within the secret, often unspoken, beliefs of the leader that I can begin to see the limits of their notions or the cracks in their sometimes faulty beliefs that, if they begin to change, can open the door for potential growth. Their philosophies have brought them to where they are and hold important clues into the glue that holds them together, but alas, it is my job to loosen the glue, so that more growth springs forth as a result of our connecting. We must, together, honor the beliefs that have brought them to today, while embracing the change that must evolve them at their core. And what we all know, is that great teams, do not exist without great leaders who are continually growing, along with their environment. And we are not in the position to learn, much less grow, if we are not in command of our emotional aspects, so that we can operate with sound mind.

The Whisper or the Brick?

I recently heard a story told by a great leader to his team illustrating this point. He told of a very successful man, expensively dressed and on his way to work in his BMW sedan. The man was preoccupied with the trappings of work, and driving at a clip since he was shortly attending an important board meeting concerning an acquisition that would make his career. As he drove down the street near his home, he noticed a small commotion on the side of the street and was briefly annoyed at the loud yelling of two young boys, obviously playing too close to the road. In the next minute he heard a loud crash as something smashed into the side of his pristine car. Furious, he screeched to a stop, and got out of the car, fully prepared to tear into the two boys with fury. What he encountered on the other side of his car made him stop in his tracks. A boy who was obviously paralyzed from the neck down was lying in the street just two feet from his door. The other boy was in tears and said “Mister, I am sorry I had to throw that brick at your car, but my brother had fallen out of his wheelchair and I could not stop him from rolling into the street. I knew you were going to run over him if I didn’t do something!”

The man felt the adrenaline coursing through his veins and yet knew he could do nothing but apologize to the boy for not noticing his distress. As he collected the boys and took them home, he began to connect with the shame of his distracted state of mind. If he had been driving at a normal speed and paying attention, none of this would have happened, so his own emotional state had indeed caused the consequence of his distress and would now cost him the extra time and expense of having his car repaired. Not to mention the tragedy that almost occurred had the brother not had the presence of mind to throw the brick to save his brother. The leader who was telling this story to his team, made the point that if you are not listening to the quiet whispers of conscious living, then the brick will follow along to wake you up before you know it. This analogy has great implications to leadership and is indeed at the foundational core of the Tilt Leadership Model in the core strength of Temperance. Wisdom is not possible without it.

A Short History About Temperance

At the most foundational core of the Tilt Leadership Model lies the primary core strength of Wisdom: Temperance. The history of temperance cannot be told without introducing the history of a term called “sophrosyne”, derived from the adjective “sophron” in the historical works of Homer. It was used at first to describe a human (or divine) character who behaves in a way that is consistent with his nature or station or who shows good sense as opposed to frivolity or witlessness. Homer’s characters became exemplars of honorable qualities that indicated moderation, self-knowledge and self-restraint.

In the earliest years of literature, quite naturally, the qualities most valued were that of the hero, whose primitive bravery could win wars, build castles and defend them. The barbaric times required exceptional valor in order to provide for the safety of survival. It was only later in the sixth and seventh centuries that the changed conditions in the Greek world led to the rise of the “polis” or city-state where it became necessary to tame the hero and make him into a citizen. This concept became known as sohrosyne and the inherent qualities of this new exemplary type of behavior created a code of cautionary maxims like “know thyself” and “nothing in excess” which enabled a new society of sanity versus hubris.

This new philosophy enabled an awareness (in those who sought to have it) that included an ability to reflect on man’s tendency to indulge in excessive hopes and ambitions, beyond that which man should aspire. Today we would refer to this tendency as a preoccupation with delusion and fanciful notions that are not grounded with good judgment and the practical application of discipline. This new notion assisted the philosophers of that time to examine the catastrophe that befalls the hero whose self assertion leads him to ignore reasonable limits and desirable qualities like justice and humility. The literature of this time was enamored of the hero and inevitably illustrated that he or she was blind to something essential in himself or his situation. The heroic character possessed an admirable but imperfect nature and inevitably a story of tragedy intertwined with star-crossed circumstances was a fascination in literature for ages in the great writers and playwrights (i.e. Romeo and Juliet). We still love to watch the story of the hero and we still somehow love the undeniable flawed nature of our humanity played out in movies and plays.

Yet, there is a difference between then and now that deserves a revisit to the quality of temperance. That difference is what we call the ripple effect of leadership in a global world economy versus a world isolated by geographical boundaries. In ancient times, the impact of leadership was contained in small areas, both enabling homogeneous societies (like Rome during the Renaissance) to bask in the virtuous pursuit of human nobility without a concern from neighbors as long as the military power was able to protect it. Great advances in creativity unfolded in societies such as these, advancing mankind in remarkable ways. Yet today, the safety of containment is virtually lost and we must now exist in a world that requires dependence on great leadership for its very survival. Our childlike faith in heroes will need to evolve to an understanding that if we are to grow the potential of this world, we must learn to embrace a higher level of awareness in ourselves and in our leadership. The ripple effect of the leaders we trust is wide-reaching and potentially disastrous without the good voice of reason that is unique to mankind.

The primal nature of the appetites and the passions are common to all species who work to survive their environment here on earth. But it is our unique gift alone, that includes a capacity to use reason to temper our perspective. With the increase of knowledge, our awareness is rising, but the work of leadership is far from complete. The effects of unconscious leadership are all around us and the ripple effect is broad. The important question is this: have we reached a new level of awareness where we can now be less gullible about who we put our faith in to lead us? Those who are of sound mind and have demonstrated that they are able to conduct their decisions with a disciplined mind, clear of emotional distortions? Or heroes who seduce us with their charisma? Or is it something in between, as we say in the Tilt model….balance in everything is key. We all have our leanings, but if we lean too far, we have lost our connection to creative flow.

The First Commendable Trait of Temperance: Prudent

Now here’s an old fashioned word for you…prudence! Over the years it has gained a reputation for being perceived as something only school headmasters possess. Yet, nothing describes what we mean by appropriate allocation of resources like this archaic word! And in the research on creativity in team climate, this is one of the most crucial elements required in creating an opening for creativity and innovation, which is the goal of Tilt leadership. In a recent groundbreaking study concerning the behavioral themes by leaders that either HELP or HINDER innovation, the top macro theme reported by teams concerned “controlling resource availability” (Akkermans, Isaksen & Isaksen, 2008). Participants in the study reported that the greatest impediment to innovation concerned arbitrarily assigned or limited resources devoted to creative endeavors. Those leaders who deliberately provided resources for exploratory endeavors, inevitably created a climate where the team could actualize exponentially beneficial results. Specifically mentioned in the study, was the provision of training with regard to how to use the mind in ways that would expand thinking. If a team believes that the leader is limiting the most effective allocation of available resources, the result is almost always frustration, which leads to blocked creativity.

We define prudence as a leader who is perceived as “appropriately sensible in the allocation of resources” and this character trait requires the leader and the team to use “reason” in making a judgment about how to allocate limited resources. Inherent in this commendable trait is the ability of the leader to resist emotional agendas that might entice them to move forward on decisions when it does not make good sense. And this means that they are willing to hear the reasoning of the team members, as well as the reasoning of other stakeholders in the process. A good case in point was made in the study above, where a team wanted to create a pay for performance compensation plan that required understanding all of the regulations and implications that might unfold in the way of unintended consequences if all aspects of the plan were not well thought out. The leader in this case, was able to delay making a decision until the group was satisfied that most of the variables had been considered. The firm benefited greatly by the implementation of the creative compensation plan and thus the team performance was enhanced by the application of good prudent decision-making.

The Second Commendable Trait of Temperance: Patient

The previous example leads right into the next trait of temperance, namely patience. We define this trait as the leader’s ability to “wait for the appropriate time to take action”. What we find in the typical behaviors of the hero who is overconfident is the tendency to succumb to a sense of urgency of some sort. Granted, we do have powerful instincts as human beings and our hunches in emergency situations are often called for (see the section on Bravery). But we too often find that the tendency becomes addictive and thus is deployed in too many situations where it is not called for. Many kinds of stimulus exist in our world of work today and many of them call out for urgency when the situation is truly calling for patience in order to maximize a best decision. Knowing the difference requires self-awareness and control over the addictive nature of urgency.

One great example is the sense of urgency we feel when we receive an email or voice mail. We have come to believe that we must respond within a certain amount of time to stimulus of this sort and the truth is that almost 90% of these communication triggers are not something we would consciously put in the category of important if we use good reason. Additionally the stress this sense of urgency produces in most of my clients is most unreasonable. For this reason, one of the first things I do with my clients (mostly high potential leaders) is to help them get grounded in assessing the difference between what is important and what is not and how to respond appropriately. Indeed, I hone this skill in myself by monitoring the way I manage a coaching call. In the course of teaching and mentoring new coaches, I often notice the tendency to jump on the issues that surface in the course of a call, and bounce all over the place, only to lose the most important aspect of the presenting issue in the call. The skill to stay focused on the greatest need in the moment is something that must be developed.

It might be helpful if I explain how I manage this skill regarding self regulation myself. My _inner _experience is to feel a sense of urgency when several issues are brought up at once, yet if I allow myself to get distracted from what the client said they want to work on most, then the client’s most pressing needs may not be protected. Personally, to ward off the temptation, I practice note-taking when I notice something that I many want to bring up later, and stay focused on what is relevant to the most important issue at hand. In this way, the client determines the agenda of the work instead of me. And if coaches can’t practice this, then we are adding to the stress of reacting to whatever presents in the moment in the same way organizations are condoning each day. What our clients need most is an oasis of calm presence of mind and I take my responsibility regarding this role very seriously. How many places do we find this in our busy lives? As coaches and as leaders, we must be the voice of reason, and develop the skill to wait for the right moment. This requires staying the course on what is most important now as well as what is most important in the future and holding space for both to unfold at the right time.

The Third Commendable Trait of Temperance: Composed

The exercise of self-control, most especially in “control over distorted emotional response”, requires that we have the capacity to experience ourselves, know ourselves and decide how to respond rather than react from our inner experience. I like to say that it is absolutely true that we will have personal reactions that are a result of our inner nature (some which are not that pretty to behold!), but what makes us think that others should be subject to our inner experience without any choice in the matter? Simply put, we are who we are, but do we have a right to ask others to handle our emotional reactions to circumstances? Particularly when we have been trusted to have power over others in a leadership role. In the inner circle of our personal lives, it is appropriate and meaningful to be authentic, even in the expression of our irrational emotions, but those who are in our intimate circle are there by choice and are hopefully those who love us more unconditionally. We have responsibility to behave with maturity in these relationships as well, but can let our proverbial hair down a little more because of the circumstances.

At work, most of the time it is the organization that chooses to put a leader in position, so the contract of employment has less perceived control (by the employee) than does a personal commitment toward family. So, how we choose to behave when given that role determines if we are being a manager or a leader. Anyone can manage others by using the positional power bestowed by hierarchy, but if one is to lead, then the role requires followers. Inherent in the definition of follower is a certain voluntary relationship that is based on the desire to follow the lead of another. This is the responsibility we have…to build a “followership”. And if we are not composed and given to being self-possessed in our conduct, then we are leading reactive chaos instead of the voice of reason. Followers can sense the difference.

The Fourth Commendable Trait of Temperance: Reflective

It follows that a leader who is prudent, patient and composed is also demonstrating the outward manifestation of a reflective nature. We define reflective as the capacity to “pause to think to respond, instead of react”. This trait is demonstrated by great leaders who take what we call the “4 second access to wisdom”. When a leader pauses for four seconds before responding, he or she is more apt to access wisdom in the answer. Our brains possess unfathomable speed and amazingly we can often access a more mindful response in a short time span, but this takes practice and discipline. When I was younger, my emotions could be so strong that I would literally have to wait 24 hours before I could gain access to the voice of reason in my own mind. I learned very quickly that if I simply reacted with emotion, there was inevitably some kind of damage done to others around me, so I began to set limits on myself in my early thirties. I remember clearly that I had to identify situations where I might be tempted to react emotionally instead of calmly and that if I reflected overnight, I would often awake with a much more grounded course of action that served me and others much more than my initial reaction would have.

Over time, I was able to shorten the window of time down to a few hours and eventually I taught myself how to respond more appropriately in the moment. But this has taken years of conscious practice. Each day, I am surprised by the executive level leaders I encounter that have not noticed their propensity to cause most of the problems they encounter merely by not cultivating this all important self regulation skill found in the great leaders. As with every skill, this one requires practice, but I find it has the most beneficial powers we can learn in terms of creating a foundation that breeds trust. Remarks that leave our lips without our first reflecting on the impact of those words, can turn into a useless waste of energy cleaning up the mess, that could be otherwise focused on some kind of creative endeavor.

The Overused Aspect of Temperance: Danger Signs

With every gift, comes the potential for overuse and in the case of Temperance, this manifests as hesitation, procrastination, apathy and detachment. When we go too far with the traits in this skill, we can be blindly holding on too long for the right moment to act, so it must be balanced with the act of forward movement in the form of activation. When we do not act, we become complacent and ineffective. The outward manifestation of positive temperance is expressed in its polar opposite, in the core strength of inspiration. The two must be balanced together to provide mindful vision for the future. If one is overusing temperance, then the developmental work is to work on its opposite strength: inspiration, which is to bring about new outcomes. Temperance without inspired activation is apathy and brings about nothing other than the status quo.

Temperance, the Mother of all Reason

In the end, our credibility as a leader is dependent on how we are perceived and how we are perceived is dependent on our ability to be seen as the voice of reason for our fellow colleagues. That is why this trait exists at the base of the Tilt model. It is the foundational basis for the stability required by our followers to know that they reside in a team and climate where reason will rule and their leader can be predicted to be the voice of that reason. The balance between the temperance and inspiration is the key to providing vision for a new future. If one overuses inspiration (the polarity of temperance) and presents the irrational vision of delusion, no one will follow, or if they do, they follow a vision that will inevitably lead to tragedy. Plato argued that temperance is the most important of the cardinal virtues and reported that it was central to any conception of ideal state and exemplifies the soul in its optimum condition…a soul that is balanced and harmonious. One that can be followed to greatness and the unfolding of creative potential.

Summary

Temperance is part of the universal language that we all know when we see it. It arises from the human instinct for order and moderation. And yet, it must contain an element of personal commitment.

When we each find our own voice, sprung from the ruminations of our quiet reflections..it rings true with the many, calls to those on the path and inspires those who may have lost their way.

Tllt Inc. is launched!

2008-10-18T15:37:00.005-04:00

Tilt Press Release

It's been several months since I posted a blog, for a very good reason! In the last three months big things have been happening with Tilt. We have launched a startup company and started selling assessments, as well as offering charter certification to coaches and consultants who are interested in the emerging leader, global leader and high potential leadership development niche markets.

We are publishing a website in mid-November and have a new office in a historic landmark building across from NC State University, so we are officially in business. We are humbly surprised at the ensuing frenzy of interest that has unfolded as soon as the word got out in the Research Triangle. It is clear that this work is bigger than we had ever imagined and that the timing is right, so we have opened about 9 months ahead of our plan and are busy at work creating products to go along with our models and assessments, including cartd sorts, posters, facilitator's packages and more.

Redhat Human Capital Leaders Choose Tilt 360...

One of our favorite local clients, Redhat, just selected our Tilt 360 Leadership Predictor for their worldwide leadership development process and we are busy certifying their HR partners for worldwide impact. We are simply thrilled and honored to be the 360 of choice for one of the top icons of collaborative effort. It's no surprise that the FOUR Meta-Factors of Tilt matched their top four values...because both are designed for the current world of work in a global economy. Specifically, building social networks and collaborative contribution to generate innovative potential through leaders who nurture the conditions for unleashing human potential.

The Preferred Tilt Partners Network underway!

We are currently focused on building a network of certified professionals and will launch officially at our exciting new exhibit at the International Coach Federation Conference in Montreal in November. The image in this posting is our backsplash for the booth. We expect to be a hit, especially because Peter Senge (author of the book titled "Presence") is the keynote speaker and our instrument measures Leadership Presence and Impact, so essentially we are the solution that operationalizes a lot of the ideas Peter has been writing about for years.

The Tilt Model has continued to evolve and we are currently working on advanced aspects of training that will dig into the various constructs of the model in 09. The validation research is underway and looking hopeful as well, since we plan to use this instrument in many ways that will predict leadership performance.

Fortune Favors the Bold...become an early adaptor!

Visit our placeholder website at www.tilt360leaders.com to register for charter certification training prior to our official company launch at ICF in November! Only 6 spots left and we have already trained 32 top consultants and coaches.

Stay tuned and remember to visit our website in 2009.

Pam Boney, PCC, CTC
Copyright, 2008

Transcendent Leadership

2008-04-26T06:39:00.009-04:00

Before I start start publishing our definitions of the core strengths inherent in the greatest form of leadership that creates the conditions for exponential results, I first want to circle back and get clear about our hypothesis about leadership in general. In short, nothing big happens without a leader. All of us would doddle along carrying out our own agendas and doing what we please. Many people who call themselves leaders are doing this daily and are doing very little other than checking off their list and doing what they have been told to do by someone at a higher level than they are. I call this management, not leadership.

True leadership is about bringing people together in the spirit of some greater outcome, so its impossible to talk about leadership without talking about how that leader somehow convinced a large number of people to join their cause or mission in order to create something great. Great leadership, or what we call transcendent leadership, is about creating an unexpected, audacious vision toward some emotionally compelling vision of the future. The best example I can think of is when President John F. Kennedy declared that we should put a man on the moon and that we should do that in less than ten years.

Why Self-Awareness Matters..

Great vision and great leadership create the conditions for a vision that might be perceived as impossible and allow it to become a reality. In order to create the emotional connection between a leader and their followers, there have to be two conditions; First, the followers have to hold the leader in very high regard, holding admiration of their whole person and must trust that the motives of the leader are in support of a vision that is about creating some greater good. If the leader fails to be trustworthy and fails to make an emotional connection to their constituency, then the first condition for great performance will be missed.

It is almost impossible to admire someone if they have glaring flaws in their character that preclude a follower from trusting them completely because trust is at the crux of the relationship if you're going to put your efforts behind the desires of that leader. This is what most "leaders" tend to miss. They think that they can be free with their angry demands for performance and expect unequivocal compliance, or think that they can compromise personal integrity and honesty in relationships and still expect people to blindly follow their mission. What these leaders are missing, is that what people do on the surface will be compromised by how they feel about the leader UNDER the surface and the mission will be compromised. The followers will never get fully on board to help the leader accomplish anything of major importance to the greater good of the organization.

Mom and Apple Pie..

This brings me to requirement number two; that the followers have to connect emotionally to the vision of the leader. The vision must create some kind of compelling reason to make extra effort. I have always said that the vision of a great leader always has to sound like mom and apple pie. It has to make a connection with the heart strings of those who might follow. It must relate to some advancement of humankind and must leave the world a better place. I know I am speaking in large terms here, but I learned this lesson from a good colleague and friend who taught me this lesson when I was in my early thirties. I used to make a practice of making friends with people who created some kind of special outcome through their leadership and this lesson stuck with me for the rest of my career...

Creating the Compelling Why...

When I asked my friend Tom how he and his team had accomplished such a high standing in overall performance he answered "We set a goal to have a perfect safety record this year". His answer was surprising to me, because the team had accomplished much more than just a perfect safety record, so I made that observation. His answer was a lesson I never forgot. He said, "Well, that's the thing, the goal itself isn't the point...the point is that they were inspired by it because it connected with something that mattered to THEM and benefited THEM, and in the end the pride they had in working together and making my audacious goal come true, brought them together emotionally and because of that, they accomplished all of the goals that are more mundane. You can't ever tell a team that the goal is to make more money, because they can't connect to it emotionally. You have to have an unexpected goal and they have to think you're crazy to believe in them that much. Then the human spirit comes together to accomplish what would otherwise be impossible".

The Expanding Influence of a Transcendent Leader..

Tom is now leading one of the largest hospitality brands in the world and he is still that kind of leader. He believes in the spirit of people and knows why they connect with his goals emotionally to achieve the impossible. He calls me every now and then, to banter about leadership ideas and thoughts, and I still admire him as one of the great because he is always worried about making some impact that advances people in general. His last call to me was about how big business doesn't care enough about the hourly worker and how they struggle to make ends meat, often working two jobs. He wanted to change that in his own company and make some kind of difference about that inequity by using the influence of his leadership. He would tell you himself, that his biggest worry is that he won't care enough or won't get people on board with his next crazy goal. Don't get me wrong, Tom isn't flawless or perfect in any way, but he has enough humility to accept himself as a human being and remembers that in leadership, what really matters is leaving the world a better place. The lives he touches each day will remember him as a transcendent leader. Someone who, just like every other person, HAS selfish needs, but is able to have the self mastery to rise above those needs in his role as a leader in order to impact the world in favor of some greater possibility.

My own BHAG (Big harry audacious goal)..

I have a similar goal to Tom. I want to raise awareness in leaders of the future so that we can achieve more meaningful goals, but also so that we can begin to be more responsible leaders in a greater way so that we can begin to solve the bigger problems of the world. The future is going to depend on those leaders and I want to be a part of educating them. First, about why "who they are when no one is looking" really matters and second, about why choosing to lead is a responsibility that includes having passion around a vision that creates a compelling reason to follow. This is not to say that we need to be perfect people. Quite the contrary, we need to be authentic and real people, carrying out our leadership calling. People with enough humility to admit our shortcomings so that we can work on them, and to take ourselves above our personal agendas to make a difference in our circle of influence.

Conclusion:

When great leaders make a difference, the minds of their followers can never go back to where they were before the accomplishment. Transcendent leadership changes the world and makes it better. When a leader is self-aware enough to be aware of their own personal agenda, to consciously master it and to place it aside in favor of greater principles...this is called character and principled consciousness. When a leader does this, they are following a greater calling than just making a buck for their company or a paycheck for their family. Their life is a life well-lived and one that will matter to those they leave behind. And in the end, the reward is fulfillment...something that is very distinct from material pleasure. Fulfillment allows us to sleep well and actually supplies a sense of satisfaction instead of a never ending addiction to more, more, more.

After all, why do we work? Isn't fulfillment the ultimate reward? A life well lived is a gift that gives us peace. Something precious and rare.. in this fast paced world we find ourselves in.

The Four Meta-Factors and the 12 Core Strengths

2008-03-29T08:37:00.009-04:00

The Four Meta-Factors

We are now just two short months from launching our charter version of the Tilt 360 Leadership Predictor instrument, designed specifically to ameliorate self-awareness in the leaders who will be the vanguard for change in the life of enterprise over the next decade. As the instrument has evolved through a collaborative effort of our community of professional thinkers, the excitement about what is possible has grown steadily to full throttle and we are now ready to share the big picture in a way that will bring all of this together for our readers. Above you are getting a sneak preview at the visual that illustrates our Transcendent Leadership Model which measures four Meta-Factors that will enhance leadership effectiveness in the future.

Humanity Factor Emotional Strengths (Capacity for Respect, Consideration & Diplomacy) - without balance in this mastery the leader cannot establish trust with others, limiting their ability to gain support to their cause or objective.

Wisdom Factor Intellectual Strengths (Capacity for Diligence, Temperance, & Perspective) - without balance in this mastery the leader cannot establish sufficient credibility, limiting their ability to gain understanding and support of goals through clear communication and understanding.

Courage Factor Instinctual Strengths (Capacity for Confidence, Bravery & Integrity) - without balance in this mastery, the leader cannot establish respect and momentum, limiting their ability to gain honor in favor of their cause.

Resilience Factor Philosophical Strengths (Capacity for Receptivity, Inspiration & Creativity) - without balance in this mastery, the leader cannot establish a basis for change or motivation, limiting their ability to catalyze new outcomes.

The Twelve Core Strengths

The twelve core strengths will be measured so that the leader can clearly see their unique strength quadrant as well as areas that need to be developed to round out their ability to lead in a culturally diverse world. Global leaders will need both right and left brain development to lead in a balanced way. This instrument also helps to identify overused strengths that have become detriments because they are skewed too far in one direction, thus causing polarization and relational problems. They key is to bring the leader's natural strengths to the leadership style but to balance that style with a reasonable amount of development in the other less developed quadrants for a well rounded approach.

In the next few blog posts which will happen every week until our launch in June, I will write about each of the twelve core strengths and why they are particularly important for leading the enterprise of the future.

Stay tuned for our June launch and visit our teaser website at www.tiltcoaches.com

Pam Boney, PCC

Executive Suite Coaching, Inc