What Can You Learn from Steve Jobs?

In every conference and meeting I’ve attended this past week, the discussion has turned to the loss of one of our most admired thought leaders, Steve Jobs. Without question one of the most innovative leaders of our time, he changed the way people connect with one another and how we experience digital content. His holistic view redefined the personal computing, music, animation, cell phone and mobile computing industries, to name just a few. Many say Steve Jobs’ legacy will be “the blending of technology and poetry.”

Better Balance Means Better Business Results

Having served as an executive for three Fortune 500 companies and running my own leadership development company for the past 20 years, I have never seen so many business leaders, across all business sectors and industries, work so hard to juggle so many challenges and opportunities. Shifting market conditions, higher customer expectations, ever-evolving workforce demographics, new business processes, constant advances in technology, and rapid social changes are causing many business leaders to rethink the kind of leadership that is needed to navigate the new terrain.

The truth is that we can no longer use the same thought and decision-making processes that we used just ten years ago…20th-century leadership models simply won’t work for 21st-century organizations and 21st-century problems. We need a different leadership model – one that is more balanced and integrated. Successful organizations of the future will be led by fully engaged, balanced teams of men and women working together. I call this Integrated Leadership.

Leadership in Italy – Amazing Things Happen When You Rise Off the Sticky Floor!

I recently had the pleasure of joining dear friends in a wonderful part of the world: Tuscany, in Central Italy. We enjoyed several days of sightseeing and biking across the countryside, as well as eating incredible food and tasting fine wines from a number of different regions.

A particularly memorable experience was a visit to the town of Pienza, where our guide, Pietro, took us up the mountain to a cheese-making farm operated by a delightful family. When we arrived, the owner, a woman named Hilda, welcomed us to what she referred to as her “dream come true.”

As we sat down for a tasting of her delicious cheeses, I asked Hilda to talk about how she made this magnificent enterprise happen. She shared that her dream had been to own a cheese-making farm that would eventually support her and her family. Yet she knew nothing about making cheese. In fact, when she first conceived her dream, she had been in the same job for 10 years and was living a very comfortable life.

Let’s Shift the Paradigm! The Time is Now for Balanced Leadership!

It seems lately that our world is experiencing dramatic shifts affecting us all. Whether it's events such as the world financial markets, the earthquake in Japan, bi-partisan budget wrangling or re-defining healthcare, the world lately seems to have shifted a bit on its axis. Another area that I’ve observed recently that’s also dramatically shifting right under our feet, is the concept of leadership.

Welcome To The New Work Environment! – Managing Across The Generations

Have you noticed lately how different our workplace is, compared to even 5 years ago? One thing is certain, each time I walk into a client organization, there are at least four unique generations represented. Each one has been shaped by the events of their times, as well as their own life experiences. My previous blog titled, “Who Are You: From the Words of a King,” focused on identity, who we think we are and who we want to be. This particular story expands on one’s identity through the lens of what each generation wants or is looking for. These generations bring unique perspectives, work ethics, communications styles, and different priorities to the workplace. This being the case, working and managing across generations has become essential for anyone wanting to build a cohesive, productive, and high performing organization.

Take A Deeper Dive

After presenting at a recent conference I found myself sitting at lunch next to a CEO who seemed anxious to talk to me. He related that although his company had made significant investments over the past few years in diversity training, lean six sigma initiatives and team development, he still wasn’t satisfied with the speed of transformation within the company. Women leaders were not advancing at the hoped-for pace, silo mentality was still rampant, and opinion survey results suggested that many managers and executives weren’t really listening to their employee; thus the employees felt disengaged and not involved in the important decisions and actions of the company. The CEO concluded with his litany of disappointing results from his training investments with, “We dove into these activities, but results so far we aren’t making much of a splash! What would you recommend, Becky?”

Are Your Employees Engaged?

A frown appeared on Jim’s face as he relayed how employee morale was down four points year-to-year. Surveyed respondents’ scores were consistently lower in the areas of inclusiveness and diversity, opportunities to improve skills with challenging assignments, and developing innovative solutions to solve pressing customer issues. What really concerned Jim was a common theme emerging from the write-in comments – a systemic lack of what’s being labeled as “Employee Engagement”.

Smart Power – Do You Have It!

Smart Power! Have you heard the term? At the personal level, it means the ability to continuously learn new things and adapt to new situations in order to successfully navigate through complex change. It’s hard to pick up a current business magazine without reading that “new demands, changes in organizational business models and the emergence of a global market economy all call for companies to acquire a “new” knowledge that enables them to look at more innovative ways to grow, remain competitive and prosper.” Again, this means having Smart Power.But this time, they are referring to the capacity to create and sustain a broader learning environment within your team and your organization.