As our team going global, I was tasked to conduct a virtual leadership training to the 4 newly-hired supervisors based in the US. Was I excited upon knowing? Not at all! I felt the sprawling sweats on my palm and down my back (my armpit? absolutely!) I was busy mulling over, trying come up with a good excuse but my schedule is as clear as water, they know I was free to conduct the 5-day training.
I had a lot of apprehensions and the first question came to mind was: How does the world, particularly the Americans, perceive Filipinos? Deluge of pictures -from TV, internet, books, daily's- start to rotate like a kaleidoscope in my head which make me feel sick and thought I might just get sick all the way and would have a great excuse. I texted my close friend (so glad to have confidants outside work)and conveyed the unnerving news, as I needed words of encouragement asap.
I was so scared that I would be confronted by their forthright resistance -in any form- sover having a trainer from a third-world country -which ranked 36th amongst the rest of asian countries in terms of economic, tourism and educational status btw, and who isn't a native English speaker and I bet would have me wearing a nanny's uniform in their imaginations.
He bounced the same phrase (which I got from Lea Salonga's interview by Phil Star)I told him in times of feeling the jitters during his regular tapings for his shows: "You can't show your insecurity and weakness when performing". Indeed, it alleviated the nerves. However, I wasn't still confident and so I skimmed through my memory, checking any sort of information I captured that tackles about confidence.
I remember, John Maxwell's 'Talent is Not Enough', I read last Christmas. He posits that practice sharpens your talent and therefore increases confidence. I have been conducting leadership classes for over a year now so that must be squared away. I was also reminded of this: confidence can only be attained if you have enough knowledge. Knowledge will supply the words and believing in it will fuel your passion and will make you speak with conviction which is tantamount to confidence. I believe in what I teach, I think I am resolved.
I only had one question left in my head before I can rest on my laurels, "Will they agree with my examples (from experience) of which I usually use to substatiate the leadership concepts, given that they live a different culture?" This was difficult to resolve and thought that I will try anyway, this then would be a great risk to take and just prayed that God takes care of the things I can't control. I constantly reverberated too that I have a mission and that is to ensure that these supervisors will learn to care for their people and to work unselfishly, for their people's development. I know I only had to keep an eye on that objective and try not to get digressed with my flickering nerve cells.
My strategy was to stick to my guide and enrich the discussion with more examples from my experiences and from the books I read and more getting-to-know-you activities (asking questions about family, achievements and aspirations). To date, it was the longest week of my life. It commenced quite precariously and the fact that it was virtual, put more load to my burden. There were a lot of awkward moments, long pauses, deafening silence, a lot of rambling from my end and I believed my voice trembled intermittently.
But there was nothing much on the first day, it was more like an 8-hour introductory part with online courses. We still didn't have coaching and leadership skills discussed-in-depth until the 2nd day. Second day was comforting, they started sharing their thoughts, actively participating in the role plays and enthusiastically discussed the plethora of topics with me. There were still awkward moments like the furlong silence that cripples me down my spine but I didn't allow that to lose my focus and pressed on.
With sticking to my strategy I was able yo get through my long week alive! On our last day, we ended with feedback-giving and I was glad to know that they liked and enjoyed the training and isolated specifically to the experiences (Philippine-based experiences those are), some insights and the relevant information I shared from my readings.
I know I wasn't great, I rambled most of the time but I was not as bad as i thought I'd be, either. I realized that like love, there is also that universal language that all leaders in the world speak regardless of their environment, culture and beliefs- that Leadership doesn't mean position nor power but it is about sincerely caring for your people and aspiring for their individual success. It is also investing time to upskill oneself for your people to benefit from.
And lastly, I thank God for taking control of the things I could not control, whatever they maybe...
Thanks for reading!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Your leadership style and beliefs may be lame.
In high school, I was relieved to know that exlusive schools for girls are repreived from the most dreaded Citizens Army Training (CAT). Our exuberance, however, was thwarted by the startling news. Before the junior year ended, we were cautioned that CAT will be part of our senior year curriculum. The news was like a splash of cold water which froze everyone upon hearing.
I personally dreaded CAT as I have heard a lot of horrifying stories about it. I have heard that we will go through some inhumane initiations to test our physical, emotional and mental strengths. Tougher mental and physical tests, that will lurch your intestines, were even given to those who aspire to become officers. When I asked why, in my derision, I was told that we had to simulate the military training. I was indignant to know that the tests were so poorly designed and I felt sorry to those who aspired for the positions.
Growing up in place where bombings, killings and rebellions were rampant, armed men-in-uniform were conspicuous and one curious young mind can't help but wonder how strenuous and horrifying their trainings were. In my arbitrary interviews from friends, I learned about some random violent initiations that everyone had to endure to pass.
Why does this school, that grooms future leaders, condone such atrocious practice. It has been known that many lives-lives bearing brilliant minds and purest intentions at heart-had been wasted because of these merciless tests. Lives who might not be able to endure the physical strain but is shrewd enough to strategize and win battles.
Every Filipino know Apolinario Mabini, 'The Sublime Paralytic'. If you don't, then find at least some 8 year-old kids in your area, they are quite congnizant about this hero. Mabini was able to win several battles despite his physical constraint. His detractors were in awe of his strategies and even learned from him.
Nelson Mandela once said, "A good mind and a good heart is a formidable combination."
There are practical exercises and trainings that will improve ones endurance and strength but to put someone through a life-threatening test to profess his patriotism and his will to lead is just lame and brutal.
Those who endure the heartless tests will lead the next round of appalling initiations and mind you, the tests will be intensified, kicking up a few notches up as one feels the urge to retaliate. Yes, it does trickle down and becomes more horrifying.
I wonder why they kept mum about it? I am sure democracy is practiced, if not everywhere, in most of the educated areas in the country. Do we lack courage? Isn't courage an auspicious ingredient to win a battle?
'The Great Man Theory', one of the leadership theories conceived which caused a leader to become autocratic or authoritative. The leader solely has the right to decide and commands everyone to be subservient, regardless if the followers know why they are being tasked to or whether the followers believe in the decision made or not.
Is this the leadership style our armed foces have? I am dubious but if it is so then I will stop pressuring my brain cells to think why some of them torture their captives. I will not be surprised why we can't even ace a common hostage drama.
Consequently, leaders with x or y or z leadership style, are either loathed or admired by their people. Therefore, leaders must be wary and responsible about any word they utter, gesture they show and simple decision they make. They must not forget that they were catapulted to their posts to ease the burden of their people and to win. They shoulld work work for the people not people work for them.
Luckily, I did not have to go through CAT as I was busy with some music and cultural competitions and I was glad to know that the tests and the training my classmates went through were not as bad as I envisisaged, thanks to the nuns that protected us from all those unreasonable traditions.
I personally dreaded CAT as I have heard a lot of horrifying stories about it. I have heard that we will go through some inhumane initiations to test our physical, emotional and mental strengths. Tougher mental and physical tests, that will lurch your intestines, were even given to those who aspire to become officers. When I asked why, in my derision, I was told that we had to simulate the military training. I was indignant to know that the tests were so poorly designed and I felt sorry to those who aspired for the positions.
Growing up in place where bombings, killings and rebellions were rampant, armed men-in-uniform were conspicuous and one curious young mind can't help but wonder how strenuous and horrifying their trainings were. In my arbitrary interviews from friends, I learned about some random violent initiations that everyone had to endure to pass.
Why does this school, that grooms future leaders, condone such atrocious practice. It has been known that many lives-lives bearing brilliant minds and purest intentions at heart-had been wasted because of these merciless tests. Lives who might not be able to endure the physical strain but is shrewd enough to strategize and win battles.
Every Filipino know Apolinario Mabini, 'The Sublime Paralytic'. If you don't, then find at least some 8 year-old kids in your area, they are quite congnizant about this hero. Mabini was able to win several battles despite his physical constraint. His detractors were in awe of his strategies and even learned from him.
Nelson Mandela once said, "A good mind and a good heart is a formidable combination."
There are practical exercises and trainings that will improve ones endurance and strength but to put someone through a life-threatening test to profess his patriotism and his will to lead is just lame and brutal.
Those who endure the heartless tests will lead the next round of appalling initiations and mind you, the tests will be intensified, kicking up a few notches up as one feels the urge to retaliate. Yes, it does trickle down and becomes more horrifying.
I wonder why they kept mum about it? I am sure democracy is practiced, if not everywhere, in most of the educated areas in the country. Do we lack courage? Isn't courage an auspicious ingredient to win a battle?
'The Great Man Theory', one of the leadership theories conceived which caused a leader to become autocratic or authoritative. The leader solely has the right to decide and commands everyone to be subservient, regardless if the followers know why they are being tasked to or whether the followers believe in the decision made or not.
Is this the leadership style our armed foces have? I am dubious but if it is so then I will stop pressuring my brain cells to think why some of them torture their captives. I will not be surprised why we can't even ace a common hostage drama.
Consequently, leaders with x or y or z leadership style, are either loathed or admired by their people. Therefore, leaders must be wary and responsible about any word they utter, gesture they show and simple decision they make. They must not forget that they were catapulted to their posts to ease the burden of their people and to win. They shoulld work work for the people not people work for them.
Luckily, I did not have to go through CAT as I was busy with some music and cultural competitions and I was glad to know that the tests and the training my classmates went through were not as bad as I envisisaged, thanks to the nuns that protected us from all those unreasonable traditions.
Friday, July 30, 2010
“I HATE MY BOSS! HE IS SO RUDE AND YELLS AT ME!”
I do not understand the rationale behind using such an intense and unecessary emotion in delivering a feedback, giving instructions or in coaching an employee. It baffles me seeing superiors riling over or even going maniacal over the most infinitesimal things! How pathetic! Is it really necessary to tip?
You might find this ludicrous but I don’t feel sorry for the person at the receiving end… at all. I am more concerned with the nondescript superiors permeating all the stresses and extreme pressures in their bodies, not to mention their visceras and veins bloating close to bursting in their skins, hormones in rage shooting up and down making their visions fuzzy, pupil dilating, eye balls popping off their sockets…sigh, sorry but they neither look pretty nor inticing. It is like, ‘Frankenstein in his suit’.
I think the first advice one can give them is to mount a mirror across their room or on their desks so they see their reflections whenever they’re steaming. Those steams off their ears do make them look like a train-wrecking-any-moment-now type of thing.
Is it really necessary to cause such a tremendous tremor and detrimental pressures in your body just to get your message accrossed?
Do you think it is the best methodology the world proffers, among the wide spectrum of media, in delivering information?
Will it be beneficial to our family or to the people we are working for to squander this much emotion? If you die now because of increased blood pressure or heart attack with your irresponsible utilization of emotions squishing you to extreme exhaustion, will your family be happy or appease with such a tragic end?
Will it assuage crises at work if you are rude to your people?
To be fair to all parties, we must take into account the impact of being ill-treated. Well, the most conspicuous would be the mental as well as physical ‘paralyses’.
Obviously, you freeze. If you are inside the boss’ room, you can’t move your feet to move out, the moment the sermon is over, thus, the boss ends up telling you to leave. The blood flow in your brain is impeded as the stress hormones gallivant about. You can’t focus.Your mind is literally and figuratively empty. Logic and creativity is just hampered, you cannot perform the way your boss wants you to now.
You have committed such a grave offense but in your mind, you wished that it would have been okay to fire you instead rather than to break your heart. And then, you feel that working for your boss is not worth it and that you can bring your talent elsewhere who will be tolerant of your learning curve or who is patient enough to teach you.
You then judges that your boss, that he does not deserve his post and that he is not a good leader and neither is he a good communicator. He does not know how to properly deliver a feedback. He isn’t a good coach or teacher. If he was, you could have been proofed from all the errors as everyone is bound to. You go to your desk, write your resignation letter. The company has spent so much for you and with you leaving, the company just lost a big sum.
WHY PEOPLE CAN BE RUDE?
If an employee asked the boss this question, the boss might burst into tears.
People who are innately rude inherited such behavior from their ancestors whilst people who are not usually rude have some latent issue that is built up once another issue arises, hence, becomes strangely furious.
Highly intellectual people (with some challenges on EQ) have intermittent episodes of this too. They learn everything fast and captured details in precision. Your normal pace-slow to moderate- frustrates them and since they are so not in-tuned with their body systems, they can shoot up and tip.
LEADERSHIP
GOD MUST HAVE TRUSTED YOU SO MUCH TO ENTRUST YOU HIS PEOPLE, catapulting you to be a leader of your team or organization.
First, is that you need to accept that you lack and you are not a god to be perfect. Read more and listen more.
Second is to realize that everything is temporary. Your people will not forever be your people. Have you heard of that security guard at work turned into a performing employee in the production? I have, I met him. It is shameful to ill-treat people doing the menial jobs at work because you’ll never know what they can become in the future. The worst part is you might end up reporting to them somewhere and sometime in the future, who knows?
Third, follow John Maxwell’s 101% principle and please discount emotion. Breathe if you must, smoke(for those who smoke) or take a breather by walking the floor or just go to the lobby and appreciate the nature or architecture or people passing by, before you coach or deliver a feedback.
The 101% principle- is wrenching out that 1% goodness out of the situation or of the person and focus your 100% attention to it by recognition and sincere affirmation before you address the issue.The person receiving the feedback will not feel bad about it and won’t take it personally. You have conveyed that you, as a leader, are absolutely not oblivious of your followers’ achievements because you tout that before you began.
Lastly, we ought to be reminded that there are things we can and cannot control. We should not waste our energy on those things we cannot control but focus on what we can. Followers misbehaving is controllable but inevitable, hence at the moment instances like this can be classified as uncontrollable.
We can't control our followers' reactions over particular issues but what we can definitely control is our emotions. Yes, we can control our emotions. It might take tons of practice (not genetic engineering of course) but we'll definitely can. If you have a hard time controlling your emotion, it's time to see a shrink or stop taking that drugs and ask your doctor for alternatives. You have a serious job to do.
“I am human. I am engineered to grapple with the imperfections, inherited from the genes of my ancestors, to be the best that I can be. However, along the way to greatness are pitfalls and so I sink sometimes. I need someone to raise me up and be patient with me and for them, I’ll forever be grateful and as a payback ,I will do the same to others.”- Homo sapiens sapiens
You might find this ludicrous but I don’t feel sorry for the person at the receiving end… at all. I am more concerned with the nondescript superiors permeating all the stresses and extreme pressures in their bodies, not to mention their visceras and veins bloating close to bursting in their skins, hormones in rage shooting up and down making their visions fuzzy, pupil dilating, eye balls popping off their sockets…sigh, sorry but they neither look pretty nor inticing. It is like, ‘Frankenstein in his suit’.
I think the first advice one can give them is to mount a mirror across their room or on their desks so they see their reflections whenever they’re steaming. Those steams off their ears do make them look like a train-wrecking-any-moment-now type of thing.
Is it really necessary to cause such a tremendous tremor and detrimental pressures in your body just to get your message accrossed?
Do you think it is the best methodology the world proffers, among the wide spectrum of media, in delivering information?
Will it be beneficial to our family or to the people we are working for to squander this much emotion? If you die now because of increased blood pressure or heart attack with your irresponsible utilization of emotions squishing you to extreme exhaustion, will your family be happy or appease with such a tragic end?
Will it assuage crises at work if you are rude to your people?
To be fair to all parties, we must take into account the impact of being ill-treated. Well, the most conspicuous would be the mental as well as physical ‘paralyses’.
Obviously, you freeze. If you are inside the boss’ room, you can’t move your feet to move out, the moment the sermon is over, thus, the boss ends up telling you to leave. The blood flow in your brain is impeded as the stress hormones gallivant about. You can’t focus.Your mind is literally and figuratively empty. Logic and creativity is just hampered, you cannot perform the way your boss wants you to now.
You have committed such a grave offense but in your mind, you wished that it would have been okay to fire you instead rather than to break your heart. And then, you feel that working for your boss is not worth it and that you can bring your talent elsewhere who will be tolerant of your learning curve or who is patient enough to teach you.
You then judges that your boss, that he does not deserve his post and that he is not a good leader and neither is he a good communicator. He does not know how to properly deliver a feedback. He isn’t a good coach or teacher. If he was, you could have been proofed from all the errors as everyone is bound to. You go to your desk, write your resignation letter. The company has spent so much for you and with you leaving, the company just lost a big sum.
WHY PEOPLE CAN BE RUDE?
If an employee asked the boss this question, the boss might burst into tears.
People who are innately rude inherited such behavior from their ancestors whilst people who are not usually rude have some latent issue that is built up once another issue arises, hence, becomes strangely furious.
Highly intellectual people (with some challenges on EQ) have intermittent episodes of this too. They learn everything fast and captured details in precision. Your normal pace-slow to moderate- frustrates them and since they are so not in-tuned with their body systems, they can shoot up and tip.
LEADERSHIP
GOD MUST HAVE TRUSTED YOU SO MUCH TO ENTRUST YOU HIS PEOPLE, catapulting you to be a leader of your team or organization.
First, is that you need to accept that you lack and you are not a god to be perfect. Read more and listen more.
Second is to realize that everything is temporary. Your people will not forever be your people. Have you heard of that security guard at work turned into a performing employee in the production? I have, I met him. It is shameful to ill-treat people doing the menial jobs at work because you’ll never know what they can become in the future. The worst part is you might end up reporting to them somewhere and sometime in the future, who knows?
Third, follow John Maxwell’s 101% principle and please discount emotion. Breathe if you must, smoke(for those who smoke) or take a breather by walking the floor or just go to the lobby and appreciate the nature or architecture or people passing by, before you coach or deliver a feedback.
The 101% principle- is wrenching out that 1% goodness out of the situation or of the person and focus your 100% attention to it by recognition and sincere affirmation before you address the issue.The person receiving the feedback will not feel bad about it and won’t take it personally. You have conveyed that you, as a leader, are absolutely not oblivious of your followers’ achievements because you tout that before you began.
Lastly, we ought to be reminded that there are things we can and cannot control. We should not waste our energy on those things we cannot control but focus on what we can. Followers misbehaving is controllable but inevitable, hence at the moment instances like this can be classified as uncontrollable.
We can't control our followers' reactions over particular issues but what we can definitely control is our emotions. Yes, we can control our emotions. It might take tons of practice (not genetic engineering of course) but we'll definitely can. If you have a hard time controlling your emotion, it's time to see a shrink or stop taking that drugs and ask your doctor for alternatives. You have a serious job to do.
“I am human. I am engineered to grapple with the imperfections, inherited from the genes of my ancestors, to be the best that I can be. However, along the way to greatness are pitfalls and so I sink sometimes. I need someone to raise me up and be patient with me and for them, I’ll forever be grateful and as a payback ,I will do the same to others.”- Homo sapiens sapiens
Friday, July 9, 2010
Is the probability of being promoted higher to those who are close to the boss? (The Science Behind Politics in the Workplace)
"Promotion only happens to those who bootlick!" I hear this reaction often in my classes. Others might not speak of it but they gesture, in a strong agreement whenever somebody vehemently expresses it.
Is being close to your boss advantageous in every angle as this relationship may possibly catapult you to a higher position? The answer is yes, with conviction. Ergo, do not be surprised that sooner or later that co-worker of yours, whom you deride as he/she overtly and shamelessly bootlicks, becomes the next boss of you!
The LMX theory of leadership explains why. The theory's focal point is on the “vertical linkages” or relationships of leaders with every direct report. The pursuit is investigating the effects of the degrees of proximity to the organization. Such relationships are categorized into two groups: the IN-GROUP and the OUT-GROUP.
The formation of these groups involves several steps. Everyone starts from 'testing' and identifying behaviors that suit best to the organization and fit more to the leader.Somewhere down the lane, the split happens.
The In-Group's relationship with their leader is based on mutual trust, liking, and reciprocal influence. The group members receive more information, influence than the rest of the subordinates. Additionally they are more dependable, highly involved and more communicative than the rest of subordinates.With Out-Group, the leader uses traditional supervisory approach, and the employee helps the leader strictly based on his resposibilities as a subordinate, not further. In other words, they come to work, do the job, and then go home. (http://www.bealeader.net/109/the-lmx-leadership-theory)
In essence,the in-group holds strong ties with their leader whilst the out-group is at a distance following what the job scope states. The in-group is more updated and more likely to be given special projects as they show more enthusiasm and share the same views with their leader than the other group.
This might have thrown an organization off-balance as the out-group are deprived of opportunity to improve and grow. However, it has been proven that organizations succeed and grow more with in-group's endeavors, hence, the in-grouper's are more likely to be catapulted to higher posts as the organization grows over time.
It could have been a lot a better if leaders have the capacity to create an excellent working relationships among all their people. We hope that they have the patience to deal with individual differences or at least attempt to understand difficult individuals and the root of their behaviors. They must be the catalyst of change and foster an excellent quality LEADER-MEMBER EXCHANGES.
Is being close to your boss advantageous in every angle as this relationship may possibly catapult you to a higher position? The answer is yes, with conviction. Ergo, do not be surprised that sooner or later that co-worker of yours, whom you deride as he/she overtly and shamelessly bootlicks, becomes the next boss of you!
The LMX theory of leadership explains why. The theory's focal point is on the “vertical linkages” or relationships of leaders with every direct report. The pursuit is investigating the effects of the degrees of proximity to the organization. Such relationships are categorized into two groups: the IN-GROUP and the OUT-GROUP.
The formation of these groups involves several steps. Everyone starts from 'testing' and identifying behaviors that suit best to the organization and fit more to the leader.Somewhere down the lane, the split happens.
The In-Group's relationship with their leader is based on mutual trust, liking, and reciprocal influence. The group members receive more information, influence than the rest of the subordinates. Additionally they are more dependable, highly involved and more communicative than the rest of subordinates.With Out-Group, the leader uses traditional supervisory approach, and the employee helps the leader strictly based on his resposibilities as a subordinate, not further. In other words, they come to work, do the job, and then go home. (http://www.bealeader.net/109/the-lmx-leadership-theory)
In essence,the in-group holds strong ties with their leader whilst the out-group is at a distance following what the job scope states. The in-group is more updated and more likely to be given special projects as they show more enthusiasm and share the same views with their leader than the other group.
This might have thrown an organization off-balance as the out-group are deprived of opportunity to improve and grow. However, it has been proven that organizations succeed and grow more with in-group's endeavors, hence, the in-grouper's are more likely to be catapulted to higher posts as the organization grows over time.
It could have been a lot a better if leaders have the capacity to create an excellent working relationships among all their people. We hope that they have the patience to deal with individual differences or at least attempt to understand difficult individuals and the root of their behaviors. They must be the catalyst of change and foster an excellent quality LEADER-MEMBER EXCHANGES.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)