New Year’s Resolution for Authentic Leaders
In the past, I’ve considered New Year’s resolutions kind of annoying. They simply didn’t work, or maybe I should say, I simply didn’t work with them. The excitement over the new plan whereby I would follow a new path in life as of the 1st of January was wearing off pretty quickly and soon I was stuck with the frustration over my own lack of discipline, or the strength of my old habits. The other option seemed much more attractive: don’t make New Year’s resolutions in the first place! Don’t bother with thinking about values and goals if you already know that you won’t be able to keep to them, I told myself. But that was taking the easy way out; secretly I knew that real change and positive development would not happen if not instigated consciously by me. Secondly, following through with any new plan is more difficult and important than I realized at first, but it is an indispensable part of becoming an authentic leader.
Particularly when experiencing severe problems, or after big scandals, people want radical change, immediately. Or so they say, because it seems as if they didn’t. The authors of the True North Blog summarized the gist of the two major corporate scandals of the past decades, Enron and the current Mortgage Crisis, in their article “Since Enron, little has changed.”
“Enron’s board ratified a cocktail of financial incentives and compensation contracts that promoted reckless gambling with shareholder money….Lacking the recapture of bonus payments for unprofitable contracts, executives had little accountability in deploying shareholder capital. Finally, short-term quantitative criteria displaced qualitative measures of executive performance.”
And then they go on to describe what happened rather recently:
“….In the current subprime crisis, mortgage bankers and some commercial bankers utilized similar incentives to achieve short-term gains….The result of these perverse incentives was as predictable for these bankers as it was at Enron: excessive risk-taking was rewarded to achieve short-term gains.”
The lack of our ability to learn, adapt and change, however, is omnipresent. Think back at the news about a major decrease in sales of SUVs in the USA. When gas prices were high, Americans stopped buying large cars. A lot of talk was heard about the future of energy efficient cars, the urgency to stop drilling for oil and instead invest in research for fuel alternatives. Great, the Europeans thought (who by the way pay about double the price for gas anyway), the Americans will soon adapt the view that smaller cars are cool and in turn care more for the environment. Maybe they did, but not for long because in autumn this year we read on the news:
“Despite the down economy, falling gas prices have driven consumers back to the sport utility vehicles they once gave the cold shoulder” (ref)
“And while automakers continue to shut down SUV production, some dealers say that even interest in conspicuous consumption machines like the Escalade began to rise once gas fell back below $3.50 a gallon.” (ref)
So, why are we shocked about corporate scandals, and more so if these same destructive behaviors are repeated over and over again? Why is it so hard for humans to reconsider their worldview, decide on new strategies and actually stick to them? Because the desire to change for the better, paired with the awareness of failure is part of the human condition.
Suggested New Year’s Resolution for 2009
Learning means to challenge existing habits, ideas, opinions and practices; it takes awareness of one’s own way of working and its impact on the environment. People make the same mistakes twice because they either lack this awareness of their own actions, or they don’t manage to pull through with new plans, or they simply don’t care. Effective leaders are aware of the fact that most people have trouble changing, but they know about the positive influence their behaviors can have. By testing their own standpoints regularly and acting in accordance with their (adapted) values, they can set the stage for long lasting change by inspiring people to do the same.
We expect leaders to be different and so they should be: ideally, they can be role models for change. The academic literature on Authentic Leadership is very clear on the quality of ‘consistent authentic behavior’, referring to the small gap between values and actions of authentic leaders; it ‘simply’ means: figure out the principles according to which you want to lead, and follow through on them, every day. - “Nothing New there!” You say? - “Very true”, I say, “and the proof of the pudding is in the eating…”
It is a tough exercise, to reconsider current stand points, to find new ideals and to actually act upon them over a long period of time. For everyone who wants to become an authentic leader, however, this could be their New Years Resolution for 2009. It certainly will be one of mine.
Happy, Healthy and Successful New Year 2009 to you all!
Posted: December 29th, 2008 under Leadership.
Tags: Authentic Behavior, Authentic Leadership, Consistency, Learning, New Years Resolution 2009
Comments: none
The Mystery of Christ Child: European Christmas Sentiments.
For me, Christmas will be different this year. I have decided to replay my Christmas memories for my child in the most traditional way that I remember. Yes, the way we used to celebrate Christmas in Austria is unreal, it is pure fiction. But I find it beautiful, uplifting, and inspiring and I think that you might, too.
Never heard of Father Christmas. But what does Christ Child look like?
The idea of a generous (male) distributor of gifts with a red gown, a long white beard who travels the world in a carriage is not too far off from the mystifying Being who does this job for children in Austria. The biggest difference is that it would have been unimaginable for us to actually have a picture of what the personality, who fulfils so many dreams for Christmas, would look like. What we were told ever since we were toddlers was that what’s really happening at Christmas is the arrival of “Christ Child” who would celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ by surprising all the children in the world. Nobody knows what Christ Child looks like, whether it is male or female, when it will come or where it lives. What we knew was that it is kind of a ‘spirit’ that has the ability to ‘know’ who we were, and whether we had been behaving well during the year to earn our Christmas presents.
The reality of waiting for Christ Child’s arrival that was scheduled for Christmas Eve at around 7pm was this: Three whole days before Christmas Eve, the living room door in our house was locked because Christ Child could come ‘any time now’ and could be disturbed. In case one of us children would catch it whilst preparing the tree and the presents, it would fly away and never be seen again – including all the gifts! The exciting tension was only enhanced by the fact that the living room was the only room with a TV in it, so were not only kept waiting for the most important Event in the year, but we had to spend the time differently. And that’s what did it for me: my Fantasies ran wild. I figured that I knew exactly what Christ Child looked like. Despite the recommendations of our parents not ever to look out for Christ Child working in our living room, I constantly peeked through the key hole of the living room door. Of course, I saw it working and flying off and therefore could be certain that it was an androgynous, shy, and fragile angel-like being in a white-bluish gown. At the same time that I wanted to see it so badly I was worried that it might have noticed me (because it knows everything, after all!) and so the hours until Christmas Eve passed by like years. Finally, on Christmas Eve, we would be dressed up for dinner, not hungry at all due to the thrill we felt upon the arrival of Christ Child and impatiently nagging our parents to finish up their plates. Suddenly, a high bell would ring gently from the direction of the living room: rang, of course, by Christ Child, after lighting the candles on the tree and placing the name-tagged presents for all. Christ Child had arrived!
The Inspiration of Mystery
In times where humans have become masters of information sharing, I find it enormously appealing for children and adults alike to preserve some kind of mystery. The idea of not knowing what Christ Child looks like made us children having to imagine, searching for it and hoping that it would still do its job for us. To maintain the illusion that it exists was paired with the awareness that we would never understand its nature anyway. What a change from the certainty we strive for in adult life, the sense of control and mastery over our destiny that we desire. I remember that the excitement about the mystery of Christ Child was much more important to me than the prohibition of watching TV, the ambiguous expectations connected with the event and even the actual gifts. I greatly hope that we will manage to maintain some room for wonderful mystery and imagination in our children’s minds to let them take part in the eternal search for their truth.
Merry Christmas to all that celebrate, and Happy Holidays to you all!
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Tags: Christ Child, Father Christmas, Hope, imagination, mystery, search for truth
Comments: 2
One dimensional shopping machines: Detachment in Sales
Lately I’ve started to observe myself in the capacity as “customer” of goods and services, and I must admit it is not a pretty sight. In supermarkets I find myself checking out the yellow signs indicating sales and reduced prices instead of the quality of the product. When buying goods online the first thing I do is check out Amazon for the lowest possible deal for the iPod, my new digital camera, interesting books or music. Hypocritically, I claim to support local businesses because I purchased that birthday card for my friend at the book store downtown. Then, on other occasions, when I’m looking for ‘important’ things such as winter jackets, strollers or computers I suddenly turn into the obnoxiously fastidious customer who is appalled at the lack of interest most sales people show about my needs. My frustration is often caused by bad sales people who don’t even ask one single question in the sales process, either because they haven’t learned how to sell or because they simply don’t care.
But one day I realized that the disinterested salesman might be mirroring my own attitude, or better, the collective attitude of today’s customers.
Our Sales Culture …
Let’s look at it from a bird’s point of view. Inefficient sales people in shops, department stores and sales offices around the globe practically make the same mistake: they act as if they don’t want to get involved with the nature of customer’s needs and rather just sell whatever they think they can get away with. What we experience is a complete lack of questioning techniques, resulting in insufficient knowledge about the client’s needs and circumstances and in the end: loss of clients to competitors with lower prices, lower customer satisfaction or decline in sales altogether. Panicky, these same businesses then try to lure customers back with apparent sales offers, quick deals and pushy sales people, because ‘competition is too tough’ to be handled otherwise.
It’s not quality or uniqueness of the product anymore that counts, but price, price, price; that’s what the customers want, after all.
+ Our Buying Culture
And we apparently do! We queue at 3am in the morning in front of Wal-Mart’s to purchase stuff at fantastically low prices (even oblivious to the fact that some of us just trampled a salesman to death), and we buy four oven cleaners because we get the fifth for free. We think that most sales people are nuisances who can’t be trusted anyway, so we rather avoid their fake smiles when hunting for the cheapest mattress in town. We just love a bargain, even if what we bought wasn’t exactly what we needed. It was nearly for free, after all!
= Detachment
So where is the product in this whole spiel? And what about the sales experience, the positive and proud feeling that we experienced when we were helped to find the perfect vacuum cleaner by that charming and trustworthy salesman? Wasn’t it nice to choose the nicest fur coat out of the fifteen that we tried on, whilst the friendly sales woman patiently advised us on color and style? Yes, it was. And we enjoyed the occupation with the product itself, the human touch of the sales interaction and the interest the sales person showed in our needs and possibilities.
In my opinion, many of us (customers and sales people alike) have entered the realm of complete detachment: we are detached from each other during the sales interaction, and we are detached from the product or service. Salespeople don’t want to know and customers don’t want to tell; price instead of products rule the market. What sounds like a Marxist premise is simply an observation of sales processes in the 21st century: It is a vicious circle of disinterest, avoidance of the other person and the product, and greediness increasing by the season. What we have created ourselves, we can only escape together: by focusing again on why we have accepted our role as salesperson and customer in the first place: to purchase and sell unique products and services. (Because that’s what we claim anyway, so we might as well do it.)
Buying back our souls: how to become a better customer and salesperson
Simple steps can be taken by all of us to counteract the detachment of our precious sales/purchase:
For salespeople: Ask, ask, ask. Ask yourself and your customer what he/she really needs. Try to put yourself in their shoes in every transaction. Hint:look below for what your customers might me interested in! Then, make yourself knowledgeable about your product and then, show interest and act upon it!
For customers: Be aware of what you buy where and why. What questions would you like your salesman to ask you? Think about what other dimensions apart from price can determine your choice of product and maybe share your thoughts with your sales person:
Quality? (Maybe longer-lasting, better looking and safer makes you happier?!)
Where was it made? (Maybe it’s worth supporting your local economy?!)
Less or more Packaging? (Maybe environmental friendliness is important to you?)
By both parties taking more accountability, we can become competent customers as well as competent sales people - instead of one-dimensional selling- and shopping machines!
I look forward to your suggestions for many more dimensions that might be important to you!
If you are interested in how to make your sales positive again, please contact me at andrea@derlercoaching.com
Posted: December 13th, 2008 under Sales.
Tags: detachment, interest, product, Sales
Comments: 2
Black Sheep, or: What Authentic Leadership is NOT
It’s truly funny. Whilst I’m still trying to understand all aspects of Authentic Leadership – the serious academic approach to effective leadership, that is - others seem to have no difficulties to simply grab a few words from the starry sky to describe what they think it means. The latest blog entry that made my skin crawl is by an American self-acclaimed “spiritual teacher and visionary thinker” who thought the world has been waiting for his definition of Authentic Leadership. (I’m referring to his blog (”http://www.andrewcohen.org/andrew/authentic-leadership.asp”) with great caution and I have to warn you: what he describes is neither ‘Authentic’ nor ‘Leadership’. I decided to comment on this issue only because I have become somehow obsessed with the mission of clearing the name of Authentic Leadership off all its misconceptions.)
Spiritualists often try to validate the contents of their speeches by borrowing business-like terms; unfortunately, words like ‘authenticity’ and ‘leadership’ due to their multifaceted nature are indeed terms that can be stretched beyond recognition. The author of this website states that Authentic Leadership means to Stand alone, Live fearlessly, Act heroically, Want to be free and true more than anything else, Take unconditional responsibility for oneself, Face everything and avoid nothing, At all times see things impersonally, and Live for a higher purpose.
It’s not the individual recommendations for better behaviors and attitudes that bother me but the fact that they do not correlate with authentic leadership. To pick on one, let’s look at “stand alone”, probably referring to the necessity of a lonely but brave ‘maverick-status’ of an authentic person. Fact is that authenticity cannot be an alienated function of a leader’s qualities because it is exactly the interaction with others (subordinates) that renders a leader authentic. In short, whatever a leader or manager thinks his individual degree of authenticity is, it can only be confirmed by the people around him. To stand alone would be no good sign of an authentic leader but a lonely superior at the top of the crowd. In sum, all these alleged signs of authentic leadership are exclusively self-directed and would preoccupy the leader with sorting out his own purpose in life. They go far beyond the foundation of authentic leadership, self-awareness, and do not mention once their impact on other people.
Once again I want to stress that authentic leadership is a highly complex activity that can only be understood by a lively interaction between a leader, the one who leads others, and followers, those who want to follow. Hence, if we want to utilize the concept of authentic leadership to actually understand the complexity of effective human relationships for practical use in business contexts, we must separate the wheat from the chaff:
1) Spirituality is NOT the foundation for Authentic Leadership
(Previously: Delete the word “Spirituality” from our understanding of Authentic Leadership)
Spirituality lives in another galaxy; Authentic Leaders live on earth.
2) Remember that Leadership is Interactive
It’s follower’s perceptions that make authentic leaders.
For links, articles and references contact andrea@derlercoaching.com
Posted: December 1st, 2008 under Leadership.
Tags: Authentic Leadership, misconception
Comments: 4
About Bias and Austrians
Lately, I have been so preoccupied with getting acquainted with the topic of Statistical Analysis that I nearly forgot about the intellectual loves of my life, Authentic Leadership and Positive Sales. You bet I thought about boring you with formulas and numbers on this blog just to make you share my hardship whilst finishing my PhD curriculum. But then I thought better of it. Instead, I decided, I will share with you a discovery I made online: an Austrian academic in the USA who is doing impressive work on Attribution theory, amongst many other research topics. During a statistics-less lunch break one day I came across one of his publications and a piece of Almond Joy nearly got stuck in my throat: his findings seemed to shatter part of my PhD-hypothesis!
But let me start at the beginning.
In short, the correlation between Attribution theory and Authentic Leadership that some researchers see, is based on one particular trait that authentic leaders have: they are less biased when it comes to information about themselves and their subordinates. That means, that they can form more accurate perceptions about who’s done what and why, and they can assess successes and failures more objectively by taking lots o information into account. Why is this special? Because we are all human and prone to lots of biases: terms like ‘leader bias’ (form of self-serving bias) and ‘actor-observer bias’ being most relevant here. The proper word for ‘leader-bias’ is self-serving bias because it refers to our tendency to take more accountability for successes than for failures. Translated into leadership situations this could represent the tendency of a manager to take the praise for his team’s good work because he thinks it was down to his leadership, whilst blaming them for their setbacks, attributing the failure to others. (Can you guess why this can be detrimental to the relationship between leaders and associates?!).
The actor-observer bias is an old psychological hypothesis that has been supported by dozens of researchers since the 70’s; it says that an observer (i.e. leader) will attribute the reasons for his subordinate’s behavior to their own disposition (subordinate’s ability, motivation, mood etc) whilst the actor (i.e. subordinate) refers mainly to situational circumstances (hard job, difficult customer, tough environment). This mismatch of attributions from both parties can be counterproductive and does not really help in performance development reviews. But there is a silver lining on the dark bias-horizon: if leaders are authentic, some say, they are aware of these biases – theirs and others – and they can handle these difficult situations more accurately and fairly. Sounds logical to me!
And then the bombshell by Professor Bertram Malle who did a comprehensive study about the actor-observer bias just to find out that there is a lack of support for the actor-observer-bias. Normally I would have faked blindness and ignored the article because it seemed counterproductive for my great PhD-undertaking (only joking, of course!!), but the fact that B.F. Malle stems from Austria, and earned his Masters Degrees at the Karl-Franzens-University in Graz (like me) was too strong an indicator for quality work to be disregarded. After working through some of his articles it turns out, there is an actor-observer asymmetry after all but it is more complicated than what’s been assumed before. He says that if you look for a simplistic way for people to explain behavior in terms like “person causes” and “situation causes” and have them rate it, then the old actor-observer bias isn’t really there. But if you get people to explain other people’s behaviors in their own words and distinguish between reasons such as desire or belief, and in causes and causal histories, then the expected difference between attributions an actor and an observer have, appear again.
Uff, my PhD hypothesis has been resuscitated. I can still try to find out whether it is actually true that authentic leaders for all their qualities are able to overcome, or at least work around their own attributional bias about their subordinates’ performance.
So what else have I learned from that encounter with an Austrian alumni?
1. Leaders be aware that you might be biased towards your subordinates behaviors
There is scientific support for an actor-observer asymmetry. If you find that you are affected, please contact me to discuss ways to overcome it.
2. Karl-Franzens-University in Graz, Austria is a good place to study.
Servus to all their students and alumni all over the world!
For links, articles and references contact andrea@derlercoaching.com
Posted: November 17th, 2008 under Leadership.
Tags: Add new tag, Attribution Theory, Authentic Leadership, Leader Bias
Comments: none
Obama’s Potential, or: My dream for Authentic Leadership
I just can’t help it. I too belong to the vast number of people who see in Senator Barack Obama a striking agent of change and hope that he will become the next President of the United States of America. Last time I listened to one of his campaign speeches, he spoke about Hope, Change and Unity and I have to admit the message touched me to the bottom of my heart. As soon as the speech ended and the rationalization process kicked in, I asked myself what it is that fascinates me about Obama’s personal approach to politics. After giving it some careful thought, incorporating everything I’ve read about him so far, I found some fundamental values that Senator Obama carries throughout his campaign and which make him look like an authentic leader to me:
POSITIVITY
A powerful force in leadership is to convey a positive message to people. It sounds simplistic and naïve but is a basic truth about human nature: we crave for a positive spirit that guides us through complex times. We need something to look forward to, rather than fearing our future. To be hopeful and positive about change is inspiring and motivating; we all know what difficulties lay ahead of us but we want affirmation that we can deal with them. What Obama does is not lead us blindfolded into a ‘golden era’ of his presidency by telling us everything will be fine; but he tells us about his vision filled with the positive anticipation for what could come our way. Obama’s main catch phrase is that of Hope but don’t take it as a cheesy idealistic construct for the weak amongst us. Through the feeling of Hope, authentic leaders convey an important emotional message: that of positive action. According to psychologists, Hope is bi-dimensional, involving the willpower of a person as well as his waypower. That means a hopeful person is more likely to possess the will and capacity to decide and act, and to plan strategies to meet specific goals. If this is the strategy Obama has for this country, then he has a great attitude to offer. And sometimes, attitude trumps experience.
DIALOGUE
A description of Barack Obama as leader in practice caught my eye in the IHT. He is described as someone who has a “deep philosophical commitment to dialogue”, who in meetings wants to “suck the room of every idea”, someone who “orchestrates debate, playing participants off each other – and then highlighting their areas of agreement.” How often have we experienced such inquisitive characteristics in our leaders? The ability to take all available viewpoints into consideration is an indispensable behavior of effective - and authentic – leaders. It shows an awareness that some issues need to be looked at from different viewpoints and it is a commitment to constant learning and change. Instead of imposing their own ideas, oblivious to the fact that there could be better ones out there, these leaders want to utilize the enormous potential that lies within all associates. It can be an art for leaders to not only surround themselves with the best of all advisors, but to listen attentively and incorporate their inputs.
The advantages of open dialogue are manifold and yet few leaders manage to look beyond their status when confronted with useful comments by their subordinates. If Senator Obama continues to follow that path in his presidency, real and positive change will be possible.
CONSISTENCY
Looking back at the campaign so far, not even the harshest critics of Obama can say that he changed his story or original message to gain momentum(if they are honest). He never attacked his opponents personally or disrespectfully, whoever they were. He always stayed with the issue at hand and focused on his own vision than loosing energy on talking bad about others. Despite the most despicable attacks aimed at his person he managed to remain calm. It seems as if no destructive force in the world could make him stumble, because he knows what’s important to him and this country. It seems as if he has decided on some fundamental values a long time ago, and whilst allowing others to participate, he is perfectly able to manage the challenges ahead on the basis of his deepest beliefs.
Knowing how to reach his goal, however, does not make him an authentic leader. He obviously has to prove that he will do it, consistently over the coming four to eight years as president. But what strikes me and probably millions of others, is the consistency of his message, his plans for positive change and his whole public demeanor that is one of thoughtfulness, inner strength and genuine care. He communicates a feeling of reliability and trust, values that people crave for and which are indeed desirable in any leader.
Now, you may agree with me or not about my perception of Barack Obama and both is fine, of course. The above mentioned principles that I see displayed in this public figure stay with me regardless and I decide to project them into his type of leadership. If Senator Obama actually has the energy and willpower to enact an authentic leadership style once he enters the White House remains yet to be seen; for me, he certainly shows all the signs that he will.
For links, articles and references contact andrea@derlercoaching.com
Posted: October 30th, 2008 under Leadership.
Tags: Authentic Leadership, Consistency, Dialogue, Positivity
Comments: 1
Book review: The Myth of Authenticity (R. Niermeyer)
Recently I stumbled upon a book by the German psychologist, leadership trainer and keynote speaker Rainer Niermeyer, titled the “Myth of Authenticity: The art of playing the right leadership role”. What instilled my great interest in his writing at first soon turned into disappointment about the lack of academic research Niermeyer conducted for this book. What I’m most surprised about is the fact that he falls for the most common misconception about the concept of authenticity and authentic leadership. By summarizing the term Authenticity as an “empty in-word” that has wrongly been promoted by dozens of other leadership experts to its truly transformational status, he shows insufficient knowledge about the concept. Hence, what will haunt Niermeyer most in the aftermath of this book is the fact that he completely ignored the huge stream of research and theoretical studies about Authentic Leadership that has been conducted over the past years.
The core of Niermeyer’s argument is that Authenticity (and Authentic leadership) means to ‘be who you are’ in all life situations; however, to ‘be who you are’, he writes, is not possible because you play many different roles during your life time (Manager, parent, board member, life partner etc). By stating that being authentic means to openly display emotions and mood swings, to follow spontaneous impulses, or to share inappropriate information with others, he totally misconstrues the concept of authenticity. He furthermore conveys the idea that we cannot be authentic (leaders) and show a variety of behaviors with different audiences at the same time. Despite the fact this this is not a book written for academia but for managers and leadership practitioners, Niermeyer would have benefited from looking across the pond for more research on the topic.
(Just as a side note: the current list of articles and books for my literature review of Authentic Leadership is many pages long, just to give you an idea of the complexity of this issue. In this article I will only be able to shortly reply to the above mentioned basic criticism of the simplicity of authenticity/authentic leadership and the different roles we all need to play.)
Authenticity and Authentic Leadership
Pointing the way in terms of these studies are Prof Michael Kernis (University of Georgia) and Prof. Bruce Avolio (University of Nebraska-Lincoln). Kernis’ work on authenticity describes 4 components of authenticity and serves as the basis for the concept of authentic leadership as well:
• Authentic people/leaders know who they are and who they need to be.
(Awareness of and trust in, one’s motives, feelings, desires and self-relevant cognitions.)
• Authentic people/leaders don’t distort or exaggerate their own experiences or feedback from others
(Unbiased Processing of Self-Relevant Information)
• Authentic people/leaders have the ability to express their core motives. It does NOT mean that they follow a compulsion to live their’ own self’ at all costs despite external pressure and circumstances.
( Acting according to true Self.)
• Authentic people/leaders value and achieve open and trusting relationships with others, letting them see their real selves. This does not include inappropriate actions with relevant others (work, family etc).
(Relational Orientation.)
Authenticity, therefore, requires a deep sense of humility and complex understanding of oneself and one’s relationship to other people. It is far from the idea of showing your ‘true face’ in all situations just to make a point, and integrates the necessity to adapt to different situations, circumstances and audiences.
When we enter the arena of Authentic Leadership, it gets even more complicated, because then the values, motives and ideas that we have about ourselves, are further influenced by the responsibility we have for our associates and business goals. Then, the concept of authentic leadership has to integrate the ability to create an ethical climate and by following one’s own rules in a consistent manner.
The question whether an authentic person/leader can still live out different roles, and how this is possible from a theoretical point of view, has been approached by me in my previous blog entry titled: “Is there a thing like an authentic chameleon?” Feb 2nd 2008), even if not to my own full satisfaction. However, many months of research further I know that there are core values which an authentic person/leader has and develops over time, that make up his self and his identity. Self-Awareness is the foundation on which authenticity rests, and which enables us to get to know ourselves in relation to others, which allows us to become a little less biased, helps us to communicate more openly and eventually renders us more effective leaders.
Research describing the effects of authentic leadership and its transformational character has been conducted and more is in process. This branch of a new stream of organizational studies called “Positive Organizational Behavior” (POS) will further grow and make a long lasting mark in leadership studies. I just wish books like Rainer Niermeyer’s would integrate more different points of view and research results on a topic so important as authentic leadership. We could then work more efficiently on ways to develop more authentic leaders instead of trying to defend this highly complex human phenomenon to a repetition of misconceptions.
For links, articles and references contact andrea@derlercoaching.com
Posted: October 20th, 2008 under Leadership.
Tags: Authentic Leadership, authenticity, misconception, myth, Rainer Niermeyer
Comments: 2
Charisma, Politics and Elections in 2008: a dangerous liaison
My vacation in Europe took place in midst elections: my home country of Austria voted for the National Assembly, my husband’s home county Bavaria (Germany) for their State Parliament and my 21 month old daughter’s country of birth, the USA, have presidential elections still coming up in November. The choice people in Austria and Germany made against the establishment could have been based on their disappointing experiences with the major parties over the past years; a trend that could well continue in the USA. However, when watching pre- and post election debates in Austria, Germany and the USA and keeping an eye on reactions and comments of all sorts, another familiar phenomenon pops up: the voter’s crave for charisma and strong personalities. Plain talk, Youth and good looks (see Dr. Joerg Haider, Hans-Christian Strache, Sarah Palin and even Barack Obama) seem to fascinate more than intellectualism or conservatism from the old ‘wise’ men (see Wilhelm Molterer, Werner Faymann, Alexander Van der Bellen, and John McCain) . People want to be moved again, touched and motivated, even if realistic visions and the truth suffer in the process. This is not to say that it is wrong to look for an inspiring leader, because we naturally thirst for a positive spirit in difficult times. However we need to be wary of the fact that charisma and authenticity can be two different traits in leaders that look very much the same.
Charisma is often used to describe the ability of charming and influencing people. Charismatic personalities easily draw attention and admiration; they project unusual confidence and focus and have superb communication skills. The British professor Richard Wiseman further identified three more attributes of charismatic people: they feel emotions themselves quite strongly and are able to induce them in others; and, they are resistant to the influence of other charismatic people.
So far, so good. But charisma becomes a bit complicated if we enter the arena of leadership. Strong influencing skills paired with the ability to bring on emotions can be dangerous when used by leaders because it makes their followers less critical. And the crux is: charismatic leaders are not only aware of the power they have over people, they can adjust their behaviors to the demand of others, whilst very much pursuing their own agenda. They work on their self-image to present their followers with what they want to see, and in the process use intelligent impression management skills such as:
- Self-promotion behaviors to present oneself as highly competent regarding certain skills
- Intimidation behaviors to present oneself as a dangerous and potent person who is able
and willing to challenge others
- Request behaviors to present oneself as helpless with the purpose of soliciting aid from
others
(Does the above remind us of Sarah Palin, or what?)
The question is how to differentiate between a “good” or authentic charismatic, and a “dangerous” or pseudo-authentic charismatic leader? Well, socialized charismatic leaders do actually take personal risks for the greater good and pursue a common goal, whilst personalized charismatic leaders put their own interests first. Socialized charismatic leaders empower others to promote pro-social and ethical collective action whereas personalized charismatic leaders manipulate others for self-serving purposes. The only problem is that both forms of charismatic leadership result in full commitment to the leader’s vision, exceptionally strong admiration and respect for, and identification of followers with the leader. And because we are all human, all too human, we find it difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff.
To know whether a leader is authentic or not is a tightrope walk for followers, particularly in political leadership. Here the temptations are higher for leaders to preach water and drink wine and it’s harder for voters to see the real person. All we can do is be aware of the different faces charismatic leaders can have and to look out for signs of impression management and overly personal exhibits. Good luck!
For links, articles and references contact andrea@derlercoaching.com
Posted: October 6th, 2008 under Leadership.
Comments: 1
Is your Organization Authentic enough for Change?
Many organizations crave for more creative talent amongst employees. They wish their staff would come up with workable solutions for existing problems more often. They recruit new people with the hope for winning competitive advantage through external expertise and outsider experience. They urge for more brain power in form of resourcefulness and innovation in their work force, to gain and maintain more market share.
The reality often looks different. Hopeful appeals of managers and leaders for great and practical ideas from their employees are met by silence. It seems as if people would leave their creativity, positive spirits and ambitions at home and instead wait for instructions in plain language from their bosses. Where is their interest and imagination for new thought? Does an improved work strategy always have to come from the top?
Managers and leaders, who are faced with this challenge of a lack of creativity and willpower for change in their departments and organizations, need to ask themselves only one question:
Do we genuinely want our people to take part in any change process, or are we only paying lip service to the demand for more creativity? Or phrased differently: Is our Organization Authentic enough for Change?
Dear leaders: to get more out of your work associates, don’t just organize more workshops, team building events and think tank sessions. Look at your own philosophy of thought that guides everyone from top executives to shop floor supervisor. How open are you towards new ideas on a daily basis? Are you really interested in what your people have to say? Are you aware that when it comes down to actually implementing a different way of thinking, you might be hesitant to do so, because you are not only sharing resources but also a degree of power with your employees?
Businesses that embrace the notion of openness and exploration of new ideas have an organizational culture that is flexible and adaptable. Their employees are encouraged to get involved in the design of work processes on a daily basis, and their performance development exceeds the training of certain skill and behaviors. I admit to actually manage a creative mindset on a day-to-day basis can be enriching as well as arduous for leaders. First, it challenges one’s own ways of working and requires more time and communication with staff members. Second, it gets much harder to assess a person’s performance on behaviors that exceed a restricted list of competencies and key performance indicators. And, by the way, the creative talent you are looking for might just be hidden in your most rebellious employee or that walking question mark in your team. Meaning: they could be where you least expect it.
But if you would like others to follow, you need to be the one to lead. That goes also for opening up for new ways of thinking. Authentic leaders provide several pre-conditions to encourage creativity in their employees; if you are a leader, try those out:
Provide an example by leaving your own intellectual comfort zone sometimes.
Don’t just lean on to your expertise and let others be brave by experimenting with new ideas. Think outside the box yourself. Actively search for other people’s opinions and listen with an open heart.
Be open about professional success and failure.
Transparency will help your people see that it can be worth taking a plunge. Trying new things is risky, even if you only lose time. Talk about the benefits and risks by following a new lead. This will help to assess new projects responsibly.
Conduct Performance Review without the paperwork for once.
Go beyond your rating scales and actually look at your staff member’s individuality. Instead of aligning the person to a list of desired behaviors, focus on what you really value about them. This will be an encouragement to follow your lead for progressive change beyond the performance measures used at your organization.
Experience and Practice steps 1-3 on a daily basis.
Only your consistency can break old habits. Show them that you mean it.
Real and constant improvement of daily work procedures as well as long lasting change is no straightforward process. The genuine willingness to explore new ideas, learning and growing has to be embodied in leaders first before they can expect them in all others. Hence, for those of you who are looking for more creative people, I recommend to ‘authenticize’ your organization: be authentic in what your want from others yourself. The spirit will spread all by itself.
Posted: September 2nd, 2008 under Leadership.
Tags: Authentic Leadership, Authentic Organization, Change Management, Creative Talent, Performance Development
Comments: none
Why Salespeople are Leaders, too
Selling is very much like Leadership. The provider of a product or service (= salesman or woman = leader) guides another person (= customer = follower) through the process of a purchase. A good saleswoman takes an active role of leading the conversation to gain an understanding of the customer’s wishes and needs to see if she can provide a good match to her products. In the world of Positive Sales the salesman takes his role as leader of this process serious, also on a moral account. By genuinely striving towards a win-win situation at the end of the sales transaction he knows how to utilize wording and timing efficiently. He has respect for the client and his needs and doesn’t see him as a means to his own end. Great sales people are aware of their capability to get results through accepting the full responsibility for the outcome. That’s why they are the leaders for that moment - with all the strings attached.
The ethical side of Positive Sales doesn’t mean that you should give in during negotiations, to sell your services off cheaply or to make a foul compromise. Positive Sales stands for high sales performance through the right attitude paired with professional skill and ethical awareness.
One useful tool to becoming a Positive Salesman or woman is the use of an agenda, a specific plan that guides your own questions and actions throughout the sales process. To know what to do and say, when to do and say it and how to listen and talk in the most efficient way helps provide you with confidence and conveys your attitude of leadership. Leaning on to an agenda helps especially in more complex sales situations. It involves preparation for the sales meeting, anticipating outcomes and seeking inspiration for a successful business relationship.
You can start by answering questions such as:
- What do I know about my customer?
- Why do I want to work with him/her?
- What questions will I need to ask (open and closed) and when?
- How long should the conversation take?
- Do I know my products (Quality and Value)?
- What would be an ideal/acceptable/inacceptable result?
- (and many more)
The actual sales meeting – be it live or via other means – will be the demonstration of your sales leadership. First, consider your attitude towards the sales process and your client. Only wish for the best possible outcome, serving yours and your client’s needs. Second, be sure of taking the lead throughout the conversation in order to provide a service to your client not just a nice atmosphere: have a plan, an agenda, some map guiding you through effectively. Design it, change it, but follow it. Third, take accountability for the result of the process. Learn, change, lead.
If you are interested in learning more about the Positive Sales process, or if you wish to design a sales agenda with me, please contact me at andrea@derlercoaching.com.
Posted: August 20th, 2008 under Leadership, Sales.
Tags: Authentic Leadership, Positive Leadership
Comments: 1
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