TheLeadershipNotebook

“Relatively Jerk-Free”

 

About 15 years ago, the managing partner of a CPA firm proudly boasted to me: “Our firm is relatively jerk-free.”  Unfortunately it turns out that the concept of “relatively” still caused big problems for the firm. One particular “jerk” was responsible for a continual revolving door of staff in one of the firm’s high profile departments. The situation was extremely frustrating for the partners in the jerk’s service line. Professionals, looking for growth and development in their career at the firm, instead faced this jerk’s arrogance, condescension and volatile disposition. Firm vision and values were a joke to him. And yet he continued on in his position for years, no one holding him accountable for his responsibilities as a firm partner. “Relatively” jerk-free still leaves plenty of room for a zap on firm productivity, profitability and employee engagement. Firm culture still takes a hit.  

Fast forward to September 2010. The CPA Leadership Institute posted a question this month in its monthly Leadership Forum. September’s question: What is the impact on firms that continue to let partners act as they please—being irate, not meeting agreed upon partner responsibilities, treating staff rudely, etc.?

Consultants and firm leaders weighed in with their answers to the posted question. Words like “devastating”, “immeasurable damage”, “destroys trust”, “talent drain” and “firm extinction” were used to describe just some of the impact of these “jerk” partners.

CPA firms do not have a corner on the market for jerks. They’re in law firms, corporations and non-profits. They’re everywhere. And it will never be easy to take on the challenge of moving a “jerk” out the door or as Jim Collins would say, “off the bus.” But with this kind of impact on firm culture, productivity and profitability, great leaders step up to the challenge, hold the jerks accountable for their responsibilities and for their behavior.

It takes courageous leadership. And you don’t have to be a firm partner to start building your leadership muscles now. You never know when you’ll be called on to move a “jerk” off the bus.

To your success,

Mary

EC=V+K+M+R+T

 

"Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."

~John F. Kennedy

 

 

Effective Change = Vision + Knowledge + Metrics + Resources + Targeted Actions

I ran across this “formula” for successful organizational change several years ago. It was helpful back then in looking at a simple framework for understanding some of the critical elements in effective change. Organizational change is not this simple and it certainly is not this straightforward. But when I saw the “formula” and the associated table below again last week, it reminded me that organizations cannot afford to lose sight of the key components of effective change and most importantly, what can happen when a critical element is missing.

In general, the “formula” above includes five of the most critical elements required for effective organizational change:

V -- Vision: Where are we going as an organization? What is the vision of leadership? Why is it important? What will you expect from me? Why should it matter to me?

K -- Knowledge: Do we have the skills to make the required changes? Is there more training or development involved?

M -- Metrics: Where are we now? What are specific measures of where we want to be? When will we know we have arrived?

R -- Resources: What investment of time and $ is required to make the change?

T -- Targeted Actions: What specifically needs to be done? How can we plan and prepare?

Check out the last column and see what happens when one of these critical components is missing.

Vision	+	Knowledge	+	Metrics	+	Resources	+	Targeted Actions	=	Effective Change
w/o Vision	+	Knowledge	+	Metrics	+	Resources	+	Targeted Actions	=	Confusion
Vision	+	w/o Knowledge	+	Metrics	+	Resources	+	Targeted Actions	=	Anxiety
Vision	+	Knowledge	+	w/o Metrics	+	Resources	+	Targeted Actions	=	Gradual Change
Vision	+	Knowledge	+	Metrics	+	w/o Resources	+	Targeted Actions	=	Frustration and Anger
Vision	+	Knowledge	+	Metrics	+	Resources	+	w/o TargetedActions	=	False Starts

 

As you think about your organizational change efforts, ask yourself if each of these elements is present. Or alternatively, check out the results when one of these elements is missing.  The “formula” just won’t add up.

To your success,

Mary

 

Defying Gravity

 

…“I'm through accepting limits
'cause someone says they're so.
Some things I cannot change
but till I try, I'll never know!”…

…Defying Gravity sung by Elphaba, in the Broadway musical Wicked

 

A familiar theme on this blog is my ongoing challenge to you to stretch your limits. Set goals that inspire you and focus on achieving your wildest aspirations. Well, I try to “walk my talk” and Sunday, stretching my limits and achieving my wildest aspiration came together for me as I completed the 13. 1 mile Chicago Half Marathon.

When I began the year, I wanted to focus on improving my overall fitness and so set a goal to run my first 8k in March. I successfully hit that goal and wrote about it in my post entitled Houston, We have Liftoff! I felt so proud of my accomplishment and was encouraged by my running daughter, Lisa, to keep going.

“What about a “half,” Mom?” She said. I replied with complete conviction, “You have GOT to be kidding!” When I finished the 8k in March, I could not comprehend running for more than 5 miles at a time, let alone 13. And then I thought; could I do it?  Could I commit to consistent training that a half marathon required?  It would definitely be a stretch but a goal that I would be thrilled to complete. I decided to go for it and committed the time and effort that training for the run required.

And as I crossed (well, maybe shuffled) across the finished line on Sunday, I felt the same sense of accomplishment that I felt last March. That feeling was so worth the time, effort and focus on training and it encourages me to keep setting the bar high whatever the goal.

This quote continues to have special meaning for me....

“Your biggest challenge isn’t someone else.

It’s the ache in your lungs and the burning in your legs.

And the voice inside you that yells, “CAN’T.”

 

“But you don’t listen. You just push harder.

And then you hear the voice whisper, “CAN,” and

you discover that the person you thought you were

is no match for the person you really are.”

 

So think about your aspirations. What do you hope to accomplish for yourself, your family or your team? What new challenges do you want to take on that would require you to stretch beyond your comfort zone?

For me, I’ve got my next running challenge all lined up. Chicago 2011 Half Marathon, sign me up!

 To your success,

Mary

 

Could This Be Your Team?

In his book, The 8^th Habit, Stephen Covey shares the results of a poll of 23,000 employees driven from a number of companies and industries. Here are the results:

Ø  Only 37% had a clear understanding of what their organization was trying to achieve and why.

 

Ø  Only 1 in five was enthusiastic about their team’s and their organization’s goals.

 

Ø  Only 1 in five had a clear line of sight between their tasks and their team’s and their organization’s goals.

 

Ø  Only 15% felt their organization fully enables them to execute key goals.

 

Ø  Only 20% truly trusted the organization they worked for.

Now imagine if a soccer team had these same results.

Ø  Only 4 in 11 players on the field would know which goal is theirs!

Ø  And only 2 in 11 would care….

 

Ø  Only 2 in 11 would know what position they play and know exactly what they are supposed to do.

 

Ø  And all but 2 players would in some way be competing against their own team rather than their opponent.

How does your team or organization compare? Would your team be a winning team?

To your success,

Mary

 

 

Summer and Childhood.....

 

“The only thing more fleeting than summer is childhood.”

~Unknown

I ran across this quote this morning and it stopped me cold. Maybe I noticed it because we’re heading into the last “official” weekend of summer 2010. Or maybe I noticed it because today I hosted a gathering for my daughter Emily’s best friend, Stephanie….on the day before her best friend’s wedding.  And this is where the words, “Where has the time gone?!” seem so trite yet so apropos.

How can it be possible? From second grade to married in the blink of an eye. Stephanie spent much of her youth with and near our family; in our house, in our car, in our family circle.   All the while with our daughter, Emily near. Stephanie and Emily.  Only yesterday they were kids. Now they're firmly moving into adulthood right under our noses.

For me, the quote and this reality are reminders of how quickly time does pass.  They are children for such a brief moment.

So today, Stephanie and Emily along with other bridesmaids and family “hung out” before Stephanie’s Big Day. It wasn’t like the carbo-loading dinners before the big soccer game or a psych up event before homecoming. This was the big time, the beginning of a new journey for Stephanie and her groom.

This blog, The Leadership Notebook, is meant to be a resource and inspiration for leadership and change, and for me, this is the “Change” part. It’s my reminder that summer AND childhood, are fleeting for sure….

 

To your success,

Mary