TheLeadershipNotebook

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

“The soul never thinks without a picture.”

~Aristotle

 

I recently had the opportunity to participate in the first stage of a strategic planning workshop for a community organization where I volunteer. The session was facilitated by Jim Haudan, CEO of Root, a company that specializes in strategy planning, execution and employee engagement.

Jim is also the author of an excellent book, The Art of Engagement, an extremely useful resource to organizations and leaders looking to take their strategy process from paper to action with employees engaged along the journey.

I’ve participated in many strategic planning sessions over my career and facilitated some as well. But the unique aspect of Root’s process (I’ve participated in more than a few that Jim has facilitated) is its emphasis on the power of a picture in each phase of the process.

An example of the impact of an image in the process is in building shared meaning among the group. Words like “excellence,” “vision” or even “strategy” mean different things to different people.

Look at these two pictures:

 

 

When you say the word “bear” two very different images can come to mind. Expanding the concept further, a bottle of aspirin (Bayer) or a baby’s “bare” bottom can be conjured up. Without clarity or shared meaning, one concept of “excellence” can mean different things to different people.

Root’s “Learning Maps,” focus on pictures, and the premise of creating shared meaning among participants, has transformed strategy and culture from large multi-national corporations to small not-for profits across the globe. 

I’m looking forward to continuing the process.

What do you think? Do you have a clear picture of where your strategy is taking you?

To your success,

Mary

 

 

Collaborating to Make a Difference

 

Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress,

and working together is success.

~Henry Ford

Yesterday, The CPA Consultants’ Alliance (CPACA), an alliance I helped cofound earlier this year, published our first white paper:  CPA Firm Leadership: Communication Drives New Possibilities. This white paper is the outcome of a research study we undertook that focused on the CPA profession's current and future leadership opportunities and challenges in the accounting profession.

The white paper took an incredible amount of time and effort, but in the end, the document and all it represents, is a source of tremendous pride.

When we formed the CPACA, each of us members understood the power of collaboration. We knew that in theory, “the sum of the parts was definitely greater than the whole.”  And over the last six months, we practiced what we preached, working together each step of the way for the ultimate purpose of making a difference in the accounting profession.

It wasn’t always easy. Each of us has incredibly busy schedules and businesses that need our full attention. Each of us has our particular personality, background and experience that add perspective and opinions on how things should work. But we made time. We debated the issues. We dealt with challenges head on, with honesty and openness and a willingness to listen to and support each other.

As I embark on the next leg of my career journey and say farewell to the members of the CPACA, I know I will miss this group, their passion for CPAs, and all that I learned from them through our collaboration.

The CPACA’s mission is “to explore leadership issues facing the profession and develop and share solutions that benefit practitioners.  CPA Consultants' Alliance members support each member’s growth and collaborate to make a difference in the communities we serve.”

 

We did just that.

 

I’m proud of our work and I know that the CPACA, through all of our amazing members, will be an example of outstanding thought leadership in the accounting profession for years to come.

 

So collaborate and make a difference.

 

To your success,

 

Mary

 

Same Journey, New Path...

 

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.”

~Henry David Thoreau

 

Dear Friends,

 

Over the last six years, I’ve had the privilege to work with many outstanding leaders and teams, helping them to reach their highest potential. My work has been about the positive aspects of change:  personal growth, learning, building resilience and increasing emotional intelligence.

 

Coaching my wonderful clients and meeting all of you have been so rewarding and a very natural expansion of my previous career as a practicing CPA and management consultant. 

I now have a fantastic opportunity to continue my career journey along a different, yet exciting path. I will be assuming the role of President of my alma mater, St. Ursula Academy and Junior Academy.  SUA is Toledo, Ohio’s oldest all-girls Catholic high school and is built on a foundation of educating the whole young woman: academically, spiritually, physically and emotionally.

I’ve been passionate about the mission and vision of St. Ursula since my high school graduation nearly 40 years ago. Each of my three daughters is an alumna. I’ve been a volunteer, booster and former board chair. So when the opportunity to lead the school as its President arose, I felt a calling to serve.

 

My financial background, leadership development coaching, and consulting expertise, along with my love of the school, was a combination I couldn’t resist. And the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of nearly 600 young women is foundational to my decision.

 Mary Conlisk ‘74

St. Ursula Academy

 

I will begin my role October 1^st and will honor all my coaching and commitments through January 2013. Although my external coaching will end, I intend to continue this blog, The Leadership Notebook.

How lucky I have been to have met each of you along this leg of my career journey. I hope our paths cross again soon but please accept my sincere gratitude for all I have learned from you along the way.

To your success,

Mary

Your "Cool Runnings"

 

“Derice, a gold medal is a wonderful thing.

But if you’re not enough without one, you’ll never be enough with one.”

 

~Irving Blitzer (played by John Candy) from the movie, COOL RUNNINGS

 

One of my all time favorite movies is Disney’s Cool Runnings. It’s based on a true story about the training and competition of the first Jamaican bobsled team to compete in the winter Olympics in 1988. The movie is hilarious at times, but its overriding themes of perseverance, dedication and overcoming obstacles are woven throughout this inspirational story.

The term “Cool Runnings” actually means “Peace Be The Journey.” The peace comes from knowing that you’ve given your best; finishing strong, even when obstacles get in your way.

This week, and for the last several months leading up, there is much anticipation about the start of the 2012 London Olympic Games. Who will win gold in swimming, track, soccer and tennis? Will Michael Phelps succeed in his quest to be the most decorated Olympian?  

For all the hype about the medal victors in each of these sports, there are scores of other athletes who are determined to compete and give their very best effort. To have their own “cool runnings.” Their effort, determination and perseverance are part of their journey.

Applying this concept closer to home, my daughter Emily, a May graduate of Case Western Reserve Law School, took the Pennsylvania Bar Exam. Since graduation, she has spent all day, every day, in pursuit of her goal. Attacking the prep like an Olympian, she was focused, committed and worked hard hoping to achieve her own gold medal (passing!) in October. When she left home to take the exam, I asked her how she was feeling. “I did everything I could, Mom. I have no regrets. If for some reason, I don’t pass, I know I left it all on the table.”

It was Emily who reminded me about the movie, Cool Runnings.  She watched it again the night before the first day of her exam. She watched it partly for some comic relief and partly to remind herself of her effort, determination and perseverance. In the end, while incredibly difficult, the Bar Exam was part of her own “Cool Runnings.”

As Sanka from the movie said, “I’m feeling very Olympic today, how about you?” How are you making the most of your journey?

To your success,

Mary

Your First and Simplest Emotion

 

“The first and simplest emotion that we discover in the human mind is curiosity.”

~Edmund Burke

 

Remember when you were 6 and you drove your Mom crazy asking questions that began with words like: Why? Who? When? Where? How? and my personal favorite, What? Endless curiosity ruled your world. Until, as one of my coaching clients lamented, your parents or teacher or babysitter cried out in exasperation: No More Questions!

 

Curiosity inadvertently squashed.

 

Another lesson some are taught as kids is that it’s rude to ask questions or worse, that asking questions somehow conveys your ignorance. Curious George always got into trouble for being curious. And we might even have been warned that “Curiosity killed the cat!”

 

For many, curiosity got a bad rap.

 

The truth is that curiosity is one of the most vital and life-affirming qualities you can bring to your work life AND your personal life.

 

Curiosity at Work

It is so easy to blame others (or ourselves) when things go wrong. Consider being curious about your experiences rather than critical. For example, instead of beating yourself up, or blaming someone else, for not reaching your performance goals—again—try asking yourself what is going on for you that keeps your performance below your expectations?

 

You can ask questions like:

• What could have done differently?
• What can I learn from this performance?
• What will be my next step?

 

With an attitude of genuine curiosity in coming to understand the current reality, you are more likely to help yourself find new and more creative solutions to achieving your goals or helping others achieve their goals.

Cultivating a curious mind also improves your ability to think more strategically. Asking questions like:

• What’s possible for my department to achieve in the coming year?
• Where is the next wave of opportunity in my client base?
• What if I looked at our challenges from a different perspective?

 

Questions like these coming from a curious mind, shift your perspective from the here and now to points in the future and help you begin the process of building your strategic roadmap.

 

Curiosity in Life

Helen Keller said, “Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all!” When you foster an attitude of curiosity, doors open and adventures begin; questions lead to new possibilities. For example, asking yourself “What do I want to learn now and where might that lead me?” can set you on a journey of exciting exploration that moves you forward.

If, instead, you come from the place of “I already know what I need to know,” you shut off the possibility of discovering something new that could rock your world.

 

So shake off those old, outdated beliefs you have about being curious. Walt Disney, friend of 6 year olds everywhere, said: “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”

 

If you truly want to expand your excitement, joy and fulfillment in your work and your personal life, keep those Why? Who? When? Where? How? and What? questions coming.

 

What do you think? How has being curious benefitted you in your career or in your personal life?  What have you learned about being curious?

 

To your success,

 

Mary

 

Go For It!

 

 

Focused and driven.  This little girl knows where she’s going and how she’s going to get there. (Ok I know, she’s only 5 and “racing” on a Merry-Go-Round) but when I look at this picture, I see a young child who believes that nothing can hold her back.

 

How about you? Are you focused on your purpose and your vision? Do you have a plan for how you’ll reach your goals or aspirations? What is the future that you want to create for yourself? What obstacles might you face on your journey?

 

“Go For It” is Phase One in The Cycle of Renewal developed by Frederic Hudson, an expert in adult development and founder of The Hudson Institute of Santa Barbara. “Go For It” is a time in our lives when we feel “in sync,” excited about building our future, evaluating possibilities and new opportunities.

 

Coaching for clients in the “Go For It” phase focuses on helping them develop their vision, understand and get clear about their purpose and being a sounding board who can stretch and challenge them to achieve their goals.

 

If you’re in this phase and find yourself needing focus, clarity of vision, purpose or plans, a skilled coach can help you target your passion and your energy to achieve your goals.

 

My middle daughter, Lisa, took the picture this summer on a trip with her sisters to France. She’s fully in the “Go For It” phase, just beginning year 1 of her MBA program at UVA.’s Darden School of Business.

 

The Cycle of Renewal is just that, a cycle, and we know if we’re in the “Go For It” phase we won’t be in it forever. Burnout, work life balance issues, other change in circumstances or vision can move us out of “Go For It” and into the next phase. But if you’re there, enjoy it and be certain to make the most of it!

 

To your success,

 

Mary

 

 

 

Do You Want to "Be Somebody"?

 

“I always wanted to be somebody, but I realize I should have been more specific.”

~Lily Tomlin

 
 

Your firm has a compelling vision (hopefully) for what it aspires to be.  Jim Collins of Good to Great fame talks about the value of creating a company’s vision based on the organization’s core values and purpose for existence. Values and purpose combined with a “BHAG” (big hairy audacious goal) add up to an inspiring picture of an organization’s future.

A personal vision can guide us to our desired future as well. Being deliberate and focused on envisioning where we want to go and the kind of professional we aspire to be can be a tremendous motivator.

The following ideas are concepts you can use to create your own personal vision or picture of your desired future:

To begin, create a clear imaginable picture of what your future will look like. The picture of your future must be meaningful and compelling. It must motivate you to action and move you from the comfort of the status quo.

Now make sure your vision is:

• realistic and feasible. It should consist of stretch goals that can be measured and grounded in reality.
• clear, focused and clarify what’s important. There must be no confusion in the direction that you’re headed and based on your core values and your purpose.
• easy to communicate. It must be explainable to anyone in a clear, concise manner.

Having a clear and bold vision for what you want to achieve ignites your passion and focuses you on your goals and aspirations.

So If you want to “be somebody”, set your sights on exactly who that is. You’ll be amazed at where it will take you.

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

 

 

Mountains on My Mind

 

“Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe,

and enthusiastically act upon... must inevitably come to pass.”
~ Paul J. Meyer

 

 

Last Wednesday, I facilitated a leadership team meeting for one of my clients. The topic of building a shared vision for the future was front and center on this leadership team’s agenda. The client Company had recently developed a well articulated corporate vision, but that vision has yet to be fully integrated into the hearts and minds of leaders at this particular divisional site. It was time to take the next steps.

In one of his most critical leadership roles, Jim, the division head, is fully committed to building a shared vision for his team and his division. And both practice and research shows that the result of a well-defined and communicated corporate vision is a team that is inspired, aligned and engaged around the strategy and future of the organization. And the best corporate vision is a short, succinct and inspiring statement of what the organization intends to become and achieve at some point in the future. It is an image that instills energy and a sense of possibility.

During our meeting, Jim did a fantastic job of communicating his view of the Company’s vision, what it meant to him as a leader and how it integrated with the operations of the division. To communicate his perspective on the vision, he chose the image of Mount Everest. Mount Everest, located in the Himalayas, is the world’s highest mountain at 29,035 feet high.

 

 

Jim used this image to build a compelling future for the team, describing their challenges in the context of climbing this very large and imposing mountain. Yes, the challenges are great but the feeling of success and accomplishment when you reach the top are definitely worth working toward. He shared his view that there are many different paths to the top and that with strength and perseverance he and his team members would reach the top.

Jim’s message was clear, inspiring and of course very challenging. But his words and most importantly his actions are aligned with the Company’s vision. He is passionate about the future and the possibilities for his division. And during this dialogue, he did not force compliance but rather, asked for input on how each team member saw their role in “climbing the mountain.”

This meeting will not be the end of discussions on the division’s shared vision. Vision will remain front and center as each goal is identified and each action step is undertaken. When Jim was finished, each of the team members nodded their unanimous commitment to take their teams to the top as well.

The day after the leadership team meeting, I was on a plane to Seattle Washington, the home of Mount Rainier. Mount Rainier is 14,410 feet high and the fifth highest peak in the contiguous US.  When the pilot announced to us that Mount Rainier could be seen from the left side of the plane, the guy in the seat next to me offered that he would be climbing Mount Rainier over the weekend.

 

 

We talked briefly about his climbing experience (he had climbed Mount Kilimanjaro last year and Pikes Peak the year prior). When he shared his perspective on mountain climbing, I just smiled. “It’s extremely challenging but exhilarating when you reach the top.” he said.  “I really enjoy being part of a team that trains and prepares for reaching our goal. I keep that vision and the feeling of success and accomplishment at the forefront of my mind especially during the challenging parts of climbing the mountain.”

Sounds like a vision to remember.

What about your team? Do you know where you’re going? Do you have a compelling image or vision for inspiring, engaging and aligning your team? Regardless of the size of your team or organization, building a shared vision is one of your most critical responsibilities as a leader.

To your success,

Mary

Leaving a Legacy: What’s Yours?

 

“It’s never too late to become the person you might have been.”

George Eliot

 

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to give some remarks at the retirement reception of a friend and long time community leader, Jane Charette. I’ve known Jane for over forty years and have witnessed her commitment, her passion and her loyalty to a school that has been so much a part of the fabric of my life.

 

When I put my remarks together, I was struck by the parallel between’s Jane’s career and the career of many other successful leaders. See what you think…

 

Teacher

 

In her early career, Jane was my teacher and an awesome one. Her skill at bringing abstract concepts to life was amazing. She was patient, listened, and challenged us to stretch and reach to be our best self.

 

Great leaders don’t “tell” you what to do. They teach, focusing on setting stretch goals, inspiring and motivating you to achieve. Great leaders are genuinely concerned about your development, not because they know it is required but because they care deeply about your growth.

 

Visionary

 

Jane shared her vision and inspired others to see the future. She was not satisfied with the status quo, embracing change that is now natural part of our environment. Imparting vision is key for any great leader and being open to change is a leadership imperative.

 

Builder

 

Jane took her vision and experience and went to work. She was the initiator of the first ever strategic planning process back in the 90s as well as an extremely successful capital campaign. When others doubted this new strategic focus for the school, Jane listened yet stayed the course, inspiring those around her to reach for new heights.

 

Developing a long-term, strategic perspective is a hallmark of a great leader. Moving beyond the tactical day to day and leading for future impact.

 

Leaving a Legacy

 

The results of her teaching, vision and focus on building a compelling future have been Jane’s legacy. She let her values and her life’s purpose guide her in building an organization that will move forward with a vision built on a legacy of possibility.

 

After your long and industrious career, what will they say about you at your retirement reception? What is your legacy for the future?

 

To your success,

 

Mary