I have spent a portion of my career inmarketing leadership roles. One of ourmajor strategic tasks was developing an innovation portfolio and then managing the phases within these projects and voting to proceed with resourcing various projects at Gate meetings.
I also like to use visuals to facilitate retention of information.
As we consider the noble pursuit ofleadership, I like to think of it as transitions between phases with validation steps at gates. The movement between phases is all about momentum. After all, leadership is about creating action and keeping the team momentum going. Let’s examine these stages in detail.
In each phase we examine what is expected at three levels of leadership:
- Individual contributor - leading self to meet commitments to the team
- Leadership of Others at the group / team level
- Leadership at the organization level and in the community
I’ll offer a visual model for you to guide this discussion. I grew up in the Northeast and have spent some time building a snowman or two. Just as the snowflakes that fall are all unique; so are we as human beings. The snow falling is where we begin to Awaken Self Awareness. This is a process of understanding who we really are and our views of work, life and happiness.
Awaken Self-Awareness
Description
In this phase you are leading yourself sothat you might lead others better. You will identify your strengths, identify
what you don't like, codify your lifeview and work view, understand your default social style, understand your temptations and your coping mechanisms.
Individual Level
Understanding the sustained daily experience designed for yourself. Develop personal resilience to disciplineself. Know your wobble.
Group / Team Level
Social awareness and empathy to help manage relationships.
Community / World View
Transition to cultural awareness todevelop multi-cultural and multi ideology competency.
Coaching
Guide, share (be vulnerable) andencourage. Identify bias and coach to open mindedness. Teach design thinking techniques to team to facilitate self awareness.
Once you are confident you understand your default social style, emotional triggers and coping mechanisms, you can proceed to Anchor with Authenticity just like you would roll a ball of
snowflakes picking up momentum to create the base or anchor of your snowman. This is where you put a stake in the ground and define your moral compass and value set.
Anchor with Authenticity
Description
Put a stake in the ground. Define your moral compass and value set. Workon creating 5 year career plans with coherence
Individual Level
Establish personal compass and develop individual character. Model learning from failure so organization embodies First Attempt in Learning
Group / Team Level
Establish organizational values and guiding principles. enterprise leadership - perform and transform with focus on ethical execution
Community / World View
Connect impact to outside stakeholders
Coaching
Model behavior, mentor assignments, give appropriate feedback, encourage
Once you are prepared to be resilient and stand your ground staying true to your character but using mature versatility skills, you are ready to move to the next phase called Align
for Accountability. This is like the Mom or Dad who helps their youngsters align the second and third balls of snow to form the snowman.
Description
This is where we reconcile with righteousness, never leave a team member behind and take full accountability to create a common purpose the team can align on.
Individual Level
Model personal accountability. Developresilient organization. Transform and operationalize culture.
Group / Team Level
Earn the right to hold the teamaccountable. Team holds each other accountable. Create motivation for change. Identify the "reason" for change and reinforce behavior for culture to evolve. Recognize performers. Include culture champion recognition. Remove threats to culture.
Community / World View
Have empathy for and understand how yourunique cultural lens impacts other culture and ideologies
Coaching
Establish Personal performance anddevelopment plans and process. Everyone grows everyday. Create common purpose, teach versatility and understanding of social styles to foster empathetic
interaction of team members. Work to "twitterize" cultural initiatives like"I've got your back" or "Take the shot"
Once your team trusts that you have their back you can Accelerate for Aspirational Results. This is just like those really creative kids who embellish their snowmen with pipes, moustaches, scarfs and the like.
Accelerate For Aspirational Results
Description
Help the team believe in the possible. Expect excellence. Tomorrowc an always be better than today. People can always be a better version of themselves.
Individual Level
Recognize and Reframe Reality to drive personal & organizational performance. Always Evolving operating system to guide continuous development of team members and promote team performance.
Group / Team Level
Mission First. People Always. Energize and empower the team. Create environment for team members to emotionallyinvest. Continually reinforce psychological safety
Community / World View
Fuel the financial engine for investors
Coaching
Guide goal development and measurement,facilitate collaboration by connecting teams within the team, challenge the process. Involve others in the work. Facilitate Kaizen events.