Leaders Have Followers

Leadership. Much is written about it...much is made of it, bottom line, it isn't complicated at all.

Leaders have followers.

Now that you've seen my thesis statement, let me share what I see in corporate America today.

In corporate America, unfortunately, much of what is called "leadership" is really "politics". Let me explain why. In corporate America...the bestowing of the title "leader" comes from the top down. Which always confused the hell out of me. I mean...leader isn't a title...its a state of being. It something that "happens" when people follow you. It isn't a set of criteria that top management determines you have, as they go through succession planning.

A List of Things Leadership Isn't

Leadership's #1 criteria isn't that upper management is impressed with you. Sure, it helps for you to be influential with them...because the folks you are leading are depending on you to represent the destination and vision that you are all following. Leaders don't spend most of their time facing upwards. Most of their time is spent facing downwards and to the side, talking with the team, and painting a compelling picture of the future.

Leadership isn't how you dress, an "air of executive presence", or a complete lack of emotional response. Some people are swayed by appearances far too much, however, those individual who seek to make a difference are looking for someone with a vision, a direction, and the ability to inspire them to go there. They are looking for someone who can take them somewhere. Leaders dress themselves with humility, with vision, and with credibility that comes from having a vision of where you need to go. Leaders are sometimes passionate, and that passion shows in emotion and frustration sometimes. Only politicians and Vulcans think that passion and emotion are signs of weakness.

Leadership isn't playing golf, have drinks at the country club, and it certainly isn't telling folks above you what they want to hear. Leadership is confidently establishing a direction, a vision of the future, and equipping your followers for the journey ahead. It's staying late with them, when they have deadline. It's understanding the destination you've given them, and running on ahead and removing major obstacles so their path is unimpeded.

Leadership isn't surviving. It isn't making sure you "don't get any one you". It isn't a teflon coating, and it isn't making sure that blame is placed on others instead of you. Leadership doesn't twist words, situations, and doesn't seek to "take out the competition", unless the competition happens to truly BE the competition. Many "leaders" see the competition as being within their own company. Those are your fellow soldiers in the war of business. They are NOT your enemy, and, if they are, you are not being a leader.

Leadership isn't looking a certain way, talking a certain way...it isn't deciding someone is damaged goods, and never considering any new information about them. Leaders forgive...give second chances, they understand that folks that make mistakes, and are given a chance to change.

In summary...leaders aren't managers, and aren't politicians...here's a cool chart that really sums it all up:

http://changingminds.org/disciplines/leadership/articles/manager_leader.htm

There's too many politicians out there...too many managers that use coersion and intimidation to get folks to do something. There's not enough leaders, and American business and our economy is showing the signs. We don't believe in ourselves anymore. We don't believe in each other. We don't trust each other.

Where are the leaders? Are you one? Are you brave enough to go up against the politicians and the managers, and tell them that you, and others, have a vision, and are going to realize it?

Lead on!

Doc

Power Corrupts

Power...a concept that leads to some notable observations.

1 - Some people want money, others power. Power can get you all the money you ever want. Power is the ability, basically, to make others do your will.

2 - Power is the "ultimate" control. "Control Freaks", are people who will literally do ANYTHING for power.

3 - Power corrupts. The blind seeking of power, is the single source of evil on our planet.

4 - Examples of virtuous "mixes" where power has corrupted include:

a) Faith + Power = Religion (CORRUPTED)
b) Social Reform + Power = Government (CORRUPTED)
c) Education + Power = National Education Association (CORRUPTED)
d) Labor + Power = Labor Unions (CORRUPTED)

All of these examples, are of virtuous things, that, when leveraged for power, are corrupted. So...the virtue of the individual, is corrupted by the power seeking of the individual. Seeking to "control" others, is the ultimate evil.

Doc

Global Climatic Change: An Inconvenient, Unavoidable Truth

Folks...I'm so sick and tired of seeing folks who "steal" a phrase, like "global warming", and don't use critical thinking about it, BEFORE making their decision.

FACT: Global Climatic changes have occurred since the earth was formed, occurred for millions of years WITHOUT human accleration or decelleration, and WILL continue, probably LONG after humans are extinct.

FACT: Global Warming, is merely a "warming" phase of Global Climatic change.

FACT: Earth has been through many cyclical swings in warming and cooling...the last ice age...when Northern North America was covered in a glacier, created the Great Lakes.

FACT: We are currently in an "ice age", meaning, that many climates that are "cool" today, were once more tropical...this ALL occurred before humans were burning fossil fuels.

FACT: CO2 and other greenhouse gasses can, and do, contribute to a warmer climate. They did when huge amounts of volcanic action (waaaay before humans) left earth tropical even in the most northern reaches of the hemispheres. How did earth compensate? Well, not that I believe in Gaia theory...but with an abundance of CO2, came a florishing of plant life based on photosynthesis...which, uses, anyone, anyone, Buehler? That's right...CO2, as its major source of chemical reaction.

FACT: Many parts of North America, are more forested and green than BEFORE Europeans arrived (hmmmm, perhaps, because there's alot of CO2 around....hmmmmm, see a trend reoccurring here).

FACT: Humans tend to lend more credence to their impact on ANYTHING that is probably factually supportable.

FACT: Nuclear (pronounced New-klee-er) power produces the least amount of carbon (CO2) than any other power generation mechanism.

FACT: Old trees (over 50 years old) consume the LEAST amount of CO2...we should cut them all down, plant NEW trees, which consume greater amounts (sorry tree huggers, your emotional arguments just don't make "carbon management sense"...quit emoting, start thinking)

FACT: Buying a used, decent mileage vehicle, is WAYYY more carbon efficient than buying a hybrid, OR, buying an electric car.

FACT: Global warming is mostly a political mechanism, to get uniformed, emotional decision makers to vote for someone, or something...either with their vote, or their money. Global warming is a marketing scheme, first and foremost.

FACT: What we already do in North America, impacts the carbon scale much less than, say, a newly industrializing country, like China, which is now consumming HUGE amounts of oil and gas.

FACT: Gas prices are a function of demand. Industrializing third-world countries (like China) are demanding it...so...the price is going up...GOOD NEWS: Turns out the Chinese are pretty smart. They have been around, as a culture, for thousands of years longer than most civilizations. They can "see" that oil isn't going to be around long...ESPECIALLY if they continue to consume it like they are right now...so, what are they doing?

FACT: China is stepping up production of cheap solar and wind based power technologies. The price is dropping, simply because the demand for power in China is developing a business case to develop these technologies. Price per unit drops, when production and consumption is increased to the point where fixed costs are diluted by the number of units produced (basic MBA stuff...I know, I have one).

So...in conclusion:

1) Global warming, or better yet, the warming phase of global climate change is occuring right now.
2) Our greenhouse gas emmissions ARE accelerating this.
2a) Photosynthesizing plant life (trees, grass, bushes, etc...consume CO2)...they thrive in high greenhouse gas environments...just like they are now.
3) The source of those gases, coal, gasoline, are being consumed in a logrithmic fashion, by industrializing third-world countries (like China).
4) What we do in North American, pales, by orders of magnitude, what the Chinese do.
5) China sees that we are running out of fossil fuels, and is investing, HEAVILY in solar, wind, and nuclear power.
6) Once China has dropped the price of all these power below the cost of fossil fuels (next 5 years or so) who will pay a premium for fossil fuels anymore?
7) Once this happens, global climatic change will not only resume its march, without greenhouse gas emission acceleration, but, in fact, will accelerate the OTHER direction, as the increased number of photosynthesizing plants consume CO2 to levels that cause a rapid ice-age to occur. If you live in Cleveland, Ohio, like I do...you'd be smart to move to California, Texas, or Florida.

What will those who seek to control your behavior focus on then?

Regards,

Doc