The job of a leader is to connect her voice with her touch
“…most successful companies in the future would be those that aggressively hire, train, and promote women…transform the work place by expressing, not giving up, their personal values.
John Naisbitt and Patricia Auberdene
Reinventing the Corporation
Food for thought – These twins provide a great metaphor for the role of the leader. Touching another and connecting our touch with our voice is critical for survival. This is particularly true for the human spirit in the work place. While the military and religious organizations provided the values and structure for organizational growth and the subsequent economic wealth, expansion of cities, disposable income and good jobs that followed, the values inherent in their style are no longer enough. Our culture is changing and with it comes the need for a humanistic approach. Consider for a moment how technology has changed your life in businesses and at home. Information comes in with such rapidity that you might ask yourselves, “How can I keep up?” People feel as if they are loosing touch with each other and keeping in touch is critical for survival.
How change happens in two different cultures - In one sense, traditional, top-down structures can’t handle information and client demands with the speed that’s required by technology. This happens because the control of communication and information by using the chain of command inherent in traditional organizations hampers how things happen in the technological culture. Decisions need to be made immediately and immediacy is difficult when people need to be in the presence of each other to decide. It’s difficult for executives and other employees to get together as a result the hierarchy seems slow to respond. Imagine for a moment what it’s like getting three or four people into the same meeting time slot on any given day. It’s just plain difficult. Customers aren’t willing to wait. This high-tech organizational culture requires different leadership traits, such things as - lateral thinking, greater flexibility, participation, compassion for the wider needs of people, diversity and a willingness to break routines and rituals. All of these are rooted in the socialization of women.
“So what?” you might ask. – Many of you are businesswomen either running your own company or inherently involved in the operations of a large organization. To stay effective and profitable you are called on to operate at your personal best. This means that the beliefs and values of authenticity, integrity, compassion, fairness and standing by your word are required. Honouring your values is what allows you to operate at your personal best. You bring them with you to work. Do you find room for compassion, flexibility and creative thinking in your own life or are you running from one task to the next, never really feeling a sense of completion?
What do women want in their management/leadership role? - In the mid ‘90’s I looked at women in the work place and asked myself “What do women need in order to instill and honour their values and beliefs at work? To discover the answers I conducted a research project involving 80 women in manufacturing, hi tech, and the automotive sector. I wanted to know how they defined their needs as they took on leadership roles in traditional work environments. Three themes appeared repeatedly. They wanted to:
• portray a more confidant image of personal and professional leadership without compromising their values.
• take greater risks in order to bring about needed organizational change.
• balance personal and professional goals to make better use of personal time.
Perhaps these are the same six years later. And do men want these opportunities and traits in their leadership role?
The Risk – Wanting it helps but doesn’t necessarily make it happen. It is hard to tell the truth in a culture that demands numbers and quality when focusing on what interferes with quality is what is really needed. When a leader/manager adopts the business practices of a culture that goes against his or her beliefs the risk is high. Reduced efficiency, the lowering of self-esteem and the loss of respect from colleagues begins to appear. Motivation wanes and negative conversations begin to prevail. The overall human dissatisfaction begins to interfere with an environment where quality is needed. What are your specific values and beliefs about people and work? How do you honour these values in the work environment? What happens when you give in to what you know to be true? Where do you find your support?
My conclusion is this. Women in the work place challenge the cultural beliefs simply because they bring values that are different than workplace values. They depart from the hierarchy. What they do value is (fill in the blank) ______________. What wears women out is not hard work but rather repression of their personality. This is so for men as well. How can you value your bone deep beliefs and use them at work? Your company needs them, your colleagues needs them, and most of all you need to be living them.
Leadership is about connecting your voice with your touch. - It’s about telling the truth. It is about having the courage to say what is not working and it’s about inspiring others to do the same. If you are in a leadership role ask people what they want and need. How can you make good decisions when if you haven’t really heard what’s going on? Be a leader! Invite others to speak the truth! It’s the only one they know. Listen to what they have to say. While they are speaking don’t interrupt them with rationale and reasons. When they are finished thank them for their bravery in being honest. Speak about what is important to you. As you help others find their voice you will also find your own.
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Janice Calnan of CALNAN GROUP, Ottawa Ontario, Canada, executive coach, author, specialist in organizational change. Her book SHIFT: Secrets of Positive Change for Organizations and Their Leaders can be obtained through www.janicecalnan.com . Reach Janice at (613) 721-5900 or info@janicecalnan.com .« Dealing with stress, disappointment and failure among Senior Executives | Home | Leaders creates the very problems they want to avoid. »
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