Week 23.33 On Systems
About a month ago, an incident on a stationary bike led me to a profound realization about the interconnectedness of systems, whether in our body or in business. While pedaling hard, I hurt my back. Dismissing it initially, my travel plans went on uninterrupted. But as days transformed into weeks, the minor discomfort spiraled into unbearable pain. Imagine my dilemma when my difficulty walking pushed me to an acupuncturist, especially since I'm trypanophobic (a heightened fear of needles). Two sessions later, not only was I back on my feet, but I was also on a path to an enlightening analogy between healing and leadership. My acupuncturist informed me of the interplay between the skeletal and muscular system. My muscles, in an attempt to compensate for a skeletal issue, had inadvertently made things worse. This revelation struck a chord, making me realize how businesses often work in similar patterns. Sometimes, in our attempt to protect ourselves from the effects of one problem, we might unintentionally aggravate another. Acupuncture seemed like a solid analogy for business and leadership! And it got me thinking that acupuncture is much like a 360 review.
My muscles did what they thought was best for my body, but they overreacted, eventually worsening everything. The signals to my muscles were not getting through properly, and they overreacted to the problem. By analogy, there may be a push to increase new business in the sales pipeline when the problem is the ability to close. Or there is an investment made in marketing when the issue is the product. Problems become siloed, and solutions that address one area's symptoms may exacerbate the problems in another.
Once my muscles locked in place, they did not get any additional feedback that I was trying to improve. No communications were in place to allow them to release and enable the healing to begin. Similarly, when a business lacks the proper flow of information, over time, it starts to compensate for problems it does not understand. Reflecting on this, I was reminded of a favorite saying by Alan Mulally during his tenure as CEO at Ford Motor Company. He often repeated that raw, unfiltered truth is a leader's most valuable asset. Knowing the truth allows a leader to strategize and act effectively.
Working in the world of coaching, 360 assessments are a commonly employed tool. The acupuncture, for me, was like a 360 review -- the needles opened communication pathways, allowing my muscles to understand and rectify their overcompensation. Similarly, a 360 review provides leaders with holistic feedback, equipping them to make informed decisions. Embracing such feedback without taking it personally can lead to transformative actions. But, just as I was initially hesitant about acupuncture, many leaders fear the raw truth a 360 review might expose. My experience taught me to value the outcome over the process. Regular feedback, like periodic acupuncture sessions, ensures we're proactive rather than reactive.
Leaders should see the 360 not as an exposition of their shortcomings but as a window into the organizational ecosystem. Embracing it means you're getting invaluable data streams to navigate the business landscape effectively. Just as my focus shifted from the piercing needles to the relief they provided, leaders should focus on the insights and not the criticisms. Our businesses, much like our bodies, operate on a delicate balance of systems. Regular check-ups, be it through acupuncture or a 360 review, ensure optimal performance. For any leader aiming for organizational health, a comprehensive 360 review is an indispensable tool in their arsenal. In life and leadership, we don't often get the gift of a procedure that provides quick relief and clarity on how to make the changes we need to make. By focusing on the muscles rather than the needles, the process moves from fear to relief. Our companies, like our bodies, are systems that need regular care. The 360 you get from your coach is one of the most effective tools in your leadership toolkit… needles optional.
On the importance of self-promotion (and how to do it your way) by Nihar Chhaya,
If you aren’t promoting yourself even a little bit, it’s hard to predict if others will. As “icky” as this feels for some, self-promotion is essential for relevance in a competitive and easily distracted work environment. I once coached an executive who believed her work would speak for itself. And to her credit, she did advance to a senior level over the years in her chosen work domain. But the world and technology change much faster in one year now, than it did in 10 years when she was starting her career. She saw the likelihood of more tech-savvy, younger talent who were prolific in their branding, entering her competitive space. Even if they didn’t necessarily take her job, their ubiquity and creativity in tooting their own horn created a contrasting perception about my client’s level of enthusiasm and engagement. It’s not fair and certainly not even a matter of equals being compared to each other. But it’s today’s reality.
It’s possible to be authentic – even attractive in your modesty – but choosing not to evolve with the way people make decisions these days may unnecessarily hurt you, while helping others. The mindful practice of self-promotion not only will improve your success in the world but invite more people to your life that need your gifts. Success is often a measure of how much you have added value in someone’s life. If you don’t toot your horn even a little bit, how will people know you can help them? In addition, taking time to talk about your work, while still doing the work, can be motivating for you to keep going. Many of my clients are successful in their companies, so they haven’t bothered updating their resume or LinkedIn profile in years. But instead of waiting until that day (and I hope it doesn’t come), when you need people to notice you desperately because you decided to leave your company or were let go; why not keep sharing with the world what you’re up to?
Big Food, the Diet Industrial Complex and now, miracle drugs? by Rita McGrath
In an ironic complementarity, the weight challenges largely created by Big Food spawned an entire $80 billion industry dedicated to correcting the problems of overconsumption. The flagship company built on the premise of helping people combat the pervasive outcome of too much readily available food was Weight Watchers, founded in 1963. In addition to regular old willpower, Weight Watchers’ founder Jean Neditch “turned the drab, frustrating diet into a quasi-religious quest, with membership commitments, eating systems, inspirational meetings and cookbooks, food products and motivational success stories to reinforce the frail will.”
Executive Director of the non-profit “Eating For Your Health,” Marion Reinson says the knowledge in understanding that a can of Coke, which contains 39 grams or nearly 10 teaspoons of sugar, is convincing enough on its own. “That’s a lot of sugar, and your body just eventually is unable to keep on filtering that out. That’s when you get diabetes, or people are suffering from inflammation, and it might be just a few ingredients that are in their diet. Instead of going on all these medications, if you just eliminate those foods, then you can feel better and be better. We look at the cures in the kitchen or try to help people to understand that direct correlation of how you feel is data based on what you eat.” A fascinating public policy question is whether we as a society can absorb the cost of food production as it currently exists AND $80 billion in spending for diet companies AND the expense of large numbers of people using costly drugs for a lifetime?
3 Steps to Think Globally by Maya Hu-Chan
When you hear the phrase, thinking globally, you might imagine focusing on international business or finding markets around the world. However, in the context of leading with an innovative mindset, the word global means much more. Consider Chinese e-commerce and tech company, Alibaba. This wildly successful, multinational e-commerce company is guided by a simple mission; make it easy to do business anywhere. Alibaba’s platform connects small mom-and-pop sellers to customers around the world. The sellers on their platform are not competitors, they’re partners. Their interests are aligned. The company shares data with brands to empower them to sell more on the platform. The better the partners do, the better Alibaba does. This is thinking globally, thinking broadly and beyond your own company. It’s an approach that not only helps make Alibaba one of the largest companies in the world, but also helps lift millions of people out of poverty, into successful entrepreneurship. Alibaba’s simple, clear mission is an example of the first of three steps to thinking globally.
Thinking globally is an important step to create an innovative mindset. First, providing clear vision and purpose. Secondly, exploring and connecting the dots. And number three, hiring T-shaped employees. This way, you can create conditions that inspire others to think globally. How do you create space for yourself and others to not just think outside the box, but to think that there is no box?
With love, gratitude and wonder. Scott