How Valuing Your Current Position Helps You Achieve Your Ideal Role

Extraordinary employees sit up at any table, whether it’s the one they’re serving at a local diner or the one in the boardroom they’re leading a presentation at.

We’re drawn to those who put their whole heart into their work, whether its serving coffee or running a billion dollar corporation.

The type of growth we crave doesn’t come from working the longest hours, inflating our own importance, or even years of patience. It comes from truly committing ourselves to, then outgrowing, a current role because more is brought than is required.

As human beings, we share an instinct to not want to work with bad tools, especially when the stakes are high. The reasons are understandable. We succumb to the temptation of waiting for the stars to align, so that we have the perfect conditions to shine, personally and professionally. We are seduced by the virtues of promotions and recognition; we can’t imagine that we may have missed an opportunity to create something remarkable by failing to recognize the value of the position we hold right now.

Liked it? That was an excerpt from this article with the same title.

The Leader vs Manager debate

Leadership and management are two distinctive and complementary systems in action. Each has its own function and characteristic activities and both are essential.

However, management is about coping with complexity and leadership is about coping with change. While most companies tend to be over managed and underled, the reverse (overled and undermanaged is not necessarily better either). Consider a simple military analogy: A peacetime army can usually survive with good management up and down the hierarchy with some really good leadership at the top. However, a wartime army require competent leadership at all levels. No one yet has figured out how to manage people effectively into a battle; they must be led.

These different functions - coping with complexity vs coping with change - shape the characteristic activities of management and leadership. Each system of action involves what needs to be done, creating networks of people and relationships that can accomplish an agenda, and then trying to ensure that those people actually do the job. But each accomplishes these three tasks in different ways.

1. Companies manage complexity by planning and budgeting and establishing detailed steps to achieve those and allocating resources to accomplish these plans. By contrast leading an organization to constructive change begins first by setting a direction - developing a vision and strategies to accomplish that vision.

2. Management develops the capacity to achieve its plan by organising and staffing and devising systems to monitor implementation. The equivalent leadership activity is aligning people - communicating the direction and getting commitment.

3. Finally, management ensures plan accomplishment by controlling and problem solving - monitoring results vs plan by means of reports, meetings etc., and then planning and organising to solve the problems. But for leadership, achieving a vision requires motivating and inspiring, by appealing to basic but often untapped human needs, values and emotions.

Excerpts from HBR article What Leaders Really Do - John Kotter.

What RamP's Reading: Nov'16

Ideas Are Free: How the Idea Revolution Is Liberating People and Transforming Organizations

Ideas Are Free sets out a roadmap for totally integrating ideas and idea management into the way companies are structured and operate. Alan Robinson and Dean Schroeder draw on their ten years experience with more than three hundred organizations in fifteen countries to show precisely how to design a system to take advantage of this virtually free, perpetually renewing font of innovation. Robinson and Schroeder deal with two fundamental principles of managing ideas that are highly counterintuitive - the importance of going after small ideas rather than big ones, and the problems with the most common reward schemes and how to avoid them. They describe how to make ideas part of everyone's job, and how to set up and run an effective process for handling ideas-how to take a good idea system and make it great. And they show how good idea systems have a profound impact on an organization's culture. At the end of each chapter they provide "Guerrilla Tactics for the Idea Revolutionary", actions to promote ideas that any manager can take on his or her own authority, and that require little or no resources.

Theory U -Leading from the Future as It Emerges

In this groundbreaking book, Otto Scharmer invites us to see the world in new ways and in so doing discover a revolutionary approach to learning and leadership. In most large systems today, we collectively create results that no one wants. What keeps us stuck in such patterns of the past? It’s our blind spot, that is, our lack of awareness of the inner place from which our attention and intention originate. By moving through Scharmer’s U process, we consciously access the blind spot and learn to connect to our authentic Self—the deepest source of knowledge and inspiration. Theory U offers a rich diversity of compelling stories, examples, exercises, and practices that allow leaders, organizations, and larger systems to cosense and coshape the future that is wanting to emerge.

Fierce Conversations: Achieving success in work and in life, one conversation at a time 

Fierce Conversations is a way of conducting business. An attitude. A way of life. Communications expert Susan Scott maintains that a single conversation can change the trajectory of a career, marriage or life. Whether these are conversations with yourself, partner, colleagues, customers, family or friends, Fierce Conversations shows you how to have conversations that count.

Maximum safety, Minimum existence

Garfield, leaping, Rambo-like, through the open door of a pet-shop, announces himself FREEDOM FIGHTER

He charges through the shop,flinging open the cages of the confined pets, proclaiming YOU'RE FREE! YOUR ARE FREE!

But instead of rejoicing in this sudden gift of liberation, the cats and dogs and birds all remain in their open cages, intimidated by the unknown possibilities that come with freedom.

Seeing this Garfield surmises, HMMM, FOLKS MUST NOT BE HEAVILY INTO FREEDOM THESE DAYS

Ever flexible, he whirls back through the pet shop, slamming the cage doors and cheering YOU'RE SECURE! YOU'RE SECURE

The pets, reconfined, look relived.

Same thing happens in the world of people. Many of us choose security over freedom to such an extreme that we confine ourselves and profoundly limit our experience of life. I might surrender to a craving to be secure by electing to live my life in a closet. Maximum safety, minimum existence.

(Taken from Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool's Guide to Surviving with Grace)

Your aspiration and company's need are different

This morning I met an ex-colleague who sought my help in furthering his career. I usually have such talks over long, early morning walks in Lalbagh as it helps me see things objectively (For the same reasons, I meet my Bangalore based mentors too in Lalbagh luring them with a treat at the famous MTR post the walk). This person, lets call him John, is an individual contributor with 20+ years in the industry. John in very articulate, sincere and grounded. He is well aware of his own strengths, limitations and options. A great character any manager would love to have in the team. 

I was surprised when he sought my help. But quickly understood his problem. He is in the current organization now for 10+ years and gotten into some kind of a comfort zone. He still is highly rated and enjoys his work. The problem is that he feels his influence is declining after he moved to a different vertical by choice, though he still is their senior most and best architect. Moving to this vertical (automotive) is his personal choice. However, he is unable to engage his customers in meaningful discussion. He said he has read everything on automotive domain from internet and played around with tools available easily. Everything appeared fine and I asked him to contrast his new experience with his previous domain (wireless). He said he never had such issues in his previous domain. It then suddenly stuck to me that in the wireless domain he literally grew with the technology - starting with 2G, all the way upto LTE-A. Naturally then the connect was easy. Whereas for automotive his knowledge is bookish and his customers sense it quickly, no matter howsoever his skills are transferable, he is not able to connect. After brainstorming on several options we both decided it is best for him to move to an automotive hub like Detroit and work with one of the big names there for atleast an year to improve the odds. We both felt good and were able to enjoy our breakfast at NMH, an old, but charming restaurant near Lalbagh. 

This was easy. John is so open to feedback and always looking at increasing his value-add to the system. I was quickly able to convince him that while he aspires to be an architect in Automotive, the company really needs someone that is extremely well versed. Atleast here the needs were matching, he had built his credibility and the company therefore was patient on him, and above all he was willing to do whatever it takes to get there. Not even once did he blame his management, or customer or economy or anything (he is one of best folks I've ever worked) and throughout the conversation his focus clearly remained on "what he could do". Infact, when he called he explained his situation and said "Prasad, I want your help to identify few areas that I can work on to get where I want to go". 

It was so refreshing. Natural tendency of most of us is to blame someone/something, for it becomes easy to not take any action to move forward. People even with modest ambitions would not be willing to pay the price (I met a senior leader who told me how throughout his career he has taken odd/tough/jobs-no-one wants to do, to become valuable and therefore increased his influence and also got what he wanted - more on it in a separate post). Invariably it is our manager's fault that we are stuck!! Responsibility is lying all over the place waiting to be picked up. 

Take Action - Wanting is not enough. Act on your goals; An inch of movement brings closer to your goals than a mile of intention - Steve Maraboli.

Top 10 Tips to Advance Your Career at NI

Chanced upon this excellent article in NI-Talk on top 10 tips to advance your career at NI. Here's the summary:

1. Drive your own career
2. Build a reputation of excellence
3. See great challenges as great opportunities for growth
4. Do the job you want before you get it
5. Help others
6. Prepare your replacement
7. Prioritize high-value projects
8. Improve yourself
9. Understand the business
10. Enjoy your job

Want to know more? Read the full article here.

Dare to create magic

Ravi Venkatesan is a well known name in Indian IT industry in his role as Chairman of Microsoft India. What is little known though is how he constantly reinvents himself by repeatedly and deliberately coming out of comfort zone. Yet another example that its only mavericks and revolutionaries (and not the "well rounded professionals") that truly accomplish great things. In this beautiful article, Ravi shares what propels him to continuously self-destruct and persevere. Some highlights if you are short of time to read the entire/original article.

• Aim high, and then do what it takes
• No risk, no reward
• No matter where you go, credibility must be earned
• You are what you measure
• Great teams make great companies
• Start at the top if you want to make a mindset change
• Never underestimate the contribution of luck
• Become risk averse and you stagnate
• Introspect often to know your strengths
• India will change if Bright people create opportunities for themselves

I could relate the most to this statement “I asked myself, ‘When I turn 50, what will I regret more – that I have tried and failed or that I had the opportunity and I was too scared and gave it a pass? I decided that I’ll go and do my best.” 

(Read the full article here)

25 things strong leaders tell their team members

From Liz Ryan's Forbes article. Managers who have attended MDS can relate to these easily.

Here are 25 things awesome managers say to their teammates all the time. Which of these can you try right away?

1. Thanks for having that incredible idea!

2. You know, you are really good at this. I’m so glad you are working on this project.

3. How can I help you with anything that’s in your way?

4. Let me know if you run into any snags. Your success here is a big priority for me.

5. I don’t know the answer. What’s your opinion?

6. I do have a strong opinion about that, but I want to hear your thoughts. I’m sure they will inform my viewpoint, too.

7. Listen, I trust you to do this project the way you think best. Put together a plan, please, and show it to me. Then we can confirm it and you’ll be off and running.

8. I have a favor to ask you about switching priorities. Is now a good time to talk about that?

9. Thanks again for the amazing effort you put into that assignment.

10. I noticed that you showed Terry how to work the inventory adjustment report, and I appreciate it a lot.

11. What did I say in the staff meeting that set you back? Your face changed and I could see I surprised or upset you. Can you please tell me what it was?

12. I know you were disappointed that we organized the project differently from what you recommended, and I wanted to tell you that I appreciated your suggestions. I can walk you through the reasons I decided to schedule the project differently. I don’t want you to feel that I’m ignoring your views, and I want you to keep sharing your opinions.

13. What can I do to be a stronger manager for you and help you more?

14. I wanted to tell you that I’ve learned a lot from you — so thanks!

15. What are you waiting for from me, that I haven’t gotten back to you on yet?

16. It seems like there may be confusion between your role and Sarah’s, and the intersection between your two job descriptions. Is that a topic we should talk about?

17. How are you holding up? How’s your workload?

18. I wanted to tell you right away that everyone at the Managers Meeting loved your presentation — tremendous job!

19. What do you want to learn in the company that I can help you learn? Who do you want to meet on the executive team? Let me introduce you.

20. I want to support and promote your ideas, and I need your help. Can you lay out your argument on paper so we can walk through it?

21. Listen, you are a very important person on this team. I want to make sure you get the information, support and tools you need. Let me know if I’m not doing that.

22. Do you understand how our company makes money and how the organization works? I want to hear your questions and answer them because the more you know, the more effective you’ll be at your job and the more great ideas you’ll be able to come up with.

23. I heard that you had a tough day yesterday with the rescheduled customer demo. I’m sorry to hear about. Do you want to talk about it?

24. How can I help you reach your goals — your goals in this job and your career goals going forward?

25. Have I told you recently how grateful I am that you work here? Let me tell you again!

Decide, Commit, Resolve

Decide, commit and resolve to gain momentum and become a leader that ignites and impacts everything and everybody. Nice little (2.5 min) video by Tony Robbins.

What RamP's Reading (Oct'16)

Pre-suasion: A revolutionary way to influence and persuade

Influence established Rob Cialdini as the world’s foremost authority on the science of persuasion, winning plaudits from such figures as Dan Pink, Chip Heath and Tom Peters. In Pre-suasion, Cialdini builds on his investigations into the subtle world of influence to reveal that the best persuaders succeed not only because of what they say or how they say it, but because of what they do in the moment before they deliver their message. In the process he draws on a series of compelling case studies and a profound understanding of human psychology to offer a ground-breaking work that is both fascinating and brilliantly practical.

Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A corporate fool's guide to surviving with grace

Creativity is crucial to business success. But too often, even the most innovative organization quickly becomes a "giant hairball"--a tangled, impenetrable mass of rules, traditions, and systems, all based on what worked in the past--that exercises an inexorable pull into mediocrity. Gordon McKenzie worked at Hallmark Cards for thirty years, many of which he spent inspiring his colleagues to slip the bonds of Corporate Normalcy and rise to orbit--to a mode of dreaming, daring and doing above and beyond the rubber-stamp confines of the administrative mind-set. It will be a must-read for any manager looking for new ways to invigorate employees, and any professional who wants to achieve his or her best, most self-expressive, most creative and fulfilling work.

Ego is the Enemy: The fight to master our greatest opponent

Ego is our biggest enemy. Early in our careers, it can prevent us from learning and developing our talents. When we taste success, ego can blind us to our own faults, alienate us from others and lead to our downfall. In failure, ego is devastating and makes recovery all the more difficult. It is only by identifying our ego, speaking to its desires and systematically disarming it that we can create our best work. Organised into bite-sized observations featuring characters and narratives that illustrate themes and life lessons designed to resonate, uplift and inspire, Ego is the Enemy shows how you can be humble in your aspirations, gracious in your success and resilient in your failures. It is an inspiring and timely reminder that humility and confidence are still our greatest friends when confronting the challenges of a culture which tends to fan the flames of ego and encourage the cult of personality at all costs.

The chance of a lifetime

Couldn't help sharing this post from Seth Godin

The Success Cycle

The Richest man in Babylon

I'm highly indebted to a mentor who asked me to read "The Richest man in Babylon" when I had just started my career and I've diligently followed the advice and have been reaping and continue to reap benefits. If you want to read only one book on money management I highly recommend this (free pdf here).

Here are the 7 laws. Like gravity, they are universal and unchanging.

LO, MONEY IS PLENTIFUL
FOR THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND
THE SIMPLE RULES OF ITS ACQUISITION

1. Start thy purse to fattening 
2. Control thy expenditures 
3. Make thy gold multiply 
4. Guard thy treasures from loss 
5. Make of thy dwelling a profitable investment 
6. Insure a future income 
7. Increase thy ability to earn 

And here are the rules for the Gold:

• Gold comes gladly and in increasing quantity to any man who will put by not less than one-tenth of his earnings to create an estate for his future and that of his family
• Gold labours diligently and contentedly for the wise owner who finds for it profitable employment, multiplying even as the flocks of the field
• Gold clings to the protection of the cautious owner who invests it under the advice of men wise in its handling
• Gold slips away from the man who invests it in business or purposes with which he is not familiar or which are not approved by those skilled in its keep
• Gold flees the man who would force it to impossible earnings or who follows the alluring advice of tricksters and schemers or who trusts it to his own inexperience and romantic desires in investment

The two pains

There are only two pains:

1. The pain of discipline

2. The pain of regret

The pain of discipline weighs in grams and the pain of regret weighs in tons. Choose your pains wisely.

What is your reputation?

How often do you bother thinking about the reputation you've built? Reputation can make or break a career. You many enjoy reading the following things on reputation I had learnt from Seth Godin:

1. Your reputation has as much as impact as you what you actually do

2. Early assumptions about you is really sticky

3. You cannot "game" your reputation. Even if you did, it doesn't last.

4. The best way to maintain reputation is to keep doing things that you are proud of.

5. Good work is of maximum value only if the people get your reputation right

6. Many people do not bother building a reputation at all!

7. Be prepared to live with your reputation for long, because you need to

8. Most important: Because not everyone can talk to you, your reputation is built by others.

Be your reputation, early and often, and you're more likely to have a reputation you're glad to own.

Are you hampering your own growth?

Argue for your limitations and sure enough, they're yours - Richard Bach, Illusions

Why anyone would want to do it? Because of the many things we see as ourselves, beliefs that we are many things we are not. If we see ourselves as something that we are not, we try to do everything to protect the story we are telling ourselves. We get so caught up in self-preservation that we close all the avenues of possibilities. "But, I'm a LabVIEW guy, I can't learn C" or "I'm a DSP guy, I don't seem to have a knack for understanding APIs" - sounds familiar? While self-preservation is essential, if it crosses a limit, we start protecting things which might not be required. 

As a first step in moving towards growth, start watching out where you've started identifying with your limitations and arguing for them. 

Whether you think you can or think you can't - you're right - Henry Ford

Not my job

It is so painful when I come across people that say its "not my job" - a sure way to not get ahead in any organization. Well, there are job descriptions, existing work load which is seemingly takes away all the work hours, too much pressure already to deliver and you don't want to get distracted etc., Still, sending out a message "its not my job" is bound to deplete your good will. If you catch yourself wanting to say so, pause a moment and explore options:

• if your plate is already full, let your manager know about it and ask how you should prioritize,
• if a job is given on something that you are not competent on, ask for help.
• immediately offer to work on things that you can surely do, but seek help on things you do not know

There always are options. Telling "not my job" is usually a sign of disengagement.

Tyranny of Competence

I first came to know about the concept of "Tyranny of Competence" in Bob Quinn's powerful book Deep Change: Discover the Leader Within. This is a person that is so good at the skills of their job, managers will tend to overlook their other flaws in character. They assume the character flaws are offset by the positive impact such people create in their jobs OR worse, many a times managers would not have the guts to confront as the fear the world will come to an end if such a person leaves the organization. 

Unfortunately, in the long run, destruction caused by lack of character is always greater than the competency provided.

Steven Covey gave us the image of leadership, being equal parts character and competency. You can be the most competent person ever, but without good character, you’ll never become a great leader. (Conversely, you can be a person of utmost integrity and character, but without being competent at what you do, you’re no longer trustworthy and therefore will never make a trusted leader.)

You can spot such folks easily as they exhibit some of the following:

• They believe several work place rules that appear to most, won't apply to them (I'm  not talking of folks that talk to their manager and get a formal exemption. I'm just talking about folks that come from a sense of "entitlement" or "I don't care" kind of an attitude).
• They believe the first-right-of-refusal for anything lies with them
• They are overly critical (many times in public and/or in front of juniors) of few folks around them, without trying to help the organization or the individual about the issue they are critical about. At times such criticism crosses what is "reasonable" and in the worst case it can even be seen as harassment at work.
• This is my favourite. They take immense pleasure in chewing down their manager (or management in general) without really ever trying to understand the constraints and other ground realities in which the business (and hence the manager) operates.
• There is an air of superiority about them and they feel they can treat others like dirt with their technical competence providing the license to do so
• They use "high-bar" as a stick to beat others, while completely being oblivious to their own character flaws
• While they bemoan that they hardly get "constructive feedback", they normally do not agree when such a thing is given because of the sheer arrogance that they know better (on the technical side that is)

You can easily add more.

How to deal with them? If you are a manager, you ought to be telling them almost immediately when you see such a behavior and make them aware of the negative impact it is having on the team (I strongly recommend STAR-AR approach, for it gives how they could have acted in a different way, while still making their point). They should be made to realise that the most cherished and valued people are the ones with both great competencies and the same time exhibit the greatest of character. Such people are respectful and treat others with great dignity. Look no further, just point them to our founders Dr. T and Jeff K. 

Live, Love, Laugh

Sometimes we get overwhelmed and think everything is out of control so it’s helpful to read or listen to some inspirational words to help refocus on what’s important. Live, Love, Laugh. Here's a short video from the best selling author Wayne Dyer.

Questions

• Why waste time proving over and over how great you are, when you could be getting better?
• Why hide deficiencies instead of overcoming them?
• Why look for friends or partners who will just shore up your self-esteem instead of ones who will also challenge you to grow?
• And why seek out the tried and true, instead of experiences that will stretch you?

(Source: Mindset by Carlos Dweck)

Best form of motivation

Couldn't agree more

What RamP's reading (Aug'16)

Timeless Leadership: 18 Leadership Sutras from Bhagawad Gita

Although it was written well over two thousand years ago, the Bhagavad Gita ("Song of God"), a revered Hindu religious text, contains an immense wealth of ageless wisdom that speaks directly to the needs of today′s business leaders. Timeless Leadership takes this unlikely resource and teases out important lessons on 18 aspects of leadership, from commercial vision to motivation, decision–making, and planning. I have read a few different interpretations of Bhagwad Gita, but this one promises to be very different.

Mindset: Changing The Way You Think To Fulfil Your Potential

In this book, Stanford University Psychologist Carlos Dweck explains why it's not just our abilities and talent that bring us success-but whether we approach them with a fixed or growth mindset. She makes clear why praising intelligence and ability doesn't foster self-esteem and lead to accomplishment, but may actually jeopardize success. With the right mindset, we can motivate our kids and help them to raise their grades, as well as reach our own goals-personal and professional. Dweck reveals what all great parents, teachers, CEOs, and athletes already know: how a simple idea about the brain can create a love of learning and a resilience that is the basis of great accomplishment in every area.

Success vs Joy

This topic is so close to my heart. Re-posting.

This is from wonderful book "Success vs Joy" by Geet Sethi, who has won Billiards World Championship, six times. I present here some of sentences that inspired, impacted and provoked me. You will possibly like some, identify with some and simply smile at some.

• Joy is internal; Success is a creation of the society
• "There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path" - (quoted from The Matrix)
• The road to excellence is paved with joy, not with targets and numerical standards.
• There is joy in any activity that leads to personal growth and excellence. The process of growth and learning is the basis of joy. Where there is joy, there is no sacrifice.
• Discipline is concentrating one's efforts in a secluded environment and training yourself to focus on what you are enthused by.
• Pure action can be described as an action that has three qualities - concentration, consistency and humility. Killer instinct is another expression for concentration. Concentration is built through lifestyle and not through any formula or mantra.
• The genuinely talented player only plays selfishly, for himself and not for audience. That is what gives him unadulterated joy and pleasure.
• Commitment to joy will create its own success. Seek joy and success will naturally follow.
• I have have learnt that when I wanted success and was willing to sacrifice joy for it, eventually got neither.
• You have to be very clear about who are you and what gives you joy. Work hard learn, grow, and stretch out to reach to this joy. Use every cell in your body and brain to hit that personal sweet spot of joy. And my experience says that success just follows.
• Success is a result. Its a job well done. Success is not about achieving fame, accumulating money or having power. Success is personal and have nothing to do with what society may think. 
• My weakest moments, those situations where I lost my nerve, were at times when greed took over my entire being and I started playing for success, rewards and trophies.
• In the ultimate analysis, joy is finding your own uniqueness and being able to express this uniqueness through a perfectly executed stroke.
• Pride is not joy. Joy emanates from one's own actions, from what one feels deep down inside.
• For a performer there is no competitor. In the book of success there is, but not in the book of excellence.Excellence will come from the discovery of the self. So you have to forget the opponent and delve deep within to master your own frailties and insecurities.
• The real "I, me, mine" is independent of anybody's expectations - be they of parents, spouse, children, partners and above all your own. You just cannot live your life according to the expectations of others. Courage is in doing what you believe is right.
• Most of us would like to believe that we are intelligent and that we understand and appreciate this. Intuitively, most of us know what is good for us in the long run. But we do not listen to our inner voice because the cacophony around us drowns it.
• I have learnt to own up to my responsibilities and discard any expectations that others may have of me. I have also tried utmost to remove and eliminate any self-expectations. It is these expectations that show up as insecurities.
• I like to indulge in activities that give me joy. My joy lies in being myself, and living moment to moment. You can be alone, without being lonely.
• Those with strength of character are able to listen to their conscience, their inner voice, and then act accordingly. I define character as the courage of conviction to be your own self.
• If you want social status through a game, you will certainly be disappointed. The world does not really care whether you lose or win. You play for yourself and the joy the game gives you. Nothing else.
• Do not quit without a struggle. Do not give up unless you have stretched your potential to its limits. Only then you will experience the joy that makes life worth living. This is the joy that underscores success.