May 7, 2018
Episode #9: Management, Leadership and Organizational Development
Episode Notes
Often times the culture within an organization is a reflection of the leader in charge. It is the repeated patterns of behavior that reveal the underlying norms and values. Culture is what people do when no one is watching.
Inauthentic leaders view power as external, something that needs to be acquired and controlled. This type of individual seeks to promote and surround themselves with others that also view power as external. This group is continually trying to manipulate and feed off of each other’s fear and negativity. When it comes to change and innovation they are resistive, judgmental and attached to outcome. They are often the source of needless drama, chaos and conflict within the organization.
Authentic leaders are the best at developing great organizations. They view their power as internal. They have no need to control and manipulate others because they are connected to their own authentic power. They have developed insights and capabilities that enable them to move through fear rather than being controlled by it. They do not give away their personal power to others. Their actions and results demonstrate a high degree of authentic leadership and emotional intelligence. Asking questions works much better than giving answers. The question I always begin a coaching conversation with is “What do you want?”
Hiring choices need to take into account both the person’s contribution as well as how their actions affect those around them. The most common hiring mistake is relying too much on someone's intellectual ability and experience and not enough on how their toxic behavior affects others.
We all have a primal urge to feel safe. We become disengaged if we lose trust in our leader’s ability or willingness to protect them from danger. If we feel safe we are more willing to take the risks that are necessary in order to innovate and embrace change. If we do not trust our leaders none of that will happen. As a result the organization will become more fragmented and vulnerable to danger. Authentic leaders would never sacrifice our safety for their own personal benefit. Their actions and results build trust with those they serve.
Speaking truth to power should not be seen as a revolutionary act. The development of authentic, emotionally intelligent leadership enables us to speak truth to power that is behaving inauthentically. Increasingly, this ability is being rewarded more than the compliance habits of the past. In a world that often prefers we stay in our lanes and whisper, we need to yell, we need to lead.
Our special guest today is Mike Susi (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-susi-5122b42). Mike is Sr. Director of Product Development at Radius Innovation and Development.
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