Continuing my series of posts exploring the topic of sustainability – of our organizations and the larger world in which those organizations exist, today’s post examines the internal factors that enable an organization to be sustainable over time. Something that, over the last ten years, over 50% of the companies on the Fortune 500 list have failed to do.
I love images that paint a compelling picture. And so when a speaker on gender in the workplace talked about women and leadership, and explored the underlying reason for the disproportionate number of women in high leadership positions as a combination of both glass ceiling and a sticky floor, it resonated.
A lot, apparently. These men were part of one of the longest and most comprehensive longitudinal studies, called The Grant Study, ever conducted. The study began in their sophomore year of Harvard Medical School – and continues to this day. The men were observed, studied, interviewed, examined and tracked over time.
And author George Vaillant, who chronicled the study, wrote, “The results were as clear-cut as they were startling.”
As some level, I think every one of us knows that the old notions of stability are fiction. That the pace of change is breakneck, coming so fast and furious that we can’t assimilate and accommodate or make sense of it all. That the longevity of our position, our career, our company, our product, or our gadgets are measured at best in years, more likely in months and very seldom in decades. Love it or hate it – we need to reconcile that unrelenting change is the new normal.
This week I was reminded of the power in asking for something you need or want. On Monday, Abby, a summer intern, started to work with me. And it’s a great example of taking a risk to ask.
To hear Abby’s story and to explore why we hesitate to ask bold questions, read on.
I think we can learn something about reaching our goals by throwing out the geometry lesson of shortest distances and using the metaphor of sailing.
At no time is communication more important than when a change is occurring. Today’s post, by Myra Cocca, will help you tailor it to the needs of your audience.
“S – U – C – C – E – S – S , that’s the way to spell success.” Is a chant I’ve heard cheerleaders recite way too many times, from grade school on. Spelling success is not all that hard – defining it is much more difficult.
I tell students in my entrepreneurship courses at Purdue that leaders read. However, the nature of the entrepreneurial process makes it tough to recommend good reads. Those searching for a good idea need something different than those who have found one and are in high growth. Meanwhile, some have built a company only to find themselves stuck with an “ugly baby”. As such, I’ll clearly identify by stage-of-the-entrepreneurial-process what the book is best suited for.
And after reading my list I”ll be curious to know – what books guide and inspire you?
In Leadership is an Art, Max DePree tells us that “buying books is easy; owning them is not.” He goes on to explain that, “Good readers take possession of what they are learning by underlining and commenting and questioning. In this manner they ‘finish’ what they read.” He ends his introduction by saying: “You can read this book quickly; but I hope you cannot finish it quickly. It will be worth a lot more to you if you finish it, if you have truly made it your own book.”
DePree also shares that leadership is NOT learned by reading, alone – and I fully concur. But I also know that leaders who are thoughtful and open themselves to new ideas WHILE they get their hands dirty leading, grow into better and better leaders. My mantra is that LEADERS READ.
My list of top ten comes with a disclaimer – these are NOT for learning to manage or supervise. They are in my area of specialty: transformational leadership.
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