Can You Be Too Connected?

Over the years, our organization, SVI, has launched thousands of social networking studies to measure the connectedness of leaders inside and outside of organizations. We wanted to understand how one’s connections to others, or their networks, impede or enable one’s success. Do the most successful leaders have the most contacts? Do the most trusted leaders have the most friends? If I have more Facebook or Twitter friends than someone else, am I more likeable?

With the rise of social networking and the new emphasis our businesses have put on community involvement, it seems like we’ve elevated the importance of our connectedness to others. But is this a good thing? What does our research have to say?

After receiving almost 10,000 survey responses, we’ve discovered that there is no such thing as a standard ideal network. Different situations call for different relational dynamics. We did learn, however, that you can be too connected. Studies have shown that having too many connections impede our productivity. In this instance, our connections become the priority, not our performance. Additionally, too many connections can impede the level of trust others have in us. After all, isn’t it hard to trust the dinner party “glad hander”? You know these people. They are at every community event shaking hands with everyone they come in eye contact with.

For the champion, building relationships is different. What matters to the champion is not the quantity of their relationships, but rather the quality of them. And like our research shows, someone who’s not overly connected or networked has the time to invest in others and build a deeper level of trust with a precious few. Our research shows that the top performers in a business aren’t the most connected. In fact, these top performers typically drive the middle of the road when it comes to their network strength. The difference is, however, that these top performers are the most trusted regardless of their network size.

Below are a few ways to build trust within your networks:

Invest in others by listening first and showing real concern. Seek to know their agenda or needs before you share yours.
Be willing to be a little more transparent or vulnerable than usual. Share more of yourself with others in the truest way. Don’t project something you’re not.
Always operate with a cooperative mindset, pushing your self-serving agenda aside for the sake of a win-win outcome.
Don’t be afraid to share your emotions. Allow others to see your passion. It will ignite theirs and they will appreciate you for it.

I’m spending time discussing this at the upcoming Northwest Arkansas Economic Summit coming up on November 11th.  I hope to capture your thoughts on this topic prior to the event.  Please leave a comment on this post.

If you are near Northwest Arkansas on November 11th, I invite you to come to the summit. There is more information about how to take part in this summit at their website.

Onward!

Tags: champion, connect, connected, connecting, network, networking, organizational, OrganizationalChampions, professional, relationships, social

Let ‘em Run…We Choose to Fight

Yesterday I got the opportunity to speak to a regional conference of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).  We all have been hit profoundly by the economic downturn, but take a moment to think about the people charged with managing and selling space in the shopping centers around the U.S.  Many of these people are also real estate agents who are facing the double whammy of houses and retail space sitting empty.

It wouldn’t be surprising or unexpected that this event would host a pretty sour crowd.  No one would blame them if they collectively waved the white flag and decided to hide their heads until the storm was over.  It wasn’t like that at all.  There was hope in this crowd.  There was a desire to attack this dilemma with energy and creativity.

Leaders who stand out against the crowd, or Champions as we call them, aren’t defeated easily.  Champions know that there will be times when they have to face a stiff head wind.  When other people are running for cover, these leaders are making courageous progress. Champions make the most of the opportunity.

Here are some things to think about when trying to move a team in the midst of the storm.

1. Don’t procrastinate decisions – Too often people are paralyzed by the desire to wait till everything is just right before making a decision.  I hate to break it to you, but even in the best of times things are never just right.  Champions are action oriented.  They move and adjust rather than waiting for the perfect opportunity.
2. Adjust, Adjust, Adjust – Let you team know that change isn’t just inevitable, but rather, constant.  In fact, we should always be in an explorer’s mindset, looking for opportunities to make the process better.  A team that expects change is agile.  That makes them comfortable in situations that would make lesser teams falter.
3. Expect opposition and persevere anyway – Complaining and neigh-saying are easy to do.  Understand that the people you talk to can’t see the road ahead like you do.  Just like it took time for you to think through your situation and develop a vision, it will take time for others to see your vision as clearly as you do.  Understand that when ideas are young, they are fragile.  Don’t let a great idea die because people don’t understand it immediately.

The men and women who were at this conference were the first to feel the icy blast of the current downturn, I expect them to be the first to experience the warm breezes of an economic turnaround.  Onward!

Tags: centers, champion, ICSC, meeting, oklahoma, organizational, shopping, tulsa

An Unexpected Approach in Driving Change

Tomorrow I leave for a short vacation with my wife (no kids) that we’ve had to put off for a number of reasons this summer. We’re traveling to Sedona, Arizona where we can capture a little bit of peace and quiet and rest. I’m expecting that my days will be very predictable – sleep, eat, hike and chill. Our schedules will be far from demanding and hopefully very routine. In fact, having an ounce of the “routine” is of primary importance to me in a vacation, because only in a vacation can we experience routine in today’s constantly changing business environment.

Change is driving us, we’re not driving change. And nothing is routine or predictable, ever. Today’s champions must be comfortable with this. In fact, an IBM “Enterprise of the Future” study claims that the most extraordinary leaders must hunger for change.

I recently came across an article that caused me to, yet again, reflect on this change. However, this article, To Master Change, First Dread It, presented something new that I found interesting and right. So, with the contribution from the author, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, below are five considerations as you master change in your organization.

1. Adopt an attitude of exploration: Never stop asking questions; but rather, ask more questions of more people more often. This will heighten your own awareness of the business and create a curious and more collaborative culture capable of creativity. Creative thinking is necessary for driving healthy change.
2. Imagine the worst-case scenario of a change effort: By going all the way with your feelings and taking them to the dreaded end; only then, can you and others begin to move forward and beyond your fears. People who hate spiders quickly move beyond their fear when they are surrounded by them. For them, things can’t get worse. At that point, they begin to move forward. See Kanter’s article, To Master Change, First Dread It.
3. Prioritize progress over perfection: These are the times for leaders to play offense. As economic recovery approaches, those leaders who are playing it safe with a defensive mindset will find themselves far behind. It’s time for leaders to bring the pressure and to deliver a new level of competitive aggressiveness. Progress before perfection will bring risk. However, as companies rebound, failure loses a little bit of its bite. But those who learn quickly from failure will be smarter, faster.
4. Develop staying power (resilience): Today, it seems, nothing comes easy. I’m easily frustrated by those who promise easy success. What has always been consistent in my observations is that those who refuse to give up are the ones who own the success stories. It’s easy to bailout when change gets tough. It’s much tougher to see change through. But those who do, win.
5. Be intentional about your recovery – recharge your battery: Our organization has pushed a record number of change efforts through in 2009. Our business model has changed, we’ve created a new global brand, we’ve launched several new products and product lines and we’ve embraced new and healthy partnerships. Those who get ahead can push their intensity to the maximum. They can push their intensity to the maximum, because they’ve been intentional about their recovery. It’s time for me to recharge my battery. New change will be demanded and I need to be ready for it. So Sedona, here I come.

Onward!

Tags: change, hunger, initiatives, organizational, vacation

Reinventing a Brand From the Inside: A Podcast with New Balance CEO Rob DeMartini – OC Podcast 016

 

 Reinventing a Brand From the Inside: A Podcast with New Balance CEO Rob DeMartini - OC Podcast 016: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Rob DeMartini is the CEO of New Balance.  New Balance is in the midst of a reinvigoration of its brand.  The company is over 100 years old, but is making some very interesting strides towards reestablishing itself as a premiere athletic shoe brand.  In this episode, we speak to Rob about leading this charge and what it is taking both inside and outside the company to make this change successful.

Contact
www.organizationalchampions.com
www.twitter.com/ThompsonOC
www.twitter.com/OrgChamps

Tags: athletic, CEO, conversation, leader, NewBalance, organizational, Podcast, shoe, webcast

Organizational Champion Webcast – Ep. 08 – The Change Maker

 

 Organizational Champion Webcast - Ep. 08 - The Change Maker [42:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In today’s episode, we discuss our next stop on the Champion’s ECChO model, the Change-Maker. It also brings us to an interesting chicken & egg dilemma that every leader faces.  That and much more in today’s episode of The Organizational Champion Webcast.

Show Notes:

In The News:
CNN and Career Builder’s Top Ten cities for College Graduates.

Why is Change So Important to Companies?

Three Characteristics or Outcomes of the Connected Leader:

• Action-Oriented
• Resilient
• Agile

Discussion about Change Maker:

What are the steps I can take this week to transform my company/team into a Change-making Team?

1. Connect Culture to Mission
2. Open Enterprise Collaboration
3. Find the Right Measures/Measure the Right Things
   - Focus on Outcomes Rather than Outputs
4. Push Decision Making Down
5. Establish Accountability
6. Get Executive Involvement

Links:

www.championseccho.com
www.twitter.com/ThompsonOC

Tags: agile, agility, amazon, book, champion, change, help, Hill, Leadership, leading, maker, McGraw, organizational, Podcast, webcast

The Organizational Champion – Sneak Peak #2 (The Contents)

As the official June 5th launch date approaches, find the next sneak peak inside the book – the Contents with a brief explanation (available only for the readers of this blog) for each section. The Contents are split into three parts:

Part I: The Premise for the Organizational Champion

Chapter 1 – What Distinguishes Extraordinary Leadership? (pages 13-32): This was somewhat of a struggle for me because I was emotionally dissatisfied with what the leadership term had to offer during these complex times. The leadership term was like a blanket describing anyone behind any progress – and everyone qualified. I felt like the word “leadership” and all its derivatives had been overused and were unable to distinguish anymore. This is why I introduced the word champion. Champions don’t compete, they win regardless of circumstance. Champion is also a verb (i.e. to champion something or someone). Today, we need our champions – those who win and those who champion bold ideas and the people behind them.

Chapter 2 – You Need champions to Win Championships (pages 33-54): Though I liked the term “champion” and what it stood for, it was important to identify people who exuded champion characteristics. Not all of these champions were in the most successful companies. Some of these champions have been involved in corporate turnaround efforts as well. But every one of the champions featured in the book is in pursuit of championships for their organization.

Part II: Becoming an Organizational Champion

Chapter 3 – Discover Yourself (pages 55-78): In Part II of the book, I emphasize application – what it takes, specifically, to become an organizational champion. The first part of the champion process is to become enlightened. Chapter 3 provides a step-by-step process toward becoming an enlightened individual.

Chapter 4 – Be an Energizer of the Culture (pages 79-104): Chapter 4 presents how to move from enlightenment, an inward focused process, to becoming inspirational, the emotional expression of your true self. Through their authenticity and passion, champions inspire a healthy culture.

Chapter 5 – Connect through Mutually Beneficial Relationships (pages 105-126): Champions don’t go it alone, but rather, they have an amazing ability to connect. They are in constant pursuit of reliable and trusted relationships, and they invest deeply into them. These trusted relationships give them the edge of others.

Chapter 6 – Create Organizational Agility (pages 127-146): Champions are change agents. Because they build trusted relationships, they can leverage these relationships to successfully execute transformational change initiatives.

Chapter 7 – Ignite the Possibilities (pages 147-164): If chapter 6 is about operational execution, then chapter 7 is about the pursuit of bold visions. Champions do both – dream big and execute well. Champions are curious and rarely comfortable. This chapter gives tips toward becoming more curious and imaginative behind possibilities.

Chapter 8 – What You Can Do to Become an Organizational Champion (pages 165-192): This chapter acknowledges that the champion pursuit isn’t an easy one. Presented are four specific lifestyle recommendations that will help you in your pursuit. These lifestyle recommendations might be counter-intuitive to a degree, but very effective, nonetheless.

Part III: The Promise of The Organizational Champion

Chapter 9 – Unleashing the Organizational Champion (pages 193-216): Much like chapter 8 highlighted four specific lifestyle recommendations for you as an individual in the champion pursuit, Chapter 9 presents recommendations to organizations who want to seed their culture with such champions. This chapter also provides tips for champions who might be suppressed in stagnant companies.

Chapter 10 – What Organizational Champions Do for Your Company (pages 217-234): Chapter 10 helps summarize what company’s can expect from such champions. I guess you might call this chapter, the “reason to buy” chapter. It explains why organizations should embrace the core principles of organizational champions and how these champions will help position these companies for success well into the future.

Onward!

Tags: book, champion, chapters, description, organizational, peak, sneak

Organizational Champion Webcast 07 – Connected Leader

 

 Organizational Champion Webcast 07 - Connected Leader [36:47m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Show Notes:

In today’s episode, Mike and Murray discuss the value of engaging and staying connected to all stakeholders as a leader.  It isn’t always easy be available, open, and vulnerable as a leader but as we move forward, leaders who can’t do that will be shuffled to the back of the pack.  We will talk about how to be a connected leader and why you might not have a choice…

In The News:
Small Business Sees Thaw

Question:
What does a Champion do right now to make sure that her company/division/team is ready to move when the economic stoplight finally turns green?

Links:
Blue Ocean Strategy
Who’s Got Your Back?
Mind of Moms Summit
Rockfish Interactive

Tags: champion, connected, leader, mike, organizational, Podcast, thompson, webcast

The Organizational Champion Webcast – Ep. 05

 

 The Organizational Champion Webcast - Ep. 05 [31:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Show Notes:

In the News:

The Best of Behance: Best of Behance’s 99% Conference: 13 Tried and True Practices For Making Ideas Happen.

http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/linda-tischler/design-times/best-behance-13-tried-and-true-practices-making-ideas-happen

The ECChO Model:

ECCho Discussion:

I. Recap The Definition of a Champion
II. Discuss the Model (Quick Overview)
III. The Enlightened Leader

Why is this important for leaders?

What is the value proposition of a company being led by enlightened leaders?

What is the value of a company producing enlightened leaders?

SPONSORS:

The Organizational Champions Podcast is sponsored by www.ChampEm.com.
Production considerations for the Organizational Champions Webcast by www.sviworld.com.

Tags: champion, enlightened, leader, organizational, Podcast, webcast

Enlightenment is the Key Differentiator of Extraordinary People

Becoming enlightened is the first step toward becoming an organizational champion because the process starts with you. Living enlightened means living true to yourself and your unique design – authentically, genuinely, consistently. Naturally living out your core propensity is necessary for personal efficiency and effectiveness. Don’t diminish the importance of personal growth and improvement, however. But realize that your best improvement will grow from your core sense of self. If you’re an introvert, you’ll likely never be a natural extrovert—but you might learn to communicate better. If you’re an academic, you might not be an artist (though these aren’t mutually exclusive)—but you might learn to think more creatively.

Those who fail to understand who they are often fail to lead naturally, always trying to fit into someone else’s leadership mold. This only leads to frustration and inefficiency. Through perspective and understanding, embrace who you are naturally—pursue growth from your core, and unleash your unique and valuable gifts.

• Discovering yourself gives you a new found significance and sense of purpose.
• Discovering yourself gives you more freedom to move through life and run wild as you’ve defined your own playing field.
• Discovering yourself gives you new energy and passion that allow you to bring your best to any situation.

The road to enlightenment begins with self-discovery. And the road to self-discovery isn’t always easy. In fact, many people find it a very difficult trek. But by accepting the difficulty—even embracing it—we discover ourselves, and through that discovery we can enlarge ourselves and our impact.

Tags: book, champion, development, enlighten, enlightened, leader, Leadership, organizational, theorganizationalchampion

The Organizational Champion Webcast – Ep. 02

 

 The Organizational Champion Webcast - Ep. 02 [35:32m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Show Notes:

IN THE NEWS:
It was a dry week for news stories.  We pored over endless news feeds this week and there was nothing there.  Where are the commentators and people with opinions and vision?  Where are the stories about exciting companies and visionary leaders?

EXECUTION V. VISION:
Which comes first vision or execution.  On first blush the answer may seem simple and straight forward, but not so fast.  Depending on the state of a company, and the state of the marketplace the best strategy may be to attack the problem backwards.  In our conversation today, we will explore both execution and vision and when to focus on each.

QUESTIONS and COMMENTS:
Questions from Twitter

CONNECT:
The Organizational Champion Blog – www.organizationalchampions.com
Follow Mike on Twitter – www.twitter.com/thompsonOC
Follow Murray on Twitter – www.twitter.com/murdog

We would love to hear from you if you have any questions or comments about the podcast. Our email address is podcast (at) organizationalchampions (dot) com.

SPONSORS:
The Organizational Champions Podcast is sponsored by www.ChampEm.com.
Production considerations for the Organizational Champions Webcast by www.sviworld.com.

Tags: aceto, CEO, champion, execution, ING, organizational, peter, Podcast, vision, webcast