If you read this blog, you already know that I love the Sunday columns in the New York Times, especially “Corner Office.”  This week’s column features the new CEO of Siemens, and reaffirmed many of the things I’ve long believed, advocated and practiced about CEO transitions….you begin by listening, trust is earned and the importance of diversity of thought and experience in the team that surrounds a CEO (A place where the “yes-men” phenomenon tends to thrive).

But what really caught my attention was the emphasis on trust…internally…as the foundation of great teams.  At MWW Group, our POV is simple, and straightforward:

TRUST + RELEVANCE = ACTION

Typically, and particularly in our current environment, the discussion of trust centers largely around earning and preserving the trust of your stakeholders – mostly customers, investors and other external constituencies.

The notion that teams can’t function well…that leaders can’t effectively lead…unless there is trust inside the organization is an important one.   Today, we are talking about it as an issue of effectiveness.  But for those thinking beyond the immediate 10 percent unemployment reality, it is also the key to retaining talent.  Great employees have job opportunities in any economy.  And when the power shifts in the talent equation back to the employees, trust will be a key driver of whether your team sticks, or moves on.

How can a leader foster trust internally?

• Tell your own stories….share news (good or bad) before they hear it somewhere else.
• Share the credit…no one wants to worry that their boss (or their boss’ boss) is taking credit for their ideas, their work or their success.
• Review your actions….does what you DO match what you say?  Do you claim to hate internal politics, yet reward the political operatives with plum assignments?  Do employees who challenge conventional wisdom get rewarded?  Or sent to career Siberia?
• Review your policies – do you restrict your team from use of social media, because you are afraid of what they will say?  Do you have overly restrictive policies governing employee’s time?

Trust is a two way street.  You have to give it, to get it.

cwinters Executive Visibility Leadership, New York Times, Siemens, trust

The movie Horrible Bosses is sure to spark lots of water cooler conversations – the legendary Paul Bunyan style, “I can top that” stories of impolite, unprofessional or otherwise horrible bosses.

Believe me, I have a few of those stories myself – a boss who used to make a mess every Friday, then skip out early and leave me to clean it up. The guy who told me straight up that he hadn’t hired me, and was going to make me quit. (Apparently my first job manicure, Ann Taylor suit and earnest expression rubbed him the wrong way.)

Which begs the question, what makes a horrible boss? And is a horrible boss truly a horrible leader, or is there a disconnect between what employees think is important and what leaders think is important?

Check out this piece from Forbes, which describes the Body Language of horrible bosses. Some of these are so obvious, they are funny – like you shouldn’t practice your golf swing while a member of your team is pitching an idea. Or a male boss staring at a female employee’s chest. But there are some occupational hazards of modern day leadership that could put you in the bad boss category:

• Failing to acknowledge people in the hall – Has your organization grown rapidly? Are there interns in the corridor whose name you are embarrassed to admit you don’t know? There is only one boss – it’s easy for people to know your name. Ask for a chart of interns with names and photos. Smile and say hello.

• Multi-tasking – people want your full attention. Yet we live in a world where multi-tasking is a survival skill. E-mail has set expectations that people get instant gratification and response. We want to take notes while someone speaks, maybe on a laptop or an iPad. How is this impacting your effectiveness as a leader?

• Claiming an open door, then “glaring” at someone who stops by without an appointment – your busy day is not their problem. If you are too busy to be interrupted, close your door.

cwinters Executive Visibility Forbes, Horrible Bosses, Leadership, Open Door Policy

From the moment a leader takes office, his or legacy is being created. Some leaders think about it, a lot….others don’t. This piece on Forbes makes the point that legacy is created by the defining moments of leadership – like Steve Jobs introducing the iPad – and that you need to be thinking about your legacy from the first day in office.

I agree with the notion that defining moments have an impact on legacy…but we don’t always recognize a defining moment, or have the ability to plan for it. Take President George W. Bush – for me, September 11 provided two defining moments of his presidency (not including the Michael Moore footage of him in the classroom). The first, when he told the rescue workers “We’ve heard you, and the whole world hears you.” This was seemingly a spontaneous reaction to unimaginable devastation and heartbreak. He probably didn’t plan it, but it was an authentic defining moment – whether you are a Bush fan or not. The second was an orchestrated planned event where he declared “Mission Accomplished” – about a mission that was far from accomplished. Manufactured, forced and inauthentic. Two defining moments of a monumental event…both contributed to his legacy.

If those of us who work with leaders do our jobs properly, the moments we can plan for – the unveiling of a new product, a keynote address, announcement of a major corporate strategy – will accrue positive reputational points for our clients and contribute to a lasting legacy.

But to me, legacy is equally shaped by how leaders lead in the moments they couldn’t plan or anticipate. How do they weather adversity? Calm the troubled waters?

I would argue that leaders who are distracted by their legacy, from the first day they assume a position, may not be as effective at creating that legacy as those who focus on leadership instead. Make the most of those defining moments when they arise, but lead first….an enduring legacy will follow.

cwinters General Corporate George W. Bush, iPad, Leadership, Steve Jobs

Like many of us, I stayed up way too late watching events unfold on Sunday night when news of the death of Osama Bin Laden became public. I remembered the u-turn I made in the middle of the George Washington Bridge on September 11, and watching the towers fall through the windows of our NJ offices. Like it has been on many “big news” days, my TV was glued to CNN. And in a recent development, my twitter feed on my iPad gave me better insight into the country’s reaction than I’ve ever had….and one tweet caught my eye. It said something like – While Trump was talking birth certificates & college credentials, Obama was planning the take down of public enemy No. 1.

In our sound bite society, sometimes ridiculous things take on a life of their own in the news cycle. But leadership and leading in the sound bites aren’t the same thing. What is the difference?

• Leaders stand for something – they aren’t just against someone or something else.
• Leaders set the agenda and define what is important – and they stay the course, resisting distractions that don’t advance that agenda.
• Leaders demonstrate what is important; they don’t just talk about it.

I’m often asked to help clients decide if, when and how to respond to all kinds of “attacks” on their reputation. And that decision is always a complicated one…but applying these three tenets to the issue at hand can often provide clarity and context to that determination of whether the issue at hand requires a demonstration of leadership…or if it is just a distraction.

cwinters General Corporate Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Leadership, Osama Bin Laden

It’s that time again….the end of the First 100 Days of the new Congress, of new Governors. Ever since FDR pioneered the concept and offered America the New Deal, the First 100 Days have become a benchmark used by leaders in both the public and the private sector. In today’s nano-second world, 100 days can feel like a lifetime…yet the complexities of leadership today can also make 100 days seem very short.

Which begs the question – is 100 days a meaningful metric, or is it just hype?

I think it depends on how you define success. The idea that 100 Days is the be all and end all – hype. The value of the first 100 days is that it is a “fresh start” period – one where your stakeholders are listening and paying attention – they are looking for direction and guidance. They want to be led. Lead and communicate effectively in the First 100 days, and the job of continual leadership gets much easier.

The First 100 Days can be an effective tool for building reputation and establishing leadership. Here are my 5 Golden Rules for effective 100 days programs, and sustainable leadership.

• Define success…and its interim benchmarks – this is a unique opportunity to change the yardstick by which you will be judged. Set goals, and tell stakeholders what the interim success steps will be. This is a tried and true strategy for IR/financial communications that is equally effective with multi-stakeholder programs.

• Listen Actively – leadership transitions always mean change – whether a moderate evolution or a dramatic revolution. Your stakeholders will be listening to what you say, but more importantly they will be watching what you do. Do you walk your talk? And do you really hear their concerns, suggestions and observations? Seek feedback. Encourage dialogue. Success today requires conversation, not just messaging.

• Establish and articulate priorities – it might be your vision for the Company. But if a leader is new to an organization after an abrupt transition, you may need to use that initial period to learn and formulate a plan. But even if a plan is underway, you can define the process for creating a plan, and articulate big picture goals for the organization. Don’t assume people know what is important….you need to tell them.

• Translate priorities into individual actions – It’s easy to say “We need to be a more customer centric organization.” But what does that mean to individuals in different departments? What do you want them to think about? And what do you want them to DO differently? Be clear about the “how” and the “why” as well as the “what” (the goal).

• Cultivate, recruit and engage your advocates and third party endorsers – To be successful, every leader needs ambassadors and embassies. The time to recruit and cultivate advocates and ambassadors, both within your organization and outside your Company, is now. And don’t confuse “yes men” with advocates. Often the most vocal and effective advocates will be the ones who have questions, or are skeptics…because once they buy in, they really believe. Their questions are good indicators of the issues that others may be thinking but not saying.

cwinters Executive Visibility Congress, FDR, First 100 Days, Governors, Leadership, New Deal

This is a great piece from The New York Times that talks about the opportunities and pitfalls of traveling with your boss.

I’ve traveled with my boss, and with members of my team…there is no better way to understand what makes someone tick than to hit the road with them. If you are traveling with your boss, it is a great time to pitch an idea, or recruit a mentor. If you are the boss, downtime on the road can give you great insight into issues that seem unsolvable in the chaos of day-to-day life at the office….if you choose to ask the right questions, and really listen to the answers.

One of my greatest examples is a trip I took through Appalachia for a crisis audit with a colleague who was new to our team….unmarked roads and adventures of making our way gave us a lot to laugh about along the way, and those hours in the car gave us a lot of time to talk and get to know each other. I saw how she handled difficult situations, and she saw that I didn’t always take myself so seriously – like when I used my blinker to advise the cows I would be bearing left.

Sometimes letting your hair down with a colleague can make you a more effective leader. And long days on the road often provide that opportunity. Happy travels.

cwinters General Corporate Leadership, Road Trip

Last week, MWW Group moved its New York office to a new space – further downtown. Hipper, cooler space – better suited for collaborating, and with the kind of vibe that suits our new, independent agency approach. The move, and what it symbolizes, got me thinking about work…and where and when I do my best work.

The answer: my dining room table, when my entire family is asleep. Is this the side effect of leadership? You spend so much time meeting, calling, collaborating…and well, leading, that you don’t have any time to do work?

Last week I had one of those weeks….where I had the proverbial “take a number” line all day, every day….everyone just needed a minute, and I didn’t have one. Calls, meetings, a 24-hour whirlwind trip to visit a client.

It begs the question –are leadership and productivity mutually exclusive?

On balance, I think the answer is no. But last week, it sure felt like it. At least I know I am not alone.

cwinters Executive Visibility Leadership, MWW Group, Workplace Environment

The impact of social media and the creation of one massive network of influence remains a hot topic.  It is changing the way we market products, communicate with employees, and is rapidly changing the definition, and the metrics of success.  It’s about conversations, not impressions; word of mouth, not just share of voice.

Yet the ultimate leadership metric, the way we judge our CEOs, remains largely correlated to the creation of shareholder value, even if that value comes on the backs of employees, customers and communities.  We claim that we hold leaders accountable for things like citizenship, environmental stewardship and employee satisfaction.  Yet we reward them, and compensate them on something different entirely.

At Davos, global leaders convened to collaborate on some of the world’s biggest problems, with a theme of “Shared Norms for the New Reality.”  One new reality is that as our world changes, how we measure success must change with it.  This is the point made by MWW Group client Kari Stoever of GAIN, whose post on the Huffington Post today challenges leaders to create a new “index” that measures CEO success based on benefits to the people who are their customers, rather than just their shareholders.

How do you think leaders should be judged?  Let the debate begin.

cwinters Executive Visibility Davos, GAIN, Leadership

One of the great perks of my job is that I get insight and visibility into the leadership of many different Companies – some major household names, and others that are companies on the rise. I get to help them craft their “stories” – both internally and externally, and observe and engage with leaders of all kinds.

One of the greatest challenges clients face is creating culture – how do they take their mission, their vision or their “credo” and make it meaningful and authentic in the organization? I’ve said before that it all comes down to leadership, and I came across this blog that approaches it from a visibility standpoint…you have to make values visible in order for them to be relevant.

The leaders of the organization have to demonstrate the behaviors and values, and they need to recognize and reward the behavior they want repeated, emulated and adopted throughout the organization. Simple to say. Not so simple to do.

cwinters Employee Engagement Employee Values, Leadership, Organization Culture

This year’s World Business Forum featured iconic leaders like Jack Welch, Al Gore, Jim Connelly and David Gergen discussing their views on how to lead, and how to be successful in today’s environment. There were some amazing presentations, and some memorable moments…almost too much to remember. Thankfully, they issue a summary report of each session to everyone who attended – to help capture the lessons and the wisdom, and help attendees implement what they’ve learned.

If you didn’t have two days to spend at Radio City, you can still benefit from the advice of these leadership greats… download the 2010 World Business Forum Report, courtesy of HSM and MWW Group.

Enjoy!

cwinters MWW Group Leadership, World Business Forum