Written by Max Miller on BIG THINK.
In 2006, filmmaker David Lynch—a poet of the sublimely bizarre and the surreally normal—wrote a book on transcendental meditation. Describing his experience, he writes: "It takes you to an ocean of pure consciousness, pure knowingness. But it's familiar; it's you. And right away a sense of happiness emerges—not a goofball happiness, but a thick beauty."
Coming from the man behind disturbing mindbenders like "Eraserhead" and "Blue Velvet," it's hard to take this statement seriously. But Lynch is indeed being sincere; he has reportedly meditated for 20 minutes twice a day since the 1970s. And his belief in the power of this age-old practice is shared with an estimated 20 million people in the United States alone who engage some form of meditation.
Sharon Gannon, the co-founder of Jivamukti Yoga, the largest yoga center in the U.S., tells Big Think that meditation is all about ignoring stimuli. "We're so habituated to reacting to every stimulus," she says. If the phone rings, we answer it; if someone knocks at the door, we open it. But meditation is a space where we don't react to the stimuli that constantly bombard us; it is about letting go, and it paradoxically makes us better able to engage. "Without taking the time every day to let things come and let things go without acting upon it, you won't have clarity of mind," she says.
But what is actually happening in the brain as we seek nirvana? Meditators have long described their experiences as transformative states that are markedly different from normal consciousness, but only recently have researchers found the evidence to back this up.
Richard Davidson is one of the foremost researchers of meditation's effects on the brain. A Harvard Ph.D graduate and a friend of the Dalai Lama, he was chided early in his career for wanting to study something as unscientific as meditation. But in 2004 he became an overnight scientific celebrity for discovering that Buddhist monks exhibit vastly different brainwaves during meditation than normal people. Brainwaves are produced as the billions of neurons in our brains transmit action potentials down their axons to the synapses where they trigger the release of neurotransmitters. These action potentials are essentially electrical charges that are passed from neuron to neuron. By placing sensors on the scalp, researchers can detect not the individual firings of neurons—they are far too small and numerous to differentiate—but the sum total of this electrical activity, dubbed brainwaves for their cyclical nature.
Using this electroencephalograph technology, Davidson asked his monks, each with 10,000 to 50,000 hours of meditation practice over their lifetimes, to concentrate on "unconditional loving-kindness and compassion." A group of inexperienced meditators were also trained for one-week and then instructed to do the same. The results were dramatic, revealing two important things: first, the monks exhibited a higher ratio of high frequency gamma brainwaves to slower alpha and beta waves during their resting baseline before the experiment began; and when the monks engaged in meditation, this ratio skyrocketed—up to 30 times stronger than that of the non-meditators. In fact, the gamma activity measured in some of the practitioners was the highest ever reported in a non-pathological context. Not only did this suggest that long-term mental training could alter brain activity, it also suggested that compassion might be something that could be cultivated.
New neurobiological research bolsters the idea that meditation effects a permanent restructuring of the brain. In 2008 a team of researchers from UCLA led by Eileen Luders compared the brains of long-term meditators with those of control subjects. In the brains of the meditators, they found larger volumes of gray matter in the right orbito-frontal cortex and the right hippocampus, areas thought to be implicated in emotion and response control. "It is likely that the observed larger hippocampal volumes may account for meditators' singular abilities and habits to cultivate positive emotions, retain emotional stability, and engage in mindful behavior," Luders writes. They also discovered a marked increase of gray matter in the thalamus, which is thought to act as the brain's switchboard, relaying information between the cerebral cortex and subcortical areas. The change in size might allow for the meditators' enhanced sense of focus during their practice.
And it turns out, you don't have to be a yogi to reap the benefits of meditation. Even those who participate in short-term training courses can alter their brains, according to research published this summer: In a collaborative study between the University of Oregon and the Dalian University of Technology in China, neuroscientists discovered that a Chinese meditation technique called integrative body-mind training (IBMT) could alter the connectivity in the brain after just 11 hours of practice. Using a type of magnetic resonance called "diffusion tensor imaging," the researchers examined the white matter fibers connecting different brain regions before and after training. The changes were most dramatic in the anterior cingulate, an area implicated in emotion control.
Types of Brain Waves
The frequency of brainwaves varies among different mental states, indicating the amount of neuronal activity in the brain. Delta waves (below 4 Hz) are the longest waves and occur mostly during deep sleep. Theta waves (5-8 Hz) are seen most commonly in young children and in drowsy adults, often as an entree to sleep. Alpha waves (8-12 Hz) are the waves of an relaxed, non-aroused mind. Beta waves (12-30 Hz) are fast and low amplitude and are characteristics of an engaged mind. And finally gamma waves (30-100 Hz) are the highest in frequency and are thought to represent the synchronization of different brain areas as they carry out certain cognitive or motor functions. It is important to realize that the brain never produces just one type of these brain waves; they all occur simultaneously, but their ratios will change depending on one's mental state.
Takeaway
Far from being simply a relaxed state, meditation is a period of heightened activity in the brain—one that can actually reshape your brain. People as diverse as David Lynch and the Dalai Lama have touted the benefits of meditation, claiming that it can increase attention, combat stress, foster compassion, and boost health. And in the past two decades, neuroscientists have begun to understand the biological substrates of these claims. Research suggests that long-term meditation increases the orbitofrontal cortex, the hippocampus, and the thalamus, potentially increasing one's capacity for attention as well as compassion.
Q&A: An Interview with Jay Davies
Q&A: An Interview with Jay Davies
1.Describe your personality.
Team player, motivated to achieve, trustworthy, accountable, inquisitive, love a challenge and respond particularly well when told something can’t be done! Passionate about self awareness and really enjoy bringing the best out in others. I also love organic food!
2.What are your strengths as a Consultant?
Getting the best out of work teams, trouble shooting to find the core issues and creating an environment that encourages individual accountability.
3.What’s your most memorable workshop you’ve conducted and why?
Presenting in India at the Indo-Australian Multi Disciplinary Workshop and there was a power failure, the room went pitch black and I was requested to keep presenting as normal as it was the generator overheating, the audience ‘were business as usual’, fortunately it wasn’t the same day as I had a stomach bug and exited the stage rapidly after 30mins of my presentation. It made me appreciate the fact we truly do live in the luckiest country.
4.Where do you see Integral Development in 5 years time?
Recognized as a leading consultancy in integrating self awareness with business strategy and individual and team performance, whilst maintaining a focus on sustainable solutions that will take businesses to the next level of development in terms of minimizing their impact on the natural environment.
5.What are your thoughts on Leadership for the future?
After conducting numerous interviews for the Global Leadership Study my thoughts on leadership have shifted considerably. I now believe that everyone one of us has a responsibility to ourselves, to look internally and take ownership of our behaviour and particularly the impact it has on those around us. The best thing we can do is decide what we are most passionate about and then pursue that whole heartedly, I believe this will bring out the natural leader in all of us.
6.If you could invite 5 people to dinner, who would they be?
Mother Theresa for her humility, Richard Branson for a good laugh, The Unknown Rebel for his courage, Albert Einstein for his genius and Eleanor Roosevelt because of her passion for social justice.
7.Who is a Leader that inspires you and why?
Martin Luther King because of his belief in non violence and racial equity.
8.If you were stranded on a desert island, what book and 2 items and would you like with you?
Secrets of the Bulletproof Spirit would serve useful, a fishing rod and swimming goggles to do a few laps around the island.
1.Describe your personality.
Team player, motivated to achieve, trustworthy, accountable, inquisitive, love a challenge and respond particularly well when told something can’t be done! Passionate about self awareness and really enjoy bringing the best out in others. I also love organic food!
2.What are your strengths as a Consultant?
Getting the best out of work teams, trouble shooting to find the core issues and creating an environment that encourages individual accountability.
3.What’s your most memorable workshop you’ve conducted and why?
Presenting in India at the Indo-Australian Multi Disciplinary Workshop and there was a power failure, the room went pitch black and I was requested to keep presenting as normal as it was the generator overheating, the audience ‘were business as usual’, fortunately it wasn’t the same day as I had a stomach bug and exited the stage rapidly after 30mins of my presentation. It made me appreciate the fact we truly do live in the luckiest country.
4.Where do you see Integral Development in 5 years time?
Recognized as a leading consultancy in integrating self awareness with business strategy and individual and team performance, whilst maintaining a focus on sustainable solutions that will take businesses to the next level of development in terms of minimizing their impact on the natural environment.
5.What are your thoughts on Leadership for the future?
After conducting numerous interviews for the Global Leadership Study my thoughts on leadership have shifted considerably. I now believe that everyone one of us has a responsibility to ourselves, to look internally and take ownership of our behaviour and particularly the impact it has on those around us. The best thing we can do is decide what we are most passionate about and then pursue that whole heartedly, I believe this will bring out the natural leader in all of us.
6.If you could invite 5 people to dinner, who would they be?
Mother Theresa for her humility, Richard Branson for a good laugh, The Unknown Rebel for his courage, Albert Einstein for his genius and Eleanor Roosevelt because of her passion for social justice.
7.Who is a Leader that inspires you and why?
Martin Luther King because of his belief in non violence and racial equity.
8.If you were stranded on a desert island, what book and 2 items and would you like with you?
Secrets of the Bulletproof Spirit would serve useful, a fishing rod and swimming goggles to do a few laps around the island.
Engaging people in the workplace
Competition for good people is on! Anyone with basic skills can get an offer of good money as a result of the current resources and energy boom. The challenge of recruiting and retaining high performing people is again at the top of the agenda for managers and HR directors.
Engaging people in their work is one of major solutions companies are trying out to retain good people. What engagement actually is can be unclear and some managers question whether it really provides benefits to the company.
Employee engagement has been defined as; “an individual’s involvement with, satisfaction and enthusiasm for the work he or she does.” Hewitt and Associates define engagement as “the state of emotional and intellectual involvement in a group or organisation, that is, the extent to which an organisation has captured the ‘hearts and minds’ of its people”. In short, an engaged employee is one with a positive attitude towards the organisation and its values and a desire to improve performance for the benefit of the organisation.
Does getting employee ‘engaged’ benefit the company? A study of 8000 business units in 36 companies found that employees with above average engagement had higher levels of customer satisfaction, were more productive, had higher profits and had lower levels of turnover and accidents than other companies. A global brewing company found engaged employees were five times less likely to have safety incidents and when incidents did occur it was much less serious and costly for an engaged employee than a disengaged employee. Another study showed that employee engagement results in greater ‘Total Shareholder Return’. The link between engagement and business results provides a good business case for increasing employee engagement
But the bad news is that engagement is a real concern for most organisations since surveys indicate that only around 15 to 30% employees are engaged in their work.
Engagement is generally agreed to consist of the following factors:
1. Dedication; commitment to the work and organisation
2. Absorption/attachment: identifying with and feeling of belonging to the company
3. Involvement: knowing what’s expected and able to have some say or control in your job
4. Vigour: putting energy and extra effort into the job
Most of these factors relate to the employees contribution to the organisation but more recent research has shown that full commitment is only obtained if the employee also; a) experiences positive feelings about themselves and their work and b) feel that the purpose of their work is worthwhile and satisfying.
So how can organisations engage their employees? The following is a brief list of ways to build employee engagement:
Good leadership; engagement starts with leaders who are supportive, who value individuals, and help them to develop a sense of place in the organisation
Communicate the purpose, direction and goals to each person and the role and contribution employee makes toward these.
Look after the well being of staff by ensuring that they are satisfied with their job and they feel they are providing a worthwhile contribution to the purpose of the organisation..
Ensure team processes, structures and rewards work for rather than against individual and team efforts
Regularly meet with each person to discuss their work and ask their opinion
Conduct sessions such as yoga, good diet and meditation to help staff maintain positive health and well-being
Recognise their efforts and team contribution
Recently we met one leader who, despite a highly compliance-driven culture, was keen to fully engage his employees in becoming a high performing team. He committed to doing these things with his team and was pleased to see the positive results in morale and productivity.
Doing these things is the beginning of what excellent leaders do to engage staff. Overall, engagement is about building an authentic workplace that has a passion to provide your customers with outstanding service and value.
ENDS…
Article Published in WA Business News 30 September 2010, p. 20
Dr Ron Cacioppe is the Managing Director of Integral Development, one of Perth’s most unique and experienced leadership and management consultancies. Ron is also Adjunct Professor at Curtin’s Australian Sustainable Development Institute.
Sarah Newton-Palmer is a senior consultant with Integral Development and an experienced leadership facilitator. She has held senior positions in Learning and Development for BHP Billiton, WorleyParsons and National Australia Bank. She holds a Masters in Business Leadership degree from Curtin University Graduate Business School, is a published author and has drawn on her extensive experience in a large range of Australia’s corporations to produce a new Integral development program called The Art of Real Work.
Engaging people in their work is one of major solutions companies are trying out to retain good people. What engagement actually is can be unclear and some managers question whether it really provides benefits to the company.
Employee engagement has been defined as; “an individual’s involvement with, satisfaction and enthusiasm for the work he or she does.” Hewitt and Associates define engagement as “the state of emotional and intellectual involvement in a group or organisation, that is, the extent to which an organisation has captured the ‘hearts and minds’ of its people”. In short, an engaged employee is one with a positive attitude towards the organisation and its values and a desire to improve performance for the benefit of the organisation.
Does getting employee ‘engaged’ benefit the company? A study of 8000 business units in 36 companies found that employees with above average engagement had higher levels of customer satisfaction, were more productive, had higher profits and had lower levels of turnover and accidents than other companies. A global brewing company found engaged employees were five times less likely to have safety incidents and when incidents did occur it was much less serious and costly for an engaged employee than a disengaged employee. Another study showed that employee engagement results in greater ‘Total Shareholder Return’. The link between engagement and business results provides a good business case for increasing employee engagement
But the bad news is that engagement is a real concern for most organisations since surveys indicate that only around 15 to 30% employees are engaged in their work.
Engagement is generally agreed to consist of the following factors:
1. Dedication; commitment to the work and organisation
2. Absorption/attachment: identifying with and feeling of belonging to the company
3. Involvement: knowing what’s expected and able to have some say or control in your job
4. Vigour: putting energy and extra effort into the job
Most of these factors relate to the employees contribution to the organisation but more recent research has shown that full commitment is only obtained if the employee also; a) experiences positive feelings about themselves and their work and b) feel that the purpose of their work is worthwhile and satisfying.
So how can organisations engage their employees? The following is a brief list of ways to build employee engagement:
Good leadership; engagement starts with leaders who are supportive, who value individuals, and help them to develop a sense of place in the organisation
Communicate the purpose, direction and goals to each person and the role and contribution employee makes toward these.
Look after the well being of staff by ensuring that they are satisfied with their job and they feel they are providing a worthwhile contribution to the purpose of the organisation..
Ensure team processes, structures and rewards work for rather than against individual and team efforts
Regularly meet with each person to discuss their work and ask their opinion
Conduct sessions such as yoga, good diet and meditation to help staff maintain positive health and well-being
Recognise their efforts and team contribution
Recently we met one leader who, despite a highly compliance-driven culture, was keen to fully engage his employees in becoming a high performing team. He committed to doing these things with his team and was pleased to see the positive results in morale and productivity.
Doing these things is the beginning of what excellent leaders do to engage staff. Overall, engagement is about building an authentic workplace that has a passion to provide your customers with outstanding service and value.
ENDS…
Article Published in WA Business News 30 September 2010, p. 20
Dr Ron Cacioppe is the Managing Director of Integral Development, one of Perth’s most unique and experienced leadership and management consultancies. Ron is also Adjunct Professor at Curtin’s Australian Sustainable Development Institute.
Sarah Newton-Palmer is a senior consultant with Integral Development and an experienced leadership facilitator. She has held senior positions in Learning and Development for BHP Billiton, WorleyParsons and National Australia Bank. She holds a Masters in Business Leadership degree from Curtin University Graduate Business School, is a published author and has drawn on her extensive experience in a large range of Australia’s corporations to produce a new Integral development program called The Art of Real Work.
Overcoming cultural differences in business
By Ron Cacioppe & Renée Ralph
Recently a group of Australian government and business delegates attended a formal dinner hosted by the Chinese delegation. A junior Australian representative unwittingly dominated the conversation from the beginning. Half way through dinner, the head of the Chinese delegation brought the conversation to a halt when he banged his fist on the table and stomped off. Everyone was stunned and embarrassed. The translator explained the head of the Chinese delegation would have thought it extremely disrespectful of a junior Australian person to dominate the conversation. He should have been respectful of the older and senior people who were present and listened while they spoke. The purpose of the evening was to strengthen the relationship between Australia and China but this behaviour showed lack of maturity.
In another example, an Australian manager flew to China to close a contract that had been going on for 6 months. A number of delays and bureaucratic barriers caused the negotiations to go on for two weeks. The Chinese managers closely watched the Australian’s frustration grow and used this impatience to obtain more favourable commercial conditions.
Today, Australian business is multinational and multicultural. Australia is increasing its business with China, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Korea and yet a growing number of our workers were born in these countries and most Australians have limited understanding of the cultural and historical factors which shape these countries. Australians also can assume that Asian cultures are very similar which would be similar to assuming that German Europeans are the same as Spanish Europeans. Organisations may find themselves working with Asians and yet they think they can operate in the same way that they do in Australia.
A recent research study showed that the barriers faced by Western companies in China are caused by the neglect of corporate cultural differences. Emotions are embedded in cultural institutions and practices; there are scripts for the proper expressions and experience of emotions as part of their culture norms. In China, for example leaders are expected to maintain social distance between themselves and subordinates. Western managers may interpret this cultural response as a rejection of their leadership style which is not the case; it is to do with the person’s rank and position in their organisation.
Building International Relations
• Take the time and effort to understand the difference in the culture
• Respect the status and hierarchy of the different people you are dealing with
• Learn the etiquette and protocol of the country you are working with
• Be careful not to embarrass or have a person ‘lose face’ in front of others
• Be more humble and listen more to the person speaking to you
• Take time to learn about the family of the person you are will dealing with
• Learn the language (or at least as many words as possible) to show people that you have made an effort to understand them.
While there are considerable risks and costs associated if you don’t get cross cultural relations right, there can be considerable benefits for understanding your Asian counterparts. Your company could have considerable success in Asia if you get things right. Making the effort to understand the complexity of Asian cultures will help your organisation build a long-term and meaningful business relationship with these new emerging countries and contribute to your own company’s success.
ENDS - Published in WA Business News, 5 August 2010, p. 24
Dr Ron Cacioppe is the Managing Director of Integral Development, one of Perth’s most unique and experienced leadership and management consultancies. He is also adjuncy professor at Curtin's Australian Sustainable Development.
Renée Ralph is the firm's marketing and communication coordinator and is currently completing a doctorate in business administration at Curtin University of Technology. Her research focuses on 'Decision Making between Western Australia and CHina within the resourcs and energy industry.
strategy | leadership | consulting | surveys | coaching | sustainability
+61 (8) 9242 8122 | admin@integral.org.au | www.integral.org.au
Recently a group of Australian government and business delegates attended a formal dinner hosted by the Chinese delegation. A junior Australian representative unwittingly dominated the conversation from the beginning. Half way through dinner, the head of the Chinese delegation brought the conversation to a halt when he banged his fist on the table and stomped off. Everyone was stunned and embarrassed. The translator explained the head of the Chinese delegation would have thought it extremely disrespectful of a junior Australian person to dominate the conversation. He should have been respectful of the older and senior people who were present and listened while they spoke. The purpose of the evening was to strengthen the relationship between Australia and China but this behaviour showed lack of maturity.
In another example, an Australian manager flew to China to close a contract that had been going on for 6 months. A number of delays and bureaucratic barriers caused the negotiations to go on for two weeks. The Chinese managers closely watched the Australian’s frustration grow and used this impatience to obtain more favourable commercial conditions.
Today, Australian business is multinational and multicultural. Australia is increasing its business with China, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Korea and yet a growing number of our workers were born in these countries and most Australians have limited understanding of the cultural and historical factors which shape these countries. Australians also can assume that Asian cultures are very similar which would be similar to assuming that German Europeans are the same as Spanish Europeans. Organisations may find themselves working with Asians and yet they think they can operate in the same way that they do in Australia.
A recent research study showed that the barriers faced by Western companies in China are caused by the neglect of corporate cultural differences. Emotions are embedded in cultural institutions and practices; there are scripts for the proper expressions and experience of emotions as part of their culture norms. In China, for example leaders are expected to maintain social distance between themselves and subordinates. Western managers may interpret this cultural response as a rejection of their leadership style which is not the case; it is to do with the person’s rank and position in their organisation.
Building International Relations
• Take the time and effort to understand the difference in the culture
• Respect the status and hierarchy of the different people you are dealing with
• Learn the etiquette and protocol of the country you are working with
• Be careful not to embarrass or have a person ‘lose face’ in front of others
• Be more humble and listen more to the person speaking to you
• Take time to learn about the family of the person you are will dealing with
• Learn the language (or at least as many words as possible) to show people that you have made an effort to understand them.
While there are considerable risks and costs associated if you don’t get cross cultural relations right, there can be considerable benefits for understanding your Asian counterparts. Your company could have considerable success in Asia if you get things right. Making the effort to understand the complexity of Asian cultures will help your organisation build a long-term and meaningful business relationship with these new emerging countries and contribute to your own company’s success.
ENDS - Published in WA Business News, 5 August 2010, p. 24
Dr Ron Cacioppe is the Managing Director of Integral Development, one of Perth’s most unique and experienced leadership and management consultancies. He is also adjuncy professor at Curtin's Australian Sustainable Development.
Renée Ralph is the firm's marketing and communication coordinator and is currently completing a doctorate in business administration at Curtin University of Technology. Her research focuses on 'Decision Making between Western Australia and CHina within the resourcs and energy industry.
strategy | leadership | consulting | surveys | coaching | sustainability
+61 (8) 9242 8122 | admin@integral.org.au | www.integral.org.au
Taking the Toxin out of your Environment by Ron Cacioppe
Almost everyone has worked with a toxic personality, in fact, according to a recent study by US Professors Mitch Kusy and Elizabeth Holloway, 94 per cent of us have worked with one.
Toxic people are sarcastic, manipulative and egocentric and display a range of other counterproductive behaviours while surviving and even prospering in organisations. They affect colleagues and managers’ morale and debilitate an organisation's productivity. As one person in the study by Kusy and Holloway said - "The day this person left our company is considered an annual holiday."
According to Kusy and Holloway there are three types of toxic behaviours: shaming, passive hostility and team sabotage and these behaviours are often subtle and habitual. A toxic person can be a manager or senior professional and can quickly infect staff confidence, team cohesion, organisational culture, and individual well-being. High turnover and absenteeism are often the collateral damage of such behaviour.
The toxic individual affects profit at both a financial and human level. The cost of recruiting a new person ranges from 1.5 to 2.5 times the person's annual salary, so the financial impact of toxic behaviour is significant. On top of this is the human cost, which includes loss of morale and commitment and an increase in stress.
The study showed the following harmful effects for individuals and organisations:
• 50 per cent of people contemplated leaving their jobs; 12 per cent did!
• 25 per cent of "victims" of toxic behaviour ceased doing things voluntarily.
• 20 per cent reduced their rate of work.
• 10 per cent deliberately cut back the amount of time they spent at work
Recognition of a toxic personality is often made difficult due to the role of a protector – a person within the organisation or team that deliberately covers for the toxic person because they receive something in return.
Other protectors may be trying to protect their teams from the debilitating effects of the person's behaviour and inadvertently enable the toxicity to continue unabated. Realising you are a protector of toxic personalities is a positive step and can be a major awakening for some people.
According to Kusy and Holloways’ study, many organisations misdiagnose the correct treatment for a toxic personality. A manager’s typical reaction is to avoid the toxic personality, reconfigure the team, or give performance feedback but the most common strategy of one-on-one feedback is largely ineffective because toxic individuals are unaware of the negative effect they have on others or simply feel justified in treating others badly.
There are, however a number of effective systematic approaches at an individual, team and organisational level to prevent the spread of toxicity:
Individual strategies include specific feedback, coaching, use of formal authority and even a process of termination that is fair.
Team strategies include selecting people based on suitable interpersonal skills and personality factors such as cooperativeness, listening and emotional stability. Other strategies include implementing organisational and team values into the team operation, 360-degree team assessment systems, innovative use of exit interviews and identifying "toxic protectors".
Organisational strategies include organisation-wide implementation of concrete values that result in respectful engagement, integration of values into existing performance systems and encourage people to go above their managers if toxic behaviour is not being managed effectively.
A number of organisations have implemented these actions at the individual, team and organisational levels to reduce the probability of a toxic person entering the organisation and to create cultures of respectful engagement based on the Kusy and Holloway’s recommended actions.
Professors Kusy and Holloways’ book Toxic Workplace! Managing Toxic Personalities and Their Systems of Power outlines their study and recommended actions to manage toxic personalities in the workplace. They will be presenting a ½ day seminar at the Perth Conference Exhibition Centre on July 9th. For further details contact Integral Development on (08) 9242 8122.
* As published in WA Business News, June 24, 2010
Toxic people are sarcastic, manipulative and egocentric and display a range of other counterproductive behaviours while surviving and even prospering in organisations. They affect colleagues and managers’ morale and debilitate an organisation's productivity. As one person in the study by Kusy and Holloway said - "The day this person left our company is considered an annual holiday."
According to Kusy and Holloway there are three types of toxic behaviours: shaming, passive hostility and team sabotage and these behaviours are often subtle and habitual. A toxic person can be a manager or senior professional and can quickly infect staff confidence, team cohesion, organisational culture, and individual well-being. High turnover and absenteeism are often the collateral damage of such behaviour.
The toxic individual affects profit at both a financial and human level. The cost of recruiting a new person ranges from 1.5 to 2.5 times the person's annual salary, so the financial impact of toxic behaviour is significant. On top of this is the human cost, which includes loss of morale and commitment and an increase in stress.
The study showed the following harmful effects for individuals and organisations:
• 50 per cent of people contemplated leaving their jobs; 12 per cent did!
• 25 per cent of "victims" of toxic behaviour ceased doing things voluntarily.
• 20 per cent reduced their rate of work.
• 10 per cent deliberately cut back the amount of time they spent at work
Recognition of a toxic personality is often made difficult due to the role of a protector – a person within the organisation or team that deliberately covers for the toxic person because they receive something in return.
Other protectors may be trying to protect their teams from the debilitating effects of the person's behaviour and inadvertently enable the toxicity to continue unabated. Realising you are a protector of toxic personalities is a positive step and can be a major awakening for some people.
According to Kusy and Holloways’ study, many organisations misdiagnose the correct treatment for a toxic personality. A manager’s typical reaction is to avoid the toxic personality, reconfigure the team, or give performance feedback but the most common strategy of one-on-one feedback is largely ineffective because toxic individuals are unaware of the negative effect they have on others or simply feel justified in treating others badly.
There are, however a number of effective systematic approaches at an individual, team and organisational level to prevent the spread of toxicity:
Individual strategies include specific feedback, coaching, use of formal authority and even a process of termination that is fair.
Team strategies include selecting people based on suitable interpersonal skills and personality factors such as cooperativeness, listening and emotional stability. Other strategies include implementing organisational and team values into the team operation, 360-degree team assessment systems, innovative use of exit interviews and identifying "toxic protectors".
Organisational strategies include organisation-wide implementation of concrete values that result in respectful engagement, integration of values into existing performance systems and encourage people to go above their managers if toxic behaviour is not being managed effectively.
A number of organisations have implemented these actions at the individual, team and organisational levels to reduce the probability of a toxic person entering the organisation and to create cultures of respectful engagement based on the Kusy and Holloway’s recommended actions.
Professors Kusy and Holloways’ book Toxic Workplace! Managing Toxic Personalities and Their Systems of Power outlines their study and recommended actions to manage toxic personalities in the workplace. They will be presenting a ½ day seminar at the Perth Conference Exhibition Centre on July 9th. For further details contact Integral Development on (08) 9242 8122.
* As published in WA Business News, June 24, 2010
Feature Article: Antonia Clissa Q&A
1. Describe your strengths as a Consultant and Executive Coach?
It is always challenging to speak about oneself. So here we go. I believe that my strengths lie in my capacity to connect with a wide range of people. I have a genuine curiosity about people that enables me to find a point of connection. I think that being able to listen deeply to people helps me enormously in my work as a coach and facilitator. In terms of my approach as a Consultant and Executive Coach I believe that I am collaborative and appropriately challenging and endeavour to walk alongside people as they work towards their goals. I find that doing this work is an enormous privilege and I learn a great deal in the process.
2. What’s your most memorable workshop you’ve conducted and why?
Each workshop holds some memorable element of learning for me. However the most recent workshop I conducted that was most memorable involved facilitating a team in conflict. The reasons it was memorable for me was that it reinforced the absolute importance of creating a safe space for people to be heard and validated as the first step towards healing differences and resolving conflict.
3. What are your thoughts on Leadership for the future?
In my view responsibility for Leadership for the future lies with each one of us. I believe it is incumbent on each one of us to take responsibility to exercise leadership in our own lives and in whatever situation or circumstance we find ourselves and also to encourage each other to take up the mantle of leadership as events or opportunities require.
4. If you could invite 5 people to dinner, who would they be?
This is a hard question to answer as there are many fascinating people that I would like to invite to dinner. Of course I would love to spend an evening with the newly elected President of the USA and the very inspiring First Lady. I have had a long standing interest in politically troubled Timor Leste or East Timor and the current and second President Jose Ramos-Horta. He shared the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize with Bishop Ximenes Belo for their tireless fight against the oppression of the “small people”. In 2008 he survived an assassination attempt and was flown to Darwin for treatment. Then there is the father of anti-apartheid in South Africa the most esteemed Nelson Mandela. Lastly I would want to invite my partner James so that we could share the experience for many years on.
5. Who is the Leader that inspires you and why?
I have been inspired by many people and not all of them who would be readily identifiable as Leaders. However there is a Western Australian, Sir Ronald Wilson who died in 2005 whose humility and quiet determination inspired me. His desire for the wider Australian community to better understand the history of indigenous Australians led him to work and travel widely well after retirement. He co-authored the 1997 Stolen Generation report which resulted in the establishment of National Sorry Day and culminated in the remarkable Reconciliation walk across Sydney Harbour Bridge which involved some 400,000 people and thousands more participating across Australia.
6. If you were stranded on a desert island, what 3 items would you like with you?
I would want my MP3 player so that I could listen to my favourite music and of course podcasts of ABC Radio National especially my favourite program Late Night Live with Phillip Adams; a copy of Richard Rohr’s book Everything Belongs and snorkeling gear to explore the hidden magic of the island’s waters.
It is always challenging to speak about oneself. So here we go. I believe that my strengths lie in my capacity to connect with a wide range of people. I have a genuine curiosity about people that enables me to find a point of connection. I think that being able to listen deeply to people helps me enormously in my work as a coach and facilitator. In terms of my approach as a Consultant and Executive Coach I believe that I am collaborative and appropriately challenging and endeavour to walk alongside people as they work towards their goals. I find that doing this work is an enormous privilege and I learn a great deal in the process.
2. What’s your most memorable workshop you’ve conducted and why?
Each workshop holds some memorable element of learning for me. However the most recent workshop I conducted that was most memorable involved facilitating a team in conflict. The reasons it was memorable for me was that it reinforced the absolute importance of creating a safe space for people to be heard and validated as the first step towards healing differences and resolving conflict.
3. What are your thoughts on Leadership for the future?
In my view responsibility for Leadership for the future lies with each one of us. I believe it is incumbent on each one of us to take responsibility to exercise leadership in our own lives and in whatever situation or circumstance we find ourselves and also to encourage each other to take up the mantle of leadership as events or opportunities require.
4. If you could invite 5 people to dinner, who would they be?
This is a hard question to answer as there are many fascinating people that I would like to invite to dinner. Of course I would love to spend an evening with the newly elected President of the USA and the very inspiring First Lady. I have had a long standing interest in politically troubled Timor Leste or East Timor and the current and second President Jose Ramos-Horta. He shared the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize with Bishop Ximenes Belo for their tireless fight against the oppression of the “small people”. In 2008 he survived an assassination attempt and was flown to Darwin for treatment. Then there is the father of anti-apartheid in South Africa the most esteemed Nelson Mandela. Lastly I would want to invite my partner James so that we could share the experience for many years on.
5. Who is the Leader that inspires you and why?
I have been inspired by many people and not all of them who would be readily identifiable as Leaders. However there is a Western Australian, Sir Ronald Wilson who died in 2005 whose humility and quiet determination inspired me. His desire for the wider Australian community to better understand the history of indigenous Australians led him to work and travel widely well after retirement. He co-authored the 1997 Stolen Generation report which resulted in the establishment of National Sorry Day and culminated in the remarkable Reconciliation walk across Sydney Harbour Bridge which involved some 400,000 people and thousands more participating across Australia.
6. If you were stranded on a desert island, what 3 items would you like with you?
I would want my MP3 player so that I could listen to my favourite music and of course podcasts of ABC Radio National especially my favourite program Late Night Live with Phillip Adams; a copy of Richard Rohr’s book Everything Belongs and snorkeling gear to explore the hidden magic of the island’s waters.
Change is inevitable, be prepared for it
One thing that is constant is change! Businesses the world over continually need to change and transform to stay competitive. Apple, originally a computer company, now makes most of its revenue from iTunes, mobile phones and application downloads. Hewlett Packard was a scientific equipment company and is now one of the biggest providers of quality printers.
With the economic turnaround, W. A. businesses have to once again attract and retain staff. They also have to understand Asian markets and business practices. The challenge for today’s leader is to ensure that their business remains agile enough to meet the challenges while also remaining consistent enough to deliver the day-to-day customer demands.
Many organisations implement change and hope that managers and employees will get it right with little training or coaching. Research, however, indicates that one to two thirds of major change initiatives are either failures or have made the situation worse. A sign over an employee’s desk summarises this; below a picture of Clint Eastwood holding a Magnum 45 revolver were the words: “Go ahead, make one more change!” With organisational stakes so high it is imperative that change is managed as effectively as possible.
Two factors that contribute to successful change are 1) a planned approach to change and 2) leaders who are skilled in implementing change.
Using an ‘Integral Change Management’ planning model has led to successful implementation of change in private organisations, local and state governments. These changes have dealt with IT, downsizing, restructuring and moving to central locations and shared services.
The steps in the Integral Change Management approach include:
1. Pressure for Change: Pressure to change can come from the customer, legal, or financial areas.
2. Clear Shared Vision: leaders need to communicate and involve employees in a worthwhile shared vision for them to feel motivated and part of the change
3. Strategic Goals and Aligned Systems: The overall goals must be clear and the systems aligned.
4. Capacity for Change: people need the skills, attitude, resources and time to carry out the change.
5. Actionable Steps and Targets: Actionable steps must be set out right from the start and have clear targets and timelines.
6. Model the Way: Leaders must ‘walk the talk’ and become excellent examples of the behaviours and actions they want to occur.
7. Reinforce and Solidify Change: reward and recognize the change so that people feel that they are doing the right thing and are appreciated for it.
8. Evaluate and Improve: The change must be evaluated and improved during and at the end.
Having a ‘Change Team’ comprised of key influential people in management and ‘Change Champions’ from the workforce provides a major catalyst for change. It is also necessary to keep in touch with the attitudes and morale of individuals and teams so that negativity and doubts can be managed.
Recent research carried out by change expert Ann Gilley showed six key leadership skills that result in successful change.
1. Communicating – providing the right information at the right time
2. Motivating – inspiring and finding the right ways to motivate staff
3. Involving and Supporting – getting employees involved and supporting them
4. Coaching – leaders who can assist their teams to improve their resilience will positively enhance organisational success
5. Promoting Teamwork and Collaboration – teamwork has a significant impact on people’s ability to change
6. Rewarding – getting reward and recognition right is an important component of managing change, especially with the Australian Tall Poppy syndrome.
There is also evidence that shows that leaders that have received coaching through times of change are more successful in implementing change.
To implement change successfully it is imperative that leaders follow a good change management plan and that they have the right skills. Not having these two ingredients may result in changes you don’t want!
ENDS
PUBLISHED IN WA BUSINESS NEWS, 13-19 MAY p. 20
Dr Ron Cacioppe is the Managing Director of Integral Development, one of Perth’s most unique and experienced leadership and management consultancies. Lynda Folan is a senior consultant specialising in leadership and organisation development.
strategy | leadership | consulting | surveys | coaching | sustainability
+61 (8) 9242 8122 | admin@integral.org.au | www.integral.org.au
With the economic turnaround, W. A. businesses have to once again attract and retain staff. They also have to understand Asian markets and business practices. The challenge for today’s leader is to ensure that their business remains agile enough to meet the challenges while also remaining consistent enough to deliver the day-to-day customer demands.
Many organisations implement change and hope that managers and employees will get it right with little training or coaching. Research, however, indicates that one to two thirds of major change initiatives are either failures or have made the situation worse. A sign over an employee’s desk summarises this; below a picture of Clint Eastwood holding a Magnum 45 revolver were the words: “Go ahead, make one more change!” With organisational stakes so high it is imperative that change is managed as effectively as possible.
Two factors that contribute to successful change are 1) a planned approach to change and 2) leaders who are skilled in implementing change.
Using an ‘Integral Change Management’ planning model has led to successful implementation of change in private organisations, local and state governments. These changes have dealt with IT, downsizing, restructuring and moving to central locations and shared services.
The steps in the Integral Change Management approach include:
1. Pressure for Change: Pressure to change can come from the customer, legal, or financial areas.
2. Clear Shared Vision: leaders need to communicate and involve employees in a worthwhile shared vision for them to feel motivated and part of the change
3. Strategic Goals and Aligned Systems: The overall goals must be clear and the systems aligned.
4. Capacity for Change: people need the skills, attitude, resources and time to carry out the change.
5. Actionable Steps and Targets: Actionable steps must be set out right from the start and have clear targets and timelines.
6. Model the Way: Leaders must ‘walk the talk’ and become excellent examples of the behaviours and actions they want to occur.
7. Reinforce and Solidify Change: reward and recognize the change so that people feel that they are doing the right thing and are appreciated for it.
8. Evaluate and Improve: The change must be evaluated and improved during and at the end.
Having a ‘Change Team’ comprised of key influential people in management and ‘Change Champions’ from the workforce provides a major catalyst for change. It is also necessary to keep in touch with the attitudes and morale of individuals and teams so that negativity and doubts can be managed.
Recent research carried out by change expert Ann Gilley showed six key leadership skills that result in successful change.
1. Communicating – providing the right information at the right time
2. Motivating – inspiring and finding the right ways to motivate staff
3. Involving and Supporting – getting employees involved and supporting them
4. Coaching – leaders who can assist their teams to improve their resilience will positively enhance organisational success
5. Promoting Teamwork and Collaboration – teamwork has a significant impact on people’s ability to change
6. Rewarding – getting reward and recognition right is an important component of managing change, especially with the Australian Tall Poppy syndrome.
There is also evidence that shows that leaders that have received coaching through times of change are more successful in implementing change.
To implement change successfully it is imperative that leaders follow a good change management plan and that they have the right skills. Not having these two ingredients may result in changes you don’t want!
ENDS
PUBLISHED IN WA BUSINESS NEWS, 13-19 MAY p. 20
Dr Ron Cacioppe is the Managing Director of Integral Development, one of Perth’s most unique and experienced leadership and management consultancies. Lynda Folan is a senior consultant specialising in leadership and organisation development.
strategy | leadership | consulting | surveys | coaching | sustainability
+61 (8) 9242 8122 | admin@integral.org.au | www.integral.org.au
Suppliers - Your Competitive Advantage?
Edward Deeming, originator of the quality movement said that quality companies would treat suppliers as partners. The Body Shop had genuine partnership with its trucking company and even shared its profit with the company which resulted in exceptional performance and a reliable delivery service to their shops – a competitive advantage.
Many companies profess to treat their suppliers, consultants and contractors as partners but in reality, few do. Some organisations demand the most out of their supplier but pay as little as possible. Others insist they are ‘the Customer’ and require suppliers to meet strict demands or go to other providers if they don’t. Others behave in a dismissive way to suppliers and contractors.
Some companies, however, consider their suppliers, contractors and consultants as partners and treat them with respect and fairness. While this seems a logical way to work with suppliers, in my experience, it rarely happens, and yet it can provide a competitive advantage if a company treats its suppliers well.
Here is how to turn your provider relationships into a competitive advantage;
1. Keep to your word, appointments and timelines: Some companies provide little notice on changing their appointments and obligations. Remember, the time of your contractors and consultants is as valuable as your own. Expect suppliers to live up to their promises and also keep your own word and promises.
2. Live your Company values: Most organisations have values that they want all of their staff to work by. These usually include; integrity, respect, teamwork, care for the environment, and so on. Apply these values to your providers just as you would to your own staff. If an organisation was genuine with its values it would treat their suppliers in the same way as they treat their CEO and owners. Treat each supplier fairly when deciding on new work and aim to ensure all potential suppliers are offered the same opportunities as those you currently work with (and possibly favour).
3. Provide relevant, truthful feedback to suppliers: It costs a lot of time, effort and money to put in a proposal and suppliers don’t mind this if they can learn and improve their chances. Often organisations provide little more than a standard letter saying that your proposal was unsuccessful. Be open with your supplier, where possible, providing them with honest feedback. The same applies to a supplier who makes a mistake – help them improve by pointing out where they went wrong.
4. Pay suppliers on time: Some companies pay suppliers’ invoices very late. Suppliers work harder for companies that pay them on time.
5. Give Proper Time for Tenders and Proposal: Give adequate time for suppliers to respond to your requests. Also, ensure the right people are available to answer any questions.
6. Conduct a survey of your suppliers: Ask your providers to rate you on key factors like courtesy, payment, clarity of requests, fairness in selection of contracts, knowledge of their business, integrity, etc. You might be surprised by the results; your suppliers are probably already telling people about how your organisation is to deal with, so you might as well learn firsthand.
Companies may not be ready to replace the saying; “Our Customers Come First” with “Our Suppliers Come First’. ‘Suppliers are Our Partners”, however, might be a useful first step on the road to achieving competitive advantage through outstanding supplier relationships.
ENDS…
Dr Ron Cacioppe is the Managing Director of Integral Development, one of Perth’s most unique and experienced leadership and management consultancies. Ron is also Adjunct Professor at Curtin’s Australian Sustainable Development Institute.
Strategy| Leadership| People Development | Consulting | Coaching | Surveys | Sustainability
+61 (8) 9242 8122 | admin@integral.org.au | www.integral.org.au
Many companies profess to treat their suppliers, consultants and contractors as partners but in reality, few do. Some organisations demand the most out of their supplier but pay as little as possible. Others insist they are ‘the Customer’ and require suppliers to meet strict demands or go to other providers if they don’t. Others behave in a dismissive way to suppliers and contractors.
Some companies, however, consider their suppliers, contractors and consultants as partners and treat them with respect and fairness. While this seems a logical way to work with suppliers, in my experience, it rarely happens, and yet it can provide a competitive advantage if a company treats its suppliers well.
Here is how to turn your provider relationships into a competitive advantage;
1. Keep to your word, appointments and timelines: Some companies provide little notice on changing their appointments and obligations. Remember, the time of your contractors and consultants is as valuable as your own. Expect suppliers to live up to their promises and also keep your own word and promises.
2. Live your Company values: Most organisations have values that they want all of their staff to work by. These usually include; integrity, respect, teamwork, care for the environment, and so on. Apply these values to your providers just as you would to your own staff. If an organisation was genuine with its values it would treat their suppliers in the same way as they treat their CEO and owners. Treat each supplier fairly when deciding on new work and aim to ensure all potential suppliers are offered the same opportunities as those you currently work with (and possibly favour).
3. Provide relevant, truthful feedback to suppliers: It costs a lot of time, effort and money to put in a proposal and suppliers don’t mind this if they can learn and improve their chances. Often organisations provide little more than a standard letter saying that your proposal was unsuccessful. Be open with your supplier, where possible, providing them with honest feedback. The same applies to a supplier who makes a mistake – help them improve by pointing out where they went wrong.
4. Pay suppliers on time: Some companies pay suppliers’ invoices very late. Suppliers work harder for companies that pay them on time.
5. Give Proper Time for Tenders and Proposal: Give adequate time for suppliers to respond to your requests. Also, ensure the right people are available to answer any questions.
6. Conduct a survey of your suppliers: Ask your providers to rate you on key factors like courtesy, payment, clarity of requests, fairness in selection of contracts, knowledge of their business, integrity, etc. You might be surprised by the results; your suppliers are probably already telling people about how your organisation is to deal with, so you might as well learn firsthand.
Companies may not be ready to replace the saying; “Our Customers Come First” with “Our Suppliers Come First’. ‘Suppliers are Our Partners”, however, might be a useful first step on the road to achieving competitive advantage through outstanding supplier relationships.
ENDS…
Dr Ron Cacioppe is the Managing Director of Integral Development, one of Perth’s most unique and experienced leadership and management consultancies. Ron is also Adjunct Professor at Curtin’s Australian Sustainable Development Institute.
Strategy| Leadership| People Development | Consulting | Coaching | Surveys | Sustainability
+61 (8) 9242 8122 | admin@integral.org.au | www.integral.org.au
Flight Correction Skills Vital for Business
Research has shown that 70 per cent of airplane accidents are caused by human error. An even more startling fact is that 50 per cent of these mishaps happen when crews are together for the first time. In 1977, KLM Flight 4805 collided with a Pan Am 747 on a runaway on the island of Tenerife. More than 580 people were killed when KLM’s Captain Jacob Van Zanten, a highly experienced captain with an impeccable safety record, took off without runway clearance because he was running late. The flight box recording showed that his co-pilot warned him that they did not have runway clearance but he did not challenge Van Zanten’s decision because he was hesitant to challenge the captain’s authority. This crash has resulted in many airlines putting in place Crew Resource Management (CRM) training to help staff constructively question decisions and actions made on the flight deck.
While most companies have systems in place to check and recheck actions that could lead to accidents, people often find it hard to question their supervisor or manager’s behaviour, not only in regard to safety but also in business decisions and actions that affect customers, staff and the success of the business. Often people who have lower positions; are younger; women; timid or from minority cultures are less likely to speak up.
We like to be liked and it is very hard to tell our co-workers that they are doing something wrong. It’s even harder to tell our supervisory manager that he or she doesn’t have it right.
Here are some ways to help staff gain the confidence to constructively question decisions:
• For important decisions bring in an external objective facilitator who will encourage open communication between all levels of staff.
• Encourage those who aren’t comfortable challenging leadership by praising them when they put up a good argument. I once worked with a very competent but shy lady who would refrain from challenging others when she didn’t agree with them. Over time she was encouraged and praised for contributing ideas and she gained enough confidence to win arguments, some with the CEO.
• Encourage staff to ask questions when managers give them tasks such as: “Can you clarify that for me?” “When do you need this by?” Do you want me to decide on this without checking back with you and if you want this by tomorrow; are you ok for me to delay the other project you have given me?”
• Have your staff or management meetings conducted by somebody other than you. You can also ask a group to explore an issue without you and come up with a final recommendation to present to you.
• We have modified three steps from the CRM airline training process that can be used by staff to question and challenge another person:
1. State a fact that is causing concern: “The project will not be able to meet the November 15th deadline at this rate.”
2. The second step is to ask a question. Use a person’s name to get their attention: “Jim, do you think it would be useful to check that the other alliance partners can make their commitments on this date?”
3. These two first steps may need to be repeated but if they are not successful then a third step is necessary which states the consequences and suggests tangible solutions, such as: “Jim, I am sure that we are not going to meet the November 15th date and the clients need to know this. If you don’t inform them by next Tuesday, we will incur substantial penalties and more time delays.”
While these are not easy conversations, they can help avoid crashes due to poor management decisions, project problems and many every day problems. As our businesses begin to take off again in the Australian economy, it would be useful to teach yourself and your staff, flight corrections skills.
ENDS
PUBLISHED IN WA BUSINESS NEWS, 2010
Dr Ron Cacioppe is the Managing Director of Integral Development, one of Perth’s most unique and experienced leadership and management consultancies. Ron is also Adjunct Professor at Curtin’s Australian Sustainable Development Institute.
strategy | leadership | consulting | surveys | coaching | sustainability
+61 (8) 9242 8122 | admin@integral.org.au | www.integral.org.au
While most companies have systems in place to check and recheck actions that could lead to accidents, people often find it hard to question their supervisor or manager’s behaviour, not only in regard to safety but also in business decisions and actions that affect customers, staff and the success of the business. Often people who have lower positions; are younger; women; timid or from minority cultures are less likely to speak up.
We like to be liked and it is very hard to tell our co-workers that they are doing something wrong. It’s even harder to tell our supervisory manager that he or she doesn’t have it right.
Here are some ways to help staff gain the confidence to constructively question decisions:
• For important decisions bring in an external objective facilitator who will encourage open communication between all levels of staff.
• Encourage those who aren’t comfortable challenging leadership by praising them when they put up a good argument. I once worked with a very competent but shy lady who would refrain from challenging others when she didn’t agree with them. Over time she was encouraged and praised for contributing ideas and she gained enough confidence to win arguments, some with the CEO.
• Encourage staff to ask questions when managers give them tasks such as: “Can you clarify that for me?” “When do you need this by?” Do you want me to decide on this without checking back with you and if you want this by tomorrow; are you ok for me to delay the other project you have given me?”
• Have your staff or management meetings conducted by somebody other than you. You can also ask a group to explore an issue without you and come up with a final recommendation to present to you.
• We have modified three steps from the CRM airline training process that can be used by staff to question and challenge another person:
1. State a fact that is causing concern: “The project will not be able to meet the November 15th deadline at this rate.”
2. The second step is to ask a question. Use a person’s name to get their attention: “Jim, do you think it would be useful to check that the other alliance partners can make their commitments on this date?”
3. These two first steps may need to be repeated but if they are not successful then a third step is necessary which states the consequences and suggests tangible solutions, such as: “Jim, I am sure that we are not going to meet the November 15th date and the clients need to know this. If you don’t inform them by next Tuesday, we will incur substantial penalties and more time delays.”
While these are not easy conversations, they can help avoid crashes due to poor management decisions, project problems and many every day problems. As our businesses begin to take off again in the Australian economy, it would be useful to teach yourself and your staff, flight corrections skills.
ENDS
PUBLISHED IN WA BUSINESS NEWS, 2010
Dr Ron Cacioppe is the Managing Director of Integral Development, one of Perth’s most unique and experienced leadership and management consultancies. Ron is also Adjunct Professor at Curtin’s Australian Sustainable Development Institute.
strategy | leadership | consulting | surveys | coaching | sustainability
+61 (8) 9242 8122 | admin@integral.org.au | www.integral.org.au
Q&A: An Interview with Lynda Folan
1. Describe your personality
I think if I were to ask others they would describe me as an outgoing, energetic person who generally has an opinion about most things. The person that I have become has been hugely influenced by the fact that I have lived on three different continents and have travelled to over 85 countries. Personally I would describe myself as someone with a love of life and a strong belief that we make our own success.
2. What are your strengths as a consultant?
Having spent most of my career in international executive roles I believe that I have the ability to offer broad based strategic thinking coupled with pragmatic realism of what works and does not work in business. As a consultant my strength lies in energising and enthusing individuals, teams and organisations to go beyond their own expectations and to look for new possibilities. With an academic background in Organisational Psychology I have a strong leaning towards a deeper psychological perspective on business issues.
3. What's the most memorable workshop you've conducted and why?
I guess the most memorable workshop I can recall was one that was conducted on an ocean liner out to sea. The workshop happened to take place in the middle of a massive storm. Delegates were turning green and running from the conference room at regular intervals. This was rather off putting to say the least. We were asked to continue with the workshop through the storm so it was just as well that I did not give in to sea sickness. The final straw was when someone did not make it out the room in time, at which point I called it a day.
4. Where do you see Integral Development in 5 years time?
My vision for the business would be for it to be unique in the market place providing leading edge development that enhances business outcomes for its clients. I also personally value being part of a strong united community of people who are leading the way in relation to holistic business and individual development.
5. What are your thoughts on Leadership for the future?
The more I work with leaders, from diverse cultures across a range of organisations, the more I realise that the issues that they face are fundamentally the same. The message that is loud and clear is that leadership comes from within and the future of leadership will be more and more focused on the internal aspects of leadership. As people across the world awake to the knowledge that they are the owners of their future ,they will start to focus on what really makes a difference, the ‘I’ underneath the job title or the label that they are know by.
6. If you could invite 5 people to dinner who would they be?
Nelson Mandela for his ability to forgive unconditionally and inspire a whole nation.
Charles Handy for his incredible insight into organisations and the people within them.
Steven Covey because he has managed to capture a whole generation with his teachings on Leadership.
Maharishi Mahesh for his gift of Transcendental Mediation.
My five year old son Matthew because he keeps me grounded and has the amazing ability of a child to say it as it is.
7. Who is a leader that inspires you, and why?
Richard Branson is a leader who I admire immensely. He is a massively successful entrepreneur and business man with an energetic and inspirational style. The reason that I think he is inspirational is that alongside this huge success he is down to earth and exudes a genuineness and respect for all. Having been lucky enough to meet him on a number of occasions I have had the opportunity to observe his natural ability to enthuse others and draws people with him.
8. If you were stranded on a desert island, what book and 2 items would you like with you?
My journal to help me stay sane, a surf board to enjoy the waves and my camera to capture the beauty of the island.
I think if I were to ask others they would describe me as an outgoing, energetic person who generally has an opinion about most things. The person that I have become has been hugely influenced by the fact that I have lived on three different continents and have travelled to over 85 countries. Personally I would describe myself as someone with a love of life and a strong belief that we make our own success.
2. What are your strengths as a consultant?
Having spent most of my career in international executive roles I believe that I have the ability to offer broad based strategic thinking coupled with pragmatic realism of what works and does not work in business. As a consultant my strength lies in energising and enthusing individuals, teams and organisations to go beyond their own expectations and to look for new possibilities. With an academic background in Organisational Psychology I have a strong leaning towards a deeper psychological perspective on business issues.
3. What's the most memorable workshop you've conducted and why?
I guess the most memorable workshop I can recall was one that was conducted on an ocean liner out to sea. The workshop happened to take place in the middle of a massive storm. Delegates were turning green and running from the conference room at regular intervals. This was rather off putting to say the least. We were asked to continue with the workshop through the storm so it was just as well that I did not give in to sea sickness. The final straw was when someone did not make it out the room in time, at which point I called it a day.
4. Where do you see Integral Development in 5 years time?
My vision for the business would be for it to be unique in the market place providing leading edge development that enhances business outcomes for its clients. I also personally value being part of a strong united community of people who are leading the way in relation to holistic business and individual development.
5. What are your thoughts on Leadership for the future?
The more I work with leaders, from diverse cultures across a range of organisations, the more I realise that the issues that they face are fundamentally the same. The message that is loud and clear is that leadership comes from within and the future of leadership will be more and more focused on the internal aspects of leadership. As people across the world awake to the knowledge that they are the owners of their future ,they will start to focus on what really makes a difference, the ‘I’ underneath the job title or the label that they are know by.
6. If you could invite 5 people to dinner who would they be?
Nelson Mandela for his ability to forgive unconditionally and inspire a whole nation.
Charles Handy for his incredible insight into organisations and the people within them.
Steven Covey because he has managed to capture a whole generation with his teachings on Leadership.
Maharishi Mahesh for his gift of Transcendental Mediation.
My five year old son Matthew because he keeps me grounded and has the amazing ability of a child to say it as it is.
7. Who is a leader that inspires you, and why?
Richard Branson is a leader who I admire immensely. He is a massively successful entrepreneur and business man with an energetic and inspirational style. The reason that I think he is inspirational is that alongside this huge success he is down to earth and exudes a genuineness and respect for all. Having been lucky enough to meet him on a number of occasions I have had the opportunity to observe his natural ability to enthuse others and draws people with him.
8. If you were stranded on a desert island, what book and 2 items would you like with you?
My journal to help me stay sane, a surf board to enjoy the waves and my camera to capture the beauty of the island.
Developing Leaders by Ron Cacioppe
With the W.A. economy accelerating, many companies are moving rapidly forward with energy and resource projects. Organisations are hiring new people and pushing their managers to complete projects on time and on budget. Dealing with technical challenges, letting of contracts, hiring manpower, managing costs, maintaining safety and environmental standards and meeting project deadlines have become their main priorities. But the factor that most results in success is often left out: developing leaders who inspire, motivate, plan strategically and manage performance of the workforce.
During this rapid growth, frontline workers are being promoted to supervisors, supervisors are promoted to middle managers and middle managers are given higher levels of responsibility often without the necessary training and support to be effective leaders. As a result, good staff leave because of poor leadership. A survey by the Australian Institute of Management found that the biggest cause of people leaving their organisation was not salary, poor work conditions, or other organisation factors but was poor management. The results were summarised as; “People don’t leave their organisations, they leave their managers.”
A study of outstanding leaders by Jay Conger, a well known expert in leadership development, showed that good leaders developed in three major ways:
1. Working for an outstanding leader provided a role model that successful leaders emulated.
2. Working for a poor leader provided clear guidelines of what not to do.
3. Being placed in a challenging situation gave leaders responsibility that moved them out of their comfort zone and tested their stamina, intellectual and emotional skills and spiritual strength.
The City of Joondalup recently ran an intensive leadership development program in which every manager was placed in challenging situations that simulated real organisational situations. Trained observers gave each person feedback at the end of each day on how well or poorly they performed and what skills they needed to become successful leaders.
One of the most effective leadership development programs is to place a group of potential leaders in a rugged natural environment which requires using their combined individual and team skills to achieve a challenging and complex mission. Just like the workplace environments, the natural environment spontaneously changes and leaders must adapt to unpredicted changing events and conditions. These outdoor adventures test and extend the limits of a person’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual development.
Simon Priest, a Canadian researcher showed outdoor programs can lead to lasting benefit for the individual and the organisation if they are ‘framed’ into real issues relevant to the workplace. For example, instead of using a ‘spider-web’ problem, the outdoor challenge should be framed as the distribution problem they face at work. If a person receives feedback about themselves and guidance in learning useful leadership lessons during the adventure program, it can lead to a life changing experience. Participants often remark years later that when faced with huge barriers, challenges or adverse conditions at work, the lessons learned in these programs helped them to persevere to achieve personal and organisational success.
Does investing in leadership development matter? Does it lead to organisation benefits? Professor Barry Posner, author of The Leadership Challenge indicates that the results of over 250 studies show that outstanding leadership results in:
• Greater levels of commitment
• Greater teamwork and empowerment
• Increased productivity
• Higher performance and effectiveness
• Reduced turnover and absenteeism
A 2006 study by leadership development expert Richard Roi showed that companies with excellent leadership skills had income growth of 841% compared to companies with poor leaders which lost 49% of their income. Roi also showed that the stock price growth of companies with better leaders was up 204% versus only 79% for other companies. Another study showed that companies that invested in leadership training were more profitable during a downturn than those that didn’t.
Venturing into leadership development, therefore does matter.
* As published in WA Business News on 18 March, 2010
During this rapid growth, frontline workers are being promoted to supervisors, supervisors are promoted to middle managers and middle managers are given higher levels of responsibility often without the necessary training and support to be effective leaders. As a result, good staff leave because of poor leadership. A survey by the Australian Institute of Management found that the biggest cause of people leaving their organisation was not salary, poor work conditions, or other organisation factors but was poor management. The results were summarised as; “People don’t leave their organisations, they leave their managers.”
A study of outstanding leaders by Jay Conger, a well known expert in leadership development, showed that good leaders developed in three major ways:
1. Working for an outstanding leader provided a role model that successful leaders emulated.
2. Working for a poor leader provided clear guidelines of what not to do.
3. Being placed in a challenging situation gave leaders responsibility that moved them out of their comfort zone and tested their stamina, intellectual and emotional skills and spiritual strength.
The City of Joondalup recently ran an intensive leadership development program in which every manager was placed in challenging situations that simulated real organisational situations. Trained observers gave each person feedback at the end of each day on how well or poorly they performed and what skills they needed to become successful leaders.
One of the most effective leadership development programs is to place a group of potential leaders in a rugged natural environment which requires using their combined individual and team skills to achieve a challenging and complex mission. Just like the workplace environments, the natural environment spontaneously changes and leaders must adapt to unpredicted changing events and conditions. These outdoor adventures test and extend the limits of a person’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual development.
Simon Priest, a Canadian researcher showed outdoor programs can lead to lasting benefit for the individual and the organisation if they are ‘framed’ into real issues relevant to the workplace. For example, instead of using a ‘spider-web’ problem, the outdoor challenge should be framed as the distribution problem they face at work. If a person receives feedback about themselves and guidance in learning useful leadership lessons during the adventure program, it can lead to a life changing experience. Participants often remark years later that when faced with huge barriers, challenges or adverse conditions at work, the lessons learned in these programs helped them to persevere to achieve personal and organisational success.
Does investing in leadership development matter? Does it lead to organisation benefits? Professor Barry Posner, author of The Leadership Challenge indicates that the results of over 250 studies show that outstanding leadership results in:
• Greater levels of commitment
• Greater teamwork and empowerment
• Increased productivity
• Higher performance and effectiveness
• Reduced turnover and absenteeism
A 2006 study by leadership development expert Richard Roi showed that companies with excellent leadership skills had income growth of 841% compared to companies with poor leaders which lost 49% of their income. Roi also showed that the stock price growth of companies with better leaders was up 204% versus only 79% for other companies. Another study showed that companies that invested in leadership training were more profitable during a downturn than those that didn’t.
Venturing into leadership development, therefore does matter.
* As published in WA Business News on 18 March, 2010
Share Your Voice by Ron Cacioppe
Research has shown that 70 per cent of airplane accidents are caused by human error. An even more startling fact is that 50 per cent of these mishaps happen when crews are together for the first time.
In 1977, KLM Flight 4805 collided with a Pan Am 747 on a runaway on the island of Tenerife. More than 580 people were killed when KLM’s Captain Jacob Van Zanten, a highly experienced captain with an impeccable safety record, took off without runway clearance because he was running late.
The flight box recording showed that his co-pilot warned him that they did not have runway clearance but he did not challenge Van Zanten’s decision because he was hesitant to challenge the captain’s authority. This crash has resulted in many airlines putting in place Crew Resource Management (CRM) training to help staff constructively question decisions and actions made on the flight deck.
While most companies have systems in place to check and recheck actions that could lead to accidents, people often find it hard to question their supervisor or manager’s behaviour, not only in regard to safety but also in business decisions and actions that affect customers, staff and the success of the business. Often people who have lower positions; are younger; women; timid or from minority cultures are less likely to speak up.
We like to be liked and it is very hard to tell our co-workers that they are doing something wrong. It’s even harder to tell our supervisory manager that he or she doesn’t have it right.
Here are some ways to help staff gain the confidence to constructively question decisions:
• For important decisions bring in an external objective facilitator who will encourage open communication between all levels of staff.
• Encourage those who aren’t comfortable challenging leadership by praising them when they put up a good argument. I once worked with a very competent but shy lady who would refrain from challenging others when she didn’t agree with them. Over time she was encouraged and praised for contributing ideas and she gained enough confidence to win arguments, some with the CEO.
• Encourage staff to ask questions when managers give them tasks such as: “Can you clarify that for me?” “When do you need this by?” Do you want me to decide on this without checking back with you and if you want this by tomorrow; are you ok for me to delay the other project you have given me?”
• Have your staff or management meetings conducted by somebody other than you. You can also ask a group to explore an issue without you and come up with a final recommendation to present to you.
• We have modified three steps from the CRM airline training process that can be used by staff to question and challenge another person:
1. State a fact that is causing concern: “The project will not be able to meet the November 15th deadline at this rate.”
2. The second step is to ask a question. Use a person’s name to get their attention: “Jim, do you think it would be useful to check that the other alliance partners can make their commitments on this date?”
3. These two first steps may need to be repeated but if they are not successful then a third step is necessary which states the consequences and suggests tangible solutions, such as: “Jim, I am sure that we are not going to meet the November 15th date and the clients need to know this. If you don’t inform them by next Tuesday, we will incur substantial penalties and more time delays.”
While these are not easy conversations, they can help avoid crashes due to poor management decisions, project problems and many every day problems. As our businesses begin to take off again in the Australian economy, it would be useful to teach yourself and your staff, flight corrections skills.
* As published in WA Business News, 25 February 2010
In 1977, KLM Flight 4805 collided with a Pan Am 747 on a runaway on the island of Tenerife. More than 580 people were killed when KLM’s Captain Jacob Van Zanten, a highly experienced captain with an impeccable safety record, took off without runway clearance because he was running late.
The flight box recording showed that his co-pilot warned him that they did not have runway clearance but he did not challenge Van Zanten’s decision because he was hesitant to challenge the captain’s authority. This crash has resulted in many airlines putting in place Crew Resource Management (CRM) training to help staff constructively question decisions and actions made on the flight deck.
While most companies have systems in place to check and recheck actions that could lead to accidents, people often find it hard to question their supervisor or manager’s behaviour, not only in regard to safety but also in business decisions and actions that affect customers, staff and the success of the business. Often people who have lower positions; are younger; women; timid or from minority cultures are less likely to speak up.
We like to be liked and it is very hard to tell our co-workers that they are doing something wrong. It’s even harder to tell our supervisory manager that he or she doesn’t have it right.
Here are some ways to help staff gain the confidence to constructively question decisions:
• For important decisions bring in an external objective facilitator who will encourage open communication between all levels of staff.
• Encourage those who aren’t comfortable challenging leadership by praising them when they put up a good argument. I once worked with a very competent but shy lady who would refrain from challenging others when she didn’t agree with them. Over time she was encouraged and praised for contributing ideas and she gained enough confidence to win arguments, some with the CEO.
• Encourage staff to ask questions when managers give them tasks such as: “Can you clarify that for me?” “When do you need this by?” Do you want me to decide on this without checking back with you and if you want this by tomorrow; are you ok for me to delay the other project you have given me?”
• Have your staff or management meetings conducted by somebody other than you. You can also ask a group to explore an issue without you and come up with a final recommendation to present to you.
• We have modified three steps from the CRM airline training process that can be used by staff to question and challenge another person:
1. State a fact that is causing concern: “The project will not be able to meet the November 15th deadline at this rate.”
2. The second step is to ask a question. Use a person’s name to get their attention: “Jim, do you think it would be useful to check that the other alliance partners can make their commitments on this date?”
3. These two first steps may need to be repeated but if they are not successful then a third step is necessary which states the consequences and suggests tangible solutions, such as: “Jim, I am sure that we are not going to meet the November 15th date and the clients need to know this. If you don’t inform them by next Tuesday, we will incur substantial penalties and more time delays.”
While these are not easy conversations, they can help avoid crashes due to poor management decisions, project problems and many every day problems. As our businesses begin to take off again in the Australian economy, it would be useful to teach yourself and your staff, flight corrections skills.
* As published in WA Business News, 25 February 2010
Great Sounding Visions, but Bad Eyesight!
Many organisations have a vision. “A vision without actions is a dream and actions without vision is a nightmare.” or “A man without a vision perishes.” are common statements in management books and seminars. Over the last 25 years, I have worked and watched executives go into paralysis when trying to describe their vision and values. At strategic planning workshops, I have seen middle level managers with the bored ‘here we go again’ look when told they are going to revisit the vision!
If your company is a vision devotee then here are some tips to help get it right:
Use Consistent, Clear Terminology: Purpose/Mission and Vision are different. The word mission often confuses people. Mission sometimes means the objectives the army goes on to achieve a goal or what a church organisation does to convert people. ‘Purpose’, a much easier term to understand, is the reason why an organisation exists and is often defined as the ‘business we are in’. Vision, on the other hand, is what the organisation is striving to become, look and feel like in the future.
Strategic Objectives Are Different From Visions: John Kennedy’s “We will put a man on the moon before the end of the decade” was a goal, not a vision. The vision was for America to again become the leader in space. Landing on the moon was a way to demonstrate the vision was achieved.
Some company’s vision is to double their revenue in 5 years. These are goals not a vision. A vision is the why behind the goal. Why do we want to double our revenue?... To be a sustainable company returning value to shareholders, staff and community. That’s closer to a vision!
Vision Is More Than Returning Profit To Owners: That is not a vision, it is a bank statement! Why do employees want to get up and work every day to make 0.00000000001 cent for their owners? Having an organisation’s vision be ‘to make a profit’ is like saying the purpose of life is to breathe. We need to breathe to live but we live to have an enjoyable, fulfilling life. It is fine to have profit as a goal, but profit is the beginning not the end of the vision!
Making Visions Real For The Truck Driver: A lot of visions wind up in strategic plans or on posters but not in the hearts and minds of staff. A vision has to be translated to front line staff so that it influences their actions. Staff friendly words, including relevant skills in performance appraisals, staff signing their names on vision statements and acknowledging staff who contribute to the accomplishment of the vision, are effective ways to translate visions to staff.
Visions Are More Than Vague Wishes: “Our vision is to be the best-lead organisation in the world through our commitment to total customer satisfaction delivered by our totally empowered employees to continuously improve our position of unequaled quality and lowest costs, and in so doing, produce superior returns for our shareholders” Many visions are so broad and meaningless that everyone reading them says; ‘Yeah, whatever’. Ensure your vision is relevant to your organisation, is inspiring, challenging and can be achieved!
Strategic Objectives And Visions Must Be Aligned: Companies have objectives. The achievement of the strategic objectives should result in the accomplishment of the vision. I am amazed that many companies have objectives that are unrelated to their vision. Somehow their left brain came up with the vision and their right brains came up with objectives, but no one asked if they led to the same result. Have a look at your strategic objectives and see if they fulfil your vision.
Values Drive Vision And Objectives: Finally, a lot of companies have lovely values such as integrity, teamwork, customer service, creativity, continuous improvement and business acumen but the values don’t relate to the vision and objectives of the company. IBM had great values; product excellence and integrity, but it didn’t include innovation, while Apple was fanatically encouraging values of creativity and innovation. Values should relate to your company objectives and its core beliefs and vision.
Many organisations have great sounding visions but they need to look at them more clearly to see how they can be translated into an inspiring reality.
ENDS
Dr Ron Cacioppe is the Managing Director of Integral Development, one of Perth’s most unique and experienced leadership and management consultancies. Ron is also Adjunct Professor at Curtin’s Australian Sustainable Development Institute.
strategy | leadership | consulting | surveys | coaching | sustainability
+61 (8) 9242 8122 | admin@integral.org.au | www.integral.org.au
If your company is a vision devotee then here are some tips to help get it right:
Use Consistent, Clear Terminology: Purpose/Mission and Vision are different. The word mission often confuses people. Mission sometimes means the objectives the army goes on to achieve a goal or what a church organisation does to convert people. ‘Purpose’, a much easier term to understand, is the reason why an organisation exists and is often defined as the ‘business we are in’. Vision, on the other hand, is what the organisation is striving to become, look and feel like in the future.
Strategic Objectives Are Different From Visions: John Kennedy’s “We will put a man on the moon before the end of the decade” was a goal, not a vision. The vision was for America to again become the leader in space. Landing on the moon was a way to demonstrate the vision was achieved.
Some company’s vision is to double their revenue in 5 years. These are goals not a vision. A vision is the why behind the goal. Why do we want to double our revenue?... To be a sustainable company returning value to shareholders, staff and community. That’s closer to a vision!
Vision Is More Than Returning Profit To Owners: That is not a vision, it is a bank statement! Why do employees want to get up and work every day to make 0.00000000001 cent for their owners? Having an organisation’s vision be ‘to make a profit’ is like saying the purpose of life is to breathe. We need to breathe to live but we live to have an enjoyable, fulfilling life. It is fine to have profit as a goal, but profit is the beginning not the end of the vision!
Making Visions Real For The Truck Driver: A lot of visions wind up in strategic plans or on posters but not in the hearts and minds of staff. A vision has to be translated to front line staff so that it influences their actions. Staff friendly words, including relevant skills in performance appraisals, staff signing their names on vision statements and acknowledging staff who contribute to the accomplishment of the vision, are effective ways to translate visions to staff.
Visions Are More Than Vague Wishes: “Our vision is to be the best-lead organisation in the world through our commitment to total customer satisfaction delivered by our totally empowered employees to continuously improve our position of unequaled quality and lowest costs, and in so doing, produce superior returns for our shareholders” Many visions are so broad and meaningless that everyone reading them says; ‘Yeah, whatever’. Ensure your vision is relevant to your organisation, is inspiring, challenging and can be achieved!
Strategic Objectives And Visions Must Be Aligned: Companies have objectives. The achievement of the strategic objectives should result in the accomplishment of the vision. I am amazed that many companies have objectives that are unrelated to their vision. Somehow their left brain came up with the vision and their right brains came up with objectives, but no one asked if they led to the same result. Have a look at your strategic objectives and see if they fulfil your vision.
Values Drive Vision And Objectives: Finally, a lot of companies have lovely values such as integrity, teamwork, customer service, creativity, continuous improvement and business acumen but the values don’t relate to the vision and objectives of the company. IBM had great values; product excellence and integrity, but it didn’t include innovation, while Apple was fanatically encouraging values of creativity and innovation. Values should relate to your company objectives and its core beliefs and vision.
Many organisations have great sounding visions but they need to look at them more clearly to see how they can be translated into an inspiring reality.
ENDS
Dr Ron Cacioppe is the Managing Director of Integral Development, one of Perth’s most unique and experienced leadership and management consultancies. Ron is also Adjunct Professor at Curtin’s Australian Sustainable Development Institute.
strategy | leadership | consulting | surveys | coaching | sustainability
+61 (8) 9242 8122 | admin@integral.org.au | www.integral.org.au
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