“A problem well stated is a problem half-solved.” – Charles Kettering, American inventor
Often, a problem holds within it the seed to the solution that is sought. So it is with the many issues plaguing the CNMI. With the economy falling, businesses failing, unemployment rising, and families worrying whether they’ll receive a government paycheck on payday, there is a lot to be concerned about. Offering solutions such as casinos on Saipan and legalizing marijuana may address the economic aspect of the problem; however, some “solutions” may also carry with them a host of social issues that could far outweigh any financial results. In this case, the solution could become the problem.
Identifying and stating the core problem is the first step towards resolving it. Once it is understood and addressed, the pernicious symptoms will eventually dissipate. All of our woes and our ultimate solution to issues being faced in business, government, education, and families are found in this one answer: leadership. Leadership is both the problem and the solution.
Sure, many of the situations we’re facing were caused by external influences that appear out of our control; however, effective leadership has the foresight to anticipate and deal with these difficulties. Using a metaphor, if the group you are part of can be compared to a ship at sea, and the captain represents leadership, then it is the ultimate responsibility of the captain to lead the crew and passengers safely to the desired destination. The captain has a clear picture of where the ship is heading, a plan to get there, makes preparations with the proper resources, ensures the crew is well-trained to understand their roles and expectations, and anticipates any storms that may arise.
Once underway, the captain constantly monitors the status of the ship and quickly makes decisions to remain on course. If difficulties arise, the situation is accurately assessed to determine the best response among alternatives, appropriate people are apprised of the situation, and course corrections are made until the mission is completed. In a worst-case scenario a contingency plan is ready to implement, the captain is aware of what is essential and what may need to be sacrificed, tough decisions are made, and if needed, the lifeboats are boarded to ensure the ships most precious cargo will be safe.
Anyone can lead a ship that sails in calm weather, but the real leaders are honed in the midst of adversity. It is in those times of our greatest distress that the true transformational leader rises to the call to solve our greatest problems. A powerful example of the influence of a leader on a community can be found in Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first prime minister in 1959. At the time of Singapore’s independence from Malaysia in 1965, its future appeared bleak. It had little land, no natural resources, poverty and corruption were rampant, ethnic strife between factions of Chinese, Malays, and Indians threatened to tear this small island nation apart. In addition, Singapore was heavily dependent on financial assistance from Great Britain.
Lee Kuan Yew’s extraordinary leadership during a three-decade period is considered by many as an economic and social miracle. Singapore transformed from labor-intensive industries to develop its human capital and high technology. At each stage of development, input was sought from citizens to strengthen their sense of identity and create greater buy-in to his vision.
Lee Kuan Yew focused on developing Singapore’s people, and getting the best individuals to fill critical positions. Human resource development was stressed through educational and vocational programs. Literacy rates rose from 72 percent in 1970 to 92 percent by 1990. Not only was Lee Kuan Yew a leader, he looked for and fostered leadership from within. In a speech to Parliament in 1994, he said: “Singapore must get some of its best in each year’s crop of graduates into government. When I say best, I don’t mean just academic results which indicate only the power of analysis. You’ve then got to assess him for his sense of reality, his imagination, his quality of leadership, his dynamism. But most of all, his character and his motivation, because the smarter a man is, the more harm he might do to society.”
The results are astounding. Singapore has transformed from being a Third World into a First World Nation in one generation. It is rated as the most business-friendly economy in the world, according to the World Bank. The per capita Gross Domestic Product rose from $400 in 1959 to $50,523 in 2009. In 1970, nine percent of the population was living in owner-occupied housing, but in 1990 it rose to 90 percent. Singapore is promoting itself as a medical tourism hub, with the goal to serve one million patients annually by 2012, generate an additional USD 3 billion in revenue, and create 13,000 new jobs.
True leaders bring more than just hope where there is despair. They are people of character and competence who inspire others toward a greater purpose and in the process make a greater contribution in the lives of those they serve. Leaders know how to get results not just in financial capital, but also in human capital. This takes vision, integrity, perseverance, and humility to recognize and admit mistakes, then learn from them. Just as there would be no modern Singapore without the leadership of Lee Kuan Yew; leadership will ultimately be the solution to our greatest challenges in the CNMI.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Multiplying Your Greatest Asset
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.” – Antoine De St. Exupery
A simple shift in your leadership style could double the capacity of your organization. That’s a powerful statement, but it’s a claim that has been proven in research by authors Liz Wiseman and Greg Mckeown in their book “Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter.”
If you’ve had the opportunity to work for an outstanding leader who inspired confidence and motivated you to perform at your very best, then you know about their ability to get you to work harder and make you feel valued for your contribution. Let me share a personal story of how this was accomplished in my life.
When I was in graduate school in 1982, I was recruited by Gary Poppleton, who was the director over evening school programs at Utah State University. He not only hired me to work for his division to expand their enrollment; I learned he had a much larger plan to also work with other directors to grow all of the divisions under what was called LifeSpan Learning Programs, which included: continuing education, enrichment courses, correspondence (precursor to online) courses, and satellite degree programs.
He confided that he wanted me to help him hire four other graduate students and then lead the group to increase enrollment. His confidence in my ability inspired me to rise to the challenge and I helped chose a team that worked well together. We decide that each of us would be accountable for one of the five divisions, but that we would brainstorm and work together to come up with ideas that would achieve the ultimate goal to increase enrollment. Gary provided guidance and direction, but allowed us a lot of latitude. When I told him that I’d like the team to have a title other than “graduate assistant” to improve our image when we met with people, he let us come up with our own name and paid for business cards to be printed. We dubbed ourselves “Product Design Specialists” and I designed a snappy logo for the card. Gary also allowed me to completely design a work center that included a large light table, and storage and filing system. He then had a carpenter build it to my exact specifications.
We threw ourselves into the work by taking surveys, designing brochures, ads, radio copy, going to fairs, and creating dioramas to attract and sign up students into the various programs. We were crazy, had fun, and significantly increased enrollment in all of the programs and doubled it in some.
Looking back, I realize that it was Gary’s leadership style that inspired me and the others to be extremely productive, and his confidence in me that caused me to take personal ownership. He was lavish with praise for the group and recognized our efforts. I can’t remember him ever stepping in to take care of disciplinary issues because we took care of any problems within the group. We realized the good thing we had and when one of the workers started to slack off, we were all over him to get his act together or we would take him off the team – he shaped up.
According to Wiseman and Mckeown, Gary Poppleton would be considered a “Multiplier” because he brought out the best in us and was able to get more intelligent action, better problem solving, and more concentrated effort from our team. Their in-depth research identifies the leadership characteristics that are able to get, on average, twice the capacity from people than do leaders at the other end of the spectrum, called “Diminishers.” These “leaders” are absorbed in their own ability and deplete the energy of those around them, and they may not be aware of their actions. In reality, no one is at either extreme; rather, they are usually somewhere between the two.
The key for you to develop more of the Multiplier characteristics is to be aware of the Diminisher qualities that tend to stifle the talent and contribution your people can make to your department or organization. Wiseman and Mckeown suggest that if Diminishers are unwilling to change, they should be removed or isolated from key leadership roles because of the high cost and long-term damage they can create. However, this is easier said than done because Diminishers who have finagled their way into top leadership roles are smart and intimidating. To learn if you are an Accidental Diminisher, go to their website and answer a simple 10-question quiz: http://multipliersbook.com/accidental-diminisher/
Once you identify possible Diminisher characteristics that you might exhibit as a leader, you can begin to change and develop more Multiplier qualities that will bring out the best in your people. This is not only beneficial in the workplace, but will also help improve your personal and family relationships. A simple shift in your leadership style will significantly impact the productivity and performance of your organization without adding any more expense. That’s something every organization can use at this time.
A simple shift in your leadership style could double the capacity of your organization. That’s a powerful statement, but it’s a claim that has been proven in research by authors Liz Wiseman and Greg Mckeown in their book “Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter.”
If you’ve had the opportunity to work for an outstanding leader who inspired confidence and motivated you to perform at your very best, then you know about their ability to get you to work harder and make you feel valued for your contribution. Let me share a personal story of how this was accomplished in my life.
When I was in graduate school in 1982, I was recruited by Gary Poppleton, who was the director over evening school programs at Utah State University. He not only hired me to work for his division to expand their enrollment; I learned he had a much larger plan to also work with other directors to grow all of the divisions under what was called LifeSpan Learning Programs, which included: continuing education, enrichment courses, correspondence (precursor to online) courses, and satellite degree programs.
He confided that he wanted me to help him hire four other graduate students and then lead the group to increase enrollment. His confidence in my ability inspired me to rise to the challenge and I helped chose a team that worked well together. We decide that each of us would be accountable for one of the five divisions, but that we would brainstorm and work together to come up with ideas that would achieve the ultimate goal to increase enrollment. Gary provided guidance and direction, but allowed us a lot of latitude. When I told him that I’d like the team to have a title other than “graduate assistant” to improve our image when we met with people, he let us come up with our own name and paid for business cards to be printed. We dubbed ourselves “Product Design Specialists” and I designed a snappy logo for the card. Gary also allowed me to completely design a work center that included a large light table, and storage and filing system. He then had a carpenter build it to my exact specifications.
We threw ourselves into the work by taking surveys, designing brochures, ads, radio copy, going to fairs, and creating dioramas to attract and sign up students into the various programs. We were crazy, had fun, and significantly increased enrollment in all of the programs and doubled it in some.
Looking back, I realize that it was Gary’s leadership style that inspired me and the others to be extremely productive, and his confidence in me that caused me to take personal ownership. He was lavish with praise for the group and recognized our efforts. I can’t remember him ever stepping in to take care of disciplinary issues because we took care of any problems within the group. We realized the good thing we had and when one of the workers started to slack off, we were all over him to get his act together or we would take him off the team – he shaped up.
According to Wiseman and Mckeown, Gary Poppleton would be considered a “Multiplier” because he brought out the best in us and was able to get more intelligent action, better problem solving, and more concentrated effort from our team. Their in-depth research identifies the leadership characteristics that are able to get, on average, twice the capacity from people than do leaders at the other end of the spectrum, called “Diminishers.” These “leaders” are absorbed in their own ability and deplete the energy of those around them, and they may not be aware of their actions. In reality, no one is at either extreme; rather, they are usually somewhere between the two.
The key for you to develop more of the Multiplier characteristics is to be aware of the Diminisher qualities that tend to stifle the talent and contribution your people can make to your department or organization. Wiseman and Mckeown suggest that if Diminishers are unwilling to change, they should be removed or isolated from key leadership roles because of the high cost and long-term damage they can create. However, this is easier said than done because Diminishers who have finagled their way into top leadership roles are smart and intimidating. To learn if you are an Accidental Diminisher, go to their website and answer a simple 10-question quiz: http://multipliersbook.com/accidental-diminisher/
Once you identify possible Diminisher characteristics that you might exhibit as a leader, you can begin to change and develop more Multiplier qualities that will bring out the best in your people. This is not only beneficial in the workplace, but will also help improve your personal and family relationships. A simple shift in your leadership style will significantly impact the productivity and performance of your organization without adding any more expense. That’s something every organization can use at this time.
Friday, September 10, 2010
The One Thing revisited
.
What would it take to turn your organization around? What would you describe as the one thing that is most important to shift your current status from surviving to thriving? Over a decade ago I was part of a team to develop the strategic master plan for Northern Marianas College. The committee was composed of leadership from staff, faculty and administration, and I was the Faculty Senate President at the time. I went to bed one evening thinking about the discussion that day. The next morning I awoke from a dream, wrote down my thoughts and called it “The One Thing…”
When the team met again, I shared my thoughts with them in order to stimulate some discussion about how we could realize the dream, and the College could position itself as a vital community asset and help stimulate economic growth. We did talk about it, but there was no agreement on what “the one thing” was that could turn things around. In the ensuing years I have seen NMC go through many changes, but we are no closer today to realizing the dream I had of the College in 1999. Many of the challenges we’re experiencing today were the same challenges we faced over a decade ago; however, I still believe it’s not too late for the College to discover “the one thing” and become the example for positive change in the community.
I thought it would be interesting to get comments from individuals working at NMC, so I sent out an email to all the accounts at the College asking for their thoughts on what they feel “the one thing” is that would be the catalyst to turn things around at the College and positively impact the community. Here are their thoughts, with permission from some to include their name. As you read through them, ask yourself if any of the suggestions could benefit your organization and make it a better place to work, or add more to the lives of those it serves.
One respondent wanted to emphasize that NMC was built by the community, for the community, and to benefit the community. It is a public institution that serves individuals locally and abroad; however, the most immediate benefactor of NMC’s work is the local community.
Dave Attao believes that the College should become the center for community transformation – meaning that everyone and any organization can interact with the College “to fulfill or exceed their needs and transform from one former being or entity to a transcending one.”
Others felt that the College should transform itself by developing or enhancing specific traits. A couple of people said that “honesty” is a critical trait that should be the foundation of everything the College does, and it should be personified by its leaders. Frank Sobolewski went so far as to quote a scripture: Do not tell lies to one another (Colossians 3:9). He then prophetically warned that if “NMC is not completely honest with each other, with the Board of Regents, the CNMI Legislature, the Governor, the general public, and WASC, all the rest of what we do in terms of trying to turn NMC around will be doomed to failure sooner or later.”
One individual mentioned the importance of transparency internally as well as on a community level. “Internal audits would be beneficial to measure morale as well as fiduciary responsibility by making key management aware of potential misunderstandings of a particular situation/incident where quality and conduct were not meeting the desired level of expected performance and productivity within a given department.”
Two individuals who did not give permission to use their names mentioned a trait that I thought was insightful: humility. All individuals and organizations will make mistakes, but rarely do they have the humility to admit them, learn from them, and become better in the process.
Two others believed that the one thing is actually a person…specifically a leader. Bruce Johnson mentioned that, as with any successful organization, change will occur through an outstanding leader who is “strong, smart, decisive, imaginative and fearless. George Patton with a Ph.D.”
Geri Willis brought up the point that everyone at the College plays an important role and for NMC to realize the one thing, “all the cogs of the wheel need to be working together toward a common vision, not in isolation, to be successful and reap the benefits.”
In order for people to get on one page and move toward a common vision, a paradigm shift is necessary to realign the culture at the College. Dawn Chrystal Revilla mentioned that for people to understand their roles within the institution, the College must examine everything it does and ask how it serves our students and “assists them in their educational and personal development.” She had the opportunity to work at a division of an institution that adopted a “student centered philosophy” as one of its core values. The steps that were taken to fully live this philosophy empowered individuals to do the right thing with the programs and assets with which they were entrusted.
I believe that many of the comments above can be applied to any organization in the CNMI to make it a better place to work and more importantly, allow it to better serve its customers. In reality, it will take many things to create the change that is necessary to improve and progress; however, what do you believe is the prime factor that is required to realize the dream you might have for your organization? Ask individuals within and outside your organization and you might be surprised by the great responses you’ll hear. Implement the “the one thing,” and you’ll soon start to realize the potential your organization has to add more life to everyone it touches.
--
Below is the document that I refer to in the article above. It was included as the forward to the NMC Strategic Master Plan.
The One Thing…
by Rik Villegas
Last night I dreamt I visited a wonderful college on a beautiful, tropical island in the Pacific. As I met with the individuals who worked or learned there, I realized everyone was happy and felt fulfilled in their life. In fact, if you were to ask anyone what they liked most about the college, he or she would say in a nutshell that the college gave them more life.
Students got more out of life because those who graduated were able to get top positions in companies they worked with. Those still attending college were happy with the education they were receiving because they knew the faculty and administration valued them through excellent instruction, the best educational resources, and superior support services.
The faculty and staff felt more life because they were valued by the administration through the excellent support they received in their assignments. They were not only compensated well for their efforts, but they also received a number of non-monetary benefits that made the college a very desirable place to work. Turnover was low, and the quality of education was high because of the premium the college place on hiring and keeping the very best individuals.
The administrators were especially pleased with the smooth operations that were apparent at the institution. They also felt respected by the faculty, staff, students, and community because of the benefit the college offered to the island as a whole. The directors and department chairs quickly and easily took care of almost all of the minor problems that might occasionally occur. This allowed more time for the administrators to focus on planning, and directing the college. It also allowed more time for them to meet with individuals and develop positive relationships with the college personnel and community leaders. Even though the institution had doubled its size in a few short years, there was a family-like spirit that pervaded.
The community felt more life because only a few short years ago they were experiencing an economic downturn that threatened their happy way of life; however, the college was able to do one thing that eventually turned the economy around. Not only did it help the economy, but the college became the institution of choice for high school students and nontraditional students pursuing a degree. This allowed more money to be circulated in the local economy, and more money to be invested for educational excellence. It became a continuous loop of good things getting even better.
Because of the one thing that the college did, the legislators began to realize the value of the college to their children and the community. They changed their attitude from trying to cut the budget of the college to finding more money they could invest in the institution.
Just a few years earlier, the college had been struggling with many issues. The pressures were great and everyone’s morale was low. However, when the solution was found, it changed the whole perspective of the college.
This one thing was like a match lit in the darkness of despair, and it not only brightened the hopes of everyone—it also caused the whole island to believe there was a solution to their economic problems. The college became a leader to the government and community’s businesses for restoring economic stability and adding more to everyone’s life. The one thing was… (I woke up just then. However, the dream could continue, but I think it will take others who are also dreamers to help realize what that one thing is.)
What would it take to turn your organization around? What would you describe as the one thing that is most important to shift your current status from surviving to thriving? Over a decade ago I was part of a team to develop the strategic master plan for Northern Marianas College. The committee was composed of leadership from staff, faculty and administration, and I was the Faculty Senate President at the time. I went to bed one evening thinking about the discussion that day. The next morning I awoke from a dream, wrote down my thoughts and called it “The One Thing…”
When the team met again, I shared my thoughts with them in order to stimulate some discussion about how we could realize the dream, and the College could position itself as a vital community asset and help stimulate economic growth. We did talk about it, but there was no agreement on what “the one thing” was that could turn things around. In the ensuing years I have seen NMC go through many changes, but we are no closer today to realizing the dream I had of the College in 1999. Many of the challenges we’re experiencing today were the same challenges we faced over a decade ago; however, I still believe it’s not too late for the College to discover “the one thing” and become the example for positive change in the community.
I thought it would be interesting to get comments from individuals working at NMC, so I sent out an email to all the accounts at the College asking for their thoughts on what they feel “the one thing” is that would be the catalyst to turn things around at the College and positively impact the community. Here are their thoughts, with permission from some to include their name. As you read through them, ask yourself if any of the suggestions could benefit your organization and make it a better place to work, or add more to the lives of those it serves.
One respondent wanted to emphasize that NMC was built by the community, for the community, and to benefit the community. It is a public institution that serves individuals locally and abroad; however, the most immediate benefactor of NMC’s work is the local community.
Dave Attao believes that the College should become the center for community transformation – meaning that everyone and any organization can interact with the College “to fulfill or exceed their needs and transform from one former being or entity to a transcending one.”
Others felt that the College should transform itself by developing or enhancing specific traits. A couple of people said that “honesty” is a critical trait that should be the foundation of everything the College does, and it should be personified by its leaders. Frank Sobolewski went so far as to quote a scripture: Do not tell lies to one another (Colossians 3:9). He then prophetically warned that if “NMC is not completely honest with each other, with the Board of Regents, the CNMI Legislature, the Governor, the general public, and WASC, all the rest of what we do in terms of trying to turn NMC around will be doomed to failure sooner or later.”
One individual mentioned the importance of transparency internally as well as on a community level. “Internal audits would be beneficial to measure morale as well as fiduciary responsibility by making key management aware of potential misunderstandings of a particular situation/incident where quality and conduct were not meeting the desired level of expected performance and productivity within a given department.”
Two individuals who did not give permission to use their names mentioned a trait that I thought was insightful: humility. All individuals and organizations will make mistakes, but rarely do they have the humility to admit them, learn from them, and become better in the process.
Two others believed that the one thing is actually a person…specifically a leader. Bruce Johnson mentioned that, as with any successful organization, change will occur through an outstanding leader who is “strong, smart, decisive, imaginative and fearless. George Patton with a Ph.D.”
Geri Willis brought up the point that everyone at the College plays an important role and for NMC to realize the one thing, “all the cogs of the wheel need to be working together toward a common vision, not in isolation, to be successful and reap the benefits.”
In order for people to get on one page and move toward a common vision, a paradigm shift is necessary to realign the culture at the College. Dawn Chrystal Revilla mentioned that for people to understand their roles within the institution, the College must examine everything it does and ask how it serves our students and “assists them in their educational and personal development.” She had the opportunity to work at a division of an institution that adopted a “student centered philosophy” as one of its core values. The steps that were taken to fully live this philosophy empowered individuals to do the right thing with the programs and assets with which they were entrusted.
I believe that many of the comments above can be applied to any organization in the CNMI to make it a better place to work and more importantly, allow it to better serve its customers. In reality, it will take many things to create the change that is necessary to improve and progress; however, what do you believe is the prime factor that is required to realize the dream you might have for your organization? Ask individuals within and outside your organization and you might be surprised by the great responses you’ll hear. Implement the “the one thing,” and you’ll soon start to realize the potential your organization has to add more life to everyone it touches.
--
Below is the document that I refer to in the article above. It was included as the forward to the NMC Strategic Master Plan.
The One Thing…
by Rik Villegas
Last night I dreamt I visited a wonderful college on a beautiful, tropical island in the Pacific. As I met with the individuals who worked or learned there, I realized everyone was happy and felt fulfilled in their life. In fact, if you were to ask anyone what they liked most about the college, he or she would say in a nutshell that the college gave them more life.
Students got more out of life because those who graduated were able to get top positions in companies they worked with. Those still attending college were happy with the education they were receiving because they knew the faculty and administration valued them through excellent instruction, the best educational resources, and superior support services.
The faculty and staff felt more life because they were valued by the administration through the excellent support they received in their assignments. They were not only compensated well for their efforts, but they also received a number of non-monetary benefits that made the college a very desirable place to work. Turnover was low, and the quality of education was high because of the premium the college place on hiring and keeping the very best individuals.
The administrators were especially pleased with the smooth operations that were apparent at the institution. They also felt respected by the faculty, staff, students, and community because of the benefit the college offered to the island as a whole. The directors and department chairs quickly and easily took care of almost all of the minor problems that might occasionally occur. This allowed more time for the administrators to focus on planning, and directing the college. It also allowed more time for them to meet with individuals and develop positive relationships with the college personnel and community leaders. Even though the institution had doubled its size in a few short years, there was a family-like spirit that pervaded.
The community felt more life because only a few short years ago they were experiencing an economic downturn that threatened their happy way of life; however, the college was able to do one thing that eventually turned the economy around. Not only did it help the economy, but the college became the institution of choice for high school students and nontraditional students pursuing a degree. This allowed more money to be circulated in the local economy, and more money to be invested for educational excellence. It became a continuous loop of good things getting even better.
Because of the one thing that the college did, the legislators began to realize the value of the college to their children and the community. They changed their attitude from trying to cut the budget of the college to finding more money they could invest in the institution.
Just a few years earlier, the college had been struggling with many issues. The pressures were great and everyone’s morale was low. However, when the solution was found, it changed the whole perspective of the college.
This one thing was like a match lit in the darkness of despair, and it not only brightened the hopes of everyone—it also caused the whole island to believe there was a solution to their economic problems. The college became a leader to the government and community’s businesses for restoring economic stability and adding more to everyone’s life. The one thing was… (I woke up just then. However, the dream could continue, but I think it will take others who are also dreamers to help realize what that one thing is.)
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