I really beat up on the PRK's the other day, and did not balance out my comments on the Prince.
First, let me define the Prince. This type of leader either goes out of their way (it seems) to be accommodating, encouraging (sometimes without substance), rarely resorts to personal attacks, and generally sets a tone of collegiality. The Prince expects the same from team members and may have trouble tolerating (and dealing with) contrarians or heavy opposition. The Prince can be deceiving, un-intentionally by not revealing uncomfortable truths. This gives the follower an unfounded confidence in the Prince which the follower may interpret as praise when none is due.
For the follower to succeed, under the Prince, hard looks in the mirror, daily, if not more frequently are essential to avoid the traps the Prince sets purely by accident. The accommodating Prince, may be flexible to the followers requests and needs, but the follower must avoid becoming laconic under this kind of treatment. 'Ok, the boss isn't going to mind if I slack off a bit today.' Encouraging followers is expected in every leader, but is it warranted? The follower must examine, understand, and have a clear map towards the goals of the organization. The Prince unwittingly may encourage the follower on a course, because it is easier, than to attempt the uncomfortable task of coaching the follower through a course correction. Personally, the Prince I have found to be most dangerous is the one with unrealistic goals, and through charisma, charm, and an impressive pedigree, persuades me the goals are achievable when everything in my being tells me it just ain't so. Setting yourself up for failure, when it arrives, is painful. Although personal attacks are an intolerable cruelty, the Prince will sometimes avoid criticizing behavior or performance related issues, at least in a clear concise way. Coaching is an important tool for development of followers and pushing the team towards the goal of the organization. Without it, the trip is condemned to death before it even gets started. The typical (when skilled coaching is not deployed) outcome always results in confusion among the team and damaging speculative gossiping. To the Princes credit consensus is encouraged, and this works among a team of equals who are the right people on the bus, understand the goals, drive towards those goals, and communicate with each other in robust conversations without fear of recrimination (the safe environment.) If the Prince is willing to commit themselves to such a team, the experience the follower enjoys will be cherished all their working career. The problem the Prince may have is managing a lack of consensus and taking the steering wheel when needed.
Clearly then the follower will want balance. The successful leader treads a line between these two groups of characteristics (see the previous post) and balances their relationships with followers.
Friday, August 23, 2013
Friday, August 16, 2013
P's and P's
When the girls were in those phases of work where they felt the greatest frustration (usually with a boss or co-worker) I advised them throughout their life they would work for princes and pricks. Unfortunately there would be more of the latter than the former. I should have expanded the thought to include "and those you work with."
This blog has been about what I have observed, from the street level, on leadership. Also I have read a good deal, studied leadership, and still have not come up with what I could possibly describe as a usable model for personal success as a leader. After all we are human. Do I need to expand on that? As for the P and P, my experience is the person either is, or is not the way they are, more or less permanently. Modifying their behavior is unlikely and if the second is in your way there is not much for the follower to do than move on. That said, I did learn late in life, it may be valuable to stand one's ground in the face of the PRK, since you can never be sure just what motivates them. The motivation may be generated (ignore what I said earlier) as a tool to challenge followers to something better. Such as Clint Eastwood's character "Gunny Highway" in the movie "Heartbreak Ridge". Definitely not a nice guy but redemptive (trying) at the end. Standing in the Gunny's way was a mistake as the first thing to learn is; you know nothing, can do nothing right, and must be stripped to the core and re-built. I guess all you marines know this.
In the ordinary world, the Gunny Highway's, do not exist. The PRKs are not driven to push people to achieve their best for the benefit of the entire community. (God, Corp, Country.) The personal agenda is the motive. Whatever it may be. The followers responsibility is to deliver consistently good results to blunt this type of leaders methods. If you can't or won't then you have no place in the environment. Sometimes you have to access if your best, is meeting your expectation, and PRKs are just unreasonable or unachievable (my favorite line of the PRK, "if you can't do it, I will find somebody who can".) I used that line myself, but only after I had done everything could with respect to training, coaching, and developing the follower. The PRK is never interested in performing any of those duties.
The follower, must in all circumstances, understand the PRKs expectations. This may be difficult in all circumstances. Work in the good ole USA is more thought based, more jobs are service oriented, and many positions are described as professional. My favorite example for the reader to ponder is the relationship between Harvey and Jessica in "Suits". Both are professionals and by pedigree and experience bring a good deal of skill to the table. So how much coaching, training, developing do they need? Practically none. How well should they interact with followers? Exceptionally, but the followers bring pedigree if not always the experience.
For the rest of us, to manage the PRK by standing your ground take a good hard look in the mirror. Make sure to be secure in the quality of results and work performed. There will be consequences so think those through and prepare. Another option is to find some Zen location, depending on brain chemistry, and put yourself there as often as possible to manage the stress. For me it has always been sailing. Last--leave. Sometimes this is the only viable option if you are confident in your results, but the PRK never finds it good enough. This is when avoiding the "big lie" (the one you tell yourself) does not serve. Be honest when you look in the mirror. A story I heard about Henry Kissinger when he returned to teaching was telling the student three times to do the paper over, until the last turn in and the student said, "Dr. Kissinger, this is the best I can do." Kissinger replied with, "then why didn't you do that the first time."
Ok, so I have dissed on this leader profile enough, you get the drift. Watch out for the Buddy Ackerman's of the world.
This blog has been about what I have observed, from the street level, on leadership. Also I have read a good deal, studied leadership, and still have not come up with what I could possibly describe as a usable model for personal success as a leader. After all we are human. Do I need to expand on that? As for the P and P, my experience is the person either is, or is not the way they are, more or less permanently. Modifying their behavior is unlikely and if the second is in your way there is not much for the follower to do than move on. That said, I did learn late in life, it may be valuable to stand one's ground in the face of the PRK, since you can never be sure just what motivates them. The motivation may be generated (ignore what I said earlier) as a tool to challenge followers to something better. Such as Clint Eastwood's character "Gunny Highway" in the movie "Heartbreak Ridge". Definitely not a nice guy but redemptive (trying) at the end. Standing in the Gunny's way was a mistake as the first thing to learn is; you know nothing, can do nothing right, and must be stripped to the core and re-built. I guess all you marines know this.
In the ordinary world, the Gunny Highway's, do not exist. The PRKs are not driven to push people to achieve their best for the benefit of the entire community. (God, Corp, Country.) The personal agenda is the motive. Whatever it may be. The followers responsibility is to deliver consistently good results to blunt this type of leaders methods. If you can't or won't then you have no place in the environment. Sometimes you have to access if your best, is meeting your expectation, and PRKs are just unreasonable or unachievable (my favorite line of the PRK, "if you can't do it, I will find somebody who can".) I used that line myself, but only after I had done everything could with respect to training, coaching, and developing the follower. The PRK is never interested in performing any of those duties.
The follower, must in all circumstances, understand the PRKs expectations. This may be difficult in all circumstances. Work in the good ole USA is more thought based, more jobs are service oriented, and many positions are described as professional. My favorite example for the reader to ponder is the relationship between Harvey and Jessica in "Suits". Both are professionals and by pedigree and experience bring a good deal of skill to the table. So how much coaching, training, developing do they need? Practically none. How well should they interact with followers? Exceptionally, but the followers bring pedigree if not always the experience.
For the rest of us, to manage the PRK by standing your ground take a good hard look in the mirror. Make sure to be secure in the quality of results and work performed. There will be consequences so think those through and prepare. Another option is to find some Zen location, depending on brain chemistry, and put yourself there as often as possible to manage the stress. For me it has always been sailing. Last--leave. Sometimes this is the only viable option if you are confident in your results, but the PRK never finds it good enough. This is when avoiding the "big lie" (the one you tell yourself) does not serve. Be honest when you look in the mirror. A story I heard about Henry Kissinger when he returned to teaching was telling the student three times to do the paper over, until the last turn in and the student said, "Dr. Kissinger, this is the best I can do." Kissinger replied with, "then why didn't you do that the first time."
Ok, so I have dissed on this leader profile enough, you get the drift. Watch out for the Buddy Ackerman's of the world.
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