Learning After Doing

Thinking

On the flight last week, I thought about these random things that I need to act on:

1. When building business, always see the buyer and the developer/creator.
2. Always collaborate - thinking I have all the answers can kill the opportunity for new ideas.
3. Listen to wise counselors.
4. Stop. Ponder. Remember. Be thankful for the blessings in my life.
5. Deliver. Or they won't ask me back.

Don't Let the Vision be Worthless

While sitting by the outside fire smoking your pipe, have you ever pondered what life would be like if people dreamed but never did anything about it?

Our VP of technical affairs and I sat across the aisle from each other on a plane discussing opportunities. They are like dreams. They are there, but don't mean anything if you don't capture them. In that sense, we both agreed that a sense of urgency surrounding opportunities is critical for us. For every day that we dream about an opportunity but don't act on it, the opportunity slowly slips from our grip. Our position grows weaker while our competitors' positions grow stronger. And revenue and margin opportunity flows not through our ledger but through someone else's.

Acting on the opportunity can be expensive (equipment purchases, new talent, selling costs). Not acting reduces the risk of failure to nil. Failure on that opportunity. But what about for the business?

While meeting with a friend for breakfast this morning, I pondered about the life of Jesus. He held a vision that if he died on a cross he could provide freedom. It was a huge risk. Literally, his life was on the line. The vision was there. What if he never implemented the vision? Would there be hope in our world today?

Consider Stephen Fairley's questions:

Are you an entrepreneurial dreamer? Are you the kind of successful entrepreneur who seems to have an almost innate ability to dream bigger than your experience, history or environment allows? Do you have the desire, the passion and the power to keep on going even in the face of insurmountable odds?

A dream, an opportunity, or a vision is only worth anything if the holder can implement it. If it isn't implemented, it is like stock in a failed dot-com: worthless. Only the brave, only the persistent, only the Realizor assume the risk and act on the dream. They stick their necks out, risking that failure might result in the chopping block (usually in the court of public opinion), but knowing if they never act, they will never realize the dream.

Entrepreneurial Behavior

"Acts with bold, deliberate determination to build value..."
"Demonstrates confidence in his company (people) and its products..."
Brad Respess on a Level 5 Realizor*

On Saturday, I asked myself whether I fit Jim Collins' description of a level 5 leader. Two statements resurfaced today: "Acts with quiet, calm determination..." and "Demonstrates a compelling modesty..." If you ask someone who knows me whether or not this is me, chances are pretty good that they will say, "No, not really. Yes, he is determined. He's not really arrogant, but compelling modesty...I don't know**. But, I wouldn't first describe him with those two statements."

Does the leader of an organization need to act in a quiet and calm manner and with a modesty that is compelling? Will this level 5 leader transform a company (start one from nothing/go from okay to great or even okay to good) or be better suited to steadily increase the value of an established enterprise such as Walgreen's or Wells Fargo?

Consider this review by Freda Turner:

Collins uses Lee Iaccoca as an example of a Level 4 Leader. During the first half of his term as CEO of Chrysler, he was totally focused on Chrysler's success. A stock market analyst called him the greatest turnaround CEO in history. Then Iacocca started appearing on The Today Show and Larry King Live sharing his turnaround story. He personally starred in over 80 commercials and entertained the idea of running for president of the U.S. He once made the comment that he could handle the national economy in six months. He wrote two books that sold 7 million copies. In the meantime, the stock of Chrysler fell 31% behind the general market.

I keep asking myself if Iacocca was a level 5 leader until he started doing the interviews. Suppose Collins had only said, "During the first half of his term as CEO of Chrysler, he was totally focused on Chrysler's success. A stock market analyst called him the greatest turnaround CEO in history." Based on Collins description, I would have to say he probably wouldn't have qualified. But wasn't the first half of his term good? Needed? Beneficial? Could the first half of his term be described as level 5 something else?

At first, I was very concerned that I might not fit the mold of the level 5 leader as Collins defined it. But, I don't think I really want to be. I don't think it's who I was made to be.

*Realizor: A Leader Whose Goal is to Help a Company and its Employees Realize Their Full Potential Value
**"...If he had a compelling modesty, how would he sell our products to new customers?"

Vantage

"Demonstrates a compelling modesty,
shunning public adulation;
never boastful."
Jim Collins on a Level 5 Leader's Personal Humility

A simple change in vantage will change one's opinion of the subject matter. (Consider these two vantages of my home.) In my life, my actions can be perceived differently than the motive behind them. A good friend passed on this nugget, "We judge people on their actions, but we want to be judged on our motives."

It is so difficult to take a different vantage point to view my own actions before I actually do them. However, I have received some gutsy feedback from different people this week both inside and outside the company that have given me new perspective on some past actions.

I believe that my motives have been in line with Jim Collin's description of a level 5 leader:

1. Demonstrates a compelling modesty, shunning public adulation; never boastful.
2. Acts with quiet, calm determination; relies principally on inspired standards, not inspiring charisma, to motivate.
3. Channels ambition into the company, not the self; sets up successors for even greater success in the next generation.
4. Looks out the window, not in the mirror, to apportion credit for the success of the company—to other people, external factors, and good luck.

However, I believe that from someone else's vantage point, my actions do not reveal level 5 leadership. I am not sure how often, but I heard recently that 1 negative comment equals at least 18 positive comments. Similarly, one post here with any apparent arrogance can shatter others' perspective instantly; and for a long time.

LAD. Minimize unnecessary damage before it happens: consider more than the obvious vantage point before acting.

Silence the Goose

The COO and I dialogued what topics would be appropriate for discussion in my annual review and he gave me some timely feedback. It reminded me of a story found in the recent book I read by Johnny Cash, Man in White. This is a story on knowing when to keep your mouth shut and I think it provides an excellent example:

"Look to Mt. Taurus. Its craggy peaks reach nearly a mile into the sky. In the lofty crags of the peaks of Taurus, many fierce eagles nest.

"Beyond the mountains, in the fertile valleys...great numbers of geese feed through the summer and autumn. With the onset of winter, the geese know that it is time to migrate southward to the warm rich delta land of the Nile in Egypt.

"In the darkness of night, the eagles in the rocky peaks of Taurus listen for the flocks to fly over. They plan to attack the honking geese, kill them, and take them back to their nests. But surely it must be the hand of God which compels the geese to do what they do.

"Before they leave the ground for the long flight which takes them over Taurus, each goose goes to the river bed and in its beak takes a smooth stone, not too large, but large enough to fill its mouth. Then they fly southward, climbing slowly but untiringly in the darkness. By the time they fly over Mt. Taurus where the vicious eagles await to kill them, they are thousands of feet above its summit. With stones in their mouths, they fly silently and are not likely to make any noise that will attract the killer eagles. Then, having safely passed the eagles, they open their mouths and drop the stones. Then, they fly safely on to Egypt.

"Remember the geese and the eagles," Zeno had said. "There is a time to speak and a time to be silent."

Speaking when one should be silent can be as near suicide for a person's rapport within an organization as the goose who chooses to fly without a stone in its mouth. This is wisdom most of us "young bucks" know, but tend to find very difficult in consistently applying. Consider the Straw Man in The Wizard of Oz who said, "Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't they?"

I urge you to read more in the RBC Bank August 1969 letter, Time to Talk Things Over.

Mentor Search

Sitting in the Australian Bakery on the Marietta Square, Richard Samuel and I talked about accountability and mentors over hot tea on a cool fall day. I met Richard on a mission trip to India in 1999; he is one of the people that I really do respect and trust. And, a man that is able to go deep with opportunities and issues.

He asked a question that can be difficult to answer. “Who can you talk to?” In other words, do I have a mentor? Do I have a trusted group of advisors and counselors that I can seek for guidance and assistance? Or, am I, like so many others in this world, alone?

My answer is complex because fortunately, I do have a trusted group of advisors and counselors. I don’t know if they even know it, but there are a few men that I will turn to for discussion on any subject matter, whether my faith, my work, or my family. They are men with whom I can be open and honest. They provide challenge and wisdom. Although that network is mostly informal, it is vital to my survival.

With the departure of a trusted mentor, I am now in need of a mentor. The search will not be easy. Here are some qualifications:

1. Cannot be a family member (possible conflict of interest)
2. Cannot be in the direct line above me in the org chart work (honesty may be negatively rewarded)
3. Christian
4. A Father
5. Candid
6. Successful in business
7. Local

Now, I begin the process of praying and seeking a mentor so that we can provide mutual personal commitment to the investment, development and empowerment of each of us.

The difficulty is that I must be able to trust this person. So many in authority in my life have washed up as failures or frauds and caused me to walk away, preferring to be alone than to fall in line under their tutelage. Included are church leaders, business leaders, and respected friends. But, the reward far outweighs the risk. I repeat, the learning curve is severely shortened through the mentoring relationship.

I am seeking, are you?

Learning Methods

Ed Brenegar kindly clarifies for us the learning methods of the Greek, Hebrew, and modern/post-modern in his post "Mentoring, Consulting, and Learning." Consider this one paragraph as an executive summary:

The Enlightenment model that all Western education systems are derived from is the standard lecture by an informed teacher. Learning is measured by the mastery of facts. The Greek model of learning, however, is the mastery of life. A learned Greek is one who has attained excellence, arête. The quality of excellence is the joining together of personal character and competence.

The depth of his writing is great and reiterates the importance of true mentoring. If you want to learn, want to be challenged, and ever consider mentoring, this is a must read.

In addition, this is one of the great reasons to blog. I put the idea out for consideration and had positive feedback to strengthen my writing and also clarify some historical mistakes. We make each of us better.

Me Mentor?

Blogs are great because they provide a method for people to increase the total knowledge level of society. People who share their experiences, their findings, and their knowledge through blogs provide an asset to anyone eager for growth.

At dinner in Pittsburgh last week overlooking the snow falling on the city center, some respect industry colleagues and I discussed the LEAN methodology in manufacturing. I asked, “Why would they let anyone else know their advantage in reducing errors and cost?” In other words, if I have an advantage, why would I share it with anyone else?

I firmly believe that my success is only limited by the society in which I operate. Suppose I run a first-class organization. But, the rest of the world is second-class. The world in total is wasting so much in cost and errors that we globally reduce resources available for investment and consumption. Therefore, the world is less able to purchase the product that I offer because it is not running the most efficiently that it can.

If I can be a small part in bettering the world, then the world in return will be more able to purchase more of my service or product. This could go in a million directions, but let me stop.

Similarly, I may not see any direct benefit in mentoring someone else. Will it earn me a bigger bonus? Will it help me sell more chicken? Will I feel good when it’s over? Maybe not, but I invest back into society which will in turn invest back in me. This is just like a blog. Good does go around. Not always perfectly. Not always immediately, but “you reap what you sow.” The world gets better and my standing improves with it.

In addition, mentoring challenges us to know our story. Mentoring causes us to solidify our convictions. Our story only improves as we are challenged to answer “why” and to provide feedback to someone else out of our own experiences and knowledge.

I conclude that each one of us should be a mentor. That doesn’t exclude anyone. Maybe you are young in your career and you mentor a high school or college student. Maybe you are in a small practice and you mentor someone starting out in another practice.

Your investment like all good investments will return handsome dividends when you invest it for the long term.

Mentoring Ain't Easy

Mentoring might be the single strongest component for the success in my life. But in twenty-seven years, only three men have been true mentors to me. Pete Stone guided me through the first year being a Christian (which was also my last year of high school); Joe Glenn Smith had a major impact during the last year of college and first year after graduating; Bas Hofland in business this past year.

Although mentoring can have an enormous impact, very few people continue the process because it is so difficult. As a friend said recently, mentoring is more than asking a series of questions on a checklist. “True mentoring takes place in a one-to-one, life-into-life relationship that is based upon a mutual personal commitment to the investment, development and empowerment of the people involved.”

The context of mentoring: business life, spiritual life, family life. Narrow it down: the context of mentoring is life. If you are here and want to get there, you have a few choices: go to a class, read a book, listen to tapes, learn by doing, or mentoring. More than any other method, mentoring can quicken the process and ease the pain level associated with growth.

Consider these learning models and steps in learning from James Saxon, provided during our Young Families Sunday school class. Although the context of the talk was family, the lessons apply directly to the business life.

Learning Models*:

Greek Model		Hebrew Model
The "Classroom" Academic Passive Theoretical		The "Coach" Relational Participative Experiential

*Consider this post by Ed Brenegar for clarification and historical correction.

Most of us currently follow the Greek academic model: we go to B-school, read books and periodicals, and listen to tapes and talks. We should continue to learn through the classroom. However, the most impact occurs when this is simply a supplement to the Hebrew relational model.

Learning Steps in the Mentoring Model:

1. I do, you watch
2. I do, you assist
3. You do, I assist
4. You do, I watch
5. You do it alone

Our retention level is lowest when we simply hear or see. It is highest when we hear, see, say and do. The mentoring model challenges us to do more than watch, read, or listen. We are provoked to act. But, we’re not left alone to figure it out because our mentor is there to help us. He does, we watch and learn. We do, he watches then provides feedback on our action.

Why pursue a mentor? Saxon suggested 5 reasons:

1. Personal Nurture and Growth
2. Skill Development
3. Supportive Accountability
4. Personal Clarity and Validation
5. Direction and Decision Making

Who should be a mentor? Will I pursue a mentor now that the season with Bas has ended? Read my next post.

Mentor Lost. Mentor Gained?

Possibly the most brilliant mind and best critical thinker in the industry, Bas Hofland has stirred people to action (and some others to fear) for over 25 years. Many key leaders in the industry have spent time under his tutelage. Now, after just over 20 months as a consultant at our company, it is “time for us to take the training wheels off the bicycle and learn to ride on our own.”

The adjustment will be difficult to make for me. Bas has helped me cut my teeth in the food manufacturing world. He has opened doors and taught skills that would have taken twice as long to pick up on my own. Even more vital, through his honest and in depth feedback, I now see my blind spots and can work diligently to soften their effects.

Bas has been a true mentor to me during 2005. Now knowing the last day of our time is drawing near, I am concerned about having a mentor after his departure. Not only does he bring tremendous value to the mentoring relationship, but he brought candor. I have been cautioned that I will get less and less true feedback from within the company as I grow in authority and position. (Read about my experience.) In our current culture, candor is still developing as a virtue which we embrace. Losing a valuable source of candor will be difficult; that voice will not be easy to replace.

More will come in another post discussing what I’ve learned about mentoring from Bas.

Bas. Pronounce it like Boss, but change the “ss” to “z” and you have it. Short for Sebastian. He’s “The Consultant.”