*NOTE TO MY READER: The following are the key takeaways and interactions to go deeper with Stage 1: Living the HI Way. This will be the last full chapter I share in this manner. To my delighted surprise, there is some expressed interest in representation for this book, and as such I will be focusing on completing the writing and then defining the optimal distribution. I will, however, share other segments along the way.
Thank you for reading and being a part of my/our story.
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STAGE 1 HI TAKEAWAYS and HI INTERACTION OPPORTUNITIES
I. HI TAKEAWAY #1: There has never been, and never will be, a better time than right now to pursue your vision.
II. HI TAKEAWAY #2: If you think there are actions that you can implement right now (given the brutal facts of your current situation) that will yield positive results, some of which are unlike any you have experienced in the past, you are right. If, however, you think that there are no actions that you can implement right now (given the brutal facts of your current situation) that will change things for the better or move you from your undesirable position, you are also correct.
Consider: HI Leaders recognize that the true value lays not so much in the measure of whether the glass is half empty or half full (the context of your current situation), but within the context of the glass itself (your key vessel) and moving it forward in the most effective manner in pursuit of your defined goals.
III. HI TAKEAWAY #3: THE FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF HI LEADERS:
1. HI Leaders have PRESENCE. HI Leaders do not simply go to meetings or attend to situations they encounter; they are fully present, engaged and genuinely interested in each moment that is presented to them. 2. HI Leaders have VISION. HI Leaders have the ability to innovate, stretch the boundaries and have the courage to experiment, knowing that success often involves challenging the "status quo." 3. HI Leaders have CAPACITY. HI Leaders have or make the capacity when, where and how it is needed to respond to HI Opportunities. 4. HI Leaders have RESOURCE. HI Leaders know how to invest and leverage their organization’s time, talent and treasure for the greatest ROI (Return on Investment) and ROM (Return on Mission). 5. HI Leaders can pull the TRIGGER. HI Leaders can put the right ideas into action at the right time and right now.
HI INTERACTION OPPORTUNITY: 1. Take eighteen minutes RIGHT NOW. (TIME IT!)5 Ask yourself the following questions and write down ONE SENTENCE ONLY FOR EACH ANSWER that eflects your FIRST INSTINCTIVE RESPONSE:
* Based on your current situation (business, role, career trajectory, etc.), given what you know as of today, do you feel as though your situational glass is half empty or half full? Answer YES or NO. * What is the #1 reason for this answer? * If time, money, people, past history and other real or perceived obstacles were removed what ONE ACTION would you implement that you KNOW would lead to a positive outcome?
2A. Take fifty-five minutes with UP TO FIVE KEY TEAM MEMBERS within the next five business days. (BOOK IT NOW, THEN TIME THE MEETING!). Review the previous question and one-sentence answers, then challenge the team to a dialogue that nets FIVE GO-FORWARD ACTIONS that you feel would address the obstacles and implied successes from such actions. Write down the FIVE GO-FORWARD ACTIONS, then file them in a safe place to come back to at a later date in the HI Solutions process.
2B. Take an additional fifty-five minutes with the same FIVE KEY TEAM MEMBERS from #2A. (TIME IT!) Read each of the FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF HI LEADERS. Openly discuss, for each individual 1) if you have this characteristic and why, 2) if you do not currently have this characteristic and why and 3) ONE THING you can do starting RIGHT NOW that will move you in a direction to build that characteristic. Write down and set aside for more work to come in a later chapter.
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5 HI NOTE: The reason for the specificity of taking “fifty-five” and “eighteen” minutes, respectively, for each interaction is based on my experience advising teams as to the most effective rituals of interaction. Claiming specific time allows for the fact that meetings rarely begin promptly at the start of the allocated time; punctuality, finishing a cell phone call, catching up on sports or recapping the latest episode of American Idol. The message from this “counter intuitive” time designation is: 1) we are not going to do things the same old way, 2) catch up on “other things” at some other time, 3) each of us value the time we devote to important issues and 4) time is valuable (there is NO such thing as "spare time" - time must be "taken"), and as such we are going to stop exactly at that end of our time (I use a stopwatch), so we need to be smart how we spend it.
Together with other captives, Stockdale was part of a group of about a dozen prisoners that came to be known as the "Alcatraz Gang". These prisoners were kept separated from each other and held in solitary confinement. In his book, Collins recaps his conversation with Stockdale regarding how he coped during his period in the Vietnamese POW camp.Did he, in fact, have a deliberate strategy?
"I never lost faith in the end of the story, I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade."
When Collins then followed by asking who among the other prisoners didn't make it out, Stockdale replied:
"Oh, that’s easy, the optimists. Oh, they were the ones who said, 'We're going to be out by Christmas.' And Christmas would come, and Christmas would go. Then they'd say, 'We're going to be out by Easter.' And Easter would come, and Easter would go. And then Thanksgiving, and then it would be Christmas again. And they died of a broken heart."
Stockdale then added:
"This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”
Stockdale, clearly a HI Leader (the characteristics of which will be addressed in the following pages) represents a situation that is a paradox of duality; not an “either/or”, but a “both/and” situation,which Collins goes on to describe it as the Stockdale Paradox. Thinking that embraces exactly where you are right now, the situation you confront right now, the opportunities and challenges you face right now offer a chance to move forward with intention and focus…right now. Sure, you can dig your heals in, wait until the winds calm and the waves relax a bit. Or, you can take the time to pause, consider, acknowledge, define and move forward with intention, focus and unwavering faith that you will reach your goal. This does exempt you from the pain and challenges that come with mastering a skill or attaining a bigger goal than you have ever faced before. The following are examples that speak without additional narrative:
Moses
Nelson Mandela
Susan B. Anthony
Mother Teresa
Lee Iacocca
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Jackie Robinson
Jack Welch
Golda Meir
Ghandi
HI THOUGHT #2: If you think there are actions you can implement right now (given the brutal facts of your current situation) that will yield some positive results unlike any you have experienced in the past, you are right. If, however, you think that there are no actions that you can implement right now (given the brutal facts of your current situation) that will change things for the better or move you from your undesirable position, you are also correct.
You might be ready to ask, “This all sounds great in concept, but does it work in the real world and real-time business application?” Before using a real-time illustration from my experiences, it is important to position the keystone that holds up the foundation of High Impact Solutions and the HI Way: HI Leadership.
The following chart lists the Five Characteristics of HI Leadership. More in-depth discussion will come later in the chapter, Stage 3: HI Way #1. High Impact Leadership. The following are the core characteristics of HI Leadership:
THE FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF HI LEADERS
1.HI Leaders have PRESENCE. HI Leaders do not simply go to meetings or attend to situations they encounter; they are fully present, engaged and genuinely interested in each moment that is presented to them.
2.HI Leaders have VISION. HI Leaders have the ability to innovate, stretch the boundaries and have the courage to experiment, knowing that success often involves celebrating failure and tolerating success.
3.HI Leaders have CAPACITY. HI Leaders have or make the capacity when, where and how it is needed to respond to HI Opportunities.
4.HI Leaders have RESOURCE. HI Leaders know how to invest and leverage their organization’s time, talent and treasure for the greatest ROI (Return on Investment) and ROM (Return on Mission).
5.HI Leaders can pull the TRIGGER. HI Leaders can put the right ideas into action at the right time and right now.
CASE STUDY #1: Starstruck Entertainment /Reba McEntire
During the mid 1990’s, I had the privilege of working with Reba McEntire and her company, Starstruck Entertainment. I had been consulting to the Country Music industry for five years and had previously worked with Tim McGraw and Kenny Rogers, both HI Brands in their own right; I came to realize that Reba and her organization operate at an even higher level.
Through the 80’s Reba made some pivotal HI decisions involving Narvel Blackstock. During this period Blackstock transitioned from band member, to tour manager and finally into the role of overall artist management; Narvel and Reba eventually married. The combination of Reba’s distinctive artistry as a genuine entertainer, plus Narvel’s preemptive vision, style and courage has led to one of the most successful collaborative models for any genre of entertainment. By the mid 90’s Reba had earned “Super Star” recognition, enjoying outstanding success in music sales, touring, film and through her humanitarian efforts. One of many compelling moves, came when Reba and Narvel decided to stretch beyond the “way it is done,” moving all of Reba’s tour production, booking, publicity, graphic design and promotion in-house. The reaction to their move from some industry “pundits” ranged from mavericks, unorthodox, impractical to smart, gutsy, visionary and strategic. Reba and Narvel realized that 1) no one understood the full scope of the Reba brand better than she and Narvel, 2) their own team could give full time to growing all of Reba’s business categories versus part-time focus from the record label, booking agent, etc. and 3) it would lead to more consistency through controlling all aspects of Reba’s career. Their resulting successes speak for themselves; Reba is recognized as a distinctive, highly stylish, multi-platinum-record selling, high-powered tour, sought-after actress, media favorite and genuine super-star entertainer.
This previous illustration, alone, offers characteristics of a highly effective leader and brand success; but the rest of the story even more effectively portrays the highest example of leading and living the HI Way. In 1995, after building upon the foundation of Reba’s success, Startstruck applied their model to the management of other Country Music acts. That’s when Narvel read Al Reis’ breakthrough book, Focus: The Future of Your Company Depends on It,[1]which subsequently led to their engaging Ries to consult with Starstruck. That process ultimately uncovered a profound realization: the outcome of expanding to manage other artists had simultaneously reduced the focus and momentum for Reba; their proven mega brand. Acknowledging this, Starstruck confronted its own version of “the glass half empty or half full” dichotomy. Narvel’s focused response illustrates a strong example of HI Leadership characteristics:
1.His PRESENCE: He took the time to process and evaluate the full scope of the company’s environment and situation, both favorable and unfavorable, on behalf of reassessing their single-most powerful goal;
2.His VISION: Even with varying levels of success from their additional artist roster, he had the vision and foresight to realize that none of them had the long term potential that could be realized from focusing and leveraging Reba’s momentum, exclusively;
3.His CAPACITY: Deciding to focus exclusively on Reba, he committed to a formula of devoting Starstruck’s full attention to controlling the trajectory for all of Reba’s business categories, while effectively partnering with outside experts who could add to/complement their defined path. This would require, by definition, releasing the other artists on Starstruck’s roster;
4.His RESOURCE: He investedtime (planning, production, etc.), talent (the right internal and external people in the right positions) and treasure (their own finances, plus strategic partners’ resources, i.e. record label, licensing, etc.) to position Reba for explosive future success;
5.His ability to pull the TRIGGER: With the goal, strategy and resources clearly defined, he released all the artists on the roster and moved forward with focus, intention and determination.
My role with Starstruck was to help Narvel and Reba to guide their team through the process of redefining, crafting and releasing Reba’s go-forward Brand Position and Story. The desired outcome was to help define and mobilize new strategies, tactics and actions surrounding Reba’s career direction. Through Narvel’s leadership, I helped the team build and guide a comprehensive process of research, interaction, evaluation, implementing, dialoguing, refining, implementing, dialoguing, refining….
This illustration is not meant to personally claim any of the successes that Reba has experienced as a result my time with Starstruck. And, I do believe that Narvel’s HI Leadership combined with Starstruck’s HI Team taking the time, engaging the steps and living out the defined actions led to a series of high impact results, including:
·Reba became the first-ever national spokesperson for First Book, a literacy organization based on Washington, D.C., providing books for disadvantaged children to keep as their own;
·Reba was invited to perform during the halftime of a Thanksgiving Day Dallas Cowboy football game supporting the Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign. She was the first artist to perform for this ongoing campaign. As an added HI Strategy, Starstruck recorded an original song, “What If”, placing a copy of the single in every seat in Texas Stadium as a gift, as well as filming a companion video that aired during movie trailers in Carmike Theaters across the country between Thanksgiving and Christmas of that same year to bolster awareness;
·Reba was featured with other global “women of renown” in a major spread for fashion designer, Anne Klein showcasing her new high-fashion collection;
·Reba played the lead role in the New York Broadway hit show, Annie Get Your Gun;
·Reba starred in the self-titled hit television series, Reba, which ran for six successful seasons and is now in heavy syndication;
·Reba launched her first-ever collection of women’s clothing in partnership with Dillard’s; today, this direction has expanded to include footwear, accessories and home furnishings;
·Reba continues to enjoy success as a top selling recording artist and touring sensation.
Conclusion:
The past’s “tried and true” ways and doing things are not likely to get the results you want while operating in the future. And the future is today. HI Leaders feel, know and respond to doing business and life the HI Way. You can, too.
**NOTE TO READER: I will post Stage 1: Living the HI Way"Key Takeaways and HI Team Interactions" on Thursday.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Is the glass half empty or half full? Is this the best of times or the worst of times? Is this the end of the story or the beginning?
If you answered, “yes,” to each of the previous questions you are on the road to experiencing the benefits of HI Way thinking.
Today is February 5, 2010. Arguably, this is one of the most daunting times in the history of the United States and the larger global community. Here are the Top Ten Issues facing Americans, as reported by one recent source: 1. The Economy 2. Unemployment 3. Terrorism 4. The Federal Budget Deficit 5. Health Care 6. Education 7. The Situation in Afghanistan 8. The Situation in Iraq 9. Taxes 10. Regulation on Big Banks
This list of “scary stuff” gives you pause, doesn’t it? It’s a good time to take cover…to protect your assets…to sit tight and wait it out. Right?
A colleague and subscriber to my column called me yesterday to talk about the concept behind my writing this manuscript. He commented that the idea presented in the INTRODUCTION was compelling; he then added, “Do you think this is the best time to put this out there? Is this the worst time or the best time, considering that so many people are hunkering down and just trying to make it through? I question whether they will have the resources that will enable them to implement the things you are suggesting.” Great question. Here’s my response to him, and to you: HI THOUGHT #1: There has never been, and never will be, a better time than right now to pursue your vision.
Best time thinking is the antagonist in the story of how the HI Way plays out in business and life. Right time thinking is the hero.
Consider my opening three questions: 1. Is the glass half empty or half full? 2. Is this the best of times or the worst of times? 3. Is this the end of the story or the beginning?
HI Way thinking challenges you to answer, “yes” to each of these questions. How you choose to frame your response is all about your point-of-view, given what you currently know, in each of the situations that you face. Perspective is an amazingly powerful tool when it comes to navigating through a world where change is the only constant. The reality is that you have no choice as to when and what situations in business and life you will face. However, you can choose how you respond to those situations. Let me illustrate:
1. Is the glass half empty or half full? Imagine any number of employees sitting in their offices in the World Trade Center (or Anywhere, USA) on September 10, 2001 looking out the window and considering, overall, how their lives are going. Based on what they knew at that given moment in time, would they have been more inclined to say that the glass was half empty or half full? Generally speaking, there’s a strong case for the “half full” response. But, what if they knew what was going to happen the next morning? Their response, conversely, would have been “half empty.”
Which response is right? Both.
2. Is this the best of times or the worst of times? Imagine the players on the 1978 New York Yankees baseball team. It is mid-July and the team is fourteen games behind the first place archrival Boston Red Sox. As a player and fan, based on what they knew at that given moment in time, would they be more inclined to say that that it was the best of times or the worst of times? There’s a strong case for the “worst of times” response. But, what if they knew what was going to happen the next weeks leading up to October, when the Yankees would win the pennant and subsequently the World Series? Their response, conversely, would have been “the best of times.”
Which response is right? Both. 3. Is this the end of the story or the beginning? Imagine it is Friday night, and the twelve disciples of the Rabbi Jesus have just witnessed their leader’s vicious beating, crucifixion and death. Based on what they knew at that given moment in time, they likely would have been more inclined to say that it was “the end of the story.” But what if they knew all about the events that were going to occur that coming Sunday? Their response, conversely, would have been “the beginning of the story.”
Which response is right? Both.
Doing business and life the HI Way is a point of view. That view 1) embraces the realities of the current situation, positive and negative, and 2) moves you to pursue the right way to proceed at this moment, given the circumstances. Those “circumstances” by no means should be minimized or ignored. The reality of the situation informs how you can move forward with intentionality and available resources. Jim Collins’ breakthrough book, Good to Great, offers a compelling model for evaluating eleven “great” companies that consistently outperformed other competitors over a given time period by the conventional measure of success: stock market performance. Having established the benchmark, his team then explored for shared characteristics between the companies that defined their sustainable “great” success.
Of particular relevance to the HI Way, is Collin’s discussion in Chapter Four, “Confront the Brutal Facts (Yet Never Lose Faith).” He uses the powerful example of Admiral Jim Stockdale, who in 1968 during the Viet Nam war, was captured, imprisoned and tortured along with his fellow prisoners in the infamous Hanoi Hilton for seven years before being released….
**Completion of Chapter 1 will follow next week.** **Previous chapters? Go to the "Archive" section on this site.**
HI WAY DRIVERS WANTED: Today's and tomorrow's high impact solutions will be driven by High Impact leaders. They understand the power of story and intelligent thought architecture.
Drive on.
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