Posted on Jul 6, 2015
Lead with Intensity, Not with Intimidation - What do you think RP Members?
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https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-i-lead-intensity-intimidation-maynard-webb?trk=pulse-det-nav_art
Got lost in RallyPoint Internet Space - CHANGED THE PICTURE - IT WAS THROWING OFF A FEW RP MEMBERS!
Here is another interesting article on Leadership! I wanted to get the RP Membership comments and thoughts on this author's perspective.
Lead with Intensity, Not with Intimidation
by Maynard Webb, Influencer
Chairman, Yahoo!, Former COO, eBay; Author 'Rebooting Work: Transform How You Work in the in the Age of Entrepreneurship.
'"The strategies in my arsenal to lead with inspiration instead of sheer will:"
Here is a snapshot:
More mentoring: Spend more time validating, cheerleading, and coaching. Praise in public, but coach and critique in private. Never make someone feel bad in front of his or her peers.
Paint the picture: In my earlier days. I used to tell people what to do. Now, I try to inspire them with what we should do rather than tasking them to do it. It’s much more rewarding to orchestrate a masterpiece than assign them to paint by the numbers — and the results speak for themselves.
Ask more questions: Great inspirational leadership means operating on a level that’s more than transactional. This means asking questions to get others engaged and invested. I often ask, “How do you think about this?” “Is this doable?” “Why do you think that’s a problem?” “Have you thought about this, or what about this?”
Raise the bar: The most powerful moments with an individual and the ones I love best are not transactional. They are not about whether or not you did what you said you were going to do, but focused on how we can do more and do it better. I call this “wonder mode” and find we are able to achieve it easier and earlier by making the previous practices routine.
In the toughest moments lead with intensity, but not with intimidation. Some of the strategies I employ:
Alignment through 1:1s: Communicate constantly. Determine together what success looks like. I encourage people to share problems early. That enables me to help solve them while I still can. No one wants to hear about issues by the time they’ve festered and are too late to fix. I end every 1:1 with a question: “What else do you need from me? What can I do to help you?”
Objective setting at the beginning of a project or quarter: Work with teams and individuals on establishing what we are going to achieve — and what’s most important to do first. I always ask, “What trumps what?” I believe in aggressive goal setting. That’s why I believe it’s okay if we hit 80 percent of the goals. If we hit 100 percent, I know the goals were not aggressive enough.
Keep it cool: Even in bad times, losing your temper is never a fine moment. Be patient.
More mirrors: Instead of telling someone what they did wrong and telling them how I see it, barking at them, “You missed a date!” Instead, I ask them to reflect on the situation for themselves. “Look in mirror, what do you see? What do you think? How do you see it?” Seeing it through their eyes is helpful for them — and for me.
Address performance quickly. My more inspirational leadership practices do not mean that I no longer hold people accountable. I work with them to help make them better, but if they don’t learn from their mistakes, repeat mistakes, or don’t live up to their potential and my demands, I will let them go — but I try to do it in a humane and caring way.
Got lost in RallyPoint Internet Space - CHANGED THE PICTURE - IT WAS THROWING OFF A FEW RP MEMBERS!
Here is another interesting article on Leadership! I wanted to get the RP Membership comments and thoughts on this author's perspective.
Lead with Intensity, Not with Intimidation
by Maynard Webb, Influencer
Chairman, Yahoo!, Former COO, eBay; Author 'Rebooting Work: Transform How You Work in the in the Age of Entrepreneurship.
'"The strategies in my arsenal to lead with inspiration instead of sheer will:"
Here is a snapshot:
More mentoring: Spend more time validating, cheerleading, and coaching. Praise in public, but coach and critique in private. Never make someone feel bad in front of his or her peers.
Paint the picture: In my earlier days. I used to tell people what to do. Now, I try to inspire them with what we should do rather than tasking them to do it. It’s much more rewarding to orchestrate a masterpiece than assign them to paint by the numbers — and the results speak for themselves.
Ask more questions: Great inspirational leadership means operating on a level that’s more than transactional. This means asking questions to get others engaged and invested. I often ask, “How do you think about this?” “Is this doable?” “Why do you think that’s a problem?” “Have you thought about this, or what about this?”
Raise the bar: The most powerful moments with an individual and the ones I love best are not transactional. They are not about whether or not you did what you said you were going to do, but focused on how we can do more and do it better. I call this “wonder mode” and find we are able to achieve it easier and earlier by making the previous practices routine.
In the toughest moments lead with intensity, but not with intimidation. Some of the strategies I employ:
Alignment through 1:1s: Communicate constantly. Determine together what success looks like. I encourage people to share problems early. That enables me to help solve them while I still can. No one wants to hear about issues by the time they’ve festered and are too late to fix. I end every 1:1 with a question: “What else do you need from me? What can I do to help you?”
Objective setting at the beginning of a project or quarter: Work with teams and individuals on establishing what we are going to achieve — and what’s most important to do first. I always ask, “What trumps what?” I believe in aggressive goal setting. That’s why I believe it’s okay if we hit 80 percent of the goals. If we hit 100 percent, I know the goals were not aggressive enough.
Keep it cool: Even in bad times, losing your temper is never a fine moment. Be patient.
More mirrors: Instead of telling someone what they did wrong and telling them how I see it, barking at them, “You missed a date!” Instead, I ask them to reflect on the situation for themselves. “Look in mirror, what do you see? What do you think? How do you see it?” Seeing it through their eyes is helpful for them — and for me.
Address performance quickly. My more inspirational leadership practices do not mean that I no longer hold people accountable. I work with them to help make them better, but if they don’t learn from their mistakes, repeat mistakes, or don’t live up to their potential and my demands, I will let them go — but I try to do it in a humane and caring way.
Leadership Development
Leadership
Inspiration
Motivation
Mentorship
Edited 7 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 60
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I would much rather be the inspiring leader for the reasons of improving relationships, dialogue, motivation for actions, and healthier subordinates.
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MAJ Ken Landgren
Great coaches and leaders tend to be similar in their philosophy: Work hard, contribute to the team, do the right thing, and love each other.
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I'm going with Yes, when I can, and I am translating Intensity into Inspiration. I actually see both as being vital with leadership. Intensity gives you respect, Inspiration, give you buy in.
I also agree about loosing your temper. Did it a handful of times in my AF career, I can honestly say its impact was so minimal, and I look funny when I yell. So I focused on the one on one, "I/m disappointed" Speech use. Much more effective.
I also agree about loosing your temper. Did it a handful of times in my AF career, I can honestly say its impact was so minimal, and I look funny when I yell. So I focused on the one on one, "I/m disappointed" Speech use. Much more effective.
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COL Mikel J. Burroughs
MSgt Robert Pellam I agree it seemed the older and wiser I got - yelling and losing your temper just didn't result in any type of increased performance. I use to have this look with my eyebrow that sticks up on one side - that was effective!
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MSgt Robert Pellam
COL Mikel J. Burroughs The Look! It takes a bit of time to develop but is very effective, unless you accidentally give it to your wife.
(Story Time) At the commissary with the wife. She was pushing the cart and accidentally hit a person in front of her. I didn't yell, I didn't say anything but "honey". What I did do was give her "the Look" My otherwise talkative wife did not say a word to me through the rest of the store. Only when we were in my Jeep headed home she looks at me and says. "Was that the look?" She has heard a few of my stories. I say Yes and apologized. She goes "don't ever do that to me again, I know why you use it. In the span of 5 seconds I felt like I was 5 years old and had just got caught doing something incredibly bad like setting the house on fire."
So yes, use "The Look" wisely.
(Story Time) At the commissary with the wife. She was pushing the cart and accidentally hit a person in front of her. I didn't yell, I didn't say anything but "honey". What I did do was give her "the Look" My otherwise talkative wife did not say a word to me through the rest of the store. Only when we were in my Jeep headed home she looks at me and says. "Was that the look?" She has heard a few of my stories. I say Yes and apologized. She goes "don't ever do that to me again, I know why you use it. In the span of 5 seconds I felt like I was 5 years old and had just got caught doing something incredibly bad like setting the house on fire."
So yes, use "The Look" wisely.
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COL Mikel J. Burroughs
MSgt Robert Pellam Yes, that "look"! I've been busted several times for the look. Great stuff!
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Sgt Martin Querin
MSgt Robert Pellam - no doubt. As I get older and smarter I don't get the look as often; but I get it way more than I give it. She knows where I sleep.
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Leadership is a lot of things and there are different behaviors that need to be exhibited at different times. Intimidation works at places like Parris Island. They need compliance, attention, development and change now, not later, not when you get to it, not when it feels good, NOW. That style obviously doesn't work everywhere but immediate compliance has a place, especially in the military at different times.
Intensity is a good behavioral trait but there is no one that works in all circumstances. It is character and integrity that rule the day in my opinion. These are about who you are, not how you behave. One of my favorite quotes from General Krulak on Leadership.
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Leadership, even within the military, is a social contract in the purest sense of the expression, predicated equally on the leader's desire to lead and on the consent of those led. It is grounded in the subordinate's trust in the leader and institution. The leader, therefore, must clearly demonstrate the true underpinnings of his moral authority - his unquestionable character. The subordinate's faith in the leader's integrity must not be violated...
Marines are ultimately judged by the quality of their leadership and by the quality of the leader reflected in their subordinates. A complex phenomenon, nearly defying description, leadership is fundamentally a reflection of an individuals values, education, training and experience. It is the precious amalgam of his or her lifelong efforts at personal and professional improvement. It is above all else a product of character.
Intensity is a good behavioral trait but there is no one that works in all circumstances. It is character and integrity that rule the day in my opinion. These are about who you are, not how you behave. One of my favorite quotes from General Krulak on Leadership.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Leadership, even within the military, is a social contract in the purest sense of the expression, predicated equally on the leader's desire to lead and on the consent of those led. It is grounded in the subordinate's trust in the leader and institution. The leader, therefore, must clearly demonstrate the true underpinnings of his moral authority - his unquestionable character. The subordinate's faith in the leader's integrity must not be violated...
Marines are ultimately judged by the quality of their leadership and by the quality of the leader reflected in their subordinates. A complex phenomenon, nearly defying description, leadership is fundamentally a reflection of an individuals values, education, training and experience. It is the precious amalgam of his or her lifelong efforts at personal and professional improvement. It is above all else a product of character.
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COL Mikel J. Burroughs
Cpl Jeff N. thanks for contributing to the discussion. I like the quote. Character and Integrity are very important in Leadership.
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Lt Col Timothy Parker, DBA
An excellent response - right on the mark from my point of view and experience.
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Sgt Martin Querin
Well said Cpl Jeff N.. Intimidation works where the goal is to break the will; that is why it works in boot camp. The goal there is to break the will and then to create a new one. With threats the goal of intimidation is to try and prevent aggression and if it cannot be prevented to instill fear and inhibit well-reasoned opposing actions.
In terms of the consent of the "follower", that is the principles of government framed by John Locke and upon which our founding fathers used to develop the documents that form the contract of this great nation and it's citizens. I think all of those traits you mentioned are fundamental to great leadership and they do not exclude intensity, in fact to be a great leader you must be intensely loyal, trustworthy, committed, professional, etc. And sometimes that is intimidating to those you lead, but it is not a threatening form of intimidation, intense respect can be intimidating. Great leaders work to bridge that distance created by any intimidation created out of respect.
Semper Fi brother.
In terms of the consent of the "follower", that is the principles of government framed by John Locke and upon which our founding fathers used to develop the documents that form the contract of this great nation and it's citizens. I think all of those traits you mentioned are fundamental to great leadership and they do not exclude intensity, in fact to be a great leader you must be intensely loyal, trustworthy, committed, professional, etc. And sometimes that is intimidating to those you lead, but it is not a threatening form of intimidation, intense respect can be intimidating. Great leaders work to bridge that distance created by any intimidation created out of respect.
Semper Fi brother.
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