“The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive, but do not forget.”
Thomas Szasz
Author: Karl Edwards
-
Quote to Consider: Hit Me Again
-
Listen In -> Lies and Myths We Believe About Work #5: Making Waves is Making Trouble
Fear is a tricky foe.Fear often fools us into keeping to ourselves valuable information that might help the team as a whole because it is difficult information for some.
In order to protect ourselves from the fall-out that any difficult information would ignite, we withhold the information altogether. The result is that the team does not benefit from our contribution, insight, and/or perspective.Pointing out what is not working well is more commonly known as “making waves.” It gets this derogatory name in order to intimidate us away from getting involved.
Insecure leaders views all forms of feedback (however constructive) as negative judgment on their competence. If they can create an even more negative perception of those who offer alternatives (make waves) then many of us will withhold our feedback. We don’t want to be perceived negatively, after all!
In this week’s show, Claudia and I discuss this twisted and counter-productive logic, better known as, “making waves.”
Listen in.
Just now joining the conversation? Catch up on the entire series here.
-
Karl Shares Six Words… 5
Strutted into the meeting empty-handed.
Karl Edwards
-
Thought Leaders Unpacked -> Clutch #1: Focus (Part 2)
It’s always an ordinary serve.It’s a great angle on a great image. If all that preparation (see last week’s post) does anything for us, it sets us free to be present in the game. Our minds are freed up to pay attention to what is going on around us and adjust along the way instead of thinking about technique or rethinking the game plan.
Tennis is the perfect metaphor for me. Relaxed during the pre-game rally, I generally fall apart once the game starts. I’m busy doing my thing and doing it just fine until I start thinking about it.
My attention has somehow moved from what is going on with the ball to how I need to win the point.
Hence my deep draw to the phrase, “It’s always an ordinary serve.”
The wording itself suggests the obvious fact that all serves in one sense are merely serves. It is I who change any given serve to something else.
I carry this tendency into my sales. When talking with a client about their challenges, I am relaxed, present, attentive, and extremely helpful. When talking with a client about my services, I am tense, apologetic, eager to impress and determined to prove myself.
I come across completely differently in essentially the same conversation depending on whether the focus in the client or myself.
Lesson to self: Relax and be  yourself. You’re good at what you do. If fact, you’re great at what you do. Trust that. The experience of being with you will sell itself. It’s always an ordinary serve.
What is your version of, “It’s always an ordinary serve?” At what do you excel until you start thinking about it too much? Why do you think that is? What was your main take-away from this chapter?
Each week I post my reflections from one chapter of Clutch: Why Some People Excel Under Pressure and Others Don’t by Paul Sullivan. My reflections are my own and are intended to generate conversation, catalyze additional thinking and encourage mutual learning.
If you are just joining the discussion now, welcome! Catch up on the entire series here.
-
Brains Turned Off -> Free Article From Harvard Business Review
I have long complained that much of American leadership has turned their brains off in servile deference (though more likely cowardly negligence) to supposedly objective data.“The numbers demand…” “We have no choice in light of the numbers.” So go the rationale (read excuses) for avoiding the stewardship of their power because of the illusory objectivity of raw data.
Amar Behidé of Tufts University in The Judgment Deficit argues that we have set aside what the economy really needs, i.e. “individual judgment and initiative” in favor of “statistical models and algorithms.”
I recommend you give this article a good hard read. While Bhidé writes specifically to the financial sector and its practices, the case for individual judgment is broadly applicable and immediately relevant. (Download here.)
We need you to show up at work today!
On your side,
– Karl Edwards
-
Quote to Consider: The Power of Scapegoating
“Once upon a time my political opponents honored me as possessing the fabulous intellectual and economic power by which I created a worldwide depression all by myself.”Herbert Hoover
-
Clippings from Don: Gratitude Work-Out
“Drop and give me 50 push-ups and 25 thank-you’s!”If you’re looking for a new exercise routine, try gratitude.
Melinda Beck offers a wonderful peek at research demonstrating the health benefits of expressing appreciation and gratitude in the Wall Street Journal. (Click here for the full article.)
From her article, “Philosophers as far back as the ancient Greeks and Romans cited gratitude as an indispensable human virtue, but social scientists are just beginning to study how it develops and the effects it can have.”
She even suggests seven ideas for incorporating thanks into your lifestyle if regular gratitude feels like a stretch.
In our culture we experience much moral reasoning as a negative, coercive force to be resisted. To hear that we “should” be grateful or we “ought to” count our blessings like the imposition of someone else’s values upon our own instead of the wise experience of those who have gone before.
So we ignore the ancients whenever their advice annoys us. Until, that is, science corroborates their “knowledge.”
And so it is now with gratitude. Thankfully (pun unavoidably appropriate) science demonstrates specific and concrete health benefits to being thankful.
Read the full article. Begin your gratitude work-out today.
Voracious reader friend Don Silver always has an eye out for what interests me. Clippings from Don is a column where I pass on some of these articles, stories and resources to you.
-
Karl Shares Six Words… 4
Slipped on a coffee stained directive.
Karl Edwards
-
Listen In -> Lies and Myths We Believe About Work #4: Hard Work Will Be Rewarded
Hard work is not always noticed much less rewarded. If we are quietly going about our hard work thinking that our supervisors both are aware of it and ready to reward it appropriately, we are mistaken.In this week’s show, Claudia and I discuss the myth that hard work will be rewarded.This myth is most commonly believed by the most cooperative and hard-working among us. We don’t want to make waves, draw attention to ourselves or be accused of unfair politicking.
We feel the noble route is to demonstrate exceptional performance and then let the rewards flow from the system functioning as it was intended. Our performance reviews will—of course—result in appropriate compensation increases and position advancement.
But systems don’t work as they are designed, and however noble and cooperative such an approach may be, it will ultimately backfire on us. Is your hard work noticed? Appropriately rewarded?
Listen in.
Just now joining the conversation? Catch up on the entire series here.
-
Question of the Week #23
What is involved in helping your team adjust to the loss or addition of a key member?
The Question of the Week is offered to increase awareness of one’s personal leadership practices and encourage experimentation with creative alternatives.
