Karl Edwards presents Working Matters

Tag: reality

  • Thought Leaders Unpacked -> Integrity #4: Building Trust Through Connection

    thought-leadersRight off the bat we encounter a make-or-break chapter.

    “Please don’t make me face the fact that all those production resources out there walking around are distinct human persons.” “You can’t possibly expect me to take into account everyone’s feelings when making complex business decisions.”

    Integrity, by Henry CloudI have long suspected that many leaders secretly resent the fact that they can’t do everything themselves and have to rely on others to make things happen.

    But the reality these leaders must face is that their teams are, in fact, made up of human persons who function out of inner motivations, personal desires, and their own subjective perceptions. My term for this reality is, “The hard facts of working with people.” People are not the soft side of business in any way, shape, or form!

    Here is my key take-away from this chapter: There is a measurable and substantial difference between getting people’s compliance and winning their hearts.

    What sort of results are you hoping to obtain? We’re not talking about being liked. We’re talking about getting results. Making a difference. Making things happen. Meeting goals. Achieving great things.

    Is learning empathy on your leadership development curriculum? One of your personal goals?

    If we cannot relationally or emotionally connect with our team members, we cannot build the trust that sustained, focused, and passionate work efforts require. We undermine our own effectiveness. We sabotage our own results.

    What was your main take-away from this chapter? What is your learning edge when it comes to building trust with others?

    Each Friday I post my reflections from one chapter of Integrity: The Courage to Meet the Demands of Reality by Henry Cloud. If you are just joining the discussion now, welcome! Catch up on the entire series here.

  • Thought Leaders Unpacked -> Integrity #2: Character, Integrity and Reality

    thought-leadersImages don’t get any better than this. The wake a boat leaves as it plows through the water.

    We also leave a wake as we plow through our day at work. It’s an interesting fact to consider.

    Integrity, by Henry CloudWith this simple analogy Cloud equips us with a non-judgmental tool for thinking about our impact on others. I don’t know about you, but when I sense the “blame game” in the vicinity, my defenses go up and I shift out of learning mode and into self-protection mode.

    But that I leave a wake is just a fact. It raises the question that Cloud asks us to consider, which is “What sort of wake to I leave?” A question I am free to consider and learn from. Any learning or adjusting I do as a result of my reflection is my own. With this simple question I am empowered to coach myself.

    My second main take-away from this chapter is that the demands of reality determine the requirements of the design. By defining character as my ability to meet the demands of reality, Cloud switches up the motivational equation for me.

    I already want to be able to meet the demands of reality. No one has to convince me. There are no moral constructs someone else is asking me to adopt. I am by my own desire to fully engage with my own life predisposed to what might help prepare me for the journey ahead.

    When I hear that the depth, breadth, and substance of my character are key to meeting the demands of reality, I want to invest in the development, strengthening and exercise of my character.

    The pressures of a private consulting practice, a family experiencing a variety of transitions and a desire to develop a plethora of ideas for transforming the workplace in America, often leave me dizzy from spinning in so many directions. I want to engage of each of these fronts. I want to make the next set of choices required by each, and then the next set and the next.

    The quality and effectiveness of engagement will arise from within… from what sort of character I have… or don’t. Yet.

    What was your main take-away from Chapter 2?

    Each Friday I post my reflections from one chapter of Integrity: The Courage to Meet the Demands of Reality by Henry Cloud. If you are just joining the discussion now, welcome! Catch up on the entire series here.

  • Listen In -> Making Peace with Work #1: Reality Can Be Difficult

    We talk a lot here about finding work that we love.

    But reality intrudes and we more often than not find ourselves in complex, imperfect, difficult work situations. It’s not helpful to be encouraged to thrive when we’re doing all we can merely to survive.

    We begin a new audio discussion series this week titled, “Making Peace with Work.”

    Join us as we take a look at four difficult work realities and suggest healthier alternatives:

    Making Peace with Work

    Week #1: Reality Can Be Difficult

    Week #2: Replacing Busyness with Rhythm

    Week #3: Replacing Isolation with Collaboration

    Week #4: Replacing Excuses with Intention

    Week #5: Replacing Resentment with Engagement

    Listen in.

  • When Realism Morphs Into Cynicism

    A strength of the cynic is their grounding in reality. Sure, maybe to a fault. But let’s not lose this gem no matter how hidden by the crusty exteriors.

    When it comes to wanting change (e.g. making a New Year’s resolution), the resolution cynic actually has the most potential for choosing something within reach.

    The disappointment with resolutions may come more from buying into the cultural norm of setting lofty aspirations, rather than from any flaw in the practice of an annual self review.

    If you are fed up with resolutions, you may find it helpful to return to your roots, so to speak. What will work? What can I act on today? What are the obstacles and how will I address them?

    Instead of giving up and blaming the resolution process when things don’t work out, trust your intuition and take a step back into a more grounded reality. It’s a harsh place, but you are comfortable there and would benefit from approaching change one harsh step at a time.

    What do you think?

    Listen and participate in the entire discussion on Bad Resolution Recovery here.