Leadershift: The Work-life Balance Program

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Leadershift is an original Australian concept that will shift the way you think about your personal and professional life. The Leadershift program has two components: The book explores three domains in which the practice of leadership takes place: the personal domain; the priority people domain (family and friends); and the professional domain. Within this model, the author provides a wealth of information and analysis on the personal and working lives of Australians today. He then offers practical self-help or group administered program materials to achieve a work–life balance. The accompanying workbook, based on the text, provides information and worksheets for selfevaluation that will help readers manage and implement their personal goals.

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Don Clayton writes in a witty, engaging style. He draws on the latest research in personal development and management theories, actual case studies, his own personal and professional experience, and profiles of well-known leaders.

A refreshingly Australian view of leadership in a sea of literature that can be derivative and destructive in terms of its impact on real people. Don Clayton reminds us that it is timely for Australians to look at our unique character and potential and to direct ourselves in ways that allow authenticity and balance in the workplace and in the context of our broader lives. Paul Holmes à Court – CEO Heytesbury Pty Ltd

Don reminds us all that leadership is not one-dimensional, but rather a constant search for a balance … He challenges us to look at how we look after ourselves and our key relationships … in an era of over employment and one-dimensional training and development. Guy Burdon – General Manager, Business Banking Commonwealth Bank, Western Australia

Don has separated the substance from the clichés in this street-smart application of corporate and personal development psychology. At last someone has brought all the latest thinking together into one book and backed it up with practical exercises. Tim Rose – General Manager, Amcor Spearwood Paper Mill

Don Clayton has a masters degree in psychology and has served on committees associated with the APS College of Organisational Psychology.

ISBN 0-86431-466-3

9 780864 314666

Australian Council for Educational Research

Accessible, practical and powerful. Don has written a must have for every corporate briefcase and bookcase. Kerry Crompton – Chief Operating Officer, Members Equity

DON CLAYTON

Don Clayton started his people development consultancy in Sydney in 1985 and is now based in Perth. He works throughout Australia, New Zealand and Singapore and his clients include major banks, top 100 international companies, federal and state government agencies. Don works with CEOs, medicos, senior legal partners, university academics, school principals, engineers, accountants, and government ministers, as well as managers and supervisors in manufacturing and transport, hospitality and general administration.

LEADERshift The work-life balance program

How would you describe your work, family and personal life? Out of balance? Are you putting in long hours, working inefficiently and in need of a tune up at a personal and professional level?

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ACER Press

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To Jillian, Thomas and Carla To Margaret and The Fish

First published 2004 by ACER Press Australian Council for Educational Research Ltd 19 Prospect Hill Road, Camberwell, Victoria, 3124 Copyright © 2004 Don Clayton All rights reserved. Except under the conditions described in the Copyright Act 1968 of Australia and subsequent amendments, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the publishers. Edited by Edward Caruso Cover and text design by Robert Klinkhamer Design Printed by BPA Print Group National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication data: Clayton, Don. Leadershift : the work-life balance program. Bibliography. Includes index. ISBN 0 86431 466 3. 1. Leadership. 2. Quality of work life - Australia. 3. Executives - Conduct of life. 4. Professional employees Conduct of life. I. Title. 658.4092

Visit our website: www.acerpress.com.au

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CONTENTS Preface to Leadershift Acknowledgements

vi viii

1

Three-domain leadership

1

2

Meaningful priority and time management

30

3

Enhancing your wellbeing

66

4

Key relationships and corporate tribes

96

5

Career development and renewal

124

6

Competency development for the largely competent

161

7

Assessing and developing your team

188

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High-level communication and conflict containment

221

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‘Retirement’ for the unwilling

261

10

Getting your plans right

290

Notes

323

Index

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PREFACE TO LEADER SHIFT What do you want from a new book about leadership? • up-to-date ideas and tips to appraise and improve your skills • an opportunity to factor your wellbeing and your family priorities into the workplace mix-master • a planning system that will make a real difference to your objectives • an Australian reference frame to work within • ways to make your career thrive. You have chosen well. This book defines leadership as something we all engage in, at work, at home or in the community. This is in contrast to the learning and development view that ‘leadership’ is a special group of skills used at work by those among us who have risen to positions of authority. Everyone is a leader. This book explores three domains in which the practice of holistic leadership takes place. • the personal domain in which you ‘lead’ yourself • the priority people domain, which acknowledges there are a number of key people who are most important in your life • the professional domain, which includes your employer, competitors, colleagues and groups with whom you work. Leadership is thus seen as a balancing act between wellbeing and accomplishment in each of these three domains. This flags the importance of effective whole-of-life planning and review processes, as opposed to lots of workplace key result areas (KRAs). Leadershift offers a planning template and critical timeframes around which to regularly appraise and reset your objectives. You will see that ‘Leadershift’ has a system, as well as a point of view. Leadershift gets down to the business-end of leadership as well. It tackles the core concerns of bosses by enabling you to assess and develop your: • leadership style • competency development • team performance • career development • high-level communication skills. Chapters are supported by the comprehensive exercises in the Workbook, which you can purchase along with the book. A significant amount of critical research has gone into Leadershift and recommended reading is provided in the end notes at the end of the book, for those who are interested in furthering their knowledge.

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Leadershift is a reaction to a time of imbalance in many people’s work lives, which goes largely unchallenged. A bottom-up approach is offered, hopefully before any more of us go head down. As author of Leadershift, I provide a range of services associated with the publication. Consultants, coaches and interested people working in organisations will need to contact the author to obtain formal certification in the content and process associated with Leadershift. Programs delivered by unauthorised providers cannot be quality assured by the author. Licences to customise the workbook using the unique logo and corporate brand of your organisations can be provided by ACER. Don Clayton Telephone: +61 8 9321 7299 Fax: +61 8 9321 7298 Email: [email protected]

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to acknowledge the generosity of Alistair Mant, Amanda Sinclair and Dick Telford with copyright. I also want to acknowledge the ideas related to coaching and adult development published by Frederick Hudson. I would like to recognise the contributions and support provided by a number of authentic Australian leaders with whom I have worked, who happen to be genuine people too, including John Carrington, Fleur Hole, Mark Newman and Deborah Payne. I wish to thank a number of colleagues who have assisted me with this project, including Darrin Brandis, Doug Caldwell, Ralph Monley and (of course) Dianne Thompson. Finally, I would like to thank the good people at ACER, particularly Anne Peterson and Joy Whitton. Extract, table and figure permissions The extract on p. 15 from Hamel and Prahalad Competing for the Future, Boston, MA 1994, p. x, reprinted by permission of Harvard Business School Press. Copyright © 1994 by Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation, all rights reserved; on p. 15 from W. Williams ‘Al Dunlop’s Disgrace’, Australian Financial Review, Weekend, 21/22 July 2001, reproduced by permission of the author; on p. 25 by Percy Barnevik from Australian Financial Review, Weekend, 28/29 April 2001, reproduced by permission of the author; on p. 33 in M. Mellish ‘NAB Cracks First $3 bn Profit’, Australian Financial Review, 3 November 2000, reproduced by permission of the author; on p. 34 from The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene and Joost Elffers, Hodder Headline Australia, 1998, reprinted with permission; on p. 35 from Thomas Friedman © 2000, The Lexus and the Olive Tree, HarperCollins Publishers, reproduced by permission; on p. 37 from Naomi Klein © 2000 No Logo, HarperCollins Publishers, reproduced by permission; on p. 66 from Glenda Price ‘Chairman’s Punchline Leaves Hard Feelings’, reproduced by permission of the author; from Intelligent Emotion by Frances Wilks, published by Heinemann, used by permission of the Random House Groups Limited; and on p. 191 from Katzenbach and Smith, The Wisdom of Teams — Creating the High Performance Organisation, McGraw Hill, 1998, reprinted with permission. Table 3.6 on p. 81 reproduced with permission from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Text Revision, Copyright 2000 American Psychiatric Association; Table 4.5 on p. 118 reproduced from Manfred Kets De Vries The Leadership Mystique, Financial Times Prentice Hall, London, 2001, reproduced by permission of Pearson; Table 6.2 on p. 166 from Quinn, Faerman, Thompson and McGrath Becoming a Master Manager © 1996, reprinted by permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; Table 8.4 on p. 232 from Dealing with Conflict by B. Eunson, John Wiley & Sons Australia © 1997, reproduced by permission of John Wiley & Sons Australia; and Table 8.8 on p. 252–3 from Getting to Yes by R. Fisher and W. Ury published by Random House Business Books. Used by permission of the Random House Group Limited. Figure 8.2 on p. 255 reproduced from Ruth Charlton’s Dispute Resolution Guidebook (2000), © Lawbook Co, part of Thomson Legal & Regulatory Limited, www.thomson.com.au. With permission. Every effort has been made to trace and acknowledge copyright. However, should any infringement have occurred, the publishers tender their apologies and invite copyright owners to contact them.

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This book wasn’t written for Jack Welch, Bill Gates, Rupert Murdoch – or for most of the corporate heavyweights who attended the World Economic Forum at Davos. This publication recognises that what goes on in the inner circle associated with these people probably has little in common with what goes on in most celebrity-free work teams on planet earth. This book is different from what is offered by The Australian Graduate School of Management, The London School of Economics or INSEAD. Whereas these eminent institutions examine global trends in leadership and corporate enterprise, the focus here is on the regional performance of individuals both at work and at home – in particular, you and yours. The material in this book wasn’t written to challenge the contemporary demigods of management – such as Kotter, Demming or Dunphy. You will get a less driven and digitised account of leadership and its results in the pages that follow. This publication is prepared to accept the wisdom of the masters like Drucker and Bennis, while staring down the shallowness and emptiness of much of what passes for ‘leadership’ and ‘development’ in organisations at this time. In fact, it extends the scope of ‘leadership’ to include not only your work life, but how you manage your personal wellbeing and the priority people with whom you live and work. Consequently, this book enables you to enhance your performance and examine your needs and those of the people who are important to you, as well. It asks you to reflect on what London School of Economics sociologist Richard Sennett1 wrote in The Corrosion of Character, which many of us know is implicit in the washing machine of change, shareholder supremacy and work without ‘wellness’. By way of practically illustrating what is being introduced, consider the following anecdote, which describes the Friday night plight of one for whom this book was written.

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ase study

The Friday night flameout It was 7 p.m. Friday and I found myself looking at the cars left in the parking station. ‘The project’ had been completed and I had something new to move on to first thing Monday. This meant I would have to do some reading and send a couple of e-mails over the weekend. ‘The team’ had got there on the project, although there had been some casualties among the younger players. This was partly due to a lack of mentoring and support available when the going got tough. Generally, leadership on the project had not been from the school of best practice (a ‘school’ that came to mind was one of those extreme challenge events involving all-night marches, cycling through bulldust and exhausted competitors falling over the finishing line). Nevertheless, the customers were happy and they were keen to do more business. The bottom line would look rosy and the performance bonuses would be generous. Business colleagues who counted would congratulate me and my professional legend was intact. As I pulled out to the street I began to think about the weekend. I hadn’t made any special plans and I was aware of a sense of tiredness and flatness, which caused me to tune out at home and to miss conversations. I thought vaguely about taking a walk on Saturday and then became aware of my waistline: the fact that my outdoor clothes don’t fit so well – issues of fitness aside. I thought about my relationship with my partner and the coolness that has developed between us of late. It’s not that things are terminally damaged, it’s just that they’ve lost the spark we had a few years ago. I thought vaguely about organising a weekend away soon, or a holiday, then found my mind drifting towards the old pop group playing on the car radio. It’s like I’ve won the battle but am too tired to enjoy the spoils. Further, there are a number of aspects of the whole campaign I have become distinctly disenchanted with of late …

The Friday night flameout may be familiar to some of us. It represents the fag-end of corporate ‘success’ and a problem they didn’t discuss at the school of business – or any other school for that matter.

TWO CENTRAL PROBLEMS Back in the twentieth century things got pretty one-dimensional work-wise for many of us. And for some (all those millennium resolutions aside), things haven’t changed all that much since. The job, the project, process re-engineering and organisational restructures tended to take precedence over opportunity for personal growth – through improved wellbeing, expanded friendships and contribution to the broader community. For some, our professional team supplanted our personal ‘community’, not to mention our individuality.

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The challenges and rewards associated with leadership are at once seductive and addictive. Further, our ‘habits’ have been fed with a nifty range of gismos and perks, including laptops, palmtops and fancy conferences on hilltops, to name but three. What is more, some of us don’t need to be sold workplace mantras related to lifelong learning – we did MBAs, MBTIs and became VIPs. In effect, all this learning and activity created the capacity to work considerably smarter and harder – and this is the heart of the paradox related to development for experienced adults. At work we are faced with the dry prospect of achieving meaningful performance improvement in a world of diminishing returns related to professional development. At the same time, some of us have found that our enhanced workplace capability and related addictions work against our personal wellbeing, not to mention some of the important people in our lives – which could include family, friends and fellow workers. And then there is the organisational domain where competition and workplace culture can cloud our capacity to challenge and change some of the basic rules of the game we are in – in terms of its impact on the broader community, the environment and the next generation of players. The central issue addressed in this publication is: How to enable experienced people to develop themselves with balance between home and work. The pages that follow contain practical responses to this challenge, supported with insights and opportunities for discussion, which will assist you to isolate and address your needs with greater congruence between what you do and who you are. But before we get going let us take a moment to learn a little more about my perspective as author.

AUTHOR’S ORIENTATION This material was written after the: • participation, observation and research related to a range of development programs from the Harvard School to the Aussie school of hard knocks • provision of one-on-one coaching for staff and managers in a range of private- and public-sector organisations, from bulldozing to banking • assistance in ‘recovery’ work related to the performance and wellbeing of people in their jobs over the course of the last decade, based around issues that included overwork and under-work • research and repair work on organisations throughout that period. The approach taken in this publication is based on the understanding that the sort of people who will read it need more than platitudes for the

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difficulty of their situations, or fresh serves of school of business skills, wrapped up in MBO-style goal-setting. There is, of course, an important place for the school of business in the transmission of professional best practice, debate and in the generation of networks. However, what is problematic about the Australian corporate classroom concerns: • A one-dimensional (workplace) view of ‘leadership’ and development – as opposed to the three-dimensional, whole-life perspective that will be introduced in this book. • The obsession with projects and ‘outcomes’ in organisations, which largely ignore the consequences of such ‘short-termism’ for wellbeing, relationships, community and culture within and without these enterprises. • An overwhelming preoccupation with ‘doing’ (that is, producing) at work as opposed to a more self-reflective focus on ‘being’. Professor Amanda Sinclair2 from the Melbourne Business School acknowledged these points when she observed: Work is a dangerous place and it is dangerous in new, tacit but endemic ways. Very high levels of stress in roles that are under resourced are now ‘normal’ conditions for frontline workers, managers and many professionals. … The argument goes that by expecting people to do more than they can possibly achieve, you keep them working hard and deflect deeper questions about whether the work is worth doing. Treat ’em mean and keep ’em keen. Yet where else do we still apply this philosophy? We’ve got rid of it in most schools, orphanages, even the military, yet it’s alive and well in many workplaces …

Professor Sinclair aside, the relevant ethos is overwhelmingly instilled through business school teachings, which include: • left-brain or data-driven leadership • a single-minded focus on growth and the bottom line • militaristic views on business practice, with books like The Art of War being recommended reading and practice • tokenistic reference to balance between ‘work and home’. While respecting the expertise of many of these scholars, there are other ways to make profits, manage people and maximise returns for shareholders. A number of these alternative ideas form the subtext to this book. Other things that will increase your return on investment from this publication include: • examining the book’s overall structure and selecting specific parts that are relevant to you • creating objectives that are harmonious with your whole-life situation

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• committing yourself to the three-month development cycle, which is the book’s cornerstone for continuous planning • monitoring outcomes monthly, starting out fortnightly • acquiring the Workbook, which has been written to accompany this text, to enable you to document and track your progress. Given that the relationship between you the reader, your employer and these chapters is unique, you are invited to determine your own running order after you have read chapters 1 and 2.

OUTCOMES At their lowest level of engagement the contents of this book are capable of generating: • guilt • confusion • conflict (with or without interesting pyrotechnics) • uninspired compliance • uneasy confirmation of hunches. At a higher level, they are capable of engaging the dormant ‘management by creating lists’ gene. This entails: • documenting priorities with rankings and timeframes • discussing these with colleagues, family and, where relevant, your therapist • placing these lists in significant places, such as pda’s, time management schedulers and noticeboards • having enthusiastic preliminary meetings with colleagues, key relationships and slotting outcomes into performance agreements. At the third and preferred level of engagement, the contents will achieve meaningful change through: 1 Formulation of achievable objectives across the personal, priority people and professional domains explained below. 2 Selection of agreeable and achievable strategies. 3 Enabling you to regularly review your progress with your mentor or coach. Let us look now at some of the key concepts on which these outcomes can be built.

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EVERYONE IS A ‘LEADER’ Central to the thrust of this publication is the view that all adults within and without the workplace ‘lead’, through their thoughts, intentions, actions and relationships with others. This point is emphatically made to demystify the notion that leadership is something special that is confined to the vocational part of peoples’ lives. After all: • leadership thinking includes planning and setting objectives at home and at work • leadership intentions include personal commitment and perseverance at home and at work • leadership actions include initiative and risk-taking at home and at work • leadership relationships include influencing and monitoring performance at home and at work. This view of leadership is expanded and defined more fully below. It is contrasted with uni-dimensional workplace leadership paradigms throughout the text.

THREE-DOMAIN LEADERSHIP INCLUDES PERSONAL, PRIORITY PEOPLE AND PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVES This publication uses three critical frames of reference3 associated with leadership and development. These are illustrated below.

Priority/ People

Personal

Professional

Figure 1.1 Three critical leadership and development frames

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The personal domain is all about you as a person. It incorporates your: self-awareness personal health psychological wellbeing, including self-esteem personal values, likes and dislikes personal philosophy and concept of meaning personal objectives. Acknowledging that there is inevitably some overlap between personal, priority people and professional domains, the personal one is about the authentic you and the unique views and interests that you have. The priority people domain, by contrast, acknowledges that there are a number of key people and relationships that are most important in your life. Not all of these are biological or even familial in their origins. They cover a continuum that could comprise: • your primary relationship • your parent(s) • your siblings • biological relations • children • friends, including close work colleagues • mentees • priority groups/communities. The priority people domain represents the inner sanctum of your connection with the broader community. For many people this domain represents a way of managing the size and anonymity of the urban and corporate sprawls. Corporate commentator, Robert Theobald,4 in his book, Reworking Success, suggests that this era of big business, big technology, big government and big politics can only be offset effectively by a closer relationship between the nuclear family and compatible parts of its human surroundings. Theobald believes strongly in enterprises that enable individuals and groups to take the initiative and empower one another in ways that challenge the ‘clanking systems’ which currently have created a significant amount of apathy and detachment in many of the nominal ‘communities’ in which they live. As he puts it: • • • • • •

… too many of us believe that actions must be large scale to be worthwhile, when in fact there is plenty of evidence that the eventual synergies between small scale shifts in thinking and actions are, in fact, the building blocks towards the truly fundamental change we need …

Theobold’s small community and the priority people enclave are echoed by futurists Popcorn and Marigold,5 who used the word ‘clanning’ – or the

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need to belong to a like-minded group with shared ideas. Likewise, in Funky Business,6 the two manic but prescient business authors support the notion of priority people through their concept of ‘tribe’ – which represents the people with whom you share common ground, not only in the context of business, but also in terms of your lifestyle and preferred community. Although some readers may have a problem equating the priority people in their lives to a ‘tribe’ (with its associated images of personal hygiene and living conditions), most will accept the concept has merit in terms of the support derived from interdependent members, long-term relationships, and the desire to ensure the growth and wellbeing of people involved. Thus the key features of the priority people domain include a high level of congruence of values, shared personal objectives and rich relationships that are beyond simple biology and bottom-line business. Having described priority people in these terms the intention is not to coerce you to define your entire network into an ‘A’ and a ‘B’ list. Rather, it is to enable you to take the time to reflect on the quality of these relationships at this time. By so doing you will be able to think in a more focused fashion about ways in which you can enhance some of these relationships further and thereby keep your close-up community. The key point about priority people relationships is that they are worthy of special care ahead of the more transactional ones, which may exist in the professional domain described below. Professional relationships could include employers, competitors, acquaintances, adversaries, groups and individuals with points of view with whom you may have differences in values (but not necessarily fatal ones). Professional relationships may be totally consistent with the growth and direction of your organisation without necessarily having to be congruent with the growth and direction of you as an individual working within it. Likewise, professional relationships can appear to be superficially in good shape in the eyes of disinterested chiefs, for example, whereas in fact they may lack depth and integrity in your eyes or those of your close colleagues. The critical point of departure between the professional group and the priority people group boils down to your assessment of the magnitude of this values gap. Consider the following anecdote:

Casestudy

The trouble with Keith My relationship with Keith has always been difficult. Whereas on the one hand his business acumen is undeniable and the results that he achieves are outstanding, some of the ways he does things make me distinctly uncomfortable. He introduced a staff coaching process, for example, which he explained was designed to keep his people focused on their sales targets,

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separate from the performance management reviews being employed four times a year. In fact, it was common knowledge in Keith’s team that the ‘coaching’ skills that he was encouraging his managers to develop were focused around getting some of the older and less effective people out of his division. One sales person who had been with the company for 27 years, and who for the previous two years was one of the top 10 performers in the country, resigned after Christmas. She had not been able to make 85 per cent of budget while dealing with her divorce and the change in her role caused by restructures. As a consequence of these issues I regard my relationship with Keith as strictly ‘professional’.

‘LEADERSHIP’ DEFINED One key objective of this publication is to enable readers to assess and develop their ‘leadership’ skills across the three domains. By so doing, they will be able to rethink outmoded twentieth-century notions of ‘leadership’ – which were typically defined by ‘training courses’ and focused on the workplace. When leadership is appraised and developed across the three domains, individual effectiveness is enhanced in each, and broader issues associated with managing the contemporary world of work and home are brought into balance. But before we do this we need a practical ‘leadership’ definition on which to work. INSEAD academic, organisational psychoanalyst and blue-chip organisational consultant, Manfred Kets de Vries7 offered a dynamic definition of leadership, which is readily absorbed into three-domain thinking. His ‘interactionalist’ view of leadership involves three groups of variables related to: 1 The leader, including: – character type – values, attitudes and beliefs – position – experience. 2 The followers, including: – their character type – their values, attitudes and beliefs – their group cohesiveness. 3 The situation, including: – the nature of the task – the life stage of the organisation – the organisational variables – the corporate culture – the nature of the industry – socioeconomic and political environment.

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The interactionalist definition of leadership that has been adopted views ‘leadership’ as awareness and effective management of these three groups of variables. It is important to acknowledge that these variables can be qualitative and quantitative in form. Whereas quantitative factors such as leadership competency, professional expertise of followers and clear situational objectives can be measured and monitored, the qualitative domain is not so easy to gauge. Consider, for example, the mood of the leader, the commitment of the followers or the perceived urgency of the situation. Three-domain leadership concerns the qualitative domain as well as the quantitative domain. Although the former is difficult to map and resistant to checklist-style analyses, preparedness to expand insight and discuss points of view in this area is more likely to draw benefit than reliance on answers drawn from the leader, follower or situational perspectives alone. Likewise, scraps of ‘hard data’ are available from sources such as psychometric tests, team-type analysis or corporate culture surveys. Leadership is difficult to appraise and develop, and the three-domain perspective does not cut corners or seek simplistic nostrums at work or at home. Indeed, if we move the interactionalist definition of leadership to the avocational priority people domain, the issue of effectiveness may be further complicated by affective variables and significantly more complex questions related to ‘objectives’, not to mention the range of ‘interventions’ that are available to people involved. In this book the issues associated with the leader are captured in: • Chapter 3 – via personal wellness • Chapters 5 and 9 – by examining career, personal growth and ‘retirement’ • Chapter 6 – through competency development. Issues associated with followers are contained in: • Chapter 4 – concerning key relationships • Chapter 7 – through team development. Situational factors are addressed in: • Chapter 2 – through priority and time management • Chapter 8 – through enhancing skills related to managing difficult communication. In order to explore the interactionalist model of leadership further let us take a look at the portability of workplace ‘leadership’ concepts from the professional to the personal and priority people domains.

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PORTABILITY OF PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP TO PERSONAL AND PRIORITY PEOPLE DOMAINS

Peter Drucker,8 regarded by many as the Moses of modern management, summarises some of the fundamentals of ‘professional’ leadership in terms of the following points (notes have been added in parentheses): • The only definition of a leader is someone who has followers (that is, leadership is a consequence of relationships rather than philosophies or styles). • Leaders are highly visible. They therefore set examples (that is, leadership is about presence and role models). • Leadership is not rank, privilege, titles or money (that is, leadership is about responsibility). • Leaders ask the question, ‘What needs to be done?’ (That is, leadership is about vision and focus.) • Leaders ask, ‘What can and should I do to make a difference?’ (That is, leadership is about the leader selecting appropriate objectives for him or herself.) • Leaders ask, ‘What are the organisation’s mission and goals?’ (That is, leadership is about defining the approach in terms of the broader context and in terms of results that are being sought.) • Leaders are totally – fiendishly – intolerant when it comes to a person’s performance, standards and values (that is, leadership is about quality and ethics). • Leaders are not afraid of the strengths of their associates (that is, leaders cherish talent and facilitate synergies in relationships). • Leaders submit themselves to the ‘mirror test’ (that is, they make sure that the person they see in the mirror is the kind of person they want to be, respect and believe in). This is what Drucker called ‘doing right things’. He made the distinction between this and ‘doing things right’, which is simply following orders. After all, a terrorist can assassinate a political leader with great efficiency. Authentic leaders would surely question why they are being asked to assassinate this person in the first place. It can be seen that all these tenets related to leadership travel readily across the personal and priority people domains as well. Given this, a lot of people have widely divergent capacities to accomplish this transit for reasons that could include: • personal insight • priorities • time, or • commitment.

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Thus we have the company strategist who has successfully mapped out business and operational priorities over a three-year timeframe. Ironically, while such people demand adherence to the key result areas (KRAs), they have yet to think about what they are doing about their health or what the family will be doing at Easter. Some of us have met ‘leaders’ who set destructively high standards for their children, while allowing members of their team to turn in substandard material which they subsequently stay up all night reworking. The converse in relation to team and family members also applies. Some of us may have been guilty of jumping at an opportunity that may have negative implications for our colleague, or, alternatively, being less than generous in allocating opportunities for people to develop their talent. Many of us know CEOs who espouse family values, balance between work and home and commitment to the environment – while generating deadlines requiring weekend work, interstate or international travel for protracted periods, or invite corner-cutting, which falls into that uncomfortable ethical area subsumed under ‘market forces’ and euphemisms like ‘nice guys come second’. It is interesting to talk to the partners of some corporate heavyweights about their behaviour outside the workplace. Frequently observations are made about: • their inability to contribute to household decisions • their ineffectiveness in managing growing or grown kids • their diminished ability to function socially outside their work group. Some of this behaviour may be a function of fatigue, indifference and, possibly, exclusion caused by their absence. Another possibility relates to lack of balance in leadership across the three domains. It can also be explained in terms of poor ‘internal’ leadership insight.

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL LEADERSHIP Business school bookshelves groan with tomes offering skills and strategies related to ‘leading’ others. Likewise, the personal development section in the book supermarkets pop and sizzle with shiny ideas on which to hitch one’s star. It is useful to recognise a distinction, which is often poorly made in literature about leadership, between what can be described as ‘internal’ and ‘external’ leadership. Internal leadership is the way you think and feel about leadership. By contrast, outward leadership is related to how you behave and interact with others as a leader.

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In this publication the inward leadership journey in the personal domain is as important as the outward ones at home and work. In order to get a better handle on ‘internal’ leadership, it is useful to identify key activities that are relevant to this inner world. There are essentially 10 of these, which include: 1 Having a life plan (as opposed to a business one). Some call this a personal ‘mission’, although this term hints at a single-minded professional worldview that is distinctly limiting. After all, there is more to the business of living than simply securing objectives. 2 Preserving self-esteem – if you don’t demonstrate that you value yourself, why should anyone else? This can be reflected in how you drive yourself as well as how you project yourself. 3 Maintaining optimism – which requires sustaining a positive mood over the long haul, while managing the slings and arrows along the road. There are far too many people around town who are doing this with antidepressants Prozac and Zoloft, as opposed to self-assessment and renewal. 4 Projecting a largely positive response to other people – founded on the notion of increasing one’s circle of priority people. A rule-of-thumb diagnostic that can be applied is that where this circle has stopped expanding, or is contracting, points 2 and 3 above are endangered. 5 Showing integrity – which is a little more than consistent good health, relationship fidelity and basic corporate governance – that is, a compliance mindset. 6 Displaying courage – which is linked to integrity, but does not necessarily translate into Hollywood heroism. Courage is about calling it as it is and standing one’s ground in difficult circumstances. 7 Preparedness to pursue self-development and renewal – as opposed to ‘training and development’. 8 Maintaining self-discipline – which is ideally balanced with spontaneity and humour in equal proportions. 9 Showing resourcefulness – which is reflected in a lateral mindset that does more with less – without necessarily turning this dictum into a neo-Spartan lifestyle. 10 Constant search for balance – reflected in your level of effectiveness in the three domains. It can been seen that ‘internal’ leadership requires a strong sense of selfawareness, which is based on the here and now. This isn’t easy. Some of us may be operating on the basis of a belief system that was effectively created five years into our work lives (which may have been some time ago). Others may have locked themselves into a ‘fight to the finish’ retirement plan, which puts wellbeing on hold for the next 10 years.

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Self-esteem can be compromised by overwork, no matter how high our status may be in the hierarchy in which we toil. In fact, there are a number of executives who speak about their stress-related ‘calmatives’ and moodmaintenance medication as a badge of courage. This is not a good indicator of internal leadership. The key to appraising internal leadership comes down to scanning and reflecting on the 10 points nominated above with an appropriate level of honesty related to how you feel about what you see on your internal ‘screen’, as opposed to the one on your desk. OUTWARD LEADERSHIP Outward leadership applies in the professional and priority people domains – given that most leadership learning focuses exclusively on the former. This narrow view is effectively reinforced by the sterile vocabulary that often accompanies corporate enterprise and in the robotic relationships implicit in it. • Thus we ‘vision’ the business as a verb rather than as a noun. • We select, develop and empower ‘associates’ rather than the folk with whom we work. • We ‘build’ teams as if they are concrete structures. • We ‘deliver’ performance feedback like it is mail. • We maintain ‘networks’ like phone systems. • We ‘diffuse’ conflict as if it were a form of ordnance. There are literally hoards of consultants and courses focused on outward leadership in the professional domain. Ironically, there are no widely available contemporary materials on outward leadership in the priority people domain. The reality is that much of our source material is determined consciously or unconsciously by our insight and effectiveness in the personal domain. This is often augmented by fragments we have gleaned from our own families, life experience, education and training, and from the workplace. In an era when workplace demands have probably never been higher, it is therefore saddening that the most widely used guidelines for outward leadership drawn from the workplace refer more to outputs and efficiencies than relationships and balance. This trend is evidenced through the contemporary operational paradigm, wherein the ‘deliverables’ required from many leaders are placed ahead of long-term relationships and in some cases the broader business/community interface. Some consequences of this ‘gun-for-hire’ style of outward leadership are reflected through the: • Creation of performance-based employment contracts for managers,

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founded on targets that put bonuses before individual and corporate wellbeing. • Throwaway or outsourced specialist labour forces based on short-term employment. • Arbitrary cost-cutting in terms of outputs and numbers, rather than the actual capabilities of real people working in groups. There are historical reasons for this trend. Outward leadership development in the late twentieth century was influenced by short-term thinking related to nominal objectives based around fragmenting organisations and crisis management. A species of hard-headed problem-solvers evolved who could risk-manage their way out of just about anything, including corporate meltdowns. A classic case in point was Al Dunlap, who enjoyed a rather sad infamy during the tag-end of the century for his ‘chainsaw’ activity associated with downsizing (which ultimately led to his undoing). Consider the following description of his glory days:

Albert J Dunlap regards himself as a legend, a tough guy hardened in the West Point Military tradition and sharpened up in the boardroom. He was the corporate turnaround artist who relished sacking workers by the thousand to drive up the share price and then made millions in share options as he headed out the door. The economies of small towns were wiped out as Dunlap shut factories and distribution centres in the United States. But he loved the adulation of Wall Street. They called him ‘Rambo in pinstripes’ and he lapped it up. His callous management style became the stuff of best sellers …9

Not surprisingly, most people saw right through this style of ‘leadership’ with inevitable consequences for the contract between employer and employee. Change gurus Hamel and Prahalad10 observed this back in 1994: Never before have the costs of top management’s short-sightedness been more apparent or poignant. Never before has the firm’s loyalty to its members been so in doubt and the individual’s loyalty to his or her employer so sorely tested …*

In fact, things have changed since then – they are even worse now – acknowledging the modest emergence of the employer of choice concept (which is still struggling to get from aspiration to action in most Australian workplaces). There are three other reference points that offer interesting and thoughtprovoking perspectives on the formation of aspects of outward leadership in organisations that are noteworthy: * Reprinted by permission of Harvard Business School Press. From Competing for the Future by Hamel, G. and Prahalad, C., Boston, MA 1994, p. X. Copyright © 1994 by the Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation; all rights reserved.

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1 The Peter Principle

The Peter Principle is supposed to be taken half-facetiously – that all members in a hierarchy rise to their own level of incompetence. The fact of the matter (as most experienced people know) is that all of us have a Peter threshold in relation to some facet of our work. This could relate to: • aspects of competency • planning • resource acquisition • management of difficult personalities • capacity to read the marketplace • ability to look after our own backs. The traditional paradox associated with the Peter Principle relates to the relationship between ambition and capability. Most leaders working with this material will probably have enough energy and ambition to fly stratospherically high. However, the question implicit in what follows is: ‘Are you equipped and in tune for the present altitude and what are the benefits of flying any higher?’ 2 The leader as prisoner

An irony associated with achieving a significant degree of professional leadership is entrapment. You are led to believe, or you form the conclusion that: • all sorts of people look to you for guidance • your contribution is critical to strategic and other decision-making • you have responsibilities beyond the basic job for which you have been paid (even in areas you don’t know much about) • if you welch on these demands, you have ‘failed’ or let people down. This type of entrapment can manifest itself through self-imposed incarceration in the professional domain. By having a realistic sense of your limits and a high level of clarity regarding the people you are committed to developing in the priority people domain, you are better positioned to quarantine demands that trip your work role over from stimulating and exciting to exhausting and unmanageable. A more insidious contributor to the entrapment process is the seduction that goes with success. After all, your track record and accomplishments have not been modest. You are well-respected and most of the time you enjoy what you do. It can thus become easier to spend time at work, or thinking about work, rather than on other parts of your life – which once upon a time were self-managing, relatively uncomplicated and, to some extent, self-sufficient.

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Things change. Relationships with partners, teenagers and grown kids, family and friends require maintenance and the ‘manual’ does not exist. Furthermore, extra-curricular interests can actually become hard work. (This is illustrated where youthful athleticism deteriorates with middle age.) You unconsciously gravitate to where the results are relatively easy and readily applauded; that is, the work zone. Meanwhile, on the inside, the consequences of this drift may not be so healthy: • there is the unresolved question about whether you control the job or the job controls you • there is an issue about how much your identity is dependent upon your job, as opposed to other parts of your life • there is the subtle shift in criteria you use in relation to the ‘satisfaction’ you derive from your ‘success’ • there is the accretion of worry and fatigue and the toxic by-products of being exceptional at getting things done. Clearly, these issues are crying out for balance in the personal and priority people domains, and seek release from a self-built prison in the professional one. Unfortunately, some of the people to whom we look for direction are worse guides than we are. 3 Role models for leadership

So you completed your education, accumulated expertise, went back on the weekend and did leadership training of one kind or another and made your way up the ladder. Separate from your own managers and mentors you will have been influenced along the way by a variety of leadership role models to which you have been exposed through writings, visual and other media. Each of these role models will have affected the way in which you set your own style and values, and each adds a certain ideology to the way in which you view and do your job. There are nine categories of leaders that can readily illustrate this point: 1 The mainstream corporate heavyweight – exemplified by past and present CEOs of major corporations, such as Don Argus, Jack Welch and Jac Nasser. These are the people who built or steered corporations through gigantic changes, created extraordinary cultures, kept the corporate raiders from the door. 2 The global giant as leader – exemplified by Rupert Murdoch, Bill Gates and Ted Turner. These are the corporate titans of business who stand head and shoulders above the pack in terms of their wealth, influence and ambition.

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3 The political/business nexus as leader – exemplified by Silvio Berlusconi, America’s Ross Perrot, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Australia’s John Hewson. These leaders combine corporate fortunes with political ambitions and the capacity to leverage advantage from both camps. 4 The political hard-nose as leader – exemplified by Margaret Thatcher, Vladimir Putin, Ariel Sharon, Yassar Arafat and our very own Jeff Kennett – these leaders demonstrated a single-minded style of leadership, often characterised by willingness to take controversial positions and directly challenge dissent, both within and without their country of origin. 5 The military populist as leader – illustrated by General Tommy Franks, General Norman Schwartzkopf, Colin Powell, General Lebed and General Peter Cosgrove. This style of leader is represented by soldiers with successful track records, often with an appeal to frustrated citizenry or countries in search of heroes. 6 The consultant adviser as leader – exemplified by Henry Kissinger, Alan Greenspan, the Moss-Kanters and Fred Hilmer. These leaders tend to be opinion leaders with the ability to influence political and corporate heavyweights. They can effectively represent the power behind the throne. 7 Sporting legends who offer role models as ‘leaders’ – exemplified by Greg Norman, Michael Jordon, Nicki Lauder, Shane Warne, O. J. Simpson. Whereas some of these idols lead by examples (of various kinds), others such as Greg Norman and Nicki Lauder are involved in commerce and serve crucial roles in the performance of their enterprises. 8 The humanists as leader – illustrated by Nelson Mandela, Koffi Annan, Mohandas Ghandi, Mother Teresa and William Deane. This type of leader is recognised for a stand on fundamental human issues such as justice, independence, compassion, preparedness to defend the downtrodden or minorities. Such leaders tend to represent ideals that some of us strive for and all of us acknowledge as profound. 9 The historical giant as leader – exemplified by Alexander The Great, Napoleon Bonaparte and Julius Caesar. (Australia is still working on this one.) Such leaders embody epic conquests, superhuman ambition, extraordinary campaigns that encompass military, social and cultural experiments on a massive scale. There are two key points that need to be made in relation to these role models. First, while it is informative to reflect on what was successful about this diverse collection of humanity, it is important to avoid the temptation to make these people into deities or to represent them (as much of the media and many of their biographers do) as beyond reproach.

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The second point is that if most of these role models are examined from the perspective of three-domain leadership they can rapidly seen to be manifestly human and, in some cases, less than that. Consider Jack Welch as a case in point. Welch has been widely feted as the ultimate celebrity CEO for his contribution to the success of GE. As a role model professional leader he is praised by his fans for: • his direct and powerful style of motivating his people and communicating his message • his loathing of bureaucracy and unnecessary red tape • his analytical skills and his preparedness to make tough decisions • his ability to engender competitiveness and willingness to get results. Jack Welch’s role model in the personal domain enjoys mixed press, however: • Macleans Magazine, published in Canada, described Welch as, ‘by near universal agreement a tough and foul-mouthed SOB’ who effectively provokes and bullies his subordinates to deliver on their promises. • Welch’s business ethic was captured consciously by Thomas O’Boyle11 in his title At Any Cost: Jack Welch, General Electric and the Pursuit of Profit. • Welch’s interpersonal top dog executive trial by fire ritual was notorious. One GE employee explained, ‘you can’t even say “hello” to Jack without it being confrontational. If you don’t want to step up to Jack toe to toe, belly to belly, and argue your point, he doesn’t have any use for you.’12 In the priority people domain, Jack Welch’s fortunes took a big hit in March 2002. He became involved in an affair with Suzy Wetlaufer, who was editor in chief of the prestigious Harvard Business Review. Wetlaufer had initially been involved in an interview with Welch, which led to a romantic relationship between them. Welch’s wife of 23 years, who had previously been a lawyer, went after him and half his fortune, which at that time was estimated at $US930 million. Matters became even more difficult in relationship terms when Welch attempted to influence the retention of Wetlaufer with the Harvard Business Review through a deal, which executive editor, Nicholas Carr, described as ‘a masterpiece of ethical fecklessness and an insult to the Harvard Business Review’.13 It can be seen from this analysis that acknowledging Jack Welch’s extraordinary professional career, his personal and priority people progress as a leader is not without its problems. The table below is designed to expand this point further, using case studies from each of the nine categories. In so doing, the intention is not to trivialise the accomplishments that have been achieved by these extraordinary people, but rather to show the perspective achieved when a three-domain view of leadership is superimposed on them.

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Table 1.1 Nine popular leadership role models from a three-domain leadership perspective

Leadership role model type and sample leader examined are named in the grey panels

Distinguishing ‘professional’ accomplishments 1

MAINSTREAM CORPORATE HEAVYWEIGHT

• CEO Ford Australia from 1990–1993. • CEO Ford Europe from 1993–1994. • CEO Ford America from 1994–2001. • Earned the nickname ‘Jac the Knife’ by upping productivity and slashing workforces. • Widely admired for his intelligence, energy and focus. • Managed the BridgestoneFirestone tyre controversy related to the Ford Explorer (which allegedly was linked to 88 deaths in the US and cost Ford US$5 billion). • Sacked 31 October 2001 by the Board at Ford in the light of huge corporate losses. Ironically replaced by a Ford family member, William Clay Ford III, wherein the ‘family’ got its company back. 2

Noteworthy outcomes in priority/people domain

GLOBAL GIANT

Noteworthy outcomes in personal domain

Jac Nasser (1948– )

• Described as a ‘workaholic’ by his friend Ron Walker.14 • Wife, Jennifer, sued for divorce in March 2000 seeking $US13.9 million compensation, then withdrew the petition.

• Described by his wife as having a ‘controlling manner’. • Also described as ‘… working harder than just about anybody else and driving his staff to do the same’.15

Bill Gates (1955– )

• Founder of Microsoft. • World’s richest man, alongside Wal-Mart boss Sam Walton. • Recently embroiled in what has become known as the revenge of the ‘permatemps’, based on employment of up to 10 000 current and former independent contractors and other long-term ‘temporary’ employees. • Gates’ company was called an ‘abusive monopolist’ by Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson in 2000 during the antitrust case which that was to lead to split of Microsoft.

• Rob Glaser,16 (trusted lieutenant of Gates) described him as a ‘Darwinian … who doesn’t look for win–win situations with others, but for ways to make others lose …’

• Described as ‘a world-class worrier’. • ‘In terms of fast food, and deep understanding of the culture of fast food, I’m your man’.17

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Noteworthy outcomes in personal domain

• Gates’ willingness to change is noted 12 months later: ‘It is hard to avoid the conclusion that, if Microsoft has changed at all, it has done so only superficially. Inside the software industries’ 800 pound gorilla, the heart of an incorrigible monopolist beats still’ (The Economist).18 3

POLITICAL BUSINESS NEXUS

• Founded Edilnord (1962), real estate company which built Milano 2 suburb, housing 10 000 people. • Founded Tele Milano 1974, cable service. • Established Canale 5 (1980), which led to Publitalia 80 Advertising Agency (which became one of the biggest in Europe). • Absorbed local TV stations to become a national broadcasting system, diversified into print, publishing, retail and AC Milan Football Club. • Relationships with Bettino Craxi, the Italian Prime Minister from 1983–1987, assisted the TV duopoly with a state-run RAI. • Berlusconi was deeply involved in the Mani Pulite (clean hands) scandal. • Berlusconi formed Forza Italia in April 1993. He was elected in May 1994, aligning a mixture of pro-northern, ex-Christian Democrat and neo-fascist factions.

Silvio Berlusconi (1936– ) • Berlusconi’s brother was indicted for graft and corruption, leading Berlusconi to sever their relationship in public life.

• Studied law at the University of Milan. • He was sufficiently influential to have a word coined after himself. Berlusconism: a way of life where people live in houses built by Berlusconi, watch TV controlled by Berlusconi, shop at supermarkets owned by Berlusconi, relax on tennis courts and restaurants built by Berlusconi, and adore a soccer team owned by Berlusconi …

The charge sheet against Berlusconi • 1996–1999: Illegal financing of political party (guilty). • 1996–2000: Four counts of corruption, bribing financial police (guilty). • 1997–2000: False accounting (guilty). • 1998–1999: Tax fraud (avoided through Statute of Limitations). • Two weeks after the World Trade Centre catastrophe, Berlusconi intimated that Islamic-based cultures were ‘inferior’ to Christianbased ones. • In July 2003 when he was appointed EU president for 6 months, he compared a German member of parliament to a Nazi concentration camp commandant, sparking international indignation. Conclusion drawn by The Economist (2001): … Mr Berlusconi is not fit to lead the government of any country, least of all one of the world’s richest democracies …19

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Distinguishing ‘professional’ accomplishments • Berlusconi was a heavy-handed politician who lost the confidence of his people and saw the Italian stock market devalue by 25%. • Berlusconi Finivest holding company was charged with corruption and accused of creating conflicts of interest for Berlusconi. • Re-elected Prime Minister May 2001. 4

POLITICAL HARDNOSE AS LEADER

• Joined Communist Party in 1961. • Appointed First Secretary of the Sverdlovsk region 1976. • Inducted into Central Committee in 1985. • Elected to Congress of Peoples’ Deputies 1989. • Elected President of the Russian Federation 1990. • Yeltsin could claim credit for destroying Soviet Communism; however, his economic incompetence, his inability to invoke rule of law and cronyism, together with his impetuosity, earned him the contempt of many of his people. 5

Noteworthy outcomes in priority/people domain

MILITARY POPULIST

Noteworthy outcomes in personal domain

Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin (1931– )

• Yeltsin family notoriously linked to corrupt construction firm Mabetex. • Yeltsin’s daughter, Tatyna Dyachenko, accused of involvement in credit card embezzlement and providing contracts for bribes as a Kremlin appointee.

• Chronic alcohol abuse. • Chronic respiratory infections prior to resignation in January 2000.

General Norman Schwartzkopf (1934– )

• Completed two Tours of Duty in Vietnam. • Deputy Commander of the US invasion of Grenada in 1983. • Commander Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm 1990–1991. • Commanded the invasion of Iraq in 1991. • Retired from the US Army in 1992 as a Four Star General.

• Schwartzkopf explained that he • Graduated West Point 1956. wrote his memoirs to recover • Schwartzkopf was wounded in from multiple personal bankthree places (in the cheek, face ruptcies. and arm) in Vietnam. • Schwartzkopf worked on the • Schwartzkopf fought off Presidents Conservation Council. prostate cancer in the 1990s. • He was a national spokesperson for prostate cancer. • He was Chairman of the Florida March – Coming Together to Conquer Cancer.

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Noteworthy outcomes in personal domain

• Decorations include: – three silver stars – three bronze stars – the Distinguished Service Medal – two Purple Hearts – the Congressional Gold Medal – President’s Medal of Freedom. 6

CONSULTANT ADVISER AS LEADER

• Professor of Government Harvard 1962–1971. • President Nixon’s National Security Advisor and Secretary of State 1968–1973. • Accused of reassuring Pinochet in 1973 re President Ford’s preparedness to tolerate human rights violations. • Awarded Nobel Peace Price in relation to Vietnam War. • Worked towards detente with China and the Soviet Union during the early 1970s. • Involved in peace negotiations between Arabs and Israelis 1973–1975. • Arch exponent of shuttle diplomacy. • Provided advice to Clinton administration on management of Indonesian relationships. • TV commentator, lecturer and ‘consultant’. • Special adviser to President George W. Bush, December 2002.

Henry Alfred Kissinger (1923 – )

• Renowned for his arrogance and conceit.

• Bombing of Cambodia. • Accused of conflict of interest in relation to Kissinger & Associates and his relationships with some 30 multinationals, which was criticised in The New York Times, 31 April 1989.

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Distinguishing ‘professional’ accomplishments 7

SPORTS LEGEND

Noteworthy outcomes in priority/people domain O. J. Simpson (1947– )

• All-American football hero. • Ran 2003 yards in NFL in 1973. • All-Pro five times. • MV Pin 1973. • Rushed for 11 236 career yards. • TV analyst and actor. • Arrested 17 June 1994 over double murder, including exwife Nicole Brown Simpson. 8

HUMANIST

• Unresolved issue related to death of Nicole Brown Simpson. • Broader issues associated with exacerbating race divide in North America. • Acquitted 3 October 1995— forced to make financial reparation.

• Rags-to-riches ascent to fame. • Marital relationships evidently violent (issues of guilt aside). • Chronic injuries to both knees due to sports activities.

Mohandis Gandhi (1869–1948)

• Home Rule (Independence) Movement in India during the 1930s. • Jailed for civil disobedience 1922–1924, became focus of movement. • Negotiated constitutional structure for independent India. • Fasted to shame communalists during partition in 1947. • Moral teacher and reformer who sought an India free from caste and materialism. 9

Noteworthy outcomes in personal domain

HISTORICAL GIANT

• Profound influence on Indira Gandhi and the Nehru family. • ‘Married’ wife Kasturba when she was aged 10. • Undertook vow of Bramacharya (celibacy and an end to sexual relations) in 1906. • Ghandi has been accused of neglecting his sons during their childhood. • Also accused that non-violence movement was often bloody and brutal for his followers.

• Studied Law in London. • Assassinated by Hindu fanatic 30 January 1948—one of several attempts on his life.

Alexander The Great (356–323 BC)

• Regent of Macedonia at 16. • Conquered Persia, Palestine and Scythia, plus what is now Northern Pakistan and North Eastern India, before returning home via Baluchistan.

• Alexander had some complicity in his father’s (Philip II of Macedon) death (336 BC). • Executed close friend Philotas in 330 BC. • In 328 BC he murdered his friend Cleitus the Black during a drunken brawl.

• Alexander was dead at 33. • The issue of his legacy as a farsighted statesman pursuing a civilising mission or as a ruthless conqueror and destroyer is still up for debate.

Without exception, the ‘professional’ activity of the nine role models is remarkable. We are talking about people who conquered the known world with everything from willpower to Windows. These are people who were incredibly smart, swift, single-minded or resilient. On the priority people

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domain, however, other pictures emerge. Despite the best efforts of spindoctors and starry-eyed biographers we catch glimpses of: • murderers • marriage manglers • racketeers • parental disasters • financial flops • family mafias • people who appear to be prepared to trade friends in the blink of an eye. Likewise at a personal level we have: • worry warts • alcoholics • egomaniacs • heroes who are crippled with injuries and illness. It can thus be seen that when a three-domain leadership template is applied to this cross-section of those who constitute popular paradigms, many of these role models of superior ‘leadership’ require a rethink. At this time, historically, where leaders often work a global canvas, it has never been more important for the individual to work from a three-domain perspective on leadership and to bring this to the boardroom when necessary. By way of demonstrating this need consider the one-dimensional view of Percy Barnevik,20 President of transnational ABB Industrial Group: I would define globalisation as the freedom for my group of companies to invest where it wants, when it wants, to produce what it wants, to buy and sell where it wants, and support the fewest restrictions possible coming from labour laws and social conventions …

Percy’s perspective lurches off the end of the scale on the free trade continuum. With some priority people and personal perspective in his life, he could be a little more conscious of those without the same set of minimalistic social inhibitions, which he appears to support. Perhaps some of the shortcomings implicit in his leadership style will become evident in the alternative definition which is humbly offered below: I would define globalisation as the freedom of corporations to invest in the market place when and wherever they are invited by legitimate democratic governments; to produce ethical and environmentally sustainable goods and services that respect the cultural values of those producing them, while adhering to the labour laws and social conventions employed by exemplary First World countries. Further, to sell these goods and services in open markets where valid demand exists using fair competitive practices.

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Change master Rosabeth Moss Kanter21 reinforced this view when she spoke of ‘cosmopolitan leaders’: … who are comfortable operating across boundaries and who can forge links between organisations … to find common cause in goals that improve the entire industry, community, country or world and expand the pie for everyone …

Three-domain leadership can deliver more than the unfettered passage of widgets to the mall. It can also build a healthier purchaser in every sense of the word. RIGHT OF REPLY Is it reasonable to expect congruence in leadership across the personal, priority people and professional domains? Napoleon was quoted as saying, ‘Power is my mistress and nothing can interfere with my work’. Alexander the Great did not have access to antibiotics and other drugs to manage his wounds and the effects of toxins in 323 BC. He may have regarded his brief but brilliant career as a reasonable innings in his era. Ghandi, O.J. and Jac aside, most of us have less than perfect relationships. Acknowledging this, the intention here is to compare, rather than to judge. The question being posed is, ‘How do you want things to be in the event you are not single-mindedly conquering continents or earning $60 a second like Bill Gates?’ (Calculation provided by my son’s high school maths class.) The challenge comes down to genuine self-awareness and personal integrity across the three domains. The importance of this was hinted at as long ago as 1989 by Peter Drucker,22 who observed (back then) that society was: … post capitalist … post business … [and that] … in business proper, the values of business are no longer held with conviction and commitment.

It is possible to be more optimistic than Drucker by entrusting the evaluation of the values of business to the ‘leaders’ who work and live with them locally. But before we get down to individual accountability, is it possible to draw any conclusions about the character of leadership in Australia? AUSTRALIAN LEADERSHIP It is appealing, in a publication designed to enhance leadership in Australia, to propose a style of leadership unique to this country. There is, after all, a popular view of the Aussie persona captured in terms like:

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informality candidness groundedness generosity altruism no nonsense perseverance egalitarianism. Whereas these qualities are endearing and seen by most as desirable in the home and workplace, history and experience do not bear them out. For example, for every informal sporting role model like Cathy Freeman there is a thuggish ‘sledge’ on a cricket or football field. • For each grounded media leader like Julie McCrossen there are studios full of jingo-driven shock jocks. • For each generous humanitarian leader like Weary Dunlop there are headlines full of selfish corporate pocket-stuffers. • For altruistic medical research leaders like Fiona Stanley there are the tragic fallen angels whose hubris has outreached their ethics. • For each no-nonsense cultural leader like Noel Pearson there is a populist demagogue like Pauline Hanson. • For each persistent Eddie Mabo there is a house full of opportunist politicians playing by polls and jungle rules to secure their survival. • For each egalitarian and forward-thinking role model like Michael Kirby there are equal numbers of elitist reactionaries. It becomes apparent that the archetypal Australian leader is more of an ideal than a reality in our multicultural country, which continues to redefine its character in times of great change. Given this, three-domain leadership takes the issue of style back to the individual by enabling people to reflect on their goals associated with themselves, their priority people and their professional persona. In so doing, they have the opportunity to incorporate or build their own Australian leadership characteristics, including the items detailed above. Professor Amanda Sinclair23 from the Melbourne Business School and her colleague Valerie Wilson offer guidelines for this adaptive form of Australian leadership. They suggest that Australian leaders are needed who have: • ways of putting their own values into context, reflecting on how these values have come about and how they shape and limit leadership practice • well-practised habits of being able to hear and recognise the validity of different ways of looking at and experiencing the world • identities that do not rest on membership of the single social group or

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tribe, but are able to inhabit multiple groups and cultures without feeling threatened or paralysed • courage to stand up to the status quo and argue for and practise a different way of doing things. An example of values awareness in the professional domain is illustrated by the capacity of the director of the creative arts department of a large TAFE college to embrace some of the business planning and performancetracking systems that may be employed across the corridor in the management department. Being able to hear and recognise different ways of looking and experiencing the world in Australia means getting beyond EEO compliance and the ‘Fat Pizza’ style of lovable wogs. In the priority people domain it might be better illustrated by encouraging a workmate of Pakistani origin to achieve her dream to attend the Haj in Mecca. Capacity to cross multiple social groups or tribes with integrity could be illustrated by a resources industry executive being prepared to talk to Chilean nationals about the social and economic consequences of mining in their country. It might be further illustrated by forming enduring relationships with colleagues in other countries and becoming involved in issues associated with raising their kids. Courage to stand up to the status quo was illustrated by former Office of National Assessment analyst Andrew Wilkie in March 2003. Wilkie, who was 41 at the time, sacrificed his career in order to challenge the Howard Government’s analysis of intelligence related to the rationale for the second Gulf War. Whether or not you supported him, he put his principles on the line. Most Australian leaders will never make decisions as dramatic as Wilkie’s in relation to their engagement with their followers and the context in which they live and work. However, when they are able to define a consistent and uncompromising leadership style from the desktop to the dinner table, then we have three-domain leadership.

FROM THE HEART In concluding this introduction: ❤ Leadership across all three domains of activity is ultimately more meaningful than one-dimensional leadership in the professional domain. ❤ As a CEO friend noted, the successful leaders of the present and future cannot afford to see this model of leadership as optional, but rather as a necessity for building healthy and profitable employers of choice.

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❤ I have asked you to think about who the important people are in your life in the priority people and professional domains. Your ‘community’ associated with priority people is the real touchstone around which truly meaningful leadership development can be accomplished in the professional domain. ❤ By recognising the diverse range of influences that have developed your style of leadership, you will be able to move past the mechanistic ‘learning organisation’ of the present to the people-friendly learning organism of the future.

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Casestudy

It is easy to gloss over the underlying complexity of the ethical and organisational underpinnings related to how things get done in the workplace. I worked (briefly) for a company that used to ‘do’ its values, vision and mission every 12 months. It involved an exhausting weekend in a salmon pink conference room overlooking the sea, redolent with the smell of stewed coffee, sugary pastries and peppermints. We haggled over words, wrote things on butcher’s paper, gave reports and hung out for the ‘time out’ walks, the dinner on Saturday night and the ride home on Sunday. After the usual jokes with the team about my weekend ‘love-in’, documents would materialise the following Tuesday. They would be raised at subsequent team meetings, then slowly sink from sight in the ‘maybe’ tray I used to have on my desk (the ‘maybe’ tray is something I have managed to get on top of since that time, through improved time management). It was not the content of the vision, values and mission that expedited my exit from that outfit. The values were laudable on paper, the vision exciting and the mission sufficiently strategic to win a high distinction in a cross-corporate competition. It was the reality of how we actually worked that was the problem. In fact, we did whatever it took to get the job, fought for turf, played with numbers and struggled furiously to keep our banner up there on top of the heap. Meanwhile, the CEO lined his pockets and burned off the young talent, angling to sell his share of the business and concentrate on his real estate empire. In effect, the priorities were today’s and time management was measured by six-minute increments (or one minute, if it could be fiddled). It was all too easy to fall in with this work style and play the unwritten rules to get the necessary numbers. Most of us knew this was not honest prioritising or time management. It was profiteering by ‘ad-hocracy’ and leadership by word games. I venture to suggest that this style of ‘leadership’ is one that other readers may have experienced. It underlines the importance of having a clear idea of what you stand for in the contemporary workplace, not only with regard to the corporate rules of engagement but in terms of your personal ‘mission’ as well.

In this chapter, priority management challenges you to align your values, principles and practice in the personal, priority people and professional domains. It asks you to examine big-picture themes such as:

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• developing a strategy with integrity at work – otherwise known as making an honest living • helping priority people – this could mean repairs to a relationship that is in difficulty, enhancing one that is in good shape, or generally being able to contribute to the success of groups in which you belong • having more fun – this could be demonstrated by attending a music festival, taking surfing lessons over two mornings on a weekend – even if you are roughly the same age as Poseidon or his naiads. There is a form of corporate speak that calls priority management ‘the what’. Time management, by contrast, refers to ‘the how’. It is concerned with personal organisation and getting things done. • In the professional domain, time management will inevitably come down to your diary (electronic or other), your productivity habits and improvements to these. Professional time management is consequently anchored around notions of efficiency and effectiveness, where efficiency is doing things economically and effectiveness is doing them so they work. • In the priority/people domain, time management tends to have a more qualitative focus in terms of relationships and outcomes. Given that the clock is running, key friendships are not measured in minutes. • In the personal domain, individuals can interpret ‘time management’ strategies from the perspective of the permissive procrastinator to the perpetual planner. Some of us have lives filled with objectives, while others (consciously or unconsciously) bend with the breeze. For the dialdriven, better time management may translate into fewer lists, whereas for the laissez-faire it may involve a lot more focus. (This insight depends very much on self-awareness and commitment to accomplishing goals.) Such existential conflict revolves around the important distinction between ‘being’ and ‘doing’, where: • ‘being is closely connected with who you are • ‘doing’ concerns what you do. Much leadership literature associated with managing priorities and time focuses and founders in the realm of endless ‘doing’. All of us know that we can do an awful lot without being particularly well. Effective three-domain thinking is about ‘doing’ and ‘being’. Consequently, the objectives in this section include: 1 Enabling you to make a more workable link between values, principles and priorities. 2 Assisting you to apply this to your current situation in the three domains and thereby finetuning your priorities for the next three months. 3 Providing you with the opportunity to critically appraise your time man-

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agement skills and nominating specific areas to introduce these into your three-month plan.

MAKING MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS BETWEEN VALUES, PRINCIPLES AND PRIORITIES Many leadership gurus hold the view that in order to define your professional style you simply need to make a list of ‘core values’. Thus Napolitano and Henderson1 stride forth in their Leadership Odyssey with a list of beauties that include: • vision • integrity • passion and courage • optimism and confidence • focus and discipline • flexibility • tenacity and resourcefulness • humanity • self-renewal and balance. Each of these values is framed up with anecdotes based on ‘great leaders’ and augmented with scholarly references to Latin word roots. However, the problem with such lists is that although they are easy enough to write, they are extremely hard to practise in a meaningful way – particularly when the going gets tough. Reasons for this are several: • Values are static labels rather than dynamic practices. You can fill a sheet of paper with such ideals without necessarily understanding what they are like in action. Widely respected leadership trainers, Kouzes and Posner2 illustrate the point related to the ambiguity of values when they quote research undertaken by the organisation and management development manager at Boeing: Despite finding nineteen commonly identified values, including integrity, involvement, achievement, quality, creativity/innovation, respect, learning, fairness and customer service – this person saw little agreement in the meaning of each of these values statements. She found, for example, there were 185 different behavioural expectations around the value of integrity alone ...

• Different values are at work in personal, priority people and professional domains. These can conflict with each other. Consider the confusion that was evident in the mind of a former Australian banking CEO at a time of record profits:

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On the 3rd of November 2000 the National Australia Bank announced a net profit of $3.04B. It also announced it would be closing 100 branches and increasing transaction fees. Chief Executive Frank Cicutto was quoted as saying: ‘It’s a major challenge for [the Bank] and, indeed, the banking community, to manage community understanding of the value that banking provides in this country and to its people.’3

• Frank had a point here. It is very hard to explain to the community that a record profit result advantages the populous when local branches disappear and the cost of services increase. Frank could not see that his professional values, laudable though they may be, have little to do with values most of us practise when we want to withdraw money for food. • Values can conflict at an intrapersonal level as well. Consider what espoused values of ‘self-renewal and balance’ in your personal domain have in common with a four-week slog at an interstate or international job involving hotels, twelve-hour days and take-away dinners. • Values also change over the calendar. Respecting ‘humanity’ will probably have different meanings at Christmas/Passover/Ramadan, depending on your faith, compared to two and a half weeks into a three-week drop-dead time line. The truth is that values are like the ingredients of a Thai red curry. Separately they are powerful and capable of great things. But it is only when the dish is on the table that the true relationship between them can be understood and possibly adjusted. This introduces the importance of principles. PRINCIPLES Principles offer a more dynamic way of looking at how the ingredients of your life recipe is mixed and modified. This is because principles take us from formless words to operational guidelines. Consider the following: I will provide myself with daily opportunities for focusing my thinking and attending to my physical health (wellbeing principles) – as opposed to ‘Calm, diet and exercise’ (wellbeing values). PRINCIPLES VERSUS REALPOLITIK Though principles are critical, they tend to get bent and eroded in the real world of work. In what could be described as one of the less warm and fuzzy publications in the history of recent leadership publishing, Robert Greene and Joost Elffers,4 in The 48 Laws of Power, offer time-tested tips for nailing

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priorities (and just about anything else that might get in the way). The following case study illustrates some of their principles in what was described in the flyleaf by the authors’ publisher as: ‘The definitive study of power and the essential guide to modern manipulation’.

Casestudy

Twelve principles of power 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Never outshine the master. Never put too much trust in friends, learn how to use enemies. Pose as a friend, work as a spy. Create compelling spectacles. Play on people’s need to believe to create a cult-like following. Always say less than necessary. Keep others in suspended terror: cultivate an air of unpredictability. Get others to do the work for you, but always take the credit. Play a sucker to catch a sucker – seem dumber than your mark. Discover each man’s thumbscrew. Learn to keep people dependent on you. Assume formlessness.

On one level it would be foolish to deny the truth of these ‘laws’. Whereas there is little doubt that they have served their disciples well at work and in their rather sinister form of play, Greene and Elffers raise important issues for leaders related to means, ends and ethics. The key subtext to their tome is ‘How do you want to play the game?’ There is also the issue of cynicism and its impact on your capacity to maintain principles when you are working in toxic environments. Cynicism is the psyche’s immune defence to chronic integrity attack. Whereas cynicism can enable the absorption of the 48 laws at their worst, it usually contains within it a faint voice of dissent. Sure-fire indicators of the existence of cynicism include: • Labelling – ‘losers’; ‘geriatrics’. (This is ultimately self-defeating behaviour related to managing difficult people). • Manipulativeness in relation to priorities – for example, building dependence in relationships rather than growth. (For most, this is at odds with principles related to developing professional and priority people.) • Putting down idealism and freshness from young players. • Conscious participation in underhandedness. (Something basic is being extinguished here.)

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• Exploiting loopholes and grey areas – particularly relevant to business positioning, for example. (This is incredibly infectious among the young talent and ultimately leads to the emergence of the dark side of the force.) • Developing a bleak worldview – ‘It’s everyone for themselves round here’, ‘Meet the new boss, same as the old boss’. (This sabotages willingness to change and optimism). • Swallowing manure and knowing it. (The ostrich principle.) • Creating manure for others to swallow. (The proctologist principle.) • Converting personal unhappiness into a lifestyle. (Sackcloth and ashes is the wardrobe of mutual misery.) Whereas practical use of the principles of power can be effective in tight corners, the use of such principles as a modus operandi may be indicative that your employer has gone bad – or you have. PRINCIPLES IN A GLOBALISED WORLD

In his popular and breathless account of the unstopability of globalisation, journalist Thomas Friedman5 had a brainwave while travelling at 283 kilometres per hour on the Bullet Train in Japan (p. 31). He proposed the figures of the Lexus (car) and the olive tree as descriptors of a fundamental values conflict at work in the contemporary world. He argued this conflict existed among and indeed within many people who lived upon our planet as well. Friedman proposed that the Lexus represented advancement, wealth and comfort. The olive tree, by contrast, stands for hearth and home, in the absence of which existence becomes desolate and nomadic. There are complex principles at work in maintaining balance between the Lexus and the olive tree. However, Friedman demonstrated awareness of a single principle only, when he concluded that all leaders in developing countries needed to do to handle change was to ‘just choose prosperity’ (p. 246). This sounds suspiciously like Nancy Reagan’s exhortation to ‘just say no’ to drugs. Friedman, however, did not let the complexity of geopolitics get in the way of his big idea: ... as more and more people start to realise that their country can actually choose prosperity if it puts the right policies in place, and as more and more people come to understand fully how other people, particularly successful nations, live, they are going to start asking why their own political management hasn’t chosen prosperity ...

Friedman would presumably have us believe that people in countries like Afghanistan, Chechnya, Iraq, Kashmir, North Korea and Yugoslavia simply have to ‘choose’ prosperity and the rest takes care of itself. Ditto avoiding

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global terrorism. The truth is the people leading these countries and the people working around them in business and government need to have a deeper understanding of the scope and consequences of their spoken or unspoken principles in the boardroom as well as the party room. A simplistic slogan related to operating principles for global equity will not suffice any more than hollow words and images from PR consultants. BORROWED PRINCIPLES IN THE PROFESSIONAL DOMAIN (THE WORLD ACCORDING TO SPIN-DOCTORS) It is as naive to assume that forces of globalisation will self-correct to find the best of the Lexus and the olive tree, as it is to assume that values and principles manufactured by marketing and public relations departments constitute meaningful statements of corporate intent back home in Australia. ‘Intelligent’ leadership author, Alistair Mant6 uncharacteristically puts his foot in it when he observed: ... those of us who work as consultants are aware of a growing corporate interest in, and concern about, ‘reputation management’. One global energy company of my acquaintance (let’s call it Company X) is currently pulling in all the futurist gurus to help it consider how the ‘corporation’ of the future will have to align itself with civic society. It sounds a bit airy-fairy but it is a serious attempt by some seriously clever people to achieve a rapprochement with the wider community ...

Why can’t the ‘seriously normal’ executive team of Company X sit down with other normal people from civic society and save themselves the consultancy fee? Given the proposition that employers of choice in the present and future will not have fundamentally different values and principles from the communities in which they work – at home or away – ‘rapprochement’ will become their own responsibility in the unlikely event that it is needed. In Mant’s defence, he observes later in the same article: The business landscape is not fenced off from the political and social landscapes. If they don’t respond to disquiet felt by ordinary people, then sooner or later that is going to translate into a political agenda – one that could make it much harder for them to get on with business ...

The corporation of the future, as in the corporation of the present, is driven by executive teams, which contain individuals with responsibilities related to individual and collective values and principles. Reluctance to

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acknowledge these or rejection of personal responsibility in the local or global environment is, fundamentally, a cop-out. There is another side to this issue where employers consciously set out to influence public policy. This is well illustrated by the commercialisation of education in North America. One prominent critic of this trend is Naomi Klein,7 an articulate young author who is hopping mad about attempts by brand-driven multinationals to blur the social landscape in order to achieve dollar-driven objectives. Klein illustrated her view regarding the ‘Branding of Learning’ through the growth of education system-focused broadcaster Channel One. This entity delivers mandatory commercial spots during classes in increasing numbers of Canadian and American public schools. Klein notes: Channel One isn’t just hawking its advertisers’ sneakers and candy to school kids, it is also selling the idea that its own programming is an invaluable educational aid, one that modernises such arid, outmoded educational resources as books and teachers. In the model advanced by these broadcasters, the process of learning is little more than the transferring of ‘stuff ’ to the student’s brain. Whether that stuff happens to be about a new blockbuster from Disney or the Pythagorean theorem, the net effect, according to this theory, is the same: more stuff stuffed ...

Klein illustrates the distortion of basic commercial and ideological principles in large-scale markets where such content equates to curriculum. It is up to the individual to challenge this mindset in the marketplace as much as the polling place. The name of the business game needs to be smoke and mirror free, otherwise staff will surely extinguish the place. DO DIFFERENT VALUES AND PRINCIPLES APPLY GENERATIONALLY? One possible critique of Klein (and Clayton) is that we are out of touch with the liberal values of the generations to which we separately belong. It has become fashionable to employ a range of generalisations related to the behaviour and values allegedly adhered to by baby boomers, Generation X and, more recently, Generation Y. Baby boomers were born after World War II and before 1965. Generation X was born between 1965 and 1980 and Generation Y apparently was born after 1980. A representative article regarding the differences between the generations was written in Management Today by Nick Way.8 This article would have us believe: • Baby boomers are: – ambitious

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– loyal – have the notion that employment is guaranteed – believe in process – that there is a right way of doing things to achieve the desired outcome. – Baby boomers are not prepared to handle the well-educated confident women who are aware of their rights and who started to come through into key positions as part of Generation X. • Generation X’s are: – pragmatic – hierarchies don’t necessarily matter – they are good at coming up with new ways of doing things – they are a group of people who are deeply independent – they strive for a balance between work and private life. • Generation Y by contrast: – is much more ‘techno’ literate – is more multiculturally at ease than previous generations – has greater idealism – is more individualistic – demands greater flexibility in the workplace – certainly will not be prepared to sacrifice their careers and in all likelihood will expect their partners to play a greater role in the domestic front. It can be argued that these sorts of generalisations are as meaningful as the observation that male Generation X’s have a monopoly on facial and other body hardware, or that they represent the only generation of males who haven’t yet learned how to tuck in their shirts. It can also be shown that Way’s analysis is simplistic and lazy. It is simplistic because it appears to be unable to factor in trends associated with age and stage in people’s lives that affect their motivation and values. For example, age and stage would inevitably make 30-year-olds highly mobile and conscious of quality of life, just as it would make 20-year-olds preoccupied with balance and individuality. By the same token, baby boomers in their fifties would be wary of young contenders and keen to sustain job security in late career. Writing about generations with such generalisations is lazy, because it asks us to swallow the lie that the values and principles at work within different generations are in some way incapable of diversity and change over time. This did not deter Australian ‘social researcher’ Hugh Mackay9 from writing that his pre-World War 2 generation were ‘the lucky generation’, baby boomers are ‘the stress generation’ and those born post-1970 are ‘the options generation’. Or further, that the members of these generations are effectively typecast for the duration. It is apparent that the people behind

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this kind of thinking draw their research orientation from consumer marketing and sales with a product focus on people, as opposed to a broader social perspective. Values and principles can and do change over time. This has already been illustrated in this chapter (see the preliminary discussion about values over the calendar). It is further illustrated in the attitudes of people of all ages to the folk of Islamic and non-Islamic faiths in the workplace since 11 September 2001 in America, 12 October 2002 in Bali, and 11 March 2004 in Madrid. At an individual level, generalising about the values and principles of generations prevents us from looking closely at what we believe in at work and where people may need to stand their ground on matters of principle. At an organisational level, an approach is required that gets beyond lists, opportunism, spin and market research views of what is important in peoples’ corporate work lives. Such a discussion brings us to the important, and yet at times exasperating, work of Stephen Covey,10 whose writings linking principles and time will serve as a foundation from which we can build a better model. STEPHEN COVEY’S CONTRIBUTION The reasons that Covey’s ideas regarding principles, priorities and time have been chosen as a reference point from which to work in this publication are quite specific: • The Seven Habits has become the textbook of ‘self improvement’ in the corporate market and indeed further afield.11 • There appears to be little in the way of accessible alternative literature that has been published over the past decade that has attempted to critique or offer an enhanced alternative to Covey. Also, criticisms can be levelled at Covey in terms of his language, worldview and ultimately the coherence of his concepts. Notwithstanding these shortcomings, it is useful to revisit aspects of his work in order to more effectively crystallise our own insight associated with re-focusing and reorganising ourselves and our employers. Thus far, while we have acknowledged the importance of principles as a dynamic way of articulating values, we have not yet developed a mechanism through which principles can be appraised or introduced into the globalised maelstrom in which many of us work. Covey offers a way to do this, although his approach needs adapting for the following reasons.

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LANGUAGE A reading of Covey’s books rapidly leads one to the conclusion that his people appeared to have swallowed practically every corporate buzz word from the 1990s. In fact, his books will serve as a literary artefact to the speed with which terminology can be hackneyed and diminished. Of course, this is not entirely Covey’s fault. The buzzwords that he employs have been popularised irrespective of the cocoon his seminars have created, leading to the derision with which such terms can receive a decade plus later. In effect it is a bit like the way in which Michael Jackson co-opted the word ‘bad’ to mean ‘good’. In the post-restructure era, words like ‘paradigms’, ‘empowerment’, ‘proactive’, ‘win–win’ and ‘empathy’ may be seen by the survivors to represent alternative constructs such as ‘this week’s view’, ‘all accountability no authority’, ‘you are on your own’, ‘win–lose’, and ‘I hear what you’re saying but it doesn’t change a thing’, respectively. Covey’s glibness and naivety represent a reality that is more like Disneyland than Corporate City. Consider the hot chocolate incident12 as a case in point. Covey is at a hotel where an employee spills a cup of hot chocolate, causing a 15-minute delay while another one is prepared. Covey is extremely impressed that an employee admitted his error to his boss. Next day the room service manager phoned to offer Covey and company the option of a buffet breakfast or a room service breakfast on the house to compensate for the inconvenience in some way. Covey appeared to be overwhelmed by the sincerity of this offer. Most of us have seen these customer service-related genuflections in the hospitality industry. They do not, however, represent anything fundamentally different about the alignment between the individual and the organisation’s values and principles. They have simply become a bit like the ‘have a happy day’ mantra from the tollway attendant. It is part of the script rather than part of the person. Worldview

Covey’s worldview is both Pollyanerish and skewed in terms of the people that he, in particular, had the good fortune to affiliate with. His Pollyanna perspective is continually reflected in his anecdotes and many of us have struggled to relate to some of his concepts regarding families and their development (Covey, Merrill and Merrill).13 Consider the Smith family at large as a case in point: ... we each took particular roles that would help contribute to building the Smith team ... my six-year-old daughter chose the role of family cheerleader ...

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whenever there was a problem she would break into one of her cheers, ‘Smiths, Smiths, driving down the street! When we stick together we can’t be beat!’ Whether or not we felt like it, we’d all have to join in ... We also had matching Tshirts ...

Sorry, Smiths, most six-year-olds in Australia would have horse laughed if you had pulled that one on them – and they are by no means the products of principle-free families. Perhaps the Covey ‘team’ can justify such anecdotes on the basis of cultural differences. However, the issue of Covey’s apparent understanding of how the charismatic visions of the CEOs he meets transfer to the regional offices may leave him a little disappointed. Covey worked too close to the head office environment and met people whose sage-like wisdom may actually not be emulated one or two continents away in a shrinking marketplace. This observation is based on having worked for several of the same transnationals that Covey and his people have consulted to. Covey’s response to this criticism could be to regard such experiences in the darker realms of corporate life as negative, but that doesn’t deny its truth. In fact, it is precisely the lack of pragmatism and clarity that is manifest in the language of organisations and Covey-like people that led to this book being written in the first place. Coveyisms

Given his penchant for corpo-babble mentioned above, Covey moved on to create a fuzzy language all of his own. Although some of his buzzwords have a superficial attractiveness about them, they are not necessarily useful down on planet reality. In particular: • ‘deep inner life’ • ‘balanced abundance’ • ‘interdependent reality’ • ‘personal integrity accounts’. Most of these concepts tell us more about Covey’s ideals than other people’s realities. And however attractive these words may look on paper, they do not ensure that they will be walked on the office floor (not to mention the personal or priority people domains). Consider, for example, the crises and distractions many of us encounter, such as heavy-duty deadlines, psychologically unwell colleagues or competitors, which will probably not lend themselves to ‘interdependent reality’, let alone ‘personal integrity accounts’. Covey muddled things up further by his belief that the language and strategies of corporate development could be used interchangeably with

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those used in personal development. This is no better illustrated than by his co-opting the language and construction of ‘mission statements’ in the personal and priority people domains. Many would agree that the aspirational ambiguity of mission statements has been sorely tested at work and this has had consequences in terms of the credibility of such language outside the office. Mission statement mania

There is no greater evidence of the gap between words and work-face than in the disparity between the gold-framed mission statements littering the walls of corporations around the world and what actually takes place in many of them. This is because the complexity of values-based decisions that leaders are continuously required to make regarding strategy and operations are inevitably confounded by: • fickle markets • inhuman deadlines • personal ambitions • geopolitics. Mission statements do have a place in organisations regarding broadbrush goals and standards. After that, it is up to the individual leader to personally model the mission in detail by feet-on-the-ground behaviour, rather than stars-in-eyes sentiments. The following illustrations from my extensive personal collection of corporate mission statements will hopefully demonstrate the point related to corporate aspirations and realities: Mission of Sandline International14 (Mercenaries for hire) ... to provide our clients with the best possible military services in order to assist them with solving security issues quickly, efficiently and with minimum impact ... Policy: Sandline’s operating principles ensure that the company only accepts projects which, in the view of its management, would improve the state of security, stability and general conditions in client countries. To this end the company will only undertake projects which are for: • internationally recognised governments (preferably democratically elected) • international institutions such as the UN • genuine, internationally recognised and supported liberation movements

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• and which are: – legal and moral – conducted to the standards of first world military forces – where possible, broadly in accord with the policies of key western governments – undertaken exclusively within the national boundaries of the client country ...

Preferably democratically elected? ... Legal and moral? ... Broadly in accord with the policies of key western governments? ... This is a truly remarkable piece of dissembling to shroud opportunism behind a corporate template of respectability. Mission of an Australian airport group To develop the airport as a world-class facility which maximises value to shareholders, respects the expectations of all stakeholders and maintains a commitment to its people, safety and the environment ...

What about the passengers, or are they staked out among the ‘stakeholders’? This mission statement is a classic illustration of the shareholders-first view of the world. Mission statement of a lunch bar (Yes, it is up there with the menu) C ... and G ...’s commitment is to provide the freshest value for money produce which is additive and preservative free. We apply a passionate and innovative approach to food, which is evident in our product diversity. Our philosophy is to maintain the highest standards in food quality, product diversity, customer service and value for money ...

So why was the avocado in the wholemeal rolls the colour of Bass Strait crude oil? This is an example of where an entity has been so overwhelmed by its corporate cachet that it has lost contact with what it is actually supposed to do – that is, make lunches. Many readers will be aware of the negative reactions that they experience or draw from colleagues regarding the meaningfulness of their corporate mission statements. Consequently, when Covey introduces ‘mission’ into the personal domain it is no surprise when the lofty but fuzzy euphemisms appear close behind. Consider the following as a case in point: My mission is to be a force for positive change and to inspire others to greatness through being a catalyst for action and through developing a shared vision of that which is possible.

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Good sentiments and nice values aside, it is difficult to conceptualise what this means when the rubber hits the road. To his credit, Covey does attempt, at least once, to make the distinction between personal and professional. Unfortunately, when he does this he can leave readers scratching their heads in a cloud of clichés. I will use my private victories unselfishly by trying to create value for others. The pursuit of excellence will determine the options I decide to exercise and the paths I choose to travel ... 15

For people reading this book, the development of a guiding set of personal principles is essential to the establishment of priorities in life. However, such a statement is better captured in terms of a personal credo rather than a mechanistic ‘mission’ with its attendant baggage in language and concepts that are as unique and colourful as you are. Consider the following as an illustration: • My time is short and I want to maximise my presence right now. • I want to be fit for fun and sharp for learning at work and home. • I want the people who count in my life to know I am kindly, available for them and willing to share without qualification. • Through my work I want to be known as more than ‘a provider’. • I will apply my knowledge in ways that are consistent with my wish to constructively influence the world vocationally and socially. • I will find my way with humour and a low profile, but with determination and willingness to stand my ground where necessary. • I want to hear, see and feel the music, images and nuances of life like Charlie Parker, Pablo Picasso and Albert Camus played, painted and wrote about it. You will hopefully agree that this credo has a touch more individuality than the previous ‘missions’. (You will get the opportunity to draft your own in the section that follows.) DRAFTING YOUR MAP MINUS THE DETOURS By sifting through the ideas and anecdotes contained in many of Covey’s books, up to Living the Seven Habits (Stories of Courage and Inspiration),16 it is possible to see that his basic strategy related to generating personal priorities and managing time changes little. In order to achieve optimal personal effectiveness he invites us to: • write a ‘mission statement’ • identify some long-term goals • define the key roles we perform in our lives

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• set sub-goals associated with the roles on a seven-day schedule • develop plans associated with the roles and, where necessary, adjust these from day to day • rework the process weekly. The proof of Covey’s pudding is in the eating and though many have tried, the recipe just doesn’t satisfy in a practical way. Whereas the ingredients seem right the mixture is just too flaky. This book significantly enhances Covey’s approach by building upon it via: • looking at how things are now in the three domains • establishing what is driving you at this time and considering how you want things to be three months from now • writing a progress report on yourself • creating objectives for the three domains across three crucial timeframes • writing a credo to match your goals • creating short-term priorities across a three-month period • planning your week realistically. So let’s work this approach up now, using these steps. Note that the process can be conducted with significantly more effect using the Workbook that accompanies this text.

SEVEN STEPS TO HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PRIORITY PLANNING What we are about to do is move on from Covey country and instead use a sequence which is more pragmatic, integrated and directional. This model employs seven steps for you, rather than seven ‘habits’ of others. They are as follows: 1 View your diary. 2 Recognise the apparent values at work in your three domains. 3 Report on yourself. 4 Sketch life objectives across 10 years, five years and one year. 5 Write your credo. 6 Specify your priorities for the next three months. 7 Plan the week so that you can be at once focused and flexible. In order to help you evaluate the seven steps consider the following illustrations based on three case studies that are based on: • a gambler about to embark on a betting splurge in a glitzy casino • a traveller about to plan a journey through life with freedom to determine stops along the way – including the ultimate destination • a ‘top professional’ contemplating the next opportunity to take on the business world.

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VIEW THE DIARIES Prior to getting under way, our three subjects pull out their diaries. The gambler actually hasn’t got one. However, he thinks back over the past week and detects a pattern of random wins and losses in a variety of games of chance. The pattern is chaotic, but the basics include the same or similar experiences characterised by highs, lows and break-evens. The traveller’s diary has a commentary in it. She notes the circumstances that have led up to her next decision on the road. There is a history of reflection; selection of destinations; interactions with other travellers; determination of resources and time; and a consolidation of past experience, desire for freshness and renewal. The ‘top professional’ studies his p.d.a. blackened with dates, times, places, names, objectives and outcomes. He reaches compulsively for his stylus to make a memo related to a couple of poorly used hours which were supposed to be ‘quality time’. VALUES AT WORK The gambler sees personal, professional and priority people as the same thing. He recognises that the values which have been in play through his ‘diary’ include excitement and fun, a form of self-expression and desire for reward, and financial success. The traveller studies values that have been at work in the three domains. She considers the way things are in each and the way she would like them to be in the future. This suggests ways in which the journey may be enhanced and helps crystallise the destination and companions that could be involved along the road. The ‘top professional’ nods his head in a satisfied way at the amount of activity and productivity that has been accomplished in his professional domain. Barely conscious of his own physical and psychological state, and the absence of other people around him, he begins to think enthusiastically about the potential for more achievement and outcomes in the immediate future. SELF-REPORT The gambler finds his self-report relatively easy to write. It is the same report he could have written last week and last year. The people in the three domains have superficial, if chaotic, connections with ‘Numero Uno’. The principles in play are essentially the same as the simple values from which he works in relation to excitement, self-gratification and material reward. The traveller, by contrast, finds she has a lot to write at this stage in the proceedings. Working back from the objectives she has set along the road, she

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begins to see what has been most important in relation to herself, her priority people and her professional interest. The process is rewarding because it enables her to understand fundamentally what she has been on about in her journey to date, and the process ensures that her future objectives will be tackled for the right reasons. The ‘top professional’ feels a little uneasy as he attempts to self-report. For a while he reflects on issues related to patchy personal wellbeing, frayed relationships and stodgy job satisfaction. Then he decides that it is all too hard and focuses on creating a list related to completed projects, successful promotions and financial pay-offs. This enables him to record and measure in the fastidious fashion he has always employed. NOMINATING 10-YEAR, 5-YEAR AND 12-MONTH OBJECTIVES The gambler’s main objective is late tonight when the casino closes and he cashes in his chips. The most generous long-term objective he can imagine is winning a small fortune and spending a week at an exclusive resort (with a gaming room). Ultimately, he sees himself back on the circuit playing on until the game is over in terms of his wellbeing and/or financial resources. The traveller contemplates a range of objectives based on geography, relationships, interests, seasons, financial resources and personal development. She takes the time to document a number of these and spreads them out over the three timeframes, with increasing focus on the next 12 months. The ‘top professional’ defines his objectives in terms of promotions, holidays and a date in the future at which he will discontinue work with a nominated financial figure. This person acknowledges inwardly that the latter part of this process could be tedious and repetitive, but the ends justify the means – if he does the distance. WRITING A CREDO

The gambler reflects for a minute or two about the nature of his game. He comes up with some well-worn cliches to meet the request. ‘It comes down to win or lose’ and ‘You have to be in it to win it’. The gambler indicates he plays for today. His friends are the folk around the table with him. The traveller describes her credo as ‘A moveable feast. I work to live well so my family will enjoy the best of my rewards. I will help them develop and assist them before everything else when they are struggling. I want to grow and have adventures in life every week. I want fun, friendship and balance in what I do and how I am’. The ‘top professional’, by contrast, describes his credo simply as ‘Get it done before you get done’. He feels some satisfaction at the remarkable amount he

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has achieved and the level of organisation that has gone into this. He is vaguely aware that he is not particularly happy in terms of ‘being’. However, the mission has certainly been successful thus far in terms of ‘doing’. SPECIFYING PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS Needless to say, the gambler finds the next three months and the associated objectives as easy as the previous three months. ‘You throw your dice, then you pick up your winnings or cut your losses.’ The gambler’s circumstances are set by chance and he chooses to keep it that way. The traveller acknowledges the relationship between her current diary, her values, the core of her credo and where she would like to go in the long haul. She translates this into several big-ticket items for the next three months in each of the three domains. She then makes a selected number of notes, which she sees as the essentials to sustain the best possible journey. Afterwards she feels a sense of personal satisfaction at the congruence of these with who she is. The ‘top professional’ creates a spreadsheet with plans and key performance indicators (KPIs). He feels a deep sense of satisfaction at the sheer sweep of his ambition and the level of personal busyness this will create. FOCUS AND FLEXIBILITY OVER THE FOLLOWING WEEK The gambler smiles and strolls towards the casino. He knows what to do and how to do it. Further thought is superfluous. The traveller dissects a selected number of items from her three-month objectives and sets herself to achieve parts of these over the course of the next seven days. Deciding she has too much on her plate, she then drops a couple of items to give herself scope for spontaneity and fun. She is free to set forth and put the plan together without the plan becoming the master. The ‘top professional’ completes his personal organiser and finds that he has no time for lunch during the course of the week. He decides to accommodate this by ordering lunch into his office and feels the mixed indigestion and exultation that this will mean in terms of output over the week. At this point the parable comes to an end. We have the gambler, the organised life traveller and the dot-point-driven professional who has lost contact with the basics in the quest for efficiency. There is no denying that the traveller’s road is, in many ways, the most difficult of the three, but hopefully you will agree that the rewards will justify the effort. Now it is time to sketch out the seven-step process to enable you to review and enhance your journey and achieve more of the things that are important to you in life.

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1 View your diary

This step is designed to enable you to study the balance of your activities at this time. Ideally it would involve the past seven days of your work life. In the event that the past seven days are not representative of your pattern (possibly because of travel, illness or holidays), work your way back to a week in which you regard the time as being representative. This information will serve as the basis for the second step associated with examining your values in play.

2 Recognise the apparent and preferred values in your three domains

The value wheels below are designed to diagrammatically represent your work life ‘voyage’ as it is and how it could be in terms of how you choose to navigate the future. The first three values wheels enable you to gain greater clarity regarding where you have been focusing your energy in relation to personal, priority people and professional activity at this time.

Personal domain (Current values mix)

Priority people domain (Current values mix)

Professional people domain (Current values mix)

Figure 2.1 Apparent values employed in your three domains

You can identify items for these wheels from the values compass in Table 2.1 on page 50. (Attach up to eight of these to the spokes of the three wheels in Figure 2.1.)

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Values related to Contributing • Helping • Community • Volunteering • Supporting causes • Political activism • Creating a legacy • • • •

Values related to Being • Meaning • Balance • Harmony • Wisdom • Integrity • Responsibility • Life experience • • • •

Values related to Expression • Creativity • Fun and play • Interests • Adventure • Recreation • Sport • • • •

Values related to Relationships • Primary relationship • Parents • Siblings • Relations • Children • Friends • Mentees • Groups • Colleagues • Antagonists •

Values related to Doing and Achieving

• Workplace – Promotion – Job satisfaction – Reward – Leadership – Enterprise • Learning • Sports • Money • Possessions • Winning

Values related to Identity

• Fitness and health • Self-esteem • Self-awareness • Personal leadership • Independence • Originality • Visibility • Status • • •

Personal values can be captured under six key groups that are represented in the following table. You may nominate additional items in the spaces provided.

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Table 2.1 Values compass

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You could now complete the same process using preferred values from the second set of values wheels below. Preferred personal values three months from now

Preferred priority people values three months from now

Preferred professional people values three months from now

Figure 2.2 Preferred values employed in your three domains

3 Self-report

Describe in your own words your current life situation in your three domains. You can base these statements around key trends from the values wheels. 4 Nominate 10-year, five-year and one-year objectives

It is time to think about your long- and medium-term dreams and goals. Guidelines that could be helpful include: • key relationships that you are committed to • experiences you want from life • opportunities you want from work • messages you received from your preferred values wheels • learning you want to derive from the future • things that you want to be remembered by • turning points related to your personal journey (for example, aged 60), family stages (for example, kids to university or TAFE), ‘retirement’ (for example, ending full-time work). This part of the seven-step process will take time. The first step is to create a draft that you can polish.

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5 Write your credo Credo. n. any formal statement of beliefs, principles or opinions.17

This involves two steps. First, look at the overriding principles implicit in your 10-year, five-year and one-year goals and dreams. These principles represent values in action. Examples might be, ‘The need to remain fit and maintain my mental acuity’, ‘A focus on maintaining the closeness and support I derive from my brother and sister’, or ‘A quest for leadership in my business, and fun in terms of the process and people’. Take the time to write items relevant to you in relation to your three domains. Having developed some of these principles, you are ready to draft a credo that captures them coherently. It is easier to prepare your credo in three parts based on personal, priority people and professional reference frames. You can then link the statements you have drafted to spell out what you are about. 6 Specify your priorities for the next three months

We now move away from the big picture down to a timeframe that most of us can reach comfortably. On a sheet of paper document the big-ticket items that are relevant to you in your three domains over the next 12 weeks. 7 Create focus by nominating realistic goals for the next seven days

Most readers will be well versed in goal-setting and project-planning. However, at this stage please nominate a limited but critical list of priorities across your three domains. We will consider these further in the next section on time management. The seven steps have now been completed from broad statements about values to concrete goals for the here and now. This last step is repeated weekly, preferably on a Friday or Sunday. The three-month process is undertaken quarterly and steps two to five biannually. Let us now explore some of the skills involved in Step 7 in more detail.

TIME MANAGEMENT Time management brings to mind gigantic leather diaries from the 1980s and 1990s, and complex priority rating systems. Alternatively, consultants who catalogue their clothes, talk incredibly quickly and know statistics, like how many minutes there are in a year.

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The important point to recognise about time management is that it is a discipline rather than a philosophy. The problem with much of the literature and analysis created by ‘professional’ time managers is that they confound this distinction. In fact, most of them are actually talking about clock management, which has little to do with three-domain thinking and the associated craft of life management. Let us clarify this distinction further. There are two key variables to trade off in the ‘management’ of time. On the one hand there is the hard-core professional dictum that time is money. This is clock management. On the other, you will hopefully agree that wherever possible the organised passage of time should include fun. This is life management. Referring to the conflation of clock management and life management, Melbourne sociologist John Carroll18 noted of professionals and managers: The same elites have difficulty in relaxing. Their holidays are organised like work, with regimes of tennis and golf, books that have to be read, business projects to be mapped out, social contacts to be extended. The devil must be kept busy. This is not simply obsessional neurosis ... The work ethic never sleeps, insisting that time is precious, perfection must be consistently worked at, and that idleness is a type of death ...

In the priority people domain slavish clock management translates into superficiality and immature relationships, reflected in narrow friendship circles and companionship that goes little further than set pieces and rituals. In the professional domain it translates into an addiction to workohol from which detox is sometimes as difficult as with nasty narcotics. Life management works best on priorities that have been determined by thoughtfully implementing the three-month planning cycle in the personal, priority people and professional domains. Once these three-month markers are in place, a range of lower order disciplines can be employed. The literature associated with such time and clock management strategies is fairly consistent in the way in which it explores areas for improvement. Almost inevitably the focus is in the professional domain with reference to: 1 managing yourself 2 managing tasks 3 managing other people. There is recognition of priority people in such books and systems, which can sometimes be wrapped up in the notion of ‘quality time’. However, quality time can be something of a mirage. It assumes that time can be better spent; for example, if you tune in to the needs of a key relationship over a fixed period. Unfortunately, this approach will probably be tokenistic

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if such interludes are less than a half-day. Equally illusory is the notion of spending half an hour of quality time with young children (particularly if this is offset with weekends of psychological or physical absence). Furthermore, some of the time-tuners’ guidelines for the priority people domain can be simplistic as well. Consider the following insight from ‘second-savers’ Bigham-Bernstel and Windhaus:19 TIP – Make sure to greet each family member individually when you come home – it re-establishes personal contact ...

The guidelines that follow will attempt to avoid stating the obvious as we direct ourselves to each of the three reference points numbered above. In responding to these, you may want to refer back to notes you made earlier in this chapter. MANAGING YOURSELF Personal time management comes down to a balancing act between the schedular and the soul. A number of the critical issues associated with this include: • developing strategies for personal focus • providing yourself with time to think • effective ‘should’ management • ensuring a high level of congruence between priorities and personal principles • committing yourself to follow through on priorities you have selected. Time to focus picks up on the notion of intentional mental selfdiscipline. There have been numerous attempts by psychologists involved in elite sports, such as Winter and Hamilton,20 to transfer concepts associated with the personal ‘performance zone’ from the track and field into the corridor and cubicle. Typically, the beneficiary of this process is asked to think about situations in which he or she was able to perform optimally and to reflect on frame of mind immediately prior to and during the course of the ‘event’. In terms of strategies that can be garnered from such crossovers between sport and shop consider: • becoming attuned to physical and psychological factors that have a direct bearing on maintenance of performance over time (for example, interruptions, phones or e-mail) • stripping away unnecessary clutter associated with determining the objective and what it takes to achieve it (for example, superfluous meetings)

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• a deliberate focus on creating supportive preconditions for success (for example, talking to trusted advisers only) • visualisation based on imagery associated with actual activity and outcomes (for example, this works well with critical presentations). Those among us who enjoy their sports may find such notions useful elsewhere in their work lives. For those who struggle with the image of a board meeting flowing effortlessly with your every whim, or a harmonious meeting with a difficult family member from Planet 8, you may choose alternative strategies associated with effective meditation in Chapter 8. This may be a more accessible alternative in terms of centring yourself and handling difficulty and resistance with appropriate self-awareness. Other considerations associated with optimising focus include: • recognising the times of day when you concentrate best (many of us are unquestionably most creative for around one hour first thing in the morning) • developing short cuts such as speed-reading or document-skimming to maximise availability of focused concentration • scanning for focus-breakers, such as junk phone calls or caffeine invitations at times when you are struggling with complex tasks • avoiding the temptation to disconnect yourself as you clear the professional domain and head for priority people at home. Superstar manager, Mark McCormack21 offered alternative guidelines from a professional dynamo, related to focus and getting things done: As a general rule for getting things done the quickest, do the things that everyone else has to do at times when everyone else isn’t doing them ... [such as leaving early, working alone for concentration].

McCormack definitely had a point, although it can be taken to extremes. My old friend Tom, from Seattle, made a determined bid to live his life 12 hours out of sync with the rest of his countrymen. He used to remark on how easy he found his shopping and commuting, but his social life was pretty retarded and he eventually pulled things back into a more circadian set-up. Time to think is not as obvious as it seems. Many of us are so enmeshed in short-term priorities that the big picture fades, leaving us thrashing about in reactive mode. Commonly mentioned approaches to ‘think-time’, which can be heard from CEOs and priority people whose lives contain direction and clarity include: • taking between two and five (work) days off each year, alone or with partner, to reflect on the big items and the means to achieve these

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• employing the notion of the ‘tapered week’, which involves thinking, planning and intensive activity over the first part of the week and reducing the frenzy over the latter part of it. This prepares the ground for a level of wellbeing that ensures enjoyment of the weekend (as opposed to rehab) • the idea of ‘decompressing’ during the course of each day, which may include: – a little management by walking around – founded on a quest for repartee and laughter – consciously breaking out of a professional role prior to returning home, through judicious use of car music systems, work-outs and chinwags with everyday people like shopkeepers • having the good fortune of working with a truly formidable personal assistant – Dianne, I salute you! – who can differentiate between the turkeys and eagles, and take responsibility for aspects of one’s personal schedule. ‘Should’ management is one of the keys to avoiding over-commitment. Shoulds are not necessarily articulated, although they form the unconscious part of self-talk, which can be at once motivational and self-destructive. Examples of shoulds include: • ‘I should be able to work on’ (even if I have a mild case of flu). • ‘I should be able to help my family’ – no matter what. • ‘I should be able to take on everything associated with this project and deliver on time and quality’. • ‘I should be able to manage all my subordinates’. Whereas there is no denying the importance of shoulds, the consequences of soldiering on with significant illness, arbitrating ineffectively in difficult family matters or doggedly persevering to solve everybody’s problems in a difficult team, can create unrealistic expectations that satisfy the clock at the expense of wellbeing and goodwill. This style of Stoic time management is ultimately counterproductive. It is better to step clear and appraise the beliefs that drive shoulds and possibly reframe these where the outcomes have more to do with other peoples’ agendas than personal choices. The notion of aligning principles with priorities has been discussed. By now you will have identified a specific number of priorities on which you are prepared to focus in your three domains over the course of the next 12 weeks. If there is healthy congruence between these and what you believe, then the probability that you accomplish them will increase dramatically. Fundamentally, if you don’t like what you are doing then no amount of selfdiscipline and scheduling is going to enable you to get the results you want. Which brings us to commitment.

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Commitment relates to a clear understanding of the gap between determining to pursue priorities and dealing with the internal resistance that may inhibit this. It involves recognising the Mr Hyde at work in your time management realm, as opposed to the Dr Jekyll who has probably enabled you to read thus far in this chapter. Examples of the anti-commitment fiend at work include: • procrastination on certain priorities – ‘I hope interest in that business case analysis they want died and the whole project goes to hell where it belongs.’ • allowing yourself to work on for a couple of hours with zombie quality concentration, knowing you will probably have to rework what you have been producing anyway • denying your desire to do absolutely nothing on Sunday – then nearly killing yourself on a death march to Skull Rock. TIME AND TASK There are 10 common enemies to effective time management on task. In reviewing these you may again want to refer back to your analysis undertaken in the section on effective priority planning and reflect on specifics, so you can adjust your approach and enhance your personal effectiveness. Task management enemy number 1 – Urgency versus Importance

Have you ever found yourself sitting in a ‘must attend’ interstate meeting while the project time line that could save the business a fortune runs into the red end of the gauge back at the office? This is probably an example of urgency overwhelming importance. The truth is that most of us have to juggle urgency and importance concurrently. The answer in the first instance goes back to issues associated with the convergence of priorities and principles, plus effective use of time to think. In terms of your analysis, take the time to recognise what proportion of your activity is in fact reactive, as opposed to working proactively from strategic items. Clearly, the latter is the sphere in which serious progress can be made in relation to priorities in your personal, priority people and professional domains. Task management enemy number 2 – Not working effectively beyond a day and a week

This item picks up on priorities, importance and strategy. It requires creation of continuity in the way in which you are applying yourself, which goes beyond today, or any plans you have set for the week. It is not

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uncommon for experienced people in organisations employing strategic planning processes and Gantt charts to get ‘lost’ in the here and now. As a result they are unable to adjust to the telephoto view, which includes resources, collaborators and medium-term strategy prior to the stage that opportunities get lost or become crises. When I was in my pre-executive stage of development I travelled widely and played chess with adversaries from every known continent. Apart from quickly learning the dictum of the great Capablanca related to facing opponents into the sun whenever possible, I observed: • most opponents struggle to develop their strategy beyond a couple of moves ahead of the play • once the pressure comes on, this capability is frequently reduced to one fairly ordinary response to the move just played. This analogy demonstrates that superior task management will occur when preparedness to maintain contact with the strategic issues is sustained despite short-term setbacks. (This dictum unfortunately does little to help the quality of my chess game at this time.) Task management enemy number 3 – Multi-tasking

From a time management perspective the key skill associated with multitasking comes down to blocking out time. This relates to planning, working alone and working with people within groups. Where teams are involved, multi-tasking may also be dependent on the level of confidence you create related to achievement of deadlines. This may boil down to effective monitoring and creation of clear expectations related to due dates. There are thus a combination of conceptual and interpersonal skills that are critical to tame tasks and coordinate teams. Task management enemy number 4 – Quality

On the one hand is the issue of perfectionism, which leads to the creation of quality standards that are unnecessarily high and time-consuming. At the other end of the continuum is the slapdash and sloppy, which requires rework. Good old Doctor D. W. Deming22 put the answer straight in the fifth of his fourteen quality commandments for managers: ... improve constantly and forever the system of production and service, to improve quality and productivity, and thus constantly decrease costs ...

Deming is referring to continuous improvement where a realistic benchmark is set, then reviewed and enhanced over time. This is so that quality

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becomes a dynamic issue as opposed to a static one. His approach provides a way of resetting standards in task management without resorting to the obsessive or the ordinary. If you are not an adherent to the good Doctor, or you work in a turbulent environment with tendencies to perfectionism, remember Pareto’s Principle, which can be stated in terms that 20 per cent of your time determines 80 per cent of your effectiveness. Yes, that was 20 per cent, not the other way round. Task management enemy number 5 – Dealing with backlogs

Managing backlogs is analogous to attempting to bail out a canoe while manoeuvring through rapids. Skilled backlog management includes: • having the capacity to decipher the truly urgent from the merely urgent • being willing to delegate and take appropriate risks with people to whom disorder is delegated • having appropriate diplomacy skills to manage customers and colleagues when things have gone awry • being able to maintain concurrent focus on strategic and operational issues while the backlog is being mopped up. Backlog management can also manifest itself in the form of breakdowns in deliveries by teams and workgroups for whom you may be responsible. Chapter 7 refers to this in more detail. Where things have really gone overboard, a critical skill may include maintaining marginal performance from people who have gone in over their heads or who are aware that their contribution has not been acceptable. In this situation, part of task management may relate to ensuring that these people don’t jump ship to leave you foundering in the white water. Task management enemy number 6 – Efficient management of research and reading

In relation to research and reading associated with task accomplishment, as much discipline is required to contain the process as there is in capturing key information. For example, the Internet is a seething mass of distraction, which can cause you to wind up whole subject areas away from where you started. One way to avoid this drift is to doggedly confine yourself to specific sites. It is also noteworthy that Internet-based research can be frustratingly shallow in terms of the substance of information unearthed unless you are prepared to key in your credit card details. Efficient non–Web-based documentary research is contingent on the

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field in which you are working and the familiarity you have with sources. A practical way to do this is to limit yourself to an finite number of key topics and ‘work’ them for fixed timeframes before moving on. Reading appears to be an increasingly unpopular professional activity. One reason for this is volume, another is style. One way round this is index scanning followed by focused speed-reading where the going is tedious. In the personal domain, however, many of us may benefit from rediscovering reading for pleasure. This requires creation of a relevant priority and preparedness to read whole paragraphs once again. Task management enemy number 7 – E-mail

Most of us grimace at the e-mail blizzards that descend daily on our screens, and the work that is absorbed in shovelling them off again. Relevant taskrelated time managers in this sector include: • Tactfully discouraging junk e-mails from colleagues and friends who use e-mail as a form of existential thought bubble during the day. Although frequently amusing, these tic-tacs may be distracting when the heat is on. • Avoiding the temptation to respond to relatively unimportant e-mails as they come to the screen. To this end turning off your sound card effect can be helpful. • Handling e-mail in bulk. • Trying to keep e-mail communication well under a page. • Using the telephone when sensitivity and issues associated with interpretation of intent are relevant. Task management enemy number 8 – Telephones

Key guidelines associated with the use of telephones on task and timerelated matters include: • recognising when phone conversations turn from clarity to waffle and responding accordingly • using phones selectively and, as with e-mail, in batches • getting your personal assistant, where possible, to screen calls and take messages • trying to employ phones to conference decision-making wherever possible (as opposed to convening yet another meeting) • using mobile phones safely as well as efficiently. Time-tamer J. L. Barkas23 observed: ... the telephone is a tool or a weapon, depending on how you use it, or how it uses you ...

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Task management enemy number 9 – Time creep

Time creep relates to leakage of time. It can be minimised by: • ensuring that overruns are built into deliverables for which you are responsible in the first place • acknowledging that it will be a part of estimates delivered by most of your colleagues and subordinates • as with backlogs, seeking commitments from those who are responsible for them once they take hold • telling people one-on-one and at meetings how much time you have and sticking to it. Task Nazis would argue that time creep should not happen in the rarefied world of the time management wunderkind. The reality is that time creep is an insidious feature of life generally. The best response is to anticipate it as opposed to punishing yourself retrospectively as a dunkopf. Task management enemy number 10 – Work at home

This item lights up the least popular crossover between work and home. In fact, an Australian survey24 estimated that 41.2 per cent of managers and administrators work at least some part of the weekend in a month. It is clear that almost everybody loathes working at home even if they have a home office. Some guidelines (based on considerable experience) include: • Working at home can be moderated by the volume of material that you take from the office. (A 10 kg briefcase Friday makes for a heavy-hearted Monday.) • Working at home can almost never be completed without impact upon yourself and your priority people. • If you have to work anyway, intensive bursts of activity are generally more acceptable to priority people than protracted sagas. • Avoidance of comfort foods and other rewards (including alcohol) will reduce the amount of time wasted during homework. • Work at home is generally best undertaken in a discrete office environment – as opposed to dining room table, poolside furniture or (in particular) on a computer otherwise ‘owned’ by other members of the family. A powerful way to put the value of homework into perspective is to figure out the hourly rate for such labour. Efficiency consultants Godefroy and Clark25 offered a way of analysing this, based on your weekly salary and benefits plus cost of office space, equipment, phones and rates, divided by hours worked per week. After completing such calculations do you still want to tackle that pesky little file? (The conclusion reached on this analysis may be more motivating for an arms dealer than a hapless middle manager.)

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PEOPLE-RELATED TIME MANAGEMENT

There are five key reference points that recur related to time management in the people domain. These are: 1 Being able to provide clear guidelines regarding your priorities. 2 Being able to delegate clearly and concisely. 3 Being able to communicate using appropriate media. 4 Avoiding recaps regarding briefings and information. 5 Managing conflict. Issues associated with defining priorities have been discussed earlier in this chapter. In this section the point is that whereas you may have a high level of clarity related to what you want, you may still need to convey that information unambiguously to your people. This requires a helicopter view from the right altitude and easily understood landmarks. Guidelines associated with delegation include: • acknowledging when you may not do the job because of lack of time • recognising when someone else can do the job as well as you • enabling your subordinates to do the job after you have allocated it. Using appropriate media in communication is an important way of leveraging the clarity of your needs. Whereas a dot point document may suffice for an experienced project team, a lengthy one-on-one with the right cues for a struggling team member may avoid time-consuming digressions down the road. With respect to recaps, it can be very frustrating when team members resurrect issues you thought were dead and buried in the course of projects, particularly where these are used as explanations for time creep or backlogs. Suggestions that could assist in avoiding these unpleasant occurrences include: • creation of fresh time lines on documents and other media to ensure that dates and outcomes are clear, particularly if these have changed • anticipating the need for updates and briefings to avoid blank faces or avoidable glitches at crunch times • periodic innocent questions to team members regarding their understanding of the status and priority of work in which they are involved. So far as reducing time loss related to conflict: • Conflict management and time management work on completely different clocks. It is neither prudent nor particularly effective to attempt to resolve complex conflict by the hour. • Management of conflict never works well when the deadlines you face are needling the situation. It is desirable to take time out or make time to tackle such issues as opposed to setting them up to blow.

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• Conflict-related issues are priorities that many of us would rather not tackle or that effectively go to the bottom of the list by default. It is the true mark of the three-domain leader where such issues are acknowledged and tackled in a way that is compatible with broader priorities and commitment to personal growth. VEXING ASPECTS OF PERSONAL TIME MANAGEMENT There are a number of features of the contemporary workplace that are often poorly responded to in terms of balancing personal and professional time. Examples include: • The compressed work week, which effectively means that 40 hours’ work is accomplished in four days (or less). Although this may have benefits in terms of opportunity to pursue other interests, fatigue and workplace sourness caused by extended pressure to achieve results can thwart the original objective of this work style. • It is not unusual to hear from people who telecommute that there is pressure they find difficult to resist in terms of the level of performance that they are expected to contribute relative to office-based peers. It is apparent that ‘telecommuter guilt’ is fairly widespread and the premise on which offsite work was originally built (that is, freedom to work from alternate places, at designated times) is still treated with scepticism by many people who have not or cannot employ this option. Likewise with virtual teams, the most ‘virtual’ (that is, most remote workers) is often under pressure to deliver the most results. In either of these situations the benefits of the work style is eroded by social pressure from the reactionary end of the professional domain. • Skewed workplace cultures that impact on personal expectations in the professional domain. Bigham-Bernstel and Windhaus (2000, p. 23) provide an illustrative anecdote related to an Ernst and Young office in the United States: ... thankfully some companies recognised the burnout factor. Ernst and Young found that it was losing 22% of its women professionals annually in the late 1990s ... the company took measures to keep staff and attempted to change the workaholic work environment. According to Business Week, Ernst and Young added more administrative staff and partners factored staff demands and potential for turnover into project profitability. The company began to limit travel to four days a week and even placed a weekend ban on checking office voicemail and e-mail ...

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Reducing travel to four days a week and limiting access to voicemail and email on the weekend is still a poor reflection on the workplace culture of that organisation. The point is that whereas attempts were made to enhance the time and work balance of employees, if the culture is out of touch with the norm, resetting expectations will continue to result in burnouts and walkouts. Australian research shows that the norms set in this country in terms of working hours are particularly high. ACTU data26 stated that we have the second-longest working hours out of the OECD group of countries, with a quarter of the workforce working more than 50 hours per week. ACTU president Sharan Burrow27 put it bluntly when she said that ‘work is eating people’s lives’. From a three-domain perspective, excellent professional time management is redundant if the basic distribution of time into this domain is excessive. To summarise your time management priorities, make notes from the following table, which has assembled key questions related to the discussion in this section of the chapter.

Table 2.2 Three-domain time management

Personal domain How effective are you at allocating time to focus your thinking? Do you have enough time to think about your personal priorities? Are you happy with your resolve to see things through related to your personal objectives? Do you enable yourself to have time to review progress in relation to personal priorities?

Priority people domain Are you happy with the time you allocate to your priority people?

Professional domain Are there aspects of your basic time management in need of work (for example, phones, e-mails, work environment, ‘noise’)? Are your planning and task management skills up to the job? Are there people issues that need better management time-wise?

Are you allocating enough time for fun at home and work?

FROM THE HEART ❤ Values are excellent sentiments that can tell you about who you are and the principles that you are living by. However, don’t be fooled that writing them necessarily represents living them. ❤ A ‘mission’ can be a collection of buzzwords that can tangle our office vocabulary with our personal lives. An authentic credo spelt out in your own words will be far more meaningful.

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❤ Ten-year, five-year and one-year timeframes will enable you to map out your goals and philosophy with real congruence between who you are and who you want to become. ❤ A few well-chosen priorities can be effectively used to make things happen on a three-month map covering your three domains. When priorities are drafted practically and flexibly, things will happen. ❤ Time management can be superficial. Life management based on who you really are is the essence of three-domain thinking.

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Casestudy

Alan Jackson – chairman and chief executive of Melbourne manufacturer Austrim Nylex, national award winner, Reserve Bank board member, chairman of a Trade Commission and winner of the European businessman of the year award – arrived at the home of his newly installed managing director, Greg Beatty, about 8 p.m. Despite the cool weather that Saturday evening, the guests gathered by the swimming pool. By 9.45 p.m. Beatty was finishing a speech following a presentation of inscribed plates to the wives of his managers. The presentation recognised that the company drove its managers hard and the burden was also borne by their wives and families. In his speech, Beatty thanked Jackson for his promotion and made what was described by another witness as a realistic appraisal of what Austrim had achieved during the year and the things to be tackled in the year ahead. It had been a tough year, particularly in Austrim’s automotive division, with union strife and the GST playing havoc with earnings. Weak housing approvals had also hurt its building products division and Austrim’s share price had crashed from $4.30 two years earlier to historic lows of $1.55 to $1.65. One of the guests said that in a lull after the speech the stocky Jackson suddenly moved. ‘He grabbed Greg around the neck and dragged him from the pool area. The language was unbelievable: “I’m going to get you, I’m going to sack you and you’re not going to get a cent!” ‘Once inside the house’, the guest continued, ‘Alan punched him. Got him right full square in the face, in the cheek and nose area. It wasn’t a muck-around thing.’ Two more blows fell on an Austrim colleague trying to separate the men. Jackson was bundled out of Beatty’s house and returned home with his wife, leaving witnesses shocked, including Beatty’s children, aged 12, 10 and 9. The next morning, Beatty received a call from Jackson. Sources report that Jackson apologised and said his extraordinary actions were the result of him feeling unwell.1

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This is a good example of corporate understatement. Alan was definitely not at his best. In fact, his retirement was announced by company chairman John Moule ‘for health reasons’, soon thereafter. It is ironic that people with the capacity to manage everything up to a super power, frequently place their own wellbeing at the tail end of the list. Consider another case in point, George W. Bush’s Vice-President Dick Cheney, who appeared to have more need for coronary surgery than the icecream testers at Baskin and Robbin. Too many senior executives apply their problem-solving skills according to the ‘just too late’ school of management, where their health practitioner suggests they take two weeks’ leave to recover. Otherwise, they reluctantly agree to a further prescription for antidepressants or half-seriously reflect on a recommendation related to golf leave and a change of vocation. Recent Australian data found that 9.1 per cent of people at work described their health as ‘fair to poor’.2 Furthermore, 44.8 per cent of those people were experiencing four or more recent and/or long-term health conditions. Acknowledging the distinction between ‘fair’ and ‘poor’ health is subjective, most of us would agree that we would prefer to be at our best at work and at home. This chapter is designed to enable you to reflect on your state of physical and psychological wellbeing and hopefully encourage you to enhance these where possible. In particular, it will provide you with the opportunity to consider: 1 how you care for yourself and how you are cared for 2 your nutritional and exercise needs 3 your strategies associated with pressure and mood management 4 how you assist priority people and other professionals with their wellbeing.

SELF-CARE AND MEDICAL MANAGEMENT SELF-CARE It can be concluded from the example above that some people in leadership roles seem to be more focused on quality of death than quality of life. While these people impatiently acknowledge the contemporary wisdom related to diet, exercise, alcohol, weight, calm – many of them eat like hogs, exercise like sloths, drink like fish, weigh like whales and are strung out like Fender Stratocasters. Fads and fashions aside, most of us know that it is all about prevention, but failing that, the fall-back positions entail commonsense

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and moderation. Table 3.1 illustrates some of the most common causes of adult death in Australia and the acknowledged preventative strategies associated with these. None of these (with the possible exception of high blood pressure) necessitate a lot of prescriptive intervention at the preventative stage. Table 3.1 Common Australian killers and preventative strategies Disease

Dietary Exercise Don’t manage- manage- smoke ment ment

Atherosclerosis* ✓ Cancers: – Lung – Breast ✓ – Colon ✓ – Mouth – Liver – Oesophagus Emphysema** Cirrhosis (disease of liver) Diabetes (Type 2) ✓ Accident/Trauma (motor vehiclerelated)

✓

✓

✓

✓

Moderate Manage alcohol weight intake

✓

Monitor high blood pressure

Calm

✓

✓

Self-care

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

✓ ✓

✓ ✓

✓

✓

✓

*Fat deposit in and around arteries **Restriction of respiratory function Source: Telford et al. 1993

Likewise, if we look at a list of common non-fatal illnesses and preventative strategies, many of the keys to self-preservation are almost monotonously self-evident (including the frequently overlooked notion of talking to a professional about them). So what is going wrong at work for so many, including the likes of Alan Jackson? Leadership in the personal domain (including self-awareness) is a good starting point. Sometimes this is not assisted by the insidious relationship some of us enjoy with alcohol and other drugs. A workplace research paper prepared by William Mansfield,3 found that in a relatively healthy country like Australia, costs associated with drug abuse were conservatively calculated at over $14 billion annually. Mansfield noted that abuse of tobacco accounted for 47 per cent of that bill. The numbers continue to be staggering, given the apparent success of the ‘Quit’ programs and the widespread workplace rejection of smokers and their time-wasting rituals.

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Whereas many of us have driven a stake through the tobacco demon, the alcohol entity can be far more treacherous, recognising its importance and acceptance as a social lubricant and stress reducer. In fact, alcohol came in number two, accounting for 42 per cent of the drug-abuse bill. Alcohol can represent an expensive retardant to personal wellbeing, not to mention workplace effectiveness. Table 3.2 Common non-fatal illnesses and preventative strategies Disease

Seek Dietary professional manageadvice ment

Exercise management

Weight management

Osteoarthritis Back injuries Hernias Haemorrhoids Varicose veins (slow blood flow in legs) Gallbladder disease Ulcers Bladder infections Dental Management Anxiety/Depression

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

✓

✓ ✓

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

✓ ✓ ✓

✓ ✓

Don’t smoke

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

✓

✓ ✓ ✓

✓

Medicate carefully

✓

✓ ✓

Moderate alcohol

✓

Source: Telford et al. 1993

From a psychological perspective, a relatively new ‘disease’ which is impacting significantly on the wellbeing of many of us is the parasitic laptop computer, which attaches itself to our briefcase and finds its way back into the house in the evenings, weekends and (for the less fortunate) during holidays. This observation is not intended as a humorous aside. The p.c. in its laptop or desktop format has created the capacity for most of us to move the office into our personal domain with the minimum of difficulty. This is not helped by the manufacturers. Microsoft’s advertising for their Office 2000 products was a slick case in point. The funkily phrased teaser they used talked stream of consciousness style about kicking back on the weekend with a fully optioned laptop, containing all your office stuff. On Monday morning you could seamlessly sync up the work you had done with the company server and barely miss a beat.4 If only human beings were that simple to switch on and off. The effects of the computer parasite include: • the inability to break out of the professional role • a reduced capacity to lead and provide support for priority people

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• sore eyes, postural twinges from home office furniture, zonked-out computer-oriented thinking. Laptops aside, there are a number of insidious low-impact psychological and physical symptoms that many of us carry with us, which tend to get ignored when we are preoccupied with professional concerns. The trouble with these is that they can increase incrementally to become problematic if they are not treated. A representative sample follows:

Table 3.3 Low-impact symptoms Chronic fatigue Flat mood Caffeine addiction Being totally exhausted on Friday nights Mystery pain Headaches Weight gain Sleeplessness

Disinterest in socialising Loss of interest in a former hobby or passion Increasing drug use (include alcohol and cigarettes) Chronic irritability Toothache or other dental problems Skin rashes Mood swings

In terms of your self-awareness and self-management in relation to lowlevel and chronic medical problems, you may draw encouragement from the following anecdote, which appeared in Human Resources Magazine:5 In an uncanny case of workplace dedication to the last, an employee died on the job and still stayed at his desk to see out the working week. George Turklebaum – a proofreader at a New York publishing firm had a heart attack sitting at his desk in the open plan office he shared with 23 other workers. He passed away quietly during a busy Monday morning for the company, but nobody noticed until Saturday when an office cleaner asked why he was still working on the weekend. Bosses and colleagues at the publishing firm are still wondering why no one noticed that one of their employees was sitting dead at his desk for five days ...

This may be one of the worst examples of proofreading in publishing history. But let us focus seriously on the most widely consulted person who assesses executive health. WHAT SORT OF ‘PATIENT’ ARE YOU? The fact is that you can have the best medical provider insurance can buy and still go slowly and steadily downhill, without awareness and preparedness to monitor and maintain yourself. Further, unless you are conscious of

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and able to concisely and completely explain your symptoms to your medical provider, your forgetfulness or denial will simply serve to preserve the popular medical practitioner’s customer model – known as the ‘patient’. Which brings us to the question as to how effectively you brief your GP and how you would assess their performance if they were working for you. The following story was related by civil engineer, Katie:

... Not so long ago I went to my former GP to seek his advice regarding inflammation to my right big toe. After doing my time in the waiting room crowded with young children and stoic-faced elders, I was whisked into his office by the receptionist/administrator. The doctor in question studied my toe and announced that I had a tropical fungal infection. He wrote me out a prescription, which he warned me was expensive (around $120.00). I walked out the door scratching my head and, after thinking about the diagnosis, decided it just didn’t make sense. I limped around for another day, before going to a podiatrist who quickly established the nail was ingrown (a probable consequence of geriatric running shoes). To my relief he sorted the problem out within 30 minutes, through application of a large pair of stainless steel pliers. I enthusiastically paid his account and sing his praises wherever people will listen.

Needless to say, Katie hasn’t gone back to the GP in question. In fact, the experience led her into the more impersonal world of the ‘medical clinic’ or supermarket-style of health management. Katie observed how her health care had since been further fragmented by medical crises, which occurred on interstate trips. She concluded that outsourced medical care is an area that demands the closest scrutiny. How would you rate your medical practitioner? Would you give this person a job in your organisation based on his or her capacity to deliver? Is it possible for you to: • provide a little robust feedback • suggest guidelines for professional development • outplace him or her? The table below provides you a mechanism to determine your prescribed course of treatment. Table 3.4 Performance management tool for medical practitioners

Item 1 Customer service awareness of medical centre: Does your medical practitioner keep to time? Are you acknowledged before your health insurance details are requested? Is your medical practitioner available by phone?

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2 Medical practitioner’s interpersonal skills: Is your medical practitioner listening? Does your medical practitioner look under pressure? 3 Technical competence: Does your medical practitioner explain his or her diagnostic reasoning? Does your medical practitioner prescribe medication carefully? Does your medical practitioner understand your lifestyle and priorities? Does your medical practitioner show willingness to undertake research related to your needs? Is your medical practitioner able to talk to you about preventative strategies as well as reactive ones? 4 Support services and resources Are these people available promptly? Are they people you are happy to have treat you?

BRIEFING FOR DIAGNOSIS Aside from self-awareness and the quality of the rapport you enjoy with your medical practitioner, another key issue concerns how effectively you brief this person to ensure optimal examination and diagnosis. It is apparent that Australian doctors use slightly different diagnostic strategies. Occupational Physician, Dr Richard Telford6 offered some help to demystify this process with guidelines related to how a typical medical history interview is structured. According to Telford, many doctors organise their information under five primary headings.7 1 Chief complaint – where you put a name on the main problem, which allows the doctor to get to work. If multiple problems exist it is recommended that you identify all of these at this stage. A frustrating problem related to this is that if you introduce items sequentially, you may run out of time and one or more simply won’t get discussed. 2 History of the present illness – where the doctor seeks to learn the history behind your chief ‘complaint’. This includes the accurate date of origin of the problem (for example, four weeks ago) and the critical events in terms of the escalation of the problem (they may need to hear this chronologically as opposed to episodically). With multiple ‘complaints’ the doctor may seek to guide you through separate accounts of each or invite you to relate your history with reference to them all. During this phase the doctor likes to know information related to medication used, other professionals consulted and pathology. Again, this process tends to break down if the doctor is under pressure, or if you are unable to recall dates and events, or if you are embarrassed to disclose details. 3 Past medical history – in this phase of the interview the doctor seeks further information about overall health. Your job is to respond with brief

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answers to linked questions associated with general wellbeing, past hospitalisations or procedures, and childhood and relevant adult illness. It is important to be precise here in relation to medications that you may be taking and reactions to these. Ideally, you will have at hand details of drugs taken, including traditional and other treatments. 4 Review of systems – during this phase the doctor attempts to explore issues associated with the relevant body ‘system’ concerning the presenting symptoms. The process involves a sequence of questions, which may include skin, head, eyes, ears, nose and throat – working down your body. Questions related to lymph glands, lungs and heart may be followed by questions about the stomach, intestines and urinary system; and in the latter stage of the process muscles, bones and the nervous system. By doing this, the doctor screens you for previously missed information, with additional items related to management of care. Unfortunately, this level of detail will generally not occur unless you are receiving a formal health checkup. Chances are that if you are having such a work-related checkup you will be wary of discussing significant symptoms on the corporate record. 5 The social history – at this stage issues associated with your work role, family and broader stressors are explored. These could include your primary relationships, lifestyle and psychological health. Generally, this history is not collected systematically unless it forms part of a formal health examination. Practitioner skills and experience in relationships and psychological health are critical elements to meaningful reviews with executive ‘patients’. Lack of skill or interest in this arena, together with limited rapport and defensiveness, may mean that opportunities for support and counsel will be missed or lost. There are two key items related to the delivery of generic medical services that are notably lacking from this diagnostic strategy: • a brief hard copy analysis of the medical history from the practitioner • the creation of a structured health plan for you, the consumer. In relation to the analysis of the medical history, obvious items include: • what the problem means from a systems perspective • consequences of any procedures recommended • the degree of confidence the doctor has in his or her diagnosis • the accuracy of pathology should it be employed • details of side-effects of medicine and the cheapest form of acquisition thereof • possible alternative treatments (many medical practitioners are reluctant to explore these for themselves) • preparedness to enable a second opinion.

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With respect to a health plan, it really is extraordinary that in this century almost the entire focus of medicine is on reactive treatment. There appears to be a lack of capacity to train interested professionals to look at enhancing the quality of health with their clients and in assisting in the preparation of plans that incorporate elements such as: • optimal exercise • diet and weight management • post-menopause related self-care • management of sexual issues • pressure management • appropriate management of alcohol and other drugs. Many people reading this book would be interested in an alternative to ‘checkups’ and prescription medicine. It would appear that in this regard the patient needs to create the template with items which could include the following: CHECKLIST FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A HEALTH PLAN, FOR DISCUSSION WITH YOUR GP

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Low-level symptoms you are aware of (refer to the section on self-care below) Preventative health priorities you want to focus on Pressure symptoms to discuss (refer to the section on managing mood below) Nutrition related (refer to the section on nutrition and exercise needs below)

It is interesting to compare Australian trends on preventative health with North America. Information available from a survey conducted in California8 in 2000 showed that the most popular form of such programs were based around personal trainers (87 per cent) – compared to 66 per cent in 1996. Given the numbers of relatively unskilled ‘personal trainers’ in gymnasiums in Australia, it is surprising that more GPs haven’t attempted to provide a proactive, holistic service for those among us who want to improve our health, rather than recover it. In the spirit of developing a proactive approach to health care the UCLA School of Public Health9 nominated 50 simple things people can do to ‘save their own lives’. A number of these, relevant to Australian executives in organisations, include: • Finding ‘Dr Right’ – that is, a doctor who has more than a superficial interest in your wellbeing. • A second opinion – being prepared to seek a second opinion where you may have reservations about a diagnosis that has been made (with or without Dr Right).

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• Learning CPR resuscitation techniques. • Saving your skin – that is, taking appropriate preventative measures in relation to skin cancers and skin conditions. • Driving defensively – there is a significant difference between saying this one and doing it, as I have observed from teaching my son how to drive. • Drinking and driving – accepting zero tolerance on this, because it really is that important personally, socially and professionally. • Doing a home safety audit – for example, that funny electrical power point you have in the workshop, the wobbly brick wall on the side of the house, the appliance that causes strange fade-outs in the household lighting when used. • Having an emergency fire escape plan – for example, is your house deadlocked like the Mint, with a key in only one door? • Is it just the ‘blues’? – that is, responding to (as opposed to ‘coping’ with) chronic depression where this exists. • Eating to live – which brings us to nutrition.

NUTRITIONAL AND EXERCISE NEEDS An ABS nutrition survey conducted in 1995,10 employing a body mass index based on National Health and Medical Research Council recommended guidelines, found that: Almost two in three adult males and just under a half of adult females were overweight or obese. For both males and females the proportion who were overweight or obese was highest in the 45- to 64-year age group. In fact, 17.9% of males over 18 and 16.7% of women over 18 were classified as obese.

This suggests a pretty chunky populace out there and things aren’t getting any slimmer. Comparatively, in North America, research11 found: The average American gains at least one pound a year after age 25. Think about it. If you are like most Americans, by the time you are fifty, you are likely to gain 25 pounds of fat, or more...

It is important to acknowledge that weight uptake is not strictly a biproduct of nutrition. It may be a combination of body type, age and exercise regimen to name three possibilities. Fat phobia has been eloquently challenged by famed actor Dawn French of the UK television program The Vicar of Dibley. French provides an important counterpoint to the mainstream fashion, food and fitness industry guilt-induction campaigns that tend to

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coalesce around this issue. Consequently, what follows is not an attempt to launch yet another diet or a standardised body size. Rather, it is designed to be an opportunity to appraise the quality of your diet and enable you to contribute to this aspect of your health plan. For those among us who are not living in hotels, planes or out of the contents of the glove box of our cars, the best indicator of the diet we enjoy is reflected in the food that we ate over the course of the past week. In order to complete this analysis consider: • the meals you consumed over that time • snacks that you gobbled to supplement these meals • beverages, including water, tea, coffee and soft drinks • alcoholic drinks • fruit and health foods you may have eaten separate from meals • cakes and desserts of all sugary kinds. By way of reassurance you will find that your diet contains a fair measure of repetition. For example, many people have virtually identical breakfasts on workdays and their lunch patterns tend to be fairly similar. Given this, routines can become fragmented by travel, particularly where professional entertainment is involved. The pulse of the Australian Heart Foundation’s message12 may start to throb in your mind as you reflect on your practices related to: • eating fruit, vegetables, bread and cereal products • cutting down on fatty, fried foods, biscuits, cakes and pastries • using lower fat dairy products, such as reduced fat or skimmed milk, cottage cheese and low-fat yoghurt • choosing lean meat and eating fish more often • going easy on fast foods, given most have a high fat content • removing visible fat from meat and the skin from chicken • using polyunsaturated and mono unsaturated oils and margarines • using a non-stick frying pan to minimise or limit the use of fats in cooking. Take the time to note what you regard as the negative features in your diet at this time. If you are uncertain about these, it might be worth showing this information to your medical practitioner when you next meet over your health plan. EATING AT WORK If you are psychologically minded you have probably realised that you can always be sure of getting short meetings with people immediately prior to their lunchtime. If you are nutritionally minded you may also have

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established at what times during the day your blood sugar becomes sufficiently low to impact on your performance and your frame of mind. There is certainly evidence of a relationship between food and mood.13 For example, recent Australian research refers to a correlation between regular breakfasts and enhanced mood, plus better memory, more energy and feelings of calmness. It also noted that afternoon snacks may improve cognitive performance. In order to optimise work performance, one strategy is to take six small meals during the course of the day as opposed to the traditional three. Supplementary ‘meals’ that seem to work include low-fat yoghurt, pears and bananas. Given this straightforward idea, hunting and gathering these items requires planning and self-awareness (as opposed to a cashed up wallet and access to the chocolate rack in the canteen). Other guidelines related to nutrition at work that are important include: • Employing alternate types of nutrition, such as quality fruit juices. This can have particular relevance to people who find taking on food difficult in the morning. • Eating at subsonic speeds when under pressure and getting out of the workroom to enable digestion and enjoy a psychological break. • Consuming healthy between meal snacks (such as dried and natural fruits) as an alternative to the blood sugar wipe-out complements of Messrs Mars, Cadbury, et al. • Drinking purified water as an alternative to the frequently ghastly office instant teas and coffees. • Pacing the consumption of those chemical pick-me-ups resulting from contemporary caffeine science, which have the capacity to play havoc with concentration and metabolism. Equally disruptive is the ritual associated with their consumption and its impact on time management. • Literature available related to vitamin supplements to compensate for the deteriorating quality of much over-the-counter food. This is worth knowing more about. Thomas Edison is quoted as saying ‘to put alcohol in the human brain is like putting sand in the bearings of an engine’. Although this may be relevant in relation to work performance, Thomas Edison may never have drunk certain wines from Australia’s Barossa Valley or Margaret River (to name but two regions) at a dinner with friends. Furthermore, not all of us need to run the ‘engine’ at quite the intensity that Edison did. By contrast, an appropriate level of self-discipline in relation to alcohol consumption during and after work – particularly when travelling or during high-stress projects – may be better managed through a zero alcohol policy from time to time. Scary though the notion is for some, keeping the household ‘dry’ over such periods is an effective way of accomplishing this.

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EXERCISE

The Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care14 has been working for several years to shift the national psyche away from ‘exercising for fitness’ to ‘using physical activity for health’. So far, as minimal levels of physical activity required for good health, they have employed a philosophy rather than a prescription. The four key parts of this are: 1 Think of movement as an opportunity, not an inconvenience (that is, all movement is beneficial to health). 2 Be active every day in as many ways as you can. (Small increases in daily activity in different ways throughout the day, combine to result in health benefits.) 3 Put together at least 30 minutes of moderate intense physical activity most, preferably all, days. (This can achieve health benefits such as lowering blood pressure, blood cholesterol and body weight.) This may involve a brisk walk, mowing the lawn, gardening or medium-paced swimming or cycling. This exercise does not have to be continuous, but can be added up over the entire day. 4 If you can, also enjoy some regular, vigorous activity for extra health and fitness. This is an extra level of activity for those wishing to increase fitness and obtain greater health. Best results are achieved when this type of activity is carried out for a minimum of 30 minutes, three to four times weekly. For many Australian executives, issues associated with the amount and suitability of exercise is problematic for reasons other than type and opportunity. • In a country that prides itself on its sporting prowess and youthfulness, it is easy to be discouraged by the sheer potency of the popular athletic role models. A common response is to confine our contribution to the wellbeing of the nation to that of barracker from the stadium or lounge. • Nationally, body image continues to be manufactured by marketers of all kinds, based on paradigms that have little to do with the realities of people outside of the fashion and elite sports industries. Consider the iron men and women, for example. • Youth-ism, as practised by popular culture and most mainstream media, creates difficult benchmarks for people to follow in terms of the shape they are in after 25 (both physically and psychologically). This raises the issue of what is reasonable exercise at different ages. In this arena it is interesting to note some Australian trends. The Australian Bureau of Statistics noted the following data in the 1995 National Health Survey15 regarding two key age groups:

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Table 3.5 Physical activity according to age group

Type of Exercise

18–44 yrs

45–64 yrs

Males

Females

Did no exercise Walking Moderate exercise Vigorous exercise

30.2% 47.3% 39.9% 20.5%

36.2% 51.2% 28.7% 8%

33.6% 45% 37.8% 17.8%

34.4% 53% 30.5% 10.7%

Key points to note from this (aside from the amazingly large ‘no exercise’ populations): • the significant number of people of all ages who enjoy walking as an effective exercise form • the dramatic deterioration in ‘vigorous’ exercise among men and women in the 45–64 years group. (This becomes problematic for the 36.2 per cent whose chosen alternative is no exercise.) ASSESS YOURSELF At this point you are invited to apply some of your analytical excellence and leadership acumen to your own situation. We are not necessarily looking for distance travelled, games won or hours involved. Exercise can constitute a one-kilometre walk around town, a vigorous encounter with a recalcitrant tree in the garden, lifting equipment on to a workbench, stretching, vacuuming or even hanging out washing. Three useful criteria for examining the impact of such exercise include: • strength • stamina • suppleness. The importance of balance across these three yardsticks is well illustrated by those among us who were dedicated runners with vast reserves of stamina in years past. Unfortunately, lack of focus on suppleness and, to some extent, body strength came home to roost in recent years as Grandfather Time reaped muscular-skeletal revenge on these former greyhounds and dramatically impaired their ability to enjoy a whole range of sports at this time. The moral of the story is that the relationship between stamina, strength and suppleness needs to be balanced, and that the focus with ageing needs to shift in order to maintain flexibility that supports the demands of threedomain living. A baseline for assessing minimal exercise needs is offered by the Australian Heart Foundation.16 Their basic advice includes: • consulting your doctor first if you are a man over 35 or a woman over 45, or if you have high blood pressure

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• 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, such as walking, on most days of the week • starting at a low level of activity and building up slowly over time • using suitable clothing and footwear. Other considerations related to responding to exercise needs include recognising: • Age and injury are facts, but reduced exercise, which is regular, is better than no exercise at all. • The ‘no-exercise-because-we-are-too-busy’ mindset requires a determined challenge. Likewise, the no-exercise ‘group think’ is insidious and, at times, a convenient way out for the lazy. This culture can be broken down by personal example even if you have to go it alone. • CBD geography and facilities are unquestionably disincentives to exercise. However, responses are available in gyms, and low-key stretching can occur at the desk (acknowledging inevitable jibes from associates related to physical degeneration and workers compensation claims). • Relaxation can be undertaken in a quiet garden or in siege conditions within a locked office, provided you make or take the time. • Interstate and other travel can incorporate exercise if it is prioritised before departure. Swimmers can track down heated pools in the coldest of climes, runners can find parks in early morning CBDs and walkers can march around markets in the fieriest of tropics. In concluding this section it is worth noting that exercise can be piggybacked on to other activities by: • Involving family members – such as one’s partner or a child – to walk or ride with you. My daughter and I derive great amusement trying to ‘personally train’ my thankless frame. • Shocking your associates by involving them in a 500-metre walk to a caffeine dealer’s premises for a meeting. • Blatantly taking out 90 minutes during the day to go to the gym and inviting an equally fit colleague to join in. • Employing the services of a personal trainer for yourself and/or a group of colleagues to undertake a basic fitness assessment, possibly followed by a group fitness program over 6–12 weeks. These aspirations bring us to the psychological domain related to wellbeing and your aptitude to manage mental as well as physical gymnastics.

MANAGING MOOD AND PRESSURE Let us consider some cross-cultural data from which you may derive reassurance, if not a smile. Mood and pressure-related syndromes are by no

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means confined to ‘Western civilisation’ in general or the executive species in particular. The following range of locality specific patterns of aberrant behaviour and troubling experiences were quoted in DSM-IV (1994),17 which is the internationally acknowledged diagnostic manual of psychological disorders.

Table 3.6 Some interesting culture specific mood syndromes

Name of syndrome

Country of origin

Description

Amok

Malaysia, Laos, Philippines, A dissociated episode characterised by a period Polynesia, New Guinea, Puerto Rico of brooding followed by an outburst of violent, and among the Navajo. aggressive or homicidal behaviour directed at people and objects. The episode tends to be precipitated by a perceived slight or insult and seems to be prevalent among males.

Ataque de nervios

Reported among Latinos from the Caribbean, recognised among many Latin American and Mellatin Mediterranean groups.

Includes uncontrollable shouting, attacks of crying, trembling, heat on the chest rising into the head and verbal or physical aggression.

Hwa-byung

Korea

‘Anger syndrome’ attributed to the suppression of anger includes insomnia, fatigue, panic, fear of impending death, indigestion, anorexia, palpitation, generalised aches and pain.

Pibloktoq

Primarily in Arctic and sub-Arctic Eskimo communities.

An abrupt dissociative episode accompanied by extreme excitement of up to 30 minutes’ duration and frequently followed by convulsive seizures and coma lasting up to 12 hours. The individual may be withdrawn or mildly irritable for a period of hours or days before the attack and will typically report complete amnesia during the attack.

Shenjing Shuairuo

China

Condition characterised by physical and mental fatigue, dizziness, headaches, other pains, concentration difficulties, sleep disturbance and memory loss.

Zar

Ethiopia, Somalia, Egypt, Sudan, Iran and other North African and Middle Eastern societies

Dissociative episode that may include shouting, laughing, hitting the head against the wall, singing or weeping.

Brainfag

West Africa

Condition experienced by high school or university students. Symptoms include difficulties in concentrating, remembering and thinking.

Source: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Text Revision, Copyright © 2000 American Psychiatric Association. Reproduced with permission.

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You may recognise yourself among some of these unfortunate souls, although for a lot of managers, and particularly senior managers, mood seldom soars into the eccentric realms outlined in this table. Rather, it is frequently either flat or slightly fragile. In exploring mood and its management it is useful to acknowledge the distinction between state and trait in relation to how you feel. • State refers to your current condition in relation to mood. • Trait refers to enduring experience. It can be useful to tease these apart when considering how you are travelling and what your needs might be in order to manage yourself more effectively. Consider this in relation to the following extracts from anecdotes which cover a number of the issues that we will explore in the remainder of this chapter. • ‘So business was booming, the project was looking like a winner, the customers were falling at our feet. We were seen as leaders in our professional community – and yet today I am feeling pretty ordinary.’ (State) • ‘My mood for the last six months has been about as enthusiastic as the noises that emanate from our maintenance-deferred office printer.’ (Trait) • ‘I had been feeling blue for weeks, or even months now, and although I couldn’t figure out why, work had to be a contributor.’ (Trait) • ‘My doctor wanted to renew my prescription for Zoloft. At that time I felt like I was operating like an Android and I was worried that I would never get off antidepressants.’ (State) • ‘I seem to be in conflict with a number of people these days – I know I have a short fuse and some of my anger last night was being projected on to innocent bystanders.’ (State) • ‘I find myself feeding into the groundswell of cynicism that prevails at this time. Although some of the one-liners have been excellent, the underlying attitudes aren’t healthy and from a leadership perspective it is a “no-no”.’ (Trait) • ‘I have become concerned about my obsessive behaviour lately. I notice I get particularly angry with people who disrupt my schedule or with things that get left in my office.’ (State) In relation to feeling blue, it is worth noting that over the last decade general practitioners report that depression has moved from the tenth most common problem managed in medical practices in Australia to the fourth most common.18 By the same token, research shows the use of antidepressant drugs in Australia has jumped from 5.1 million prescriptions in 1990 to 8.2 million prescriptions in 1998.19 Unfortunately, there is also evidence that for up to half of the patients presenting with anxiety or depression the diagnosis was missed, and of those who were recognised a significant

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proportion were mistreated.20 One reason for this is that the symptoms may, in fact, be better described as ‘burnout’. Corporate health consultants Christine Maslach and Michael Leiter21 defined burnout in terms of: • erosion of engagement with the job • erosion of emotional wellbeing • a problem of fit between the person and the job. Unfortunately, when your average self-sufficient and strong-minded leader sits in front of a medical provider in a high-volume medical centre, where the rapport is superficial, they are unlikely to talk freely about difficulties associated with the job, feelings of anger, anxiety or despondency. In fact, they are probably struggling to disclose any of this to themselves. Which is where knowledge of learned optimism can be handy by way of insight and self-help. In the words of the Bard: There is nothing either good or bad, But thinking makes it so. Hamlet, II: 2

LEARNED OPTIMISM One mechanism related to improving mood management used widely by cognitive psychologists is based around work undertaken and documented by Martin Seligman,22 who noted the relationship between what he called ‘learned helplessness’ and a pessimistic explanatory style related to events. In essence, a pessimistic explanatory style consists of a range of interpretations of negative events: • personalising (‘It is my fault’) • permanency (‘It will always be this way’) • pervasiveness (‘It will affect every aspect of my life’). When you explain an event permanently and pervasively you project present adversity into the future and into all new situations. This has the foundations of learned helplessness bound into it. Seligman challenged pessimists via Learned Optimism to reframe their thinking in terms of: • separating their egos more effectively from situations • rethinking the duration of negative outcomes more accurately • limiting the impact of circumstances to quite specific parts of their lives (for example, the professional domain as opposed to work and home). Seligman was of the view that in the great majority of instances depression is not so much a disabling ‘illness’ as a severe low mood. He believed it

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was a consequence of harbouring pessimistic beliefs, and that most of us can unlearn pessimism and acquire the skill to look at setbacks optimistically. Seligman offered a five-part template to explore negative situations more effectively. It comprised a five-letter sequence which can be easily remembered: A noting the Adversity – or identifying the negative incident. B recognising Belief patterns – or understanding of the belief that underlies your interpretation of the incident. C understanding the Consequences – which requires examination of the psychological and behavioural consequences of the adverse incident. D Disputation – or challenging distorted beliefs and attempting to implement alternative thinking processes associated with the incident. E Energisation – which represents operationalising the optimistic alternative strategy chosen by the individual. Seligman’s work has been picked up and developed by other authors, including Paul Stoltz,23 who proposed the notion of an ‘Adversity Quotient’. Effectively, Stoltz attempted to enable his readers to quantify then develop their resilience to adversity. In so doing, Stoltz believed that an individual’s capacity to handle adversity is a crucial indicator of his or her capacity to achieve ‘success’. He defined ‘AQ’ in terms of four constructs, which lend themselves particularly to the professional domain: 1 Control – that is, how much control the individual believes he or she has over an adverse event. Clearly, the more control perceived the more effectively the individual will function. Often, perceived control can be gauged through the personal philosophies people articulate such as: – ‘When the going gets tough the tough get going’. – ‘No pain no gain’. – ‘Don’t just stand there ...’ By contrast, views that are indicative of low levels of control may include: – ‘Que sera sera’. – ‘You can’t control fate’. – ‘When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions’ (Hamlet, IV: 5). Clearly, the Dane needed help in this area. 2 Origin/Ownership – this relates to what extent you own the outcomes of adversity and to whom or what you attribute the origin of the adversity. Typically, people with low adversity tolerance blame themselves for bad events and may see themselves as the origins of adversity. Sometimes this can go beyond reasonable. It is noteworthy that leaders who see themselves as pivotal in decision-making processes, or in terms of being where the buck stops are liable to punish themselves on this dimension.

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3 Reach – this construct is related to how far adversity reaches into other parts of your life. An example of overreach is where a difficult meeting damages your wellbeing for a couple of days through short temper, low self-esteem or indigestion. Alternatively, overreach is demonstrated when you take your anger home to priority people. Those with highadversity quotients are able to differentiate between the situational significance of events and the longer term impact these may have on wellbeing and relationships elsewhere. 4 Endurance – this is related to how long the cause of the adversity will last. Consider the difference between ‘I need to be careful not to postpone things to the last minute’ and ‘I am a procrastinator’. One of these is a temporary reproach; the other is a permanent judgement that has consequences in terms of self-image and capacity to change. The relationship between the perceived impact of an event and the amount of empowerment we allocate ourselves to take action can be self-managed by self-awareness and monitoring behaviour over time. SLEEP A commonly disregarded concomitant of mood is the quality and quantity of sleep you enjoy. Some of us have had our share of ‘the midnight horrors’ associated with broken and battered sleep. I draw some comfort and amusement on occasions when I find myself wide awake staring helplessly at the ceiling, acknowledging the legions of my peers who are probably enduring the same prison. Australian clinical psychologist and sleep specialist David Morawetz (1994)24 mentioned a number of practical guidelines related to sleep for practising insomniacs, including: 1 Lying down to sleep only when you are sleepy. 2 Only using your bed for sleep (and one other important exception) – as opposed to computing, personal finances, business planning and so on. 3 If you are unable to fall asleep within around 30 minutes of turning out the light, get up and go to another room to do something that is not energising (ironing comes quickly to mind). 4 If you have returned to bed and cannot sleep, repeat step 3. 5 For chronic insomniacs, attempt to get up at the same time every morning regardless of how long you sleep. 6 Where chronic sleep problems exist, avoid napping during the day or in the early evening. 7 Develop skills related to reducing worried thinking in bed (refer below). A number of guidelines related to reducing ruminative thinking and worry in bed include:

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• Recognising that worrying can be practised consciously during the day and, indeed, scheduled into your diary if it is of sufficient significance. • Peaceful ‘rest’ can be a worthy supplement to unbroken sleep. • Awakening during the night is not necessarily a diagnosis of ‘insomnia’. Managing this constructively will enable you to return to sleep. • Avoid engagement with work or study immediately prior to going to bed and develop a personal policy on this. • Constructively accept negative things that have occurred prior to sleep, and recognise their endurance and reach in terms of adversity management. • Sleep can be induced by employing hypnotic and meditation techniques that are contained in the latter part of this chapter. MANAGING PRESSURE Chances are, if you are in a leadership role that is challenging, demanding and exciting, you are under pressure. In this regard the Peter Principle referred to in chapter 1 applies to those who fully extend themselves with respect to their pressure management skills as much as their competency in the job. Contrary to the worldview of stress management ‘trainers’ (whose most difficult task to date may have been to write the notes for their workshop), respite will probably not be gained through positive affirmations in the morning, deep breathing at lunchtime and complete avoidance of caffeine at all other times. Acknowledging that these techniques have some benefits for the novice, most one-day ‘Stress Management Workshops’ provide little more than a day away from the trenches, crises and bad habits of everybody therein. The fundamental problem with these programs and much of the literature that accompanies them is that they lack structure plus the actual experience of ‘being there’. Further, most of them fail to tease apart the three levels of skills that can be employed to manage pressure, namely: 1 reactive skills, such as those required for management of a crisis 2 basic proactive pressure maintenance skills, such as personal organisation 3 transformative techniques related to pressure minimisation illustrated by hypnotic induction and meditation. Level 1: Reactive skills

An example of a less-than-spectacular reactive strategy was highlighted by Roslyn, who worked in a complex IT systems change environment in government. Roslyn rang to cancel her coaching appointment: she couldn’t see her way clear for six weeks. She explained that she had been consulting

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with her medical practitioner and that she was receiving weekly injections of vitamins B and C. She mentioned, ‘This project is doing wonders for my waistline – pity about what it’s doing to my life.’ Although it could be argued Roslyn’s medico was keeping her in the game and Roslyn was big enough to make her own decisions, the underlying pressures in terms of expectation and delivery were simply being ignored. It required significant recovery work by all parties six weeks later. In order to build a structure around experience of pressure at the reactive level, it is useful to consider three reference points, namely: • whether pressure is being administered from within your organism or from without • whether the pressure is situational or cumulative • the way in which the pressure is manifesting itself. Internal/external pressure

• A good example of internal pressure with a situational origin is the pounding in your chest that occurs when you attempt to prepare a significant report during a long-distance flight and discover your laptop battery is flat. • An external pressure with situational origins is illustrated by handling a robust performance assessment discussion with a pedantic and difficult member of staff. Situational/cumulative pressure • Cumulative internal pressure with internal components is illustrated by how you feel as you prepare and present material associated with a project that has not gone well. • Cumulative pressure with external origins may be illustrated by your increasingly critical view of the idealism shown by an associate who is championing a difficult project, which is losing ground with the Board. Manifestations of pressure In terms of manifestations of pressure there are four primary channels: • physical, or what is happening in your body increased heart rate tightness in the chest tightness in the neck/back muscles pupil dilation shallow breathing dryness in the mouth or throat

elevated blood pressure headache trembling, tics or twitching nausea susceptibility to minor illnesses butterflies in the stomach

sweaty palms diarrhoea stuttering or other speech difficulties sleep disturbance

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• emotional, or how you feel irritability depression feelings of unreality insecurity

lowered self-esteem jealousy loneliness frustration diminished confidence in self

anger suspicion helplessness teariness desire to escape

• cognitive, or how you think forgetfulness reduced creativity lack of concentration

preoccupation with trivial issues difficulty making decisions preoccupation with the past

errors in judgement mental confusion reactivity to criticism

• behaviour, or how you act increased drug use, including alcohol and cigarettes occurrence of minor accidents nervous laughter eating too much incoherent or fast speech tactlessness in interpersonal activity

aggressive driving clumsiness

Textbook coping skills

The range of skills that individuals employ on Level 1 in the management of pressure covers a wide continuum, from the walk-away techniques to the browse-the-gun-shop option. More conventional techniques that you may have utilised include: • employing relaxation techniques, such as diaphragmatic breathing • delaying it – by allocating the time to defer some pressure situations (for example, waiting until after the meeting to challenge a provocative peer) • distancing it – by picturing yourself a few years from now. How much will it matter then? • escaping it – by considering avoidance strategies. Alternatively, by getting into ‘the now’ and minimising the baggage • focusing on humour – probably the most powerful anti-venom against stress (particularly when the chips are down) • avoiding stimulants like coffee, tea, cola, chocolate and guarana drinks • managing your ‘faulty thinking’, such as catastrophising worst-case outcomes, for example. By contrast, Level 2 pressure management is based on anticipating possible problem areas and applying proactive responses. Level 2: Proactive skills

Australian stress specialist Robert Burns25 offered an excellent summary of proactive ways to manage pressure. Some of these include.

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Action

Consequences

Talk it out Write it out Sort it out Work it off

A problem shared is a problem halved. Pressures develop perspective when viewed on the page. Effective time and priority management reduces pressure. Physical exercise is, for many of us, an excellent way of reducing manifestations of pressure – particularly for men. Lateral thinking or an alternative approach may partially solve a pressure problem. Acknowledge the upside and downside associated with pressures. There is more than a little truth in the saying that what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger. Conceptualise the worst possible outcome. Is this seriously likely? Picture yourself being triumphant and feel good about it.

Take another tack Balance it

Exaggerate it Visualise victory

Another Level 2 skill that is relevant to proactive pressure management is associated with the notion of ‘flow’. The remarkable thinker Csikszentmihalyi26 related the notion of ‘optimal experiences’ or ‘flow’ to a state where perception and understanding have come to a stop and ‘spirit’ moves to where it wants. In other words, you stop reflecting on it and just do what needs to be done. Csikszentmihalyi was a pragmatist as well as a philosopher and his ideas got well beyond the sports psychologists’ narrow focus on the 100-metre hurdles and into the Drucker School of Management. He also took on big questions related to ‘when are people most happy?’ and as such, some of his ideas tilt towards Level 3 skills. Level 3: Transformative skills

Level 3 strategies associated with management of pressure are related to habitualising a buffer of calm at work and elsewhere. The primary strategy to accomplish this requires willingness to shift the old pressure baseline, to learn new skills and to practise these regularly. First among these is meditation, which is about consciously directing your attention to alter your state of awareness. Meditation is neither a cult nor a flaky state of mind. It is a discipline, which has been used consciously or unconsciously by people of ‘Eastern’ and ‘Western’ civilisations for millennia. In ‘Western’ therapy, meditation may be dressed up in the clothing of ‘self-hypnosis’. Hypnotherapists Kelly and Kelly,27 for example, introduce a basic self-induction in virtually identical terms to basic meditation. Perth-based mediation master Eric Harrison28 noted:

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When we try to meditate, the world doesn’t vanish and we don’t pass into oblivion. Thoughts still arise, headache may remain and noises may disturb us. Gradually they become less aggravating and we feel more at ease regardless. Meditation is much more than a technique for relaxing. It also makes our minds more clear and alert. We become more sensitive to our feelings and the detail of the world around us. We call this quality of mind ‘awareness’. It is what distinguishes a meditator from someone who is simply relaxed. If we meditate for a few minutes each day, the results can be deep and long lasting. As we become more relaxed and aware, every aspect of our life can benefit ...

HOW TO MEDITATE Contrary to the popular view of the sage seated in the lotus position beside the carp pond, meditation may be conducted almost anywhere and, with experience, in short periods of time. For the purpose of this publication we will look at a meditation from 5–15 minutes, which assumes you are pretty much alone and your distractions are minimised. The process is simple: • You may choose to sit in a chair that provides support for your spine, as opposed to a formless chair that promotes sleep. The objective of meditation is not to go to sleep – although if this happens during early experiments it is not necessary to strike yourself with a bamboo stick. • At the outset minimise your expectations in terms of achieving detached or heightened states. Make yourself aware of the sounds around you as opposed to attempting to block these out. • It is generally easier for the novice to close his or her eyes as opposed to meditating with them open (although this is a perfectly acceptable alternative). Having focused your mind on the noises that surround you, bring your attention to your breath and absorb yourself in the cycle of inhalation and exhalation. Meditators typically focus their breathing to align with a word or phrase, such as: – slow down – let go – relax – hamsa. These words are broken into two syllables on the inhalation and exhalation. • The idea is to allow your thoughts and feelings to come and go with the detachment that is created by the focus on breathing. As the process occurs, a level of detachment will be achieved and a state of relaxation and freshness or clarity is induced. This becomes more effective and profound with practice. It is valuable to note:

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• The process of meditation is surprisingly straightforward, provided you go with it and work initially on relaxation. • For the novice, the objective is simple awareness and nothing more. It is quite possible that your meditations may start off fretfully and fill with intrusive thoughts. It is also possible you will experience frustration, anger, distraction and turbulent thoughts. Experience will demonstrate that, with practice, these feelings become replaced by those of wellbeing, calm and, ultimately, focus. • Meditation only really becomes effective with regular use. The most common practice appears to be twice daily – in the morning before work and immediately after work, for example. This level of discipline is really important to enable the process to develop in its effectiveness. • For some the process can be sustained by membership of a group of one kind or another. Transcendental Meditation29 is certainly a commercial enterprise that has consciously adapted itself to the needs of people in the workplace. • Eric Harrison (1993), who is a practical and mysticism-free meditation teacher, encourages continuous focus on breathing and ‘spot’ meditations. This can occur while you are in a supermarket queue, for example. Harrison also employs the technique of ‘body scan’ meditation, where you shift your focus during groups of five to 10 breaths to seven key parts of your body: – scalp and forehead – face and lower parts of the head – neck, throat, shoulders, arms and hands – chest and back – diaphragm and solar plexus – belly – hips, legs and feet. REPACKAGING PRESSURE Moving away from meditation to personal orientation, Richard Carlson30 offered a number of strategies related to repackaging stress, which have particular significance in the context of Level 3 pressure management. Items that are particularly relevant to three-domain calm include: • allowing yourself to be less than perfect in a less than perfect world • learning to understand your moods – be grateful when you are feeling good and graceful when you are feeling bad • thinking about what you have rather than what you want – give up on ‘more is better’

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• resisting the urge to criticise – choose being kind over being right • acknowledging that gentle and relaxed people are usually not super achievers – but they generally live longer. ASSISTING PRIORITY PEOPLE AND CO-WORKERS WITH THEIR WELLBEING

The focus of this chapter to date has been on the personal and professional domains. However, there are a number of ways whereby management of the wellbeing of priority people can be enhanced with your contribution. • Awareness of growing and ageing – These could transfer into your role as mentor or coach to a youngster who experiences significant growth and change. As a mentor, wellbeing may mean enabling mentees to extend themselves to succeed or giving this person support when the heat is on. With mature and elderly priority people it could mean recognising the consequences of ageing and factoring this into your expectations. • Amplification of your attitudes – It is important to recognise that priority people may amplify attitudes you project as a role model. In particular, attitudes related to perfectionism, criticism or poorly thought out positions may lead younger people into difficulty and hardship that could be avoidable. It may be important to clarify your attitudes and performance expectations where these appear to be misunderstood by priority people and where this impacts on their morale and wellbeing. • Praise and disapproval – Excessive praise inappropriately delivered or too much criticism focused on the particular are equally damaging. It is worth reflecting on the skills with which you deliver these. It is better to provide accurate feedback that can be responded to and that does not create long-term damage one way or the other. • Being prepared to learn from priority people – It is important to acknowledge that priority people, no matter what their age, stage or level of sophistication, are able to teach you lessons from which they might derive satisfaction and wellbeing. A typical example is software shortcuts known to nimble young minds. As with the issue of maturity and the shifting balance between mentor and mentee, it is healthy and beneficial for the ‘leader’ to learn and benefit from the wisdom of others, too. As a colleague and three-domain leader there are a number of ways to challenge attitudes and model alternative behaviours related to wellbeing at work. These could include: • Breaking into a workaholic culture – In professional cultures where workahol is passed around and toasted as the norm, whistle-blowers

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• •

•

•

•

•

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deliver an important counterpoint. Given that it takes real courage to challenge executives whose one-dimensional lives are their source of pride, such cultures may be tackled through strategies such as: – extending lunch breaks – getting in late and/or telling people that you will be late – explaining that your absence is related to family commitments – taking holidays and making people responsible for your position during your absence. Flagging dubious symbolism – Wearing jeans on Friday is not necessarily indicative of a meaningful attack on workahol-induced frenzy. Providing feedback to the sick and lame – This becomes particularly important for senior people in organisations who have managed to work themselves into chronic illness or show signs of acute stress that manifests itself in inappropriate meeting behaviour, shouting matches and disrespectful treatment of colleagues. Such people need tactful, timely feedback regarding the impact of their behaviour and, where appropriate, referral for medical treatment, counselling or awareness of legal consequences. Encouraging healthy celebration – The concept is simple but not widely enjoyed. An endless grind across a shapeless terrain of toil inevitably erodes wellbeing. Where meaningful turning points have been reached and outcomes have met specifications, individuals or teams need to take the opportunity to congratulate themselves through appropriate celebration. (Note that there is a difference between a celebratory soirée and a demolition derby.) Enabling young players to shine – Young talent at all levels deserves the opportunity to enjoy their success and to be recognised in front of their peers. Generally, this is a low-cost option, but its impact is profound in terms of turning points in the development of careers and reinforcement of potential. The impact of such encouragement is often dramatic in relation to wellbeing and self-esteem. Dealing honestly with disasters – It is as destructive psychologically to deny a workplace disaster when one occurs as it is to summarily punish innocent participants. Disasters do happen and it is important that they are acknowledged and objectively assessed in terms of their impact on individuals and the business. ‘Wellbeing’ is served by enabling the contributors or casualties of disasters to recognise their role, recover and move on. And if your executive team is damaged – The wellbeing of the entire organisation will be affected by destructive dissonance at this level. Such behaviour does not necessarily have to manifest itself in terms of raised voices and breaking furniture. Often the consequences may be withdrawal

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to silos and set positions, which slowly strangle synergies. When such breakdowns occur in corporate wellbeing it is often desirable to employ an experienced analyst and facilitator. This person can take the outsider’s perspective, diagnose the problems and provide mediation or robust feedback to enable corrective action. • Listening to exit interviews – In some instances the parting words of people at all levels in organisations can be as valuable as their contributions during their stay. Exit interviews can usually be conducted quickly and tactfully and they can be developed systematically around a template. Exit interviews also provide insight, which can be infinitely more effective than ‘staff surveys’ with their associated information overload – and cost. In order to systematically appraise your organisation in relation to promoting wellbeing, consider the following key questions concerning the broader picture: 1 How comprehensive is the commitment of the organisation to the physical health care of staff (for example, through flu shots, corporate massage, quality of food in the canteen)? 2 What systems and resources are in place to manage workplace injuries (for example, rehab professionals, graduated return to work schedules, accommodation of injured people)? 3 How tangible is the commitment of the organisation to Occupational Safety and Health best practice (through LTI data, workplace risk scans, promotional material)? 4 What evidence is there of commitment by the organisation to the management of alcohol (for example, through provision of taxis at social events)? 5 Is there an Employee Assistance Program (including seminars on pressure management, for example)? 6 What is the frequency and appropriateness of health promotion at your organisation (for example, breast or prostate screening)? 7 What evidence is there for the encouragement and access to healthenhancement facilities (for example, gym memberships, pool access, nurse or medical provider)? 8 What meaningful evidence is there of commitment to encouraging balance in employees’ work lives for: – executives? – line? – staff ? – contractors? 9 Is the workplace environment healthy and attractive (for example, adequate work space)? Is the technology up to date?

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10 Do people have fun at work? 11 Is the employer family friendly (by crediting leave to attend family events, providing crisis childcare, crediting weekend travel as time in lieu)? An analysis of your conclusions will provide priorities associated with increasing your organisation’s capacity to retain quality people and reduce the costs associated with replacing those who decide to depart for reasons you could prevent.

FROM THE HEART ❤ Poor Alan Jackson who had it all but lost it so badly at the Christmas party. This is spectacular evidence that accolades in the professional domain mean little to an unwell individual. ❤ Medical management can include medico management. A health management plan is as important as a wealth management plan. ❤ Exercise is about more than muscle and kilometres on the macadam. Suppleness and sensible self-management in relation to stretching and diet are just as important to most of us on the firm side of forty. ❤ Mood management can be practically effected through insight into learned optimism and deconstruction of adversity. Both of these strategies get beyond the superficial schools of ‘think positive’ psychology when implemented with resolve. ❤ The three-level pressure management hierarchy enables even cucumbers to chill out through recovery strategies or transformative self-management.

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Casestudy

American Beauty equals priority people ugly

I have always thought that there was more than the cinematic excellence of American Beauty that made it the box office success that it was in 2000. The superficial, lonely and self-deluded personalities that were the essence of the Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening characters were closer to reality than many professional ‘success stories’ would care to admit. Ultimately, the Spacey character scathingly summarises his relationship with his materialistic wife with the observation, ‘This isn’t life – this is just stuff.’ In fact, much of this ‘stuff’ concerned exaggerated, but not unrecognisable, relationships under pressure. In the priority people domain there was the ghastly relationship between the homophobic Colonel, his doormat wife and his cunning yet scared son, Richie. Another sub-plot is the aspiring teenage model, Angie, who was cheerfully prepared to name the game and do whatever it took to get to the top. Then there was Buddy King, the top dog ‘king of real estate’, who put ‘professionalism’ ahead of anything else. At the end of this emotional food chain was Janey, the daughter who struggled to find any kind of role model in the ensuing meltdown. Most of our families are not (thankfully) as dysfunctional as these, but many of us would have spotted glimpses of ourselves, or others in this film. Ironically, in the professional domain, the hard-nosed consultant recruited to Spacey’s company, who was charged with ‘restructure and rightsizing’, was shocked by Spacey when he was not only challenged but trumped by him – when he demanded extra severance to avoid a harassment claim. I enjoyed a good laugh at the sense of apparent moral outrage shown by the corporate toe-cutter when his game was called by his victim.

American Beauty said much about the consequences of professional excesses on those that supposedly count in the priority people domain. This chapter will enable you to reflect on your situation with what will, hopefully, be a less homicidal conclusion. Specifically, it will assist you to: 1 map your proximity to the key relationships in your priority people and professional domains 2 increase your insight into the ‘systems’ at work in these relationships 3 assess what sort of shape your primary relationship is in and consider ways to enhance the quality of this relationship over the next three months

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4 take the opportunity to consider the dynamics of your workplace from a tribal perspective – compatible with aspects of evolutionary psychology. Today’s technophiles tell us that we have travelled vast distances as a species since we shuffled out of the caves around Niaux 40 000 years ago in Palaeolithic times. However, a look through the crowd at a football stadium on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon around Australia may not be so convincing. The tribal behaviour, which underpins these events, is apparent among the fans, the competitors and a fair proportion of the coaches. We may console ourselves with the observation that the modern sporting ritual is a distinct advance over arena- or street-based blood sports. In modern organisations, most of us experience conflict psychologically rather than physically, although the underlying tribalism is apparent in a variety of ways. In fact, many corporate employers consciously or unconsciously attempt to reinforce the tribe through team rituals and mythology. (Consider team-based adventure training, ‘victory’ trophies and associated presentations as illustrations of this.) In reviewing key relationships at work a socio/tribal orientation can be more instructive than the more familiar meccano/people capital perspective, with its sanitised reference to role clarity, climate, ‘soft-critiquing’ and goal realisation. For this reason the second part of this chapter takes a look around the totem in dissecting the workplace to encourage new insights from a different perspective. An authentic form of ‘tribe’ is also afoot in the manifold permutations of the contemporary ‘family’. Although, to set the record straight, it must be acknowledged that families have been complex and diverse well before sociology appeared on the scene last century. After all, ‘families’ have long included: • singles • gay and lesbian couples • sole parents • elders • blended groups • multicultural mobs • combinations of people, animals and crops (including pets and gardens). Perhaps what has changed is the level of education, openness and assertiveness of these entities – given that many of them are still discriminated against in the world of work and, in particular, in the corporate canyons ruled by white, heterosexual, Anglo Saxon males. Therapist Dr Linda Berg-Cross1 spanned a range of relationships when she defined the family as: • a group of persons in the service of the individual

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• a group of people bound together by philosophical, religious or other convictions • a group of persons of common ancestry • a group of individuals living under one roof • a basic bio-social unit in society having at its nucleus two or more adults living together and cooperating in the care and rearing of their own or adopted children. In contemporary families the key determinant of inclusion is quality of such relationships, as opposed to the more traditional view, which was based around biology. Accordingly, contemporary ‘families’ can be peopled with: • your primary relationship • parents • siblings • biological relations • children • close friends • mentees, plus • priority groups and/or communities.

MAPPING KEY RELATIONSHIPS The aim is to look in on your key relationships in detail and increase your understanding of the structure and status of your family at this time. In so doing you are assessing the health of one of the core reasons most of us are at work. An excellent way to start the process is to represent things diagrammatically. Mostwin2 employed a useful mechanism to map the family life space that helps people understand the tensions and lines of communication between members. His basic ‘genogram’, including a number of its conventions, can be adapted to create a more up-to-date picture using the icons in the table below. Males ■ (all, species alive and dead) Females ● (ditto) Emotionally significant issues ▲ (issue specified in brackets) e.g. (divorced) Good communication Difficult communication Poor communication Emotional ‘distance’ between members is represented by the length of connecting lines Figure 4.1 Key for mapping your family genogram

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To show the system at work, consider the following background and diagram, which is based on Michael’s priority people. Michael is a corporate lawyer, aged 47, living with his gay partner Chong, 44, who is an IT manager. Michael’s parents are retired farmers living at a coastal resort in New South Wales. His father has had recent prostate surgery and his mother is worried about the possibility of malignant secondaries associated with his condition. Michael is very close to his mother and concerned about her ability to cope. Chong’s father died two years ago. His mother lives on her husband’s significant investment portfolio, although she is reluctant to leave Hong Kong to see her eldest son. Chong has not seen her for 12 months and can’t seem to get time off work for this. Chong and Michael are gregarious and generous, they have a substantial circle of friends that include gay and straight couples. They also have a close friendship with neighbours, the local shopkeeper and one of the partners in their gym.

Table 4.1 Key members of Michael’s priority people

Key relationships

Members

Key issues

Communication

‘Distance’

Family relations

Chong Mother Father

Visit to mother Worry about dad Surgery/recovery

Excellent Phone Phone

Close Geography Geography

Friends

Couples 1 Couples 2 Couples 3 Neighbours Shopkeeper Gym partner

Nothing special Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto

Good Intermittent Poor since separated Great Good Fun

Ideal Interstate Separated Ideal Ideal Ideal

Work colleagues

Colleague #1

2nd marriage

Good

Need to get to know partner better

Colleague #2

Posting to London imminent

Was great

Back to e-mail and occasional ‘work’ phone calls

Mentee #1

Dissatisfaction with firm

OK

Getting greater (need to watch this)

Mentee #2

Going well

Great

Ideal

HIV support Book-reading

}

OK

Not Applicable

Mentees

Groups

Over commitment

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In the workplace, Michael, who is a partner in his firm, has two good friends in the form of a female legal partner and a less senior peer who joined the company when Michael did. Chong has a friend who is his business partner and several colleagues from past roles in a large software consultancy for whom he has worked. Michael’s interests outside work include a book-reading group and an HIV support group. Michael sees himself as an informal ‘mentor’ to two young lawyers in his practice. Chong provides support for a young female IT graduate who works in his company. By now readers are probably feeling saturated with information related to Michael and Chong’s ‘family’. However, note how key members of Michael’s family can be represented diagrammatically using the table on previous page. This information can be made to achieve a greater level of visual and emotional meaning using a modified genogram (see Figure 4.2): Family relations

Chong’s mother

Michael’s parents

MICHAEL & CHONG

Michael’s three colleagues

Close friends

Michael’s mentees

Workplace colleagues

Chong’s Business Partner

Couples Neighbour Shopkeeper Gym owner

Chong’s mentee Chong’s past colleagues

Other friendships

HIV support Book club

Figure 4.2 Family relations

There were a number of messages that became apparent to Michael from his genogram: • He observed the ‘busyness’ of the numerous social relationships that he and Chong had.

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• He noted the conflict between the needs of his parents, Chong’s mother and the physical ‘distance’ that separated them both from: – their parents – Michael’s sister – Chong’s brother and sisters. • What he described as the ‘entrapment’ caused by their respective workplace commitments. • The lack of freedom on both Michael and Chong’s part to explore anything new, given the complexity of their work lives at that time. Genograms have an effective way of bringing the complexity of relationships into focus, and they can offer guidelines for action. In Michael’s case it was about freeing himself up to visit family (including Chong’s). He also decided to reduce his involvement in two of his groups. Genograms aside, there are other ways of looking at the nature and structure of relationships in families that can also provide valuable insight. Four of the most common include: • Psychoanalytic approaches, based around the various schools of psychoanalysis, which are designed to provide insight based on the intra-psychic or internal worlds of family members. • Multi-generational approaches, which concern the transmission of beliefs, attitudes and symptoms within families and what goes on between people in their interpersonal relationships. • Behavioural perspectives, which are based on the development of technologies for training people in the effective use of social learning principles, exemplified by reinforcement, modelling, punishment – these are typically designed to control or modify a child’s behaviour. • Systems perspectives, which are based on the notion that each person in a family contributes to the total functioning of the family unit.

THE SYSTEMS VIEW OF FAMILIES We will focus on the systems view here because of its accessibility to nontherapists and for the powerful way it emphasises the interdependence of family members. Family therapist John Bradshaw3 put this relationship as follows: The family is a total organism – the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Everyone in the family is affected by everyone else. Each individual is partly a whole and wholly a part. A whole new social concept of emotional dis-ease emerges from this realisation. Individuals are not emotionally dis-eased – whole families are …

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You are invited to reflect on your key relationships from the systems perspective using the following reference points. • Relationships. To examine the family as a system it is necessary to study the connections between individuals. Each individual possesses their separate persona, as well as the imprint of the whole family system. This could be illustrated by a volatile, acting out teenager who may represent the other side of the mirror in a controlled and highly disciplined household consumed with achievement and ‘fitting in’. It could also be reflected in another family member who is an ‘A’ student with bulimia. • Feedback loops. These represent the circuitry of family systems. The nature of these circuits may be cyclical rather than causal. Thus we have a partner who won’t talk because his primary relationship ‘won’t stop complaining’ or a primary relationship who won’t stop complaining because her partner ‘won’t talk’. The point is that such loops exist in most relationships and in the dysfunctional ones they are often there for the observant to see. • Openness of the system. Systems theorists speak of ‘open and ‘closed’ systems. In a closed system the relationships between the members and the hierarchy of the family are rigid. This can lead to the replication of dysfunctional patterns and feedback loops, which prevent the system adapting and changing. Consider, for example, the Colonel’s family in American Beauty as a classic closed family, with the son Richie’s double life as dutiful son and dope dealer, and his zombie-like mother who has been oppressed to a standstill. Alternatively, consider in a less spectacular situation, one career-focused family member who overworks during the week and is angry and uncommunicative on the weekend. Other members of this family may tiptoe around this person so that the underlying work schedule and behaviour is not challenged. This means the workaholic’s routine is effectively sanctioned by the family, together with their inappropriate weekend behaviour. This is an example of a closed system without a feedback loop to challenge the problem person. It is effectively a form of co-dependence and may well be familiar to some readers. In an open system, by contrast, greater flexibility exists and feedback loops tend to be positive. This feedback challenges destructive behaviour and takes on unwritten rules, which may be at work in families, which are potentially toxic and growth-diminishing for younger or less powerful members. An example of such an unwritten rule might be that self-expression and playful behaviour are forbidden when the angry and exhausted family breadwinner washes up in their midst on the weekend.

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Examples of rules that are indicative of healthy open systems include: • parents follow through on what they say they are going to do • the atmosphere in the family is generally light-hearted and able to adapt to different needs • the roles of members of the family can shift according to circumstances • members of the family are allowed to be different • most of the time members can have their needs met • communication is uncomplicated and essentially assertive in its form • people can make mistakes and these are generally forgiven • family rules require acknowledgment and have consequences for members • members of the family are essentially equal, acknowledging the limits associated with childhood and older members • problems are defined and, wherever possible, they are addressed • members of the family can express their ideas, feelings and desires • members of the family fight ‘fair’ – this translates into avoiding grudges and payback, preparedness to listen to others, demonstrating honesty. Famous family therapist, Virginia Satir4 captured the essence of these ‘rules’ when she referred to the ‘five freedoms’ that each person in a functional family has access to: 1 The freedom to see and hear (perceive) what is here and now, rather than what was, will be or should be. 2 The freedom to think what one thinks, rather than what one should think. 3 The freedom to feel what one feels, rather than what one should feel. 4 The freedom to ask for what one wants, instead of waiting for permission. 5 The freedom to take risks on one’s own behalf, instead of choosing to be secure and always playing it safe. These freedoms have an intimate relationship to healthy self-esteem and functionality in the family. How do these rules and freedoms apply in your family? After all, their presence or absence has a profound effect on the roles that members play. In closed system families, roles become rigid and there is a direct correlation between the roles adopted by the family heads and the resultant roles other members of the family adopt. Illustrations of this dynamic are represented in Figure 4.3. It is important to note that they are not necessarily this predictable in every family. Important points to note from the diagram are that the system is capable of working in biological, friendship and workplace families. Clearly, the closer the relationship between the members, the more predictive the system will be.

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Workaholic co-dependent director or adult sibling

The young gun The boss or parent’s ‘golden child’

Authoritarian CEO or parent

Conflict zone

Employee or child scapegoated or designated ‘underachiever’

Lazy or promiscuous peer or partner

Rebel or acting out child – or difficult subordinate

Figure 4.3 Illustration of dysfunctional roles in a biological or workplace system

The systems view of family highlights the interrelatedness of all family members and the tendency of the system to work towards equilibrium through the roles adopted by members and their behaviour. Let us shift focus here to target what is generally regarded as the most important of these relationships.

YOUR PRIMARY RELATIONSHIP Let’s start with a questionnaire. In presenting this, it is acknowledged that not everybody is the owner of a primary relationship and further, that the questionnaire is not confined to pigeon-pair heterosexual couples.

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Table 4.2 Assess your primary relationship – by discussing the relevant items below 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

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My partner understands what I am feeling when we talk. I am suspicious of my partner’s activities. We contribute equally in our relationship. We have shut each other out affection wise. I generally get support from my partner when the going gets tough. My partner’s psychological health is not good. We treat each other with respect when we argue. We are more like room-mates than a sexual couple. My partner is interested in discussing details of my life. We both know a great deal about what we separately think and do. I get treated like a child in our relationship. We cuddle, touch and have fun together. My partner is never satisfied with me. Both of us are in good shape psychologically. We avoid sorting out our differences through argument. There is still plenty of passion in our relationship. My partner isn’t listening to important things I say. I don’t tell my partner significant things I do. We share the responsibilities evenly and by agreement in our relationship. Our relationship is founded on show rather than based on love. My partner protects me when I am not travelling well. My psychological health is not good at the moment. Both of us win our share of arguments. My partner finds me boring in bed. My partner enables me to unload when I get stressed with life. We don’t keep secrets from each other. I feel more like an employee than a partner in our relationship. I feel genuinely appreciated and cared for in our relationship. We stand together on important issues. My psychological health is good at this time. We dig up old grudges and dirt on each other when we argue. We find each other sexually attractive.

This questionnaire is based on eight criteria that separately provide indicators of the quality of relationships between couples. You can examine indicators relevant to yours by considering trends based on the following question groups:

Table 4.3 Indicators of quality relationships

Key relationship indicator

Relevant questions

1 2 3 4

Q1, Q9, Q17 to Q25 Q2, Q10, Q18, Q26 Q3, Q11, Q19, Q27 Q4, Q12, Q20, Q28

Listening / hearing Trust Equality /equity Affection

(cont.)

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Key relationship indicator

Relevant questions

5 6 7 8

Q5, Q13, Q21, Q29 Q6, Q14, Q22, Q30 Q7, Q15, Q23, Q31 Q8, Q16, Q24, Q32

Support Psychological wellbeing Conflict Sexual compatibility

A little reassurance: it is not my intention to mount the lectern to tell you if your relationship is in good, bad or indifferent form. The best person to draw this conclusion is yourself, in consultation with your partner. The questionnaire is more useful in providing you with information related to specific aspects of your relationship and the potential these have to be enhanced. Before we explore these items separately, however, it is useful to flag a number of popular myths related to relationships that have the capacity to distort such expectations. Oprah’s preferred psychologist, Dr Phillip McGraw,5 nominated some hardy perennials in this regard, including the notions that: 1 Great relationships depend on great meetings of the mind. 2 A great relationship demands a great romance. 3 A great relationship requires a great problem-solver. 4 A great relationship requires a common interest that bonds you together forever. 5 A great relationship is a peaceful one. 6 A great relationship lets you vent all your feelings. 7 A great relationship has nothing to do with sex. 8 A great relationship cannot survive a flawed partner. 9 There is a right way and a wrong way to make your relationship great. 10 A relationship can become great only when you get your partner straightened out. By contrast, Australia’s popular psychologist, Dr Bob Montgomery,6 identified a set of associated myths related to ‘true love’: 1 If you feel you only like your partner now, that means you have fallen out of love. 2 If you and your partner really love each other, you will spend all your time together. 3 If you and your partner really love each other, you will automatically know how each other thinks and feels. 4 If you and your partner really love each other, you will automatically communicate well. 5 If the relationship is in trouble, usually one of the partners is to blame – yes, the other one. 6 If you and your partner love each other, good sex comes naturally.

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7 An argument can only end by one partner giving in and admitting that he or she is wrong. 8 If your partner feels love for someone else, she/he must feel less love for you. 9 If your partner feels sexually attracted to someone else, he/she must feel less attracted to you. 10 If you want your partner to do something, nagging is the best way to get him or her to do it. If you want your partner to stop nagging, give in to it. These myths address a range of key relationship killers, which are focused around looking for a single ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way of settling differences – and also fantasies related to romance, communication, harmony and sexual nirvana. The point these authors make is that much as we may aspire to these things, down on planet reality, hard work, messy compromise and determined, even repetitious negotiation, work best. This is in a world where 32 per cent7 of Australian marriages end in divorce and over 50 per cent of American marriages end up in the divorce courts, as well as over 30 per cent of those in the United Kingdom – according to researchers Bellshore and Strutt.8 In terms of examining the eight relationship makers or breakers mentioned in the questionnaire above, it is important to consider responses in terms of whether they are needed to recover the relationship or simply improve it. Outlined below is a range of practical responses designed to be of assistance. In relation to hearing one another (as opposed to listening to one another) it is important to acknowledge the visual, vocal and verbal components to communication, which is discussed in more detail in Chapter 8. In terms of improving communication, hearing can be dramatically enhanced by echoing back what you have heard and incorporating in the statement an emotion that appeared to be projected by the speaker. For example, ‘You seem to be pretty upset about your mother’s health after what happened to her at the shop this afternoon.’ Many men find the emotional layer to communication difficult to access. However, practice makes even emotional illiterates become passable in this regard. Trust, or the lack of it, can uncover a harsh aspect of relationships, particularly after a significant breakdown has occurred. Broken or withdrawn trust can also be a feature of closed family systems. Recovery of trust may be superficially defined around notions of ‘proof ’, which in the light of day may not necessarily address the underlying doubt and distance. Breakdown of trust can be a function of overblown attempts at ‘independence’ by men and women. It can also be a function of a relationship gone sour, where a nurturing spirit has been supplanted by a competitive or punitive one.

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In terms of enriching trust within a relationship, psychotherapist and researcher Betty Polsten9 offered guidelines for grown-up couples related to: • accepting each other’s differences more generously • nurturing each other’s shortcomings (as opposed to merely judging and discounting) • attempting to share values, goals and responsibilities (as opposed to compartmentalising these). The trouble with damaged trust in one’s primary relationship is that its poison bleeds insidiously into all other parts of the family system. Equality in relationships and destabilisation thereof were noted by psychotherapist Dr Laura Schlessinger10 when she wrote of a range of self-destructive male behaviours which included: • Stupid chivalry – where men think their noble fantasies about ‘love’ will transform poor choices in mates. • Stupid ambition – where money, gadgets, power and status displace parenting and primary relationships. • Stupid strength – where control is wrestled for in a relationship through force, passivity or aggression. • Stupid husbanding – where the partner becomes a ‘mother/wife’ to compensate for the other partner’s shortcomings. • Stupid parenting – where the male withdraws from practical participation in parenting and nurturing children. • Stupid machismo – where superficial, puffed up ‘manliness’ replaces genuine maleness in relationships. Improvements to equality in relationships may not be accompanied by the pyrotechnics associated with recovery strategies. They may take the form of reworking responsibilities in the relationship following the passage of time or the occurrence of life events, such as an empty nest. Pathways to improving affection within primary relationships from the point of view of recovery could include: • preparedness to accept that it is not necessarily too late • recognising destructive thinking and behaviour that has damaged things in the past • accepting responsibility for attempting to make things right. In terms of improving things, strategies that might be useful include: • acknowledging your partner for who they are and focusing on the friendship you have • reinforcing your partner’s self-esteem and being careful with your criticism • taking ownership of your relationship as it actually is and acknowledging that its ‘life’ is unpredictable but responsive to goodwill by both parties.

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Support in your primary relationship has four critical enemies according to award-winning research psychologist John Gottman.11 He described these as the ‘Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse’ and named them: • criticism • contempt • defensiveness • stonewalling. By stabling all or some of the four horsemen in your key relationships, support for your partner is enhanced significantly. Gottman’s approach was to tame each of the horsemen in turn, by acknowledging its whereabouts and the consequences for the couple. Criticism enters the scene when a person comes under attack rather than their behaviour. For example, ‘You are such a vegetable in the evenings’ as opposed to ‘You behave like a vegetable in the evenings’. Criticism is closely related to complaint, which is actually an important part of a relationship – since it defines points of difference for couples and provides them with issues they need to resolve by discussion or negotiation. It is when a complaint isn’t addressed and it acquires the language of hardedged criticism – ‘You always … you never … you are a …’ – that the first horseman has galloped into the relationship. Effective responses to criticism include seeking additional details from the complainant, presenting the criticism in language that enables a constructive response, and recognising the need to rethink the criticism if the behaviour is not being acknowledged or responded to. Contempt is reflected via the intention to insult or psychologically abuse one’s partner through words, gestures or unspoken thoughts. Contempt has joined the relationship when the positives related to one’s partner are consistently being ignored, or through evidence that includes insults, spoken or unspoken names, mockery and body language (such as rolled eyes, or deliberate attempts to ignore the other person). Referring back to the ‘cover story’ in this chapter, contempt was apparent in the relationship between the Bening and Spacey characters in American Beauty, when the couple savagely dismiss each other’s career choices into real estate and redundancy respectively. Contempt is also reflected through unspoken dialogue; for example, (thinks) … ‘St Helen sets out to martyr herself again.’ An awareness of contempt can be increased by couples reflecting on the way in which they handle longstanding differences. The other way is by reworking complaint and criticism in terms that enable dialogue, as opposed to point-scoring. Defensiveness can be a response to contempt through, for example, pleading innocent: ‘Why are you picking on me?’ or avoidance (door slams

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or silence). Victims may not see anything wrong with their defensiveness, but chances are they are escalating or sustaining the dispute through their behaviour. Defensiveness is evident through: • making excuses • denying the charge • cross-complaint • yes, but … • body language (folded arms being a good illustration). One of the more effective ways to manage defensiveness is to attempt to separate the information underlying the complaint or criticism and responding to it as opposed to involvement in a ritual of attack and parry. Stonewalling is illustrated by discontinuing response, monosyllables, subject change and withdrawal. It is generally more often used by men than women in relationships. It effectively shuts down resolution of difference and can be found intensely provocative by the person stonewalled – particularly if that person is female. Gottman (1997, p. 95) indicates there is experimental evidence that women respond more angrily to stonewalling than men. Some strategies that can help with stonewalling include: • flagging that the person has discontinued communicating • indicating the impact of stonewalling on yourself: ‘This behaviour really hurts my feelings’ • challenging the stonewaller: ‘Please listen to what I am trying to say’ • recognising the meta-meaning at work: ‘We both really go to our corners when we discuss this subject – what can be done to resolve it more effectively?’ In terms of improving support in your primary relationships one important option relates to enabling your partner to take appropriate risks in terms of his or her freedom to rework old stand-offs. Alternatively, in providing him or her with opportunities to develop in ways that may not have been there before in communicating dissent. This might mean providing the ‘lead’ to enable your partner to express something new; for example, ‘Try to tell me why you are so unwilling to talk about this.’ It could also mean providing reassurance and identifying unnecessarily harsh selfcriticism that stunts such growth. Psychological health was referred to in Chapter 3. It is influenced to some extent through mood, management, learned optimism and dealing with pressure. It also includes handling distorted thinking and emotional literacy (which will be discussed in Chapter 9). Effective management of disputes is discussed in Chapter 8. It includes development of appropriate assertiveness, for yourself and possibly your

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partner as well. Assertiveness authors Bower and Bower12 offered a structured way to increase communication and dispute resolution skills that transcends the simplistic ping-pong of many ‘training guides’. The approach that they propose involves nine steps that include: 1 Taking the time to practise what you need to say. 2 Recognising the key points in your ‘script’ or the anticipated scenario. 3 Learning some key lines related to articulating your position (particularly employing feeling talk). 4 Developing appropriately assertive body language to convey your message effectively. 5 Setting the scene to address effective communication. 6 Speaking with appropriate power and emphasis. 7 Projecting yourself with clarity and economy. 8 Speaking with expression, which relates to the vocal aspects of communication (such as pitch and speed). 9 Physically looking the part to present your point of view. Chapter 8 offers a guide for mapping interpersonal differences using Transactional Analysis. This can be useful in unravelling repetitive or destructive ‘games’ that appear to be played out in primary relationships – possibly as a consequence of limited insight by one or both parties. For those who rushed to review issues associated with relationship recovery and improvement associated with sex in their key relationship, it is likely that in all probability one or more of the seven items discussed already probably deserves precedence. Contrary to the views of many men and some women in mature pairings, sexual compatibility is more of a consequence of a good relationship than the cause. This axiom has a number of corollaries that include: • for men, that there is a difference between sex and love • for women, in terms of harmonising sexual relationships, there is no logical or scientific reason for men to take the initiative • for men, that there is more to sex than intercourse • for men and women, that sex does not end at 50. The challenge associated with balancing, recovering or enhancing the eight key indicators of healthy relationships requires commitment, willingness to recover old ground and recognition that even the best relationships require steady maintenance and reconstruction or they slowly dissolve, like the crème on a good macchiato. As a summary, consider the following questions to reflect on, related to your primary relationship and its status at this time. You may find it useful to compare notes with your partner, by both of you separately completing the table.

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Table 4.4 Challenging questions related to your primary relationship 1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10

When was the last time you had a frank discussion with one another related to the state of your relationship? How do the pair of you view the future of your lives together? What are the dominant things that drive your relationship at this time? (Money, children, work, relations?) If people saw the pair of you together at the kitchen table, how would they describe your appearance as a ‘working couple’? Money aside, what would you describe as the most important things to significantly improve your happiness together? What would you describe as the best qualities of your partner in your relationship? What would you describe as your partner’s worst qualities? When comparing yourself to your friends, do you feel that your relationship is a sound one? Do you understand what your partner’s interests are at this time? What could you do for your partner in order to significantly enhance your relationship?

It is crucial to recognise the connection between the health of your primary relationship and the broader ‘system’ that operates within your family. This is quite separate from your happiness and effectiveness in the workplace. There are people in surprisingly sensitive professional roles who believe that they can switch off their family with the click of their garage door remote. The reality is that they are as relevant to workplace effectiveness as the campfire is to the tribal group. Which brings us to the exploration of your corporate encampment from an anthropological perspective.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS AT WORK – A TRIBAL ANALYSIS In the writings of some management thinkers, the minds and methods of the ‘leadership team’, and in particular those of the CEO, border on the biblical. Thus we have Harvard Business School gurus Heskett and Schlesinger13 referring to the CEO of US airline, SouthWest, talking about his involvement in hiring staff as a ‘near-religious experience’. (Things may have been a little more down to earth on the other side of the table.) Alternatively, leadership literature focuses on the charismatic or extraordinary leaders who feature in companies with workforces the size of central business districts. What these commentators tend to suppress is that the leadership of most corporations and companies is an activity which involves fallible human beings with all their foibles, eccentricities and accumulated psychological baggage. The problem with the fixation on the antics of corporate titans is that it leaves the rest of us chasing traits and techniques that are frequently in limited supply outside the corporate communications department. It is consequently more productive to scale down the egos and ideas and study

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human beings in groups, as opposed to the legends attributed to the organisational Olympians. Indeed, Carl Jung,14 the psychotherapist who did much early work on humankind’s tribal roots, flagged the consequences of pretending we have moved beyond homo sapiens half a century ago.

What we call civilised consciousness has steadily separated itself from the basic instincts. But these instincts have not disappeared. They have merely lost their contact with our consciousness and are thus forced to assert themselves in an indirect fashion …

Naked ambition, workahol, office wars come quickly to mind. More recently, with the emergence of evolutionary psychology, the case is argued that the primal nature of humankind has changed little, despite the best efforts of science and educators. Professor Nigel Nicholson15 from the London Business School transferred aspects of evolutionary psychology to the office when he noted: • the need for emotional expression, as well as rational discipline, at work • the need for finite work groups (with networks of no more than 150 people) • the opportunity to develop stories and histories within work groups that are stable and sequential • the significance and value of gender differences in workplace culture as opposed to genderless ‘professionals’ • the incongruity of monolithic, global organisations, or alternatively virtual ones, with the needs for kinship and family consistent with the tribe. Notwithstanding these views it is arguable that the analysis of organisations is more informative, interesting and pretence-free if it is undertaken from a tribal point of view, with the associated castes, rituals, symbols and wampum. Consequently, you are invited to take off the navy blue and reach for the leopard skin, in order that you can get down and dirty with the realities of your key relationships at work. The central question in this section is how closely does your organisation align with your tribe of choice? Aspects of your tribe we will explore include: • the totem • the myth and history of the tribe • the chief • the tribal council • rules of the tribe • initiation rites • women and in the tribe • how minorities feature in the tribe.

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By enabling you to undertake this exercise in corporate anthropology, you will assemble a grittier and less sanitised picture of how well you engage with the prevailing ethos of your organisation. THE TOTEM OF YOUR TRIBE A totem is a representation using images or objects, which serve as the distinctive mark of the group. North American Indians, Polynesians and New Zealand Maoris employed striking totems, which were representative of multiple facets of the tribes. These included figureheads, deities, features of the local geography or food chain, plus aspects of the tribe’s history and accomplishments. In ancient Australia, totem is illustrated in a more pictorial, anecdotal way through rock art and oral history. In a modern organisation, totem can be more abstractly represented through the architecture and art surrounding the Defence Department in Canberra, with its characterless façade and its eagle-topped monument. Down in the everyday office, however, totem tends to become less epic in scale and sometimes more ironic in form. A team leader client created a particularly potent totem based on the organisation development role of his self-directed team within a major oil and natural gas exporting conglomerate. He explained that the role of his team was to review systems in place, particularly human resources systems, in order to achieve efficiencies through development of documents and processes. The review team’s function was effectively that of a hunting party searching for ‘game’ that could be converted from human into digital form. The team saw its life as the duration of the mission. The team leader saw himself as a hunter looking out across the nervous, but largely unknowing HR process workers. Ironically, the symbol which the team had selected for itself, in the form of a cut-out from a video store, was the off-world creature from the Predator movies. It can be seen that although this team was somewhat boyish in its image and role, it had defined itself culturally with some clarity and without pretension. Another illustration of totems at work involved a fairly disenchanted senior executive in a particularly aggressive bank. As a Tolkein enthusiast, he referred to his head office building as Mordor, which caused wry mirth among his fellow orcs. How would you define the totem of your business? This could make for illuminating and amusing discussion with your work team.

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It is useful to examine tribes through their historical development and the myths that they may have accumulated to define themselves along the way. Consider, for example, events in which your tribe may have been involved, such as: • a golden era • a pyrrhic victory • guerilla warfare • collaborations • defeats. Often associated with these events is the evolution of the culture of the tribe, which could feature: • heroes • villains • attitudes to other groups • ways of doing the job. Consider a major Australian courier company whose drivers were being encouraged to take a personal interest in the development of the business. This was to be demonstrated by individual initiatives to enhance relationships with customers through identifying opportunities for the sales team. Unfortunately, the history of these drivers included a strong ‘employee’ mindset and a largely union-based myth, which led the drivers to believe that any initiative on their part would lead to deterioration in their conditions – through increased workload. The effect of this myth on the tribe of drivers was to create a passive–aggressive climate, which meant absorption of change and willingness to rise to market competition was incremental and grudging. In terms of relationships between the drivers and their boss (who was cast as a dollardriven toe-cutter) it created a mood of resentment, which made the company a less-than-happy place to work. In reflecting on your own tribal history and myth, consider the era you are in and the impact of past myths (and true stories) on the relationships between members at this time. THE CHIEF Let us now look at the chief (acknowledging that this person could be you). What is it about this person that is significant personality-wise and what is remarkable about the way in which he or she leads?

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In personality terms we need to get beyond the ‘competency’ mindset (which is explored in Chapter 6). There are plenty of chiefs out there with competency to burn, but with personalities like granite-faced undertakers. Instead, appraise your relationship with your chief in terms of: • enthusiasm, wit, philosophical orientation, infectiousness energy wise • vision for the people (as opposed to the organisation) in terms of development, opportunity, synergies, transfer of knowledge • consistency in terms of the directions he or she takes and decisionmaking skills • ability to put him or herself on the line and stand with you against the winds of fortune • integrity and willingness to do what he or she says. This is reflected in relationships and in his or her capacity to be congruent with executive and non-executive staff • capacity to maintain unity among leaders and teams and to manage conflict with firmness and fairness. How would you rate your chief on these qualities? If you were the chief, how would you rate yourself ? In terms of your chief ’s leadership style consider: • Does this person prefer to allocate tasks and accountability? • Do this person like to be involved in the thick of the melee and have relationships that are spread thinner than spreadsheets? • Can you consult with him or her about your personal needs and concerns? • Is this person a deal-maker who creates formal and informal contracts related to his or her needs and yours? • Is this person flexible in terms of the approach taken in different situations with different people? • Is he or she simply about command and control? • What type of emotional ‘aura’ is displayed. In the emotional domain, emotional intelligence author Daniel Goleman16 noted: … in any human group the leader has maximal power to sway everyone’s emotions. If people’s emotions are pushed towards the range of enthusiasm, performance can soar; if people are driven towards rancour and anxiety, they will be thrown off stride. This indicates another important aspect of primal leadership. Its effects extend beyond answering that a job is well done. Followers also look to a leader for supportive emotional connection – for empathy. All leadership includes this primal dimension, for better or worse …

In most organisations the significance of the leader’s personality and style will have an important effect on subsidiary chiefs and braves of both

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genders. The key issue is whether the leadership style of the chief is the appropriate one for the tribe and the goals which the tribe sets out to achieve. Sometimes this can get trivialised. The elan of chiefs in Australia and elsewhere tends to be widely analysed by the media, from the finance and management press to the celebrity and gossip tabloids. In August 2002 The Australian Financial Review Boss magazine contributed its top 25 ‘true leaders’, complete with photo opportunities, stylist and grabs from the selection panel (… you will see the bloke in jeans at 10 o’clock at night wandering the stores …). Enter the super chief. In relation to the cachet associated with some of these people, readers may draw reassurance from an observation made by Peter Drucker (1996):17 … the one and only personality trait the effective ones (ie leaders) I have encountered did have in common was something they did not have: they had little or no ‘charisma’ and little use either for the term or what it signifies …

A case study in charisma minimisation I encountered was the former CEO of a government land organisation who was widely respected by his staff. His energy was undeniable, and his adherence to fundamental values associated with honesty, quality and delivery positioned him head and shoulders above many of his contemporaries. This was in an environment where political and public interests had taken the form of a street fight, rather than a process of debate and dialogue. It was apparent that this CEO’s ‘vision’ was actually pretty basic and collaborative, rather than some sort of personal epiphany. His decision-making skills were based on strategic markers which, once in place, were pursued relentlessly. His political skills were good without being outstanding. It was in his integrity and basic substance as a human being that led to his nomination for a medal for service to government on his retirement. There was actually nothing ‘charismatic’ about the personality of this man. Without diminishing his accomplishments, it is noteworthy that he was regarded as a reluctant participant in disputes between his senior staff, and in terms of his own wellbeing he struggled with chronic stress and a niggling back injury. Despite this, the respect accorded by his executive team and staff was profound. TRIBAL COUNCIL Separate from the priority people who you have been considering through the course of this publication, it is worth noting how the working tribe inherits and creates its own anointed ones around the chief. This brings us to the tribe’s inner circle or executive, which may include:

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• • • • • • •

heirs and aspirants lieutenants and henchmen consultants and witchdoctors law-makers and regulators foot soldiers representatives from partner tribes seers. In many corporate tribes, the politics of the tribal council are turbulent and frequently deadlocked. I have seen councils where: • the struggle for succession works against the success of the tribe’s business • lieutenants, henchmen (and women) make lunges at the throne • witchdoctor-created nostrums take the tribe into expensive and unproductive trances • law-makers overwhelm the tribe with compliance and regulation • foot soldiers take up arms and waste people and resources • affiliate tribes destabilise the group with whom they collaborate and divert it from its mission • seers misread the future and have everybody tilting at windmills. Manfred Kets De Vries,18 who among his credits is visiting professor at the Harvard Business School, argued that the psychological orientations of key organisation members are major determinants of the neurotic style of their organisation. As a psychoanalyst, Kets De Vries proposed five dominant styles of organisational pathology that radiate from the central decision-makers. These are spelt out below. Table 4.5 Five dominant styles of leadership pathology relevant to work groups

Dramatic attention-seeking high energy impulsive undisciplined

Suspicious distrustful controlling conservative over-analytic secretive

Detached uninvolved parochial indecisive insecure conflict ridden

Depressive lacking selfconfidence bureaucratic change resistant and avoidant low motivation leaderless and dependent on gurus resigned

Compulsive concerned with hierarchical status obsessed with rules and details submissive, insecure staff non-adaptive focused on single strategies like cost-cutting

Do you see your tribal council following any of these ‘pathologies’? Do you see yourself as an influential contributor? This aspect of tribal functioning is amplified progressively when behaviour becomes dysfunctional or should the headman or woman fall.

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It is though-provoking to match these leadership pathologies to the tribal councils at: • OneTel • HIH • Harris Scarfe • Ansett • Telstra • AMP • the current federal government. RULES AND ROLES

The tribe inevitably has formal rules laid out in its strategic documents and in the form of governance and human resource policies and procedures. Far more interesting for the purposes of this review are the unwritten rules that exist in the tribe and particularly those which relate to: • allocation of rewards (both material and power) • recognition and status symbols • succession and preparation for promotion • decision-making (including the inner sanctum of the tribe) • communication of news – particularly bad news • punishment and sacrifice. Unwritten punishment and sacrifice are often well understood and accepted in government agencies. Consider as an example senior staff in a heath organisation, who understood that the cost of local community conflict (whether justified or not) resulted in departmental isolation, escalating ministerial demands and overload by compliance – leading to eventual transfer or resignation. This tribe did not like boat-rockers. From a tribal perspective, roles are not based around ‘classifications’, organisation charts or job descriptions. What we are talking about here are the offices that are performed within the tribe related to decision-making and relationships between sub-groups. Some of these roles can be described in terms of: • Elders/sages – who can provide historical reference and offer wisdom and balance to group decisions. • Planners and strategists – who contribute ideas and discipline to the tribe. • Warriors and guards – who galvanise activity within the tribe, mete out justice to wrongdoers or corral the hotheads. • Healers and moderators – who maintain and measure morale, defend miscreants, mediate conflict and deal with troubled relationships within the tribe. • Envoys and scouts – who reconnoitre opportunity and serve to create alliances and opportunities with other tribes.

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• Organisers and marshals – who are involved in optimising resources related to people and material. • Detail people – who create standards, cross ‘t’s’ and dot ‘i’s’. • Ritual and festival observers – who ensure the traditions of the tribe are captured and celebrated. The import of the roles of jester and social secretary are not to be underestimated as mechanisms to enable tribes to let their shields down. An interesting illustration is provided by a concrete production plant manager who regretted the significant social interaction his people had lost since the days of a ‘few slabs and a barbie’ after work on a Friday night. This had been the tradition prior to the introduction of occupation safety and health (OSH) policies related to consuming alcohol in the workplace. Further, with Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) based contracts, workers were not interested in going to ‘work events’ on the weekend. Sadly, a subtle but important level of tribal cohesion ended with these gatherings. There are other unwritten roles that exist behind functional roles which can make themselves apparent from time to time. These might include: • stooges • back protectors • political pundits • rescuers • executioners. Who does what in your tribe and what roles do you perform? The key question underlying this analysis is whether the rules and the roles that you are working with are compatible with your personal aspirations and priorities developed in Chapter 2. MEMBERSHIP AND INITIATION RITES The form of your membership to the tribe ultimately determines whether you will chew the fat with the chief around the campfire or get fed scraps of information in the doghouse. In many tribes there are criteria for membership, which relate to the duration of your affiliation of the group. Many contemporary corporate tribes employ additional membership badges based around: • qualifications and tertiary disciplines • participation in past triumphs and debacles • compatibility of attitudes with the chief • gender • willingness to comply with tribal work and social demands • preparedness to overlook certain shortcomings that may exist in the group.

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Harvard leadership guru John Kotter19 noted of initiation:

In more ‘primitive’ cultures youths are initiated into the rites of power, sometimes in very complicated ways … If in certain American Indian tribes young men bury themselves in pits up to the neck on lonely hills in the desert, it is to learn patience, concentration, and the ability to stay motionless when necessary, however uncomfortable it may be …

Generally, tribal initiation in contemporary organisations does not involve scarification or ingestion of hallucinogenic substances. However, initiations do exist, based around: • capacity to achieve certain objectives or deadlines • willingness to adopt a prescribed code of conduct (particularly in law enforcement and military tribes, for example) • preparedness to support certain behaviours and participate in baptisms by fire through rites such as restructure or corporate offensives • donning appropriate colours – there is a certain irony about the contemptuous view held by many in the corporate world regarding the tribal structure of bikies with their Harleys and leather tassels. Not surprisingly, the bikers view the ‘suits’ in their whispering BMWs and pinstriped cloth with equal disdain. In either event, initiation and conformance processes are at work.20 You may want to reflect on initiation and membership of your tribe, and whether you are seen as a full member or simply an associate with limited rights. WOMEN IN THE TRIBE The membership status of women in the tribe depends on their numbers at upper levels of management and their influence at other levels where their numbers may be large. Unfortunately, the reality in most Australian organisations is that women are in a minority in senior management ranks, although there is increasing evidence that this trend is changing. Women can represent the largest group in specific industries such as health, education and retail banking, yet this does not automatically translate into influence if these numbers are not represented at upper management levels. MINORITIES IN THE TRIBE Categories that determine lower status in the tribe include level of education, skills, language fluency or job type. Gender is not necessarily an issue, and the male chief or largely male executive can treat men and women at lower status in the tribe poorly. The following American example shows the

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fate of a woman executive in relation to a male chief and, significantly, involves her positive treatment of a lower status male. Award-winning journalist Gary Rivlin21 told of a woman called Ida Cole who lasted less than a year as Bill Gates’ head of business applications at Microsoft. It wasn’t that Gates and his lieutenants were overtly sexist so much as overtly male. With Gates and Ballmar (Gates’ 2IC), it was always ‘the guys’ this and ‘the guys’ that – and it showed … Unfortunately Cole made ‘mistakes’ including … thanking everyone for working so long and hard … granting a male employee two weeks off after the birth of his third child so that he could care for his two small children while his wife recuperated, a decision Gates told her was ‘unwise’ … Cole returned from a three-week’s absence after surgery … the doctors had initially feared was ovarian cancer. She had delayed the surgery because her group was promoting a new edition of Excel. She had shortened her recuperation … But upon her return Gates screamed at her for not knowing a ship date had slipped while she was gone. She demoted herself to a job in the company’s international division, far away from this boys’ club atmosphere …

In essence, what is being illustrated here is the reaction of the blokey chiefs to a lower level female executive and her positive treatment of the minority, family-first member of the wider tribe. The issues it illustrates ask us to consider: • the willingness that the tribe has to respond to the needs of injured or unwell members of the wider tribe • the opportunity for tribal members to access the chief ’s tent • the quality of community between the chief, the council and the other tribal members • the distribution of spoils among the non-executive members of the tribe. To the one-dimensional professional mind, the outer circle in the tribal village can be surveyed by staff opinion surveys or perhaps by an inspired piece of management by walking around. For the truth about minorities in tribes, the real evidence of commitment to equity is defined through preparedness by chiefs to work and respond to the three-domain needs of the rank and file. To conclude, the questionnaire below gives you with the chance to capture your thoughts related to the analysis of your professional tribe and your membership match. Do you belong to a tribe of choice? Totem Describe the key symbol of your organisation and of your workgroup. Are these congruent with how you want to represent yourself?

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Myth and History In terms of the history of your workgroup, what key events have defined your status and reputation within the organisation?

The Chief How would you characterise the dominant style of your chief based on the styles described in the section on key relationships at work – dramatic, suspicious, detached, depressive and compulsive? Tribal Council How would you describe the key planners in your executive group in terms of their roles and the effect they collectively have on the way business is conducted in the organisation? What is your contribution to this group? Rules and Roles What are the unwritten rules in place that you find difficult to live with? How would you describe your role in the tribal context in which you work? Initiation and Advancement What are the initiation rites needed to achieve full membership of your tribe? Are you comfortable with these and have you served your apprenticeship? Women and Minorities What comments are relevant concerning employment and development of women and minorities? What do these comments say about the tribe?

FROM THE HEART ❤ Most of the people reading this book are astute enough to draw conclusions from their genograms and locate difficulties associated with their key family relationships. Can you isolate one or more of these to work on systematically over the next three months? ❤ The systems perspective on family effectively makes everybody in the family responsible for the impact that the family has on any individual. The systems view challenges you to look at your own role and behaviours in the scheme of things and to consider how you are affecting others – particularly younger and less powerful members of the group. ❤ Your primary relationship can be effectively dissected using the eight reference points nominated through the primary relationship questionnaire. Scope exists for you to polish the diamond relationship-wise or to repair things at critical stages; for example, rock bottom. ❤ The tribal analysis of the workplace offers you another perspective on key relationships that gets beyond the business buzzwords. If you look around your domain from the chief ’s tent or the perimeter of the camp, certain truths may become apparent that require a three-domain response – as opposed to a one-dimensional corporate ‘intervention’.

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Casestudy

If I look around, the people who have toiled with me in this team and what appears to have driven us all in our roles with this organisation, I get to appreciate the different meanings that can be ascribed to ‘career’ in the twenty-first century. There is Scotty (‘the samurai’), our Managing Director. His vocabulary defines his worldview – ‘dominate’, ‘share of the spoils’, ‘lock horns’, ‘sharpen our swords’, ‘the company war chest’, ‘intelligence-gathering’ and ‘squash the bastards’. Scotty is a warrior in pinstripes (except on Fridays when he gets into his casual camouflage). Business is war to Scotty as is his relationship with the workplace. He expects us to give it ‘110 per cent’ and ‘fall over the line’. The 110 per cent is the contribution to the business and Scotty isn’t interested in what happens outside work, given he has been divorced for years and hasn’t seen a suburban fenceline in ages. We have Dana (CPA and MBA), (‘the professional’), our business analyst. Dana is strictly about numbers and ratcheting up business performance. She slices and dices the operation daily like a sashimi chef. Indeed, the ‘business’ of her career is strictly business and a meeting with her tends to confirm one’s worst fears regarding accountants. However, with perseverance Dana will reveal the other side to her ledger, given she is a single parent with two children in primary school. No doubt her kids have the parental imprint and are investing their pocket money on the markets and thereby working towards their first millions. David was our one-dimensional process engineer, who shouldered his job as his ‘duty’ to his family. He seldom left his screen, other than to attend to what he saw as annoying meetings with his people in production. David started out extremely well on paper and saved us 4 per cent on costs in his first year. Unfortunately, he was ultimately out-placed for showing an abysmal lack of leadership with his team – which was left to sort things out for themselves in a style of hands off management that tended to be punctuated with episodes of tablethumping and blistering e-mails when things went awry. In David’s defence, his project was his world and his technical knowledge was without peer. His family situation was rumoured to be difficult and he seemed to be beyond learning the basic communication skills that most of us took for granted in relation to leadership. Carla, the graduate PA who worked for Scotty, was both an inspiration and exasperation for us all. She actually had us talking about the French philosopher Foucault at lunchtime for a while. She also challenged Scotty at a public meeting without showing any fear of reprisals.

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Carla was an excellent worker and she commanded respect even when she resigned to ‘elope’ with her boyfriend to Thailand 12 months ago. Carla regarded her job as a journey. Essentially, she was interested in bigger things in life and had personal values and idealism that challenged us all. Then there is Vince (‘the Quince’) – who is ‘doing it for the dough’ and is essentially a serf to his superannuation (‘I’m out of here in four years’). Vince is competent, but scary and cynical. He dropped his cue back in the rack when he was passed over for promotion four years ago and realised he had nowhere new to go in the organisation. He is intelligent enough to know that he is fundamentally unhappy, but views the risks associated with reinventing himself or his job as too big to take.

There are five perspectives on career here, from soldier to slave. They effectively illustrate key aspects of the systems theory perspective on career development pioneered by Queensland researchers and career practitioners Mary McMahon and Wendy Patton.1 Briefly, The systems theory framework is composed of several interrelated systems including the intra personal system of the individual, the social system and the environmental/societal system. The processes between these systems are explained via the recursive nature of interaction within and between these systems, change over time and chance …

The intra-personal system includes items such as health, gender, selfconcept, skills, age and beliefs. The social system includes family, peers, community, school and media. The environmental system includes geographic locale, historical trends, socioeconomic status, the employment market and political trends. They underline the point that career development is much more complex than professional angst related to ‘how high’, ‘how much’ and ‘how else’. Three-domain career thinking acknowledges systems theory in that it asks you to put career into life, rather than the converse. It starts out with who you are, where your priority people frame the picture, how you fit with the wider world, and then what tools and terms you want to trade with the workplace. 1 This chapter challenges you to review your career path through life in the personal domain and how you develop yourself via renewal. 2 It gets you to link this passage to priority people and the work of your life with these key people. 3 Then it addresses itself to the profession chosen as your life’s work. 4 It concludes with reference to employer-driven career management and the concerns and consequences related to this.

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CAREER IN THE PERSONAL DOMAIN It is important to recognise that wherever your personal career is going, there are certain common aspirations shared by most people striving in the corporate community. These aspirations tend to define our personal careers in terms of individuality, productivity, self-sufficiency and materialism. Career consultant Laurence Boldt2 captured several of these aspirations (rather bleakly) when he described the ‘nations of little kings’: Every man would be king, enjoying the goods of life made possible through machines and mass production. There would soon arise whole nations of little kings, each at home in his castle: if not a palace, then perhaps a country estate; if not a country estate, then a home in the suburbs; if not a home in the suburbs, then perhaps a condo, an apartment, a mobile home – any kingdom, no matter how small. This is what we worked for. We laboured for a kingdom and the promise of the leisure to enjoy it …

At their worst, the little kings (and queens) contract out to organisations in order to create individual encampments around the moat of the corporate conglomerate. At their best the little kings dictate terms and times at which they are available from respected positions inside the keep. In any event this metaphor will resonate with people in and around organisations who are striving for an independent future. Career ‘downshift’ doyen Jim Drake3 defined a list of unwritten beliefs that could represent aspects of the little king’s persona. Some of these include: • ‘The customer comes first’ (no matter what the personal consequences). • ‘Success is rising up the ladder’ (ditto) • ‘Getting ahead is more important than staying in a job you enjoy’. • ‘More is better’. • ‘Career satisfaction is more important than relationships’. • ‘Getting is more important than giving’. • ‘Looking good is important’. Based on such premises, the ultimate fate of the little kings can be described in terms of a life filled with ‘doing’ as opposed to ‘being’. Boldt expanded on the notions of ‘doing’ and ‘being’ through discussing the philosophy and psychology of therapist Carl Jung.4 According to Jung the individual psyche (of both men and women) has feminine and masculine aspects or values. Roughly speaking, the feminine values are concerned with being; the masculine, with doing ... In the Jungian conception, the masculine aspect of self is concerned with controlling the external world. Technology is the pre-eminent means of achieving control. In a society where

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masculine values dominate, technology is highly valued and advanced. The feminine aspect of self is concerned with enlarging the individual’s experience of the world as it is – that is with being. In a society where masculine values dominate, people have little experience with being …

This is a critical issue in all of our personal careers and the key question becomes how congruent is our ‘doing’ with our ‘being’? In exploring this question it is important to factor in a number of social trends that include: • Significant increases in longevity, causing men and women to live up to two decades longer. (This will inevitably be extended further if you have the money and/or the will.) • ‘Adulthood’ and life stages being extended through the lifestyle demands of so-called baby boomers vis-à-vis their predecessors. This can be demonstrated through altered recreational interests (particularly health and leisure related) and changing views about what constitutes ‘retirement’. (See Chapter 9 for further discussion of this.) • The fact that more of society has become ‘adult aged’ as the baby boomer demographic moves into maturity and beyond. There is associated with this a large cohort of people who choose (or are forced) to work past the age of 65. This was apparent in November 1997, when there were 2 103 900 Australians aged 45 and over who intended to retire from full-time work.5 Of the 1 412 300 males, 34 per cent intended to retire at 65 and over. Of the 691 600 females, 14 per cent intended to retire aged 65 and over. • With respect to females in the Australian workplace, there is evidence that participation rates by older women are increasing relative to men:6 ... in the past five years the employment rate for women aged 45–54 has risen from 62 to 67 per cent, while the men’s rates have remained steady at 83 per cent. For older women, 55–59 years, there has been a 20% increase in participation rates to 45 per cent …

• Redefinition of work relationships and employment through graduated withdrawal from the workplace, part-time and contract employment – as opposed to the traditional notions of comprehensive severance from the workplace and ‘boss’ and ‘worker’-style employment contracts. In the personal ‘career’ domain these trends challenge the individual’s capacity to redraw their possibilities related to personal development and renewal. In reflecting on scope for such growth at this level, it is useful to recognise three basic reference points, namely: • recovery • maintenance • renewal.

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Recovery in relation to personal passage through life can be examined through reference to Chapter 3, which explores issues associated with wellbeing. So far as maintenance and renewal are concerned it is important to acknowledge the impact of a range of what could be described as ‘growth jammers’ on mature peoples’ potential to move ahead. Growth jammers are exemplified by: • the consequences of old decisions returning to haunt us (for example, making a decision to live in a regional centre rather than a major capital city, or vice versa) • the impact of dissatisfaction and negative thinking caused by expectation gaps between where and what we wanted to be and do and where we actually are • the formation of attitudes (rightly or wrongly) related to our capacity to change the situation • disconnection from society or anomie resulting from disenchantment with national and/or local political and social trends • inertia caused by another parties’ reluctance to move ahead • choice gridlock caused by the sheer variety of options available to us • ennui, powerlessness, hopelessness and cynicism. A good way to examine your recent reality and possible growth jammers is via a three-domain ‘Lifeline’. An example of one of these is provided by Tracey’s case study below.

Casestudy

Tracey’s career always seemed effortless to those around her. Having completed a business degree after high school, Tracey found a job in health by accident after returning from overseas travel. Within five years, Tracey was a model of young thirties success: she was living in a stable, happy relationship with a young lawyer in Brisbane, she was second in charge of her state office and she was being offered senior executive services roles in Canberra. Tracey found herself commuting to Canberra four days at a stretch, participating in highest level decision-making and learning a lot about her evident talent for managing policy and politicians. It was after 10 months as a Canberra commuter that Tracey started experiencing fatigue and tension in her relationship, as the conflict between work and family started to escalate. Tracey’s mother had a breast cancer scare. This left Tracey feeling guilty. Tracey’s sister, who had always been close, was struggling as a single parent in Maroochydore. Alan indicated that he was keen to start a family. Meanwhile, in Canberra Tracey was offered a position that would have made her the youngest appointee at level in departmental history. Tracey found herself sitting on a plane one Saturday morning looking at a sheet of paper she had entitled ‘The Lifeline and Times of Tracey the Traveller’.

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Figure 5.1 The Lifeline and Times of Tracey the Traveller The lifeline and times of Tracey the traveller

High satisfaction Allan Canberra Offer

Travel Happy Times

Promotion

Promotions

Travel

Return to Brisbane

University

Fatigue

Years

–7

–6

–5

–4

–3

–2

–1

0

1 Now

No Work Sisters Divorce Mothers Illness

KEY

Priority people Personal Professional

Low satisfaction

You may want to conduct a similar exercise on yourself. You will find it easier to work backwards from this year into the murky past. Rate the severity of peaks and troughs using a pencil, because you will probably want to move these around as memories flood back. Try to locate two peaks and troughs each year within each of the three domains. Label these items with a tag word. Ask yourself the following questions: • In terms of the cycles and shifts in the flow of my life, where am I now? Is it high or low? (Are the lines trending north or south?) Be prepared to position yourself one way or another rather than sitting on the fence. • Consider how relationships and incidents have altered your mood and expectations across the three domains over the 5-year period. • How free or constrained have these incidents made you now? • How have your aspirations in the three domains altered over that time? • Given these experiences and your current situation, what are things looking like in the predictable future (projecting three years ahead)? Adult growth coach Frederick Hudson7 used the term ‘renewal’ in relation to personal career development. He recommended a number of touchstones to facilitate this activity. These included: 1 That the process is values driven. 2 That it is connected to the ‘real world’ as you know it. 3 That it is based on a requirement for solitude and quiet. 4 That individuals undergoing renewal pace themselves. 5 That they have contact with nature.

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That they are creative and playful. That they embrace change. That they learn from personal down-times. That they see themselves always in ‘training’. That they are future oriented. Let’s expand on each of these items in turn with reference to the threedomain framework. 1 Personal values have been addressed through the values wheels in Chapter 2. In the case of Tracey, five dominant values she identified across the three domains related to: – workplace leadership (rather than three-domain leadership) – financial wellbeing (rather than physical wellbeing) – juggling relationships (rather than enriching these) – status – crisis containment (rather than planned development). Honest acknowledgment of the values in play is a sobering but effective way to hasten personal renewal. 2 Connection with the real world demands dashing aspects of professional ego with a generous splash of cold reality. In Tracey’s case it was her closeness to her sister that was helpful in this regard, as will be explained. Essentially, it reconnected her with her family, while learning something new about herself as well. 3 Notions associated with seeking opportunity for solitude and/or quiet have become almost incomprehensible in this era of the permanent video screen. Unfortunately, human beings have not evolved as quickly as the technology on which many have become dependent. We do not necessarily blink back on line with the same clarity or consistency as a carefully selected screensaver. An important aspect of solitude and quiet is that they provide the opportunity to reflect on the big picture, or parts of it, while life is running relatively slowly and noiselessly. For the highly impatient among us, solitude does not have to translate into mystic retreats. However, quiet can be achieved at unpopular times of the day if no other options are available. In any event there is a definite correlation between opportunities for solitude and quiet and evidence of balance among the more effective people we meet. In Tracey’s case she often spoke of the ‘noise’ and confusion that surrounded her – particularly in the professional domain. She mentioned the ‘luxury of calm’ and the absence of the toneless ‘ding’ of incoming e-mails. Tracey needed to adopt a more assertive approach to other people’s noise and the opportunity to create her own uncluttered mental space.

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4 Pacing yourself in relation to renewal is about finding a baseline activity level and returning to it when necessary so that life can go forward without damage. A consequence of lack of pacing over the week is the Friday night flame-out, mentioned in Chapter 1, where five days of professional frenzy translate into zombie-like exhaustion – which turns the preliminary part of the weekend into recovery rather than recreation. Renewal in this regard is about tapering down the week, or acknowledging one’s condition and responding with an appropriate recharge mid-week or mid-project. Where the damage has been done, it is important to acknowledge one’s status and minimise its impact on other parties, including partner, children and under-whelmed friends. In Tracey’s words, she tended to ‘grind down the girl’ – partly because she had a reputation as a hard worker and as someone who could deliver. Tracey needed to say ‘no’ to some of the people who were so happy to chew her out physically at work. 5 Contact with nature concerns grounding oneself on the planet and accepting one’s place in the natural order, as opposed to the corporate cosmos and the vocational food chain. For some, nature is at its most beautiful by or on the sea. A scramble on coastal rocks or reefs, scuba or snorkel dives on coral, recreate the simple wonder and pleasure, mixed with a sense of wellbeing that somehow slows time. Tracey, by contrast, enjoyed bushwalks and was once an intrepid camper. She agreed that regular half-day walks with Alan would be a good step in the right direction in relation to her current career conundrum. 6 Creativity and fun are accepted by most of us as the very fountainhead of renewal. Having acknowledged this, the question must be asked, ‘When did you have your last serious belly laugh, and when was the one before that?’ Some of us will remember their pre-executive stage of development when they could laugh so hard they would fall over. Chances are that what provoked it was a lot less sophisticated than what is required these days. The laugh gauge below is designed to wryly refresh your memory. In Tracey’s case, a determined tilt at laughter was launched by attending a fancy dress party dressed as Madonna in her tribal phase. What are or were your creative interests and where did you practise these last? Is there a corroding camera tucked away in the back of that container which constitutes the last vestige of your home security system? What about the cobweb-covered saxophone, the messy workshop (with the archaeologically interesting power tools) which was once a place of impressive activity? Alternatively, the sewing room that is piled high with ‘projects’, the exhausted racks in the cellar, which has

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Paroxysm with collapse Horse laugh with tears

Severity of laughter

Note: All entries on northeastern side of scale acceptable

Chuckle without contrivance Grunt of appreciation Quality pun or anecdote

Smile at victim’s expense

Exquisite jest

Quality of joke Tacky joke

Cynical sneer Figure 5.2 The laughometer

been supplanted by the smiling bottleshop burger who welcomes your visits like the very dear customer that you have become. Consider Mary, who was a semi burnt-out team leader with Telstra. She was a 52-year-old sales trooper, slogging it out with 25-year-olds in a relentless environment she once ruled. After talking at length about her leadership style and priorities, she turned to her notion of creativity and the ice started to melt. Mary identified her collection of substandard, old (rather than antique) furniture and the pleasure she derived restoring pieces and making a little money from reselling them. The satisfaction that shone in her face when she spoke about this provided the lever to get her back into her role (and her life), at a time when yet more ‘time management’ and competency would have simply glazed her over. 7 Adapting to change at work is a given, but it doesn’t always follow suit at home. A good barometer to use when measuring preparedness to change in the personal domain is to ask yourself when you last took up a new recreational interest. Change adaptation is never more necessary than in relationships with children. Responding to their growth while maintaining one’s

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own development is one of the greatest challenges of parenthood. As with the workplace, there is a huge divide between change activists and change talkers. Tracey was aware that her sister’s situation had changed significantly following her divorce and altered residential status. Tracey wanted to be able to provide more support for her sister and time with her kids. This was ultimately one of the key factors which led her to reject the big job in Canberra and focus on working out of Brisbane, with project-based forays to Canberra (as opposed to irregular forays from Canberra to Brisbane). 8 Capacity to learn from hard lessons is indicative of willingness to handle robust feedback and to be forthright with oneself. In this regard look again at your lifeline and review the moments of truth that you may have experienced over the past 10 years. In relation to these consider what you have learned that is of enduring value. (You might want to tag some of these.) Are there patterns that have repeated themselves, such as singlemindedness? In the business of renewal the true adaptor is able to review the rubble and separate the nuggets from the toxic slurry. Lessons learned by Tracey came down to the impossibility of geographic separation of professional life and priority people. There was also a lesson about the pressures placed on young professional women in relation to family and upward career mobility, in an environment that promised much but offered little meaningful support. 9 It is practically a given in the professional domain that continuous learning and retraining is essential for performance and, indeed, survival. In the personal domain, genuine personal mastery is achieved when the individual is authentic enough to drop roles and labels such as ‘parent’, ‘grandparent’ or ‘partner’ – and is willing to learn anew. Whereas training tends to be pursued around reason, research and disciplines, it is less frequently sought in relation to authentic growth for the individual via consolidation of personal insight and wisdom. Frequently, the ‘class’ associated with training in the personal domain will contain a curriculum which is defined by the individual. Such training is demonstrated by reflection on personal philosophy and life practice, willingness to face and defeat old demons, preparedness to change oneself and banish old habits. In Tracey’s case the ‘retraining’ came down to a three-domain critique of corporate career promises and redefining career ‘success’ in terms of greater family cohesion and personal balance. 10 Renewal needs a plan and the plan needs a first step. We all know the corporate exhortations related to timeframes which are realistic and

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achievable. The reference frame for planning personal renewal is based on the four critical timeframes in Chapter 2: 10 years, five years, the next 12 months and the next three months. Most people can project themselves forward 10 years for items like financial targets, five years in terms of objectives like career goals, 12 months in terms of events like holidays and family commitments. They can then draw down the threemonth time frame to sort out the here and now.

To summarise, Table 5.1 contains 10 questions for you to consider regarding your personal career and its renewal.

Table 5.1 Ten up close and personal questions re renewal 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

What personal values from your values wheels are you least satisfied with at this time? What contact with the ‘real world’ (outside your professional life) would make you more grounded in that which is important to you personally? When was the last time you were able to enjoy genuine solitude and quiet in which to think? How would you describe the pace of your life over the past three months in terms of opportunity to work on personal renewal? What are aspects of nature that you enjoy in relation to getting things into perspective? When did you last experience these? What creative pursuits do you enjoy outside of work? When did you last practise these? What are the biggest changes taking place in your life outside work? How are you managing these? What is a major lesson from life on which you could be working on in relation to your own renewal at this time? What was the last significant thing you learned as a person outside workplace ‘training’? For which future events can you see a need to prepare yourself for personally at this time?

Aside from the issues raised in Table 5.1, helping others is a high value adjunct to renewal. Ironically, the opportunity to do something that helps others can be denied by those who potentially have most to give. The classic reason for this is ‘I am too busy at work’. On the other end of the spectrum, ‘helping’ can be brandished sanctimoniously by the good and great as evidence of their worthiness. However, the kind of helping that is being focused on here is without qualification, pretension or agenda, which serves to introduce developing your ‘career’ with priority people.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT WITH PRIORITY PEOPLE Almost all of us would agree that our most significant interpersonal ‘careers’ are built around priority people. Yet for many, this key work of our lives is diminished or diluted through the demands we face in our

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professional pursuits. This is significantly more so for dual career couples if separation and divorce are used as a measure of family cohesion and continuity of contact with family members. Research by Jaine and James Carter8 indicates that dual career couples (who constitute over 80 per cent of the workforce) had the highest divorce rate in the United States. The underlying tension between home and head office ambition in Australia can be illustrated more powerfully with the story of Paul. When Paul got a copy of my career development book9 when it was first published he said that it didn’t encourage ‘the serious players to go hard enough’. He felt there was ‘too much soft and fuzzy family stuff and not enough rip and slash’. Paul got his opportunity to rip and slash when he took off to become the minder for a political heavyweight in Canberra – minus his wife and three kids. He did have the younger boy over for a year at a boarding school and visited the other two a couple of times. He evidently was an advocate of the ‘quality time’ school of child-rearing, which involves gifts and big holidays, but he gave up on that recently. Paul found another partner and became a medium-sized consultant in the lobbyist industry. His former Perth-based neighbours were surprised when both his boys dropped out of high school – they were clearly bright kids. We were also saddened by the difficulty his ex had to face raising the kids pretty much alone thereafter. Paul is evidently contributing money to the family, but clearly his one-time priority people needed a bit more than alimony. Why did Paul’s careers in the professional and priority people domains get so out of whack? He was an intelligent man who genuinely seemed to care for his kids. Paul’s story illustrates the breakdown of key relationships through: • a major problem he had de-conflicting work and home (Paul simply abandoned the latter) • the inability to distinguish between the qualitative contributions he was making related to developing people in the professional and priority people domains. Maybe it was not the authentic Paul who decided to leave for lobby land, but his puffed-up professional persona. For a careerist of his calibre it could have been beneficial to reflect on what he was doing with his priority people, using the mindset and vocabulary he so evidently favoured in the professional domain. Corporate psychotherapist Will Schutz10 could have helped Paul in this regard. He held the position that the beliefs, objectives and intentions underlying the development of what he called the ‘human element’ in the professional domain could be made to closely emulate things that are at

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work in people’s wider family roles. Schutz defined a number of familiar development areas for the ‘human element’ in corporate activity that included: • developing self-esteem • enabling empowerment • developing responsibility • delivering criticism • fostering change hardiness • handling pressure • developing ethics • participating in groups • contributing honesty and truth • making decisions • exploring opportunity • handling conflict • showing respect • delivering leadership. Although Schutz (1994, p. 21) has high ideals for peoples’ congruence at home and at work, he was pragmatic enough to note: The beliefs [Schutz ascribed to his Human Elements] though common, are not necessarily shared universally; exceptions occur in some organisations, in parts of some organisations and amongst individual leaders and managers …

He went on to deconstruct typical organisational meanings and beliefs. Schutz noted the limitations that result from these in terms of development strategies, which are commonly used to address such limitations at work. A number of these are summarised in Table 5.2.

Table 5.2 Common organisational perspectives and strategies related to people development Development areas indicated in grey panel

Common organisational interpretation

Typical ‘workplace development’ strategy

Building self-esteem • Enabling person to fit the culture, deal with rejection and failure, or else move out

• Performance improvement systems • Multiple exposures to difficult situations • Referral to HR or counsellor when all else fails

Enabling empowerment • Encouraging the person to contribute more • Exhortation to contribute maximum to corporative objective

• Personal ‘stretch’ targets on projects • Final call re-empowerment is with managers • Job performance ‘empowerment’ generally given precedence over interpersonal empowerment

Developing accountability/ responsibility • Someone is accountable for each task • Focus is often reactive (that is, compliance)

• Creation of performance contracts • Allocation of projects with stated or unstated implications for performance shortfalls

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Typical ‘workplace development’ strategy

Providing performance feedback • Past tense reference frame • Common focus on task (as opposed to behaviour) • Rating process needed • Can be seen as opportunity to provide critique (as opposed to encouragement)

• Provision of written assessment forms (usually proformas) • Meetings involving individuals or committees • Primary focus on task development – secondary focus on personal and interpersonal development

Dealing with change • Often means shift in organisational positioning in ‘markets’ • Can be based on premise that restructure constitutes enhanced competitiveness • Can be translated into exhortation to manage insecurity

• Often based around goals and deadlines • Can have sub-text: ‘everybody for themself’ • May be founded on nominal safeguards and rewards

Handling pressure • People should work ‘smarter’ • May reflect organisational anxiety associated with change adaptation • Could reflect concern related to leadership

• Equip staff with self-assessment strategy, basic skills associated with conflict and workplace wellbeing • People are responsible for their own wellbeing • Nominal ‘work–life balance’ statements and slogans

Building an ethical world view • Provide ethics workshop or ethical behaviour • People act ethically if they avoid temptation and booklet they face punishment if they transgress • Ethics are an extra factor to consider when working • Undertake investigations into unethical behaviour • Punish serious transgressors ‘professionally’ Working in teams • Teams significantly enhance productivity • Teams can be ‘built’

• Use of workshops and diagnostic questionnaires and instruments • Indoctrination of line and senior managers re team goals, missions, roles and style

Truth and reality • Both concepts are relative • Truth can be hurtful • Reality is largely defined by budget and the bottom line

• Truth may be tentatively addressed through team development and ethics-related initiatives • Reality is largely developed through budgeting, financial analysis, competitor assessment

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Common organisational interpretation Making decisions • Decisions can be made based on objective data • Important decisions require ‘sign-off’ from most senior executives

Typical ‘workplace development’ strategy • Decision-making strategy is defined by organisational culture • Decision-making freedom is quickly learned by trial and error • Executive team dynamics can significantly influence decision-making process

Developing leadership • Leadership is founded on commitment to corporate • Leadership is built around competency • Leadership is a function of organisational vision experience and endorsed learning • Leadership is a function of organisational norms • Leadership is largely based around productivity • Leadership is defined by job roles (rather than relationships) Planning for future opportunity • Opportunity is largely an in-house reward • Preparation for opportunity frequently entails learning and extra commitment

• Work harder • Demonstrate superiority • Promote yourself • Avoid controversy

Handling conflict • Conflict and particularly significant conflict is undesirable • Conflict needs to be resolved using ‘win– win’ strategies • Conflict can be mediated • Conflict is wasteful

• Manage conflict obliquely • Seek allies and influences • Use negotiation ploys

Schutz, to his credit, was prepared to challenge the obfuscations and ethically challenged ‘development strategies’ implicit in this analysis of mainstream corporate culture. Given his academic credentials (Harvard University, the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Chicago), his considerable experience in therapy and group process (Massachusetts Mental Health Centre, Albert Einstein Medical School, National Training Labs and Esalen) and his work with Fortune 500 companies (Coca-Cola, IBM, Zerox, NASA, Intel and World Bank) – he was uniquely equipped to do this. For the rest of us it is apparent that the common meanings and beliefs, which are held in many organisations related to development of people in the professional domain, are poles apart from a range of successful alternatives employed with priority people. It could be that professionally

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preoccupied parents like Paul believe that a variant on the workplace model will work in the home – with unfortunate consequences. By contrast Table 5.3 provides an opportunity for you to reflect on your personal beliefs in relation to the development of priority people. It asks you to think about how you are managing some of the key ‘careers’ you are developing in this domain.

Table 5.3 A priority people perspective on development Development areas indicated in grey panel

Some possible underlying beliefs Building self-esteem For example: • Self-esteem must be built, maintained, reinforced continuously

Some possible development strategies For example: • Enabling people to value themselves, to know their potential and to learn from setbacks • Enabling people to understand and build their strengths • Assisting people to find challenges • Rewarding and reinforcing successes • Supporting, debriefing and rebuilding after setbacks

Enabling empowerment For example: • Growth is not constrained by a single range of experiences such as home, school, work

For example: • Empowerment facilitates growth • Caveats on empowerment need to be overt rather than covert

Assisting in creation of opportunity For example: • Opportunity is a spectrum of possibilities that require investigation and innovation

For example: • Defining expectations where necessary • Sponsoring person to others who have potential to provide opportunity

Developing accountability/responsibility For example: • Accountability goes with responsibility • Responsibility generally promotes growth • Accountability is a measure of responsibility

For example: • Allocating appropriate responsibility • Where appropriate, participating in ensuring accountability • Utilising graduated responsibility • Ensuring person has appropriate opportunities to review his or her preparedness and effectiveness

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Some possible underlying beliefs

Some possible development strategies

Providing performance feedback For example: • Constructive feedback related to performance is a systematic way to review accomplishments and create new challenges • Performance feedback is a dynamic dialogue as opposed to a static judgemental exercise • It is appropriate to receive performance feedback as well as deliver it

For example: • Performance feedback requires construction of a trusting relationship • Feedback needs to be ongoing • Feedback skills need continuous development

Dealing with change For example: • Change is a constant which must be an integral part of effective personal functioning • People must align professional change with their personal development

For example: • Encouraging person to adapt to change rather than avoiding or confronting it • Understanding person’s fears associated with change • Understanding your own limits associated with dealing with change

Handling pressure For example: • Pressure management speaks about an individual’s coping style, as well as his or her capacity to handle situations • There may be merit in enabling people to extend themselves and refine their coping skills • Ultimately it could be valuable and humane to ask people why they have chosen stress

For example: • Enabling person to understand pressure symptoms they are projecting • Equipping person with self-management skills based on your experience • Recommending appropriate professional support • Graduating degree of difficulty of development processes

Building an ethical worldview For example: • Clarity of ethics sustains personal vision and ultimately enhances harmony • Ethical congruence promotes self-esteem and personal growth • Ethical foundations are linked to personal credo

For example: • The best teacher of ethics is a personal role model • Providing opportunities for person to define and crystallise personal value and associated ethics • Delivery of appropriate feedback and critique where ethics may be distorted or broken

Working in teams For example: Participation in teams provides significant opportunity for: • Contribution to a community • Exchange of skills and behaviours • A forum for leadership growth • Opportunity to test beliefs and values

For example: • Selection of challenging, appropriate, independent teams • Accessing mechanisms to gauge person’s performance in team

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Some possible underlying beliefs

Some possible development strategies

Telling the truth/reality For example: • It is better to minimise secrets • It is better to maintain a high level of correspondence between objective and perceived reality • Truth should be managed without compromise

For example: • People need to hear the truth tactfully but consistently • Perception needs to be grounded in truth through feedback, development of sound strategy, agreement related to appropriate outcome

Making decisions For example: For example: • Decision-making incorporates analysis of objective • Decision-making can be founded on hypothetical questions and scenarios data plus the emotional dimension in relationships • Decision-making can incorporate aspects of with others and with objects in the environment professional skills • Decision-making can incorporate developing insight into relationships and personal preferences • Decision-making may require time and selfawareness Developing leadership For example: • Leadership is the natural extension of healthy personal development and the manifestation of mature personal vision

Planning for future opportunities For example: • Through enabling individuals to define their objectives and enabling them to identify entry points to new opportunities, inappropriate opportunities can be identified and responded to quickly and appropriately

For example: • Leadership can be developed through identification of needs and groups compatible with the capacity of the aspirant • Leadership can be fostered through understanding of the technical and interpersonal skills needed to focus activity, resolve conflict and achieve constructive outcomes • Leadership is developed through provision of appropriate support and critical feedback • Leadership can be role-modelled through personal example

For example: • Providing structure around which opportunities can be explored and selected • Providing access to sponsors through one’s personal network or sphere of influence • Providing readings, personal experience and constructive criticism

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Some possible underlying beliefs

Some possible development strategies

Handling conflict For example: • Through assembling an appropriate mix of skills, political acumen and a pragmatic sense of the virtues of constructive conflict management, significant influence can be achieved both in relation to accomplishing objectives and managing the passage of everyday life

For example: • Presentation of an appropriate role model in relation to conflict assessment and management • Providing a sounding board to pre-empt destructive conflict • Providing a resource base of successful conflict management strategies based on personal experience • Possessing sufficient ‘distance’ from conflict situations to be able to provide constructive input • Willingness to articulate concerns related to person’s agenda where appropriate

It would have been interesting to see Paul’s responses to some of these items without his corporate cloak on. This material also has relevance to readers who find their professional careers have significantly impinged on their priority people. As a reality test it could be worth discussing your responses with your key relationship. Let us now move on to more familiar terrain associated with professional career development.

PROFESSIONAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT William Bridges,11 regarded by many as a major contributor in corporate career development literature, hinted at the lay of the land when he put together a number of career trends which are relevant at this time: • Everyone is a contingent worker – meaning their employment is contingent on the results their organisation can achieve. • People in organisations are judged on each successive situation they find themselves in – in other words they are as good as their last gig. • Workers in organisations would be wise to think they are ‘in business for themselves’ and that their tasks have, in effect, been out-sourced to them by the organisation. • Workers must therefore plan to take responsibility for their development and their retirement-related needs. • People in organisations need to learn to work with mixed teams and change their style and focus in these according to priorities. • Offices are effectively ‘optional’ in organisations – in other words, it is not where you do your work, it is the outputs that count.

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• The vendor-minded employee must develop an eye for un-met needs, both within the organisation and with their various customers. Underpinning these observations are a number of messages to which careerists can respond with varying degrees of urgency, depending on their sense of how well their professional values and priorities align with their employer: • You are essentially on your own unless you own the company. • As a ‘vendor’, you have rights associated with developing your own career on either side of the ‘boundary’ between your employer and the rest of the market. • Wise employees maintain an appropriate level of awareness in the minds of people for whom they work and customer organisations, of their preparedness to move under the right conditions. • While working in mixed teams, leadership skills need to be continuously enhanced, as well as technical expertise. • The organisational ‘boundary’ should be seen as totally transparent, as opposed to an opportunity exclusion zone – when viewed from a career perspective. • Ongoing trend analysis, in terms of opportunity and learning, needs to be seen as an important part of the job, as much as delivering the goods. I am prepared to state what most contemporary career writers will not – that at this time in the majority of corporate structures, you have never been more alone as an employee. In other words, ‘unless you have equity you haven’t got continuity’. This is despite the Human Resources’ led chants associated with ‘human capital’, ‘our most important asset’, ‘the war for talent’, and so on. Remember that employers regard most of the people making these utterances as on-costs. Evidence of the real level of organisational commitment to their people is ultimately reflected in the proliferation of HR-out-sourcing providers and in the increasing prevalence of contract-based employment. CAREER DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES IN CHANGING TIMES AND ADULT LIFE STAGES

Having done a lot of career development work with people at all levels in organisations, and increasingly with those in senior roles, it has become apparent that many of these people harbour career needs that are not well catered for by the ‘onwards and upwards’ school of career development. Some of these needs, which tend to fit under more subtle aspects of ‘being’, and ‘doing’ are presented on the following page.

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Table 5.4 Career-related challenges associated with ‘being’ and ‘doing’ for adult age careerists

Some key issues associated with ‘being’

Some key issues associated with ‘doing’

Sustaining personal integrity

Participating in difficult ethical decisions

Giving self credit for accomplishments

Managing conflict and mediation personally

Maintaining personal wellbeing

Managing change with effective communication

Maintaining healthy relationships, both within and without the organisation

Handling politics

Displaying work/life balance

Enjoying the work you are doing

Getting out of the business in good shape

Driving a succession plan

Additional issues that are important related to executive career development include: • knowing how your people view your ‘regime’, in terms of its capacity to respond to their personal and professional needs • having the foresight to treat your best people as ‘valued collaborators’ in their relationship with you (as opposed to the more traditional view of ‘employees’) • from a financial perspective, making the distinction between the income you derive from your profession and the income you derive from your investments. The point being that long-term financial security is not simply derived from savings and super; rather, in the world as we know it, there is a need to assemble additional investments, including stocks, bonds, notes, real estate. This truism formed the foundation for Robert Kiyosaki’s12 bestsellers, starting with Rich Dad Poor Dad. The incredible sales of these books indicates the legions of baby boomers in savingscritical careers who have engaged with his message. It is apparent that many items associated with ‘doing’ are well catered for in leadership literature. For example, there are plenty of textbooks, plus workshops senior people can attend concerning business ethics, succession planning, change management, ‘difficult people’ and workplace mediation. Senior people also have the capacity to assess the satisfaction they derive from the work that they do, although it is fair to say that a significant number become trapped by the role as it crystallises around them, based on business imperatives (as opposed to their own interests). By contrast, issues associated with ‘being’ are usually less accessible. Consider the following reflections on the ‘challenges’ table above: Personal integrity can be at risk when one is attempting to: • achieve market dominance • manage the thrusts and parries of career hungry subordinates

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• ensure business practice complies with regulatory criteria and balancing this with shareholder or stakeholder demand • juggle political patronage or political intervention. Chapter 1 referred to Peter Drucker’s ‘Mirror Test’, which related to leadership integrity – that is, ‘Do you like who you see?’ This can become the last criteria in the light of fuzzy legislation, push for profits and excruciatingly difficult staff decisions for people in key roles. The importance of credit for accomplishments applies to hard-driving people, who dismiss their accomplishments almost as soon as they have been gathered. The problem associated with this is that the enjoyment of success is diminished by the drive for fresh acquisitions. This was illustrated by a fit and focused bushwalker friend who was more interested in covering his targeted 25 kilometres per day than in the views along the pathway and the time spent with feet up around the billy. Credit for accomplishments is often even better shared than enjoyed alone. Where priority people are involved, important linkages can be made with professional activity, which are essential in terms of explaining ‘why I do it’ to the people at home. Maintaining personal wellbeing has been discussed in Chapter 3. Steven Covey’s observation concerning how little interest people have in spending more time at the office when they are being wheeled into the emergency room is relevant here. Whereas many leaders are prepared to consult in relation to their enterprise with the expertise that surrounds them, many are singularly closed by attempts from their colleagues to reflect on their wellbeing. This was illustrated by a coaching session with a female executive who was so ill with flu and associated fever that she was virtually hallucinating. Despite efforts to draw this to her attention, she completed the session and headed off to a strategy meeting with her executive team. The outcomes would have verged on the science fictional, based on the discussion that we had. Maintaining healthy relationships has been discussed in Chapter 4. The importance of understanding the dynamics of relationships was stressed through: • employing a model such as systems thinking in families • focusing in on the eight critical factors associated with wellbeing in one’s primary relationship • preparedness to take a tribal perspective in viewing the organisational environment. Two other influences that are relevant in this context concern mentor relationships with priority and professional people and relationships with people in the broader community who can bring a refreshing or different

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perspective to one’s professional career. Consider, for example, discussions with colleagues at all levels who may share an interesting or challenging philosophical perspective or a shared interest or hobby that serves as a touchstone for communication beyond the bottom line. A classic example is the CEO (or PM) who shares golf tips with his or her chauffeur, or a pair of senior managers who have an ongoing competition to sustain the most awful puns – which draws staff in, to everyone’s delight. Work–life balance. The ‘career’ challenge for successful leaders demands the creation of a range of priorities and goals which can be enjoyed as opposed to simply achieved. There is significantly greater interest in work–life balance at this time, although some of this interest can be related to supportive sentiments, as opposed to practical interventions. In terms of the concept of three-domain thinking, work–life balance requires thoughtful reflection and insight in the personal domain, clarity related to the priorities and importance of priority people, then reasonable achievement in the professional one. Getting out of the business in good shape is an extension of management of physical and psychological wellbeing while in the job. It also raises issues associated with ‘how much is enough’ related to the rewards and demands linked to being in charge. It is well known that school principals and dentists tend to have a very short shelf life following ‘retirement’ from their vocations. It would be interesting to see whether there are any projections related to leaders in different kinds of organisations. A client made the observation that for those interested in enjoying their long-term professional and personal wellbeing, getting out in good shape required ‘being able to think beyond the roller-coaster and into the next carnival’. Getting out in good shape also requires the ability to manage succession and facilitate the changes at the top, without excessive bloodshed or loss of business direction at the bottom. One way of gauging readiness to exit concerns assessing the ironic possibility that as leader you may be a serf to your employer. The relevant question is: ‘Are you effectively at the helm in terms of your employment contract and commitment, or do you find yourself strapped to the wheel at the mercy of forces over which you have diminished control?’ The following may assist you reflect on your position.

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There is evidence of serfdom if: you work 50+ hours per week because you ‘have to’.

Evidence of citizenship includes: You work flexible hours from project to project because you ‘choose to’.

You have accumulated more than eight weeks’ leave and you can’t take more than one week off because of ‘priorities’.

You have taken more than two weeks’ leave each year for the past two years.

You are unable to negotiate time in lieu or time out to attend personal or priority people events.

You can negotiate time out and honestly explain why you are taking it.

You can’t attend learning programs and/or discourage other people doing the same.

You can attend learning programs, encourage others to do likewise, and will consider professional and personal development.

You are unable to plan or participate in office events including lunches, teas and small talk.

You participate in office events and promote and enjoy these.

Someone else drives your diary.

You detail your diary and most of your own priorities.

You see yourself as being so specialised that you can’t move on.

You are able to transfer skills across a ‘career boundary ’ if you choose to do so.

The money or tenure is so good that you can’t entertain other options (no matter how attractive the challenges may appear).

The money or tenure is not the main reason you are there.

You stopped having fun six or more months ago.

Fun is an unwritten but agreed part of the workday.

More than half the faces in the executive team or boardroom are unfriendly to you.

You socialise with peers and respect most senior people with whom you work.

Figure 5.2 Leadership effective rating

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OUTPLACEMENT

There is another way of exiting the game for those without equity, which happens to the best. Enter the outplacers. Unfortunately, some of the worst advice for executive career development comes from consultants in this frequently guilt-driven industry. An exception was outplacement insider, Peter Stephenson,13 who suggested in his kevlar-coated guidebook The Bulletproof Executive that executive search firms and management recruiters should constitute around 30 per cent of the individual’s ‘game plan’ related to re-employment. In other words, 70 per cent of the initiative for career decisions remains with the individual who has been out-placed. Issues of substance aside, some outplacement providers create a passive dependency that may be more related to pre-employment rituals (for example, repeated interview role-plays) than moving on in the professional domain. Other contra-indicators related to outplacement consultant activity about which caution is advised include: • that they don’t make a week’s work of your resume • that they actually know your market sector and can name senior people in it • that they meet with you when you want to meet with them, as opposed to the converse • they make calls on your behalf when you are present and get you in front of interested interviewers • they have less than 25 senior clients on their ‘case loads’ at any one time • they connect you to their network, as well as encouraging you to connect with yours • they don’t attempt their own form of psychotherapy (unless they are qualified) • their ‘packaged’ services are presented in terms of outcomes related to placement or career development options selected by clients, as opposed to process, froth and bubble. Acknowledging that some outplacers can cushion the blow of severance and possess rolled gold databases filled with the direct lines to captains of industry, there are also others who serve up ‘the package’ and the heavyduty invoices with little else. Guidelines related to employing the services of these people include: • an expectation that they will edit and update your resume in their time after you have briefed them (This avoids unnecessary wastage of your time.) • they prepare first drafts of covering letters for you to enhance • they disclose at the outset their knowledge of your market sector and where possible their national and international contacts

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• they meet you on a prompt but graduated basis after initial contact, so that you aren’t involved in meetings which aren’t going anywhere specific • that you have the opportunity to listen in on how they may ‘sell’ you to employers and contacts • that they actually look at relevant web sites for vacancies and are able to show you jobs, rather than phone books and lists • that they are supportive and encouraging without wasting unnecessary time on Myers Briggs Type Indicators (MBTIs), Occupational Personality Questionnaire’s (OPQs), 16 PFs (Personality Factors) and ‘therapy’. A third exit strategy, which may be relevant for executives and leaders, has become known as ‘downshifting’. American author Jim Drake (2000, p. xi) defined ‘downshifting’ as: ‘... to change voluntarily to a less demanding work schedule in order to enjoy life more ...’ Australians have enthusiastically embraced the concept on our side of the Pacific. Dr Clive Hamilton14 from Canberra-based think tank, The Australian Institute, was quoted as saying that nearly a quarter of the Australian population aged between 30 and 59 has downshifted in the past 10 years. There are, however, strong reasons that keep the other 75 per cent in up-shift mode. After all, the lure of workahol has significant benefits that include: • reinforcement of self-esteem and status • opportunity to enjoy dynamic friends and stimulating groups • being a lightening rod for talent and collaborations • material rewards • personal and professional security related to lifestyle benefits • justification to leave the home where problems may exist in that environment. Accepting that all or some of these reasons may vindicate the status quo in terms of one’s professional commitment, possibilities exist for partial downshifting, which is increasingly being sought by senior people. Some associated options include: • asserting one’s right to flexitime, telecommuting when possible and cutting back on weekend travel • challenging destructive time lines and deadlines and saying no to some projects • utilising accumulated recreation leave • requesting lateral moves opportunity-wise and possibly declining promotional offers • focusing in on key relationships, personal health and avocational personal development (for example, taking up a musical instrument)

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• participating in voluntary or mentoring activity that extends beyond the immediate work environment. Major downshift options require genuine grit, as much as selfawareness. Examples include: • negotiating part-time employment • exploring contract employment • requesting downward classification • negotiating early retirement. Downshifting reinforces fundamental values in the professional domain related to: • increasing your involvement in activities that you enjoy • maintaining good health, both physically and psychologically • focusing on relationships and aspects of ‘being’ • emphasising personal congruence with priority people. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, renowned author of books on death and dying, said that the single most common regret of the terminally ill is: ‘I made a living, but I never really lived.’ Downshifting may be a way to reduce self-harm caused by workahol or it could represent cold turkey. For chronic users, the reduction strategy is probably less traumatic than the abstinence one. Having examined the road less travelled in professional career development, let us reset the coordinates for readers of a more overtly ambitious nature. In approaching this, we will initially take the broad view before getting down to the specifics of jobs and next jumps. A NARRATIVE VIEW OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Laurence Boldt (1993, p. xxi) offered four thought-provoking written narrative reference frames related to career progress reviews, which have particular significance for mature careerists. He asked people to view their ‘life’s work’ unsentimentally as a work in progress via four points of view: 1 The quest for life’s work – which incorporated: – clarifying the plot related to where you are headed – defining what it is that gets you going and keeps you going, including your personal vision, values, purpose, talents and objectives. 2 The game of life’s work – which is designed to enable you to reflect on the main characters in it, including: – the form of your own character, including your roles – the people with whom you get to play – the rules of the game in which you play – the goals and tokens of the game

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– your opponents – the skills with which you have to play. 3 The battle for life’s work – where the conflict between what is and what could be is addressed, including: – positions on the battlefield – understanding the ‘superpowers’ – developing appropriate tactics – employing resources – managing defeat – creating your own ‘army’ through self-employment. 4 The school of life’s work – where you are asked to apply thought to your development and growth, including: – seeking out mentors – knowing where your talent lies – identifying what lessons are worth learning – recreating your self-image – selecting meaningful training – reflecting on lessons learned to date. Boldt’s approach offered an opportunity to get beyond the ‘believe and achieve’ perspective on career progression, which is the typical fare in much of the corporate career development literature. Each of Boldt’s four reference points offers a separate area for self-discovery and the potential to crystallise or reinforce personal vision and direction by writing your story. We will now move from the wide view to the specifics. MAINSTREAM CAREER DEVELOPMENT The nuts and bolts of personal career development turn around two fundamental questions: 1 What is your next most likely career move, assuming that you remain where you are and continue to play the hand your currently hold? 2 What is your next most liked career move, based on your knowledge of the market place and your intuitive feelings about your capabilities and your potential? Tables 5.5 and 5.6 invite you to develop your thinking on these issues. It may be useful to reflect on the implications of your responses to the questions posed above in relation to: • your personal quest and the associated plot • the game you will be playing and the characters involved • the nature of the battles which will take place • the learnings that you can anticipate in this role.

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Table 5.5 Exploring your next most likely career move

What is the title of the job role? When do you want to access this position? If you obtain this position, what are the implications for: • your person? • your priority people? • your professional wellbeing? What has been your strategy, thus far, to access this opportunity? What sponsorship is available for you in order to enhance your chances of success? What personal marketing have you employed related to this opportunity? What learning is appropriate in order to increase your position match? What competitors stand between you and the opportunity, and how can you manage this? What is your plan if you can’t win this position?

An extraordinary number of people have taken second prize in the career preference stakes for reasons which may be more closely linked to poor selfconfidence, apprehensions related to security and short-term financial gain – as opposed to preferences and talent. The following table challenges you to explore these possibilities in relation to your dream job. Table 5.6 Your next most liked career option What is the title of this position? If you obtained this position what would be the likely impact on: • your person? • your priority people? • your professional wellbeing? Does this position entail self-employment? (In which case see the next section.) What sponsors are available to assist you explore and consolidate this preference? What personal marketing is necessary at this time to move your preferred option forward? What learning is needed at this time to enable you to effectively take up your preferred option? Nominate competitors who stand between you and your preferred option. What is the first step that needs to be taken at this time in order to move towards your preferred option?

In looking proactively at preferred career options it is interesting to note four guidelines provided by researchers Brooks and Brooks.15 Although these were written for women, they are relevant to everyone in relation to: • realising the importance of a mentor or sponsor • knowing how to increase your visibility • knowing how to develop an effective network • knowing when to take appropriate risks. These tips are equally relevant to men and women in relation to selfemployment.

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Self-employment is an inevitable consequence of the Realpolitik of the modern workplace. Browse the business section of any large bookshop and the level of interest is clearly demonstrated by the growing proportion of shelf space dedicated to DIY. In a recent Australian survey16 based on a sample of 96 top 500 companies, areas nominated as catered for with external consultants by over 20 per cent of the sample included: • Information Technology (52 per cent) • Human Resources (44 per cent) • Mergers and Acquisitions (35 per cent) • e-Commerce (28 per cent) • Strategic Planning (25 per cent) • Business Process Re-engineering (19 per cent) • Benchmarking and Best Practice (20 per cent). Clearly, the major fields for professional consultancy and selfemployment revolve around IT, HR and legal services. The flood of individuals to the world of self-employment has inspired self-employment authors like Daniel H. Pink17 to coin the term ‘free agent nation’. ... a free agent is a person who works untethered to a big company or large organisation. The ranks of free agents includes the self-employed, freelancers, ‘e-lancers’, independent contractors, home-based business people, solo practitioners, independent professionals, and operators of micro businesses …

Pink noted that one in four American workers – and two in three Californians (where the streak of Uncle Sam’s independence is apparently strongest) – are now self-employed. With an estimated 16 million independent contractors, 3 million temps and 13 million micro-businesses, the free agent nation is larger than the US public sector, according to Pink. Pink saw the future of the free agent nation as: • female (women are becoming self-employed at 12 times the rate of men) • interdependent (free agents are apparently inventing their own support systems through clubs, networks and associations) • the natural consequence of organisational service out-sourcing • being built around hubs such as coffeehouses with Internet access and associated ‘infrastructure’ such as photocopiers, stationery and courier delivery. Pink may have been seeing the world through rose-coloured glasses.

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There is another side to the free agent nation in Australia which includes: • ‘icky-sticky’ coffee houses not being everybody’s idea of a work space • ‘temp’ slaves and ‘perma temps’ effectively becoming the bread sticks in the corporate food chain • established consultants and consultancies making the entry point to free agency both difficult and poorly rewarded. Claims by some of these established consultants can be a little breathtaking. Global super consultants Micklethwait and Wooldridge18 would have us believe that there is a ‘new ruling class’ of elite consultants whom they call the ‘cosmocracy’, who number some 20 million people around the world. These consultants fall into the ‘increasingly conspicuous class of people who possess ideas, connections and sheer chutzpah to master the international economy’. Micklethwait and Wooldridge may do well to read an alternative reality presented by Pinault19 who, as a disaffected former top-end consultant described his role as: ... efficiency drone, head counting cannibal, spy and data fabricator, hit and run specialist, expert in no industry but the promotion of their own sales and wellbeing …

It is probably wise to let the cosmocrats and related power rangers zoom from continent to continent dispensing their day of wisdom while the rest of us almost free agents do the best we can with the folks that trust us. Which brings us back to the practicalities of self-employment and a range of common traps that can be learned from 15 years in consultancy. Top among these are: • A reluctance to reality-test the marketplace – often disguised by overreliance on paper-planning, without the obvious consideration of talking to potential customers about their needs. • Poor distribution of time between marketing, service delivery and product or service development – where the business struggles because of under work or overwork. • Over-planning – where enormous amounts of energy are dedicated to a business plan that may be of value to a corporation with a thousand staff, but is unlikely to be of value to a start-up involving three people. • Focus on technology and toys, as opposed to customer care – where the process is seen to be more important than the assessment by the customer of what has been delivered. • Reluctance to cut ties and move on – where the start-up company ties

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itself to its preliminary customers and fails to explore the broader marketplace. • Failure to plan for business development – leading to overwork and burnout, as opposed to three-domain thinking. Table 5.7 is designed for those who are yet to make any of these mistakes.

Table 5.7 Self-employment start-up analysis Title of business Goods or services to be delivered If you pursue this option, what are the implications for: • your person? • your priority people? • your professional development? Sponsorship and support available to you to enable you to start-up Advertising appropriate to initiate your venture Planning processes including: • Business plan • Financial plan • Equipment needs Marketing strategy related to the development of your business Assessment of competitors in the marketplace Practical activity to be undertaken over the next three months to get things moving

EMPLOYER-DRIVEN CAREER MANAGEMENT There is a dark side of employer-driven career management that is evident in many contemporary organisations. Seven less savoury manifestations associated with this include: 1 Ensuring shareholder value is maximised at the expense of employee jobs. (Consider evidence from the finance sector.) 2 Playing the global market at the expense of the local economy. (Consider AMP’s meltdown in May 2003.) 3 Talking about ‘balance’ and ‘people friendliness’ – issues such as burnout and conflict. (Corporate law continues to offend in this jurisdiction.) 4 Employing ‘girls’ to disadvantage the careers of women wanting to reenter the workplace. (There is widespread discrimination across the board to support this view.) 5 Saying ‘People are our biggest asset’, but attempting to argue that change is unable to absorb the older worker. (This is an ongoing government restructure outcome from the 1990s.) 6 Stating ‘Honesty is one of our core values’ – but employing public relations and corporate image management to obscure the truth. The

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‘natural attrition’ model of downsizing may mask this form of duplicity, which may show another character after the press statements are off the front page. 7 Suggesting contract-based continuous employment gives workers ‘personal empowerment’ (when in reality it is covering up corporate body hire and tax breaks). (Microsoft ‘permatemps’ is a recent case study.) Globalisation can take some measure of responsibility for several of these trends. Former London Business School professor and author Charles Handy20 took it up to globalisation generally, and AT&T in particular, in a trenchant observation that illustrates this point: ... because we did not regard a business as a community, we never thought to apply the same rules to them as we would to a nation state, where matters of human rights, free speech and the responsibility of governors to the governed would be argued and even fought over. If a country decided, unilaterally, to disenfranchise and expel 40,000 of its citizens, voices would be raised around the world. When a corporation such as AT&T does it, the stock price goes up and with it the earnings of its Chief Executive …

Handy’s criticism is emblematic of the disconnect between the business objectives of many large corporations and the career and community aspirations of many people who work for them. Handy flagged the trend on the dark side of global enterprise to commodify ‘human capital’, as opposed to fostering a sense of enduring local investment in human relationships. In other words, investing three-domain leadership into the business equation. This will continue to be difficult in a number of transnationals, based on observations by insider Jeffrey E. Garten.21 Garten was Dean at the Yale School of Management prior to becoming undersecretary of commerce for international trade in the Clinton administration. He interviewed 40 CEOs in order to establish their preoccupations in running their businesses and what their thoughts were about their broader roles in society. He concluded: Most global CEOs do not come from backgrounds where handling major social and political pressures is a part of their experience ... you could make a case in fact that the background is exactly the opposite. For at least the past two decades, we’ve had very intense shareholder capitalism ... [However] ... We are entering an era when the political and social pressures acting on companies will require leaders who have a strategic sense of how you deal with [local] groups …

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If this ‘sense’ cannot be achieved, then discussion of people-friendly professional career development is as cold as a discussion with a butcher about raising pet lambs. Back home in Australia, material published by the ACTU22 found that during the period 1996–2001: • over half of Australians (51 per cent) are having more trouble balancing the demands of work and family • more than a quarter of Australians including nearly half (42 per cent) of full-time workers were working more unpaid overtime • just over one-third (34 per cent) of Australians indicate they have less job security • six in 10 Australians feel they are under more financial pressure. Old-school ladder-climbers would argue that this data only reflects areas where the margins of corporate career development are being frayed. Threedomain conscious corporate leaders would recognise that all these trends will have long-term consequences in terms of performance and willingness by staff to engage honestly with the prevailing workplace ethos at offending organisations. Not all organisations are necessarily this career unfriendly – although it is easy to become impatient with the trend from the soggy side of the consultant continuum, which would have us believe that corporations have career-friendly ‘souls’. Sloan School of Management wunderkind Peter Senge,23 with his lurch into the future of work, quotes a range of ‘visionaries’ who contribute exhortations for the factory floor, such as: • ‘The almost sacredness of [managers’] responsibility for the lives of so many people’ • ‘The almost religious atmosphere at the Matsushita Corporation’. Senge wrote of the ‘spiritual foundation to the learning organisation’. He is not alone. There are other authors, including Collins,24 who proposed ‘Redefining Corporate Soul’. Possibly anticipating the reaction from more pragmatic practitioners, Senge warned against cynicism and fear. He may have done his readers a better service talking about responsibility and courage. A more gritty guide to the future of corporate career guidance for mature workers came from older worker advocate Beverley Goldberg:25 The painful fact is that labour force participation by those over 55 will have to increase by 25% to maintain a constant total employment to population from 2005 onwards ... [based on OECD data] ... This means that corporations will have to do something to attract and retain millions of older workers if they are to survive this demographic shock wave.

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The greatest obstacle facing corporate America when it comes to retaining workers is the anger and frustration that so many people feel toward the world of work today, especially towards large corporations …

A similar trend is apparent in Australia, and the potential exists for the tables to be turned on employee-unfriendly employers attempting to recruit older staff who have been once bitten. In concluding this chapter, let us focus the lens to appraise the awareness and effectiveness of your organisation in relation to a range of key issues associated with career development. Table 5.8 is designed to enable you to do this and make comments.

Table 5.8 Career and renewal at your place

Issue

Human resource practice, including: • recruitment • induction • career development • exit interviews meet your needs and are in accord with best practice Recruitment is conducted in-house whenever possible Peers and team members are involved in recruitment Flexible employment contracts are built to suit people, as opposed to people fitted to jobs Hours are flexible and work–life balance conscious Breaks, including career breaks, are available and used by staff Learning and development is factored into career development Career structures for women exist, including post-maternity options and flexible conditions Flexible retirement options are available for older workers

Possible people to whom issue is relevant:

Organisational awareness:

• older workers • career entrants • special vocational groups

• no awareness • low interest • ‘we are working on this …’

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Possible people to whom issue is relevant:

Organisational awareness:

• older workers • career entrants • special vocational groups

• no awareness • low interest • ‘we are working on this …’

Succession planning is evident through staff development and project work Retraining is available for people who want to enhance their employability Diversity-related career policies are apparent through the range of people working here

Today’s employers are able to design career development and management options that attend to ‘being’ as well as ‘doing’. This has become increasingly important to contemporary career entrants who have learned to be wary of a culture of overwork, for example. This may have been illustrated by parental models and reinforced by the sheer diversity of new opportunities that have opened up around them. The future of corporate career management in Australia is about maximising the congruence and balance between the personal, priority people and professional acumen of leaders and staff working in our organisations.

FROM THE HEART ❤ This chapter on career development has tried to get beyond the body count perspective on upward mobility. Personal career development for grown-ups is about renewal. One way of reflecting on this is through ‘lifelines’ in one’s personal, priority people and professional lives. ❤ Helping the ‘careers’ of people in the priority people area may involve deconstruction of beliefs distorted by corporate half-truths. This is because what works in the corporate office may not work at home. This can be understood further by looking at the strategies and the semantics being used in these two separate worlds. ❤ For experienced leaders in organisations, career development may be enhanced by focus on ‘being’ and the way that we influence the workplace, as opposed to how much we do. ❤ Career development for senior people may also relate to a range of exit strategies that include: – getting out on your own terms

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– optimising outplacement services should these be required – contemplating ‘downshifting’. ❤ For those interested in an opportunity hunt in the workplace, two key reference points are: – your next most likely position – your next most liked position. ❤ For those contemplating self-employment, a healthy balance needs to be maintained between rose-coloured views of ‘new’ consultant collectives and self-indulgent elitists who have allowed their hubris to overwhelm their place on the planet. ❤ Corporate career management must acknowledge past hypocrisy related to performance expectations and people development, and encourage organisation-wide three-domain growth and balance as the way ahead.

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Those navy blue, double-breasted people have showed up from an uptown remuneration consultancy and they have started defining what our competencies are. I must confess my initial impression was that they looked collectively like characters from the Hollywood’s version of ‘corporate’. An investigative discussion around the caffeine dispensers revealed that they could indeed offer Hollywood quality guidelines re international travel, diet and exercise machines.

Casestudy

In a snappy presentation to the executive team, they told us they were going to: • identify the core competencies that create value for the organisation • interview our superior performers to benchmark these people • identify and clarify underlying skills and behaviours so they could grade us against the stars. They told us this process would help us standardise our reward system, enable us to manage performance better and help us select the talent we need for the future. Now you can call me a sceptic, or even a heretic, but a couple of concerns came to mind: • Whereas I don’t have a problem with the reward focus and pay for skills that are directly related to task accomplishment – the notion of defining underlying behaviours like ‘customer service focus’ and ‘interpersonal skills’, has the potential to become subjective and possibly downright misleading. I was thinking this in relation to Abigail, our equal best sales person, who is always in the thick of office activity, and who uses her vast tennis network to secure prospects. By contrast, her equally high-performing competitor, Jacob – although courteous – is not one to spend time in the office and gets his results through working the phone and several arcane business networks which no one but Jacob understands. Who had the better customer skills, given both people had completely different relationships with their clients? • My second concern relates to the preference I have for using competency to develop people, rather than assess them like olives in a deli. Generally, I had concerns about the outcomes of this exercise with the Hollywood suits, as it seemed to come from the school of stick, as opposed to the school of carrot …

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OBJECTIVES This chapter will provide you with the opportunity to: • put competency into perspective at work as a descriptive and evaluative mechanism • enable you to define your technical competencies at work and measure these • examine interpersonal competencies and examine your ‘emotional’ competencies in the professional and priority people domains.

COMPETENCY IN PERSPECTIVE Competency definition and development unquestionably enhances capability. Consequently over the latter part of the twentieth century the human resources people got hold of the concept and made the term their own. In many organisations, competency was mapped out much like the human genome. Specialist consultant Paul Green1 offered guidelines: … individual competency is a written description of measurable work habits and personal skills used to achieve a work objective … • … individual competency is different from organisational competencies, capabilities, values and priorities • [he suggested competency is] … a written description of at least 20 words [and it] … communicates exactly what is meant by the competency • [he would have us believe] … measurable work habits and personal skills means that the competency can be used to measure reliably and predict accurately a person’s actions …

To give Green and like-minded souls their due, these habits and skills served as an important mechanism to achieve some objectivity around which jobs and learning needs could be defined. Lyle and Signe Spencer2 took competency further by nominating five characteristics: 1 Motives – the things a person consistently thinks about or wants that cause action. Motives ‘drive, direct and select behaviour towards certain actions or goals and away from others’. 2 Traits – physical characteristics and consistent responses to situation or information (for example, reaction time). 3 Self-concept – a person’s attitudes, values or self-image (for example, self-confidence). 4 Knowledge – information a person has in specific content areas (for example, a surgeon’s knowledge of physiology).

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5 Skills – the ability to perform a certain physical or mental act (for example, problem-solving). Unfortunately, when blurred aspects of these five characteristics of competency get drawn into staff assessment and reward systems the rigour of competency becomes problematic. A misguided attempt to define behavioural competencies meaningfully – using ‘motives’, ‘traits’, ‘self concepts’ (as opposed to measurable skills and knowledge), was illustrated by the case of Abigail and Jacob discussed above. Further, retrospective, comparative, performance appraisal systems (which constitute the overwhelming majority) – cause such competencies to become grounds for dispute and grievance. Speaking of this style of appraisal system, Aubrey C. Daniels,3 who is regarded as one of the main men of performance management, retorted that it is a: ‘… masochistic and sadistic ritual … a total waste of time …’ More recently, workplace competency clusters have included aspects of personal wellbeing, which represents a nod in the direction of the personal domain. Unfortunately, this is not always a meaningful or measurable exercise. A typical example is an item drawn from a competency model for legal professionals that stated: ‘… demonstrates balance and is able to sustain wellbeing through managing professional and family priorities, using a range of personal effectiveness strategies …’ Based on experience with partners in the firm in question, this ‘competency’ was more of an ideal than a reality (issues of measurement aside). On balance, competency offers a fallible but useful framework for job description objective-setting and related learning – assuming we put aside the damage it has done to the language of the workplace generally. Indeed, attempts to map competency have led to the emergence of a ghastly vocabulary that tries to cover all contingencies and bracket all fields of endeavour from the totally conceptual to the totally physical. This vocabulary becomes particularly onerous in government and not-for-profit enterprises, where the parlance of business has been superimposed on to the steadily retreating field of ‘public service’. This can be illustrated by examples from the health industry where: • the hospital has become ‘the business’ • services become ‘deliverables’ • patients and clients have become ‘customers’ • quality assurance has become ‘risk-profiling’ • doctors, nurses, administrators, technicians have been arbitrarily bundled together to become ‘the team’ • administrators become ‘purchasers’ • contractors become ‘providers’.

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Enough said about the downside of competency. Used prudently there is enough merit in the concept to build a practical structure for you and your organisation to develop one another.

CONTEXTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR COMPETENCY Table 6.1 contains six basic contextual frames related to competency. The purpose of this structure is to provide you with a skeleton around which you can define the scope of your job. Without such a structure the doctor in the hospital mentioned above could limit his or her context to technical procedures, as opposed to the range of allied activities such as patient communication, hospital administration, liaison with carers, inservice training. It can be seen the contextual data needs to be spelt out Table 6.1 Six key contextual reference frames for competency

Reference frame

Broad descriptors for competency

Environment

global economic factors government policy political awareness physical environment considerations community interface

Market

competitor knowledge customer management understanding of market economics market need identification

Business

business strategy internal business systems business technology quality assurance financial requirements

Team

leadership performance management dynamics direction and focus

The individual

recruitment development coaching reward and recognition

Self

values and ethics priority and time management development impression management wellbeing and balance

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systematically before getting down to the detail of what our doctor, or indeed what we actually do in each area. In order to enable you to see how you can put this table to work, consider Pierre, who was the managing director of a laundry. Note Pierre’s business was not a politically incorrect stereotype in Chinatown, but a multi-million dollar operation in which one of his dryers could squeeze out hospital linen, the volume of a small car, in 75 seconds. Further, Pierre was in a cutthroat market with one significantly larger competitor who uses everything short of voodoo to drive him out of town. Fortunately, Pierre was a very competent operator and a damn good cook as well. In terms of his environment Pierre spent three weeks in Europe and the United Kingdom last year checking out technology and eating bad food in former Eastern bloc countries. He decided there was nothing worth importing, which was reinforced by problems with currency fluctuations. Consequently, he decided to stick with the three-year-old technology that he was employing at the time. In terms of the market, Pierre had a network of spies in the camp of his competitors. He actively scoured the city and the surrounding region for opportunity. He experimented with related business opportunities, such as retail dry-cleaning, without success. He guarded his customers carefully, knowing his competitors were constantly circling. Pierre’s knowledge of the business operation was limited and he depended on his manager to drive it profitably and effectively. Pierre was certainly familiar with concepts like quality assurance and continuous improvement, but his focus was largely outside the building. This caused problems in terms of promises that he made to his customers on occasion. Pierre saw his team as his Board and his customers. Although he had excellent people skills he had little interest in his process workers. These people knew this and it caused industrial strife on occasion. With individuals and peers Pierre was at his best. He was particularly good at selecting strategic contacts around the city to develop his business and provide himself with leverage associated with opportunities that he was pursuing. He was confident and persuasive with his Board who let him get on with it. He was able to keep his factory manager on side and keep that person responsible for recruitment, performance monitoring, rostering and delivery. At an individual level, Pierre had an interesting range of skills and behaviours. His leadership style could be described as strategic and militaristic in its origins (‘business is war, Don’). In his particular battlefield Pierre was a winner and a formidable foe. On the other hand, he didn’t look after himself well, given that he was a connoisseur. He was overweight and suffered from chronic anxiety and bouts of flu-like symptoms from time to time.

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You can see from this profile that we have now built a basic competency framework around Pierre on which he could work. But before we do this we need to add his leadership orientation to the structure. COMPETENCY AND LEADERSHIP ROLES

Moving from the basic context of the job to the specifics of leadership is like moving from still frame to moving pictures. Leadership authors Quinn, Faerman, Thompson and McGrath4 offered a useful vocabulary for this in terms of the eight key roles they defined for ‘master managers’. These roles, together with definitions, are displayed below.

Table 6.2 Eight key roles associated with leadership competency

Role

Definition

Mentoring Facilitating Monitoring

Refers to transferring experience and knowledge to associates. Relates to steering participation and interaction within teams in the business. Concerns examining and providing feedback to individuals and groups regarding business performance. Relates to planning, project management and synchronising activity within and across functional groups. Relates to visioning, planning and delegating. Includes delivering results. Relates to identifying opportunities, sourcing resources and negotiating agreements. Relates to creativity, change and adaptation.

Coordinating Directing Producing Broking Innovating

If we return to Pierre, his commitment associated with the mentor role was minimal. He tended to be disinterested in skills and knowledge transfer and had no succession plan. His primary focus related to facilitation concerned steering the Board his way and maintaining a superficial presence in the factory. As a monitor, Pierre was effective at compiling relevant financial information from his CFO, keeping his Board informed and keeping an eye on the factory manager. As a coordinator, Pierre caused problems by insisting that contracts that had been won by his sales team needed to be implemented with little lead-time (and with less emphasis on other priorities which existed elsewhere in the factory). Pierre was particularly strong as a director in relation to the big picture and making his people accountable for what they were responsible for. He was, of course, highly productive in dollar and cents terms. On the one hand, he had little interest in areas like performance management, which he assessed in an intuitive style only. On the other hand, he had significant strengths in his capacity to write competitive tenders at short notice.

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As a broker, Pierre had an excellent gut feel for his market. He consciously attempted to wrong-foot his competitors given that he viewed them with the same hostility with which they viewed him. Pierre was certainly innovative and surprisingly willing to travel considerable distances to learn new technologies and efficiencies that could be implemented in his business. He was thus a rough, but very sharp diamond in leadership competency terms, with plenty of scope for polish on several facets. Pierre was also very tough-minded and pragmatic in the Gallic tradition. In speaking to him about his competency needs he reluctantly accepted comments related to coordination. His commitment was to ‘tighten up the contracting process and to get production to comment on my documents prior to submission’. In fact Pierre’s widely divergent leadership competencies are by no means unusual and they introduce another level of psychological skills that are particularly relevant to senior people or executives with related aspirations. High-level executive coach Debra Benton5 noted seven of these in her analysis of what it takes to think like a CEO: 1 In control of attitude – can maintain focus and determination, show professionalism and talk about feelings. 2 Aware of own style – understands own strengths and is aware of shortcomings. 3 Humorous – able to use humour to set the tone and maintain motivation during challenging times. 4 Fighters for their people – shows genuine willingness to represent people and respond to their needs. 5 Straightforward – capable of directness and transparency. Appropriately open. 6 Inquisitive – questioning and able to learn along with those engaged in the dialogue. 7 Good storytellers – able to weave anecdotes into the strategic narratives. Transmits vision and supporting illustrations. Unlike the items that follow, these skills are difficult to measure but are an essential part of the mix.

DEFINING SPECIFIC TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES In framing and discussing competency in the professional domain, we have been taking snapshots of individual capability from differing frames. At the widest of these we acknowledge the global economic and business environment, before looking at leadership skills and behaviours. We will

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now pan across to look systematically at the nuts and bolts of peoples’ technical skills and behaviours. Table 6.3 provides a range of generic competencies. You will need to expand on these to capture additional items relevant to your role.

Table 6.3 Basic job competencies

Key reference frame

Competencies

Environment

Aware of international change and innovations affecting business Understands and employs national and local political data in strategic decision-making

Market

Able to interpret market economics Able to gather intelligence on customers and competitors

Business

Able to articulate vision, values, desired work culture Understands relevant financial data Familiar with human resource, tax, governance, occupational safety and health, diversity legislation

Team (refer also to Chapter 7)

Able to develop culture and desired community within team Able to coordinate the team Can monitor team performance objectively

The individual

Can recruit the right people Able to develop staff Delivers appropriate reward and recognition

Yourself

Demonstrates appropriate and consistent values and ethics Can manage and monitor impression management Effectively manages priorities and time

Of course, it is one thing to rate oneself and another to do something about the issues emerging. Guidelines that might be helpful, related to developing your competency, include: • Summarising the item in your own language, as opposed to competency speak. For example, ‘I want to do something more about my impression management skills in presentations to the executive team’. • Specifying instances as evidence of shortfalls in the competency. For example, ‘Last Thursday they just didn’t engage with the data I provided on our overspend on technology last quarter’. • Defining the responses you plan to make in skill and behavioural terms. For example, ‘I need to spend more time influencing them individually before the meeting. I need to simplify my documents and charts.’ A widely used alternative self-assessment methodology, which can be a powerful incentive to competency development, is 360° feedback. This involves input from a range of raters who typically include subordinates, peers and bosses.

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360° FEEDBACK AND COMPETENCY

Three hundred and sixty degree feedback has enjoyed mixed reviews as a mechanism for learning more about how you function in the workplace. On the upside it: • is more scientific than attempts to obtain feedback from inebriated colleagues late in the course of celebratory (or other) drinks • is systematic in terms of input from above, below and alongside • may have the benefit of anonymity • is usually quite powerful in terms of the messages delivered. Specialist consultants Richard Lepsinger and Anntoinette Lucia6 noted the dark side of 360° feedback when they flagged issues associated with: • reluctance by the subject to challenge his or her self-perception and acknowledge shortcomings • associated scepticism related to perceived ‘bias’ in the feedback that is assembled • frequent criticism of delays from collection of data to the delivery of feedback. Astute critics can add other items to this compendium, including: • The structure and detail of some 360° questionnaires (for example, the 250-item assessment that must be completed on six people by Thursday). • The content of 360° questionnaires and possible ‘junk’ questions (for example, ‘How effective is this person at managing ambiguity?’) – probably not as effective as the person who wrote the question. • The credibility of the reviewers who have submitted the assessments. (Almost always an issue.) Harvard Business School author Maury Peiperl7 noted in relation to the peer appraisal step in 360° feedback: … you cannot be both peer and judge … [Peers] may give conservative feedback rather than risk straining relationships … qualitative feedback is more difficult and time-consuming to generate … [and] without specific comments, recipients are left with no information to act on and with little sense of what might help them get better at their jobs …

• Situational factors that can influence ratings, including morale, for example. (For experience, a burnt out team will not be very kind to its leader.) • The actual knowledge of raters with respect to items that may have been explored (for example, subordinates outside the executive team asked to comment on a member’s performance within that group). • The objectives of the exercise (for example, reality check, performance feedback and team development mechanism).

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With respect to objectives, 360° feedback is often used ineffectively by inexperienced professionals as a mechanism to obliquely address performance problems with difficult people. An example that comes to mind was a senior associate in a law firm whose arrogant and abusive personality was only exceeded by his reluctance to accept critical feedback. They paid someone a fortune to provide him with 360° feedback before he was eventually paid out. Given his anger and shock at the time, the only person who benefited was the outplacement consultant. Accepting these reservations about the process, a well-designed 360° feedback process managed by a skilled professional can deliver a valuable report card and, if taken in the relevant spirit, provides strong motivation for competency development. The template below will help you develop a 360° view, based on the generic competencies which you will have expanded to define your role.

Table 6.4 360° feedback template related to competency development Relationship of rater (tick one): Subordinate

✓

Manager

✓

Key reference Competencies frame

Environment

Aware of international trends and innovations affecting business Understands and employs national and local political data in strategic decision-making

Market

Able to interpret market economics Able to gather intelligence on customers and competitors

Business

Able to articulate vision, values and desired work culture Understands relevant financial data Familiar with human resource, tax, governance, occupational safety and health legislation

Team

Able to lead and coordinate the team Able to develop culture and desired community within team Can monitor team performance objectively

The individual Can recruit the right people Able to develop staff Delivers appropriate reward and recognition

Relevance of Importance Effectiveness competency of in performing (Yes or No) competency competency

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Key reference Competencies frame

Yourself

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Relevance of Importance Effectiveness competency of in performing (Yes or No) competency competency

Demonstrates appropriate and consistent values and ethics Can manage and monitor impression management Effectively manages priorities and time

Analysis of competency thus far has worked its way across business context, leadership roles, technical capability and 360° assessment. It has not yet got down to interpersonal skills in any detail, which the following sections address, with emphasis on emotional competency.

INTERPERSONAL COMPETENCY How important is interpersonal competency at work? Answers to this question vary according to the nature of the enterprise, key relationships and the world view of the protagonists. Bill Gates,8 for example, appears to be nine parts android when he spoke of his ‘Digital Nervous System’ concept: Do your information systems simply crunch numbers in the back room or help to directly solve customer problems?

Bill would like his computers to interface directly with his customers outside Microsoft, and exhorts the rest of us to do the same. Outside of information technology, however, most customers would prefer human beings to solve their problems and have us leave the ‘digital nervous system’ out the back where it belongs. Is it possible to build a coherent structure to appraise interpersonal competency? In fact most interpersonal competencies can be grouped around five frameworks that include: • emotional competencies • directional competencies • physical competencies • relational competencies • communication competencies.

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Table 6.5 expands these in more detail and cross-references them with other parts of this publication. The focus will be on emotional competencies through much of the remainder of this chapter.

Table 6.5 Five interpersonal competency groups

Competency group

Competency item

Reference

Emotional competency

Self-awareness Self-regulation Motivation Empathy Social skills

Section on ‘emotional intelligence’

Directional competency

Possessing a meaningful personal vision Has developed a sense of meaning in life Shows evidence of recent investment in personal growth Assists others to define their sense of identity and purpose Understands personal priorities outside vocational context

Chapter 2

Physical competency

Preventative medical self-management Awareness of age/stage health issues Ability to manage calm Capacity to demonstrate work–life balance Ability to recreate and refresh self

Chapter 3

Relationship competency Awareness of key roles with priority people Chapter 4 Ability to maintain and repair relationships with priority people Insight into generational issues related to priority people Capacity to collaborate with priority people regarding their needs Ability to maintain and extend networks in the priority people domain Capacity to contribute meaningfully to one’s community Communication competency

Can demonstrate effective assertiveness Shows adaptable conflict management skills Possesses effective negotiation skills Demonstrates accurate listening skills Achieves influence in individual and group contexts

Chapter 8

‘EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE’ Daniel Goleman PhD,9 is regarded as the psychologist author who invented the term ‘emotional intelligence’. Goleman10 defined it as: … the capacity for recognising our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships. It describes abilities distinct from, but complementary to, academic intelligence, the purely cognitive capacities measured by IQ. Many people

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who are book smart but lack emotional intelligence end up working for people who have lower IQs than they but who excel in emotional intelligence …

It is noteworthy that the converse applies with monotonous regularity as well. Albeit the significance of emotional intelligence (EQ) in the professional domain is increasingly acknowledged and, Goleman aside, packages and programs in emotional competence have flooded the business marketplace. Goleman nominated five emotional and social competencies that also have profound relevance in the professional and priority people domains. These include: • self-awareness • self-regulation • motivation • empathy • social skills. The section that follows explains and expands on these items. Self-awareness translates into monitoring and responding to awareness of our own internal states. More specifically, self-awareness can be understood in terms of: • Emotional consciousness, or being able to define, articulate and respond to the effects of these emotions. • Accurate self-appraisal, which refers to a positive but realistic assessment of emotional strengths and shortcomings. • Positive self-esteem, or a positive sense of one’s own value and capability. • Recognition of the relationship between physical status and emotions (for example, fatigue and short fuse). An example of effective self-appraisal is illustrated by a person being aware of his or her increasing anger and frustration when listening to an older family member talk about his lack of resources to tackle issues associated with household maintenance, which the observer may see as trivial and self-defeating. By understanding this reaction and the associated impatience felt, together with a sense of ability to reassure the family member regarding his capacity to manage with assistance – an old cycle of ineffective interaction can be broken apart and prevented from going nowhere. In the professional domain Harvard academic A. M. Hayashi11 notes the importance of self-awareness in the form of intuition in high-level decisionmaking: In my interviews with top executives known for their shrewd business instinct, none could articulate precisely how they routinely made important decisions

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that defied any logical analysis. To describe that vague feeling they used terms such as ‘professional judgement’, ‘intuition’, ‘gut instinct’, ‘inner voice’ and ‘hunch’.

Intuition is an important part of self-awareness which Hayashi believed ‘separated the men from the boys’ at the top of the corporate ladder. It separates the women from the girls too. Self-regulation is about effectively managing our internal status including our emotions, intellectual resources and level of focus. This includes: • self-management in handling potentially destructive emotions and impulses using mindfulness • demonstrating integrity through consistent standards of honesty and consistency with respect to personal principles • showing reliability through accepting responsibility for delivering on commitments • demonstrating willingness to grow through managing change and the unexpected • displaying creativity through willingness to absorb new concepts, strategies and knowledge • recognising when we are more and less able to manage self-regulation optimally. An example related to effective self-regulation in the priority people domain could be the way in which parents manage their reactions to a defiant and provocative teenager, whose horrible negative aura is making the family feel like they are party to a hideous cycle of persecution and abuse. Effective self-regulation could translate into avoiding the temptation to assail the unhappy teen with a predictable lecture (‘get your act together’). Alternatively, by demonstrating consistency in the way in which the parents respond to the teen’s unhappiness, by working conscientiously to get alongside him or her and attempting to provide ideas to assist adaptation to the growth crisis. Motivation relates to harnessing inner drives and preferences to enable achievement of objectives. This includes coordinating emotional and thinking strategies that could include: • knowing what you want • sustaining optimism – which is demonstrated by ability to maintain a positive outlook and persevere despite difficulty • maintaining momentum – which refers to determination to follow through on goals along with those of priority people • delivering agreed outcomes – which refers to personal quality standards or criteria for success.

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An example of motivational competency in the professional domain could be a workplace situation where you are personally committed to influencing the decision of your executive team in relation to the focus of strategic objectives during a business downturn. You take pains to present your argument in terms that will not be seen as ‘a wet blanket’ in the minds of some of your more bullish co-workers. Despite resistance, you separately lobby most of the executive team in order to ensure that a clear majority support your position and are prepared to endorse your direction at an upcoming team meeting. In the course of preparing for this meeting you develop a case based on agreement with some of your colleagues, which covers aspects of your position that they may have separately questioned. You provide your analysis, proposal, supporting arguments and a strategy to guide the group to agree to a direction that is compatible with your views. Empathy boils down to focused awareness of the emotional states of other professional and priority people, their objectives and apprehensions. These can be further defined in terms of: • awareness of agendas, which translates into understanding power dynamics and the emotional temperature and status of groups • assisting others’ growth through helping them to define their priorities • working with diversity, which is demonstrated by being comfortable with difference, creating synergies and enabling talent to be grown and enjoyed • understanding how other people tick, not only by their needs and concerns, but also by genuine interest in them. An example of effective empathic behaviour in the priority people domain is illustrated by a relationship with a daughter-in-law who is sensitive and tentative regarding developing her potential in web site design. You suspect her talent is being thwarted by her unease related to selling to the market and putting a monetary value on her labour. Although you know little about the business you follow your hunch and put her in touch with a friend who is in IT consultancy. He encourages her to affiliate with like-aged people who demonstrate enthusiasm, commercial pragmatism and potential, which she finds infectious. This process leads to a decision by the young woman to undertake further tertiary study. Social skills translates into adroitness in aligning with and influencing professional and priority people in order to facilitate their growth and wellbeing. This can be dissected into: • skills related to effective listening and appropriate assertiveness • dissent skills, which are demonstrated through appropriate confrontation, negotiation, management of emotions and agreed outcomes • influencing skills, which include inspiring and mentoring professional and priority people

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• serving as a change facilitator, including setting the pace for change and responding constructively to it • building rapport, which relates to the construction and maintenance of positive relationships • alignments and partnerships, which includes working with professional and priority people on agreed goals in a mutually beneficial way • community skills, which include harnessing and riding group processes to achieve positive and enduring outcomes. An example of effective social skills is illustrated by a situation where you are leading a work group in which a close friend is angling for promotion. You are aware that the outcome will cause conflict with other candidates who you also know well, but attempt to contribute constructively and proactively in the process by adopting an openly neutral position which will ultimately benefit the group as a whole. EMOTIONAL COMPETENCY OF AUSTRALIAN LEADERS It is both interesting and informative to review the emotional competency of Australia’s historical leaders by looking at some of our forebears and applying Goleman’s five reference points. No less a luminary than Gough Whitlam12 is able to help in this regard, when he threw a stark light describing the personal price that was paid by some of these people. … there is a deep poignancy in the fate of a remarkably long list of our chief figures from the very beginning: Philip embittered and exhausted; Bligh disgraced; Macquarie despised here and discredited at home; McArthur mad; Wentworth rejecting the meaning of his own achievements; Parkes bankrupt; Deacon outliving his superb faculties in a long twilight of senility; Fisher forgotten; Bruce living in self-chosen exile; Scullin heartbroken; Lyons dying in the midst of relentless intrigue against him; Curtin driven to desperation and to the point of resignation by some of his own colleagues at the worst period in the war …

Many of these references are tragic and each of them can be viewed in terms of shortcomings related to one or more of self-awareness, selfregulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. In offering this analysis, the intention is not to trivialise the achievements of these remarkable people. Although nothing can be done to recover the capacity these leaders had to change their fate, scope does exist for most of the people reading this publication.

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APPRAISING AND IMPROVING EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE

The truth of the matter is that emotional competencies existed long before Daniel Goleman packaged them up as ‘Emotional Intelligence’. Indeed, the idea that self-awareness, self-management, along with the ability to motivate oneself, to understand where other people are coming from and employ effective interpersonal skills, were being used by the human race long before the word ‘psychology’ was even invented. In appraising emotional competency and attempting to enhance your effectiveness it is nevertheless useful to try to define key elements in terms of skills and behaviours that get beyond the vocabulary of the complete novice on the one hand and the clinical jargon employed by the academics on the other. Let us then look at each of the five emotional competency groups and see what can be done in relation to developing these. Self-awareness

This area of emotional competence is demonstrated by: • having awareness about how you are feeling right now (for example, focused, lethargic, agitated) • being able to make the connection between this state and how you are behaving and thinking (for example, in learning mode, lazy, half-tuned) • realising how this feeling, thinking and behaviour is affecting your performance (for example, good uptake, flat-lined, fragmentary) • being able to connect this emotional and cognitive state with your longer term objectives (for example, going places, time to do something else, ‘spinning your wheels’ thought-wise). Of course, this all sounds logical and easy in this preliminary scan. However, ask yourself if anything has happened to you in terms of the way in which you are focusing on this section of the publication since you read these guidelines – particularly if you have been feeling tired or if you have been speed-reading. If nothing has happened to your self-awareness, then perhaps you can see that emotional self-awareness is subtler than it seems. Getting back to the text after this brusque aside and pursuing the example we have been using, self-awareness improvement could include: • Being mindful of your strengths and weaknesses associated with assessing your learning strategy (for example, knowing you prefer to skim and then discuss your conclusions; knowing that you will have to back-up over this section and re-read key points in detail; knowing you will have to abandon the process). • Having the capacity to add knowledge to your present frame of reference in a productive way (for example, comparing your learning skills now

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with two hours ago, knowing you will have to skim to the end of the chapter because little is going in. • Having the capacity to maintain a balanced perspective – through keeping the ‘self-development’ process in a realistic perspective and maintaining a broad good humour in relation to life and work. Improved self-awareness can be demonstrated through this example by: • having sufficient sense of where you are at as a person to understand the relevance of this part of the publication • displaying sufficient decisiveness to draw conclusions of a positive and negative kind related to this part of the publication. There are other ways of looking at improving emotional self-awareness through looking at what might not be directly apparent in your emotional behaviour. In this regard, psychotherapist and broadcaster Frances Wilks13 made a useful point in relation to what she called ‘emotional opposites’: The opposite of the emotion felt is usually hidden and it is part of the work of emotional intelligence to find the secret concealed opposite. Uncovering the opposite makes us bigger and deeper people.

Table 6.6 Awareness of emotional opposites

Emotion

Concealed ‘opposite’

Possible responses

Anger

Need for power, self-esteem

Requirement for assertiveness Need for nurturing, tenderness

Anxiety

Longing for meaning, purpose

Requirement for time out to ground self Need for reflection and clarity

Depression

Repressed fear, anger

Requirement for expression Need for mechanism to do this

Envy

Wish for self-improvement, self-esteem

Requirement for channel to express self Need for approval

Fear

Suppressed courage and excitement

Requirement for action Need for initiative

Guilt

Need to shed false image of self

Requirement for personal honesty Need for acceptance of self

Loneliness

Need for intimacy, connection

Requirement for new or deeper relationships Need to reach out

Pride

Need for real humility

Requirement to rethink self-image Need for unqualified relations with others

Rejection

Longing to accept life and become free

Requirement to open new doors Need to take risks to confirm self worth

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Wilks’ view was that by reflecting on the opposite to the emotion expressed, greater insight can be gained into why we feel what we feel and what we could do about it. She provided an emotional spectrum, which reflects such ‘opposites’ and some of these have been illustrated on page 178 to show how it is possible to respond. You will probably recognise from this that self-awareness of emotional opposites is usually accomplished after the event and sometimes in a state of remorse. Self-regulation

This area of emotional competence will be illustrated by considering a couple who have different ideas about the management of their recreational time on Sunday mornings. Some of you might be able to relate to one partner who enjoys lying around in bed, reading newspapers, making phone calls to distant friends and relations, dozing, eating croissants and drinking coffee. By contrast, the other partner is determined to be doing something by 9.30 a.m., wants a plan, marks time by fidgeting and becoming irritable. In terms of emotional competence associated with the early riser’s self-regulation, consider: • Sifting out the less productive emotions related to anger and frustration with the bed potato’s lethargy from emotions associated with the early risers thwarted hyperactive schedule. • Noting inappropriate responses to the situation – such as using deceit to get the lounger up (illustrated by alarm-setting, sermons on sloth, feigned anxiety related to wasted opportunities). • The early riser recognising how prepared they were to anticipate and manage this weekly event. In other words, showing willingness to change their own behaviour. • Reflecting on alternative ways of adapting to the situation – including taking the opportunity to do things alone for a couple of hours on Sundays. • Showing innovation by creating incentives strong enough to prise the other party from the sheets – such as breakfast at a café, friends over for coffee, events of mutual interest. Improving self-regulation in this situation may be exemplified by: • defining the conflict as opposed to being drawn into playing it out or payback • taking responsibility for one’s own behaviour • showing a modicum of innovation.

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Being effective with emotional self-regulation is one step on from emotional self-awareness and one over which some of us have considerable scope for development. Such development could be based around concepts such as effective self-talk, behavioural flexibility and willingness to change. You can easily appraise your own skills in this regard through considering a frustrating event that you encounter in your own professional or priority people domains and your willingness to revisit it differently.

Motivation

Consider a situation where an old and close colleague/friend has been chipping at your sanity of late. This person works in a senior role in a highly political environment and is under constant cross-fire from three adversaries who plot and provoke by taking advantage of your friend’s vulnerability and somewhat limited emotional skills when under attack at board-level meetings. You find yourself losing patience with the continual phone calls and carping related to this matter. You are aware that you are starting to avoid your friend while feeling that you are not really helping any more. In appraising this situation it is useful to recognise: • what this situation is saying about your commitment to maintaining high-level counsel for your friend • what evidence is apparent related to your willingness to challenge the deadlock in terms of what you have been contributing to the resolution of this situation. In enhancing outcomes associated with this aspect of emotional competency, you could improve your contribution through: • getting past the ritual created through telephone complaint sessions and insisting you meet face-to-face to review critical incidents only • looking laterally at alternative goals if the situation is not salvageable, by pressing your friend to think about tackling these people in another forum (for example, one-on-one) • seeking opportunities for developing your friend and yourself by disclosing your current self-assessment. • Galvanising others, such as your friend’s partner, to see what they have been contributing to the management of this ordeal. In terms of increasing your commitment to resolving this issue, motivation enhancers could include: • making a sacrifice in terms of your time to try to resolve the matter more systematically

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• maintaining your focus on the bigger issue of the long-term relationship with your friend, as opposed to the short-term residue of complaint and discord • celebrating successes with your friend that are achieved in the future management of the matter. For most of us, motivation is more of an issue with stuck or difficult relationships. You could examine your own skills in more detail by reflecting on one of these. Empathy

This aspect of emotional competency is illustrated by considering the relationship between a colleague and her elderly mother – who has opted to sell up and move into a retirement village. In terms of evaluating emotional competencies, consider: • this person’s ability to really understand her mother’s position through: – being aware of emotional cues and listening to these (for example, through understanding the impact of physical illness and fatigue on this person’s ability to overcome seemingly minor setbacks) – being able to show sensitivity and understanding to the older person’s perspective (through avoiding the temptation to trivialise her reluctance to have a garage sale – because of concerns about theft) – being able to help out in a constructive way with the person’s needs (for example, by conducting the garage sale on her behalf ) • being able to develop the mother’s confidence through the process by: – acknowledging the strengths demonstrated by the mother (for example, recognising this person’s ability to organise economical transportation of furniture to the retirement home) – by offering constructive feedback related to the future (for example, highlighting resources available for recreational gardening at the retirement home) – by offering the opportunity to enable the mother to develop herself (for example, nominate planting that could be undertaken in the garden that have significance to the mother) • ensuring that the mother is heard through: – indicating an understanding of what the priorities might be in her mind (that is, in the case of the move, ensuring that particular items are treated with care by the removalist) – showing enthusiasm for the task at hand (that is, avoiding apparent frustration at the slow pace with which preparations take place)

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– reassuring the mother of the support person’s capacity to be a trusted adviser (that is, through checking the status of treasured items at the time of their delivery to the retirement home) • showing flexibility and adaptability in the way in which the support person responds to the mother’s needs, which could be demonstrated by: – involving some of the mother’s friends in the process to maintain camaraderie with her peers – encouraging the group to derive mutual pleasure through helping out – challenging bias and intolerance (where the mother might have concerns about the tender age of the removalist, for example) • by demonstrating awareness of power relationships, illustrated through: – recognising old patterns that could be tied back to the support person’s childhood relationship with their mother – understanding the forces that affect the support person’s relationship (such as his mother’s opinions regarding his organisational skills) – accurately reading realities, such as the authority which the retirement home has over the mother’s attempts to alter her new living environment. Ways to improve emotional competencies that could be relevant in this situation include: • having a real understanding of the mother’s apprehensions related to the move and actually confirming these with her in an appropriate way • separating the support person’s concerns related to the transition and amplifying the benefits that the mother sees related to the move • keeping with the mother’s agenda associated with the process as opposed to the support person’s misgivings • being prepared to acknowledge the dynamics at work in the transition without unnecessarily complicating the situation with the support person’s attempts to influence outcomes. Clearly, the elements to emotional competence related to being aware of the feelings, needs and concerns of others covers a lot more ground than simply having a vague idea of what the other person wants. Scope exists within this group of competencies to significantly alter relationships more positively with priority people and professional co-workers. Social skills

This area of emotional competency can be illustrated through a situation where you find yourself in the midst of four of your nephew’s sixteen-yearold male friends who you have just ‘busted’, pouring shooters from a newly opened bottle of Jim Beam. In terms of appraising your emotional competencies in this context, critical factors include:

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• your ability to build a rapport with the group and find the right tone for the discussion which may follow • being able to draw on group skills, whereby people present are prepared to talk honestly about the situation • drawing on high-level communication skills through dealing with the situation straightforwardly, possibly with humour, and anticipating the mood of the boys in terms of defensiveness and defiance • managing conflict through diffusing the initial shock, creating an appropriate dialogue related to the situation and enabling people to wrap things up with appropriate messages and dignity • demonstrating an appropriate level of leadership and influence through: – commenting on the situation without humiliating the boys – encouraging the boys to acknowledge the difference between alcohol experimentation and alcohol abuse – maintaining a rapport with the group that will influence your longterm relationship with them, without serving as their judge and jury. Regarding enhancing social skills associated with emotional competencies, items that could be relevant in this situation include: • maintaining an ongoing relationship with the group or with individuals, that acknowledges the situation but builds constructively from it • protecting the group and its reputation from the views of others whose opinion may be different • listening to the boy’s point of view in relation to the experiment • dealing appropriately with individuals within the group who may not accept your position in relation to the bourbon and, where necessary, resolving these differences separately • demonstrating your leadership by continuing to affiliate with the group and encouraging their development in other areas • encouraging the group to continue to grow and experiment – although not necessarily with alcohol or other substances. Whereas the stream of life offers endless opportunities to work in the development of social skills associated with emotional competency, situations such as this one demand leadership and tact, together with the capacity to create a medium for change and growth, as opposed to drift and delinquency. ‘Emotional intelligence’ and the preceding discussion have enabled you to assess and select aspects of your job and key relationships on which you could work to improve your ‘performance’. What follows is designed to enable you to assess your organisation’s ‘competence’ at an ethical level and individual contribution or negligence in this regard.

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ORGANISATIONAL COMPETENCE AND THE BALANCED SCORECARD

Back in 1996 Robert Kaplin and David Norton14 developed the industry standard when they attempted to integrate individual and business performance into a balanced scorecard. In their words: The balanced scorecard translates mission and strategy into objectives and measures, organised into four different perspectives: financial, customer, internal business process and learning and growth. The scorecard provides a framework, a language, to communicate mission and strategy; it uses measurement to inform employees about the drivers of current and future success. By articulating the outcomes the organisation desires and the drivers of these outcomes, senior executives hope to channel the energies, the abilities, the specific knowledge of people throughout the organisation towards achieving the longterm goal …

Table 6.7 Linking personal competency needs to the balanced scorecard of your business

Scorecard focus

Customer focus quadrant; that is, how the business should respond to customers. This includes items such as: • percentage growth of business with existing customers • management of customer requests Financial focus quadrant; that is, how the business is tracking financially. This includes items such as: • return on capital • unit cost of performing work or producing output Business process quadrant; this involves relevant process management and improvement, which includes items such as: • quality assurance mechanisms • next generation of products/services Learning and growth quadrant; that is, maintaining individual and team capacity to change and improve. This includes items such as linkage of employees with business goals

Key business objectives

Comments on what this objective requires in terms of my development

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In other words, Kaplin and Norton, respectively professor of accounting at Harvard and president of an IT consultancy, broke new ground in the mid-1990s by getting CEOs to move beyond the bottom line focus in assessing business performance. The balanced scorecard also had the capacity to tell individuals valuable things about their fit with the business in terms of their contribution to outcomes and their development needs. Table 6.7, which you can expand, is designed to match your key competencies to the performance of your business. You can record key business objectives in each quadrant and define measures where necessary. These can then be compared to your own competencies to identify your development needs from a business perspective. By way of illustrating this template at work, consider the following case study based on Pierre’s development needs in his laundry, derived from a business objective in the Business Process Quadrant (related to achieving customer and shareholder objectives), which was: To achieve a 5% improvement in the efficiency of hospital and hospitality linenprocessing costs, through improved water conservation plus more effective use of consumables and power. (Savings to be achieved $175K p.a.) …

This item has relevance to Pierre in terms of increasing profitability and increasing his limited knowledge of the business process referred to above. In competency terms, Pierre will need to work with his factory manager to improve his laundry process knowledge and link financial analysis with the team activity and technology. Left to his own devices, Pierre would probably have stuck to his spreadsheet skills. By looking at the business needs, however, a range of new competencies is (appropriately) flagged for him. Kaplin and Norton show a large number of objective measures in relation to customers, financial and business processes. It is significant that in relation to the area of learning and growth they observed: ‘… the drivers of these outcomes are, to date, somewhat generic and less developed than those of the other three balanced scorecard perspectives’ (p. 146). This is Kaplin and Norton’s way of acknowledging that there needs to be more work done on the people part of the scorecard than they were able to offer. In fact, various attempts have been made since Kaplin and Norton’s seminal work to expand the reference points of the scorecard so that an appraisal can be made of an organisation’s ‘competence’ in the broader community in which it operates. Three areas that have become associated with this broader people perspective include:

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• the economic bottom line • the environment (as in the physical environment) and the organisation’s impact thereon • the social or community impact of the business (as in the folks who reside around or are affected by the operation of the business). Enter the Triple Bottom Line (TBL). In discussing this concept, The Centre for Innovation in Corporate Responsibility15 observed: There is no clean cut … approach to reaching the Triple Bottom Line – each company situation is case specific, and specialised solutions will have to be developed to appropriately fit their needs. Some progressive and wellintentioned companies (such as NOVO, NORDISK, BC Hydro, Dow Chemical, BP, Amaco) have attempted, with varying degrees of success to bring these three areas together under one performance management, assessment and reporting framework. International organisations such as The World Resources Institute, Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies, UNEP International Chamber of Commerce, and World Business Council for Sustainable Development are also contributing to the development of standards and processes within the TBL framework.

A widely adopted TBL model called the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), which is used by Westpac and WMC in Australia, is available free on-line. This makes it accessible and affordable to small and medium-sized enterprises who may have been otherwise deterred by costs and consultants. The Centre for Innovation in Corporate Responsibility believed that one of the fundamental drivers to achieve balance in the Triple Bottom Line is meaningful stakeholder engagement. … by integrating a company’s immediate constituencies into decision-making, the responsibility for making decisions regarding priorities and plans becomes a collaborative and inclusive process.

It is noteworthy that the Federal Department of Family and Community Services has attempted to represent ‘immediate constituencies’ through the Prime Minister’s Community Business Partnership, by advocating for priorities like work–life balance as part of an appraisal of corporate responsibility. To date responses by Australian leaders to their environmental and social responsibilities have been variable. A case in point was mining company Esmeralda Exploration, which leaked cyanide into the Tisza River in Romania in February 2000 and subsequently poisoned hundreds of tonnes of fish, while creating considerable environmental damage. The directors of this company dived for cover, claimed the chaos caused was ‘exaggerated’ and denied all responsibility in one of the shabbier pieces of corporate

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cowardice in recent history. This example illustrates how individuals hide behind the corporate entity and its strictly legal interpretation of its ‘scorecard’ in order to avoid personal responsibility at an ethical level. Clearly this is not leadership in the three domains. Things become even more sordid when a large organisation attempts to defend the indefensible. In what has become known as the Longford gas disaster in Australia in September 1998, two workers were killed following an explosion at Esso’s gas plant in Victoria’s south-east. In the state-wide power crisis that followed this tragedy, Esso claimed that panel operator James Ward was responsible for the incident. In fact, Ward was cleared of any wrongdoing and in November 1999 he was decorated for bravery. Notwithstanding this, Esso continued to fight prosecution over the explosion tooth and nail up to November 2002, when Coroner Graeme Johnstone found the company ‘solely responsible for the disaster and tragedy’.16 Could this situation and its ugly legal aftermath have been prevented if a greater level of ethical ‘competence’ had existed at an individual level in this organisation? From a three-domain perspective the answer is emphatically ‘yes’. Organisations are there to respect and benefit individuals, as opposed to the converse. Competence in aspects of ‘performance’ must be articulated and understood to ensure organisational excellence across its complete scorecard.

FROM THE HEART In summarising this chapter, consider the following: ❤ Whereas competency can be sliced and diced by the performance management specialists in the workplace, it works best when it is being used as a descriptive tool and as a developmental process. ❤ Given that competency can be assessed by your or other parties through 360° feedback, it is unlikely that you will achieve meaningful development unless you confine yourself to a limited number of priorities. ❤ Development of competency will be significantly enhanced if it has a strategic, whole of work-life focus, as opposed to a short-term repair and maintenance emphasis. ❤ Emotional competency is a critical area for self-development in relation to professional and priority people domains. Although most of us understand this intellectually, enduring change is often achieved through deliberate experimentation rather than thinking and planning. ❤ The balanced scorecard, coupled with the Triple Bottom Line, challenges organisations’ ‘competence’ in terms of whole-of-business performance and capacity to constructively engage with wider society and the physical environment.

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Casestudy

Maybe it was related to the change of sporting seasons, but the notion of ‘team-building’ raised its head today at a rambunctious meeting that we held in the conference room. It was a lot of fun, although not too tidy time-wise. Once ‘teambuilding’ had escaped into the discussion, I noticed that it generated a number of reactions within our group, including: • ‘Spare me the tree-hugging’ – from the hard-nosed and pragmatic Thomas. • ‘Not another death march in the woods’ – from Imelda (who had been scarred for life on an ‘adventure’ team-building weekend). • ‘I hear the distant thunder of consultants’ – from John (our accountant), who is particularly ‘training and development’ averse and who also has a low opinion of role-plays. • ‘Not during the next four weekends, you don’t’ – from single parent Jonah, who has two children under seven years of age. We all acknowledged that team-building would probably benefit us from the point of view of resetting roles and goals – not to mention working on that ‘issue’ we have with the customer service people. The problems that most of us have with the process, as a mature and (usually) focused group, are: • an aversion to psycho babble • a low threshold to team-based adventure training following our previous outing with the ex-commando • a wariness of ‘flash in the pan’ consultants with pre-packaged agendas and hefty invoices • a reluctance to contribute yet more of our own time to the ‘wellbeing’ of the business. When we broke up, I remember walking back to my office thinking that it would have assisted me enormously if I could have systematically assessed the people and the process issues related to finetuning our group. The other issue that came to mind was the durability of the outcomes that we might achieve. This was in the light of knowing we will be losing two members over the next 12 months and that we were going to be joined by three ‘virtual’ members located interstate. Separate from this is my relationships with the executive team. That group has been working together now for four years and our ritual attempts to get Tony (our CEO) off his big picture strategic chess games, or else his nitpicking style of assessing project reports, have practically driven us all crazy…

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This chapter is designed to help you review your team and sift the wheat from the chaff in terms of assessment and development strategies. Specifically, it is written to: • assist you to consider some of the wisdom and myths surrounding team development • provide you with practical start points to look at your team’s type and status • review your performance and needs as team leader or as an active team member • enable you to get to grips with your team’s development requirements • utilise the team tool kit provided. Some of this discussion has relevance to priority people and this will be explored along the way.

CONTEMPORARY WISDOM AND MYTHS CONCERNING TEAM DEVELOPMENT The literature on teams has exploded over the past decade and there has been a big scatter of fallout in terms of the quality of the resultant materials – from the tremendous to the toxic. It goes right down to how you even define a team. Chances are that if you sat down with the manager of practically any given group of people working in a contemporary organisation, the word ‘team’ would be used to describe them. The term is a fine aspiration if not a reality. It conjures images of: • cohesion • purpose • coordination • competitiveness • collaboration. Unfortunately, experience with people at work has not always borne this out. One reason for this is that the members of so-called teams may not share basic relationships with one another. Team tutors Katzenbach and Smith1 drew out the requisite relationships in their definition: … a team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable …

It may be useful to recognise that, despite a yearning on your part, the people who are working with you may only partly meet this definition. If

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this is the case, the development of the group as a whole may be better achieved through separate strategies aimed at sub groups. Along with misuse of the ‘team’ concept are team models, proffered by consultants of various stripes as ideals for the management and development of people at work. Five that quickly come to mind include: 1 The sports team – the notion is that work teams can, in some way, emulate sports teams in areas as diverse as football, tennis and sailing. We can probably thank sports psychologists and cult coaches for these paradigms that, although superficially attractive, do not necessarily hold up well in knowledge-based environments. The truth is that the transfer of ideas related to the training and behaviours of elite athletes in games lasting a couple of hours into the activities of an office team where ‘the game’ lasts for years is stretching credulity to the maximum. Thus getting a football winner in to enthuse your people over breakfast is often inspirational. Whether they have said anything that can be built on by lunch could be debatable. Team captains, coaches and members may, however, offer insights into the wider aspirations and milieu in which we live and work, and this is discussed in more detail at the end of this chapter. 2 Military and culture specific models – examples include attempts by former military officers to build corporate teams via ‘boot camp’ programs. Alternatively, the fascination with Japanese management immortalised by academics Richard Pascale and Anthony Athos2 in the late twentieth century. Also, the endless anecdotes in leadership literature about miracles performed in American computer and electronics corporations (often written by the consultants who undertook them). 3 Cult of personality teams – illustrated by maverick manager Ricardo Semler3 and the school of hands-off management. Whereas Semco was unquestionably a leader in empowered, selfdirected teams and the management tourists flocked in to their corporate office in Sao Paulo, Brazil, from all over North America and beyond, one has to question the substance of Semler’s style, illustrated by Semler (1993, p. 3): I also take at least two months off each year to travel, and I like to roam far. There are pictures in my office from two recent expeditions, a balloon safari in Tanzania and a trek through the Khyber Pass in Afghanistan. I never leave a number where I can be reached when I’m away and I don’t call in. I want everyone at Semco to be self-sufficient. The company is organised – well, maybe that’s not quite the right word for us – not to depend too much on any individual, especially me …

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One can probably figure out why. 4 Continuous improvement and quality-driven team development illustrated by Peter Scholtes et al.,4 for example. 5 The illusive ideal – which has become fashionable in team literature to tantalise the aspiring team developer – refer to the concept of the highperformance team. This refers to extraordinary synergies that have apparently occurred in workgroups under certain leadership conditions. A classic case study associated with this was the computer development geek team observed breathlessly by Tracy Kidder5 way back on 1981. At a more practical level R. Meredith Belbin,6 who probably represents the grand-daddy of team typologists, noted of ‘winning teams’ at about the same time as Kidder that: Even teams with something less than the ideal distribution of talents could compensate for shortcomings by recognising a latent weakness and deciding to do something about it …

In other words, just ordinary folks who took the initiative to do something themselves. More recently and specifically, Katzenbach and Smith (1998, p. 66) note that high performance teams are rare. Indeed, they suggest that such teams are where you find them, rather than where you wish they were. Some of the qualities they equated with these teams (1998, p. 27) include: • strong personal commitment to one another’s growth and success • a deep sense of purpose with highly ambitious performance goals • full mutual accountability and interchangeability with complimentary skills • shared leadership based on initiatives from specialists within the group • consultation with the whole team by members, as opposed to simply the leader • extended team effort beyond any measure of ‘reasonableness’ • fun and enjoyment in the process • the notion of participating in something ‘bigger and better than myself ’. For many of us the creation of a ‘high-performance team’ is unlikely to result from a dip into the literature or a workshop or weekend with the members. Indeed, there is more than a little evidence that contrived ‘teaming’ can go in the opposite direction. As Richard Sennett7 observed not without pathos: Teamwork [can take us] … into that domain of demeaning superficiality which besets the modern workplace. Indeed, teamwork exits the realm of tragedy to enact human relations as a farce …

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Here we are talking about the matching coffee mugs, photos of mudspattered course competitors and framed awards that can conceal the ‘everyone for themselves and winner takes all’ ethos which prevails in some work groups. It can thus be argued that a lot of assumptions, buzzwords and downright subterfuge have managed to find their way into current thinking on teams. It is therefore important to step away from the jargon and pop paradigms when looking at your own people. This can be done in a reactive or proactive way. CLASSIC REASONS WHY TEAMS DON’T WORK

It may be useful to start your assessment by acknowledging this unfortunate possibility. Team untanglers Robbins and Finley8 noted items that included: • team members with private agendas • lack of definition about team goals • lack of clarity about job roles • difficulty making decisions • poor policies and procedural documents • team members locking egos • poor leadership caused by insecurity or pigheadedness • lack of clarity about the team’s vision • poor feedback to team members • inappropriate reward systems • low trust among team members • difficulty among team members with change processes • poor tools. A significant number of these issues can be diagnosed and responded to through: • managing by walking around to sample members’ opinions • considering discussing the ‘undiscussables’ with team members • weeding out the weasels. By the same token, team trainers Elledge and Phillips9 nominated a number of popular myths associated with team development that are relevant. These include misconceptions like: • data collected from team members can be assembled in a ‘confidential’ or anonymous fashion • teams necessarily require formal ‘team-building’ • team members are equally committed to teambuilding interventions • team-building achieves a level of stability that will endure

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• consensus decision-making in team-building is necessarily the best way • teams can perceive, analyse and decide in a logical deductive manner • an objective reality exists in teams that can be seen and understood by everyone • all team members need to be fully committed to the team’s vision and goals • one person’s performance in a team can be looked at independently from another’s • trust is achieved through complete openness and candour • team development is a steady, predictable series of steps. Buried in these myths are a number of guidelines related to the appropriateness of various interventions you might consider for your people. These can be unearthed in the form of questions that are worth asking yourself, such as: • What are the implications of work with your team in terms of confidentiality and impact on existing relationships? • Do the decisions related to the outcomes you are seeking involve team discussion or a clear statement by yourself ? • How enduring do you expect the outcomes you are hoping for to be? • How much commitment can you anticipate from the group to your ideas? • What are the longer term objectives you are attempting to attain through the process? • Does the team need development or is it more about individual coaching? Answers to these questions require us to consider baseline issues associated with your team’s status and its needs.

START POINTS FOR TEAM WORK In relation to activity with your people it is useful to recognise that you could be working from one of three positions. • a proactive position where you are attempting to positively move things forward • a reactive posture where you are attempting to recover ground through responding to an issue that has developed in the group • a stuck position where you are attempting to break away from a deadlock associated with the groups’ relationships or activities. Table 7.1 provides illustrations of these positions, which have been developed on aspects of team functioning flagged by Fran Rees10 in her practical book on the nuts and bolts of team facilitation.

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Table 7.1 Team issues and indicators from three development positions

Teamwork function

Possible indicators related to need for reactive responses

Possible indicators related to need for stuck responses

Possible indicators related to need for proactive responses

Goal agreement

Fragmented production or output

Lack of consistency of output

Desire to give the team fresh momentum

Leadership optimisation

Defiance of leader

Avoidance of team leader Desire to use talent residing within the team and its leader

Team member interaction Formation of sub-teams, Indifferent performance including ‘us’ groups and on team collaborations ‘them’ groups

Desire to keep the team fresh

Team member self-esteem

Perceived favouritism, Attacks made behind team Opportunity to revive the ‘lame ducks’, inappropriate members’ backs which thirst for growth and feedback and criticism are not addressed change among team members

Open communication

Overt mistrust and cynicism

Authority to make decisions

Members being overruled Avoidance of risk-taking arbitrarily and delegation of authority to the ‘leader’

Preparedness to seek consensus and agree on consequences

Focus on process in the team

Acceptance of dysfunctional processes within the team (for example, duplication of process)

Awareness of dysfunctional processes within the team

Willingness to continually improve processes within the team

Mutual trust

Inappropriate disclosure of team business to third parties

Team members working in ‘silos’ in terms of their collaborations

Opportunity to challenge the talent residing in the team

Respect for differences

Attempts to force team members to comply with irrelevant norms (for example, extracurricular social activities).

Unresolved antipathy related to project methodology

Enjoyment of the diversity of the team, possibly reflected through appropriate humour

Constructive conflict resolution

Side-taking on destructive Avoidance of talking Willingness to challenge conflicts between team about the real issue – the team to sort out a members scapegoating third parties jagged edge

Avoidance of important issues related to team business and/or team process

Desire to keep the team honest

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In laying down foundations related to improving team functioning, the issue of consultants will arise as long as there is one person more in the world outside the team itself. In considering the suitability of consultants the following guidelines are offered, based on my own work in this area. • Neutrality of the consultant – unless they are divinities, consultants are unlikely to be able to provide you with ‘objective’ input related to team functioning and their involvement may create additional forces that work against desired outcomes. For example, in attempting to forge consensus and commitment in a team, the consultant may inadvertently become its ‘leader’ for the duration of involvement. • Transfer of team process skills – it is important to acknowledge that although consultants may assist with facilitation of team processes, this does not mean that their approach will endure after their departure. Sometimes team members (and leaders) lack the insight or wherewithal to adopt process skills that might enable more harmonious or productive relationships among members. • Insight provided by facilitator – some consultants and ‘facilitators’ are, in fact, presenters and program deliverers only. Consequently, they may take the team through a process without really understanding what the subtext was about. Ideally, a consultant will understand process and content and be able to make a commentary on group dynamics, as well as other learnings that have been achieved. • Suitability of consultant’s materials – the truth is that most consultants deliver materials that match their skills and this may not be what the team needs. For example, a facilitator may focus on continuous improvement and charting production, when the team needs effective resolution of conflict and a clear sense of where it is going. The chosen consultant’s perspective will barely meet the team’s needs, although involvement will inevitably keep everyone busy for the duration of the contract. • Adaptability of consultant materials – many consultants employ standard interventions that may only achieve partial engagement with the needs of workgroups. Thus what may work with an IT industry team may be seen as deadly dull in a sales environment. This can lead to limited or even negative outcomes. Self-directed team specialist William Dyer11 developed a useful questionnaire, which has been adapted to enable you to assess the appropriateness of consultants for your people.

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Table 7.2 Do we need a consultant?

Is the team accustomed to team-building or related development activity? Is there evidence of commitment by the team to improve its functioning? Is the team happy to undertake the process without a consultant? Is your knowledge of team development and team-building sufficient to undertake the process? Are team members’ views congruent with yours related to the exercise you have in mind? Are you confident that you are not a major blockage to the process? Will the team be motivated to participate? Will people be candid in the exercise you have in mind?

WHAT TYPE OF TEAM DO YOU HAVE? At this stage a little extra time spent reflecting on the nature of your team and the variables at work within it may significantly enhance the effectiveness of interventions you employ. Key variables that will assist you in this regard include: • team function • team size and distribution • team maturity • overlays that are built into the team. Team function

The needs and responsiveness of team members will be significantly affected by the team’s function. Consider the following examples: • A production team involved in hardware manufacture. Such a team would respond well to a continuous improvement style of development and a methodology that is employed concurrently on a number of related teams. • A ‘knowledge-processing’ team, such as an accounting group. Such people prefer pragmatic interventions that have a direct relationship to business outcomes. They also like clear expectations, direct language and expectation of objectives adhered to over time. • A professional services team, such as a law firm work group. A common descriptor, which is used by these and a range of other high-value professionals related to their development is ‘herding cats’. This is often presented as a badge of pride. • A sales team involved in a retail environment, such as financial services or commission-based white goods sales. Such teams are not particularly interested in the ‘big picture’, but rather prefer practical development activity based on a fast moving program with fun and games. • Call centre ‘teams’ that share a sales perspective. Such teams have become increasingly wary of slogans and exhortations by numbers-driven

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managers. They tend to want concrete guidelines and opportunity to discuss their own particular issues with their peers. • A project team with a set objective, which requires cold booting. The approach used could be task-directed with an appropriate mix of meaningful self-disclosure, relationship development and discussion related to corporate integration, interspersed with social activity. • An executive team that is interested in resolving a specific issue related to its functioning – it tends to look for a particular style of support and is wary of business fads and ‘off-the-rack’ interventions. ‘Development’ for these groups may come down to conflict resolution between members or meeting process enhancement. Other features associated with team function that are salient include: Life limited teams – there to do a particular job within a particular period of time. This means that aspects of their maturation and performance may differ from enduring teams through features like: • the probability of immature relationships between team members • accelerated evolution to a prescribed ‘performance’ level, which might entail fragility in terms of the team’s dynamics • atypical relationships with other teams with which they may work because of their transitory nature and perceived significance • accountabilities that might fall outside traditional lines of command. This could be a blessing in terms of getting things done, but a nightmare in terms of inter group relations • the need to work with unpredictable outcomes, scrutiny and possible scepticism from people on the ‘outside’. Practical ways to enhance initiation and performance with such teams include: • creating a charter for the team, including its feedback responsibilities • developing clear patterns in terms of meetings, team outcomes, behaviour norms and stakeholder expectations • clarifying areas of overlap with related teams to minimise conflict • selecting a team facilitator or ‘coach’ responsible for: – coordinating preparatory activity – participating in selected meetings – liaising with the contact node in the organisation – observing the team for interpersonal and task-related support it might need – ensuring that the team sustains its schedule and primary objective. Self-directed teams – may be an existing team with a charter to increase its autonomy or, alternatively, reflect an attempt by an organisation to encourage initiative or productivity through improved participation. Such

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teams can be founded on an ideology, such as continuous improvement or quality assurance, although they may reflect a broader change initiative, such as an attempt to rethink the relationship between leaders and staff. In attempting to introduce shifts in team culture within organisations, it is important to enable members to: • appreciate the reasons why the existing team culture has been altered • offer a sketch of the shape that future roles will take • ensure that successful features of the previous culture are incorporated in the new culture, to preserve stability within the team • provide expectations related to future team activity and output. Strategies that will increase the likelihood of success of such an initiative include: • effective inclusion of unions, where these are present in organisations, to ensure their support • providing an appropriate facilitator/coach where apprehension is high, to ensure the transition is achieved smoothly and participatively • preparing an agenda for such teams in terms of their relationships and activities, and aligning these with productivity and organisational imperatives • ensuring that the empowerment process is, in fact, distributed evenly around the team according to the ability of its members. Merged teams could be a consequence of business re-engineering or company mergers. Member concerns related to their willingness and capacity to fit in, coupled with struggles to align operating styles and cultures, can make this task complex and vexing. Classic challenges associated with the functioning of post merger teams include: • Getting on with it, which could involve: – managing members’ morale – clarifying roles and goals – recognising new performance problems – unlocking system and process integration problems – developing agreed performance standards. • Dealing with the personalities by: – breaking up ‘us versus them’ cliques – providing a forum to discuss and mediate conflict – building trust – enabling people to take appropriate risks. • Managing adjustment disorders, including: – apathy and cynicism – living in the past – scepticism about the new organisation and its vision.

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Elledge and Phillips12 capture key aspects of teams in adjustment using three broad categories: • ‘The ready’ who are the people charged up to get on with it and who can lead and proceed with enthusiasm. • ‘The wanting’, including those who perceive their status as diminished and may need to adapt to new realities with reactions that could include anger, payback and depression. • ‘The wrung out’, who may view the merger as a significant deterioration of their previous situations, possibly through increased competition or new players positioned above them in the hierarchy. Such people may require one-on-one support related to their attitudes and their expectations concerning the new team. Merged teams need clarity and consistency to define their future together. They also need a period of time in which to let go of the past and the opportunity to constructively review new expectations related to performance and collaboration. Team size and distribution

With respect to team size and distribution, Belbin (1981, p. 113) flags an optimal size of 10 members for teams, based on the effectiveness and endurance of military groups in the armies of Ancient Rome. This was apparently based on the observation that you can talk to a group of 10 people simultaneously without having to raise your voice and that you can count them on your fingers to ensure that they are all present. Belbin altered this opinion in relation to executive teams; however, to a number between four and six. He took great pains to explore the relationship between this number and the size and shape of the boardroom table at which they met (1981, p. 121). Whether you are leading or counting legionaries, or else altering the numbers on your board to the table you have available, it is fair to say that cross-functional teams over around 10 members are probably workgroups. These may require division into sub-groups to address issues, as discussed earlier in this chapter. Team distribution becomes increasingly important in virtual teams. Problems related to tact and timing in e-mail communication coupled with amplification of ambivalence caused by the tyranny of distance, represent an increasingly difficult dimension to team development. Face-to-face unquestionably beats face-to-screen and when the going gets sticky, v-mail (voicemail) beats e-mail every time. There is a rapidly expanding body of literature related to managing

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virtual teams. Duarte and Tennant Snyder,13 for example, have dissected these entities into sub-groups including: • networked virtual teams • parallel virtual teams • project virtual teams • work production virtual teams • service virtual teams • management virtual teams • action-based virtual teams. E-mail communication aside, the dynamics of these structures introduce specific relationship and operational issues, let alone cultural and marketplace considerations around the global playing field. Team maturity

Tuckman14 was the originator of what has become an industry standard in team development terminology when he coined the terms: • ‘forming’ • ‘storming’ • ‘norming’ • ‘performing’.

Table 7.3 Stages in the life of teams

Stage

Typical processes

Forming

recruitment meeting task definition

Storming

testing the rules achieving emotional equilibrium discarding or rejecting work methods

Norming

accepting responsibility for plans achieving consensus in meetings collaborating and cooperating

Performing

achieving synergies delivering performance surges representing the team and creating its ‘legend’

Adjourning

celebrating the success of the team accepting departure of members redefining priorities for activity

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Other terms have been added to this list over the years, including ‘adjourning’, which is used to represent the endpoint in the life of a team or its members. Tuckman’s terms can be valuable in looking at team dynamics, particularly where members are in ‘reactive’ or ‘stuck’ positions. Some of the key processes associated with these stages are presented in Table 7.3. Team technician John Adair,15 who was clearly a sophisticated man, acknowledged that the sequence created by Tuckman was not necessarily a linear one and that groups can go back and forth between different ‘stages’. Adair saw the development process as analogous to a musical symphony. I have seen a lot of heavy metal in team development and some of it was way beyond ‘thrash’. Reflection on team maturity can be valuable in relation to aspects of team diagnostics. It can also be instructive to discuss where your people see themselves in this framework. It is interesting how rapidly the terminology used becomes part of the team’s vocabulary; for example, ‘Well guys, shall we do a little storming on this one, then?’ Other overlays that effect team type

It is noteworthy that the typology of the team can be preset to some extent by factors such as: • the historical origins of the group • corporate culture initiatives with which the team must comply • the professional backgrounds of team members • the impact of performance appraisal systems. The precursors to team development will have a profound effect on its preparedness to explore development options. For example, teams resulting from restructure or the fallout from power plays can carry baggage or brittleness that will require resolute leadership, openness to conflict and an urgency that may not be needed in a green fields start-up. Team development can also be constrained or catapulted by corporate culture initiatives. An example of constraint was high-value sales teams in a financial services environment, which doggedly resisted the preferred form of sales strategy for customer transactions. An example of catapult was young entry-level workers at Australia Post who rejected stodgy roster systems and attempted to persuade their co-workers to do likewise. Diversity issues aside, culture in teams can also be affected by: • the disciplines of members (for example, information technology, sales and production workers)

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• age and stage factors associated with team members – such as male middle managers in their late forties, men and women with young families • displaced workers – such as redeployees in government • socioeconomic groups – such as rural poor, students, agency-recruited part-timers and casuals. A team comprising 10 casual tertiary students will jump at a chance to do just about anything on a team-building weekend (including using it as a mechanism to avoid studying for their exams). A group of suburban-based motor registry workers could see any such activities as ‘a load of crap’ – or more to the point, an invasion of their ‘real lives’ outside of their ‘eight to four-thirty’ day. Given that my experience with performance appraisal systems has been disappointing, teams can be blessed or cursed with recognition and reward systems that may or may not enhance their relationships and performance. Consider, for example, how a quality system, which was contrived by a particularly cynical senior manager, fragmented an excellent pathology laboratory team by forcing members to work from the dictum ‘fudge the numbers, grit your teeth and try to get to next quarter with a job’. Attempts to develop or ‘build’ a team operating under such a regimen were doomed. It would be far more effective to challenge the process as opposed to attempting to live within it. The preceding section has been designed to enable you to step back and reflect on the typology and operating status of your team before determining the most appropriate response. Table 7.4 summarises key questions associated with this.

Table 7.4 Summarising the nature of your team Issue:

What is the primary function of the team? Who are the key members of the team from the point of view of developing the group? Are there maturity issues relevant to the team in terms of stages and phases? What overlays are at work in the team in terms of: • team history? • corporate initiatives? • cultural factors operating within the team?

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YOUR NEEDS AS TEAM LEADER LEADERSHIP STYLE

In the test batteries and ‘instruments’ associated with team leadership, it is interesting to observe how many buzzwords have been concocted to describe how people work within groups. There is everything out there, including the ‘thruster investigator’ (which sounds like some sort of marital aid), descriptors associated with various animal types (lions, dogs), and state- and trait-type descriptors (the ‘hysteroid’) – which might fit better within a psychiatrist’s locked cabinet, along with the prescription drugs. Generally, it is more productive to talk in terms of what team leaders think and do, rather than what they might look like in a zoo or do in a therapy group. Katzenbach and Smith (1998, pp. 139–44) provide useful guidelines related to what team leaders need to do. They stressed the importance of: • keeping the purpose, goals and approach relevant and meaningful • building commitment and confidence at an individual and group level • strengthening the mixture and level of skills by utilising talent, developing expertise and possibly sharing priorities, based on the capacity of the individual to deliver the goods • managing relationships with outsiders, by removing obstacles, through communicating the team’s priorities and objectives, and going in to bat for individuals where appropriate • creating opportunities for others by sharing the assignments, the credits and enabling people to speak up • doing ‘real work’ – through avoiding the trap of sitting back and making decisions at arm’s length from the routine and dirty work. These authors also drew two important conclusions regarding what team leaders never do, namely: • blaming or allowing individuals to fail • excusing shortfalls in team performance. Team tipster John Woods16 suggests additional items in the form of: • avoiding the temptation to ‘solve’ all problems within the team • not being prepared to mediate in a difficult team conflict at the risk of putting favoured noses out of joint • being prepared to champion the team in the context of the organisation, as opposed to seeing the team as the organisation • not being prepared to advocate for the customer, as well as the team, in developing the team’s effectiveness. With these guidelines in mind Figure 7.1 provides the opportunity for leaders to assess their effectiveness.

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Job requirement – mark a ‘J’ on each line to represent assessment of the job requirement. Performance – on the same line mark a ‘P’ to represent assessment of team leader’s performance. Aspect of team leadership

Mark the continuum with a ‘J’ and a ‘P’

Low score

High score

The clarity with which the team’s vision is explained to members by the leader The leader’s effectiveness in motivating team members The leader’s capacity to support team member’s self-esteem The leader’s capacity to manage meetings The leader’s influence on sustaining trust between team members The leader’s commitment to maintaining team progress reviews Figure 7.1 Assess your team leadership in terms of what the job requires and what is delivered

WHAT DOES YOUR TEAM NEED? Let us now change focus to examine the functioning of your team as a unit, as distinct from your effectiveness as leader. An important first step related to assessment and development of work teams concerns biases that can be in play before the process starts. For example, there is often a preference among executive teams to focus on planning and the business analysis, when they could benefit more by examining their relationships and behaviours. Likewise, process teams can excessively focus on relationships and work skills when they could benefit from the strategic view. The point here is that if boundaries are preset outcomes will be diminished. It is also important to acknowledge that some activity related to improving team functioning can cause anxiety in teams, or even launch agendas that were not present prior to the initiative. A case in point was a corporate services director who decided in the midst of a role-clarification exercise to revamp the operational plan for the group. This had nothing

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to do with the matter on which the team understood it was working and members immediately suspected another agenda (that is, the team’s performance). The consequence was resentment, resistance and confusion. Confidentiality is another important consideration. Consider a scientific team that had a selfish and vindictive leader with a particularly thin skin. As information was assembled by 360° feedback related to enhancing his performance, the knives were being sharpened (metaphorically) in his laboratory. The confidentiality issue became so difficult that it was necessary to blur and paraphrase feedback and focus on ‘indicative’ situations to save reputations and jobs. Denial may be an issue too. There was a case study of a team of leading hands at a chemical plant who were known to have strong differences of opinion and a fairly high level of antipathy – which made collaboration between their shifts difficult and costly. When interviewed as a group by an ‘outsider’, the leading hands were in complete denial that relationships were anything other than excellent. When spoken to individually, the story was of a different form altogether. Figure 7.2 on page 206 provides you with a screen to sift key aspects of team functioning. These items apply to: • single teams • multiple teams • virtual teams.

TEAM DEVELOPMENT WITH PRIORITY PEOPLE Although it is unlikely that priority people in groups can be developed as ‘teams’, it is undeniable that aspects of members’ interaction can be enhanced through opportunities to collaborate, share expertise, achieve objectives and attempt to resolve mutual problems. Priority people ‘teams’, also known as ‘families’, respond extremely well to: • Leaders who are ‘present’ when the family is together – this can be harder to do than say after a serious week in corporate city. • Individual and collective involvement that is regular – this gets harder and harder as members learn to operate with absentee leaders. • Awareness of the self-esteem of members and encouragement for those who may not be travelling well – simple companionship and understanding of members’ situations may work, as well as counselling and coaxing in this regard. • The provision of authority to those whose growth entitles them to increased autonomy.

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Assess team performance on the items below by placing marks on the line indicating where the team is now as {0} and where it needs to be as {+}. Mark each continuum with a ‘0’ and a ‘+’ Development Marginal Acceptable needed performance performance Vision related Clarity within team Acceptance of vision Goals related Goals agreed Goals achieved Openness related Encouraged within team Difficult issues out in the open Collaboration related Modelled by team members Used as a development tool Job role related Defined clearly Agreed by team members Feedback related Utilised across team consistently Is constructive and honest Figure 7.2 Team diagnostic survey

• Evidence of trust and preparedness to respect difference and divergence from the ‘leaders’ points of view – particularly with teenagers and early twenties. • Appropriate forums and mechanisms to resolve conflict – outside barked instructions through closing doors and car windows, for example.

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• Preparedness to recognise the goals of members and support these – no matter what type of family you belong to. Family typology is every bit as diverse as work team typology and beyond. Cross-generational variables, including role models, work off different dynamics and objectives. The opportunity is always there to reflect on the next encounter among members and how the group is functioning in terms of maintenance, recovery or growth. With respect to role models it is particularly frustrating to watch the survivor and voyeur TV programs, whose key sub-plot is focused around winning the prize by excluding the other ‘players’, by hook or by crook. Given the primitive interpersonal skills of most participants, the functional model implicit in these shows is both unhealthy and largely unchallenged. Despite being ‘game shows’, they have negative messages for younger people (who tend to watch them avidly into their twenties and beyond). For dysfunctional priority people ‘teams’ there are ‘consultants’ available in the form of counsellors and family therapists (for those among us who can afford them). However, for the majority of priority people, ‘team development’ may be equally well achieved through: • meals minus TV and preferably involving family drama instead • enabling the junior team members the opportunity to discuss their emerging ‘type’ • having sufficient awareness of the dynamics at work in the ‘team’ to be able to respond to those who are struggling or moving in new directions. This may require new scripts from yourself and new scenarios in which to work on these. Another less glamorous example of leadership with groups of priority people may involve attempts to provide support for ex-partners and children following divorce. Likewise, where older members of the family are struggling with their adjustment to separation and the anxiety this transmits through the unit. It is almost inevitable that these occur in the midst of major upturns in workloads or in some related fragmentation in the professional domain. The challenge for ‘team leaders’ in this situation is to make their excellent problem-solving capability available to the home team and, more importantly, provide these people with time and a sense of their importance in the scheme of things. With extended family teams, events that keep members in touch will enable development. After all, although blood may be thicker than water in families, separation serves as a powerful anticoagulant. With priority people from the work environment, related principles apply. However, some of these relationships do reach a separation point with one or other party moving on. Such separations, which may be precipitated

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by a mentee, can be difficult and painful, and they may demand a level of philosophical maturity and personal integrity out on the edge of one’s capacity. An example was a good friend who tactlessly betrayed my trust and disclosed confidential information that subsequently blew up in my face. It is at these watersheds that long-term relationships may be cemented or shattered. In the community, ‘team’ may sustain itself through long-term relationships and commitments. Inevitably though, change, politics or moving on with life will alter things. In the event the need to find a new community ‘team’ can be vital to sustain wellbeing. This becomes particularly significant after ‘career’, departure of children, or the erosion of the family network through relocation, for example. The key difference between ‘team’ development in relation to priority people and professional domains comes down to the qualitative and emotional investment made in each of these domains. For most of us, the true meaning of ‘team’ is crystallised with family. Unfortunately, by denying ourselves the opportunity to enable this team to ‘perform’ we can wind up playing superficial games at work instead.

PRACTICAL TEAM DEVELOPMENT AND TEAM-BUILDING STRATEGIES In considering strategies for developing your people at work, it is useful to draw a distinction between: • team development – which is a workplace-based continuous improvement process related to enhancing relationships and performance • team-building – which incorporates interventions and activities that fall outside the routine meetings, collaborations and conflicts that occur during the course of the normal working week. It is useful to separate processes that are built into the real-time operation of the team and those which are extraordinary events you have decided to employ. Acknowledging the issue related to your appropriateness as team development facilitator, there are a number of guidelines to consider which include: • making it clear to members that team development and team-building are ongoing processes • recognising the limitations of different team members in terms of their capacity and preparedness to disclose and resolve conflict. (By the same token, ensuring that team members accept responsibility for the success or otherwise of processes you employ.)

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• ensuring activity associated with development or team-building is facilitated to enable the ‘team’ to draw conclusions (as opposed to reinforcing its ‘boss’) • having a clear concept of the outcomes that you are striving for in working with the team. (This can be enhanced by engaging team members to help with planning and facilitation.) • working with ‘real’ issues. There is a temptation to manage team development as a strategic exercise or a conceptual undertaking. Either of these is unlikely to deliver enduring outcomes related to member issues • avoiding the temptation to fill the silences in team-related discussion or rescue team members who may be receiving robust feedback from their colleagues. Teams can deliver useful messages to miscreants that leaders may not. The team-enhancement strategies that are provided in the following section fall into three groups: • practical skills designed to improve the collaborative power of your team • development activities that can be incorporated in team processes such as meetings • ‘team-building’ activities separate from the routine functioning of the team, which can be delivered by yourself or a facilitator. PRACTICAL TEAM COLLABORATION SKILLS

There are three aspects of everyday team functioning which are consistently overlooked by team leaders and which are relatively easily addressed. These are: • conducting effective meetings • improving problem-solving • decision-making. Conducting effective meetings – Are your team meetings punctuated by people drawing massive doodles? Do you have inputs from the same limited number of members, accompanied by rolling eyes or grim silences from other participants? Do speakers keep to the agenda or digress into world events and unsolicited analysis of colleagues and competitors? Do people come away from meetings with clear objectives and reasonably equitable task distributions? If not, it is time to look again at that most basic, but often overlooked aspect of team activity – the meeting. Table 7.5 provides a quick way of reworking meeting preparation and management.

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Table 7.5 Team meeting tidiers

Ask yourself: • Is the meeting necessary? • Do I need to attend? • How long should the meeting run? • What pre-meeting work is required? • What are my objectives? • Does everyone understand the agenda prior to commencement? • What outcomes do I want from the meeting? • What processes will accomplish the objective in the time available? Then: • Start the meeting on time. • Be courteous but ruthless with digressions. • Ensure undertakings are absolutely clear among participants (e-mail follow-ups will assist) • Provide minutes, but only related to key outcomes.

Problem-solving strategies for teams – there are three classic problemsolving strategies that work effectively with teams of all types, from pothole-fillers to plasma physicists. • Brainstorming – which is acknowledged by many but used effectively by few. This is based on pooling the mind power of the group and allocating a set period of time to non-critically seek inputs related to key issues. Following the information dump, ideas with merit are selected and separately appraised and enhanced. Ways to improve the process include: – making the process a fun one – insisting everyone contributes ideas – pulling the process up promptly when it dries up. • The fishbone technique – which is a way of filleting a problem into slices by placing the issue under consideration in the head of a fish diagram. Then, utilising the ‘bones’ along the spine as key factors relevant to the solution of the problem, grilling the team on the best way to serve up the solution. • Force-field analysis technique – developed by Kurt Lewin in 1951 – which provides a mechanism to appraise the dynamic relationships contained within a problem in terms of elements that drive the process forward and elements that retard it. This problem representation process entails: – listing the driving and resisting forces – ‘loading’ the forces to represent their strength – identifying those forces over which control is possible – appraising factors to determine how you can move the situation in the desired direction by influencing the forces around it.

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These problem-solving strategies are participative, which makes them ideal for focusing the team ‘brain’. Decision-making – American corporate team coach Donna Deeprose17 nominated seven techniques to work greater consensus in teams. • using ‘straw votes’ to limit the number of options to a manageable number (that is, limit the straws) • making modifications to proposals to get around deadlocks (that is, adding negotiation caveats) • creating combinations of choices if a single one is not accepted (that is, creating finite numbers of options or pathways) • enabling people to air their reservations in order to avoid group think or snipers (that is, encouraging diversity and independent thought) • reassessing and re-evaluating fundamentals in deadlocks if it is necessary to get a fresh view (that is, rethinking basics) • agreeing to pilot an idea in order to keep the door open for review • taking a break in a meeting in the event that a deadlock is getting nowhere. All of these strategies facilitate decision-making and avoid the mental smog associated with team gridlock. TEAM DEVELOPMENT MODULES

The range of possibilities related to team development is infinite. However, there are a number of exercises that can be used within team meetings, or on other occasions, such as a special briefing, which can serve to enhance the focus of the team or review its performance. Module 1

Feedback from ‘Team Diagnostic Survey’

• The objective of this module is to represent the data associated with the Team Diagnostic Survey (Figure 7.2). This will provide key themes for discussion by team members and generate the opportunity for further team development or team-building. • The process involves circulation of the Diagnostic Survey to all team members prior to a review meeting. Data is compiled by the team leader and presented in a handout or via data projector. The team leader may invite members of the team to comment on challenges, including how these can be addressed. This could lead to operational responses by the team or the definition of further development activity. • Materials associated with this module are the survey summary data and a handout sheet that would enable participants to record and rank their recommendations for action.

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• Time – this module can be presented and reviewed in 90 minutes, depending on team size and meeting structure. Module 2

Team strengths and learning needs

The objectives of this module are to enable the team to acknowledge the strengths it has and recognise outstanding contributions from members. It builds from this start point to evaluate its learning needs in relation to new assignments that it may be taking on. The process involves: • Recognition18 of recent accomplishments members on the team have achieved. (These might include deadlines, management of crises, clever use of resources and excellent contributions from individuals.) • A learning needs analysis for the team can be accomplished by highlighting the key processes in the project. Afterwards, team members interpret these in terms of their contribution, their skill sets and needs to get the job done. Alternatively, the process can be focused on upgrades members will have to make to manage the challenge ahead. • Recording the information assembled and ensuring it is used to commit team members to follow through. Materials for both of these activities may require preliminary investigation related to training providers or literature. Time for the strengths and needs process could be allocated at the start of the week as a morale enhancer or late in the week if it is to be followed by serious celebrations. The recognition and learning needs sessions can be completed in an hour or less, depending on team size and meeting management skills (refer above). Module 3

Inter-team map

The objective of this module is to enable team members to review key relationships with other teams and to flag people and processes that might require repair or reinforcement. The session enables less psychologically minded team members to acknowledge the dynamics at work in inter-team activity and can serve to diffuse tension or conflict that may exist between teams. The process involves: • Facilitating team members through a process designed to enable examination of other teams with whom they are working separately or collectively. This information can be presented on a whiteboard via a fish bone, flow chart or Venn diagram. Member activities are introduced under relevant teams, with particular emphasis on blockages. Where the

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team is sufficiently mature and open, members may identify people with whom problems may exist. • The team may then select one or more of these blockages, or people, and look at strategies for more constructive relationships. • Alternatively, if the process is being conducted with a start-up team, it may focus on looking at areas where value-adds can be achieved in relationships or where resources can be harvested by the team in order to assist it with its broader objectives. In undertaking this process the team leader has the opportunity to answer rumours and irregularities in team behaviour and functioning. Also, to achieve greater consensus in terms of key relationships and the group’s modus operandi. Materials include the team members and either a whiteboard or notepaper. Time for this exercise would be in the vicinity of 90 minutes. In instances where significant conflict exists more time may be required and a wise facilitator may be a desirable option. Issues associated with confidentiality will need to be acknowledged in this process. TEAM-BUILDING MODULES It is rare to see a team-building process go off the rails with enraged members scattering to the four winds. It is more common for participants to harden their positions, particularly where participants have been ambushed or made vulnerable in front of their colleagues. In preparing and delivering team-building modules, it is important to ensure that: • An appropriate mood is set for the event, which is hopefully good humoured, honest and sufficiently organised to be businesslike while being responsive to members’ wellbeing. • The process is introduced days or even weeks ahead, with a clear agenda and outcomes defined, to avoid the ambush factor. • The forum in which the process occurs is appropriate (so that another team is not listening in or contributing its 50 cents worth over the partition, for example). • Feedback related to individual performance is delivered with tact, and team feedback related to performance is introduced in ways that ensure members do not lose face. • The focus is on the business, but balanced with a social element (particularly in the case of extended team-building activity). • The role of facilitator is not confined with that of the team leader or a consultant, if team members can manage the process. For example, it can be

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significantly more interesting and entertaining if members of the team draw the map related to the team strengths. All the team-building activities provided are designed to be simple. They can be run just as well in the lunchroom as in the ‘Tycoon Room’ at a giltencrusted five-star hotel or resort. They include: • ground rules and conflict policy • purpose and mission • role analysis.

Module 1

Ground rules and conflict policy

The key objectives of this module are: • to get team members to acknowledge the basic rules related to team collaboration • to assist team members prepare guidelines related to handling conflict, individually and in the group. The process related to the two parts of this module include: Rules • asking team members to document their most positive teamwork group experience • to separately look at the written or unwritten ‘rules’ that were at work in this team • to flag rules that they believe are appropriate for inclusion in the current team. Reference points could include: – consensus – leadership – resolution of negative outcomes – beefs with team leader – issues associated with trust – issues associated with third parties. Sample rules for effective teams that could be handed out to assist the process include: – open agreement and commitment to goals by team members – preparedness to allow team members to respond to family and personal priorities when these occur – adherence to defined quality standards by team members – preparedness to work with disagreement in the team, provided team objectives are being met – willingness by members to adapt to team demands when this becomes necessary

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willingness to use consensus in decision-making preparedness by members to accept innovation and new ideas preparedness to represent oneself as a member of the team preparedness by members to assist their colleagues to achieve deadlines – preparedness to collaborate and share expertise – recognition for individual and team contributions – expectation of certain work environment standards – recognition and disclosure of hidden agendas by members where these occur – willingness by team leader and members to deliver constructive criticism when necessary – preparedness by members to listen to each other and provide appropriate feedback • team members separately contribute rules they regard as suitable and these are recorded on a whiteboard, for example • the team then votes on rules it regards as appropriate for the group • these are captured and distributed after the event. Conflict • team members define what they mean by conflict • the consequences of conflict for the team are acknowledged • a hypothetical conflict is mapped out for the team involving relevant issues (note the Conflict Map in Chapter 8) • team members are asked to explore this conflict in terms of stakeholders’ perspectives plus that of the team. Reference points could include: – the facts – needs of parties – goals of parties – values implicit in parties’ positions. Materials include the narrative associated with a hypothetical, if employed, plus a whiteboard and writing materials. Time needed for the team rules module would be in the vicinity of three hours. Conflict material would require three hours and could necessitate an experienced facilitator/mediator in the event that it involves team members. Module 2

Purpose and mission

The objectives of this session are to enable your team to develop or revisit its purpose and mission, based on discussion and documented statements. The process includes:

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• Clarifying the distinction between purpose, which is the broad charter on which the team has been formed, and mission, which is the specific objective or objectives on which the team will be applying itself across an agreed timeframe. • Using relevant team start-up documents or notes prepared by the leader, team members break into groups of five and address tasks associated with: – defining the team’s purpose – examining specific aspects of its mission – building the mission statement on a template. This includes reference to: customers, inputs required by the team, major team outputs, results sought for the organisation, and requirements of the team that would be essential for its success (for example, technology, quality measurement and team member attributes). • Small groups undertake analysis of these themes and prepare presentations to the whole team. • The team leader or facilitator synthesises this information to develop a draft mission statement. • This document is endorsed by everyone in order to ensure agreement. • It then becomes a reference point for the team in terms of its subsequent activity. Materials include a whiteboard, writing materials and relevant documents for circulation to the discussion group. Time for this process could be from three hours, depending on the complexity of the mission. It is important that people participating in this process are detached from telephones and related ‘noise’ so that the process is not disrupted and the outcome is based on consensus. Module 3

Role analysis

The objectives of this module are to: • enable team members to clearly understand requirements associated with their jobs • to acknowledge the job requirements of their colleagues • to understand what support members expect from one another • to reduce ambiguity and misunderstanding associated with role conflict. The process includes: • getting team members to document their perception of their roles in terms of: – what they understand their prescribed duties are – where discretionary areas exist in their roles – what they require from others in order to complete their jobs

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– what they need to know about other team members’ jobs, which would assist them to complete their own more effectively. • The resultant information can be mapped on a matrix, which includes the names of individuals on one axis and the key parts of the team’s process work-wise on the other. • Each team member subsequently explains his or her role and the team leader/facilitator attempts to resolve the items that remain ambiguous or contradictory. • Discussion and negotiation takes place about overlaps and ambiguity. Decisions are made at the session to resolve issues that may be contentious. In the event ambiguities are not resolved, they are flagged for further discussion after the module. • The matrix is subsequently presented on a spreadsheet and circulated to all team members. Materials include a template for role definition, a whiteboard and writing materials. Time and place for a session of this kind is dependent on the size of the team. I have seen the process successfully accomplished with a group of 15 logistics specialists in three hours – and struggling with colossal hangovers! The group, to its eternal credit, was highly task-oriented and determined to sort out what had been a particularly frustrating period of conflict. Given this outstanding result, it is suggested that sessions of this kind need to be conducted before serious team dinners.

CONCLUSIONS REGARDING AUSTRALIAN TEAMS There is much that is unique and praiseworthy when it comes to teamwork in Australia that is relevant to three-domain thinking. The following examples are designed to highlight different aspects of this. Consider remote indigenous communities, which are testament to the effectiveness of extended families working in teams. These groups underline the importance of priority people and the consequences of enduring relationships in and out of the ‘workplace’. An illustration is provided by the success of Noongar Elders dealing with resources companies and government to preserve local culture, jobs and identity in the Burrup Peninsula near Karratha in the north-west of Western Australia. In terms of white Australian history, consider the breakthrough achieved by a team comprising ‘three explorers, four men, four horses and five dogs’ in New South Wales in May 1813. This was when Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson found the passage to much-needed pasture along the ridges of the Blue Mountains to the west of Sydney. Over the course of four weeks, these

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men employed a combination of precise navigation (Lawson), acute observation (Wentworth) and driven determination (Blaxland) to solve a problem that at least 10 previous parties had been unable to accomplish dating back to Sydney settlement in 1788. This lightly equipped team achieved an outcome of remarkable magnitude in terms of the expansion of eastern Australia. This makes a powerful contrast to the achievements of many people-intensive ‘project teams’ in contemporary workgroups. One of Australia’s most heroic team fight-backs occurred in September 1942 on the Kokoda Trail, when untrained militiamen from the 39th Battalion, supported by experienced regulars from the 21st Brigade, fought off a force estimated by the New Guinea Government to be 16 000 Japanese troops. This epic struggle took place over 100 kilometres of New Guinea highland jungle nightmare and stopped with the withdrawal of the remaining Japanese force that had got within 40 kilometres of Port Moresby. Disease, terrain, weather and night attacks aside, the Australian soldiers, supported by Koiari tribesmen, counterattacked and demonstrated interpersonal collaboration, fortitude and mateship, which has since rightly become the stuff of legend. There are echoes of the resourcefulness, generosity and synergy of skills from Kokoda in the behaviour of Fire and Emergency Service volunteers who feature annually in the management of bushfires around Australia each summer – across the south-west of Western Australia, the Adelaide Hills, the High Country in Victoria, the New South Wales south and central coasts and the Blue Mountains. Volunteer teams involved in this work illustrate the spirit that is released when professional excellence connects with communities in need. It is interesting that the camaraderie and satisfaction that is derived by these teams occurs despite the risk and hardship members experience at both a physical and psychological level. The Snowy Mountain Scheme from 1949 to 1974 is a global benchmark in technological complexity and team diversity and management. Over its life, the Snowy built 1600 kilometres of roads, seven power stations, a pumping station and 16 dams. In 1992/1993 it generated 6451 giga-watt hours of electricity, which was equal to 4.7 million tonnes of black and brown coal, with a level of pollution output of 5.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The Snowy employed 100 000 people from 30 countries after World War II. Initially these workers comprised Norwegians, West Germans, British and Central Europeans, then mainly Italians. The Snowy was remarkable in the way it absorbed raw racial relationships, still healing from a world war, and technical excellence at all levels. It created a culture and community that even now is yearned for by many of those who participated.

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The ultimate ‘team’ for most Australians is a sporting one focused around cricket and football of all codes, from Australian Rules to Rugby League, Rugby Union and, increasingly, Soccer. Each of these sports brings with it a subculture of leaders, players and followers, which provide distinct statements of identity and membership. The Australian cricket team, for example, is a national icon supported at all levels in the member/follower community with a passion that is as close to patriotism as a sport can get. Soccer is an emergent regional competition in Australia, which reaches national consciousness each time it attempts to establish itself on the global playing field. The AFL, by contrast, is an intranational winter struggle, which echoes old socioeconomic groupings and cultural roots. Thus we have the Blues with their ‘silver tail’ origins and the working-class Bulldogs with their struggle street roots. The goal of the supporters is nevertheless uniform in terms of barracking, participating in the team’s success and defending its losses. The most emblematic symbols of Australian sporting teams are the coaches. The relevance of these is not to be underestimated in the work domain, given the organisational practice of inviting these people to address and inspire leaders in business and government. It was noted earlier that what can be learned from sports coaches is debatable, although it is possible to glimpse diverse leadership styles in action. In fact, the range of sports coaching styles may offer guidelines for corporate team leaders to adopt or avoid. Consider for example: • The passion and volatility of past North Melbourne coach Ron Barassi compared to the reflective style of Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy. • The at-times destructive motivational style employed by Alan Jones with the Wallabies compared to the strategic inclusiveness of Rod McQueen. • The team and supporter involvement of former Perth Glory coach Bernd Stange to the player-to-player style employed by Soccaroos coach Frank Farina. Australian test cricket, ultimately, offers insights for Australians at work and at play into the character of leaders we have developed at different times in our history. Ian Chappell in the 1970s and 1980s and Steve Waugh in the 1990s provided a ‘sleeves-up’ work ethic coupled with courage, adaptability and consistent competence. They were egalitarian team leaders who have used their reputations to become involved in social justice issues. It can thus be argued that Australian sporting teams at all levels including leaders, members and coaches, offer broad brush reflections on a range of ways Australians function in groups. From a three-domain perspective, a critical analysis of the types of team we admire is an affirmation of our priority people.

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FROM THE HEART ❤ Team talk and team tricks have been hackneyed and exploited by opinionists from consultant lead cults to the Olympic shooting squad. It is often more useful to take a good look at the size, functionality, history and distribution of your people prior to developing them – as opposed to buying this year’s panacea. ❤ Consultants can be vital contributors to assisting team development, but many are limited by lack of skills, flexibility and a tendency to lead, rather than facilitate. Experienced team consultants can serve excellent roles as team process coaches over time, or alternatively in resolving conflicts within groups. ❤ You will receive valuable feedback from the team leadership and team performance questionnaires in this chapter. It is best to fix on not more than four critical issues to ensure change for the better. (You may draw some comfort from the fact that, typically, four is not a large number of critical items.) ❤ Many team development activities can be undertaken as an adjunct to routine team meetings. Many team leaders are either ‘too busy’ to do this valuable work, or they are uneasy releasing team genies from their bottles. ❤ The team needs its own kind of leadership and guidance, which calls for thoughtful observation and opportunities for members to belong, contribute and be recognised. The team serves as the nucleus of community for most of us.

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Casestudy

Lose, lose, question mark

We had the meeting in my office at 5 p.m. Sanjay the CIO wanted greater autonomy in the selection of IT staff. Angela, the Director Human Resources, wanted to keep a handle on Sanjay’s recruitment process. Angela is someone that I see as a priority person with a lot of growing to do. I led off by attempting to model a calm, consultative style with equal time for everyone, using the textbook approach related to enabling people to sort each other out through low-key ‘mediation’. Very soon into the meeting Sanjay (who can be pretty aggressive and dogmatic) jumped up to scrawl numbers on the whiteboard to make a point regarding the efficiencies he could achieve, through direct deals with his recruitment consultants. Angela seemed to huddle in her chair and looked flustered. She was clearly struggling with the bluster behind Sanjay’s attack. He sensed this and began to dominate the exchange from that point. For my part, I acknowledged Sanjay’s competence, but really disliked his attitude to Angela. I suspected there were gender and cultural issues at work, together with testosterone and a serious deficit in relation to listening to what other people were trying to say. Eventually Sanjay settled down, but only after I became angry and insisted that he allow Angela an opportunity to present her argument. Forty minutes later we were no closer to a compromise. I asked them both to meet with me at 8 a.m. the next day. My impression was that Sanjay considered I was not listening to reason and Angela regarded the exchange as possible evidence that she wasn’t able to be assertive enough to fulfil her aspirations in the boy-dominated boardroom … Either way it was a ‘lose–lose, question mark’ situation.

This anecdote may strike a chord with readers who have struggled with tricky communication situations, which refused to respond to textbook tactics and left them feeling confused, frustrated or hurt. This chapter aims to explore a range of these situations and equip you with tools that you can hopefully employ in a range of professional and priority people scenarios. Specifically, this chapter will enable you to:

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• examine your high-level verbal communication skills related to: – assertiveness – impression management – presentations • focus on conflict in the professional domain and strategies for working with difficult or different people.

HIGH-LEVEL VERBAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT A browse through the bookcase in most senior executives’ offices speaks volumes about their education, willingness to engage in lifelong learning and evidence of the communication crises faced to date. A representative range of titles includes: • Overcoming Fear of Speeches • How To Win Friends and Influence People (still going strong after Dale Carnegie wrote it in 1936) • body language books • jokes for various occasions • Managing Difficult People • amorphous white two-ring folders, typically relating to the company’s performance system • The Idiot’s Guide to … These bookcases speak of two pervasive problems that leaders have with communication: • the absence of anything integrated and accessible • the deep yearning we all have to communicate more effectively. One reason why evaluating and improving communication is like chasing globules of mercury around the floor is the absence of accessible reference points. There are three practical ones we will use: • information processing • information transmission • information reception. Let’s look at each of these in more detail, then develop an analysis of higher level skills. Information processing is that which precedes key aspects of verbal communication. It could include: • self-awareness related to personal traits (for example, reserve) and states (for example, anger) • clarity regarding the objective of a given exchange (for example, rapportbuilding and conflict exploration)

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• capacity to choose from a range of responses (for example, reassurance, confrontation and confidence) • issues associated with empathy (including cultural awareness, gender awareness, status and power dynamics) • understanding of the forum in which you are working (for example, coaching, performance management and delegation). Information-processing is an internal activity. It involves synthesis of cognitive, emotional and strategic skills. Aspects of it can be unconscious and it frequently embodies patterns and habits, which may not always be helpful. An example might be when you misinterpret what is said because you are tired and as a result adopt an unnecessarily aggressive way of dealing with a problem person. High-level communication skills related to information-processing include: • self-awareness related to what you are projecting while you are processing information (politicians often do this poorly, when they smile through clenched teeth while answering tough questions) • having the capacity to systematically improve your skills (rather than rerun your mistakes) • possessing a coaching or problem-solving model around which high-level communication is delivered. Information transmission is captured through the three ‘Vs’ of communication; namely, the: • verbal medium • vocal medium • visual medium. The verbal medium is what is said, the vocal medium is how it is said and the visual medium is the image that accompanies the message. Examples of verbal components to communication include: • using appropriate words (technical or colloquial) • the complexity of your speech patterns (for example, number of ideas at a time or the order in which they are presented) • use of effective anecdotes and examples • the length of your contribution. A lot of communication development courses get inordinately preoccupied with the verbal domain. While not denying the significance of high-level verbiage, it is essential to acknowledge the value of the vocal and visual domains as well. Examples of vocal components to communication include: • the volume at which communication is delivered • the tone of the message • the speed of delivery

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• use of emphasis. In an overwhelming majority of presentations it becomes apparent that speakers have not worked systematically on their voice. This is demonstrated by: • speakers talking too quickly • their tone being monotonous • too much dependence being placed on the meaning of the words, as opposed to the relationship between the audience and the speaker • speakers not using emphasis in critical parts of their delivery. Examples of visual components to communication include: • posture and gesture • eye contact and scanning • body position and movement • management of personal stress • physical engagement with the listener by proximity, for example • development and projection of emotion. ‘Body language’ has been trivialised by a group of TV personalities who have turned a subtle aspect of interpersonal dynamics into ‘edutainment’ – typically using the rich and famous for case studies. A far more effective way to explore and develop the visual domain in communication is from a theatrical frame of reference. Developing the ability to observe and incorporate the body projection skills of actors and other appropriate role models (particularly ones you personally admire), is infinitely more effective in the development of high-level communication, than celebrity outtakes and bloopers. Putting verbal, vocal and visual together, high-level transmission skills might include: • considering the use of a voice coach (Bill Gates is not a good example of the success of this approach) • experimenting with volume, speed, emphasis and tone, by selecting particular facets of your vocal range in a presentation, for example • working on the drama of communication, through getting involved in ‘theatre sports’ workshops, for example, and through emulating your idea of powerful communicators, from current affairs journalists to actors, statesmen and stateswomen. Information reception – the reception frame of reference related to communication concerns the accuracy of the messages received. This incorporates: • the attending skills of listeners, including their genuineness • their ability to interpret the emotional sub-text – this is partly accomplished through empathic skills. It is founded on preparedness to

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be psychologically minded and to ask metaphorical questions like, ‘How would I feel if I was in the speaker’s situation now?’ Emotional sub-text can also be represented diagrammatically through ideas derived from people like Virginia Satir1 and the Mental Research Institute, California. It has been repackaged by people like Chris Argyris et al.2 as the ‘Left Hand Column’. This entails writing out key aspects of the spoken and unspoken (inner dialogue) after the event. By considering selftalk implicit in the left-hand column, the opportunity exists to challenge self-defeating patterns that may be employed. Consider the following example based on Angela and her mentor. Left-hand column (thoughts and feelings not expressed)

Right-hand column (the actual dialogue)

Ambitious men cannot keep the testosterone out of their behaviour.

Angela: I just can’t deal with men when they become so physically hostile.

Angela is struggling with this one. I’m pretty sure once Sanjay ‘calms down’ she will be OK.

Mentor: Angela I understand it is difficult for you but I have had a word to Sanjay since the meeting last night.

It can be seen that by reflecting on left-hand columns in communication you can understand more about your own inner dialogue and, to a lesser extent, what could be going on in the minds of persons with whom you speak. High-level reception skills are about really reading the underlying meaning in communication, which could be demonstrated by gauging: • the degree of resistance in a conflict situation • how the meeting is going in terms of consensus • whether an individual or group is understanding a presentation you are delivering • whether the selling style you are employing is working with an individual or a group. High-level reception skills are enhanced by: • paraphrasing or summarising your understanding of the communicator’s position • using effective reflective listening (you feel … because …) • forcing yourself to get beyond words and actions down to the elemental language of communication, related to influence, motivation, resistance, power, rapport and consensus. There are a number of inhibitors to high-level reception including: • mind-reading or double-guessing (for example, ‘Once Angela gets over Sanjay’s blow-up she will be fine.’)

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• moralising, judging and labelling (for example, ‘Sanjay can be such a single-minded steamroller in discussions.’) • offering solutions or dismissing concerns (for example, ‘Look Angela, it is no big deal; just go straight back at him next time and show you are not prepared to let him dominate.’) • inappropriate questions or interruptions (for example, ‘Is the problem here that you just don’t like Sanjay?’; ‘Look, I think you need to understand my view on this situation.’) • psychologising (for example, ‘You can’t deal with men when they get physically hostile because of your own father’s behaviour when you were a child.’) ASSERTIVENESS Assertiveness represents the transfer of the basic components of communication into the world and workplace, based on a system of reception, processing and transmission guidelines. ‘Assertiveness training’ kept an army of consultants employed in organisations through much of the 1980s and the 1990s. Assertiveness is a useful foundation for effective interpersonal communication, although the ideas embodied in it do not work with reliability in all situations. This is because assertiveness is based on guidelines for communication and interpersonal behaviour, which are laudable but not always possible. These relate to people being: • direct (this may not be possible in power situations) • honest (this may compromise relationships in groups) • prepared to reciprocate in a way that is compatible with how you would like to be communicated with yourself (time may not always permit this). Assertiveness advocates Sharon and Anthony Bower3 defined assertiveness in action through: • feeling talk – or knowing and talking about how you feel • self-disclosure – being able to talk about yourself appropriately • meet and greet talk – being friendly, showing enthusiasm, managing awkwardness • accepting compliments – accepting compliments on face value as opposed to rejecting them or challenging them • appropriate facial talk – facial expression and voice being congruent and focused on the person to whom you are speaking • requesting clarification – in the event you do not understand, as opposed to going away confused • asking why – in the event something seems unreasonable • expressing active disagreement – when you are sure of your ground, using an appropriate level of challenge

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• speaking up for your rights – in relation to perceived fairness and justice • being persistent – if you believe that you have a legitimate complaint. Being prepared to persevere as opposed to giving up after one or two rejections • avoiding endless justification or stopping a line of questioning by refusing to go along with it (for example, ‘That is how I feel, those are my values, I don’t have to justify everything I say …’) The key to good assertiveness (which is frequently overlooked) is the notion of choice being employed in leading or responding to communication with others. Assertiveness is also founded on a range of prerequisites that include: • healthy self-esteem • emotional literacy (that is, knowing and being able to articulate your emotional status) • verbal efficiency • willingness to take certain risks in difficult situations • preparedness to understand the thinking that might underlie another person’s communication (that is, the left-hand column). Shortfalls in these prerequisites will cause problems. Thus, for example: • Poor self-esteem leads to limited awareness of personal rights and results in behaviour typically called ‘passive’. Consider, for example, the behaviour of a cowed junior member of a work team who is being performance managed and unable to respond to unjustified criticism. • Stunted emotional literacy leads to behaviour that can be seen to be ‘aggressive’. Consider the one-dimensional workaholic CEO who sees executives with extra-curricular interests as ‘lazy and uncommitted’. • Reluctance to take risks – again feeds into ‘passive’ behaviour and cycles of lose–lose behaviour. This may be illustrated by a risk-adverse person who is reluctant to explore a situation from a new perspective. • Tactlessness and/or ignorance – demonstrated by inappropriate workplace behaviour, or unwillingness to understand the cultural needs of people from a non–English-speaking country of origin, for example. Table 8.1 illustrates more of the characteristics, feelings and effects of passive, assertive and aggressive communication. Less sophisticated assertiveness ‘trainers’ would have us believe that communication and people can be neatly categorised this way. Most people are not quite that straightforward. The truth of the matter is that we all tend to be more or less passive, assertive, aggressive, in different situations and often this is actually desirable and appropriate. For example, if you are pulled over by a speed cop towards the end of his shift, a passive approach to such assessment of your misdemeanour will serve you better than a stand-up argument related to your road rights. Equally, in managing a

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Table 8.1 Characteristics of passive, assertive and aggressive communication

Feature

Passive style

Assertive style

Aggressive style

Characteristics

• apologetic, self-conscious • self-doubting, submissive • unresponsive • trusts others, but not self • has difficulty accepting positive feedback • does not express own wants and feelings well • inconspicuous, compliant • tends to be indirect in communication • allows others to make decisions for them • often has own goals thwarted by others • loses self-respect

• tries to be nonjudgemental • observes behaviour rather than labels it • accepts and respects self and others • largely forgiving and understanding • trusts self and others • compassionate • enthusiastic and confident • is self-aware • possesses largely positive self-concept and selfesteem • is self-reliant • is generally patient and tolerant • is usually open, flexible, versatile • is persistent • definitely possesses a sense of humour • knows what he/she wants • is decisive • is proactive

• achieves goals, often at the expense of others • demanding, arrogant, direct to a fault • domineering, bullying, opinionated • forceful, arbitrary • patronising • belittling • authoritarian • self-righteous • punitive, critical • outwardly self-assured

Feelings

• hides feelings • tends to feel like a victim or ‘doormat’ • often resentful • feels manipulated • feels inferior • feels depressed • holds anger and other emotions in • feels embarrassed • falls into cycles of ‘poor me’, ‘if it wasn’t for you’

• enthusiastic • gets excited • feels well • is even tempered

• angry • resentful • hostile • stressed • frustrated • irritated and annoyed • impatient

Effects on self

• tends to lose own identity • can experience physical symptoms, such as headaches and upset stomach

• strong self-esteem and self-confidence • energetic • feels positive about self

• provokes counteraggression from others • makes enemies • takes time and energy to over-supervise others

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Passive style

Assertive style

Aggressive style

• possibly feels guilt related to behaviour • generally pays high price in relationships Effects on others

• others can feel disgust towards passive person • others can take person ‘under their wing’ for better or worse • others can create dependent relationships • others can get blamed for making wrong decisions for passive person

• increases motivation and self-confidence of others • enables others to feel understood • enables maintenance of morale among others • enables others to know where they stand

• fosters resistance, defiance, alliances, lying and cover-ups • undermines respect from others • fosters fear in others • fosters compliance with resentment from others

naughty seven-year-old at a birthday party who might be behaving like a prima donna, you may employ behaviour a notch or two above what is commonly regarded as ‘assertive’ in order to achieve a more socially acceptable response. These examples flag a range of situational variables that come to bear, associated with assertive communication, including: • age and stage • gender • fatigue • group dynamics. A range of healthy, but essentially middle-class Australian values underlie the foundations of assertiveness. These can be enunciated in the form of assertive ‘rights’, which typically include the right to: • be treated with respect • say no and not feel guilty • experience and express your feelings • take time to slow down and think • ask for what you want • do less than you are humanly capable of doing • make mistakes • feel good about yourself. Given these rights are exemplary and desirable, they may not necessarily be exercised at all times, and particularly under pressure in the professional domain. They can also come into question outside the workplace and in the broader community. A case in point was the response implied by a CoffinCheater’s finger to my assertively expressed chastisement, when he rode his Harley across the bows of my Honda on the freeway recently.

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Furthermore, assertiveness has additional problems for many women in relation to receiving equity and respect in relationships at work. When a man achieves a high level of interpersonal skills he is seen as ‘assertive’, but when a woman achieves a similar level of mastery, she is seen as ‘aggressive’. At a personal level, basic awareness of assertive rights and situational mastery can be explored by considering your responses to the following situations outlined in Table 8.2.

Table 8.2 Assertive rights and responses to some professional and priority people situations

Statement and options

1

2

3

4

5

‘Rights’ implicit in this item (in your words)

My probable response

When there is an unpleasant job that needs doing at home, I … a usually reluctantly do it myself? b hesitate, but ask the relevant person to do it just the same? c wind myself up and ‘direct’ someone to do it? When someone points out I have made a mistake at work, I … a respond that everybody makes mistakes occasionally? b feel absolutely terrible? c deny it and attack the person about something he or she has done? When one of my people isn’t working out at work, I … a hold off saying anything for as long as possible? b talk to them about it candidly? c offload them as quickly as I can? When a priority people mentee continues to ignore advice, I … a tell them they are an idiot? b give it away? c ask them what is going on? When a good idea of mine is rejected by the team, I … a think about quitting? b argue my point? C tell them it’s my way or the highway?

What ‘rights’ did you recognise you had in these situations and what responses would you choose? • If you chose 1b, 2a, 3b, 4c and 5b, you are textbook assertive (good work). • If you chose 1a, 2b, 3a, 4b and 5a, you are text book passive (work needed). • If you chose 1c, 2c, 3c, 4a and 5c, you show signs of being a pretty aggressive

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critter. You may need to review your worldview with someone who is able to stand up to you to get another perspective. In any event, these examples were deliberately clear-cut. Consider, by contrast, the following scenarios, which are a couple of strides further into the communication jungle.

Table 8.3 Assertiveness dilemmas (beyond the textbook)

Issue

Your response

A staff representative has sat down in front of you and said, ‘We are not prepared to negotiate at all on this matter. Our members are on their way out to the car park.’ An enraged customer, who has wrongly accused you of ‘gross incompetence’ demands an apology in front of your team who know none of the details of the situation. A sullen teenager, who is clearly upset and depressed, refuses to respond to any of your questions regarding his or her welfare. You have been ambushed by a usually withdrawn family member who regards a decision you have made as ‘stupid’. A furious colleague goes crimson and starts calling you a range of reproductive organ names over a difficult collaborative endeavour you are working on. A person who is regarded as a tedious pedant by your family group questions your analysis of a relatively trivial matter.

These examples make the verbal karate associated with textbook assertiveness look like a moulting feather duster. However, with these examples there are a number of effective strategies associated with highlevel assertiveness that are worth keeping in mind. • Explaining to the other party the emotional impact of his or her behaviour on you – ‘When you talk to me like that I find it very hard to provide you with a helpful response. I would prefer …’ (A possibility with the staff representative.) • The ‘broken record’ strategy when a person is repeating an unacceptable ultimatum or provocation – ‘Look I suggest we need a little time to cool down before we resume this discussion.’ (A possibility with the enraged customer.)

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• Scanning for the other party’s emotions and looking at the cause – ‘You seem to be really down and I wonder if that has got anything to do with your marks in the trial exams …’ (A possibility with the teenager.) • Drawing out and rewarding assertiveness from a passive person – ‘Look, I am really impressed that you are able to tell me that you have been so unhappy. What do you want me to do?’ (A possibility with the withdrawn family member.) • Enabling an angry person to vent their spleen in order to refocus the discussion more constructively – ‘So you are angry with me because the delivery schedule is too tight?’ (A possibility with the crimson-faced colleague.) • Adapting your style to respond most appropriately to that employed by the person you are trying to communicate with – ‘Maybe we need to get our calculators out and see whether the 37.558 is the correct conclusion, or whether it is 37.559.’ (A possibility with the pedant.) Australian communication enhancer Eunson4 refers to four additional high-level assertiveness strategies that are outlined below. Table 8.4 High-level assertiveness skills Verbal skill in grey panel

Description

Comment

Example

This enables you to seek constructive inputs related to the situation. It also provides guidance related to the level of collaboration you have achieved.

To the staff representative: ‘What do you suggest we do at this stage to get things back on the rails?’

This enables the parties to get down to business and can introduce key themes around which discussion revolves.

With the enraged customer: ‘I am happy to apologise, but the problem was actually caused by incomplete details in your order form.’

The technique of seeking mutual This technique enables a negotiated participation in resolving a conflict. outcome and also provides information about the boundaries of the other party’s position.

With the teenager: ‘What if I make some comments on the results and you explain your point of view?’

Positive inquiry Inviting the other party to provide constructive resolution to the problem.

Free information Providing information to increase knowledge or focus on the task at hand.

Workable compromise

Negative inquiry This technique is founded on requesting constructive criticism from the other party. Source: Eunson, B. 1997, p. 53.

This can enable you to understand more clearly the other party’s agenda and to provide an opportunity for the converse to occur.

With the family member: ‘What do you think we can explore to make this decision less unacceptable to you?’

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It can be seen that assertiveness is a useful currency in higher level interpersonal communication, although there are areas of ambiguity and situations where alternative strategies can be significantly more effective. Above all, the key to truly superior assertive communication is choice rather than ‘customer service’ training course ritual blocks and parries. IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT

I knew a lawyer, with a brain like a planet, who could dissect an argument like a laser and prepare legal opinions that had the clarity of crystal. I have seen the same lawyer under pressure in a boardroom completely lose his cool, hunch up like a cornered animal and shout angry remarks, which left everyone feeling embarrassed and downright sorry for him. By contrast, many of us know apparently gifted people who can charm a room, make stony faces crack into a smile, handle pressure with grace and style. Somehow these people have mastered aspects of impression management that the rest of us have been unable to achieve. Is this nature, nurture or some other nameless virtue? The answer lies between the first two items, where the nameless item is called ‘practice’. Impression management embodies the ability to transmit verbal, vocal and visual messages that are deliberately designed to create a particular range of reactions. The lawyer mentioned above had virtually no self-awareness related to his impact on his colleagues, and the only effective ‘impression’ he could create in an argument was on the page or computer screen. In another context, much has been made of the vital impact impression management has in first encounters. Australian sales guru Jack Collis5 notes: Research indicates that 75% of lost sales are lost during the first 45 seconds of the initial contact because that is how fast a prospect makes a decision about you.

Time critical author Mary Mitchell6 wrote a book entitled The First Five Minutes, which referred to business situations generally. Although I am not convinced that enduring impressions are formed between the first 45 seconds and five minutes, I do hold the view that whether you are selling dust-busters or public policy research, impression management is a crucial element in the process. In saying this it is important to note that impression management is not a single set of skills. What may be good technique in one situation may be ineffective in another. Consider, for example, your capacity to deliver a

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compelling vision to your executive team versus your capacity to manage communication with a disgruntled, but important, dissenter in a team meeting. Impression management is relevant in an array of professional and priority people situations, such as: • building rapport with individuals • setting the tone in meetings • managing dissent • achieving consensus • ‘selling’ ideas or tangibles • telephone tie-downs. Keys to superior impression management in interactions with individuals include: • finding common conversational ground based on interests such as sport (the power of this should not be underestimated in Australia) • managing and recalling names • ‘wagging your tail’ in a friendly way while managing the small talk • adjusting your language up or down to the recipient • acknowledging generational issues and responding to these consciously • handling glitches with grace or humour • projecting honesty • being aware of your own stress level and/or lack of preparation. Guidelines for impression management with groups that will improve your effectiveness include: • reflecting on common ground shared by these people and the most influential tack you can adopt • using all channels to interpret the mood and needs of the group in its dialogue with you by asking questions and noting the reactions visually • working across your range of verbal, visual and vocal communication skills to engage the group • seeking feedback afterwards from people who count on your effectiveness in the event. It is also important to recognise in passing that impression management percolates into e-mail and documentary communication through: • layout • use of text enhancements (such as italics and print icons) • the idiom of language that is used in communication (which almost inevitably excludes the profane, but almost always includes the presence of appropriate wit) • avoidance of dyslexic spelling, stream of consciousness thinking • the length of documents (where much can be said of the value of the onepage executive summary).

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With priority people, impression management is particularly relevant in the projection of genuineness and in personal disclosure, as well as in managing physical states such as fatigue, so that it is not interpreted as disinterest, for example. High-level impression management in professional and priority people domains can be enhanced through consciously running your communication through three filters, namely: • contextual awareness • clarity regarding objectives • role selection. Contextual awareness concerns insight into the environment in which you are working. This could include: • one-on-ones, which are appropriately confidential • small team interactions, which are inclusive • large groups, such as a public arena, where you strive to be both seen and heard • media interviews in which you can focus the interview message • e-mail communication in which you challenge ambiguity • disciplinary situations, which you convert into learning opportunities for the miscreant if at all possible. The notion of your objective in relation to impression management concerns understanding the distinction between personal purpose and message content. Personal purpose relates to the reaction you want from the recipient of your message. Message content concerns the information you are trying to transmit to the recipient. Examples of personal purpose compared to message content are illustrated below. Personal purpose

Message content

• credible presenter • customer-friendly salesperson • inspiring speaker • amusing companion • organised thinker • candid mentor • dispassionate mediator

• facts and figures • comparative costs • a new horizon • hilarious joke • structured analysis of business proposal • performance feedback with 360° data • scrupulous attention to equal airtime and neutral positioning

Role selection in relation to impression management introduces the proposition that three-domain leadership is about ‘acting’ role models as opposed to assuming that titles like ‘parent’ or ‘boss’ will do this for you. The distinction being made relates to consciously projecting appropriate persona in different situations. Such roles can be performed much as they are on the stage. Indeed, William Shakespeare represented this view 350 years ago:

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All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts. As You Like It, II, 7

Note that there is an important difference between playing a role well and playing one dishonestly. Parts that can be relevant in the professional domain include:

In the priority people domain they could include:

• authority figure • adviser • director • observer • judge • facilitator • sales person • trainer • coach

• family head • adviser • authority figure • observer • judge • facilitator • influencer • mentor • coach

Awareness of such roles and striving to perform them well is a central component of high-level impression management. The distinction between the compelling exemplar and the self-conscious mumbler comes down to mindfulness and practice. Of course, things can go another way, where individuals or groups can be bullied and humiliated by impression mismanagers. Alternatively, for most of us, things could have been just that little bit better. Impression management with priority people could involve displaying the qualities that you may be encouraging others to develop. Frequently, this is not about Olympian performances. Often the eccentricities that we bring to our roles are the things that are remembered with the greatest affection. Which brings us to humour. The importance of humour

This section is interested in encouraging you to rethink your willingness to project appropriate humour in interactions with workmates and priority people. Most of us would agree that humour can be used to motivate, handle awkward situations and manage conflict, not to mention spark up documents and even influence corporate culture. Given this, many of us worry that humour will affect our ‘image’ and even backfire. Workplace humour advocate Malcolm Kushner7 observes this in another way:

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Every time you open your mouth, you are at risk. You can be silly, boring, obnoxious, or irrelevant, without ever attempting to use humour.

The point is that people can often be thoroughly ineffective in communication without humour and that, on occasions, a change of strategy may be just the response needed. There was a vice-president with a transnational company who was so serious and ‘on task’ that he used to make everyone nervous. Indeed, his colleagues and subordinates dreaded meeting with him. Although he was seen as an exemplary ‘manager’ he generated the sort of distrust and distance accorded a robot wine-tester at a gourmet dinner. When a data projector containing numbers and flow charts locked up five minutes into his strategic review with 20 team leaders, a deathly hush ensued. While everyone was squirming, a notoriously irreverent records clerk stuck his head in the back door of the conference room and, with barely a pause, asked: ‘Is this where the Finkelstein bar mitzvah is being celebrated?’ Everyone, including the vice-president, cracked up. The meeting was almost enjoyable for the next half-hour. Since his promotion back to Houston, nobody remembers anything about this person’s contribution to the business, apart from the bar mitzvah story. It illustrates how humour can break tedium and pretence while actually improving commitment. It also shows how things can be done ‘easy’ or ‘hard’ at work. And ‘easy’ can even be the preserve of hard-nosed Texas oilmen. It is important to recognise the critical difference between being funny and communicating a sense of humour. Many of us use too little humour in the professional domain and the more hardboiled probably display limitations with priority people as well. Having said this, people have every right to be uneasy when they see ‘having fun’ as part of a corporate mission statement. Humour needs to be spontaneous and doesn’t work well when forced. Humour in conflict

Humour can completely disarm set piece face-offs and relieve stressful situations. Psychologically, it is virtually impossible to be angry, hurt, hostile and amused at the same time. For example, a heavy-duty industrial situation was deflected by a deft remark in an old-time management/union showdown a couple of years ago. The stone-faced rep stomped into the room like a gunfighter at the OK Corral. He sat down and, with great deliberation, fixed the managing director with a deadly gaze, announcing: ‘My name’s Mick O’Halloran – I’m with the PSU.’

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The managing director barely paused before replying with a selfconscious smile, ‘I’m John Burton and I’m with Weight Watchers at the moment.’ Everyone in the room, including Mick, chuckled at this and the tension, which had been palpable, was significantly diminished. Communicating a sense of humour can be effective in resource negotiations, too. A team was asked to reduce its budget by a particularly pugnacious director. It subsequently attended a meeting with this person to thrash out a compromise, equipped with a photocopy-reduced document which it presented with the introduction: ‘You asked us to reduce our expenditure.’ The director chortled and the team leader promptly wedged in a request for a 10 per cent increase. At the end of the meeting the team got 5 per cent. There is considerable scope for managing humour upwards, too. A finance team was frustrated by the tendency of Bob, their director, to micro manage. One wag described the whole phenomenon as the ‘Boblem’. Significantly, when the matter was raised with Bob under this guise, his reaction became more self-conscious and by reinforcement and ongoing reference, he slowly shifted ground. Humour and motivation

Use of humour as a motivational tool is less fraught with risk than conflict and generally more satisfying for everybody. Consider the following sad tale as a case in point. A novice priest joined a monastery where the clerics took a vow of silence. The arrangement was that he could say only two words a year. After the end of the first 12 months he went to see the Brother who was in charge of the monastery. He said, ‘terribly difficult’. Twelve months later the novice stood before the Brother again. He said, ‘ghastly food’. The third year passed and the young monk stood before the Brother once again. This time he jumped up and down with rage, he tore off his robes and hurled them on the floor, then said, ‘I quit!’ The Brother in charge looked over and said, ‘I knew you would. Ever since you got to this place all you have done is complain.’

It could be argued that the absence of humour and the lack of information that passed between monk and Brother seriously jeopardised their relationship, not to mention the motivation of the monk to stick around. Self-effacement is unquestionably a healthy aspect of humour provided it is used appropriately – particularly in a peer or collegiate group. A standard joke, which lends itself to this format, goes as follows:

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A man walks into a store to buy brains for dinner and asks the storekeeper for prices. The storekeeper says, ‘Bankers’ brains are $10 a kilo. Engineers’ brains are $11.00 a kilo and [your occupation’s] brains are $50 a kilo.’ The man asks, ‘How come [your occupation’s] brains cost so much more than the other brains?’ The storekeeper says, ‘You know how many [your occupation] it takes to get a kilo of brains?’

Of course, you may choose to change these ratios the other way in certain gatherings. PRESENTATIONS AND SPEECHES – OR APPLIED IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT We all know that presentations and speeches are up there with venomous spiders, sharks and consultant-led restructures in terms of personal phobias. The worst sadists in rogue states can add little to the pain of otherwise intelligent people dying behind a lectern in front of a hapless audience. Unless your parents were orators, politicians, thespians or ‘naturals’, chances are you will have to develop your own skills. The only effective strategy for avoiding death by declamation is practice and experimentation. Given this, there are certain basics that can be learned without having to experience that sense of déjà vu with one’s latest performance, despite all the promises that you made to yourself after your last effort. Preparing presentations and speeches

Communication packagers Hooke and Phillips8 offer sound guidelines for preparing speeches, which echo earlier guidelines for impression management: • Know your purpose – in terms of the outcome you want as opposed to the process that you employ. Examples of outcomes could include persuasion, information and inspiration. • Pitch your presentation at the audience’s needs (as opposed to your own interests). For example, does it need a methodology from a thoughtful and experienced mediator, or a history of oratory and conflict starting at 450 BC? • Develop an effective structure that incorporates key points (three are usually best). This is illustrated in Table 8.5:

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Table 8.5 Three classical structures for presenting speeches

Structure concept

Explanation

Situations this can be useful in

Time continuum (for example, 1800, 1900, 2000)

This structure flags three or more timeframes around which the discussion is based.

Useful to gain historical context, to explain an evolutionary process, to illustrate technological development or changing attitudes.

A geographic figure (for example, ‘Let’s consider how things are in the rural sector, the urban sector and along the coast.’)

This could apply to three or more continents, three cities, three regions.

Very effective structure to embellish with descriptive data, regional humour, demographic knowledge.

A geometric figure (for example, a triangle, rectangle, polygon)

This provides an accessible structure around which differing points of view can be presented with a conceptual map.

Good figure to enable an evenhanded exposition regarding the merits of differing points of view.

All of these structures provide signposts related to where your speech or presentation is going. It is useful to start out with a strong outline of your chosen structure and announce key words at each turning point. Other valuable guidelines associated with preparing speeches and presentations include: • Give yourself an opportunity to focus and prepare prior to taking the lectern if you are delivering a speech. (A 10-minute pre-speech conversation with a dinner guest regarding his or her recent life crisis can significantly inhibit your sizzle, for example.) • Remember that trouser hitching, tie manipulation, blouse smoothing or button management is often translated into buffoon-quality clumsiness or room-death nerves. • Create a deliberately personal rapport with the listeners – being a little vulnerable unless you are speaking to Lucifer himself. • If your presentation involves a question and answer segment, nominating a chairperson so that you have the opportunity to think and reduce the amount of coordination necessary to manage the process. • Anticipate argument and questions by making a point concisely and emphatically, but concede where the response from a questioner is compelling. Likewise, remember to show grace and diplomacy by helping a slain sceptic save face. • With a presentation, listen for cues related to wrapping things up (finger tapping and glances are good). • If you are from out of town, read the local paper or listen to the local news. Local knowledge is well regarded in regional forums.

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Given these preliminary points, the following guidelines related to verbal, vocal and visual components to speaking before groups may also be useful: Verbal guidelines

Most audiences dislike the use of unnecessary jargon and faddish phrases. These can generally be detected by their appearance on mainstream TV panel shows and in the speech pattern of current affairs journalists. A few unfortunates widely in use include: • ‘at the end of the day’ • ‘bottom line’ • ‘pc’ (politically correct and personal computer) • ‘drill down’ • ‘the next level’ • ‘my/your passion’ • ‘deeply’. Project your intellect sparingly in large groups. As a matter of form, complexity in presentation and mental gymnastic can translate into pomposity or condescension out in the crowd. It is better to keep things simple, clear and humble. Never disrespect your audience. This often occurs by inadvertently making a questioner look foolish. Instead, employ a simple courtesy such as thanking an audience for its patience in listening to a difficult presentation, for example. There are mixed views about the use of shock tactics at the start of speeches to arrest attention. This may depend on the context of your presentation and your confidence in presenting your material. A ‘brain-shaker’ at the start of a speech significantly improves attention from the audience. The trick thereafter is to help the audience absorb the shock appropriately and bring it along with you to your conclusion. It is essential to keep the humour relevant. Disclosure of a personal anecdote that has a humorous edge to it and the capacity to underline a message is most effective and generally accessible to all but the chronically depressed. Themes that are worth keeping in mind include: • first day in a job • a funny thing that happened to a friend • a strange dream • a job interview related experience • an incident that has become funny over time • dining experiences

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• a strange business meeting experience • hobby- and sports-related debacles. Inevitably, the issue of verbal presentation comes down to time and timing. Given that we are the unfortunate inheritors of the sound bite era, the attention spans of audiences today are afflicted accordingly. At the same time the standard of presentation that is demanded in the public domain requires a willingness to stretch out for the audience to match its expectations. Vocal projection

In the section on verbal communication, the vocal dimension to presentation and speech focused on how the words are delivered. Useful guidelines that can be added to this include: • recognising that it is better to be conversational and deliberate than to speak at speed (a common problem) and be missed in the rush. It is infinitely more dramatic (and therefore creates more impact) to pause between big ideas and other key parts of your presentation. • rephrasing or reiterating complex ideas. If you are with a lay audience, simplify and inject enthusiasm. These devices create understanding and interest. On the other hand, common vices that reduce effectiveness related to presentation in the vocal realm include: • Arrogance – evident through detachment and condescension. This can be avoided with humour and self-deprecation. • Pomposity – evident through multi-syllabic vocabulary, ponderous references and inflated personal gestures. The treatment for this one goes back to awareness of the altitudes from which your tone of phrase is being projected. One of the grand masters of intellect without pomposity is Peter Ustinov. He uses his considerable knowledge of language(s) with gentle humour, which is decidedly absent among many contemporary comics and raconteurs. • Aggressiveness – reflected through a harping style, sarcasm and dismissal of opposing points of view. This can be managed by modulating the voice and getting back from the ‘dock’ from which you might be sentencing your audience (and yourself ). • Over-seriousness – which incorporates tediousness and self-importance. This can be offset with glimmers of humour or facial variation, stepping away from porridge-like text and directing the material to someone who is showing signs of support and life beyond the duration of the talk.

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• Fanaticism – reflected through unswerving commitment to a point of view, and usually supported by raised voice and rigidity of posture. Audiences may suffer such people with outward neutrality, while inwardly boiling with frustration and anger. Fanaticism can be ameliorated to some extent with humility, although it is my suspicion that those of a fanatical persuasion will probably not respond well to this suggestion. • Sarcasm – a dangerous vice to present to an audience. Sarcasm provokes strong antipathy, which may manifest after the event, but is seldom forgotten. Sarcasm is better replaced with worldly charity, which achieves the same aim, but is at less expense to the speaker. • Ego – a luxury, that even in the hands of the great, offers huge scope for satire. It is well illustrated by the hubris-heavy who struts the world – you will know who they are. By contrast, some virtuous qualities associated with the vocal elements to speeches include: • Honesty – reflected through fair-mindedness, acknowledgment of errors and listening to objections closely. • Candour – reflected through preparedness to be direct on matters of principle, projection of steady energy in conjunction with straight-arrow body language (see below). • Enthusiasm – which is different from fanaticism and the extremities of anger and sarcasm. Enthusiasm requires evidence of wisdom and life experience. In the vocal domain it is reflected in voice modulation and pause, which stops short of hectoring and avoids demagoguery. • Personal magnetism – embodying one or more of the virtues that have been covered above, use of slowly accelerating delivery, absorption in the rightness of the message. • Personal humility – reflected through simplicity of vocal skills and deliberate postural self-consciousness, which achieves conviction and absorption in the message, as opposed to the pomp, circumstance and contrived fireworks associated with oratory. Humility is a quality much favoured and often little recognised in Australian speakers. Visual projection

Speech coach Reid Buckley9 observes that audiences do not so much listen to speakers, as read them. The significance of this becomes evident in the visual domain where many of us can create misprints or just plain blur the landscape. Buckley’s countryman Jack Griffin10 offers four visual activities to avoid such confusion, in terms of:

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• • • • •

•

•

•

•

making an effective entrance entering with a purpose walking tall smiling. Building on these, consider: Avoiding the temptation to strain for effect in speeches by making them into ‘grand occasions’, which short-change everyone (including the speech-maker). Overwrought presentations rapidly become evident through gesture and effect during the first minute or so. If the speaker cannot hold on to the initial promise to the audience, the effect becomes tacky and down-beat. Using slides and aids like data projectors in a measured fashion because of the largely detrimental effect these have on the audience. (PowerPoint anaesthesia is reaching epidemic proportions at the time of this publication.) No matter how good the speaker, a four- by five-metre blue screen in a darkened room dominates every time. However, if you propose to use such equipment, make sure you know it is going to work. A tedious wrestle with technology does nothing for the speaker’s credibility and less for audience patience. In the event that you are speaking from a lectern, take command of the thing. This means getting yourself behind it after walking briskly into the speaker’s frame. Stand squarely – as slouching to one side, or hands in pockets, are only appropriate if you are creating a casual or fashionably dishevelled impression before a group that favours dishevelment. Once you are under way, use eye contact to scan and seek out your allies across your audience. Avoid the temptation to see the audience as a mass of blank faces. There is little doubt that seeking out your allies achieves calm and confidence (on both sides of the room). Many speakers fail to recognise that, in most instances, the audience wants you to succeed. However, if you are struggling visually, your authority plummets and likewise your perceived worthiness to deliver the message. Gesture is a vital but surprisingly under-used facet of superior communication with groups. The key is to align it appropriately with the emotional component to the presentation. Gesture also enables you to avoid death by inertia. However, gesture is affected by the size of the venue in which you are speaking. Gestures to be wary of include: – stabbing the index finger at the audience (‘the icepick’) – working solely with the forearms with the elbows clamped to the ribs (‘the penguin’) – adopting pious or contrived postures by positioning the fingers on top of the stomach (‘the cleric’)

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– positioning the hands below belt-level, clasped in an awkwardly defensive posture (‘the sports injury’) – gesturing violently from a set position or else alternating hands and arms, creating ‘spastic’ images of the speaker. Suggestions related to optimising ‘stage space’ and lecterns include: • Plan your movement and forays around the stage – work off the axiom that 75 per cent of your time needs to be behind the lectern. • Use the space behind the lectern for effect, such as walking up to three steps backwards, then travelling briskly forward to render a point emphatically. • If you are ambushed with a question on one edge of the stage, microphone free, pause to acknowledge, recapture the lectern, then respond. • Avoid the temptation to walk and talk when moving away from the lectern. It is more effective to walk, stop, then talk. There are few of us who can rest on our laurels in relation to enhancing presentation and speeches. However, once you have mastered the basics related to anxiety and experimented with some of the verbal, vocal and visual features, scope exists to systematically increase your skills while enjoying a measure of praise along the road. Acknowledging this, we will move on to a less rewarded but no less important area.

MANAGING CONFLICT WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE That conflict exists on a graduated scale is captured in the following basic dictionary definition:11 Conflict: n. to come into collision; clash … be in opposition or at variance … discord of action, feelings, … as of interests or principles …

The range of conflicts implicit here are from the visceral to that of bruised interests. Hopefully you will not be considering exploring the former in this section. Conflict can get some of us out of bed in the morning or have others seeking a sedated ward at a psychiatric hospital. Spend an hour with a group of lawyers or scientists and they will tell you that conflict and argument are not only good, but are downright important. Spend an hour with a team of clerical, welfare or engineering people, and they will tell you that conflict is time-consuming, emotionally draining and wasteful of valuable organising time. Conflict needs to be recognised as a worthy part of the workplace, as well as a source of difficulty. John Dewey12 puts it nicely:

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Conflict is the gadfly of thought. It stirs us to observation and memory. It instigates to invention. It shocks us out of sheeplike passivity, and sets us at noting and contriving … conflict is the sine qua non of reflection and ingenuity …

In mapping conflict in the workplace it is useful to recognise four reference frames: 1 Systemic reference – contained in organisational relationships – such as conflict between sales and production regarding priorities. 2 Administrative reference – created by reporting systems, policies or procedures – such as recruitment processes and performance management systems. 3 Workgroup reference – which might include roles and goals, decisionmaking processes, preparedness by team leaders to get involved in conflict resolution. 4 Individual reference – illustrated by personalities, agendas, preparedness to collaborate. Each of these frames adds a different perspective to the origins and tools available to manage conflict. In conflict resolution work it is useful to run significant disputes through a four-tier grid to determine contributors from each level.

Table 8.6 Basic conflict map for difficult communication

Reference frame

Your perspective

Other person’s perspective

Organisational perspective

Systemic

Administrative

Workgroup

Individual

In examining each tier separately consider: • your perspective • the other party’s perspective • the organisational perspective. This analysis can be further enhanced at the individual level by using ideas and insights derived from Transactional Analysis (TA) and from

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analysis of conflict styles. In the next section we will define and put TA to work on a case study. EGOS, RELATIONSHIPS AND GAMES

Transactional Analysis was developed by Eric Berne.13 It provides an accessible structure around which the dynamics of communication and relationships can be explored within and without the workplace. Berne’s key concept was that: … during the course of interaction, people show noticeable changes in posture, viewpoint, voice, vocabulary and other aspects of behaviour. These behavioural changes are often accompanied by shifts in feelings … these changes and differences give rise to the idea of ego states …

Berne proposed three ego states, which he called parent, adult and child. These can be summarised in the following terms: • The parent ego state consists of the values we received from our parents. It represents the state in which we are critical and judgemental, typified by the pointed finger and the rebuke. It is also the state in which we can be affectionate and take care of other people. • The adult is our rational state in which facts are the primary concern. We use all the information, knowledge and skills we possess, and this is the appropriate state for solving problems and learning. • The child is the ego state in which we experience emotions and feelings, including sadness, fun, rebelliousness, creativity, dependence and fear. The three ego states form parts of a ‘normal’ person. It can be helpful to study what becomes of these ego states in relationships (generally) and in conflicts (in particular). Berne defined the unit of social intercourse as the ‘transaction’. Two of these have been illustrated below. It is important to note that Berne’s analysis was significantly more sophisticated than the simple model that is being offered here. Given this, by laying out communication between people in conflict using this format, valuable information can still be gleaned related to the protagonists. It is generally desirable for effective resolution of conflict at work to occur in the adult ego state, although this is not to deny the importance of the parent or the child states in other situations. Berne observed that an ongoing series of transactions could develop into a set piece or ‘game’. He differentiated between these and simpler rituals, such as greetings and separations. It is noteworthy that ‘games’ can be both constructive and destructive.

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Person 1 Ego states

Person 2

Parent

Adult

Parent

A transaction

Adult

A transaction Child

Child

Figure 8.1 Basic ego states and transactions

Using transactional diagrams to map out conflict or difficult relationships, you can consider what is going on in terms of interactions and also underlying games that may be under way. TA is thus able to assist you map conflict with some psychological sophistication down at the individual level in the priority people and professional domains. Separate from TA, conflict can also be examined through looking at habitual strategies most of us employ. Thomas and Kilmann14 nominate five styles in which people lock horns via the Thomas–Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument. These five styles are: 1 competitive 2 collaborative 3 compromising 4 avoiding 5 accommodating. The competitive style is founded on the view that winning is the only goal in conflict and that concern for the opponent’s view is unnecessary and/or unimportant. (This is clearly win–lose conflict management.) It was illustrated by the staff representative mentioned in the Assertiveness Dilemmas section above who said, ‘We are not prepared to negotiate at all on this matter.’ The collaborative style is founded around a joint approach to resolve conflict in order to achieve mutually acceptable solutions. It includes

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assertiveness, but also cooperation with others. (This style of conflict management is from the win–win school.) This was illustrated by the response made to the passive team member in the Assertiveness Dilemmas who said, ‘So what you want me to do is …?’ The compromising style is oriented around reaching agreement by mutual concession. It is based on the notion that one or other of the antagonists is prepared to accept that they can’t always get their way. It is typically the style adopted by a mediator attempting to resolve the dispute between two other people. (This again is a limited win–win style of conflict containment.) It is also illustrated by a response to the pedant: ‘Maybe the correct answer is between 37.558 and 37.559; that is, 37.5585.’ The avoidant style may be founded on the view that individuals will not attain their personal goal from the conflict and further that they are not sympathetic to the immediate goals of their opponent. Their approach is thus to escape, or else remain detached from the dispute and refuse to engage in it. At the extremity, such people may not make an effort to represent themselves in a dispute. (The avoidant style is therefore potentially lose–win.) A mild form of avoidance is contained in the response to the abusive colleague: ‘I suggest we need a little time to cool down before we resume this discussion.’ The accommodating style can be described as ‘giving in’ to the other party. This style is passive in its orientation and often represented through compliance with the position being argued by the majority. (Depending on the actual level of agreement with the dominant position the accommodating style tends to lend itself to lose–win outcomes.) In relation to the speed cop at the end of his shift: ‘I guess you are right, officer, I was doing 63 in a 60 zone.’ In the real world it is important to recognise that each of the five conflict styles discussed above can have situational advantages and disadvantages. For example: • The competing style can be most effective where quick decisions need to be made. • The collaborating style can be turned into ‘management by committee’ with the inherent problems this creates. • The compromising style is good when goals are important and egos are small. • The avoidant style can be effective when an issue is trivial, or more important issues are pressing. • The accommodating style could be effective when one party finds he or she is wrong and aims to display a readiness to conciliate by demonstrating reasonableness.

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The key issue related to exploring conflict strategies as part of a broader map associated with difficult communication is to understand the styles in play. This enables you to evaluate the effectiveness of these and the possibility of adopting other strategies that may be more effective in achieving your objective. We are now ready to employ TA and the five conflict styles as tools in the ‘Individual’ reference frame on the Basic Conflict Mapper. Let us give the map a road test on a case study. Saska is definitely one of my priority people. Since she joined us two years ago as a civil engineer and team leader she has shown considerable technical ability and willingness to work hard. She also has the capacity to successfully draw on the collaboration of a pretty difficult team of tradespeople who are on average 15 years older than she is. Having said this, Saska can be so self-defeating at times. She holds strong views on political issues and expresses these in just about any forum at work … she is particularly intolerant of her manager, Colin, who is a competent but average engineer with contrary views. Unfortunately, Colin cannot keep up with Saska in debate. This has led to a deteriorating working relationship between the pair, which has not been helped by Saska expressing her views about Colin’s intellect in front of the guys. Anyway, I decided to have a discussion with Saska to keep her relationships with Colin a little less stressful for everyone. Also, to make her aware of the impact of her outspokenness in the work environment. Past experience has taught me that Saska would not respond well to this and that she would see my comments as challenging her right to hold positions on broader social issues …

The person who outlined this situation was Saska’s divisional boss. His objective was principally related to getting Saska into the discussion in a way where she would be more able to differentiate between an attack on her ideals and an attempt to keep her workplace communication business oriented. It was also related to separating Colin’s workplace role and responsibilities from his attitudes and extra-curricular persona. In essence, this was about separating priority people and professional issues in relation to Colin in Saska’s mind. Table 8.7 maps this conflict. It incorporates the reference frames, perspectives and analysis tools we have explored in this chapter. Systemically, the conflict turned around Saska’s perception of her right to provide critical feedback to her boss. Colin viewed this as out of line in terms of his views regarding the forums in which the criticism was being vented. Colin also viewed Saska’s behaviour as being in need of intervention by a third party. Administratively, the situation had some limited risk associated with a

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Table 8.7 Conflict map associated with Saska and Colin Reference frame is in grey panel

Saska’s perspective

Colin’s perspective

Organisation’s perspective

Systemic Saska’s role as team leader entitled her to express her views. Saska considered her critical view as important for the business.

Saska’s criticism was ‘disloyal’ This is a manager/team leader and contrary to discipline in the team. issue. Saska was ‘professionally immature’ Sort it out locally. and required ‘counselling’.

Administrative The situation is essentially about Colin’s performance.

The situation is essentially about Saska’s tact and workplace behaviour.

Minimise damage to team and productivity. Avoid grievances and mediate.

Saska is ‘poisoning’ the workplace. She is inappropriately disclosing the conflict to third parties.

Stabilise the team by resolving the conflict separately. Keep the team dynamics out of it.

TA focus Colin finds Saska’s challenge corners his child. He withdraws hurt and inarticulate and loses confidence and credibility. Conflict style focus Mainly avoidant.

TA focus Sort it out like adults.

Workgroup The team needs to get honest feedback about leaders. Members can influence upwards if necessary. Individual

TA focus Saska challenges Colin from a parent position. She then provokes him from her child. Either way she does little to resolve the situation. Conflict style focus Essentially competitive.

Conflict style expected Collaborate compromise and accommodate.

grievance. Due process here was related to enabling both parties to present their cases and unload their baggage. Workgroup-wise this situation had consequences that needed managing. Colin’s credibility was under attack and this did little for his respect and the team’s morale. This meant that the matter needed prompt attention and that the parties sorted out their differences and agreed on the outcome in order to avoid sniping, skirmishes and taking sides. The individual reference frame related to this conflict was most valuable. The TA analysis enabled both parties to understand their interactions without engaging in values-based debate. Much of Saska’s behaviour in this conflict tended to be from a ‘parent’ posture. She was totally unfazed by seniority and this was not necessarily an issue, unless it led to situations where Colin was belittled in front of the team. There was evidence of a ‘game’, in that Saska could enjoy provoking Colin, which would lead to him complaining bitterly about her insensitivity and lack of respect. The cycle had repeated itself on several occasions. It nevertheless hinted at ways in which the pair could communicate more effectively by:

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• Saska adopting a less competitive style • Colin being given an opportunity to explain himself more assertively and with more opportunity to collaborate. It can thus be seen that the map provides a useful lens through which a third party can analyse the dispute. It is also valuable in enabling the two parties to view one another’s position. There are lessons for Saska and her divisional manager mentor from the map as well. These include the need for Saska to receive a certain amount of guidance related to managing dislike for a supervisor and appreciating the ‘line’ between personal and professional roles. In terms of her mentor’s role, the challenge related to managing this discussion tactfully while respecting and encouraging Saska to sustain her ideals, along with adopting more effective ways of dealing with antipathy at work. Which brings us to managing difficult negotiation. NEGOTIATING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE There are eight classic guidelines for negotiation known as ‘The Harvard Project’, which was published by Roger Fisher and William Ury.15 The essence of these guidelines is represented below.

Table 8.8 The Harvard Project Negotiation Guideline Guideline represented in grey panel

Explanation

Example based on Saska and Colin

‘Don’t bargain over positions’ Conflicts are seldom negotiated when people try to bargain solely over the positions they initially advocate.

From Saska: ‘A boss should be able to deal with conflict’ as opposed to ‘Colin and I need to find a way to sort out our differences’.

‘Separate the people from the problem’ There is a need to get participants to look beyond the personal characteristics and suspected motives of their opponents.

From Colin: ‘Our problem comes down to discussing our differences without reacting to each other’s personal style’ as opposed to ‘Saska is such an opinionated know it all!’

‘Focus on interests, not positions’ Negotiators need to explore each other’s interests as opposed to positions or personality based objectives.

From Saska: ‘You appear to be interested in hiding behind your role, Colin, whereas I want to challenge issues related to your supervisory skills.’

‘Invent options for mutual gain’ This is about moving beyond win–lose and creating a situation where each party gets something he or she values out of the process.

From Colin: ‘I am prepared to talk through our workplace differences, but I am not prepared to do it with your team listening in.’

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Explanation

Example based on Saska and Colin

‘Insist on using objective criteria’ This is about agreeing upon rules that are mutually beneficial in terms of addressing the conflict, as well as evaluating proposed solutions. If this is not done, in the heat of an intense conflict, opponents typically impose subjective criteria when evaluating proposed solutions. Such personal or private standards are not necessarily shared by others and sow the seeds for future conflict.

From Colin: ‘So let me have the opportunity to present my argument and then let me hear yours. I am not interested in talking about your wider political views, although I am prepared to hear your views on leadership.’

‘Develop the best “fall-back” position’ This enables the protagonists to work from From Saska: ‘If we are unable to resolve our differences positions of flexibility as opposed to a single related to workplace priorities, we need to get our boss win–lose perspective. Even when people allow for in to mediate.’ the five previous guidelines things can still go wrong. A good way of protecting yourself is by having already thought through an alternative position as a ‘bottom line’ before things get under way. ‘Cope with resistance to negotiation’ This means maintaining communication even while negotiation itself is not proceeding well. It entails sustaining basic rapport.

From Colin: ‘Appreciating that you may not like my views regarding sorting this out without the boss, I suggest we need to see whether we can’t find a way through by continuing this talk first thing tomorrow morning.’

‘Deflect dirty tricks’ These include deception, using incorrect facts, invoking imaginary authorities, generating stress and attacking individuals. Some ways of managing these include: • recognising the tactic • raising the issue explicitly • questioning the tactic’s legitimacy and desirability in relation to the conflict.

From Colin: ‘You can call me a tired old fart but I want to stick to our workplace concerns not our personal opinions.’

Source: Fisher and Ury 1999.

The Harvard Project Guidelines provide a combination of tactics that can assist in the resolution of conflict and support constructive and mutually agreed outcomes. Mediation, by contrast, is where you may be required to apply these guidelines, plus additional strategies to address the differences of others. Mediating conflict

For the purposes of this publication, mediation is the process whereby you, as ‘neutral’ guide, assist in the resolution of conflict between two or more

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other parties. The process can be conducted formally or informally, depending on the complexity and status of the matter you are addressing. Typical issues in the professional domain that can be resolved through such a process include: • enduring ‘interpersonal conflicts’ • perceived dissatisfaction with performance-appraisal ratings • conflicts associated with roles and priorities • perceived favouritism • sexual harassment and other employment and equal opportunity-related issues • values clashes between co-workers • leadership grievances. In a detuned form the following guidelines will serve you with priority people as well. Some hard-learned lessons related to managing mediations include: • sustaining a measure of appropriate humour with both parties separately and (ideally) collectively • preserving confidentiality meticulously • providing a simple but effective structure to the process • taking the initiative in being flexible and adaptable • keeping the process focused on the parties, not on your role • demonstrating fairness and equity to both sides • being aware some textbook strategies can be too inflexible • trying to keep the process moving and flagging re-runs and impasses • keeping an eye on secondary agendas and games being played • acknowledging that you can’t win them all. When using this model it is essential to keep the process fluid and participative. This is because the slavish adoption of sequential mediation can be as effective in derailing the process as the use of dirty tricks by the parties. The material presented below is provided as a guideline, together with tips that you might find helpful. In the event, it is possible that you may move across the model intensifying your activity in one area (for example, pre-mediation interviews) and completely avoid other areas (for example, conducting private sessions with the two parties to break an impasse). What follows are steps to the model, with tips that may assist you run it in the real world. 1 Pre-mediation activity – this phase assumes that you have the opportunity to undertake separate meetings prior to the conduct of discussion, with both parties present. Pre-mediation discussions with the two parties are a vital part of framing up the process and ensuring you have a clear understanding of the emotional and factual landscape. Some tips associated with the pre-mediation process include:

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Stage 1 Pre-mediation Stage 2 Mediator’s introduction Stage 3 Parties’ statements Stage 4 Mediator’s summary

Focus on past problems

Stage 5 Definition of issues Stage 6 Exploration of issues Stage 7 Private sessions with parties (where necessary) Stage 8 Facilitated negotiation Stage 9 Mediated outcomes

Focus on future solutions

Stage 10 Post-mediation activity Figure 8.2 A 10-step mediation process model (adapted from Ruth Charlton16)

– Conducting preliminary interviews in a private place – discussion of grievances generally doesn’t proceed well with the general office listening in. Furthermore, grievants tend to be very twitchy about talking to non-combatants. – Organising times and places to conduct a future joint session by negotiation with both parties. (Sometimes games can be played regarding peoples’ availability.) – Getting an understanding of the areas where you might be able to add value to the process – for example, technical knowledge, authority

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2

3

4

5

and knowledge of resources. (Other areas not to be underestimated are communication skills and common sense.) Mediator’s opening statements – this phase occurs when the mediator and the two parties have started what amounts to a facilitated dialogue. The mediator sets out the basic rules and expectations related to behaviour and preliminary outcomes you are seeking. Useful tips at this stage include: – keeping the process brief and brisk – employing colloquial language to avoid unnecessary grandstanding or pedantry – explaining that you will summarise the statements by the two parties and attempt to flag the critical issues therein – making it clear that you are not there to ‘resolve’ the matter, merely to facilitate its resolution. Statements from parties – the two parties make preliminary statements and these are summarised by the mediator. It is often useful to invite one party (possibly the less articulate) to outline his or her view regarding the conflict, to explain how this has affected him or her in terms of the workplace situation and (where appropriate) personal wellbeing. Indicate that you will give equal air time to both parties and nominate a time limit of between five and 10 minutes. When this has been completed your job is to summarise the statements from the two parties. You have the option of flagging factual as well as emotional information at this point. Tips that can be useful include: – asking the parties to determine who will speak first – ensuring that both parties have similar talk time – keeping notes on these statements using a sheet of paper that is ruled vertically in half to note overlaps in themes. Mediator’s summary – the mediator summarises his or her understanding of the issues presented by the two parties. The process can be made less emotionally charged if the mediator adopts a consultative approach separately with the two parties. If necessary, it might be appropriate to ask one party to speak at a time – particularly if attempting to ‘assist’ the other party with a statement. It is important to refer to both parties to ensure that matters of fact have been correctly summarised. Identification of key issues and focused agenda-setting – at this stage in the process the mediator attempts to convert the statements by the two parties into an agenda. The agenda is effectively presented to both parties in order to ensure ownership. The agenda can provide the nucleus for an action plan in the event that the process proceeds smoothly. Tips that can be helpful in assembling the issues include:

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– using a whiteboard so that information is in front of everybody – emphasising that the issues are not necessarily in a priority sequence – moving the process along so that the parties don’t ‘dig in’ on any issue at this stage – encouraging the participants where progress is being made – ensuring that issues are being articulated in inclusive terms (‘So we all agree, Saska and Colin, that resolution of these matters is going to significantly enhance morale and interpersonal relationships in the workgroup.’) 6 Joint session related to clarification and exploration of issues with each party – this stage of the mediation involves the selection of specific items from the agenda and attempting to achieve clarification and impetus to resolution. It might be prudent to select an issue that is of relatively low intensity to avoid escalation at this stage. Tips that can be helpful include: • moving on to another issue if one party refuses to allow progress • noting subsidiary issues on the whiteboard that could cloud progress on a major issue • encouraging the parties to communicate directly with one another where possible • ensuring that the tone of the discussion is constructive, if not amicable • separating needs and interests from set positions • converting demands into options • flagging common ground and applauding progress where this is genuine • getting a sense of what realistic outcomes may be achieved through continuation of the process. 7 Optional separate sessions with parties where an impasse develops – private sessions with the parties do not necessarily require the intricacies of shuttle diplomacy (although these could come in handy on occasion). The key to these sessions includes having clear understandings related to confidentiality, adequate time allocated to the process and willingness to enable the parties to fully express their points of view – as colourfully as they see fit. Separate sessions with the stakeholders can be enhanced by: • encouraging the parties to describe in their own words the progress that has been made to date • enabling the parties to fully articulate their views on unfinished or interrupted comments • seeking opinions related to the best agenda from which you can work as mediator at this point

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• •

requesting new items for the agenda if these become evident enabling participants to consider negotiations they may want to run during further sessions with both parties present • working at developing strategies for final negotiations • considering best and worst case outcomes. 8 Facilitated negotiation – by now the mediator may be able to perform a role related to facilitating negotiation between the parties. Once more it is important that both parties have equal airtime. At this stage the mediator has the opportunity to become reality-tester, as opposed to the earlier phase where he or she played the role of options-creator. It can be useful to create a time limit for these discussions. The mediator may need to draft options so that he or she can refer back to these at a later time. It is important to highlight areas of agreement and encourage progress where this is significant. Ideally, at this stage there should be a sense of buy-in by both parties, so that the mediator’s role becomes a guiding one as opposed to a leading one. 9 Agreement on outcomes – may mean things have gone in directions like: – an outcome that is agreeable to both parties – a deadlock that may require further individual sessions – a complete impasse that requires a major strategic rethink. Where the outcome has been achieved it may be useful to invite the participants to document their agreement. If the process requires further separate sessions, you may serve a role in negotiating the time and place for these (bearing in mind the need to maintain momentum where possible). If things have not gone well and the parties refuse to budge, you may nominate a cooling-off period before renewing discussions in the future. Tips that could be helpful in this event include: – defining any achievements that have been accomplished – indicating your preparedness to persevere with the process – offering the option of introducing another mediator – going back to the agenda to consider a further item. 10 Post-mediation action – this could take the form of encouraging the participants to consider the implications of their agreement in terms of its impact in the workplace. For example, where a long-term conflict has been mediated there is a need to consider how this could impact on third parties who have been enduring the dispute. (Consider, for example, how a rapprochement between Colin and Saska will affect the trades team.) Other post-mediation activities could take the form of: – agreeing to meet with the parties to review their adherence to an agreement at a prescribed time – nominating a review mechanism to employ if things are not proceeding satisfactorily

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– checking to see that resources are available to support an agreement by parties (for example, funds for equipment, alternative accommodation arrangements, and the involvement of a third party to arbitrate on a performance-related dispute). Mediation skills like impression management and effective presentations grow with practice. In concluding this chapter it is worth recognising some uniquely Australian foundations on which these aspects of interaction will flourish. Conclusions related to enhancing communication in the professional and priority people domains

Are there unique conclusions that can be drawn about the nuances of Australian communication at work and elsewhere? The question is an important one, which must acknowledge our cultural diversity and individual differences. Perhaps the best answer in the context of this book is that there are a number of fundamental observations that can be made related to the way in which a majority of contemporary Australians prefer to communicate. These include: • Honouring our argot – listen to politicians, from the Prime Minister down, addressing the nation and, ideology aside, there is awareness among most of us of the unifying effect of straightforward language and use of Australian colloquialisms (‘mate’, ‘dinkum’, ‘beaut’, ‘bloke’). Most people in Australia like our no-nonsense vocabulary and our slang. • Avoidance of titles and honorifics – it is interesting to sit in with a group of contemporary research scientists and observe the lack of formality that is evident in the way that they address one another and in how they are addressed by their support staff. Likewise, most of us are on a first-name basis with our GP, our CEO and our bank manager. The Australian view of hierarchy is determined by people’s knowledge and respect in the community in which they operate, rather than their title or birthright. • Direct and robust delivery of point of view – most Australians find the transparency and lack of conceit typified by transport industry workers refreshing and even endearing. The tradition of honesty and intolerance of word games evident among working men and women generally in this country is something that is respected and enjoyed by professionals and priority people alike. Archetypal straightshooter Lindsey Fox, of Lynfox Transport, may not always be liked for his corporate endeavours, but he is respected for his capacity to call a spade a shovel. • Australian humour – is an essential feature of the professional and priority people communication domain with its unique blend of irony and word inversion. Most Australians derive considerable amusement from

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the tradition behind this form of humour, with the emphasis on understatement, bemused tolerance of adversity and self-effacement. • Subtlety – having noted these trends in Australian communication, it is foolish to deny the scope for communication complexity that exists in the professional and priority people domains. For example, it is possible to see a group of hard-edged commercial lawyers discuss the burnout of a colleague with a particularly high level of psychological insight. Likewise, the ability of operators in a paper mill conducting a profitability exercise on their equipment, drawing conclusions that the business analyst would have been pleased to call his own. There are also a considerable number of mentors assisting priority people with significant success without the advantages of tertiary study or courses in advanced communication.

FROM THE HEART ❤ High-level communication is a function of practice and calculated risktaking, as opposed to congenital talent and good luck. ❤ Many of us settle for ‘average’ in oratory and presentation as a consequence of our lack of preparedness to extend ourselves and learn systematically from past experience. ❤ Excellent impressions come from the stage and screen, as opposed to the realm of sales and personal marketing. ❤ Conflict is a two-way street. It can be mapped and managed better with the aid of increased self-awareness related to games people play and patterns they employ when under attack. ❤ Negotiation and mediation can be harrowing and thoroughly exhausting. They can also be important growth experiences that are of enduring value in the development of three-domain leadership.

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‘RETIREMENT’ FOR THE UNWILLING

Casestudy

My old mentor, Sam, got pretty charged up when I asked ‘What do you plan to do in retirement?’ ‘Listen Don, for one thing I don’t plan to lie down and die and leave you to have all the fun. Sure this body has done some hard kilometres with my back and knee problems, but the brain is like a nicely run-in BMW. “Retirement” has got to be the most meaningless notion I ever heard. It’s about as useful as an Eskimo in the Sahara Desert.’ (Sam had a bit of a talent for bad similes.) ‘Anyway, things I plan not to do include writing a thousand-page ‘biog’ that tries to justify all my cunning corporate moves, or spending six days a week playing deteriorating golf with my old cronies at the club.’ (Sam also had a talent for not putting too fine a point on things.) ‘I’m thinking about creating four new seasons over the next five years with titles that include “outdoors’ for spring”, “air-conditioned for summer”, “tribal for autumn” and “elsewhere for winter”. In “outdoors” I plan to do sensible travel and camping in style, using that van we bought. In “air-conditioned” I will make myself available to a few friends for strictly cash consulting. During “tribal” I will be accessible to the family and the people who count in my life. During “elsewhere” we will be travelling cheaply and cheerfully in countries where you don’t have to dress up to dine out and where art galleries are free.’ (I was already thinking that this sounded suspiciously idealistic.) ‘Sure, Irene and I have some stuff to sort out regarding the last few years when I was working too hard. I would also like to be able to help my kids and their families when they want me to. I suspect I will wind up getting drawn back into that small business start-up thing that has been so much fun for me. Anyway, things never go quite the way you plot them on your personal scheme for wisdom and wealth. However, there is one thing I am sure of. You, Don, are going to be buying me lunch from here on in!’

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This chapter is designed to enable you to reflect on and refine your thinking and priorities related to ‘retirement’1 from a three-domain perspective. It includes: • What ‘retirement’ actually means to you in this era of market researchdefined demographic compartmentalisation and superficial ageism. This will be achieved by the examination of a range of misconceptions and myths about the subject. • Consideration of personal issues associated with physical and psychological health in ‘retirement’. • Priority people considerations related to ‘leadership’ in ‘retirement’. • Comments that are related to community involvement and employment in ‘retirement’.

‘RETIREMENT’ RE-DEFINED My experiences with ‘retirement’ have included discussions at pre- and post-separation workshops with around 600 people in small groups, often with partners present. These people included all kinds, from world-class academics to road labourers. This is separate from experience with my own family, including my separated parents and early twentieth-century era grandparents. How do you define ‘retirement’? An observation from one retiree is that many people’s misconceptions about this and related issues are roughly the number of years out of date as they are from age-based ‘retirement’ themselves. Consider Table 9.1 as a case in point.

Table 9.1 An (unnamed) 20-year-old defines retirement

Retirement related issue

Observations

Focus of ‘retirement’ Age for ‘retirement’ Health on ‘retirement’ Purpose on ‘retirement’

‘Mainly about separation from work’ ‘Sixty years and older …’ ‘Ordinary, deteriorating’ ‘Playing low-impact games … staying alive … living cheaply … baby sitting …’ ‘Propping each other up … keeping the household going …’ ‘Low energy, avoiding injury, occasional holidays’ ‘Elderly friends … church … activity groups …’

Relationships on ‘retirement’ Activity on ‘retirement’ Community on ‘retirement’

Personal distance from ‘retirement’ aside, another factor that could affect your definition is the experience of your parents. Variables that become relevant in this regard include:

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parental age on ‘retirement’ parental health on ‘retirement’ nature of relationships with priority people on ‘retirement’ apparent purpose on ‘retirement’ principal activities on ‘retirement’ participation in the broader community on ‘retirement’. Consider the following as reflections on parental experience outlined by government policy officer Donna, aged 47: 1 My mother’s age on retirement was 65 and it followed what was effectively forced severance from the workplace (based on age). Whereas I see 65 as a desirable age to discontinue full-time work, I plan to continue to work thereafter for professional fees (on my terms). 2 My mother’s health on retirement was excellent, based on lifelong exercise and dietary awareness. (She was a nurse before she became a social worker, after all.) However, on living alone in retirement her body weight diminished significantly and within a decade this had become a chronic health concern. I place preventative medical management as a central part of my ‘retirement’ plan. 3 My mother separated from her partner within five years of discontinuing work. Her primary relationships on retirement included her grandchildren and my sister, in particular. I learned that hardship within her children’s relationships caused her considerable anxiety. I also learned that management and maintenance of relationships in retirement can be considerably more difficult for retirees than during the course of their working life. 4 The focus of my mother’s retirement was founded around the return to her city of origin. It was a cocooned retirement, centred on family members and half a dozen priority people. The primary lesson I learned from this was that an inward-looking family-focused retirement would be insufficient for me and that I would need to build a significant number of new priority people around the core group I belong to. 5 My mother’s apparent purpose in retirement appeared to be based around household management, periodic contact with family and support for grandchildren. There was no other evident ‘purpose’ outside financial prudence. I learned the importance of focusing on one or more broader issues related to the wider community or related to expanding social interaction with my peers. I will also offer contributions related to the education of younger people and support for close family members as ways in which my intellectual and social wellbeing can be enhanced. 6 My mother’s activity on retirement was based on domestic maintenance and gardening, voracious reading of fiction and history, an interest in

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machine knitting and limited outings with her circle of friends. Following a couple of injuries resulting from walking her German Shepherd, her activity was significantly constrained within a decade. The lesson I learned from this was the importance of sustaining a diverse and socially oriented range of interests and acknowledging the imperatives associated with ageing. 7 My mother limited community contact through apprehensions she held related to her security, plus a measure of cynicism and detachment related to local affairs and politics. I saw this as potentially dangerous in terms of limiting engagement with the world at large and the formation of a siege mentality related to the nature of other people in the community (particularly young ones). My mother did develop a small group of friends from the park where she used to walk her dog prior to injury. She also had a number of friends among her neighbours who, in some instances, were able to enhance her sense of security by parking motor vehicles in her driveway, for example. These vignettes illustrate trends and lessons learned from a parent’s retirement. You could reflect on your parents to see what conclusions you can draw related to your preferred ‘model’. And in relation to models, it is important to recognise that the language of ‘retirement’ is undergoing serious remodelling at this time. Consider the four reference points below by way of illustration: 1 Vocationally – There is a word missing to describe workers who choose to contract back to employers following retirement, creating a part-time or contract market for themselves, while enjoying all or some of the benefits of ‘retirement’. There is also a word needed to describe older workers who choose to continue working past ‘retirement’ age into their sixties or seventies. Derogatory possibilities aside, these folk will continue to struggle against ageism in most public- and private-sector organisations, despite legislation to the contrary. 2 The economics of ‘retirement’ will require new terms to acknowledge the nature of business between retirees as a market sector. Some transactions could take the form of barter, others could relate to pooled investments and bulk-buying activity founded on wholesale purchasing or e-commerce. A related, to-be-named market sector relates to banking and financial services for retirees, which are more sympathetic than those currently available. It is only a question of time before the numbers and hostility of ‘retirees’ to such institutions reaches a critical mass that will challenge the current indifference evident among financial service providers.

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3 Demographically, the vocabulary of ‘retirement’ needs to be enlarged to include: – various polling issues of relevance to ‘retirees’ (‘grey power’ aside) – such as the issue of the security concerns of ‘retirees’ – the community needs of ‘retiree’ sub-groups (such as accommodation options for singles in early retirement) – descriptors for the emergent recreational needs of active ‘retirees’, including outdoors facilities, moderate adventure sports, and travel and lifestyle preferences – the emerging migratory preferences of retirees. In Australia, retirees Jill and Owen Weeks2 identified the top 24 places to retire in this country, based on a range of criteria from the medical to the monetary. Three of their ‘inland’ locations included: Echuca, Bowral and McLaren Vale. Three of their ‘coastal’ locations included Nelson Bay, Noosa and Paynesville Table 9.2 offers an interesting contrast, based on that most tentative group of contemporary tourists, American retirees.

Table 9.2 Top 15 places to retire outside the United States 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Costa del Sol, Spain Cinque Terra, Italy Provence, France Bouquete, Panama St Vincent, The Grenadines County Clare, Ireland Nong Khai, Thailand Crete, Greece Ambergris Caye, Belize Tanis, Tunisia Algarve, Portugal Cayman Islands San Miguel de Allende, Mexico Pafos, Cyprus Ubud, Bali

Source: American Association of Retired People (AARP) (2001).3

4 Health-wise – it recognised that the longevity of retirees into their late seventies is a given. The following table offers a global perspective on this.

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Table 9.3 Life expectancy at age 65 for people from 12 different countries:4

Country

Males

Females

Japan France Canada Australia Italy New Zealand United States Greece United Kingdom Denmark Korea Czech Republic

16.9 16.1 16.3 15.8 15.7 15.5 15.7 16.1 14.7 14.2 13.2 12.9

21.5 20.6 20.2 19.6 19.6 19.0 18.9 18.6 18.4 17.7 16.9 16.5

Source: Department of Aged Care Commonwealth of Australia 1999.

The next two decades will see the emergence of a range of significant new medical treatments for increasing numbers of retirees who, in most instances, will be interested in sustaining their wellbeing (as opposed to necessarily recovering it). These treatments will certainly include more effective preventative and early interventions for arthritis, diabetes, visual disabilities (such as cataracts), heart disorders, kidney disease and cancers (through stem-cell research, for example). Associated with these enhancements to longevity is a spectrum of medical services which are relevant to older people and which will need an expanded vocabulary associated with: • diets • organ repair and regeneration • surgical options • physical and psychological therapies. On the other side of the ledger there are a number of common misconceptions and myths related to ‘retirement’ which doggedly prevail in the face of science and sense. ‘RETIREMENT’ MISCONCEPTIONS AND MYTHS IN NEED OF BURIAL First among these is the misconception that many people have related to the passage of the human life experience itself. Frederick Hudson5 made a useful distinction in this regard between what he called a ‘linear’ view of life versus a more meaningful ‘cyclical’ one. The linear view of life is founded on four distortions that include:

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• the adult life cycle should fit a prescriptive social pattern and the stages of metamorphosis from adulthood to the ‘elderhood’ need to be conventional to be ‘successful’. This infers that the nuclear or post-nuclear family featuring monogamous hetero relationships are necessarily ‘better’ than any other format • adults experience a vocational continuum that is accompanied by a largely unvarying chronological timetable (We train, we work, we ascend, we ‘retire’.) • if individuals follow prescribed ages, stages and requisite roles socially and vocationally, they will live well, enjoy success and die ‘happy’ • any changes which enhance this linear ‘plan’ are positive and any changes which slow or subvert the ‘plan’ are negative and potentially malevolent. In its day the linear view of life ensured the population was motivated, productive, fertile and largely homogenous. Now, more than ever, this model is unreliable in terms of its predictions and at odds with the experience of significant sections of the population (consider single and gay parents, for example). Further, more and more ‘Western’-educated people challenge the mechanistic and materialistic underpinnings of this model and the values upon which it has been built. Some of the myths that are implicit in the linear ‘retirement’ model include: • ‘Life becomes transcendent for the retiree’ – the assumption is that you have paid your dues, ‘done the right thing’ and life rewards you with blissful ease. • ‘It all comes together at retirement age’ – you have reached the righteous age of ‘retirement’ and therefore you are fully-grown and can develop no further. • ‘If you followed the “Plan”, happiness follows’ – the ‘Plan’ is largely about money in the minds of many, although it is noteworthy that there are widely divergent views and strategies even on this most universal of themes. This is amusingly illustrated by two publications which currently grace the book stores entitled Die Broke6 and Don’t Die Broke7 respectively. Although there is no denying the fundamental importance of financial security, it is equally important to acknowledge that unless health, relationships, lifestyle and connection with the broader community are not planned and provided for as well, the money is basically for other people to enjoy. And some of these people may barely be known to you (consider lawyers, doctors, funeral directors and charities). • ‘You retire once and that’s it’ – work is no longer desirable – or accessible. • ‘Retirement is much the same for everyone’ – the concept of one-size-fitsall ‘retirement’ is simply not true (and probably never was).

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• ‘Don’t talk to me about any more change’ – the assumption that change in life somehow stops on retirement is probably the most fatal myth of all. Change is a constant and adaptation is the key to wellbeing and quality of life in or out of ‘retirement’. By contrast to the linear view of life, Hudson outlined a cyclical view based around five precepts including: • The notion that life is a complex cycle of growth and decay which can be influenced but not controlled. • Life develops through recurring ‘themes’ such as affiliation, accomplishment, loss, search and celebration. These themes occur throughout the lifespan, as opposed to fitting within specific ages and stages. • Life acknowledges and respects both the ups and downs that occur along the road. Within the context of society, these existential snakes and ladders may be enhanced or degraded. It is up to the fortitude and aptitude of the individual to manage these creatively and effectively. • In the cyclical worldview there is no cultural master plan and adults must learn to shape and adapt within their relationships, families, work environments and social umbrellas. • As individuals grow they need to unlearn old habits which are no longer useful and develop new ones to survive and thrive. The cyclical perspective on ageing emphasises the importance of a more fluid worldview in terms of the place of ‘retirement’ in the human life cycle. As a consequence, scope exists to rethink potentially restrictive linear views regarding the mature human condition. Two of the most liberating of these rethinks concern recognising: • the potential of ‘retirement’ as a time of growth and diversity • as people live longer and work more flexibly, ‘retirement’ offers fresh opportunities concerning priorities and lifestyle rather than reactive strategies related to vocational disconnection, financial consolidation and hunkering down for the winter of life. The intention in encouraging readers to contemplate ‘retirement’ from this perspective is to break with the tired old template of life after work. And even if you struggle with these ideas in terms of your probable lifespan, you will have to agree that, work aside, you have the opportunity to experience a significant new ‘career’ one way or the other. Working on from Hudson’s concepts, a three-domain reference frame can give such a ‘career’ balance and form. THE THREE-DOMAIN PERSPECTIVE To assist you develop your ‘retirement’ thinking in relation to balance between the three domains you will need to examine the way in which you invest energy in these domains now, compared to a time you anticipate

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‘retiring’ into the future. To assist this process, Table 9.4 provides a case study based on Doug, who experienced an employer-driven ‘retirement’, which he negotiated in part-time work, as you will see. Using the priority wheels provided in Chapter 2, Doug did the following summary of how things were when we first met. Table 9.4 Doug’s present view of energy investment in the three domains

Personal

Priority people

Professional

Health – Doug runs, cycles and works actively around his house.

Time with partner – Doug shops, Development – Doug attends eats, shares a room with his partner. leadership and business Their relationship is fragile. development workshops with his transnational employer.

Mood – Doug has experienced mild depression for years. He takes Prozac on an open-ended prescription.

Children – Doug’s children are 14 and 16. He assists them both with their homework, ensures that they are transported to their sports, enjoys their company, but in his own words, ‘Wakes them up, eats dinner with them, waves to them in bed.’

Leadership – Doug is responsible for 120 IT professionals. The job is always pressurised and demanding – with strong challenges to Doug’s priorities, particularly where new projects are to be allocated.

Meaning – Doug is an agnostic. He regards his garden as his ‘shrine’.

Parents – both Doug and his partner’s parents are elderly. His father is hospitalised with heart problems. Doug visits him weekly or when emergencies occur.

Planning, meetings, documents – much of Doug’s work life is taken up with project management activity.

Personal interests – Doug was interested in motor sport, but the last time he attended a Formula One event was two years ago.

Football club – Doug is the treasurer of his son’s football club. This task can be onerous because of poor record-keeping systems employed.

Participation in executive team – Doug spends 20% of his time and energy working on executive proposals and politics.

House and garden – Doug prides himself on the high standard of maintenance he employs in his house and garden. He is a skilled handyman, grows vegetables and enjoys seasonal flowers.

Best friends – Doug and his partner regularly have dinner with two couples and a widowed work colleague.

Doug travels interstate every four weeks, usually for three days, when travel time is factored into the visit.

‘Junk time’ – Doug crashes out in front of TV to watch motor sports, comedy shows and current affairs. From time to time he likes to wander through the shopping mall with his daughter to observe the human race – without necessarily buying anything.

Mentoring – Doug has two young proteges at work with whom he spends an hour a week.

People issues – Doug estimates he spends an hour a day dealing with administrivia and issues associated with the members of his work teams and executive.

Doug’s subjective estimate of energy invested in the personal domain: 15%.

Doug’s subjective estimate of energy invested in the priority people domain: 30%.

Doug’s subjective estimate of energy invested in the professional domain: 55%.

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Doug examined his current life situation across the three domains using what he saw as the key values evident in his life. He was asked to subjectively quantify the amount of energy he was investing in the three domains so that the total energy invested added up to 100 per cent. We distinguished between energy invested and time invested, acknowledging that although the measure was a rough one, it offered us a basis for useful discussion. When Doug was asked to comment on how he felt about the energy he invested in his life across the three domains he observed the relatively small amount of time that he was investing in himself and the relatively large amount of time that he was investing professionally. He also noted the: • limited amount of time he had to pursue his own interests (‘I starve myself ’) • shaky status of his relationship with his partner (‘It’s hardly surprising’) • significant amount of time that he spent travelling in relation to work (‘I’m like part of the air crew’). Doug talked about his future and his plans related to ‘retirement’ were fairly traditional. Given that he was aged 49, he saw himself leaving fulltime employment at 60, although he wanted to work one day a week thereafter – particularly as a mentor. This had significance in terms of his employer’s capacity to respond to part-time or contract employment. Doug mapped out his preferred activities based on how he wanted things to be. He prepared a table, which is presented pretty much as he drafted it.

Table 9.5 Doug’s preferred energy investment aged 60

Personal

Priority people

Professional

Health I want to cycle more and run less. I can maintain my health by working more around the garden and assisting my friends.

Partner I am wary of marital counselling and I am reluctant to go down that road. I want to spend more time with Julia – maybe she would let me provide more assistance with her parents. I can definitely provide more support with the kids.

Development I will be doing virtually no professional development now. I will manage a certain amount of reading. I will only attend courses at resorts that are reasonable in terms of hours on task and hours by the pool.

Mood I want to discontinue Prozac. I think my depression will lift if I work shorter hours. I would consider counselling for myself.

Kids I want to get more involved in the interests of both of my kids. I want to show them some of my best qualities instead of irritability, exhaustion and arguments with Julia.

Leadership I have no problem relinquishing responsibility for 120 people. I will have to adjust my frame of reference to that of consultant rather than leader.

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Personal

Priority people

Professional

Meaning I believe I can shift my bleak views about life by alleviating my depression. ‘Meaning’ for me is about contribution to family and friends. I want more opportunities to celebrate with my family.

Parents I want to know more about my father’s heart condition. I have unfinished business to talk about with my father (he was so angry when I was a kid). I want to help Julia more with her parents. It would be nice to have family get-togethers with less disharmony around the table.

Meetings Mercifully these will be minimised. My communication will be virtually all by e-mail. I’m not prepared to tolerate time wasted at meetings any more.

Interests I’m thinking about building a house on a block of land that we have down the coast and spending a lot of time there on weekends. I would like to trade my overpriced company car on a strong 4-wheel drive. I would like to get along to the next Formula 1 event with my son.

Football I want to change my role in the club to be less demanding (for example, working as a flag marshal). I want to watch more games involving my son.

Executive team I will get over the status and the politics. Becoming a contractor is a good lesson for me in where I fit in the ‘real world’. It will be interesting to see if the company will respond to my proposal re experienced mentors as an employer of choice.

House and garden I plan to increase my maintenancerelated activity in the yard. I would like to transfer some of this energy to the beach house project. Julia and I need to look at downsizing our house prior to moving out of the city.

Best friends I want to spend more time with them. I think we should organise more events together, such as attending concerts. I would love to have more friends outside work.

Travel I won’t miss the travel at all.

‘Junk time’ I would like to trade some of the TV time for recreational reading. I would like to increase my interest in comedy and quality current affairs programs available on radio, for example.

Mentoring I plan to keep in touch with the two priority people that I have been developing at work. I’m thinking about approaching the Computing Society to mentor a couple of additional young graduates.

People issues I’m really not interested any more in administration or conflicts at work.

Doug had another attempt to quantify the energy he would invest across the three domains based on his notes and discussion. The numbers he came up with were as follows: Subjective estimate of proposed energy to invest in self: 25%.

Subjective estimate of proposed energy to invest in priority people: 45%.

Subjective estimate of proposed energy to invest in work: 30%.

What the energy balance enabled Doug to do was grasp a sense of how the bases were loaded in his three domains and what it would take to achieve

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a more satisfying home run. By the same token it was important for Doug to recognise that preferences related to the way in which he proposed to distribute energy across the three domains was based on a number of assumptions about himself and others. • First, that his plans related to altering his investment in relationships with other people would necessarily be reciprocated (for example, in relation to Julia). • Second, that he would break longstanding habits related to his mood, level of fitness and daily routine – which would enable him to pursue his preferred alternatives. • Third, that he would be able to effectively adjust his role in relation to his parents, the football club and his best friends. • Fourth, that he would be able to relinquish his professional role and serve as a mentor, where he was previously employed as a senior executive (with the power and status that went with that role). Some of the changes required were attitudinal, whereas others were relational and time-dependent. Doug wrestled with these transitions and suffice it to say that the process has not been a smooth one. What has become clear, however, is the three-domain framework and the energy gauge have served Doug well in laying down his priorities and plans. It is time for you to conduct a similar exercise on yourself based on your next ‘retirement’. This will give you the opportunity to reflect on the way that you distribute energy across the three domains at this time and in the future. Like Doug, you may find the values wheels in Chapter 2 useful in this regard. FOR THOSE AVERSE TO THE BRAVE NEW WORLD OF ‘RETIREMENT’ In providing the discussion on the future of ‘retirement’ it must be acknowledged that there are readers who may find such notions of work and renewal interesting, but inaccessible. Reasons for this may include lack of resources to explore ‘retirement’ from another perspective because of health, money or choice. Moreover, some readers may choose to travel the traditional ‘retirement’ road in terms of disengagement from the workforce, focus on a low-impact lifestyle and/or let sleeping dogs lie in relationships. Michael Longhurst,8 offered guidelines for such folk, based on research he undertook with 100 men and 100 women in Australia. His guidelines for successful (traditional) ‘retirement’ included: 1 Being able to retire of your own free will. 2 Being able to retire at age 55 or younger.

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Being financially independent. Engaging in ‘purposeful activities’ for more than five hours per week. Having someone on whom you can rely for emotional support. Proactively maintaining health through exercise, diet and regular medical checkups. 7 Planning for retirement – both financially and for an active lifestyle. 8 Receiving pre-retirement advice or education. It is noteworthy that items related to age and money aside, the remaining guidelines are related to education and attitude, which can be engaged at any stage in people’s lives. To illustrate this point, I have already ‘retired’ psychologically in my early fifties, but choose to work and engage actively with the world until they carry me away kicking and screaming – too sick, too depressed, or too flat-lined to carry on. Which introduces personal issues associated with health and meaning in retirement. 3 4 5 6

PERSONAL ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH IN ‘RETIREMENT’ PHYSICAL HEALTH IN ‘RETIREMENT’ After acknowledging the information provided that is related to diversity and longevity in ‘retirement’, let us acknowledge certain realities related to older people in Australia: • In relation to hospital-focused health care, the most frequently occurring clinical hospital diagnoses that related to people 65 years and over9 include: – dialysis – cataracts – other unspecified procedures and after-care, including chemotherapy – care involving rehabilitation – heart failure – other forms of ischaemic heart disease – malignant neoplasms of the skin – disease of the oesophagus – osteoarthritis – cardiac dysrhythmia – angina pectoris – diverticula of the intestines. • At the surgery level, the most common referrals were for: – arthritis and rheumatism

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– diabetes – heart disorder and stroke – urinary incontinence – Parkinson’s disease – colorectal cancer – prostate problems – skin cancers – lung cancer and emphysema. • If you are interested in examining physical health from an age-based view of ‘retirement’ there is a considerable amount of information on the Web. A range of enduring international sites worth looking at include: – www.aarp.org/health – www.nih.gov – www.ahcpr.gov There are links associated with these sites that will take you further afield into the interesting world of mature people’s health maintenance. PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH IN ‘RETIREMENT’ Question: ‘What is the meaning of all this frenzy at work and elsewhere?’ Some relish this existential gob-smacker, while others shut it down with the same sort of unease experienced when you find people at your front door offering pamphlets and comic book concepts of salvation. Whatever you think of the question, research undertaken by successful ageing authors Waldo Klein and Martin Bloom10 among others, showed that attempts to answer it are central to healthy maturation and feelings of optimism among grown adults. Reasons provided for this included: • a sense of meaning creates a fulcrum around which negative experiences can be counterbalanced • meaning justifies continuation and participation in the broader community • it provides a rationale for supporting others • it enables the development of positive values and personal ethics • it provides the individual with a sense of perspective outside themself. A sense of meaning has important benefits during episodes of disengagement from employment and particularly during traditional ‘retirement’ (be this voluntary or enforced). Meaning provides a philosophical anchor in the absence of business discipline or the ‘safety’ of routine. It can also head off damage to self-esteem caused by loss of role and referred damage to those dealing with the ‘retiree’ in the priority people domain. Klein and Bloom offered a four-part framework for developing a greater

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personal sense of meaning using four themes related to love, work, play and service. These have the potential to offer readers instant focal points for personal narrative therapy that can be documented and discussed. The idea is to take the time to write down and discuss with a selected priority person or therapist: • Where am I in my life at this time? • What am I going to become? • What do I need to do now? • Is this all I can be? The issues implicit in such questions associated with meaning are directly related to your willingness to increase your personal insight into life generally. It is noteworthy that although the shelves are well stocked with advice for 20- to 40-year-olds concerning such personal development, like the hair on older scalps, things become distinctly sparse for the fifties and onwards. And this is not because most 50- and 60-somethings don’t need a ‘script’ for the years ahead. Other key themes that could be woven into such a script include: • role with family and friends • managing events in the wider world such as community concerns • ideas for adventure and leisure • ongoing ‘education’ • conflicts for resolution • self-knowledge. Such scripts related to the journey in adult life are infinitely more diverse and rich if they are founded on the cyclical life view discussed earlier. For many they are also more manageable if the plot is thought through and the probable denouements understood. The alternatives are often experiences that give ‘retirement’ a bad name. And some of the most common bad names associated with psychological health on ‘retirement’ are anxiety, depression and stress. Australian research with people 65 and over conducted by psychologists Sharpley and Yardley11 found that the strongest predictor of depression or happiness in ‘retirement’ was ‘cognitive hardiness’, which was defined as: … an individual’s experience of commitment to life goals, controls of his or her success and/or future, and challenge in the form of viewing difficulties as opportunities for change and adaptation …

Martin Seligman,12 who was referred to in Chapter 3 in reference to ‘Learned Optimism’, estimated that approximately 25 per cent of the population are going through an episode of mild or greater depression at any

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moment. It is reasonable to assume the proportion of people over 50 years suffering from this condition will be greater for reasons that include the physical, existential and situational variables we have been discussing. Depression can be built into your mood like an insidious parasite, to the point where in its milder form, it can become almost undetectable to the person experiencing it. Described by Winston Churchill as ‘the black dog’, depression is clinically diagnosed in the psychologist’s reference book, DSM-IV,13 through symptoms including five or more of the following, over the same two-week period: • depressed mood most of the day • markedly diminished interest in pleasure in all, or almost all, activities • significant weight loss or weight gain • insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every night • psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day • fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day • feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every day • diminished ability to think or concentrate or indecisiveness nearly every day • recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation with or without a specific plan. Depressed people have problems getting started and they give up easily. They have difficulty deciding alternatives, through to concluding the only option is an exit strategy. However you look at depression in its mild or monster form, it is an enormous hindrance to successful ‘retirement’. There is little doubt it is amplified by: • poorly managed life transitions • lack of attention to psychological health in the pursuit of other objectives • subtle deterioration in physical wellbeing caused by ageing • physical exhaustion brought on by extended effort • distorted belief systems or ‘faulty thinking’. Consequently, pessimistic retirees who lack a ‘script’ with direction to it may form the view that they were personally responsible for their poor relationships with their elderly parents, for example. Other possible alternatives include that a damaged family situation makes it irretrievable, or that one poor relationship is indicative of all relationships Cognitive psychology offers guidelines for dealing with depressive thinking, based on recognising distortions in belief systems and understanding the impact these have on thinking processes. Examples of these are displayed in the table below:

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Table 9.6 Ten examples of faulty thinking Type of faulty thinking in grey panel

Consequences

Possible belief in action

Overgeneralisation You come to a general conclusion based on a single incident or piece of evidence. Cue words that indicate overgeneralisation are: all, every, never, always, everybody, nobody.

‘Everybody over 65 is in God’s waiting room.’

Shoulds You have an absolute and unchanging set of rules about the way people should behave. People who break the rules anger you, or alternatively you feel guilty if you violate the rules. Cue words that indicate shoulds are: should, ought, must.

‘I should be prepared to cook some thing special for the kids when they come over this weekend.’

Catastrophising You expect disaster. Any problem immediately becomes a major problem, for which there is no solution.

‘That sunspot has got to be a melanoma.’

Fallacy of change You expect other people will change to suit you if you pressure them or cajole them enough.

‘All you have to do to get through exams is to use my study system, son.’

Personalisation You think that everything people do or say is some kind of reaction to you. You also compare yourself to others in a hyper-competitive way, trying to determine who’s more talented, more intelligent, better looking, and so on.

‘They think I’m such a retard because I don’t have a graduate degree like them.’

Emotional reasoning You believe that what you feel must be true, automatically. If you feel stupid and boring, then you must be stupid and boring.

‘I am such a gullible fool.’

Fallacy of internal control You feel responsible for everything and everyone around you. You are oversensitive to the needs of the people around you, you have an exaggerated belief in your power to fill those needs. You also have the expectation that you, and not they, are responsible for filling those needs.

‘Oh no, I should have known the kids aren’t experienced enough to manage their own shares.’

Fallacy of external control You see yourself as helpless, a victim of fate. There is no point in striving for solutions, because you just can’t win.

‘There they go again, nine steps forward while I get forced ten steps back.’

Being right You are always on trial to prove that your opinions and actions are correct. Being wrong is unthinkable, and you will go to any lengths to demonstrate your rightness.

‘I don’t care who you talked to. I know my way round contract law.’

Mind reading You imagine that people feel the same way you do and react in the same way you do (i.e. you project your behaviour onto others).

‘I know what you want when you look at me that way.’

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Although it is easy to dismiss such thinking patterns as exaggerations, many of us employ them unconsciously from time to time. The reframing process associated with rectifying faulty thinking involves the five-step process from Chapter 3: A – Noting the adversity that has occurred. B – Recognising belief patterns underlying your interpretation. C – Understanding the consequences of the situation. D – Disputing or challenging possible distorted beliefs. E – Energising or operationalising alternative approaches. If we look at ‘shoulds’ related to personal expectations involving family catering, for example: • ‘A’ may be represented by resentment at having to cook for the entire family on Saturday night. • ‘B’ may reveal itself through reflection or discussion; it may contain the belief that the meal should be consistent with a standard imposed by others. (‘Yes, Dad is the family chef – he never fails’.) • ‘C’ concerns a sense of being cornered to whip up miracles – when you really are no longer interested. • ‘D’ is the disputation within yourself – to cook down-market or else suggest takeaway. • ‘E’ is the positive outcome when you are off the hook – the family is happy to order out and a precedent is in place for future reference. This process is remarkably effective, given that it takes time to think through and determination to implement at the outset. In many instances, effective management of distorted thinking requires reworking key relationships, which introduces priority people disputes into considerations on ‘retirement’.

PRIORITY PEOPLE-RELATED ISSUES IN ‘RETIREMENT’ Hopefully this domain will absorb some of the energy you transferred out of the professional domain in ‘retirement’. In the section that follows we will explore possible shifts through three reference frames: • key relationships and conflict • ‘retirement’ activity • mentoring. KEY RELATIONSHIPS AND CONFLICT Whether your focus is linear or cyclical, ‘retirement’ is a unique window to revisit and repair relationships in the priority people domain. The obvious

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area relates to your partner, if you have one. Scope also exists to review relationships associated with: • family members, such as ageing parents • ‘children’ and dependents • friends with whom relationships have become strained or degraded through wear and tear • neighbours • close colleagues. Some of these relationship reviews could be scary. Without wanting to appear perverse, research that could be of great value concerning people in relationships of all kinds entering ‘retirement’ could be founded on what keeps them together. Motives that may emerge would probably include: • habit • fear • public facade • laziness • stand-off. Family therapist Linda Berg-Cross14 noted somewhat gloomily:

… the longer a marriage endures, the less opportunity seems to occur for nurturing trust, promoting feelings of closeness and being introspective about one’s feelings. Yet most adults seem to feel that intimate conversation is vital to their self-esteem and mutual wellbeing.

It is as if the barriers grow higher and are less permeable over time, despite the yearnings of both partners. ‘Dr Phil’ McGraw,15 identified a number of critical themes related to these squandered conversations which are listed below.

Table 9.7 Common issues that derail robust relationships Physical sex Money Family Time Children

Lack of intimacy Communication Drugs/alcohol Fear Infidelity

Boredom Lack of passion Jealousy Division of labour Communication

In addition to these there are a number of conflict-related poisons that contribute to the degradation of relationships over time. Table 9.8 provides a description of these.

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Table 9.8 Conflict-related toxins associated with mature relationship run down

The toxin

Explanation

Argument about contributions

The people in the relationship, consciously or unconsciously, attempt to prove the superiority of their contribution to the relationship at the expense of the other party.

‘Nit-picking’

One or both parties observes and focuses on inconsistencies and imperfections in the other party (for example, ‘What sort of example are you setting by doing that?’).

Denying the other person’s point of view

One party is dismissive of the partner’s ideas, invalidating his or her argument.

Attack

One party uses insults when challenged. The judgemental party attacks his or her partner’s vulnerable areas; and intimidates mentally, emotionally or physically.

Snake in the grass

One partner messes up things that he or she doesn’t want to do; commitment is half-hearted, he or she fouls up deadlines and frustrates the other partner.

Sarcasm

One partner contaminates his or her real agenda by saying the right thing but in the wrong tone. The partner uses current activities as a payback for something that has annoyed previously.

Refusal to forgive

One or both partners can’t let go of incidents from the past, such that negative energy begins to dominate their lives.

Projecting insecurity

One or both partners feel unworthy of happiness, they are never satisfied with what is given to them, they talk themselves out of compliments, they state their beliefs as questions.

‘Playing it safe’

Partners avoid subjects that are controversial. They avoid risk or conflict, they avoid emotional talk, they are in a relationship-demilitarised zone.

Parallel worlds

Partners reach an intractable parallel lifestyle that is lonely, emotionally isolated and frequently negative. They turn to other people or activities to satisfy them.

In attempting to work on these issues and toxins there are a number of options for the courageous related to review and possible repair. Some of these include: • Taking the time to rebuild or enhance the quality of your dialogue with your partner. This may involve self-disclosure about your assessment of the relationship and a request for feedback related to your partner’s view. This demands willingness on your part to flag and respond to selfdestructive attitudes that you are aware of in the relationship that may have been represented Table 9.8. Typical discussions centre on guilt, fault, blame and shame. These discussions may aim at drawing your partner into acknowledgment of how both of you may be influenced by these items at this time.

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• Exploring ways in which the self-worth, self-esteem and personal dignity of the partners in your key relationship have been influenced over time by critical events and behaviours. Effective rebuilding may require work related to reintegrating your ‘separate worlds’, as well as the internal worlds of one or both parties. These processes may need the assistance of a counsellor who has, hopefully, been there via more than a textbook. • Relationship repair can also be accomplished through recognising realities that revolve around: – men and women (hetero and homosexual) being different and there never being a 100 per cent accord in their priorities – recognising the key to grown-up relationships is in the problemsolving skills of the protagonists – accepting that great relationships for mature people do not necessarily require both parties to have a high level of common activity – acknowledging relationship ‘success’ is not necessarily defined in terms of lack of conflict. Constructive conflict is a critical part of relationship maintenance – recognising nearly everybody says or does things in a relationship that needs to be forgiven (rather than used for blackmail or ‘forgotten’) – accepting most people in relationships having quirks and eccentricities that may need accommodation – if much of the remainder of the relationship is healthy – acknowledging sex is an important part of relationships, but only one part. • In terms of responding to these pointers it could be useful to reflect on the foundations on which your relationship is built and reviewing these with your partner. This may involve recognising some of the unwritten ‘rules’ you may be working from (for better or worse) related to: – accountability – for your part of the relationship and owning your contribution – vulnerability – being prepared to acknowledge your shortcomings and the discomfort that this exposes you to – acceptance – accepting your partner for who he or she is (or who he or she has become) and approaching your partner with a benevolent spirit, as opposed to a critical one – couple closeness – which emphasises the friendship in the relationship without the egos and baggage that can go with ‘family’ – mutual support – which promote your partner’s self-esteem – knowing the real opposition – by directing your frustration and anger in a more appropriate direction (for example, at the behaviour rather than the person)

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– honesty – being as up front and forthright as you can – satisfaction – satisfying yourself with happiness rather than ‘rightness’ – keeping the big picture in perspective – allowing your friendship to rise above the turmoil of the everyday and the less terminal crises – emotional literacy – through employing emotions as opposed to argument about ‘facts’. Added to these is the need for couples to be able to negotiate as well as argue, which may be based on a clear sense of which activities separate parties are interested in pursuing. ‘RETIREMENT’ ACTIVITY Activity has a central relationship to wellbeing and learning. It also provides a platform for enriching relationships or creating spaces in relationships that are good for both partners. Separate from the repair options mentioned above, there is a spectrum of less charged activities. One way to identify and work on these is to look at what you do now and what you would like to do more or less of in the future. Listed in Table 9.9 is a range of common household, social, outdoors, artistic, leisure and creative pursuits. Which items would you like to embrace and which would you like to discard or minimise if you could? Can you add to the lists?

Table 9.9 Creative pursuits to consider or discard

Household

Outdoors

Creating

Leisure

Social

Build, maintain and repair things Decorate a room Care for children Manage money Go shopping Meditate Administer technical procedures

Work with animals Water a lawn Go camping Enjoy an outing Take a stroll Grow a garden Play team sports

Perform in public Write Teach a class Take a class Lead a group Visit the library Do arts and crafts Collect things

Watch TV Have a massage Read newspapers, books and magazines Attend a movie Attend a sports event

Coordinate an event Chat on the phone Attend an exercise class Visit family Attend social functions Give a talk Take a trip Raise funds Attend to religious activities Entertain friends Campaign for a political party Play board or other games Dine out

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My experience related to people reviewing their ‘retirement’-related activities includes these observations: • Many people find interests difficult to let go of, although they may not necessarily derive satisfaction from them any more. • Older people become apprehensive about taking up new interests where they feel they may ‘look stupid’, be seen to be ‘too old’ or (a common response) ‘prevent a younger person from getting involved’. • One partner in a relationship may inhibit or even resent another partner from striking out in a new direction. • Sometimes people taking up new interests and activities fail to recognise the impact of the activity in the home – particularly where periods of absence are involved (fishing and golf are common culprits). Sam, whose thoughts on ‘retirement’ graced the prologue to this chapter, took this process a step further. He broke his current activity list into ‘single’ and ‘shared’ activities with his partner, Irene. He also made notes on the frequency of his current involvement level. His notes included the following: Single activities

Shared activities

Reading management literature, press and current affairs (daily). Investment portfolio management using home-based PC (regularly). Golf with the boys (regularly). Mentoring (occasionally).

Exercising and caring for beloved Doberman, Claus (regularly). Helping the ‘kids’ with their houses and grandparenting (occasionally). Camping and outdoors (seldom). Household repairs and maintenance, including shopping (regularly).

In considering his preferred activities, Sam identified the following: Single activities

Shared activities

Reading press and current affairs (daily). (Management literature to become ‘seldom’). Golf with the boys (occasionally).

Exercising Claus (daily). Helping ‘kids’ (regularly) Camping/outdoors (occasionally) Investment portfolio management using home-based PC (regularly – including Irene more in this ritual). Household related (regularly). ‘Mentoring’ regularly at work and with grandchildren.

Sam’s adjustments reflected his life balance plans. They also reflected his interest (and aptitude) for mentoring, which I for one have benefited from so much over the years.

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MENTORING Mentoring can be viewed as a privilege of maturity. ‘Retirement’ may offer an opportunity to take this pleasure out of the professional domain and into the priority people one. Mentoring can also be seen as a role that reinforces job satisfaction, as opposed to more promotion, money, responsibility and stress. A good friend, working in a high-performance but ethically challenged corporate environment, derived some of his greatest work-related pleasure in late career by becoming the ‘coach’ of a team of young stars and priority people. By the same token, older workers note with sadness that their mentoring was probably at its best in the workplace, as opposed to their own children and priority people. In three-domain ‘retirement’ this imbalance can be consciously altered if the interest and opportunity is still there. In saying this, there are important skills that professional mentors learn, which can be successfully transferred to priority people, including obvious relations like grandchildren. A number of the attributes needed in ‘professional’ mentor programs have been defined by ‘managers’ mentor’, Margo Murray.16 In Table 9.10 some of these have been reworked to cross the gap from professional to personal.

Table 9.10 Moving mentor skills from professional to priority people domains

Professional values as per Murray (1991)

Priority people manifestation of these values

Strong interpersonal skills

Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to observe, enable openness, offer guidance when asked.

Organisational knowledge

Conceptual and street knowledge of ‘the world’.

Exemplary supervisory skills

Exemplary empowerment skills.

Technical competence

Accurate understanding of how things work in ‘the world’ and tools associated with this.

Personal power and charisma

Personal integrity and influencing skills.

Status and prestige

Respect and credibility.

Willingness to be responsible for someone else’s growth

Willingness to contribute to someone else’s growth, as well as to challenge others appropriately.

Ability to share credit

Ability to generate credit for others.

Patience and risk-taking

Patience and understanding the value of originality and risk-taking.

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COMMUNITY AND EMPLOYMENT ISSUES COMMUNITY

In The Post Corporate World,17 corporate sociologist Doug Korten argued the case for congruence in people’s lives between their vocational and community values. A number of his strategies associated with this alignment have particular significance for people in ‘retirement’. Consider for example: 1 Putting your cash in a community bank and thereby employing a bank or credit union committed to serving the community, as opposed to one preoccupied with transnational shareholder value. (Scope and evidence for this kind of investment is increasing steadily, the Bendigo Bank being one example.) 2 Following on from item 1, voting with your savings to lobby for an environmental dimension to investment in addition to the profit motive. Also, ensuring that your voice is heard through shareholder forums to support community as well as corporate priorities. (Ethically managed funds are a case in point here.) 3 Putting your money and time into change initiatives – through donation and contributing your own services, which challenges the narrow focus of a big government and mainstream convergence politics, at a community level. (This is about turning social entrepreneurship from a political slogan into a meaningful enterprise.) 4 Participating in local politics through initiatives such as analysis of quality-of-life indicators in the community related to: – facilities – security – open space – development trends – relationships between entrenched politicians and seniors’ interests – advocating for community economic activity employing local resources and expertise. 5 Challenging existing economies of community growth, housing standards and design, relationship between community and state government – through challenging and lobbying local and state politicians. Also employing appropriately sophisticated media levers to ensure that your voice is heard and your interest group is recognised. 6 Keeping informed by reaching beyond mainstream media portals and publications, to get past the dominant views of world events. 7 Reducing car dependence through advocating public transport and challenging the established ‘need’ for automobiles and their associated excesses.

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There is also volunteering. Australian statistical data indicates that around 20 per cent of people aged 55 to 64 years serve as some sort of volunteer in the community.18 Significant areas of involvement include: • tutoring preschool children • assisting young offenders (through the court system) • serving as guides at cultural venues such as national parks • providing community transport and services • fundraising • providing coaching and committee work for sporting organisations. It is important to recognise that many of the agencies seeking volunteers also desire the expertise that professionals who are or have worked in corporations take for granted. The implications of the need for such expertise from ‘retirees’ are that scope for making a contribution outside the traditional ‘meals on wheels’ roster is available for those with the willingness to explore alternatives. Practising retiree Peter Cerexhe19 examined the issue of volunteer involvement in terms of assessing the volunteers’ own interests and capabilities. He suggested a balance be found between: • the individual’s professional skills (for example, managing, computing, negotiating in relation to the needs of organisations that they are interested in) • interests that the volunteer may have, such as history, art, gardening, the environment or animal welfare, and the alignment of these interests with community groups • their preparedness to work alongside bureaucrats and political game players • the level of politics in which they are prepared to engage • the time they are prepared to contribute • their physical capacity to contribute (as a carer, for example) • their own experience in relation to family and other needs in the community. As with volunteering, participation by older ‘retirees’ in politics will inevitably increase in the community by weight of numbers. So far as this publication is concerned, some of the challenges this presents include: • the individual’s willingness to get in front of the political brokers and directly influence them, as opposed to e-mailing and cursing the TV news • getting involved in media at a community and personal level to achieve responses from lazy party machines • taking on corporate and political agendas through increased knowledge of relevant legislation in both camps • preparedness to engage at a global level in political issues that are illustrated, for example, by civil society web sites like:

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– www.apc.org – www.igc.org • demanding local government participates in ‘foreign policy’ through engagement with other municipal governments in other countries. Not all of us have the enthusiasm and/or time for such lobbying, however, and there is increasing evidence of retirees choosing to charge out some of their time to derive income. For older workers this raises a range of issues concerning third age employment. THIRD AGE CAREERS Management consultants Barry Curnow and John McLain Fox20 argue the case for employer-based third age career transitions based on work undertaken in the United Kingdom. They observed that professionals leaving employment in this era have life experiences quite different from their parents or grandparents: … at one end of the scale their mainstream working life is likely to cease in their forties, fifties or sixties; at the other end they are likely to be more healthy and active than their forebears, until they are 75 or 80 … this emerging phase of life is frequently referred to as the ‘third age’.

At a personal level, corporate and London Business School veteran Charles Handy was quoted by Curnow and McLain Fox (1994), p ix: I was in my late forties when I realised that I was going to have to change if I was to fit the times ahead. I was, it seemed, running out of jobs. I had got as far as I was going to get in my chosen profession. Even if I wanted to mark time for 15 more years in my present role, it was extremely unlikely that I would be allowed to do so. Younger people were both cheaper and more up-to-date, and huffing and puffing about age discrimination is not going to change that basic fact. I concluded that I would have to rethink my assumptions about my career, my way of life and, crucially, my finances if I wanted life to go on being an interesting and rewarding experience … I did not know it then, but I was planning for my third age, for that period of life beyond the career job and parenting which can last for anything up to 30 years …

The corporate response to third age careers is still primitive and based around models that ultimately come down to gestures of goodwill. These responses lack consistency from company to company, let alone country to country. Typical examples include: • tweaked-up ‘outplacement’ programs, usually biased towards financial planning

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• derivative ‘career management’ programs that tend to focus on resumes and the creation of lists of ‘transferable skills’ • ‘counselling’ initiatives frequently tied to employee assistance programs • generic ‘retirement’ programs that are often financial planning/lifestyle focused • variations on retrenchment packages, which might include ‘career planning’. There is little concrete evidence at this time in Australia that would reflect serious commitment to meaningful third age careers. Despite the undeniable demographic evidence concerning the numbers of third age career entrants, the penny just hasn’t dropped – which forces us back to the current range of trends and trials related to ‘employment’. Vice-President Beverley Goldberg of the New York-based think tank, The Century Foundation, provided a number of wakeup calls in her analysis of the dilemmas created by the ageing baby boomer workforce. In Age Works21 she notes that: • According to the OECD, from 2005 on, labour force participation by those over 55 will have to increase by about 25 per cent if industrialised countries are to maintain current employment-to-population ratios. • Hotel chain Days Inn found that older workers trained to handle the electronic systems booked more rooms. • Companies like Quaker Oats and Telco GTE have retained senior executives considering retirement by assigning them to foreign offices. The company retains a valued executive, preserves its corporate memory and avoids having to uproot younger workers. • Microsoft has supported Green Thumb, a non-profit training organisation, in its efforts to develop programs that prepare older workers to obtain jobs at computer-related companies. Such hiring frees up younger workers with more advanced IT skills to move on to other projects and reduces the risk that they will be poached. At a government level in Australia, in a submission to the Age Counts Enquiry,22 it was noted: The demand for goods and services from a fast-growing retired population will not be met by the projected workforce unless efforts are made to encourage higher workforce participation by the population aged 55–70. The importance of encouraging mature age workers to remain in the workforce is clear …

This hints at an interesting scenario where third age careerists and other ‘retirees’ may become a seller’s market in the not too distant future. Not that this will be an easy sector to recruit from:

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A telephone study of 1,000 full-time Australian workers conducted by the Australian Centre for Industrial Relations Research and Training [in 2001], found that older workers were less satisfied with their jobs than their younger counterparts. ‘The longer you stay around, the more pissed off you get’ says ACIRRT Director, Don Callus … 23

This is neither helpful for older workers nor employers. Three-domain ‘retirement’ will involve a proactive response to this situation, preferably by anticipating it and dealing with it on your terms, rather than those of the outmoded marketplace.

FROM THE HEART ❤ Historical and parental precedents concerning ‘retirement’ have been overrun by the longevity and deeper pockets of many contemporary retirees. These fundamental factors, together with increasingly supportive technology and facilities, will enable greater diversity and individuality in relation to ‘retirement’ lifestyle in the future. ❤ ‘Retirement’ offers scope for choice and variety, not only with respect to activities, but relationships too. There is a unique opportunity to review and repair key relationships, not to mention the scope to be actively involved in mentoring priority people, across a whole range of areas related to life and work. ❤ It is becoming increasingly evident that ‘retirement’ will not be a single vocational exit event in many peoples’ work lives in the future. This is partly through necessity for some older workers, partly through desire of retirees prepared to work on their terms, and partly through needs that the workplace will have related to labour and expertise. ❤ ‘Retirement’ will inevitably become more politicised, in relation to national issues associated with health and accommodation, for example. At a local level, the electoral clout of retirees will generate forums for regional influence that will become increasingly accessible to those who wish to engage with the political status quo. Three-domain leaders will have the opportunity to name their terms in this market.

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Overview

10

It is raining outside and birds are getting blown past my window, trying to stabilise and direct themselves using feet and feathers in desperate acts of avian adaptation. There may be parallels with readers who have made it this far and are trying to figure out how they can reorganise themselves using three-domain thinking. According to leadership literature the winds of change are blowing with increasing directional fickleness and strength. Sceptics may argue that this is exaggerated. ‘The worst is over’, they say. ‘It was a technological, economic or structural phase’. Such complacency is risky. Further, the reality and rapidity of change in most people’s wider circumstances and relationships with priority people and in the professional domain are affected by social trends and events, irrespective of what is going on in the workplace. September 11 in America and 12 October in Bali are cases in point, in terms of global security and cultural alignments The plan that we have been discussing and building through three-domain thinking is designed to find a level of adaptation to the passage of life that places you on an efficient and purposeful flight path through work and life – like the big seabirds that manage the weather on the open ocean for months on end in a permanent glide. Adaptation demands organisation and motivation at an intra-personal and interpersonal level. On the inside it not only requires clarity about what needs to be done, but motivation to accomplish outcomes through realistic planning and commitment. Externally, it requires an understanding of the probable ‘weather’ ahead and the way in which you plan to travel. In this regard, a co-pilot, in the form of a mentor, can help with flight checks, navigation, course corrections and debriefs in the event of bumpy landings. This chapter will assist you by: • considering factors that effectively propel individual change • capturing your key objectives • providing mentor models that are useful in effecting change with priority people and in professional relationships • summarising three-domain thinking in the Australian context • considering ways to extend three-domain thinking.

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At an organisational level, back in the 1980s, change master Rosebeth Moss Kanter1 and excellence seekers Peters and Waterman2 turned the word ‘change’ from a verb into a capitalised noun. Imperatives for Change included technology, competition, economics, deregulation, improved efficiency and new products. Resistance to Change was usually couched in terms of up-skilling aversion, conservatism, passivity, bloody-mindedness. From a professional perspective, personal and priority people consequences of Change were (and still are) seen as somebody else’s problem. Fortunately, employers are increasingly rejecting such compartmentalisation, recognising the consequences of deterioration in life balance and high turnover workplaces. At an individual level, whereas three-domain thinking offers a framework for reflection and planning related to change, it does not necessarily provide a mechanism to propel it. There are four groups of enablers that will separately or collectively accomplish this, depending on your orientation. These can be summarised as: • Big Book philosophies, which assist in the development and maintenance of one’s raison d’etre • related self-help style motivational or inspirational literature • goal-setting and goal-realisation techniques • mentoring (including the use of a professional coach). Big Book philosophies are illustrated by the following (alphabetically listed) classics: the Bible, the Dhammapada, the Koran, the Mahabarata and the Torah. Most of these publications are found to be inspirational and motivational by virtue of myth, metaphor and wisdom, which engages with many of us. Inspiration for change can be illustrated by drawing from a Big Book written over 2000 years ago, which is more than able to offer insight and wisdom related to the individual and professional domains right now. The Bhagavad-Gita, which forms part of the Mahabarata, is virtually unknown to the average person on a Western street. Yet this much-loved Indian story is a part of life to close to a billion Hindus. It is filled with philosophy, poetry and wisdom, and is based on a dialogue between everyman (Arjuna) and wisdom (the god Krishna). In relation to work, the Gita draws on three ‘constituents of nature’ or gunas, which include Rajas, Tamas and Sattva. A Raja’s lifestyle is filled with activity, over-commitment, acquisitiveness and exhaustion. It is founded on notions of ‘what is mine and what is not mine’. This may strike a chord with some of us at work.

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At the other end of the spectrum is Tamas, which incorporates inertia, sloth, ignorance and insensitivity. This is seen as the lowest state of evolution because little is happening within it for good or ill, and the individual’s passage through life may be characterised as a slow backward slide. (Certain teenage images come quickly to mind.) A life of Sattva or light is the preferred state. It is achieved when intentions in the workplace are noble and you feel at ease with your actions. The Gita encourages you to love what you do if you can’t do what you love. The Gita also counsels steadiness in success and setting one’s own path – as opposed to meeting the yardsticks created by others. Although the true path of Sattva is a rarefied one, an unsealed version would suffice for many of us, aided by the humble precepts of three-domain thinking. The Gita is illustrative of literature written to provide inspiration to refine ideals and achieve a more balanced and principled relationship with the material world. The other Big Books mentioned above provide similar inspiration and guidance. To some of us they serve to close the gap between words and deeds. The craving for motivational literature and self-help guides is evidenced by a browse through the jam-packed section this occupies in most contemporary bookshops. The volume of this literature and the frequency with which it is turned over is clearly symptomatic of the aspirational era in which we live and the desire many of us have to extend our capability. It is noteworthy that just as the Bhagavad-Gita said so much 2000 years ago that is relevant today, likewise some early motivational authors have achieved a measure of ‘reach’ through time as well. So, just as it is possible to draw on patient biblical role-models like Job, it is also possible to draw on ‘motivational’ Roman emperors like Marcus Aurelius (121–180 AD)3 who speaks to us timelessly from the second century. Aurelius advocated a Stoic but forgiving view of life using a pensive, dignified and generous style. In words many of us could benefit from sticking on our dashboards, he introduced his second book of Meditations in a litany we could well emulate as we begin our drive to the office: Begin each day by telling yourself: ‘Today I shall be meeting with interference, ingratitude, insolence, disloyalty, ill-will and selfishness’ – all of them due to the offender’s ignorance of good or evil. But … none of those things can injure me, for nobody can implicate me in what is degrading …

Aurelius spoke with authority, having tackled pestilence, earthquakes, inundations, barbarians, rebellions and ill health. This was separate from managing his self-indulgent brother Verus, with whom he unwisely agreed to share government of the empire. And as if this wasn’t enough priority

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people drama, he had the added misfortune of a tragically unworthy son who was appropriately named Commodus. A more recent example of motivation/inspirational enablers is James Allen (1864–1912),4 who was evidently a supremely astute observer of humankind. He noted that achievement happens because you, as a person, embody the desired result. In other words, you don’t ‘get’ success, but rather you become it. By the same token, he argued that ‘circumstances do not make a person, they reveal him’. Allen was also no quitter and he believed circumstances offer a unique opportunity for growth. Allen further observed that ‘most of us are anxious to improve our circumstances, but unwilling to improve ourselves – and we therefore remain bound’. In the language of this section, he was focused on the important distinction between aspiration and execution. Separately, Allen believed in meditation and calm as the keys to self-development. In many ways his writings have been echoed by contemporary authors such as M. Scott Peck, David D. Burns, Wayne Dyer and Norman Vincent Peel. It is evident that the motivation and self-help pantheon is enormous and growing. Grouped in Table 10.1 are a number of popular authors, bracketed into categories for readers to sift.

Table 10.1 A representative sample of motivational authors Category in grey panel

Author

Title and publishing details

Historic motivational Marcus Aurelius

Meditations, Penguin Classics, 1964 (M. Staniforth translator)

Lao Tzu

Tao Te Ching, Perennial Classics, 2000 (S. Mitchell translator)

Popular accessible psychology David D. Burns

Feeling Good – The New Mood Therapy, HarperCollins Publishers, US, 1999

Thomas A. Harris

I’m OK – You’re OK, Pan Books, UK, 1970

Albert Ellis

A New Guide to Rational Living, Prentice Hall, US, 1975

M. MacKay and P. Fanning

Self-Esteem, New Harbinger Publications, US, 2000

M. E. P. Seligman

Learned Optimism, Random House, Australia, 1990

Business motivational Dale Carnegie

How To Win Friends And Influence People, Simon & Schuster, US, 1981

Stephen Covey

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Business Library, Australia, 1989

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Author

Title and publishing details

Anthony Robbins and Frederick L. Covan

Awaken The Giant Within, Simon & Schuster, NY, 1993

Zig Zigler

See You At The Top, Pelican, US, 1975

Leadership motivational Benjamin Franklin

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Dover Thrift Editions, US, 1996

Winston Churchill

The Gathering Storm, Vol. 1, Mariner Books, Re-issue Edition, UK, 1986

M. K. Ghandi

Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments With Truth, Dover Publications, US, 1983

Medical motivational Louise L. Hay

You Can Heal Your Life, Hay House, US, 1999

Popular ‘philosophy’ motivational Richard Carlson

Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff, And It’s All Small Stuff, Hodder and Stoughton, UK, 1997

Deepak Chopra

The Seven Spiritual Laws Of Success, Amber Allen, US, 1995

Wayne W Dyer

Real Magic, Creating Miracles In Everyday Life, Harper Mass Market, US, 1993

Norman Vincent Peale

The Power Of Positive Thinking, Ballentine Books, US, 1996

M. Scott Peck

The Road Less Travelled, Ryder Books, UK, 1987

Ralph Waldo Emmerson

Self-Reliance and Other Essays, Dover Thrift Editions, US, 1993

Not all of these authors will appeal to every reader and the motivation ‘industry’ is not without its critics. Australian author Erica McWilliam appropriately skewers the fads and phonies in her ironically titled What About Uranus? 5 The great thing about living in the information age is that we now know so much more about everything, from Globalisation to the Galaxy. We know that it is not just green men who come from Mars but all men. And we now know that Venus was not actually a ship – not even a good ship – but the place that women come from. And we know this because we read self-help books. Books like ‘Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus’ are called ‘self-help’ books because they helped the self who wrote them to make a lot of money …

Recognising this, many people find that engagement with the Big Books and/or the small to medium-sized motivators creates the drive for a personal vision that may be captured in their personal credo. Credos, you will recall, were defined in Chapter 2 as a formal statement of beliefs, principals or opinions. A credo can be further enhanced by the motivators to include:

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a simple picture of the future a poetic ideal a quest a commitment a challenge an objective that may be pushed towards or pulled away from. The truth is that the more congruent one’s credo is with one’s capabilities, courage and company, the more likely one is to get things done. Outcomes are further leveraged with the deployment of goal realisation techniques, in which professionally learned techniques will usually assist. To learn such skills it is difficult to go past Peter Drucker and the evolution of his thinking through management by objectives. One of the advantages of reading Drucker is that his work reflects the maturation of a remarkable worldview, which gets beyond one-dimensional workplace ‘leadership’ and organisational bottom lines. In the spirit of three-domain thinking, he acknowledges the importance of the individual in the business process and the relationship between business and the broader community. This can be illustrated by the way in which Drucker developed management by objectives in The Practice of Management,6 which links strategic thinking and its implementation at an organisational level. It is relevant to note that back in the middle of last century, Drucker identified ‘social responsibility’ as one of his eight key result areas for managers. The crucial message that Drucker attempts to impart through management by objectives was that if you create the right objectives, then you will achieve the right results. Drucker asks individuals to consider six key questions in relation to the creation of objectives. These are: 1 What are my aims and how will I know that they have been achieved? 2 What do I have to do to realise these aims? 3 What standards must I reach for top performance? 4 What specific objectives must I meet in the week, month, quarter, year? 5 Am I linking my individual aims to those of the workgroup and the organisation? 6 What feedback do I have to check my results against my aims? It can be seen that these six questions have relevance with priority people by changing ‘workgroup’ and ‘organisation’ into ‘family’ and ‘community’. Drucker’s capacity to create gears within wheels with this technique enables people to become more systematic in the acquisition of results. His gears can be employed as tools for goal realisation inside or outside the workplace. Unfortunately, management by objectives does not enjoy a good reputation in most organisations at this time. This is because it gained a name as a ‘command and control’ style of results management and became

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increasingly focused on dollars and cents, contrary to Drucker’s recommendations. Drucker7 advocates four powers that leaders need to control in their jobs. These include: 1 freedom to challenge everything and anything 2 continuous training and development 3 knowledge of and faith in the organisation’s mission 4 the ability to achieve and see results. These four powers have as much relevance in the personal and priority people domains as they have in the professional one. It is doubtful whether Drucker would have had too much trouble accepting this extension of leadership thinking out of the office, given his curmudgeonly attitude to personal development psychology. We can take the idea of seeing and achieving results a step further by looking at authors like Lou Tice.8 His Pacific Institute enjoyed considerable success during the 1990s with the Investment In Excellence Program (which has apparently been administered to over 10 million participants). Tice worked the interface between the individual and organisations in relation to change, and offered seven steps associated with goal-setting, plus an ‘extra item’, which is equally important. The steps were: 1 Put your goals in writing. 2 Define your goals clearly and specifically. 3 Turn your end result goals into short-term sub goals. 4 Make sure your end result goals are both challenging and attainable. 5 Anticipate obstacles and setbacks. 6 Track your progress and reward achievement. 7 Support your goals with affirmations and visualisation. The extra item was ‘to elicit support from others’. Clearly, there are echoes of Drucker in Tice’s methodology, although Tice introduces the notion of a ‘coach’ to the process to ensure that things are not only monitored, but also facilitated by a third party or group. There may be people reading this publication who have used systems related to Drucker and Tice, and still can’t seem to achieve personal change. One possible reason for this is because they incorrectly view motivation as a quality (like ambition) rather than as a process (like winding up a clock.) Another reason can be attributed to the ability of individuals to embark on personal change and transition at different phases in their adult lives. Frederick Hudson,9 who was introduced in the previous chapter, offered a useful model for change and development through the adult lifespan, which provides insight in this regard. Hudson proposed that within each cycle of adult experience, ‘life chapters’ occur that involve a fairly predictable range of experiences. Examples might be:

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transit from school to work meeting and courting a key relationship pregnancy and birth of a new baby disappointment in one’s work life at certain times management of a frail, aged parent. These ‘chapters’ are punctuated by life transitions that are necessary to end one phase and start another. In such transitions, people can experience their environment as difficult, unpredictable and discouraging. The individual’s mood may be pessimistic and his or her energy in short supply. Further, people in life transitions tend to turn inwards and disengage from the outer world while attempting to interpret the messages of their subconscious. Thus life transitions represent periods of introspection and struggle. Unless one is positioned for such a transition the process is difficult to accomplish. For some this can explain the gap between the goal and its execution. Hudson proposed four parts to life transitions, with variable duration and complexity within each. 1 ‘Go for it’ – is characterised by accomplishment, stability and the capacity to achieve goals. (A less athletic version of this might be ‘moving and managing’.) 2 ‘The doldrums’ – experienced as a period of boredom and restlessness, with self-questioning related to game plans and strategy apparent in the previous phase. (A more palatable version of this might be ‘questioning the plan’.) 3 ‘Cocooning’ – a time of deeper self-examination related to philosophy and self-understanding. This phase might be characterised by an identity crisis, serious self-reflection or an attempt to connect with fundamentals. (A less entomological version of this is ‘sourcing the basics’.) 4 ‘Getting ready’ – represents a move away from transition and towards a new range of challenges. This time may be characterised by fresh energy, learning, expansion of social networks, fresh relationships. (A less vague version of this is ‘launching the next phase’.) Associated issues that are raised through Hudson’s model of growth in adult life relate to: • recognition of the nature and size of change that individuals may seek – in the intra-personal, vocational and interpersonal domains – from the tune up to the break-up • awareness of the speed and coherence of change that is occurring – from the crisis-driven here and now to the seemingly unending life chapter that has set itself in reinforced concrete • personal awareness on the part of the voyagers of the stage at which they might find themselves and the first significant step necessary to move on

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• acknowledgment that the process is a continuous one and that, for better or worse, little will endure in the human life cycle. Hudson’s life transitions can be significantly enhanced by applying them to the three-domain framework. One immediate benefit is the realisation that people may not be on the same transition at the same time in the three domains. Alternatively, their resources, skills or focus in these areas vary significantly. By positioning yourself within the four life transitions across the three domains in relation to issues, you are better able to understand why you may not be able to move ahead. This process can assist people set meaningful objectives based on their understanding of their ‘availability’ to do so. Consider the following case study by way of illustration. I remember Roberto saying the first time we met, ‘It’s crazy that someone as creative as me can get so utterly stuck’. Roberto was a senior account director with a major marketing firm in Perth. His team came up with brilliant ways to change images and brands. But there was one notable exception. Roberto.

After talking about life transitions and chapters I got Roberto to look at his position on the quadrants across the three domains starting with the question, ‘Why is Roberto so utterly stuck?’ This is what he drew: PERSONAL

PRIORITY PEOPLE

PROFESSIONAL

my position: questioning my contribution Managing

Launching

Questioning the plan

Sourcing the basics

Managing

Launching

Questioning the plan

Sourcing the basics

my position: not sure about ‘the plan’ any more Managing

Launching

Questioning the plan

Sourcing the basics

my position: lost in the basics

Figure 10.1 Roberto’s position across the three domains

When we looked at the personal domain, Roberto acknowledged his space was ‘tiny’ and that most of what he did was for others, be it his large family or his demanding, but well-paying, employer. Roberto knew things were not right, but he did not have the time to do much about it. In the priority people domain Roberto felt guilt and dissatisfaction with his contribution outside ‘putting bread on the table and running a taxi service on Saturdays’.

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Although things were distinctly moving and being managed by his partner Maria, Roberto felt he was ‘on the outside looking in’ at home. At work, Roberto felt trapped by demanding clients and a bottom line focus in the agency that ‘squeezed him like an orange juicer’. Roberto challenged some of the ethics in play, but described himself as ‘big enough and ugly enough’ to know what was going on and what was needed to deliver. He conceded that his role had become repetitive over the past 18 months, but could see no way forward with the agency opportunity-wise in the foreseeable future. Roberto’s situation across the life transition reference points was significant. It told me that he needed to do some deep thinking, as opposed to simplistic goal-setting, and that his start point would probably be the personal domain. This was because until he sourced the ‘basics’ he would probably not be able to move ahead elsewhere. Roberto did an unusual thing for him and took a three-day weekend alone at a friend’s beach house at Yallingup. He said his mind ‘spun like a racing car’ for a couple of days but he developed three ideas: 1 He wanted more time to think and plan. 2 He decided time with his family was worth lowering his standard of living. 3 He needed to replan his work life with greater emphasis on ‘life’. Roberto and I met regularly for 12 weeks and we now catch up for coffee every couple of months as friends. He has left the agency and is working in a consultancy with two friends. He has traded the M5 BMW and the Gold Card, but has weekends and a lot less pressure. The three gauges in his life transition chart probably fit between ‘launching’, ‘moving and managing’ for the time being. USE OF A COACH Implicit in Roberto’s case study was the role of coach, providing structure, reviews, ideas and encouragement. The combination of a change model for three-domain development, together with an appropriately skilled and matched coach, definitely adds a further mechanism to get from plans to results. It is in the coach realm, however, that a measure of caution must be introduced. Given that coaching has been the management fad de jour, it is important that you have confidence in your guide’s experience, maturity and training. CEO coach Debra Benton10 illustrates the point: I happened onto an article that featured a 28-year-old office manager of an equipment supply company. Six months ago she read a news story about putting ‘spirit and soul’ back into the workplace, something she felt was lacking in

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her own life. Instead of calling on a personal coach, she became one! A few months later she is half way through a ‘coaching university’ program. She quit her supply company job and the next day conducted a ‘life purpose’ workshop. She reports having eight clients but wants 30. This isn’t just an isolated situation.

Then there is the issue of competence. Steven Berglas,11 formerly with the Harvard Medical School and now working with the UCLA School of Management, observes: Over the past 15 years it has become more and more popular to hire coaches for promising executives. Although some of these coaches hail from the world of psychology, a greater share are former athletes, lawyers, business academics and consultants. No doubt these people help executives improve their performance in many areas. But I want to tell a different story. I believe that in an alarming number of situations, executive coaches who lack rigorous psychological training do more harm than good. By dint of their backgrounds, they downplay or simply ignore deep-seated psychological problems they do not understand. Even more concerning, when an executive’s problem stems from undetected or ignored psychological difficulties, coaching can actually make a bad situation worse.

Separately, there is the issue of access and availability. Australian consultant Peter Stephenson12 introduces his book related to executive coaching with the following claim: … having worked with more than 500 senior people as an executive coach, career consultant and mentor over the past nine years, I conclude that many of them still have a long way to go in getting the best out of their most valuable and variable resource – their staff.

One member of ‘staff ’ that could be relevant to these 500 senior people is their executive coach. Without allowing for holidays and other business management activity, he was signing up 4.6 new clients every month. A real problem encountered by successful coaches like Stephenson is the fact that their diary rapidly fills with eager clients. There is a need for such coaches to balance requests from their clients to ensure that they are supported as individuals, as opposed to being processed like sausages. Coaches like Stephenson aside, there are new entrants hanging out their coaching shingles by the hour. It is worth appraising such people in terms of: • their professional qualifications • their life experience

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• recent references • their specialisation (for example, leadership, career, ‘life’ and relationships). Further, a professional coach needs to have a methodology that is sympathetic with the needs of the clients for whom he or she works. An example was provided by coach trainer James Doyle13 who employed a four-part process described as follows: 1 Development of a ‘support circle’ founded on rapport, trust, understanding and honesty. 2 Creation of a ‘development circle’ related to understanding the areas for development, examining the implications of inaction and clarifying blind spots in thinking. 3 Developing a ‘circle of resolve’ around commitment to follow through, mutual responsibility and focal points for action. 4 Creation of an ‘affirmation circle’ based around enablement, accountability, appropriate involvement and expression of confidence in the outcome. Doyle saw the importance of building rapport before going in for the goals. He also favoured celebration of results. The authentic nature of his approach eschews the point-and-shoot format common to many younger players. Then, there is the issue of style. Whereas coaching can be focused around skills, performance, behaviours, personal development and functioning within a work team, the effectiveness of a coach comes down to his or her high-value skills and the way in which these are employed. An example of this was provided by Benton (1999, pp. 58–101) with her preference for a narrative and diary approaches to her coaching work. Benton asks her clients questions and gets them to write notes. Some of these questions include: • Where should you be going? • If you didn’t have to worry about money, what would you do at this point in your career? • Besides money, what is keeping you from doing it? • What have you learned from life so far? • What would your boss say about you? • What is your biggest regret? • When were you happiest or most relaxed? Given the importance of motivators and the significance of life chapters and transitions, a qualified and experienced coach can dramatically increase the likelihood of ensuring you achieve your objectives. Anthony Grant14 at the University of Sydney, offered evidence for this in work he conducted with 20 adult subjects:

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Life coaching has promise as an effective approach to personal development and goal attainment, and may prove to be a useful platform for positive psychology and the investigation of the psychological mechanisms involved in purposeful change in normal, non-clinical populations.

With this in mind, I want you to summarise your key conclusions from this book before considering the suitability of presenting these to such a person. We will then explore your role as mentor in relation to assisting your professional and priority people achieve their objectives.

YOUR CONCLUSIONS The following 10 activities are designed to prioritise your three-domain activities for the next 12 weeks. The process will be significantly enhanced by utilising the Workbook that accompanies this publication. 1 Write your credo and describe how one aspect of your priority people domain will need to alter to affirm your picture of yourself in 12 weeks time. 2 Pick your workplace priorities. Nominate three items for focus that are important (as opposed to urgent). 3 Scan your health. Select one item related to preventative health and one item related to health maintenance that need attention over the next 12 weeks. 4 Consider your primary relationship and, where appropriate, complete the Challenging Questions table in Chapter 4 with your partner. 5 Renewal. Complete the Ten Up Close and Personal Questions in Chapter 5. What single item is most relevant in the next three months? 6 Enhance your competency by considering one aspect of technical competency and an issue related to emotional competency on which you want to work over the next three months. 7 Appraise your team by completing the Team Diagnostic Survey in Chapter 7. What is one aspect of team functioning that you could work on over the next three months? 8 Improve your communication by completing a Conflict Mapper using the table in Chapter 8 on a relevant scenario. What initiative can you take with this over the next three months? 9 Contemplate retirement by nominating a single aspect of ‘retirement’ planning that is relevant over the next three months? What do you plan to do about it? 10 In terms of formatting and detailing your plan, refer back to Chapter 2 to lay out relevant items in a way that will maximise your effectiveness in accomplishing your goals.

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MENTORING PRIORITY PEOPLE There is an important distinction between the coaching approach discussed earlier and the mentor model provided here for use with priority people. For one thing it is usually the case that the contemporary one-on-one professional ‘coach’ is defined around: • a promise of expertise in a specific domain (for example, career) • a time limited contract • a service provided for a fee. It is pertinent to note that a high-quality service is beyond the means of many people outside the professional domain. It is also important to recognise that long before the coaching industry existed, experienced people with technical and other skills have been able to teach, advise and sponsor emerging talent – without these people having to reach for their credit cards. These teachers and guides have been historically called mentors and they occupy a key place in three-domain thinking. Priority people can be assisted enormously in goal definition and achievement with the support of mentor skills built around a modified counselling model. It is relevant to note that this model does not necessarily require a university degree. I remember during the course of my Masters program, seating myself in the middle of the front row at the commencement of the counselling psychology course at Sydney University. A slightly dishevelled, but pleasantly eccentric lecturer emerged and prefaced his contribution to my professional development by saying: Of course I expect none of you to use any of the counselling skills that you may learn in this course without a supervisor and we don’t want you talking to nonprofessionals about the theoretical knowledge you gain.

There was something about the elitism implicit in this remark that remains with me to this day. Did he mean that the arcane crafts we were about to learn were too dangerous for the rest of the human race? Would we turn princes into toads? Were we actually equipping ourselves to become members of a therapeutic cartel? When would a supervisor know that our skills were serviceable given the range of issues we would be tackling? • Some of us may have been forced to counsel parents at times when they had serious arguments. • Others may have tried to offer counsel to a good friend at work who was in the midst of a professional or personal crisis.

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• Many of us have informally counselled priority people in the workplace, friends over dinner, relations and, of course, taxi drivers. My lecturer had missed a crucial point about the relevance of what we were learning. Good communication skills are surely not the preserve of the elite professionals at the ‘clinic’ with dysfunctional clients. They are just as important at home and in the office with the so-called ‘normal’ population. Anyway, why should the models we learned be concealed? The human race needs all the communication skills it can get. The point is that most of us are required to mentor and counsel priority and other people in the course of our lifetimes, with or without the authorisation of the psychology department at my alma mater. It is worth adding that there are numerous ‘counsellors’ out there who may need work as badly as their hapless clients. There are also a number of ‘professionals’ who deliver ‘counselling’ as a disciplinary process, rather than as a support and development one. Consequently, the aim of this section is to provide you with a broad framework for mentoring priority people. It will equip you with a method to explore a range of assessment and development issues, and hopefully enhance the outcomes that you will achieve with the people who are important to you. The model is based around Brief Solution-focused Therapy. It is particularly suited to enabling people to define and realise goals. It is effective with younger people, although it will work perfectly well with all manner of adults if it is dressed in clothes that are not ‘therapeutic’. After all, no one wants to be treated like a patient without their permission. BRIEF THERAPY FOR NON-PSYCHOLOGISTS

Brief therapy has its roots in work that was undertaken at the Mental Research Institute in Palo Alto in the late 1960s and additional work that was undertaken at the Brief Family Therapy Centre in Milwaukee during the 1980s. In presenting this strategy, integrative work must be acknowledged that was undertaken by the appropriately named Ellen Quick,15 who successfully combined the best of several approaches in her model. Brief therapy is based on a common-sense rationale. The guidelines can be summarised in three lines: • What is the goal/problem? • If the approach you are using works, employ more of it in graduated doses. • If it doesn’t work, stop doing it and do something else. The philosophy behind the brief therapy approach to mentoring and support is to encourage the person to initiate a minor change in his or her

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thinking, behaviour or relationships and encourage him or her to ensure that further appropriate change follows. The approach is also designed to look at areas of low resistance to change and to focus on areas that are responsive to encouragement-related shifts for the better. In the words of Quick (1996, p. 7):

… the goal [of brief therapy] was not so much the elimination of symptoms as the achievement of a stated or inferred goal … a vision of the future where the complaint was resolved.

Outlined below is a model of brief therapy adapted for mentoring priority people.

Table 10.2 Brief therapy-based mentoring model

Mentor step

Key mentor questions

Clarifying the issue

‘What is the problem/challenge?’ ‘Which issue concerns you the most?’ ‘Give me an example of the problem/challenge in action.’ ‘In what way is it an issue?’ ‘To whom is it a problem?’ ‘How do you think I can help you?’

Focusing up the solution

The Miracle Question – If you wake up tomorrow and the issue has been addressed: • ‘What specifically needed to change?’ • ‘What will be different?’ Amplifying exceptions: • ‘Are there instances of a solution already occurring?’ • ‘What would happen if this was happening more often?’ Scaling questions – on a scale of zero to 10, where zero is the issue at its worst and 10 is the problem solved, give me a number that best describes where things were in a recent incident: • ‘What would I notice when you move from 7 to 9 (for example)?’ • ‘What is the next step?’

Examining what has been done

Eliciting attempted solutions: • ‘What have you tried?’ • ‘How did you do that?’ • ‘Did that work?’ • ‘What else did you try?’ Interrupting unsuccessful solutions: • ‘Can you try something different?’

The intervention

The Intervention involves: • Validation – where the mentor reflects where he or she has heard the person’s concerns • The Compliment – where the mentor confirms respect and positive regard for aspects of the person’s response

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Mentor step

Key mentor questions • The Suggestion – which includes advice, homework, responding to the status quo • The Break – often occurring at the end of the discussion where the mentor offers a summation (after asking the person whether he or she would like this) • Suggestions which could include: – doing something different – paying attention to behaviour – explaining things in the person’s language – being aware of the intensity with which the person takes on the problem

Additional contributions

Which includes asking questions like: • ‘Where shall we go from here?’ • ‘Do you want to discuss this further with me at a nominated time?’ • ‘Shall we leave the situation open-ended?’ • ‘Do we need to get somebody else involved in this situation?’

It can be seen that brief therapy is based on: willingness to work with people as collaborators rather than ‘patients’ being very clear on what you are both focusing attempting to define your role and that of the person you are mentoring getting a picture of the issue and the goal and/or illustrating the issue and the goal at work • using the strategy of the ‘miracle question’ to redefine how things could be • using the ‘scaling question’ as a way of turning subjective experience into something that can be measured and altered • getting the priority person to review what they have done and encouraging them to discontinue non-productive strategies • building an alternative response by positive strategy, including confirming you can hear what the person is saying, affirming their value and making suggestions based on what works • reinforcing success and leaving the door open for review, where appropriate. By way of exploring this approach to goal realisation consider the following case study, based on an attempt to assist a much-loved niece, who is struggling with her school work. Problem clarification strategies could include: • talking broadly about the courses she is studying • asking her to put her courses in a descending order in terms of their difficulty • asking her to identify which course is most troublesome or on which parts she is prepared to work • discussing how you could help. • • • •

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In focusing the solution the ‘miracle question’ could be framed up as: ‘If you woke up tomorrow and you had that course under control: • What would you change in particular? • How would things be different for you in terms of your school work?’ Additionally a ‘scaling question’ could be: ‘On a scale from zero to ten, where zero is 0 per cent and 10 is 100 per cent, give me a number where you believe you and I could get to with a determined attack on that subject. How would you feel about the course if you got to that point?’ In examining what has been done, questions could include: • ‘What have you tried?’ • ‘How did that affect things?’ • ‘What else have you tried?’ Where interventions have been unsuccessful the niece would be asked to think about trying something different. Where there was evidence of progress the mentor would attempt to build from these foundations. An intervention could include: • Validation – where the mentor indicates his or her understanding of the niece’s concerns. ‘I think this initiative could really lift a load off your shoulders.’ • A compliment – where the mentor confirms his or her confidence, affection and that the problem will be managed more effectively. ‘You have always impressed me with your determination.’ • A suggestion – which might relate to the successful strategy that has been identified or a reward that encourages the niece to pursue her response to the situation. ‘Why don’t we catch up to look at progress over a cappuccino next Tuesday?’ • A break – where the mentor sums up the situation, the response and the course of action. ‘Why don’t I try to summarise what we seem to have agreed on?’ • Other suggestions – where alternative strategies may be necessary. ‘If we don’t seem to be getting anywhere in two weeks, let’s look at alternatives.’ Other contributions that are relevant in this sequence with the niece could include: • nominating a time at which the mentor could telephone to discuss progress • considering alternative mentors, such as someone who is skilled in the relevant discipline. In order to tie things together it is important that the process ends with an agreement related to what the niece commits to by way of ‘homework’ and what the mentor is prepared to commit to by way of contribution to the process.

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This brief therapy-based mentor model has the capacity to work in a range of priority people situations such as: • changing self-defeating behaviour • managing faulty thinking or cognitive distortions • defining and tracking the resolution of disputes • adapting to misfortune • working to compromise in conflicts about priorities • achievement of health targets • achievement of financial targets. This model also lends itself to the mindset of people working in contemporary organisations. For this reason it is not surprising that it has been detuned by up-market consultants to create a mechanism to performance manage people in the professional domain. PROFESSIONAL MENTORING

The fact that Max Landsberg16 borrowed generously from brief therapy to ‘create’ his GROW mentor model does not diminish its effectiveness. His version is summarised below. Table 10.3 The grow model of mentoring for goal acquisition in the professional domain

G = Goal What would you like to achieve from this session? What would be the value for you of this outcome?

R = Reality O = Options What is happening at the What could you do to change the situation? moment? Which options do you What have you tried so like the most? far? Rate from 1 to 10 your interest level in the practicality of each of these options?

W = Wrap up What are the next steps? When will you take them? What might get in the way? What support do you need?

Advantages that are apparent from the GROW acronym include: the ease with which it can be remembered the participative approach that it encourages the focus on specific goals the action focus, as opposed to the conceptual focus, which can exist in more complex thinking strategies associated with goal achievement. The GROW model is founded on the assumption of ‘buy-in’ by the person who is being assisted. Quick (1996, p. 82) refers to three levels of buy-in that people display, which explain this concept better: 1 ‘Complainants’ – who may recognise and describe the problem, but typically fail to do anything significant to change things. • • • •

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2 ‘Visitors’ – who are in front of you because somebody else has arranged it or they are under some form of coercion. 3 ‘Customers’ – who are people prepared to acknowledge that there is a problem and are beyond complaining about it. Clearly, ‘customers’ are what are needed to mentor for ‘change’. ‘Visitors’ or window shoppers occur at work in the form of victims of performance appraisal or opportunists, for example. ‘Complainants’ can be ‘gunnas’ who are interested, but not committed. With the Brief Therapy mentor model in mind, and relevant caveats concerning change and commitment, it is timely to summarise the essence of three-domain thinking in action.

SUMMARISING THREE-DOMAIN THINKING The vignettes that follow are designed to illustrate essential three-domain thinking. Some of these examples will hopefully make connections in terms of commitment to action. THREE-DOMAIN STYLE Three-domain thinkers are prepared to be originals rather than cookie cutout corporate clones. This could be demonstrated by showing vulnerability and seeking support from the team at a difficult time in relation to a major setback. This is in contrast to working on robot-like and assuming that the team will rise to the ‘challenge’. Three-domain leadership could be demonstrated by allocating the time and resources to tackle a family issue, as opposed to trying to fit in a few minutes over the course of a weekend, or allowing the thing to escalate to a point where ‘leadership’ is delegated to solicitors or law enforcers. In other words, three-domain practitioners acknowledge the principles of leadership literature, but they also acknowledge the difference between superficial buzzwords and complexity related to real people at work and at home. The three-domain style is illustrated by Sir Gus Nossal. At a professional level, his major scientific achievements related to the human immune system. They have to some extent been matched by initiatives he has taken to secure a $100 million donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates’ Children’s Vaccine Program USA, to ensure children in developing countries are immunised against major killer diseases. At a personal level Nossal came to Australia from Austria when he was eight. He is a plain language communicator who uses humour and honesty,

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aside from his intellect, to tackle the issues of the day. As Deputy Chair of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation and Australian of the Year, he spoke of ‘the yuk factor’ when sensing social and other injustice, and knowing something needs to be done about it. Nossal’s personality and generosity are widely recognised as infectious and inspiring to those around him. THREE-DOMAIN LEARNING Three-domain thinkers attend class outside the school of business. This may entail tango dancing or yoga. Three-domain thinkers are also prepared to educate themselves about international affairs separate from global business opportunities. Consequently, they take the trouble to learn about Middle Eastern cultures and politics, for example, as well as Middle Eastern business practices. This could translate into views about Arab politics that get beyond opportunism and racism, and incorporate history and equity. Three-domain thinkers invite others to share what they know. This applies particularly to youngsters and mentees. An example of this in action is CEO of Smorgen Steel, Ray Horsburgh, who tutors economics students and teachers through the Business Council of Australia’s exchange program. HEALTH People with a three-domain focus are interested in being ‘whole’ people in all the domains. This demands a consistent and proactive approach to wellbeing and the capacity to keep a calm and clear mind through self-awareness and effective pressure management. It also relates to diet and exercise. Three-domain people contribute in their priority people domains by being ‘present’. They are able to recognise signs of wear and tear within themselves and their colleagues. They are prepared to back off or take time out when things have gone beyond reasonable. As most of us know, this is a lot more difficult than it sounds, and it can require preparedness to challenge the rules of the game. A rule of thumb guide for three-domain health is the amount of evidence there is in the diary for meaningful time-out over the year, weekends and public holidays aside. PRINCIPLES Three-domain thinkers have a clear sense of their guiding principles and a credo, as opposed to a nebulous list of values and a corporate-style ‘mission’.

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Three-domain people understand that principles and priorities are constantly changing and eroded by circumstances. By employing a practical but fluid review process and time management disciplines, they are able to hang on to their priorities in life, as opposed to those of others. Mary Kostakedis, chief newsreader with SBS, demonstrates threedomain principles through her work with the Drug and Alcohol Council and the Advertising Standards Board. She also challenged the power and pomposity of the International Olympic Committee during 2000 in Sydney, by refusing to serve as MC reading in French before English at the Australian Games. RELATIONSHIPS

Three-domain people have a singular commitment to their key relationships. They understand the critical connection between this and the wider family ‘system’ in which they participate. When push comes to shove, threedomain people put their priority relationships at the top of the list. An example of this was when Cathy Freeman put the health of her partner at that time, Sandy Bodecker, ahead of her participation in the Manchester Commonwealth Games. Three-domain thinkers have enough insight into people in groups to get beyond organisation charts and job classifications. Three-domain leaders take time to reflect on their workplace ‘tribe’ and understand the nature of: • the chief • the ‘rules’ that are actually in play • their status in the tribe and their personal compatibility with tribal attitudes • the treatment of other members of the tribe, and particularly younger and less powerful members. Three-domain people recognise that tribal objectives must be honourable and enjoyable, as well as being consistent with coexistence with other tribes. Bethany McLean is perhaps one of the most famous tribal members to question chief Jeff Skilling’s regime at Enron in 2002. CAREER Three-domain people are mindful of career development, but they are equally interested in personal renewal and growth. Three-domain thinkers recognise that opportunity without wellbeing and balance is simply being paid more money for less quality of life. Three-domain leaders are interested in opportunities for development that get beyond episodes of long

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service leave. In other words, three-domain people factor time out into their work routine, as opposed to ongoing cycles of overwork and recovery. Three-domain careerists also know when to get out of the game. Dare Jennings, founder and creative director of Mambo fashion and design, reflects this when he observes:17 Three years ago we sold the business to Gazal. I was turning 50 and the company was just getting too big and the managerial side was too onerous.

COMMUNICATION Three-domain people are particularly focused on communication with priority people and will take these skills to the most difficult of their professional associates. Three-domain leaders have an abiding interest in enhancing their ability to influence others, and more effectively accomplish their objectives in workgroups and social situations. Three-domain thinkers are recognised for their willingness to understand and communicate with all kinds of people. They have a commitment to resolving conflict and are prepared to venture into difficult terrain with issues that they may find unpleasant. Sir William Deane’s governor generalship and his preparedness to venture into issues associated with refugee treatment, among others, is a case in point. GROUPS AND TEAMS Three-domain leaders are particularly adept within all kinds of groups and teams. They take the trouble to understand the process that occurs and ways of appropriately harnessing energy and goodwill to achieve outcomes of mutual benefit. In the priority people domain, three-domain people function as mentors or mentees, according to the requirements of the group. Likewise, three-domain thinkers can operate in executive teams in ways that get beyond problem-solving and compliance with governance. Three-domain people bring personality and perspective to such forums, which can be fundamentally challenging for the group and individually supportive for members. Leigh Matthews, the AFL’s Player of the Century, 340 games with Hawthorn, 915 goals and eight times club champion is a sporting case study related to team skills. Whereas he was known as ‘Lethal Leigh’ in his on-field days, and for his infamous decking of Neville Bruns in 1985, Matthews has clearly gone through considerable personal growth and team insight via Collingwood to Brisbane, culminating in AFL premierships from 2001 to 2003.

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Unlike many of his peers, Matthews is not interested in external motivators such as speakers and celebrities to focus his players.18 ‘It is the environment which creates the encouragement, so I try to create the environment that allows them excel.’ Matthews, known as more logical than colourful, attempts to project candour and calm. GROWTH

Three-domain people are prepared to invest in life’s cycles, as opposed to budgeting for ‘old age’. Three-domain leaders recognise that, through understanding the future shape of the workplace, they need a plan that gets beyond old-fashioned notions of ‘retirement’. This is characterised by involvement in activities that incorporate personal growth, engagement in the welfare of priority people and voluntary work. Former Head of the Department of Art and Design at Perth TAFE, John Fawcett19 adapted and grew to manage an acute back injury and then involved himself in founding and organising a ‘not-for-profit’ organisation.20 This has provided cataract surgery for Balinese people since 1989, and now also provides specialist medical support following the Bali bombing.

FACILITATING THREE-DOMAIN LEADERSHIP CHANGE IN YOUR WORKPLACE This chapter started with metaphorical reference to birds being blown past my window, which was designed to be symbolic of the forces of change upon individuals in the contemporary workplace. Management of wider leadership change in your workplace is influenced by three key groups of variables: • contextual issues related to the organisation • leadership and change strategies used by the organisation • consultation between employees and leaders. Contextual issues that are most important include: • The size of the organisation – it is a lot easier to make a small building company with 50 employees into an employer of choice, as opposed to a building society employing 1500. • Geography – the more dispersed the organisation is regionally, the more diverse the culture and staff becomes demographically. • The cultural adaptability of the organisation – consider, for example, that an IT-based enterprise is probably going to be a lot more adaptable than a defence force establishment, or a paramedic and ambulance service.

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• Awareness of the need for change – illustrated by the possible role of militant trade unions in enterprise bargaining, for example. • Communication – which includes the preparedness of senior executives to honestly communicate with staff regarding their needs, as genuine partners in the business. A poor example of this was provided by Qantas airlines in August 2002, when staff went on strike over a rejected pay rise of 5 per cent. In the same year, executives received bonuses of up to 50 per cent of their base salary in a year of record earnings. An example of three-domain leadership facilitation in the workplace is a zone operations manager who works for a transnational oil and gas corporation. Deborah succeeded a workaholic micromanager who ran things by the book and transferred his fundamental unhappiness down the line to his managers. These people adopted a response that manifested as grim adherence to targets, a siege mentality and a sceptical view about what staff were putting in. Deborah was able to break this up remarkably in a matter of months: • She focused her attention on the individual manager and key staff, and asked for advice and ideas related to improving job roles and satisfaction. • She then made people accountable, with the understanding that if things were not going to plan, review prior to crisis was acceptable. • She challenged the regional business to change its culture by her informal style, her willingness to discuss the hither-to un-discussable, and with her interest in humour and fun. • She offered a number of promising supervisors and workers the opportunity to change their roles and increase their contribution in the business process and the context change. Change and leadership strategies in use determine the emergent form of the organisation’s culture and its attitudes to its people. Two strategies that have been widely demonstrated to be unsuccessful in Australia include the ‘rightsizing’ approach to organisational restructure and the subtler ‘DIY career’ approach to professional development. Rightsizing without reflecting on consequences for worker wellbeing is simply short-term saving at the expense of employer reputation. DIY career development without opportunity or training is an invitation for good people to move on as soon as a better job comes along. More reputable leadership and change authors and strategists who have endured over time, however, include: • James Champy21 • Manfred Kets De Vries22 • John Kotter23 • James O’Toole24 • William A. Passmore.25

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A list of other widely used leadership and change authorities who have endured are presented in Table 10.4. In looking at these it is important to understand the perspectives on leadership that these authors bring to their work (for example, people focus or process focus). These can prove confusing (issues of style aside). In addition, there is the issue of proximity to the workforce. This is illustrated by the proliferation of authors who could be described as ‘central office consultants’. As with the ‘purple circle’ of advisers which surround many CEOs in large organisations, there is a related coterie of consultants who specialise in advising, publishing and marketing their experiences from the CEO’s perch. Although the analysis and comment developed by some of these top-end tipsters is informative and interesting, it is important to recognise that others do not necessarily reflect what is going on out in the office. It is therefore important to examine such literature critically to determine the proximity of the author to the staff, as opposed to the executive team and the CEO.

Table 10.4 Enduring leadership and change authors presented in categories Relevant leadership theme in literature in grey panel

Author

Recommended reading and publication details

Blue-chip leadership authors Bennis, W. Bennis, W. and Nanus, B. Blank, W. DePree, M. Drucker, P. F.

On Becoming a Leader, Addison-Wesley, NY, 1989 Leaders: The Strategies for Taking Charge, Harper Business, 1997 The Nine Natural Laws of Leadership, Amacom, NY, 1995 Leadership Jazz, Double Day, NY, 1992 Managing in Times of Great Change, Truman Talley Books, NY, 1995

Global leadership Peters, T. and Waterman, R. Ohmae, K. Drucker, P. F.

In Search of Excellence, Harper & Roe, NY & London, 1982 The Borderless World, William Collins, London, 1990 Managing in Times of Great Change, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford, 1995

Business re-engineering and planning Mintzberg, H.

The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning, Prentice Hall International, Hamel Hempstead, 1994

Exemplary companies Watson, T. Jnr Carlzon, J.

A Business and its Beliefs: The Ideas that Helped Build IBM, McGraw Hill, NY, 1953 Moments of Truth: New Strategies for Today’s Customer-driven Economy, Harper & Row, NY, 1989

Warfare and intrigue – the business nexus Machiavelli, N.

The Prince, Penguin, London, 1967

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Author

Recommended reading and publication details

Work teams Katzenbach, and Smith, D. K. The Wisdom of Teams, The Harvard Business School Press, US, 1993 Mohrman, S. A., Cohen, Designing Team-based Organisations: New Forms of Knowledge Work, S. G. and Mohrman, A. A. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, 1995 Quality management Demming, W. E. Crosby, P. B.

Out of the Crisis, MIT, USA, 1982 Quality is Free: The Art of Making Quality Certain, Signet, 1985

Learning and organisations Senge, P.

The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Science of the Learning Organisation, Double Day, NY, 1990

Popular shortcut management Blanchard, K. and Johnson, S. The One Minute Manager, Berkely Publishing Group, US, 1983 Blanchard, K., Situational Leadership and the One Minute Manager: Increasing Effectiveness Zigarmi, D. and Zigarmi, P. through Situational Leadership, Morrow Williams & Co, US, 1985 The Idiots Guides Business and society Handy, C.

Sennet, R. Theobald, R.

The Age of Paradox, Harvard Business School Press, 1994 The Age of Unreason, Harvard Business School Press, 1989 Gods of Management, Oxford University Press, NY, 1995 The Corrosion of Character, Norton, NY, 1998 Reworking Success (New Communities at the Millennium), New Society Publisher, Canada, 1997

The facilitation of leadership change from a three-domain perspective is not confined to gurus or productivity fads developed on other continents with other companies. Three-domain leadership change requires a critical review of the authors and the trends to select that which is culturally appropriate and capable of enduring with the people in the house – warts and all. With respect to consultation and input between leaders and employees, results and satisfaction turn around the methods that are employed. Whereas the widely used ‘employee survey’ is the most popular of these, this strategy is often cumbersome process-wise and can be vague in terms of issues defined. For example, common outcomes from such surveys include statements like: • ‘There is a lack of “communication” between staff and the executive team.’ • ‘Leaders are “invisible”.’ • ‘We have reservations about career development opportunity.’ • ‘There is a lack of flexibility related to working conditions.’ • ‘Job satisfaction is low.’ Whereas the importance of these conclusions cannot be denied, the question remains as to exactly what they mean in different parts of organisations. This is separate from what constitutes an enduring response.

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Traditionally, the staff survey perspective involves a ‘problem’ (for example, not enough forums) and a ‘fix’ (for example, invitation for more email ideas from a disaffected group of staff ). From a three-domain leadership perspective a more enduring response to the communication between staff and executive issue involves an ongoing multi-level dialogue that might include: • Acknowledgement that communication media employed may need to be adjusted for different staff. (Some groups may prefer e-mail, others may prefer a periodic newsletter – both could involve discussion and innovation.) • Focus on frequency of communication that may have particular relevance to part-time or contract staff. • Awareness of ‘hot’ issues, such as restructures, which may be better communicated face-to-face as opposed to via documents. • Selection of items such as business performance and strategy updates, which may need to include information that is relevant to staff in terms of their contributions to the business. (These items may need to be customised, as opposed to being resolved with ‘off-the-rack’ solutions.) Applying three-domain leadership to the career development item in the opinion survey feedback may extend to flexible approaches to careers including: • renewal • part-time careers for women after children • retraining and management of older workers. Three-domain consultation consequently acknowledges personal and priority people in the development continuum. Putting these domains into the discussion challenges the one-dimensional ‘professional’ preoccupation in most contemporary Australian organisations. Likewise, the opinion survey responses to the job satisfaction items can be extended beyond ‘fixes’ related to conditions, learning and development, competency development and recognition. Three-domain leaders will candidly discuss quality of work life and management of difficult people, including managers. Furthermore, three-domain consultants recognise that in many organisations job satisfaction is seen as a privilege that increases as people become larger fish in the vocational food chain. Threedomain leaders regard job satisfaction as a retention issue for everyone, as opposed to a range of perks for the crafty few. It can be seen that building leadership change from a three-domain perspective demands a different process and creates different outcomes from most ‘opinion surveys’. Given this, it is useful to note that in-depth commitment to a limited number of items associated with leadership change and organisational development is a more effective way of creating

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commitment and confidence from staff. Table 10.5 provides several key headings to enable you to identify items on which you could work with your co-workers.

Table 10.5 Ten three-domain focus areas from which to select leadership and change priorities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

What single issue associated with three-domain leadership at a senior level is relevant to enhancing your organisation? What workplace values or principles in your organisation need recognition and repair in your work group? What aspect of quality of work life is most important to your people? What significant aspect of workplace relationships needs attention? Is your recruitment process performance, potential and people-friendly? How could career opportunity and renewal be enhanced? Is reward and recognition appropriate? Are there workplace skills and behaviours that need developing in your work group? Are these being measured appropriately? Are there aspects of your work team that need development or debugging at this time? What specific aspects of workplace communication lack clarity, consistency or are being censored at this time? What aspects of the interests of older workers could be enhanced at this time? What aspects of the organisation’s interface with the broader community needs attention?

In concluding this section, organisational developer F. Leigh Branham26 lists a number of ways in which contemporary American companies have taken people-friendly workplace initiatives. Twelve of these, which are three-domain compatible, are displayed below:

Table 10.6 Three-domain initiatives related to staff needs involving fortune 500 companies

The company

The initiative

Finova Group, Phoenix

Giving grants of $300 a year per child for college tuition.

Merck, Whitehouse Station, New Jersey

Covering cost of laser eye surgery.

American Century, Kansas City

Giving every employee a business card and a $650 ergonomic chair, allowing employees to include one non-traditional household member, including a sibling, in-law, domestic partner or live-in nanny, in their employer-subsidised health care coverage.

Qualcomm, San Diego

Kicking in $250 of support if an employee’s child plays on a sports team.

AFLAC, Columbus, Georgia

Allowing employees to take 12 weeks at full pay to care for a sick spouse, child or parent.

First Tennessee Bank, Memphis

Offering ‘wellness dollars’ to employees who practise 10 healthy behaviours.

Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, New Jersey

Providing 100% tuition reimbursement with no cap.

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The company

The initiative

Federal Express, Memphis

Offering health coverage to employees who work as few as 17 hours per week.

ACIPCO, Birmingham

Giving lifetime medical and dental care to each employee and his or her spouse, if the employee stays with the company until retirement.

BE & K, Birmingham

Allowing employees use of the company aircraft in case of a family crisis.

MBNA, Wilmington, Delaware

Providing on-site drycleaning, shoe repair and beautician services.

MBNA, Wilmington, Delaware

Providing employees with limo service on their wedding day, plus $500 and a week of vacation.

There are, of course, local initiatives that reflect similar sentiments. Indeed, a systematic way to measure the prevalence of three-domain-type thinking in the Australian workplace is possible through studying the outcomes of the ‘Best Employer to work for in Australia’ surveys, which are reviewed annually in the Australian Financial Review. Recent results identified nine winning companies from 164 entrants in what had apparently been a tough year.

Table 10.7 Best employers to work for in Australia 2003 Joint winners

Cisco Systems Flight Centre

Highly commended

Diageo Australia SEEK Communications Virgin Blue

Best employers

Merck Sharp and Dohme SalesForce Lion Nathan Nike Australia Nokia Australia CHEP Asia Pacific Johnson and Johnson Janssen-Cilag Police and Nurses Credit Society Macquarie Bank Computer Associates McDonald’s Australia Golder Associates American Express International Retailink

Remarks related to the winners are an effective comment on the state of the nation because of the way they present the record and road ahead for developing three-domain leadership. Competition judge Diana Ryall, formerly MD of Apple Computer Australia, observes:27

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Intrinsic motivation showed up strongly in the companies we selected … but the physical environment wasn’t as highly ranked as I expected. And work/life balance is the pits everywhere [she said] … There’s such pressure on reducing [numbers of ] people and getting them to work harder …

Apparently, the best of the best are still making the same mistakes. On the positive side of the ledger, joint winner Flight Centre identified the fundamental importance of people rallying together to achieve results as a key contributor to success. As did the ‘highly commended’ Virgin Blue airline culture, which was based on freedom for staff to extend their jobs and concerted attempts by managers to move away from formal organisational structures. This is yet more proof, if it is needed, that workplace community, personal extension and organisational adaptability to fit its people delivers results, job satisfaction and retention. This is the professional and personal pay-off implicit in three-domain leadership.

FINAL WORDS AND FIRST STEPS It has been observed that many people working in contemporary organisations have become the by-products of an accelerated form of social Darwinism. Rather than the ability to survive in the wild, however, the strengths of homo corporatus are demonstrated through technical training, a discrete set of interpersonal skills, a distinct set of attitudes and approaches to challenges at work, and an often single-minded absorption in career. In fact, much contemporary psychometric testing associated with corporate recruitment, assessment and development is empirically reinforcing this species, but often in ways that do little to balance professional life with priority people. Consider, for example, preferred measures in the Occupational Personality Questionnaire28 for executives and leaders based on constructs like ‘conscientious’, ‘detail conscious’, ‘tough-minded’, ‘emotional control’, ‘data rational’ and ‘critical’. Usually, the more of these preferences you display the more likely are your chances of being recruited and developed. Three-domain leadership, by contrast, offers people the opportunity to step away from the corporate archetypes, and look at how they want to evolve, with reference to their families and community links – as opposed to the less personal vocational food chain. In this context, they may well use a different set of constructs at work to those in the occupational personality questionnaire (OPQ), which could have titles like ‘intolerance’ (of collective

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dishonesty), ‘mobility’ (to walk away from self-destructive deadlines and situations), ‘whole-picture conscientiousness’ (including family and personal wellbeing), ‘flexible mindedness’ (to challenge unrealistic expectations) and ‘emotional awareness’ (to identify limits to personal capacity). Outside the office taxonomy in an era when celebrity commentators line up around the block to dispense sound bites on every aspect of being Australian, readers may well be better advised by their priority people and family in relation to their unique needs as antipodeans. To this end threedomain leadership invites dialogue and reflection on the everyday as opposed to talk-show wisdom, colour and movement that is simply informing the fashion and fad conscious. Unlike tertiary and other ‘training’ courses, three-domain leadership in action has no term, no hierarchy and no grading system. The time to start is now and the place to start is with yourself, be this related to your wellbeing or a ‘mirror test’ next time you go to the washroom. You will find that your journey is better organised and tracked using the Workbook mentioned earlier. The process will also be significantly enhanced by a mentor, and possibly a coach, who has been accredited by the author to work with these materials. ‘Promotion’ via three-domain leadership is measured in terms of quality of life and legacy with priority people, as opposed to status, seniority, billings and quarterly outcomes. Finally, ‘grading’ in three-domain leadership is measured in smiles, rather than air miles and closed files. Leadershift: The Work–Life Balance Program is a necessary reaction to a time of imbalance in work life that is largely unchallenged, aside from curses directed at computer screens as news of the next corporate restructure hits the intranet. A bottom-up approach is offered to this common contemporary challenge, hopefully before any more of us go head down.

FROM THE HEART ❤ Achievement of meaningful change related to self and priority people requires more than simply creating a list with dates and accountabilities. For some this may mean investigation of motivational as well as planning tools. ❤ In order to assist priority people in the achievement of their objectives the Brief Therapy counselling model provides a practical method for non-psychologists to define the situation, set targets and encourage the individual to move ahead in manageable steps.

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❤ The associated mentoring model provided for professionals is simple and easy to remember. It provides a template to review and reset targets, which improves results with ‘normal’ people in the workplace. ❤ Three-domain employers of choice will achieve more credible transformations if they focus on specific parts of the organisation and ongoing dialogue related to change, as opposed to periodic surveys with reactive short-term ‘fixes’. ❤ Three-domain thinking is a model for self-management in a time of change and challenge in global, corporate and community relations. By having a clear sense of who you are, what is fundamentally important in life and how you want to serve as an adult in a complex world, greater congruence, clarity and connectedness can be achieved with positive forces at work in the world.

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Chapter 1: Three-domain Leadership 1 Sennett, R. 1998, The Corrosion of Character, Norton, NY. 2 Sinclair, A. 2002, ‘End Note’, Australian Financial Review, Boss magazine, May, p. 66. 3 Other authors have used other reference frames such as ‘spouse’, ‘family’, ‘friends’, ‘community’ and so on. However, I believe these labels are often ambiguous in contemporary relationships. Consider gay and straight couples, extended and blended families, friends who share houses and kids, communities that may be virtual or non-residential. I have consequently distilled these down to the three to which most of us can readily relate. 4 Theobald, R. 1997, Reworking Success: New Communities at the Millennium, New Society Publisher, Canada, p. 74. 5 Popcorn, F. and Marigold, L. 1998, Clicking: 17 Trends that Drive America, Harper Business, NY, p. 45. 6 Nordstrom, K. and Ridderstraker, J. 2000, Funky Business: Talent Makes Capital Dance, Financial Times/Prentice Hall, London, pp. 125, 171. 7 Kets de Vries, M. 2001, The Leadership Mystique, Prentice Hall, London, p. 216. 8 Drucker, P. 1996, The Leader of the Future: New Visions, Strategies and Practices for the Next Era, eds Hesselbein, F., Goldsmith, M. and Beckhard, R., Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, pp. xi–xv. 9 Williams, P. 2001, ‘Al Dunlap’s Disgrace’, Australian Financial Review, Weekend, 21/22 July, Perspective, p. 22. 10 Hamel, G. and Prahalad, C. K. 1994, Competing for the Future, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA., p. x. 11 O’Boyle, T. 1998, At Any Cost: Jack Welch, General Electric and the Pursuit of Profit, Alfred A. Knopf, NY. 12 Lowe, J. 2001, ‘The Real Jack Welch’, Australian Financial Review, Boss magazine, June, p. 24. 13 Williams, P. 2002, ‘The Not-so-secret life of Jack Welch’, Australian Financial Review, 16–17 March, p. 28. 14 ‘Driving Force’, Who Weekly, 25/9/2000, p. 40. 15 ‘Driving Force’, Who Weekly, 25/9/2000, p. 39. 16 Quoted in Rivlin, G. 1999, The Plot to Get Bill Gates, Quartet Books, UK, p. 98. 17 Quoted in Rivlin, G. 1999, The Plot to Get Bill Gates, Quartet Books, UK, p. 98. 18 Quoted in The Economist, 28 April 2001, p. 66. 19 Quoted in The Economist, 28 April–4 May, 2001, p. 19. 20 Quoted in Australian Financial Review, Weekend, 28/29 April 2001, Perspective, p. 26. 21 Moss Kantor, quoted in Drucker, P. 1996, p. 91. 22 Heller, R. 2000, Peter Drucker, Dorling Kindersley, London, p. 96.

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23 Sinclair, A. and Wilson, V. 2002, New Faces of Leadership, Melbourne University Press, p. 112. Chapter 2: Meaningful Priority and Time Management

1 Napolitano, C. S. and Henderson, L. J. 1998, The Leadership Odyssey – A Self Development Guide to New Skills for New Times, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, pp. 13–35. 2 Kouzes, J. M. and Posner, B. Z. 1995, The Leadership Challenge, How to Keep Getting Extraordinary Things Done in Organisations, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, p. 216. 3 Mellish, M. 2000, ‘NAB Cracks First $3bn Profit’, Australian Financial Review, 3 November, p. 59. 4 Greene, R. and Elffers, J. 1998, The 48 Laws of Power, Hodder and Stoughton, Sydney, pp. ix–xiv. 5 Friedman, T. 2000, The Lexus and The Olive Tree, HarperCollins Publishers, London, p. 31. 6 Mant, A. 2001, Australian Financial Review, Boss magazine, February, p. 66. 7 Klein, N. 2000, No Logo, Flamingo, London, p. 92. 8 Way, N. 2000, ‘Battle of the Chromosomes’, Management Today, Australian Institute of Management, August, pp. 14–18. 9 Mackay, H. 1997, Generations: Baby Boomers, Their Parents and Their Children, Macmillan, Melbourne. 10 Covey, S. R. 1990, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The Business Library, Melbourne. —— 1994, Principle Centred Leadership, The Business Library, Australia. —— 1997, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, Allen & Unwin, Sydney. —— 1999, Living the 7 Habits, Simon & Schuster, NY. 11 Covey has been endorsed by everyone from Marie Osmond (presumably from those Osmonds) to Buck Rogers (no, this one was with IBM), from professional golfers to the US Ambassador to Sweden. Having noted these high-profile people (who appear in the flyleaf of The 7 Habits), I must also acknowledge that many of my friends have gained much from his writings and seminars as well. 12 Covey, S. R. 1994, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The Business Library, Melbourne, 4th edn, p. 142. 13 Covey, S. R., Merrill, R. A. and Merrill, R. R. 1994, First Things First, To Live, to Love, to Learn, to Leave a Legacy, Simon & Schuster, NY, p. 220. 14 www.sandline.com 15 Covey, S. R., Merrill, R. A. and Merrill, R. R. 1994, First Things First, To Live, to Love, to Learn, to Leave a Legacy, Simon & Schuster, NY, p. 321. 16 Covey, S. R. 1999, Living the 7 Habits: Stories of Courage and Inspiration, Simon & Schuster, NY. 17 Collins Concise Dictionary, Australian Edition, HarperCollins, Sydney, 3rd edn, 1995. 18 Carroll, J. 1998, Ego and Soul: The Modern West in Search of Meaning, HarperCollins, Sydney, p. 17.

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19 Bigham-Bernstel, J. and Windhaus, S. 2000, Getting Organised – 10-minute Guide, Macmillan, NY, p. 31. 20 Winter, G. and Hamilton, C. 1992, The Business Athlete, Pan Macmillan, Melbourne. 21 McCormack, M. H. 1984, What They Don’t Teach You at Harvard Business School, Fontana/Collins, London, p. 208. 22 Deming, Dr. D. W. 1998, ‘Fourteen Commandments for Managers’, in Scholtz, P. R. Team Handbook, Joiner Associates, Madison, WI, pp. 2–4. 23 Barkas, J. L. 1984, Creative Time Management, Prentice Hall, NJ, p. 73. 24 The Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey 2001 (Department of Family and Community Services). Newsletter for Wave 2 Final, p. 2. 25 Godefroy, C. H. and Clark, J. 1989, The Complete Time Management System, Piatkus, London, p. 44. 26 The Guardian, 12 June 2002. 27 Channel 7, Sunday Sunrise, 21 August 2003. Chapter 3: Enhancing Your Wellbeing 1 Price, G. 2001, ‘Chairman’s Punchline Leaves Hard Feelings’, The Weekend Australian, 13–14 January, p. 3. 2 Australia Bureau of Statistics 1995, Australia Now – A Statistical Profile, National Health Survey, Health and Wellbeing, p. 1. 3 Mansfield, W. 1999, Alcohol and Drugs in The Workplace: An ACTU Perspective, National Occupational Health and Safety Commission, Commonwealth of Australia. 4 Microsoft Office 2000 advertisement published in Weekend Magazine during 2000. 5 Human Resource News Magazine, February 2001. 6 Telford, R. D., Reid, R. A., Vickary, D. M. and Fries, J. F. 1993, Take Care of Yourself, Your Personal Guide to Self Care and Preventing Illness, AddisonWesley, Sydney, pp. 117–120. 7 Note that this form of medical history collection may change from doctor to doctor. It is provided as a guideline only in this publication. 8 www.ideafit.com, p. 1. 9 UCLA School of Public Health 1991, Fifty Simple Things You Can Do To Save Your Life, School of Public Health, University of California, US. 10 Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia Now – A Statistical Profile: Health, Overweight and Obesity – www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/c31121. 11 www.global-fitness.com/article, Body Fat, p. 2. 12 www.heartfoundation.com 13 Hailes, J. 2000, The Medical Journal of Australia, 173 Suppl. 6 November: S104S105. 14 The Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care 2001, National Physical Activity Guidelines for Australians.

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15 ABS 1995, Physical Activity, p. 1. 16 www.heartfoundation.com 17 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edn, American Psychiatric Association, Washington DC, 1994, Appendix I, pp. 845–9. 18 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Statistical Release 1999 – www.aihw.gov.au/releases/1999. 19 McManus, Mant, Mitchell, Montgomery, Marley and Auland, 2000, ‘Recent trends in the use of anti-depressant drugs in Australia, 1990 – 1998’, The Medical Journal of Australia, vol 173, pp. 458–61. 20 Ellen, S., Norman, T. and Burrows, G. 1998, ‘Assessing Anxiety and Depression in Primary Care’, The Medical Journal of Australia, www.mja.com.au. 21 Maslach, C. and Leiter, M. P. 1997, The Truth About Burnout, How Organisations Cause Personal Stress and What to do about it, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, p. 23. 22 Seligman, M. E. 1990, PhD, Learned Optimism, Random House, Sydney. 23 Stoltz, Paul G. 1997, PhD, Adversity Quotient – Turning Obstacles into Opportunities, John Wiley & Sons, NY. 24 Morawetz, Dr D. 1994, Sleep Better Without Drugs, New Litho, Melbourne. 25 Burns, R. B. 1992, Ten Skills For Working With Stress, Business and Professional Publishing, Sydney, p. 210. 26 Csikszentmihalyi, M. 1997, Living Well: The psychology of everyday life, HarperCollins, London. 27 Kelly, S. F. and Kelly, R. J. 1995, Imagine Yourself Well – Better Health Through Self Hypnosis, Insight Books, Plenim Press, NY, p. 12. 28 Harrison, E. 1993, Teach Yourself To Meditate, Simon & Schuster, Sydney. 29 www.TM.org 30 Carlson, R. PhD 1997, Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff ... And It’s all Small Stuff, Hyperion, NY. Chapter 4: Key Relationships and Corporate Tribes 1 Berg-Cross, L. 2000, Basic Concepts in Family Therapy, An Introductory Text, Second Edition, The Haworth Press, NY, p. 5. 2 Mostwin, D. 1981 ‘Lifespace Ecological Model of Family Treatment’, ‘International Journal of Family Psychiatry, 2 (one Supp. 2), pp. 75–91. 3 Bradshaw, J. 1996, Bradshaw on the Family (Revised Edition), Health Communications Inc., Florida, p. 41. 4 Satir, V. 1976, Making Contact, Celestial Arts, California, p. 19. 5 McGraw, P. C. 2000, Relationship Rescue, Vermillion Books, London, pp. 40–62. 6 Montgomery, B. and Evans, L. 1983, Living and Loving Together – How to Make Your Personal Relationships More Fulfilling, Penguin Books, Melbourne, pp. 20–38. 7 ABS 3310.0 Marriage and Divorce, Australia, 22 August 2002. 8 Bellshore, C. and Strutt, M. 1996, Couples in Crisis – Does Your Relationship Have a Future?, Wardlock, UK, p. 11. 9 Polston, B. L. and Golant, S. K. 1999, Loving Midlife Marriage – A Guide to Keeping Romance Alive from the Empty Nest Through Retirement, John Wiley & Sons, NY, p. 16.

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10 Schlessinger, L. 1997, Ten Stupid Things Men Do To Mess Up Their Lives, Cliff Street Books, NY, pp. v–vi. 11 Gottman, J. 1997, Why Marriages Succeed or Fail – And How You Can Make Yours Last, Bloomsbury, London, p. 60. 12 Bower, S. A. and Bower, G. H. 1991, Asserting Yourself – A Practical Guide for Positive Change, Perseus Books, NY, p. 171. 13 Heskett, J. L. and Schlesinger, L. A. 1996, The Leader Of The Future, Drucker Foundation Future Series, US, p. 113. 14 Jung, C. G. 1964, Man and His Symbols, Arkana, London, p. 83. 15 Nicholson, N. 2000, Managing The Human Animal, Texere, London. 16 Goleman, D. 2002, The New Leaders: Transforming the Art of Leadership into the Science of Results, Little, Brown and Company, London, p. 5. 17 Drucker, P. F. 1996, The Leader of the Future, Drucker Foundation Future Series, US, p. xii. 18 Kets De Vries, M. 2001, The Leadership Mystique, Pearson Education, London, pp. 146,147. 19 Kotter, J. P. 1999, On What Leaders Really Do, Harvard Business Review Book, US, p. 120. 20 It is noteworthy that significant numbers of high-ranking bikies are now driving top-of-the range BMWs and, conversely, high-ranking ‘suits’ are riding maximum-dollar Harleys. 21 Rivlin, G. 1999, The Plot to Get Bill Gates – An Irreverent Investigation of the World’s Richest Man and the People Who Hate Him, Quartet Books, London, p. 210. Chapter 5: Career Development and Renewal 1 McMahon, M. and Patton, W. 1999, Career Development and Systems Theory: A New Relationship, Brooks/Cole, US, pp. 10, 11. 2 Boldt, L. G. 1993, Zen and The Art of Making a Living – A Practical Guide to Creative Career Design, Penguin Arkana, NY, p. xxxi. 3 Drake, J. D. 2000, Downshifting: How to Work Less and Enjoy Life More, Berrett-Koehler, San Francisco, p. 13. 4 Boldt, L. G. 1993, p. xxxvii. 5 ABS Paper 6238.9, Retirement and Retirement Intentions, Australia, p. 1. 6 Macken, D. 2001, ‘Women Who Support Men’, Australian Financial Review, 7–8 July, p. 22. 7 Hudson, Frederick M. 1999, The Adult Years, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, pp. 235–42. 8 Carter, J. and Carter, J. 1996, He Works She Works – Successful Strategies for Working Couples, cartercarter.com, US. 9 Clayton, D. M. 1991, Up The Ladder Without The Snakes, McGraw Hill, Sydney. 10 Schutz, W. 1994, The Human Element – Productivity, Self Esteem and The Bottom Line, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, pp. 21–5. 11 Bridges, W. 1995, Job Shift – How To Prosper in a Workplace Without Jobs, Allen & Unwin, Sydney, pp. 52–3.

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12 Kiyosaki, R. T. 1998, Rich Dad Poor Dad, TechPress, Arizona. 13 Stephenson, P. 1997, The Bulletproof Executive – Armour-plated Strategies for Career Success, If You’re Employed or Not!, Harper Business, Sydney, p. 117. 14 The West Australian Weekend Extra, 8 March 2003, p. 4. 15 Brooks, D. and Brooks, L. 1997, Seven Secrets of Successful Women: Success Strategies of The Women Who Have Made It – And How You Can Follow Their Lead, McGraw-Hill, Columbos, OH, pp. 7–8. 16 Australian Financial Review, Boss magazine, July 2001, p.25 17 Pink, D. H. 2000, Free Agent Nation: How America’s New Independent Workers are Transforming the Way We Live, Warner Books, NY. 18 Micklethwait, J. and Wooldridge, A. 2000, A Future Perfect: The Challenge and Hidden Promise of Globalisation, Heinemann, London. 19 Pinault, L. 2000, Consulting Demons: Inside the Unscrupulous World of Global Corporate Consulting, Wiley & Sons, NY. 20 Handy, C. 1998, The Hungry Spirit, Arrow Books, London, p. 177. 21 Garten, J. E. 2001, The Mind of the CEO, The Penguin Press, London, 2001, quoted in Australian Financial Review, Boss magazine, April, p. 58. 22 ACTU Research, Overworked, Insecure, Stressed and Family Unfriendly, published 26/4/01. 23 Senge, P. M. 1992, The Fifth Discipline, Random House, Sydney, pp. 139–44. 24 Collins, J.C. and Porras, J. I. 1994, Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies, Harper Business Essentials, London. 25 Goldberg, B. 2000, Age Works: What Corporate America Must Do To Survive the Greying of the Workforce, Free Press, NY, p. 2. Chapter 6: Competency Development for the Largely Competent 1 Green, P. C. 1999, Building Robust Competencies: Linking Human Resource Systems to Organisational Strategies, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, p. 5. 2 Spencer, L. M. and Spencer, S. M. 1993, Competence at Work, Wiley & Sons, NY, pp. 9–11. 3 Daniels, A. C. 1994, Bringing Out the Best in People: How to Apply the Astonishing Power of Positive Reinforcement, McGraw-Hill, NY, p. 151. 4 Quinn, R. E., Faerman, S. R., Thompson, M. P. and McGrath, M. R. 1996, Becoming a Master Manager – A Competency Framework, 2nd edn, John Wiley & Sons, NY, p. 16. 5 Benton, D. A. 1996, How to Think Like a CEO – The 22 Vital Trails You Need to Be The Person at the Top, Warner Books, NY. 6 Lepsinger, R. and Lucia, A. D. 1997, The Art and Science of 360° Feedback, Pfeiffer, San Diego, pp. 144–7. 7 Peiperl, M. A. 2001, ‘Peer Pressures’, Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business School Publishing (distributed by NY Times Special Features), Boston. 8 Gates, B. 2000, Business @ The Speed Of Thought – Succeeding in the Digital Economy, Penguin, p. 23. 9 Goleman, D. 1996, Emotional Intelligence, Why it can matter more than IQ, Bloomsbury, London.

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10 Goleman, D. 1998, Working With Emotional Intelligence, Bloomsbury, London, p. 317. 11 Hayashi, A. M. 2001, ‘Trust Your Gut’, Harvard Business Review, February, vol. 79, no. 2, p. 59. 12 Gough Whitlam’s foreword to: Young, I. Theodore, His Life and Times, Alpha Books, Sydney, p. viii. 13 Wilks, F. 1999, Intelligent Emotion – How to Succeed Through Transforming Your Feelings, Arrow, London, p. 29. 14 Kaplin, R. S. and Norton, D. P. 1996, The Balanced Scorecard: Translating Strategy into Action, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, p. 25. 15 www.triplebottomline.com 16 Madden, J. 2002, ‘Oil Giant Caused Fatal Gas Disaster’, The Weekend Australian, 16 November 16, p. 4. Chapter 7: Assessing and Developing your Team

1 Katzenbach, J. R. and Smith, D. K. 1998, The Wisdom of Teams, McGraw-Hill, NY, p. 45. 2 Pascale, R. and Athos, A. 1981, The Art of Japanese Management, Penguin, London. 3 Semler, R. 1993, Maverick!, Century, London, p. 3. 4 Scholtes, P. R. et al. 1988, The Team Handbook, Joiner Associates, Wisconson, US. 5 Kidder, T. 1981, The Soul of a New Machine, Atlantic-Little, Brown, Boston. 6 Belbin, R. M. 1981, Management of Teams – Why They Succeed or Fail, Heinemann, London, p. 99. 7 Sennett, R. 1998, The Corrosion of Character, Norton, NY, p. 106. 8 Robbins, H. and Finley, M. 1997, Why Teams Don’t Work, Orion Business Books, London, pp. 14,15. 9 Elledge, R. L. and Phillips, S. L. 1994, Team Building for the Future: Beyond the Basics, Pfeiffer, San Diego, p. 41. 10 Rees, F. 1991, How to Lead Work Teams’ Facilitation Skills, Pfeiffer, San Diego, pp. 39–41. 11 Dyer, W. 1987, Team Building: Issues and Alternatives (2nd edn), AddisonWesley, Boston, MA. 12 Elledge, R. L. and Phillips, S. L. 1994, p. 215. 13 Duarte, D. L. and Tennant Snyder, N. 2001, Mastering Virtual Teams, 2nd edn, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, p. 5. 14 Tuckman, B. W. and Jensen, M. 1977, Stages in Small Group Development Revisited, Group and Organisational Studies, 2(4), pp. 419–27. 15 Adair, J. 1986, Effective Teambuilding, Pan Books, London, p. 28. 16 Woods, J. A. 1997, 10-Minute Guide to Teams and Teamwork, Alpha Books, NY, pp. 69–78. 17 Deeprose, D. 1995, The Team Coach: Vital New Skills for Supervisors and Managers in a Team Environment, Amacon, NY, p. 88.

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18 Recognition is a strange animal. While one team member may bask in the glory of his or her achievement, there is the risk that other members may be seething at being excluded from the podium. Consider: – Recognition followed by celebration in the form of a meal or drinks achieves inclusiveness, which could console the people who got second, third and the other prizes. – Unless the raison d’etre of the team is money and material goods, recognition can take the form of ‘awards’, which may be of a symbolic nature (for example, a Team Hero award). – Recognition can take the form of the delivery of eccentric ‘awards’. I am aware of a law firm that hands out a horribly moth-eaten cape to its most successful trial lawyer. – Recognition can be enhanced by the presence of other leaders. – Recognition through documents, photographs, e-mail acknowledgment can significantly enhance trophy value. Chapter 8: High-level Communication and Conflict Containment

1 Satir, V. 1976, Making Contact, Celestial Arts, California. 2 Argyris, C. 1985, Strategy, Change and Defensive Routines, The Learning Organisation, Pitman, Boston. 3 Bower, S. A. and Bower G. H. 1991, Asserting Your-Self, A Practical Guide for Positive Change, Perseus Books, NY, pp. 4–6. 4 Eunson, B. 1997, Dealing With Conflict, John Wiley & Sons, Brisbane, p. 53. 5 Collis, J. 1999, The Great Sales Book, Harper Business, Sydney, p. 53. 6 Mitchell, M. with John Corr, 1998, The First Five Minutes: How to Make a Great Impression in any Business Situation, John Wiley & Sons, NY. 7 Kushner, M. 1990, The Light Touch, How to Use Humour for Business Success, Simon & Schuster, NY, pp. 23. 8 Hook, J. and Phillips, J. 1996, Getting Your Message Across: The 7 Steps to Communicating Successfully in Every Situation, Simon & Schuster, Sydney. 9 Buckley, R. 1999, Strictly Speaking, Reid Buckley’s Indispensable Handbook on Public Speaking, McGraw-Hill, NY. 10 Griffin, J. 1998, How to Say It at Work, Putting Yourself Across with Power Words, Phrases, Body Language and Communication Secrets, Prentice Hall, NJ, pp. 18–25. 11 Macquarie Dictionary, Macquarie Library, Sydney, 1982. 12 Boydston, J. A. 1976, John Dewey: The Middle Works, 1899–1924, Southern Illinois University Press. 13 Berne, E. 1964, Games People Play – The Psychology of Human Relationships, Penguin Books, p. 23. 14 Thomas, K. W. and Kilmann, R. H. 1974, Thomas–Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, Xicom, Inc., Tuxedo, NY. 15 Fisher, R. and Ury, W. 1999, Getting to Yes, Negotiating an Agreement Without Giving In, Random House Business Books, London.

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16 Charlton, R. 2000, Dispute Resolution Guidebook, LBC Information Services, Sydney, p. 17 Chapter 9: ‘Retirement’ for the unwilling

1 Note that every reference to ‘retirement’ in this chapter has been placed in inverted commas. This is the author’s way of expressing his dissatisfaction with the term in this era of significantly expanded life passages and work styles. 2 Weeks, J. and O. Where to Retire in Australia, PO Box 1130, Camberwell, Victoria 3124 ($46.40). 3 www.aarp.org/wellness 4 Older Australians at a Glance (1999), Section 7, Department of Aged Care, Commonwealth of Australia. 5 Hudson, F. M. 1999, The Adult Years, Mastering the Art of Self Renewal, JosseyBass, San Francisco, pp. 34–43. 6 Pollan, S. M. and Levine, M. 1997, Die Broke: Quit Today, Pay Cash, Don’t Retire, Harper Business, NY. 7 Walaspina, M. 2000, Don’t Die Broke, John Wiley & Sons, London. 8 Longhurst, M. 2000, The Beginners Guide to Retirement, Hodder, Sydney, p. 13. 9 Older Australians at a Glance (1999), Section 24, Department of Aged Care, Commonwealth of Australia. 10 Klein, W. C. and Bloom, M. 1997, Successful Aging Strategies for Healthy Living, Plenum Press, NY, pp. 86–7. 11 Sharpley, C.F. and Yardley, P. 1999, Australian Psychologists, vol. 34, no. 3, pp. 198–203. 12 Seligman, M. E. P. 1992, Learned Optimism, Random House, Sydney, p. 55. 13 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edn, American Psychiatric Association, Washington DC, 1994, Appendix 1, pp. 320–7. 14 Berg-Cross, L. 2000, Basic Concepts in Family Therapy, 2nd edn, The Haworth Press, NY, p. 308. 15 McGraw, P. C. 2000, Relationship Rescue, Vermillion, London, p. 28. 16 Murray, M. and Owen, M. A. 1991, Beyond The Myths and Magic of Mentoring – How to Facilitate an Effective Mentoring Program, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, p. 107. 17 Korten, D. C. 1999, The Post Corporate World, Life After Capitalism, BerrettKoehler, San Francisco, pp. 268–72. 18 Australian Bureau of Statistics (Older Australians at a Glance), p. 13. 19 Cerexhe, P. 1998, Before and After Retirement, Choice Books, Sydney, p. 186. 20 Curnow, B. and McLain Fox, J. 1994, Third Age Careers, Meeting the Corporate Challenge, Gower, Brookfield, VT, p. xi. 21 Goldberg, B. 2000, Age Works: What Corporate America Must Do To Survive the Greying of the Workforce, Free Press, NY, pp. 2, 132, 160, 117. 22 Jones, A. 2001, ‘The Rock of the Ages’, Australian Financial Review, Boss magazine, August, p. 26.

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23 Murphy, C. 2002, ‘The Older Worker Comes in From the Cold’, The Weekend Australian, October 26/27, p. 23. Chapter 10: Getting Your Plans Right

1 Moss Kanter, R. 1984, The Change Masters – Corporate Entrepreneurs at Work, George Allen & Unwin, London. 2 Peters, T. and Waterman, R. 1982, In Search of Excellence, Harper & Row, NY. 3 Aurelius, M. 1995, Meditations, translated by Staniforth, M., Penguin Books. 4 Allen, J. 1983, As A Man Thinketh, DeVorss & Company, NY. 5 McWilliam, E. 2002, What About Uranus? or How Are You on the Whole?, UNSW Press, Sydney, p. 6. 6 Drucker, P. 1954, The Practice Of Management, Harper & Rowe, NY. 7 Drucker, P. 1999, Management Challenges for the 21st Century, Harper Collins, NY. 8 Tice, L. 1997, Personal Coaching For Results – How To Mentor and Inspire Others To Amazing Growth, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. 9 Hudson, F. M. 199, The Handbook Of Coaching – A Comprehensive Resource Guide For Managers, Executives, Consultants and Human Resource Professionals, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, pp. 105–14. 10 Benton, D. A. 1999, Secrets of a CEO Coach: Your Personal Training Guide to Thinking Like a Leader and Acting Like a CEO, McGraw-Hill, NY, p. 196. 11 Berglas, S. 2002, ‘The Very Real Dangers of Executive Coaching’, published in The Harvard Business Review, June. 12 Stephenson, P. 2000, Executive Coaching: Lead, Develop, Retain Motivated Talented People, Prentice Hall, Sydney, p. 1. 13 Doyle, James S. 1999, The Business Coach: A Game Plan For The New Work Environment, John Wiley & Sons, Scarborough, Canada, pp. 133–8. 14 Grant, A. M. 2003, ‘The Impact of Life Coaching on Goal Attainment, Metacognition and Mental Health’, Social Behaviour and Personality, 31(3), p. 253. 15 Quick, E. K. 1996, Doing What Works in Brief Therapy – A Strategic Solution Focussed Approach, Academic Press, San Diego. 16 Landsberg, M. 1997, The Tao Of Coaching – Boost Your Effectiveness At Work By Inspiring And Developing Those Around You, Harper Collins Business Books, London. 17 Turner, R. 2003, ‘They Just Did IT’, Australian Financial Review, Boss magazine, April, p. 64. 18 Stewart, C. 2003, ‘The Lethal Touch’, The Australian Magazine, March 29/30, p. 21. 19 Bevan, S. 1999, Water from the Moon: A Biography of John Fawcett, Fremantle Arts Centre Press, Fremantle, WA. 20 www.humanitarianprojectsindonesia.org. 21 Champy, J. and Hammer, M. 1993, Reengineering the Corporation, Harper Business, NY.

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22 Kets De Vries, M. 1995, Life and Death in the Executive Fast Lane, US, JosseyBass, San Francisco. 23 Kotter J. P. 1996, Leading Change, Harvard Business School Press, Boston. 24 O’Toole, J. 1996, Leading Change: The Argument For Values Based Leadership, Valentine Books, US. 25 Passmore, W. A. 1994, Creating Strategic Change: Designing The Flexible High Performing Organisation, John Wiley & Sons, NY. 26 Branham, F. Leigh, 2000, Keeping The People Who Keep You in Business: 24 Ways to Hand on to Your Most Valuable Talent, Amacom, NY, Chapter 1. 27 Fox, C. 2003, ‘Best Employers 2003’, Australian Financial Review, Boss magazine, March, Cover Story 28 The Occupational Personality Questionnaire, (OPQ Concept CM 4.2), Saville & Holdsworth Ltd, Thames Ditton, Surrey, 1994.

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INDEX

adversity management 84 AFL 219 Alexander (The Great) 18, 24, 26 American Beauty 96, 102 Annan, Koffi 18 Arafat, Yasser 18 Argus, Don 17 Art of War, The 4 assertiveness defined 226 characteristics 226, 228 dilemmas 231 high-level 232 rights 229 situations for 230 Aurelius, Marcus 292, 293 Australian Graduate School of Management 1 Bard, The 83, 84, 236 see also Shakespeare, William Barnevik, Percy 25 Barrassi, Ron 219 Beatty, Greg 66 Bennis, Warren 1, 315 Berlusconi, Silvio 18, 21–2 Bhagavad-Gita, The 291, 292 Bible, The 291 Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson 217 Bodecker, Sandy 311 burnout 83 CEOs and balance 12 psychological competencies of 167 Camus, Albert 44 Capablanca 58 career adult age challenges 143–4 and older workers 157–8 and priority people 134–42 and renewal 129–34 and social trends 127 and the little kings 126 and the personal domain 126–34 downshifting 126, 150 employer vs community 156

key questions 134 lifelines 129 outplacement guidelines 148–9 narrative view of 150–1 next most likely move 152 professional trends 142–3 serfs and citizens 147 self-employment 153–5 third age careers 287–9 Carnegie, Dale 222 Centre for Innovation in Corporate Responsibility 186 change, difficulty with 291–3 Cheney, Dick 67 Cicutto, Frank 32–3 coaches, use of 299–302 Cole, Ida 121–2 communication and conflict management 245–7 and humour 237–9 and impression management 233–7 and information processing 222–3 and information reception 224–5 and information transmission 223–4 and maps 246–7 and retirement related 278–2 and Thomas–Kilman conflict modes 248–249 and Transactional Analysis 247–8 and verbal medium 223, 241–2 and visual medium 223, 243–5 and vocal medium 223, 242–3 assertiveness 226–3 left-hand column 225 see also presentations and speeches see also mediation see also negotiation

competency defined 162–3 and contextual framework 164 and emotional intelligence 172–6 and language 163 and leadership roles 166 and 360° feedback template 169–71 balanced scorecard 184–5 job competencies list 168 interpersonal competencies 171–2 Conclusions from book 302 Cosgrove, Peter 18 credo 47, 52, 302 cynicism indicators 34–35 Deane, William 18, 312 Dharmapada, The 291–2 downshifting 126, 150 Dunlap, Al 15 Dunlop, Weary 27 Dunphy, Dexter 1 Edison, Thomas 77 emotional intelligence defined 172 and Australian leaders 176 and empathy 175 and motivation 174–5 and self-awareness 173–4 and self-regulation 174 and social skills 175–6 emotional opposites 178 Ernst and Young 63 Esmaralda Resources 186 Esso Longford 187 evolutionary psychology 113 exercise 78 and self-assessment 79 family defined 97–8 and dysfunctional roles 104 composition 97 rules of 102–3 systems view 101–4 Farina, Frank 219 Fat Pizza 28 Fawcett, John 313

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10 Fire and Emergency Services 218 Ford, William Clay III 20 Fox, Lindsay 259 Franks (General), Tommy 18 Freeman, Cathy 27, 311 French, Dawn 75 Friday night flameout 2 Gandhi, Mohandas 18, 24 Gates, Bill 1, 17, 20–1, 121, 171, 224, 309 Generation X 37–8 Generation Y 37–8 goal realisation 291 Greenspan, Alan 18 GROW 308 Hamel, Gary and Prahalad, C.K. 15 Hanson, Pauline 27 Hewson, John 18 Hilmer, Fred 18 Horsburgh, Ray 310 impression management defined 233 and contextual awareness 235 and role selection 235–6 with groups 234 with individuals 234 INSEAD 1 investment, increasing yours from book 4, 5 Jackson, Alan 66, 67 Jackson, Michael 40 Jennings, Dare 312 Johnstone (Coroner), Graeme 187 Jones, Alan 219 Jordan, Michael 18 Kennett, Jeff 18 Kirby, Michael 27 Kissinger, Henry 18, 23 Kokoda Trail, 218 Koran, The 291 Kostakedis, Mary 311 Lauder, Nicki 18 Lebed (General), Alexander 18 leader

adaptive 27–8 and interpersonal competence 171–2 as prisoner 16 Australian 26–8 author list 315–16 competencies 166–7 everyone is 6 external 14–15 gun for hire 14 interactionalist definition 9–10 internal 12–13 leadership defined 9 pathology in workgroups 118 portability 11–12 role models 17–18 three-domain at work 309–13 three-domain model 6–8 life transitions 297, 298 London School of Economics 1 McCrosson, Julie 27 McLeans Magazine 19 McQueen, Rod 219 Mabo, Eddie 27 Mahabarata, 291 Mandela, Nelson 18 Matthews, Leigh 312 mediation 253–9 process model 254–8 meditation 89–91 how to 90 Transcendental 91 Melbourne Business School 4 mentoring 284, 303–9 mission statement mania 42 mood 80–3 cultural syndromes 81 learned optimism 83 state and trait 82 motivational literature 293–4 Napoleon, Bonaparte 18, 26 Nasser, Jac 17, 20 negotiation 252 and The Harvard Project 253 Niaux, caves at 97 Noongar elders 217 Norman, Greg 18 Nossal, Sir Gus 309, 310 nutrition 75

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INDEX

eating at work 76–7 practices 76

outcomes from book 5, 302 outplacement, cautions and guidelines 148–50 Pareto Principle 59 Parker, Charlie 44 Pearson, Noel 27 Perot, Ross 18 personal domain defined 7 and career 126–7 Peter Principle 16, 86 Picasso, Pablo 44 Powell, Colin 18 presentations and speeches 239 guidelines for speeches 240–5 structure of speeches 240 pressure 86 and mood 80 managing 86 principles 33 borrowed in the professional domain 36 in a global world 35 priority management and clock management 53 seven steps to effective 45 priority people defined 7 and careers 134 assisting 92 in retirement 278 mentoring 303 professional domain defined 8 and career development 142–6 assisting professionals 92 mentoring 308 Putin, Vladimir 18 Qantas 314 Reagan, Nancy 35 relationships, mapping 98 and genograms 98 challenging questions 112 improvement 107–8 myths 106 primary 104 tribal analysis 112 retirement redefined 262

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retirement defined cont. activity 282 and adversity management 278 and conflict 278 and energy investment 269 and faulty thinking 277 and priority people 278 community and employment 285 cyclical life view 268 guidelines for traditional 272 life expectancy 266 linear life view 266 mentoring 284 places to retire 265 physical health in 273 psychological health in 274 relationship repair 280 third age careers 287

Sandline International 42 Schwartzkopf (General), Norman 18, 22 Shakespeare, William 83, 84, 236 Sharon, Ariel 18 Sheedy, Kevin 219 Shinawatra, Thaksin 18 Simpson, O.J. 18, 26 Skilling, Jeff 311 sleep management 85 Snowy Mountains Scheme 218 Stange, Berndt 219 Stanley, Fiona 27 systems theory and career development 125 and the family 101

team Australian teams 217 building activities 213–17 definition 189 development activities 211–13 diagnostics 204 function 196–9 high performance 191 leader needs 203 maturity 200 models 190 priority people in teams 206 reactive, stuck and proactive start points 194 size and distribution 199–200 types and enhancement 196 use of consultants 195 why they don’t work 192 wisdom and myths 189–93 Thatcher, Margaret 18 Theresa, Mother 18 thinking 3D summarised 309 360° feedback criticisms 169 time management 52 and self-management 54 and task management 57 and time to think 55 priority people related 62 tribal analysis at work 112 chief 115 initiation 120 myth 115 rules 119 totem 114 tribal council 117 tribe of choice 122 women and minorities 121

Tolkein, J. R. R. 114 Torah, The 291 triple bottom line 186 trouble with Keith 8 Turner, Ted 17 values, principles and priorities 32 and generations 37 values compass 49 Walton, Sam, 20 Warne, Shane 18 Welch, Jack 1, 17, 19 wellbeing and diagnostic strategy 72–3 and drug abuse 68 and exercise 78–9 and health plan 74 and low-impact symptoms 70 and meditation 90 and mood 80 and nutrition 75–7 and ‘patients’ 70–1 and pressure 86 and self-care 67 and sleep 85 assisting priority people’s 92 assisting professionals’ 93 saving your own life 75 Wetlaufer, Suzy 19 Wilkie, Andrew 28 Western Mining Corporation 186 Westpac 186 working smarter and harder 3

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Leadershift is an original Australian concept that will shift the way you think about your personal and professional life. The Leadershift program has two components: The book explores three domains in which the practice of leadership takes place: the personal domain; the priority people domain (family and friends); and the professional domain. Within this model, the author provides a wealth of information and analysis on the personal and working lives of Australians today. He then offers practical self-help or group administered program materials to achieve a work–life balance. The accompanying workbook, based on the text, provides information and worksheets for selfevaluation that will help readers manage and implement their personal goals.

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Don Clayton writes in a witty, engaging style. He draws on the latest research in personal development and management theories, actual case studies, his own personal and professional experience, and profiles of well-known leaders.

A refreshingly Australian view of leadership in a sea of literature that can be derivative and destructive in terms of its impact on real people. Don Clayton reminds us that it is timely for Australians to look at our unique character and potential and to direct ourselves in ways that allow authenticity and balance in the workplace and in the context of our broader lives. Paul Holmes à Court – CEO Heytesbury Pty Ltd

Don reminds us all that leadership is not one-dimensional, but rather a constant search for a balance … He challenges us to look at how we look after ourselves and our key relationships … in an era of over employment and one-dimensional training and development. Guy Burdon – General Manager, Business Banking Commonwealth Bank, Western Australia

Don has separated the substance from the clichés in this street-smart application of corporate and personal development psychology. At last someone has brought all the latest thinking together into one book and backed it up with practical exercises. Tim Rose – General Manager, Amcor Spearwood Paper Mill

Don Clayton has a masters degree in psychology and has served on committees associated with the APS College of Organisational Psychology.

ISBN 0-86431-466-3

9 780864 314666

Australian Council for Educational Research

Accessible, practical and powerful. Don has written a must have for every corporate briefcase and bookcase. Kerry Crompton – Chief Operating Officer, Members Equity

DON CLAYTON

Don Clayton started his people development consultancy in Sydney in 1985 and is now based in Perth. He works throughout Australia, New Zealand and Singapore and his clients include major banks, top 100 international companies, federal and state government agencies. Don works with CEOs, medicos, senior legal partners, university academics, school principals, engineers, accountants, and government ministers, as well as managers and supervisors in manufacturing and transport, hospitality and general administration.

LEADERshift The work-life balance program

How would you describe your work, family and personal life? Out of balance? Are you putting in long hours, working inefficiently and in need of a tune up at a personal and professional level?