The Front Page by BG
Something is missing.
Something is missing in how we are hiring our future leaders.
Something is missing in how we develop our leaders.
Something is missing in how we evaluate and reward our leaders.
And the results are dismal. It seems to be so common now to see the failure of high profile leaders that not only are many indifferent to this, but most expected it to happen. Now, I do realize that maybe the problem is actually not worse than it has been, but it could be due to the fact of the 24/7 news cycle and overflow of information into our lives that we are simply more aware of these failures than in the past. I am not so sure that is completely the case.
Our performance culture has gotten such that in many organizations it seems to be the only measure of someone’s value. Many, many organizations have noble values posted on the walls of their buildings, but in too many cases these are not even aspirational values, they have simply become window dressing or have quietly faded away.
I have seen it first-hand, I have been in situations where I saw leaders take moral or ethical shortcuts to obtain a certain outcome. I have been asked in the past to take some of those same shortcuts. Somehow, the individuals convinced themselves that the end always justifies the means. Invariably, that was not the case. At some point, the ethically flawed approach came back to undo the “good” results, inflicting damage upon the mission of the organization and damaging other people. But part of the problem is that in many of our organizations we have what Adam Grant calls “performance accountability”, but we are lacking “process accountability”. We are judging and rewarding (or punishing) people simply on the results they produce, but not on how they are produced. We are looking the other way when leaders are taking ethical or moral shortcuts as long as they are producing the results we want.
The key element we are missing is the understanding that leadership flows from WHO a person is. Leadership is not simply a technique or group of techniques. We are inundated with information on HOW to lead, but we are missing the fact that ultimately the character of the leader determines their true legacy.
Competency is of course important in a leader, but more important is the character of the leader. Character is primary and competency is secondary - or at least should be in the selection of our leaders.
In our organizations, we need to adjust our human systems so that the selection of, development of, and rewarding of leaders prioritizes the character of the person - that it matters just as much as to how they accomplish something as to what they accomplished.
People can learn all of the leadership theories and techniques they can, but if their character is flawed, they will ultimately cause tremendous damage to other people.
Leadership flows from WHO you are as a person - it flows from your character.
1. Grant, Adam. (2021). Think Again. Pages 207-8. Penguin Random House LLC. New York, NY.
Resources
On Reading Well,by Karen Swallow Prior. Do not let the title fool you. This very good book is dealing with the great virtues - something that is seldom taught or talked about now. As Dr. Prior is a professor of literature, she discusses some of the great books that illustrate these virtues. A book well worth adding to your library.
Leadership as an Identity by Crawford Loritts, Jr. Dr. Loritts talks about how being a leader is an identity, it is who you are and from that flows what you do.
The Motive by Patrick Lencioni. Why do you want to lead? What is your motive?
Leadership and Self-Deception - this book should be required reading for any leadership development program.
Why You Should Put a Little More Thought into Your Out-of-Office Message
The Back Page by Lauren
The Olympics
Top High Jumpers decide to SHARE gold in instant-classic final, Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim and Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi were neck and neck for the high jump and when the official said they would need a jump off to determine the winner, Barshim (the reigning world champion in this event) asked if they could have two golds. Both had endured and come back from career-ending injuries and to return as strong as they have, is inspiring - even more inspiring was their willingness to share gold.
New Zealand Black Ferns perform emotional haka after gold-medal win, hakas are fascinating dances and typically you see them performed by men so seeing New Zealand’s women’s rugby team perform one after defeating France is so fitting and powerful.
Olympic Dressage Horses arrive in Tokyo, I have never even considered how horses get to the Summer Olympics. This is a fascinating five minute clip about how they transport them, especially how they very specifically load them onto the aircraft. Isabell Werth, who holds the record for most Olympic medals won by an equestrian athlete (12! with 7 gold), always flies with her horse.
To think about & try
How to Get out of Your Own Head. This is 500% something I should read daily. This is what David says about the brain, “The human mind is a high-horsepower free-association machine. With a hair-trigger, the mind connects what’s happening in the present to anything in its vast archives that might be relevant.” His suggestion to ruminating is this: Practice treating thoughts like a TV in the other room, which is a fascinating concept that makes so much sense. Check out his explanation in the link above.
How to make Bubble Tea. I have never attempted to make bubble tea at home, but this five minute tutorial makes it look super easy and really tasty.
Music
Where are we now. Mamamoo is a female quartet with harmonizing that makes me think of Boyz II Men. This song is off of their most recent album and it tells the story of their seven years together as a group. It is a beautiful ballad that showcases each of their distinct voices. Go to the timestamp of 1:48 to hear a particularly beautiful part.
Crazy, Patsy Cline. I don’t know, there is just something about this song and the strength and ability of her voice that will always be enjoyable.
Dream A Little Dream Of Me. This song is a comfort songs for me, kind of like buttered toast, and it always makes me think of Autumn. Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald are always perfect together.
If you enjoyed this edition of Chattahoochee Driftwood, would you consider passing it on to others that will also enjoy it?
Until next time!
BG Allen and Lauren Allen