Is "Strategic Patience" Feasible for 21st Century Leaders?

"In the new world, it is not the big fish which eats the small fish, It’s the fast fish which eats the slow fish" -Professor Klaus Schwab, WEF Founder and Executive Chairman

Last week I had the TV humming in the background and was passively listening to the random noise when I heard two words combined that hadn't registered in my mind before. Right away I began actively listening to learn more about the context of the phrase. 

Naturally I had to google it and was surprised that it returned ~2 million hits! Why hadn't I heard this phrase before? Perhaps I just never paid attention when it was being said. With piqued curiosity I had to research it to find out more. 

The phrase was "strategic patience" and it turned out to be quite loaded. So exactly what does it mean? 

I've come across various definitions like "leading from behind", "passive or purposeful inaction", "wait and see", or "slow and steady". The term showed up over and over with respect to foreign policy strategy which won't be addressed here. Instead I decided to evaluate the context of "strategic patience" against the backdrop of 21st century leadership along with the massive transformations and disruptions that we're facing.

Question: Is "Strategic Patience" feasible for 21st century leaders?

Using the list of definitions as a starting point, it seems counter-intuitive to undertake this kind of approach to leadership these days when we've seen time and time again that businesses which are slow to shift directions are repeatedly being disrupted or destroyed. Yet there are instances where "strategic patience" may be the best approach.

Let's explore.

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A. Leading from Behind

A Harvard Business Journal article from several years ago explored what leading from behind looks like in the 21st century. It doesn't mean that leaders are standing by and doing nothing. Rather these savvy leaders engage and enable their flock to do their best work instead of trampling others' ideas in favor of their own.

Effective 21st century leaders work to make success possible by selecting the best and brightest minds who will innovate and push boundaries in support of a collective mission. However, if the vision is being supplanted by unwanted or unwarranted actions, these leaders will not hesitate to prod their staff until the flock is back on track again.

Leading from behind is an effective strategy for leaders - now and for all ages.

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As a leader...I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my own opinion. Oftentimes, my own opinion will simply represent a consensus of what I heard in the discussion.

I always remember the axiom: a leader is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.

                                                        Nelson Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom [i] 

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B. Passive or Purposeful Inaction

Often easy wins can be turned into easy losses when new leaders makes substantial changes without first understanding how existing business systems work. After all, things could be going well right? During the first 90 days of a new leader's tenure, the best approach may be to "listen" and do nothing - as in passive or purposeful inaction. 

There are times when leaders must act decisively to address business challenges. However, decisive action may not always mean swift action. Effective leaders study and reflect on what needs to be done, line up their resources, take nuanced actions, measure outcomes, adjust their approach, and move on to the next objective. 

Passive or purposeful inaction is about doing the right things right - at the right time. Listening is one of those right things.

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Listening is a leadership responsibility that does not appear in the job description. Those who do listen to their employees are in a much better position to lead the increasingly diverse and multigenerational workforce.

The "one-approach-fits-all" way of thinking has become outdated and those who embrace the high art of listening are destined to be better, more compassionate leaders 

Forbes: Effective Listening for Leaders  [ii]

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C. Wait and See

When immediate responses to problems are necessary, adopting a 'wait and see' posture can often spell disaster. Today it only takes one negative tweet to bring a brand to its knees through the clever use of trending hashtags. 

Inc. Magazine cataloged the Top 10 Social Media failures last year. By the time companies took action to correct the situations the damage had already been done to their brands. Wait and see? Definitely not an effective leadership strategy with respect to social media timing.

John Maxwell points out in his book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership - The Law of Timing (#19) that "when to lead is as important as what to do and where to go." 

Maxwell used the leadership response (or lack thereof) for Hurricane Katrina to describe what happens when approaches like 'wait and see' are used in the worst possible way. The outcome was one our most memorable 21st century disasters.

'Wait and see' can be disastrous. Use with caution!

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D. Slow and Steady

When performing intricate experiments, dynamic operations, or complex transformations - 'slow and steady' may often be the best approach. The tortoise in the famous Aesop's fable reached its destination through deliberate, thoughtful actions and won the race whereas the hare moved quickly, taking his speed and cunning for granted while making lots of mistakes along the way. Does the fable still ring true today?

In general fast and reckless decision making is never a good approach. However, taking deliberate and thoughtful actions like the hare at fast speeds like the rabbit is an approach that many leaders won't argue is a solid approach given today's rapid shifts. The challenge is to determine the appropriate 21st century pace. 

Slow and steady is viable. Quick and steady is better .

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It took decades for the telephone to reach 50% of households, beginning before 1900.  It took five years or less for cellphones to accomplish the same penetration in 1990...

It took 30 years for electricity and 25 years for telephones to reach 10% adoption but less than five years for tablet devices to achieve the 10% rate.  It took an additional 39 years for telephones to reach 40% penetration and another 15 before they became ubiquitous. 

Smart phones, on the other hand, accomplished a 40% penetration rate in just 10 years, if we time the first smart phone’s introduction from the 2002 shipment of the first BlackBerry

Harvard Business Review [iv] 

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When I began examing this topic I couldn't fathom how "strategic patience" would ever be the best approach for leaders given the pace of change that we're experiencing right now. The sentiment expressed by Professor Schwab certainly gives one pause when thinking about taking it slow and steady. However, wisdom prevails and patience still works - in business and in life. 

There are times when it's best to move fast and there are times when it's best to move slow and steady - or not at all. Leaders have to pace themselves.

With the pressure to stay ahead, when is it best for leaders to exercise "strategic patience"?

Add your thoughts and insights in the comments section then like or share this article to keep the conversation going.

Are There "Good 'Ole Girl" Clubs For Professional Women?

For women it's "what you know" versus "who you know"...

The opposite is true for men. No - that's not an April fool's joke.

Building social networks is easier than ever these days given all of the technologies and platforms that we have available. However, cracking the code of strong, responsive, and timeless support systems is tough. Always has been - especially for women. 

Just ask the "good ole' boys"...

Building social capital is not as simple as connecting via social profiles, liking pages, or going out of your way to help others at work, at home, or in your community. Strategy and persistent effort are required. This is the art of networking and it causes problems for professional women. 


That's not too surprising - or is it?

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A new study suggests that career advancement for women isn't dependent on social connections in the way it is for men.

Instead, professional success for women is dependent on "documentable and measurable competence" or basically, a proven track record

Vivian Giang, Fast Company [i]

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The new study completed by INSEAD evaluated the impact of connections (social capital) and performance (human capital) on career outcomes for men and women on Wall Street. Even though women in the study were slightly more connected through Ivy League institutions (quantity), men were rewarded more often through their connections (quality).

Source: INSEAD Gender and Connections Among Wall Street Analysts

I've aligned the gender dichotomy with quantity versus quality for the sake of simplicity, but there are many other significant factors at work. The bottom line in the research and in practice is that women and men are virtually always weighted differently even if we start out on equal footing. This scenario repeats itself across our life span.

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Question #1: Can "good 'ole girl" clubs for professional women help to counteract inherent gender imbalances?

We've all heard about cigar-filled back rooms, closed board rooms, or secret societies that identify and protect chosen ones who are selected to help advance a groups' position. These types of groups may exist, but the results that they bring into the world can be sketchy. 

Perhaps this kind of covert protection is required in order to break the gender gridlock that's been in play for generations. Though I'm not a "by any means necessary" women's advocate, I believe that unconventional methods like frequent and widespread Board Room Bootcamps may be needed in order to rebalance the equation.

This brings to mind another question...

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Question #2: What can professional women do differently to change social capital dynamics going forward?

Here are three solutions:

• Step 1 - Test your connections
• Step 2 - Develop a social capital reallocation strategy
• Step 3 - Get LinkedIn!

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Step 1 - Test Your Connections

According to Forbes, if you have fewer than 25 people that you can call on who can help you get results at any given time then your network is too small - or you're not engaged frequently enough. 

How do you test your connections? Ask yourself these questions:

• How many people can you call on for genuine assistance when you're interested in a business or job opportunity?

• Who can you call on and what kind of power or influence do they have when you need to make direct contact with influencers or decision-makers?

• When was the last time you attended a high-powered networking event that included politicians, educators, community leaders, business leaders, colleagues, or peers from various industries?

• What is your network churn rate or how frequently do members of your network move on? 

The good news is that social networks and connections are renewable resources. Expect that there will be churn and develop a plan to counteract it. Sociologists have found that the 'seven year itch' applies to social networks as well as friendships. 

In a survey of over 1000 men and women between 18 and 65, the size of the social network remained fairly stable after seven years, but the contents of the network changed. Only 30% of the original participants were still around no matter how close they had been in previous years.

Nurture your relationships and connections if you value them.

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Step 2 - Develop a Social Capital Reallocation Strategy

We have to be prudent about where we spend our valuable resources such as our time, our talent, and our treasures (heard that before?!). It's important to have a well-defined strategy for building, investing in, and maintaining social capital in light of what we know about how women are impacted in professional settings.

A few years ago I read a McKinsey study about resource reallocation which examined 1600 companies over 15 years. Results showed companies that adopted annual resource reallocation strategies reaped on average 30% to 40% greater shareholder returns than companies that didn't. 

For some reason the study came to mind when I was examining this topic. I suppose it might have something to do with making the most of our limited resources - time, talent, and treasure. The approach and terminology from the study fit well so I leveraged them in the "Social Capital Reallocation Strategy" summary below.

At least once per year commit to focused clean-up to seed, nurture, prune, and harvest your way to greater social capital and stronger networks that will serve you well into the future. The value of your social capital can be measured by how many prompt responses or effective results you get when you call or place a demand on your network.

As you optimize your network pay special attention to sponsor-protege relationships as the most important social capital connections to make and maintain. These are reciprocal relationships that will benefit both parties all the way to the top of your climb. Remember to give - don't just take!

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Step 3 - Get LinkedIn!

In my quest to find out more about "good 'ole girl" clubs - the kind that I mentioned above - I've been on the prowl for a method to test and rank the strength of various networks and organizations. There are so many women's networks available that it can be challenging to sort through the details. As the World's Largest Professional Network, LinkedIn is a great place to start. 

There are a few insights in the diagram to show why professional women should spend more than the average 17 minutes on LinkedIn building social capital:

Source: DMR - Digital Marketing

I recently became a board member for the 10-year-old non-profit group Empowering Women as Leaders (EWL). The group's passion and focus is providing scholarships, networking, and mentoring for non-traditional college women. The opportunity came to me through one of my LinkedIn connections. I've witnessed the power of EWL in action as STAR Scholarship recipients past and present have talked about the difference the organization has made in their lives. You can find them here on LinkedIn. Is this a plug? Sure is.

There are many other organizations like Million Women Mentors and WomenPartner.org that I could profile here, but I'll rely on your feedback in the comments section to shout out about strong "good 'ole' girl" clubs that really go the distance with professional women. Now that we understand it's "what we know" that elevates us, we can work to close gaps on "who we know" for a full-circle competitive advantage.

How do you build social capital and how has it helped you with your career climb?

Comment, like, or share your insights - and make all of us stronger.

Why Do We Have To Call It Work?

Since most of us don't like the idea of work, then why don't we call it something else?

Stats and reports keep coming to let us know that most people are 'under this...' or 'over that...' - or not quite ready for anything new when it comes to the 21st Century world of work. I'm a stats junkie so I can't help but read and digest the stuff if only to discount lots of it and move on. Many of the details or concerns raised in various areas are quite valid and deserve a second, third, or continuous deep look followed by introspective actions. 

The world of work is one of those areas.

While examining report details over the last few weeks, a question came to mind and it's sticking around. The question is around this idea of work. The question is:

Why does work cause so many of us so much angst? Could it be that we have our definitions or frame of reference all wrong?

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Work is defined as the effort applied to produce a deliverable or to accomplish a task in exchange for services or payment

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The definition seems straight forward and simple enough. As far back as the beginning of time, the idea of work has been embedded in our cultures and lives. We crave the opportunity to do work for something that is important to us or with someone who shares our goals or with a company or organization that values us. For some of us work is simply "all about the benjamins" which is alright I suppose.

Before I ramble on too much, here are some stats that made me ponder the definition of work.

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Stat #1 - 72% of productive life span is spent working

Stat #2 - 70% of U.S. workers are not fully engaged in their work and are not reaching their full potential

Stat #3 - 71% of U.S. workers spend less than 10 years with their employers

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This is a problem only if...

Stat #1 is a problem only if we don't want to spend our productive time producing results. If we enjoy what we're doing, we'll look forward to spending a majority of our waking hours performing designated tasks and activities in exchange for services or payment.

Stat #2 is a problem only if we're doing something that we don't like or are with someone that we don't like being with for a majority of our working days. If we enjoy what we're doing, then engagement will be automatic and we will crave growth and development.

Stat #3 is a problem only if we believe that everything should stay the same giving us the opportunity to remain stagnant in our careers and in our lives. If we accept that change is inevitable and important to our progress, then we will embrace it as part of the norm.

Defining how we spend our productive time in disempowering ways limits our desire to engage. The definitions that we use may even make a majority of us regret waking up on Monday mornings! 

We can change that.

A New Definition of Applied Effort

We often become masters at reframing unpleasant situations when it suits us. For example, if children don't want to eat spinach and we know that it's good for them, then we may tell them that it will make them stronger and smarter. Remember Popeye the Sailor Man? He made spinach seem cool. I still eat my fair share.

If we can do that for children, then why can't we do the same for ourselves and reframe the definition of work to suit us? When someone asks you where you "work", why not think - then say?

• I add value as a Management Consultant for ...
• I make a daily contribution in Operations for...
• I deliver outstanding service to my customers and stakeholders in ...

Aren't these the kinds of statements that we put on our resumes or include in our work histories? If so, why don't we use these types of statements every day to help us reframe what we really do with our productive time? 

Perhaps Mondays won't seem so bad if we reframe the definition of work.

We add value. We contribute. We deliver.

I realize that simply changing wording won't completely fix certain complex work situations, but it can definitely produce a shift in attitude and perspective around work. If it helps even a little bit, then isn't it worth the applied effort?

I appreciate you taking the time to read my article. Let me know what you think by commenting, liking, or sharing.

Dis-Comfort Zone Exit Strategy - Let Go!

You've heard the story about the frog in warm water versus boiling water, right?

What about the story of the frog hanging onto the edge of an alligator's mouth?! Okay - that's a new one.

Do you think this frog is aware of the danger of hanging out on the edge of the alligator's mouth? I suppose it depends on the frog's perception about what's in the water below and how afraid it is to move.

This to me is what's known as a "dis-comfort zone" - where it's too painful to move forward and it's excruciating to move backward. This little guy is just stuck.

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When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on!

Franklin D. Roosevelt

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The Comfort of the "Dis-Comfort Zone"

Getting out of one's "dis-comfort zone" can be uncomfortable at best and down right terrifying at worst. When the pain of hanging on outweighs the pain of letting go, typically we let go, right? Sometimes we would rather stay in terrible situations before we risk the unknown.

So what do you suppose it takes to get unstuck?

To get out of an old situation or pattern requires the creation or insertion of something new - a new habit, a new situation, a new location, a new perception. Phillipa Lally et. al. (2010) performed a systematic study of how new habits form in the real world.

Researchers found that it takes on average 66 days to create a new habit - ranging from 18 to 254 days until the new habit becomes 95% automatic. For some people new habits form quickly. For others not so much.

Three stages - if repeated over and over - will install a new habit:

• Que (Trigger) - a que or trigger may be a goal, a lesson, or a "dis-comfort zone" which prompts one to take action

• Behavior - a range of actions in response to a situation or stimulus which alters one's interaction with the external environment

• Reward - something special given to oneself or to others in recognition of worthy behavior

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What you're supposed to do when you don't like a thing is change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it. Don't complain.

Dr. Maya Angelou

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Navigating change bring up lots of emotions that have to be dealt with. The familiar Kubler-Ross change curve still works even though it's been modified over time. Take notice of the stages but don't dwell too long on any of them except perhaps acceptance and integration.

Dis-Comfort Zone Exit Strategy - Let Go!

I suppose the frog's instincts will tell it to let go and try again. At least if it gets back in the water there's a chance that it can swim fast enough to get away from the alligator and dodge any other dangers. There's at least a chance...

However, if the frog continues to hang on it will certainly get eaten alive. When my proverbial alligators have me hanging on, my instincts tell me to Let Go! and do the following:

(1) DECIDE ON A NEW DIRECTION - determine what's necessary to get from here to there as quickly as possible. Remind yourself that there will be stages of change and varying emotions along the way but the next stage is over there not right here.

(2) LEARN SOMETHING NEW - a lack of competence or information about anything new can lead to extreme discomfort especially if a change is unwanted or forced. Break through by learning something new about the new area.

(3) CHANGE YOUR PERCEPTION - trying to hang on to an old way when it's clear that something new is already in its place doesn't help. Give yourself room to grow and time to develop new habits, but by all means change your perception and direction as quickly as possible.

(4) CREATE NEW HABITS - accelerate change by looking ahead and planning next steps. Set yourself up for success in the new area by defining new empowering behaviors. Reward yourself for making progress along the way. A cup of spiced coffee works for me.

(5) MEASURE YOUR PROGRESS - are you there yet? Take notice of the small steps and keep your eyes on the prize. Remember that the next stage is over there not right here. Continue to measure progress until you're there.

If you're in the mouth of an alligator, let go and think fast!...

What are some steps you'd recommend for navigating "dis-comfort zones?" Add your comments below.

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Check out some of my other articles as well:

• Act Like A Lady, Think...
• Act Like A Lady? Who's Acting!
• Mommy, Do Entrepreneurs Have To Go To Work?
• Corporate Beauty Contest? Now That's Just Taking It Too Far!
• What's THAT Got To Do With Me?!
• Beautiful Leaders, Beautiful Liars
• and more...

Got 99 Problems and Fear Ain't One

So sue me for using bad grammar. We got more serious problems and today grammar ain't one! Just kidding in my last post for the week.

Yesterday I was minding my own business cleaning out my e-mail box when I was interrupted by a random thought of Pamper Poles. You know the death defying exercise of climbing up a free-standing 60-foot pole, balancing on its 10-inch diameter top with both feet, and then jumping into mid air to catch a trapeze - all to prove the mantra "Yes I Can!"? Yeah those poles.

Why in the world would I be thinking about that? You ask. I asked myself the same question. Then I recalled my amazing experience many years ago when I took the Pamper Pole challenge and won. I came away from the experience seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing that absolutely anything is possible for me. There is a significant difference between knowing something in your head (we all know that right?) and living it in your body.

That wasn't the first time I had gone to extraordinary lengths for a powerful breakthrough and I continue to seek out ways to make myself mentally tougher. Today fear is my queue to take action. When I'm afraid of something, I walk towards it. I was my parents' worst nightmare as a child because even then I had a similar tendency, but it serves me well as an adult. I'm sure my Coach would be proud to hear that ;-)

Then it hit me why the thought came to me at that moment. It came to remind me that risk can be scary, but success lies in taking the next step. For instance, climbing the Pamper Pole brought me face to face with limitations - my own and those of others around me. Some made it half way up and couldn't go further. Others couldn't do it at all. When it was my turn, I remember thinking "don't break your nails." That might sound silly, but I had just manicured my nails the night before (I know - not the greatest timing) and I didn't want to do it over. I didn't voice my concern out loud, but someone next to me said "remember - what you focus on you will get".

I harnessed up for my turn and fear immediately gripped me in the gut and my knees began to shake. I wasn't about to back out so I steeled my nerves like I had done many times before in the military where climbing to high places was part of my job. It wasn't the same because I was in a bucket or a lift - not nearly as scary as climbing up a free-standing pole that's swaying in the wind with a thunderstorm approaching. I stepped up to the Pamper Pole with encouragement being shouted at me from all around. "You can do it!" They said. I knew I could climb, but it was what happens after I got to the top that I was ruminating about.

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Remember - what you focus on you will get

Pamper Pole Ground Team (2006)

 

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I climbed at a steady pace and didn't look down. So far so good. Then I noticed that the higher up the pole I got the more it shook and swayed. I now knew why others didn't make it all the way up. I slowed down in an attempt to stop the pole from swaying. It worked until I started moving again. Deep breath - keep going, I thought. Finally I made it to the top. From the top any movement created a major vibration so I hugged the top of the pole and held on until the movement stopped. This wasn't the tough part and I was only at the top of the pole! My goal was to stand erect with both feet planted on a 10-inch diameter surface and then jump to grab a trapeze in mid-air before coming back to earth.

Oh ----, how am I going to stand up when the pole sways every time I move? I decided to enjoy the view from the top. I held on and looked around knowing that I wouldn't see that view under those circumstances ever again so I took it all in. By the time I was done viewing my surroundings, I could hear the people on the ground yelling up at me to keep going. I was still trying to figure out how to get my two feet - which were slightly longer than the diameter of the pole - on top of the pole and stand upright before jumping. Going back down after coming this far up wasn't an option so I had to go up. Enough thinking - just do it!, I thought.

I struggled to stand up with the pole swinging and made a not-so-elegant move for the top, trying to hold on to the base and get my feet on the top at the same time. It didn't work because there wasn't enough room! Either you can hold onto the pole or you have to stand up. I finally stood up ever so briefly before jumping towards the trapeze. Victory!

It wasn't until I was back on the ground that I realized I had broken a nail. Why is that significant? It reinforced the words that someone had said to me right before my climb - "remember - what you focus on you will get". My focus before I began my climb had been "don't break your nails!" - and that's exactly what happened. I broke a nail. Talk about situational reinforcement!

Pamper Poles and Leadership

Leadership is inherently risky. If you're a leader, then you must take the next step. From the vantage point of my Pamper Pole experiences, here are the leadership lessons that I've written on the wall:

Leadership is much broader than corporate results though those results matter immensely. Leadership is about moving forward even when everything is shaking. Once you've decided that going backwards is not an option, stand up and jump!

Got 99 problems? Don't let fear be one! Simply take the next step.