Does an MBA breed authenticity and humility or arrogance in the name of leadership?

 

 

The United States alone now graduates about 1 million MBAs every decade. 

 

Can a student read a 20 page case study one day and declare on the next what the company should do?  Can wisdom be developed in such an exercise?  Is being decisive a substitute for experiential wisdom?  Can a leader even be created in a classroom?  If business schools were really doing their job, were truly creating leaders, their graduates would be known for their authenticity and humility.  Should anyone be surprised that we find ourself facing a crisis of leadership?

 

“It is so obvious that something big has failed,” Ángel Cabrera, dean of the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Ariz., told The Times. “We can look the other way, but come on.  We cannot say, ‘Well, it wasn’t our fault’ when there is such a systemic, widespread failure of leadership.”

What is the biggest challenge for leaders of change?

Inspiring action that challenges the existing status quo.

It is important to understand the difference between “leadership” and “management.” Leadership is about doing the right things. Management is about doing those things the right way. Any organization can be revitalized with Authentic Leadership but never with great management. Launching a leadership ‘revolution’ on the existing status quo must come first.

Toyota is an excellent example of the benefits of creating an Authentic Leadership culture. Over the last several decades, they have become the largest and most profitable car manufacturer in the world. Yet they continue to challenge their organizational ‘status quo’ by insisting that all employees are working toward becoming the best leaders they can be. In doing so, they are maximizing their ability to create wealth, by serving others, while developing a global organization for the 21 Century.

Authentic leadership development is the key process of tapping into the vast potential within you and your organization. It is a ‘root cause’ solution.

The development of leadership within an individual or an organization is a deliberate process that is both art and science. The growth in individual ability and organizational culture is gradual until it becomes sudden. At first the Authentic Leader’s influence may seem limited as the organization enters a learning phase. Results improve gradually as actions move from reactive to strategic. Continued personal growth is vital to leadership effectiveness. Greater levels of awareness are achieved throughout the developmental process as higher levels of consciousness are obtained.

It is better to give than to receive, therefore, when asking for help from others we provide them with an opportunity to develop their Authentic Leadership through service. This leverages the organizations pool of skills and talents while creating higher levels of employee engagement.

Hunger is essential to the development of Authentic Leadership. It can be measured by the distance between current reality and a vision for greater influence and results. The greater the distance, the greater the hunger which becomes the ‘fuel’ for the Authentic Leadership journey.

Authentic Leadership Performance

Personal performance is the prerequisite that gives the Authentic Leader credibility and influence.  Position-based power ‘leaders’ assume that if they are given a position or act with authority people will follow them.  What they fail to realize is they are managing not leading.

 

It is important to understand the difference between “leadership” and “management.” Leadership is about doing the right things. Management is about doing those things the right way. Any organization can be revitalized with Authentic Leadership but never with great management. Launching a leadership ‘revolution’ on the existing status quo must come first.  Authentic Leaders have a strong positive ‘hunger’ to affect the status quo.

 

 

 

 

Anyway

Anyway

On A Wall In A Children’s Home In Calcutta

Mother Teresa’s Authentic Leadership

People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered.

LOVE THEM ANYWAY.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfishness.

DO GOOD ANYWAY.

If you are successful you will win false friends and true enemies.

SUCCEED ANYWAY.

The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow.

DO GOOD ANYWAY.

Honesty and frankness will make you vulnerable.

BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.

BUILD ANYWAY.

People really need help but may attack you if you help them.

HELP PEOPLE ANYWAY.

Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked I the teeth.

GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU’VE GOT ANYWAY.

The Authentic Leader’s Hunger

Hunger is essential to the development of Authentic Leadership.  It can be measured by the distance between current reality and a vision for greater influence and results.  The greater the distance, the greater the hunger which becomes the ‘fuel’ for the Authentic Leadership journey.

A legend is told of a young squire who wanted to become a great knight.  He sought out the counsel of an old sage.  The squire asked the sage when he would be worthy to become a knight.  The sage answered in silence but motioned for the squire to follow him to the shore of a large mountain lake.  Quietly they set out in a small boat until they reached the center of the water.

“Submerge yourself into the water” said the sage.  So the squire leapt into the frigid mountain spring water but before he could re-emerge the sage grabbed the squire’s head, holding him under.   After a few moments the sage lifted the squire back into the boat.  Cold and exhausted the squire asked incredulously, “What were you trying to do?”  “Teach you,” said the sage.  “Let me ask you a question.  When I had you submerged, what was going through your mind?”  The squire thought a moment.  “Air, I thought.  Air.  I’ve got to get air or I’ll die.  That’s all I was thinking.”

“There you have it.  When you want to be a knight as badly as you wanted that air, you’ll become one.”

Why Develop An Authentic Leadership Culture?

It is important to understand the difference between “leadership” and “management.” Leadership is about doing the right things. Management is about doing those things the right way. Any organization can be revitalized with Authentic Leadership but never with great management. Launching a leadership ‘revolution’ on the existing status quo must come first.

Toyota is an excellent example of the benefits of creating an Authentic Leadership culture. Over the last several decades, they have become the largest and most profitable car manufacturer in the world. Yet they continue to challenge their organizational ‘status quo’ by insisting that all employees are working toward becoming the best leaders they can be. In doing so, they are maximizing their ability to create wealth, by serving others, while developing a global organization for the 21 Century.

Authentic leadership development is the key process of tapping into the vast potential within you and your organization. It is a ‘root cause’ solution.

 

 

Authentic Leadership – Influence and Leverage

The development of leadership within an individual or an organization is a deliberate process that is both art and science. The growth in individual ability and organizational culture is gradual until it becomes sudden. At first the Authentic Leader’s influence may seem limited as the organization enters a learning phase. Results improve gradually as actions move from reactive to strategic. Continued personal growth is vital to leadership effectiveness. Greater levels of awareness are achieved throughout the developmental process as higher levels of consciousness are obtained.

It is better to give than to receive, therefore, when asking for help from others we provide them with an opportunity to develop their Authentic Leadership through service. This leverages the organizations pool of skills and talents while creating higher levels of employee engagement.

What are your views about James Redfield’s ‘Forth Insight’?

Celestine Prophecy, by James Redfield (1993)

 

The Forth Insight

 

The fourth insight describes how humans compete for energy.  We feel weak, insecure and lacking so we seek to increase our personal energy by psychologically stealing it from others. This underlies all human conflict and governs the need for humans to control and manipulate others. It explains wars and the failure of personal relationships. We feel better when we control others.  Most people go through life in a constant hunt for someone else’s energy.  Energy equates with power.

The Rewards of Leadership

The Servant Warrior Leader’s battle ground is an internal struggle for power.  Each time we act in a way that moves us through a fear, habit or perception toward a desired result the internal rewards we receive are greater … courage, confidence, grace, respect, calm, clarity, wisdom, inspiration and connectedness.  The external rewards are better results, in less time and more fun as we develop deeper ‘trusted advisor’ relationships with those we serve.

 

Is your sales force hungry for better results in 2009?

2009 Sales Vision:

w      Develop deep customer relationships and become a ‘trusted advisor’

w      Leading to solution discussions and sales at architectural level

w      High level sales force engagement

 

What would it be worth if your sales organization could accomplish this vision in the next 6-12 months?  How would getting these results feel?  What is the cost of not proceeding?

 

The Master of Business Leadership™ authentic leadership and sales development process is the ‘root cause’ solution.  Our action-results focus ensures better results.

w      Authentic Leadership is about doing the right things

w      Management is about doing those things the right way

w      Any organization can be revitalized with Authentic Leadership but never with great management

w      Launching a leadership ‘revolution’ on the existing status quo must come first

 

Your client’s ‘trusted advisors’ receive the biggest opportunities.  How would you like your whole sales organization to become your market’s trusted advisor as your company’s authentic service becomes the industry’s new status quo?  Authentic sales leaders get better results in less time and have more fun.