Marius and Ashley talk about what they see in the best leaders. They say optimism, individualization are key to their success. And that followers follow a leader who gives them hope for the future. MARTIN SAMUEL: What do you think? Share your thoughts on this week's learning leader show.
The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk
Episode #305: Marcus Buckingham & Ashley Goodall - A Leader's Guide To The Real World (Break All The Rules)
Full show notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com
Marcus Buckingham holds a master's degree in social and political science from Cambridge University and is a member of the Secretary of State's Advisory Committee on Leadership and Management. He's the author of the international best-seller, First, Break All The Rules.
Ashley Goodall is the co-author, with Marcus Buckingham, of Nine Lies About Work: A Freethinking Leader’s Guide to the Real World. He is an executive, leadership expert, and author, and has spent his career exploring large organizations from the inside.
Notes from this talk:
- Sustaining excellence:
- Optimism -- An innate predisposition that things will get better
- Individualization -- Ability to attract great talent. Knowing that each person has something unique to bring
- "You follow somebody if they give you confidence in the future."
- "The world will be better if I hitch my wagon to you."
- Great managers/leaders =
- They know how to surround themselves with the right people -- "If you want a great party, invite great people."
- They focus on people first
- They help them. They coach them. They find a path and set expectations.
- They grow. They make the next step and help others do the same.
- "Talent is more important than experience."
- Talent = a recurring pattern of thought. Enduring patterns in a person. Hire for those, then train for skills.
- How to find talented people?
- Ask open ended questions, stay quiet, believe what they say.
- Ask appetite questions: "What did you love most about that?"
- Talents are far more about natural appetite
- Feedback:
- "People need feedback to grow and excel. It grows best not with feedback, but with help."
- People grown when attention is given to them. "Pay attention to me. My talents." People need attention to what really works in them
- Leaders must look at the real world
- Idiosyncratic -- The best are...
- There is a difference between theory world and the real world
- "Learning is an emergent experience." It's inside out... How you do your version...
- How do you measure things that are hard to measure?
- "Must make a distinction between traits and states."
- Example of a trait = extroversion
- Example of a state = mood, skills (can change)
- Competencies are a combination of both
- Being labeled a "Hi-Po" (high potential) in an organization: "It's made up, not a thing. Toxic because it presumes that some human brains can't/won't grow."
- "There is no point in having the 'hi-po' conversation. In talent reviews, ask for each person... How will they grow best? Don't use a 9 box grid."
- "Replace potential for momentum."
- "Work life balance is a very weird aspiration. It's very hard to do it perfectly."
- "Balance is a way of being stationary. It's not a good way to move through life."
- "We shouldn't tell people to do this. Health is motion, finding love, finding red threads."
- "It draws you in. You should move through life. Draw strength from the movement."
- "If a leader has no followers, they're not a leader." -- "Follow-ship is the thing."
- "We all have fears for the future. Find a leader that can see around the corner, we're drawn to that."
- "Be a free thinking leader."
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