What's in a Letter?

I was walking down Pike yesterday afternoon and nearly got run over by a woman in her SUV who was in a hurry, it turns out, to nab a perfect parking spot so she could run into the 8 Limbs Yoga Studio. Apparently, she was late for class. I didn’t get any acknowledgment from her…like a “whoops” wave. Such are the dangers of city living I suppose!

It struck me as odd that she would be into yoga but be so utterly unaware of her surroundings and singly focused on “me, me, me.” Isn’t yoga supposed to make you all relaxed and groovy and in tune with other beings? And then I thought…maybe she needs yoga to calm her down. To burn off her aggression. And then I thought….well, maybe that’s how “type a” people do everything.

Taken from beloved Wikipedia, this is what they have to say about the Type A personality: “Type A individuals can be described as impatient, excessively time-conscious, insecure about their status, highly competitive, over-ambitious, business-like, hostile, aggressive, incapable of relaxation in taking the smallest issues too seriously; and are somewhat disliked for the way that they're always rushing and demanding other people to serve to their standards of satisfaction.”

I’ve had many assessments over the years – MBTI, FIRO-B, Leadership Derailers, DISC, PulsePoints, Enneagram, formal 360 degree feedback processes, etc, etc, etc. Fortunately, I’ve never been described quite like a “type A” personality. Not in a classic sense, at least.

It’s true, I used to run around like a maniac…I loved working in a fast paced environment…I often got frustrated and impatient if people didn’t move as quickly as me…or needed too much information to make decisions or weren’t willing to put in the necessary time to get things done. I’d like to think that I was just matching the pace of the business. That I was pushing for high performance. That I wanted everyone to be successful, because results (and fast results at that) were what mattered.

Does that make me Type A? To ground myself in other letters, I went back to my MBTI profile, which is an ENFP. The description taken from the MBTI Foundation’s website says this about my type:

"Warmly enthusiastic and imaginative. See life as full of possibilities. Make connections between events and information very quickly, and confidently proceed based on the patterns they see. Want a lot of affirmation from others, and readily give appreciation and support. Spontaneous and flexible, often rely on their ability to improvise and their verbal fluency."

That really doesn’t sound Type A, does it?! I have had bosses tell me that I can’t be a P, because I get so much done and I seem so on top of it. And a colleague once told me … “You can’t be an ENFP because I am,” as if to say there was no way in heck we were alike. (Turns out I do have some “T” tendencies). Perhaps , though, I’ve just learned to flex. To scan the environment and figure out what’s needed. Besides, I grew up with a “classic,” work-a-holic type A father. So maybe some of that rubbed off on me. But it doesn’t mean that it is me.

What’s in a letter, anyway? Most assessments identify preferences. It doesn’t mean people can’t be adaptable to their situation or learn what works and what doesn’t in any given circumstance. In my new world – working 40 hours a month vs. 70 a week – I think I’m pretty type “B” at the moment. Easy-going, patient and pretty darn relaxed. Though, I'll admit, my husband and I have made a choice. I’m kicking back a little for the summer. When the leaves start to turn colors, it’s likely I’ll put things in high gear again. But, I promise, to all of you pedestrians, colleagues and friends, I will never run you over to get where I am going.

Break from Bacchus

It’s been about a year since things really, really, really started to go down hill with WaMu. Twelve months ago we were in the midst of a corporate initiative called “Project Restart.” Which was an intensive cost cutting measure, including reduction in force, and potential restructuring. To save money, ah hem, we had McKinsey in to help us think through streamlining approaches and to asses our effectiveness as an organization. After years of trying through failed efforts (one early cost cutting measure was called "Project Franklin"….as in the Benjamins), this seemed downright serious. Things had to change….or else.

Similarly, this weekend, my husband and I tried a two day “detox diet.” While many medical professionals say it’s unnecessary, we had felt that it would be a good way to reflect on our eating habits (his for high cholesterol and mine for the lbs. I want to lose) and to give our bodies a break from the usual unfettered gluttony we’ve come to know and love through our fascination with fabulous food and wine.

Like in corporate America, when you have to get rid of pet projects, make tough decisions, “trim the fat,” we had to spend an entire weekend without caffeine, salt, sugar, wheat, wine, meat and dairy. We had to do what “was good for us,” which was eat bitter green salads with lemon, garlic, olive oil dressing, steam our veggies, drink lemon water constantly and try things to detox like steamy hot showers and a massage (the latter I didn’t mind!).

I wish there was a two day “detox diet” for large companies needing to make change. Can you imagine? Corporate initiatives take so darn long that the world changes around them and the projects have to get renamed and take a different shape with perhaps a new sponsor. All it does is cause great confusion and a lack of productivity (which is generally the antithesis of why they're doing it in the first place.) What if the leaders of organizations could come up with a really good plan and just execute it, flawlessly and quickly, with everyone doing their part?

James and I had a clear vision for the weekend, a structured plan, a commitment to seeing it through and we supported each other when caffeine headaches started and when will power was starting to weaken. There was no….”okay…you can put salt and butter on that steamed artichoke.”

Of course, I realize that a two person “organization” is much less complicated than a multi-unit company, but still…the message is the same. Figure out the best path, commit to it fully even if it kind of sucks some times, and move towards the goal together. (No passive-aggresive behavior, no hidden agendas, no letting your fear and/or ego lead the way).

This morning, we woke up a bit groggy, but feeling good and committed to being more thoughtful about what we put in our mouths and how we spend our time together. It seems like our own little restart. This time, though, as “project restarts” go, it’s going to work.

What Does It Take To Lead?

I’ve been in a management role/leadership role for nearly fifteen years of my nineteen year career. I’ve never worried about title, been motivated by position power or control; I’ve only wanted to make great things happen and be satisfied at the end of the day that my team and I were doing what the business needed and that the work was at the highest bar possible.

Ah, but that wasn’t all that floated my boat, so to speak. Truth be told, what I’ve enjoyed the most as a leader is seeing others develop and grow. That has helped me to find meaning in my work during turbulent times and has uplifted me countless times, even when the going was good. Some say I was good at leading. Others might beg to differ. I know I wasn’t always perfect. But, at the end of the day, I enjoyed the heck out of it. And I hope I was able to impact those around me positively.

I’ve lost touch with my first mentor/boss, Phil Petrilli. Besides being wicked smart (engineer, MBA & a law degree which isn’t typical for a VP of HR), he was a kind, values-based and committed leader. He hired me without any deep organizational development experience to head up a new OD function in a 1,500 person family-run business. I guess he liked my generalist and educational background, my energy and how hungry I was to learn. He took a chance on me. And for the two years I worked for him, I was able to grow under his mentorship and watchful eye.

So, it was in my formidable years as a fledgling manager that Phil became my role model for what a leader does and doesn’t do. He gave me room to make mistakes, always catching me before I fell of a ledge. He took time to talk things through and share what was going on in the business, even though it was generally at 7 in the morning over coffee. He laughed a lot. He did not hesitate to “shout from the rooftops” for what he believed in. He was not an egoist. He was thoughtful about managing change. He sent me more articles than you can shake a stick at and he invested in my formal development. He gave me feedback. He shared his lessons learned and at times he was vulnerable. He supported me – no – more than that. He stood up for me. He taught me to go for the gusto but to do so in a way that was not off-putting to others. He showed me that relationships matter most in business.

That two-way relationship has made an indelible impact on me and it has made me a better person to boot. (Phil, wherever you are and whatever it takes, I’m going to find you and thank you properly.)

With this little hiatus of mine from the “grind” of corporate America, I’ve had time to reflect on what leadership means to me. I’m currently in an individual contributor role (aka a consultant) and that has tested me (and not because I have to do everything from developing the strategy to making the deck look pretty). What is a leader? And, if I don’t have a team to lead, am I still a leader?

In the past, I’ve had arguments, perhaps passionate arguments, about the notion of leadership and management. People always want to separate the two. “Well, there are leaders and they are at the top of the pyramid. And, there are managers who execute what the leaders say to do. Oh, and there are the worker-bees who really get the stuff done.” That just doesn’t resonate with me.

What do leaders do? They get excited about (and create) a common purpose; they act with integrity and empower those around them to be their best; they influence processes and find a way to make the right things happen; they achieve results for the greater good (vs. to build out their own resume or to line their pockets with dineros); they have followers – people who want to be around them. They are accountable for what’s been asked of them. Does it really take being at the top of the pyramid to do all that? Personally I don’t think so.

I get that at different levels of an organization there are different responsibilities, different levels of risk and reward, different levels of influence and experience, different levels of accountability. But, I tell you…I’ve seen a lot of people who are “leaders” who don’t know what the heck they are doing or who don't care what their behaviors are doing to their people or the organization's health. And, I’ve seen a lot of people who are “followers” who make magic happen because of how they show up to the game. I’m still open for a debate on this. Really! But, I’m just saying, I think we should stop trying to segment the organization into the haves and have nots and call for leaders at every level of the organization. Wouldn't that be cool?