Face reality as it is, not as it was
or as you wish it to be. ~Jack Welch
Reality. This has been a topic on
my mind a lot this past week. My recent
interactions with several clients have been a profound reminder of the
challenge to define reality. The
discussion of reality could quickly fall into an endless chasm of varied philosophical
thought. That’s not where I’m going.
Part of my work includes asking leaders within organizations detailed questions
about their view, perspective, opinion, belief, etc. about their
organization. Then I try to piece
together everyone's view and experience into one cohesive picture of
reality. In some circumstances this is
easier said than done because the views of reality can be extremely diverse.
Recently, I've had leaders within the same organization describe their
current state as everything from solid/sustainable to a crisis. Another organization's leaders rated their
level of effectiveness on a new project on a 10-point scale from 3 to 10. I recall a board meeting several years ago
where I was the board chair sitting right next to the organization's
leader. The following morning she called
and said, "I think we had consensus on a number of items." I said, "I don’t think we reached consensus on
anything." Two people sat right next to
each other in a meeting, then walked out the door with two very different views
of reality.
Max De Pree, who I've quoted before, said (in 1987), "The first job of a
leader is to define reality." I've been
wondering lately if it's evolved to more than just defining reality. Because we live in a state of change that is
moving at a faster pace than any point in history, reality is not a static
state, but a dynamic state with constant twists and turns, false starts, and experimentation. Is a leader's job more than defining reality? Is it also about keeping the organization
connected to reality, harnessing reality, and leveraging it for all it's worth? By harnessing reality I'm not suggesting that
leaders don't create change or shape the future. I am suggesting that decisions are being made
within the context of an accurate view of reality, not false assumptions or
hollow aspirations.
How do you do that? In real
estate the long-time maxim has been "location, location, location." In our current state of unbridled change, I'd
suggest the maxim for leadership is "listen, listen, listen, communicate,
communicate, communicate." Leaders must
listen more intentionally now than ever before because everything is
changing. No one single person's view of
reality (including their own) is going to be accurate. The only
way to see reality that has constant moving parts is to see it through many
different eyes. That means listen,
listen, listen. Paul Watzlawick said, "The
belief that one's own view of reality is the only reality is the most dangerous
of all delusions."
Once you've listened, then harness reality by communicating,
communicating, communicating. I think
plans are great! I make a living by
helping organizations create plans and they're an important part of organizational
communication. However, I think we're
all a bit naive if we believe that those plans won't be fraught with false
starts, re-dos, and adjustments. That's
what it means to be harnessed to reality.
When employees feel the whiplash of a sudden shift in direction, they
need to know that the change is not a result of chaos or indecision, but of a
discipline to stay connected to reality.
Reality: We define it by
listening (a lot!). We harness and
leverage it by communicating (a lot!).
We stay connected to it by being disciplined (a lot!).
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