Friday, June 24, 2011
Building Support Carefully
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Picking your battles
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Yet she has certain well-honed political skills...
"Yet she has certain well-honed political skills: she knows whom to consult; she chooses her battles; and she carefully builds support."
This was how the author of a New Yorker profile of Ruth Simmons, President of Brown University, summed up her key skills for getting things done in a complex and high-stakes environment. Let's examine each of the three skills, starting today with consultation.
"She knows whom to consult." This is all about "soft power" - using diplomacy, shared values, and effective communication to get input from key stakeholders and to ensure that your objectives are aligned with their interests. Identifying the people to consult can be trickier than it might seem at first. Seek out people with influence, not just organization-chart power. Don't limit yourself to people within your company or department. Trusted former colleagues and third-parties may offer an invaluable objective perspective.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Headwaters - a poem about taking risks
Headwaters
I made a large mistake I left my house I went into the world it was not
the most perilous hostile part but I couldn't tell among the people there
who needed what no tracks in the snow no boot pointed
toward me or away no snow as in my dooryard I clung
to my own life-raft I had room on it for only me you're not surprised
it grew smaller and smaller or maybe I grew larger and heavier
but don't you think I'm doing better in this regard I try to do better
Thursday, June 16, 2011
You Have To Do What the Guys Do
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Do You Know What You Want To Be When You Grow Up?
Some of us are still trying to figure out what we want to be when we grow up. Our careers evolve as we gain experience and respond to opportunities. We develop a set of skills that can be applied in different settings. We learn that transformative leadership is transferable and that the ability to think strategically will solve a whole range of problems.
Try to figure out which group you belong to. There is value in either approach but only if it fits your personality. Look for role models for your career style. Then commit your energy and your abilities to make it work for you.