Mar
28
2008
I’ve read about globalization. I’ve talked about globalization. I’ve done reports on globalization in college. But until now, I’ve never really faced a serious globalization challenge that blindsided me. When asked to work on a report for BP, I was given the specifications laid out for “CHIP” labeling as designated by HSE.GOV.UK. This specification didn’t seem very complicated until I started getting into the specifics of it. Suddenly I was face to face with a challenge that still I don’t have a clear answer for. The specification given by the HSE says that the sample label is merely a guide and to use good judgment; that the “leaflet contains notes on good practice which are not compulsory”. In the USA, we are used to HMIS bars and NFA diamonds, but neither I nor anyone here has any clue about European labeling norms. For all we know, the two column positioning of pictograms is significant or it could be merely trivial. It’s quite interesting how little things like this could slip by you unless you are keeping an open mind about it.
Mar
27
2008
I’ve been busy the last few months. This little bit of self reflection will give you some insight into what I’ve been going through with recently, particularly within the last few weeks.
My journey into leadership began many years ago when I was the sole IT manager and programmer at a small commercial real-estate management firm. I was coached by the President on ways to improve myself as a leader. I was challenged to find better ways of doing business and how to communicate those changes to others. This journey expanded when I was encourage to pick up the leadership torch as a volunteer leadership position in an online community of over 100 individuals. This expanded later when I left that community and again was pulled (almost reluctantly) into another organization which is now around those same numbers. Right now I hold a second volunteer position that involves leading communications and facilitating change goals for a community of thousands of people, compiling feedback, and delivering reports to key players in a much larger organization. Over the years people have described my leadership style as democratic, pragmatic, and visionary. How did I develop such strong leadership skills in such a small amount of time?
The key factor that has been advantageous to my journey has been RAPIDLY growing environments. The real-estate management firm was constantly in a state of change. During my time with them they grew to a handful of people to over 65 people. In all of my volunteer leadership positions, they have taken place in an even more rapidly changing environment growing from a handful of people to well over 100. My exposure to rapidly changing environments has allowed me to learn how to properly lead change. Furthermore, I’ve had the power to experiment with various techniques of leadership (learned through formal education as well as self study) with little to no fear of “ruining a good thing”, especially with my volunteer leadership positions.
The more I learn about leadership, the more I realize that the average person doesn’t understand the difference between management and leadership. The more I learn about leadership, the more I realize that this is a product of history and the way individuals in business were trained to manage, and how individuals have learned what “managers” are like. When two organizations come together, one who understands management and the other than understands leadership, a serious challenge presents itself. This challenge is one that we will face going forward.
P.S. Yes, I fell off my wight loss plan. I’m still struggling with a lack of a real schedule in my life.
Mar
20
2008
The most important excerpts of Tom Kotter’s book “Leading change”
Some of the most common errors when transforming an organization
1. Allowing too much complacency
2. Failing to create a sufficiently powerful guiding coalition
3. Underestimating the power of vision
4. Under communicating the vision by a factor of 10x-100x
5. Permitting obstacles to block the new vision
6. Failing to create short-term wins
7. Declaring victory too soon
8. Neglecting to anchor changes firmly in the corporate culture.
The eight stage process of leading change
1. Establishing a sense of Urgency
2. Creating a guiding coalition
3. Developing a vision and strategy
4. Communicating the changed vision
5. Empowering broad-base action
6. Generating short-term wins
7. Consolidating gains and producing more change
8. Anchoring new approaches in culture.
Mar
19
2008
Today I was fired from Tabula Rasa Vault as assistant site manager and as ”Medic Alpha Wolf”. I was fired rather forcefully from the Vault network and for reasons that were down right silly. The current site manager, Ocura is an unprofessional harlot who really doesn’t understand what it’s like to lead people or manage a program like the Alpha Wolves. I pointed out failings in her leadership ability and I got the shaft as a result. I know I haven’t posted about being an Alpha here in my blog, but it was practically a full time job over at PlanetTR and TRVault. This is the beginning of the end for me with Tabula Rasa I can feel it. Mark my word, it’s the beginning of the end of the Alpha program and Tabula Rasa in general.
Morons…
