What a leader actually does is the important consideration

Here is a little story from one of my favourite leadership practitioners, Max De Pree, that reminds us that what a leader does is important.  I often find the CEO job a rather lonely life where every move is under someone’s observation.  But rather than letting this develop into a sense of strain or tension, it is important to remember that if your actions reflect your word (or intentions) then you are being authentic and effective.

Esther, my wife, and I have a grand-daughter named Zoe, the Greek word for “life”.  She was born prematurely and weighed one pound, seven ounces, so small that my wedding ring could slide up her arm to her shoulders.  The neonatologist who first examined her told us that she had a 5 to 10 percent chance of living three days.  When Esther and I scrubbed up for our first visit and saw Zoe in her isolette in the neonatal intensive care unit, she had two IVs in her navel, one in her foot, a monitor on each side of her chest, and a respirator tube and a feeding tube in her mouth.

To complicate matters, Zoe’s biological father had jumped ship the month before Zoe was born.  Realising this, a wise and caring nurse named Ruth gave me my instructions.  “For the next several months, at least, you’re the surrogate father.  I want you to come to the hospital every day to visit Zoe, and when you come, I would like you to rub her body and her legs and arms with the tip of your finger.  While you’re caressing her, you should tell her over and over how much you love her, because she has to be able to connect your voice to your touch.”

Ruth was doing exactly the right thing on Zoe’s behalf (and, of course, on my behalf as well), and without realising it she was giving me one of the best possible descriptions of the work of a leader.  At the core of becoming a leader is the need always to connect one’s voice with one’s touch. (my emphasis)

De Pree M O (1991)  Leadership Jazz.  Melbourne: Australian Business Library, Information Australia. pp.1-3

A leader must break free of the wisdom of the herd, and strike out in bold new directions.

Humans are essentially social animals, and go along with the prevailing majority.  But entrepreneurs, by nature break free; rebel; don't conform; write new rules; even reject the data. 

Leading your organisation to success: what makes for good managerial leadership?

How do you grab the attention of your organisation and ensure that it does the right thing?
Many will say “by having a compelling vision”.  It would be nice to have such a simple exclamation.

Having a compelling vision alone is insufficient for achievement as a leader. It must be complemented by communication and relationship building skills...people skills.

Ideas have power - if we are prepared to let go of them

Often I find myself reluctant to "let ideas go" for fear that they are ill-formed and may reflect badly on me, or even be shot down (often for legitimate reasons).  But Albrecht Durer, a German painter, printmaker, engraver, mathematician, and theorist from Nuremberg in the 1400-1500s reminds us of the value others can add if we let go.

"But I shall let the little I know or have learnt go forth into the day in order that someone better than I may guess the truth, and in his work may prove and rebuke my error. At this I shall rejoice that I was yet the means whereby this truth has come to light." 

How often do we let an idea languish when we have run out of energy and inspiration to develop it fully, or become paralysed by analysis?  How often do we miss a rich discussion drawing on other perspectives and experiences?  What's wrong with my idea coming back in a better, more effective form?

Purpose is the game of champions, and subservience to purpose is a proven path to success

Where organisations are struggling to succeed, or survive, or just to run harmoniously, there is often  a n absence of purpose. Most of these organisations have a great vision, mission and strategic plan, but lack the spark to pull it all together.

In his book, Purpose: The Starting Point of Great Companies, Nikos Mourkogiannis records that “…purpose – not money, not status – is what people most want from work. Make no mistake: they want compensation; some want an ego- affirming title. Even more, though, they want their lives to mean something, they want their lives to have a reason”.

The Dynamics of Discovery...the start of the innovation process. Or, industry might want applied research but that is not what it needs...

Countless hours are wasted on trying to determine whether the public should be supporting applied research or basic research. Far less time is spent on identifying the priorities to be researched, or the questions and challenges to be answered.  More time spent on the latter will enable the scarce public resources to be better targeted at activities that make a difference.


From Archimedes to Edison, attempts to improve quality of life have dictated a need for advances in science and technology. These advances are now widely recognised, if not fully understood as the key enablers of increasingly prosperous societies.

And despite this long history, the process of managing the expanding frontiers of new knowledge in a way that will benefit society is still a work in progress. 

Farm-gate and consumer food prices - a need for genuine analysis.

What is it that we want our agriculture to do? 

Australia agriculture continues to put food on the tables three times a day.  It continues to innovate and contribute to the nation's prosperity.  It continues to eke out efficiencies in the production system. Though much is to be lauded, much needs to change.   

Modern agriculture is grounded on the belief that the primary objective of the industry is to produce as much food and fibre as possible for the least cost. 

These twin goals have long shaped farming, and underpinned agricultural research.  But with evidence that food is wasted in developed countries (and in developing countries), that food security is a now accepted as a major global issue, and issues of environmental degradation and health problems such as obesity, we need to define what it is that we want contemporary agriculture to do. 

All business is a journey not a destination: Stop Planning and Start the Journey.

A business plan is a necessity for any business. It is the result of painstaking thought and analysis, translated into a strategy and action.

Many advisers will tell you, quite rightly, that simply having a plan is not the path to success. They will tell you that to execute your strategy you will need to be continually planning, and taking operational or tactical decisions as you are sure your objective.

I’d like to suggest a different way of looking at this.

The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand. We listen to respond.

I don’t know the exact origins but for many years now I have often said to colleagues that we have two eyes, two ears and one mouth, and that is the proportion in which we should use them. The management literature abounds with entreaties for us to listen better, to develop listening skills, to be reactive listeners, and to listen first before speaking. But have we learnt the lesson.

innovation is the poster child of the mantra that there are no rules

One of the myths of business is that only new companies implement innovations.  Another myth is that only established companies do research and development.

In reality, new firms need to invest in research and development to gain market share. And, established firms need to invest in innovation to lead the market or to protect their slice of the pie.

But what type of research and development? How do we classify what will work and what won’t? There is no straight answer to the innovation mystery.