Posts Tagged ‘executive development’
Académie canadienne de leadership et développement du capital humain au service de l’Afrique
Posted: March 21, 2018 in LeadershipTags: Canadian Academy of Leadership and Development of Human Capital, Diplomat Investissement, executive development, leadership, Personal Development, Richard Martin
Overcoming the Disconnect Problem
Posted: November 5, 2017 in LeadershipTags: crisis leadership, executive development, Military Lessons, relevance of military strategy to business
By Richard Martin
Leadership is the art of influencing others to get things done in the manner and to ends desired by the leader. The biggest challenge comes not in figuring out what to do, or even in how to do it, but rather in communicating your intent and actually getting people to implement it and achieve desired results.
Companies–small, medium, and large–can have this problem, even those with sophisticated, complex operations and processes. I call this the “disconnect problem”: There is a break between what goes on in a leader’s brain and what happens on the ground to achieve the mission and vision. The resulting gap leaves the organization open to distorted information transfer, mutual incomprehension, corrosive conflict, and other forms of friction.
How can a leader overcome this disconnect problem, and get from her intent to her desired outcomes? There are a few basics that have to be respected. First, there must be a clearly articulated mission with a concrete vision of the end state or desired outcome. This aim must be articulated into supporting objectives which are in turn broken into specific functions and tasks.
The resulting work hierarchy then becomes the framework for assigning responsibilities, authority and accountability, along with the resources and supporting structures and systems to get the job done. It isn’t enough to browbeat people or simply set goals and make compensation depend on their satisfactory achievement. This is a necessary but non-sufficient condition for attaining the aim.
When I went through leadership and command and staff training the army, we had to learn how to “assign troops to tasks.” We were taught–and realized through experience–that things only get done when you have a reasonably good understanding of the mission and effort involved, but also when the work is actually assigned to real people, along with the weapons, vehicles, equipment, ammunition and combat stores to achieve assigned tasks. Otherwise, it’s all just wishful thinking.
Are you just browbeating people into implementing your intent, or do you have a clearly articulated plan, with specific assignment of responsibilities and enablers? If the former, then start now to be more specific in transforming your intentions into actionable direction on the ground. If the latter, then refine your approach and ensure that all levels in your team are doing the same. Also, seek to apply “troops to tasks” to all areas of endeavour within your organization.
© 2017 Alcera Consulting Inc. This article may be used for non-commercial use with proper attribution.
Culture Is Key by Richard Martin (Canadian Defence Review February 2017)
Posted: October 17, 2017 in LeadershipTags: business, Canadian Defence Review, competition, culture, Defence Leadership, executive development, leadership, Management, Richard Martin, team
Here’s the link to my February 2017 column on Defence Leadership or download as PDF.
Le capital humain, richesse ultime de l’Afrique
Posted: September 28, 2017 in GeopoliticsTags: Africa, Afrique, développement, development, executive development, Leadership, Management
Voir mon premier article pour le magazine Diplomat Investissement.
https://www.diplomatinvestissement.com/fr/news/2068/le-capital-humain-richesse-ultime-de-lafrique
Damn the Torpedoes! Full Steam Ahead!
Posted: June 11, 2017 in Readiness & StrategyTags: brilliant maneuvers, business, combat estimate, decision-making, deliberate estimate of the situation, entrepreneurship, executive development, Leadership, Military Lessons, Personal Development, planning, relevance of military strategy to business, self-control
by Richard Martin
That’s a quote attributed to Admiral David Farragut of the Union Navy during a battle in the U.S. Civil War. It’s a great quote for anyone who believes you always have to drive at full speed to get to where you want to go. The problem is that it’s only good in special circumstances, usually when you’re backed into a corner and have no other alternative.
I was reminded of this just this past week as I discussed the matter of deliberate planning and consideration of options with a client. She’s a very successful businesswoman who has mostly functioned on the basis of the “damn the torpedoes” approach to decision-making. It’s worked for her on many an occasion, but it’s also gotten her into serious jams that could have easily been avoided with a little rational consideration of her options at important decision points.
She’s one of those entrepreneurs who has always followed her gut and believes she has the gumption to achieve anything she sets her sights on. While this is no doubt true, there is also a cost to her decisions about which goals and courses of action to pursue. She might have a great vision for her business, but it might simply not be the best time to proceed. That’s where strategic patience and self-control come into play. She has to consider the key factors impinging on her decisions and her plans to implement them. Does she have a good chance of success? Are the right conditions there to support her undertaking? Is she paying the right price or is she barreling ahead, “damn the torpedoes” style? And the price isn’t always financial. It can be in time, effort, emotional engagement, physical presence, or any of a number of other commitments she will have to make to make her dreams come to fruition.
A key lesson I learned as an army officer was to try as much as possible to slow down my decision-making in order to consider the full ramifications of the situation and assess the critical factors affecting my decisions and the range of actions at that point. This is called the estimate process. Naturally, you sometimes have to make a quick decision under fire. But this doesn’t mean you act on instinct alone. Intuition can only be an adjunct to a rational decision process, what the army calls a combat estimate. On many occasions, though, no one is shooting at you (yet), so you must take the time to sit down and work out all the factors and options, both for you and the enemy, and then develop a well-thought-out plan. This is known as a deliberate estimate of the situation.
Interestingly, the greater the import of the decision, the more we all tend to rely on our instincts, when it’s exactly the opposite that should be the case. My client, successful as she is, has realized that she must put more effort and self-control into her critical decision-making and planning. She’ll only come out stronger, and so will you if you do the same thing.
New Testimonial
“Richard has been instrumental in getting me to draw on my hard-won experience and ideas to turn them into marketable intellectual property and products. His disciplined, systematic approach has already led to several significant accomplishments for me. Whether you’re just starting out as an entrepreneur, or working to get to the next level, Richard can boost your productivity and organizational effectiveness. Be forewarned, though. There is no magic formula, just systematic thinking, disciplined execution, and… Richard Martin.”
Caroline Salette, Owner and President, RE/MAX Royal Jordan Inc. and Salette Group Inc.
Richard Martin’s Business Readiness Process:
- Ensure vigilance through situational awareness.
- Do preliminary assessment of tasks and time.
- Activate organization or team.
- Conduct reconnaissance.
- Do detailed situational estimate.
- Conduct wargame and decide on optimal course(s) of action.
- Perform risk management and contingency planning.
- Communicate plan and issue direction.
- Build organizational robustness.
- Ensure operational continuity.
- Lead and control execution.
- Assess performance.
Contact me to apply the whole thing–or just a piece, as needed–to improve your strategy, your readiness… and your results!
Did you know that an infantry battalion only needs about 3 to 4 hours of prep and planning time to be battle ready? What are you waiting for to get the same benefits for your outfit?
Why Sunday and What Does “Stand To” Mean?
Sunday? I want you to get my insights and advice first and fast, so you can prepare and up your readiness and results before others even know what’s happening!
And Stand To? It’s the order used in the military to get forces to man the parapets and be in a heightened state of situational awareness and, yes, readiness, so they can face any threat or undertake any mission.
My name is Richard Martin and I’m an expert on applying readiness principles to position companies and leaders to grow and thrive by shaping and exploiting change and opportunity, instead of just passively succumbing to uncertainty and risk.
© 2017 Alcera Consulting Inc. This article may be used for non-commercial use with proper attribution.
Smugness vs Confidence
Posted: May 14, 2017 in Readiness & StrategyTags: certainty, confidence, executive development, humility, Personal Development, smugness, uncertainty
by Richard Martin
I had a conversation last week with a former client of mine. Apparently, things are going extremely well for him and his organization. That’s a good thing. He seemed very confident of how well he and his management team were doing.
However, I got the impression that he was also a bit smug about it. I congratulated him on his great results. However, I also asked him what proportion of that performance was attributable to him and his team, and what proportion to an excellent business environment. While he acknowledged the outstanding circumstances and good luck, his body language told me a different story. It screamed “Why is this guy harshing my mellow?”
There’s a difference between confidence and smugness. Confidence is a belief in your abilities and experiences. It stems from self-efficacy, the knowledge that you can achieve certain things well, and have a command of certain skills and resources. However, it also incorporates a good dosage of humility and a questioning mindset. I listened to a radio interview with the new head coach of the Montreal Alouettes last week, Jacques Chapdelaine. He pointed out the same thing: Confidence must be counterbalanced by humility, the understanding that you are facing a thinking opponent whom you must respect, and that you might not have everything figured out. There is also uncertainty, and you can only deal with probabilities, never with inevitabilities.
Smugness, on the other hand, is the belief that you have it all figured out and that you are on top of the game now and for the foreseeable future. An important manifestation of smugness is the belief that you have gotten what you deserve, that your position and performance are the fruits of your efforts and that luck or particularly favourable conditions have little to do with your success. This means that luck (bad and good) are not on your radar screen. It’s all blue skies ahead.
The key to confidence is to build competency and to learn from experience. Don’t take things for granted. In a nutshell, prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. Even more important, though, is to appreciate the role of luck and uncertainty in all situations, whether you are the beneficiary or not. That’s where humility comes in. Humility isn’t self-deprecation–false or honest–it’s the genuine appreciation that you don’t know everything, and can’t know. It provides the only effective counterweight to smugness and false certainty.
New Testimonial
“Richard has been instrumental in getting me to draw on my hard-won experience and ideas to turn them into marketable intellectual property and products. His disciplined, systematic approach has already led to several significant accomplishments for me. Whether you’re just starting out as an entrepreneur, or working to get to the next level, Richard can boost your productivity and organizational effectiveness. Be forewarned, though. There is no magic formula, just systematic thinking, disciplined execution, and… Richard Martin.”
Caroline Salette, Owner and President, RE/MAX Royal Jordan Inc. and Salette Group Inc.
Richard Martin’s Business Readiness Process:
- Ensure vigilance through situational awareness.
- Do preliminary assessment of tasks and time.
- Activate organization or team.
- Conduct reconnaissance.
- Do detailed situational estimate.
- Conduct wargame and decide on optimal course(s) of action.
- Perform risk management and contingency planning.
- Communicate plan and issue direction.
- Build organizational robustness.
- Ensure operational continuity.
- Lead and control execution.
- Assess performance.
Contact me to apply the whole thing–or just a piece, as needed–to improve your strategy, your readiness… and your results!
Did you know that an infantry battalion only needs about 3 to 4 hours of prep and planning time to be battle ready? What are you waiting for to get the same benefits for your outfit?
Why Sunday and What Does “Stand To” Mean?
Sunday? I want you to get my insights and advice first and fast, so you can prepare and up your readiness and results before others even know what’s happening!
And Stand To? It’s the order used in the military to get forces to man the parapets and be in a heightened state of situational awareness and, yes, readiness, so they can face any threat or undertake any mission.
My name is Richard Martin and I’m an expert on applying readiness principles to position companies and leaders to grow and thrive by shaping and exploiting change and opportunity, instead of just passively succumbing to uncertainty and risk.
© 2017 Alcera Consulting Inc. This article may be used for non-commercial use with proper attribution.
Leading During a Crisis
Posted: May 7, 2017 in LeadershipTags: cohesion, crisis leadership, crisis management, executive development, floods, Leadership, Military Lessons, Personal Development, relevance of military strategy to business, resilience, risk management
The current flooding in southern and western Quebec, as well as eastern Ontario and NB is bringing out once again the critical importance of CRISIS LEADERSHIP. That’s right, not just crisis management and crisis communications, but crisis leadership.
Leadership Principles During Crisis
- Take charge of the situation.
- Recognize what is happening.
- Confirm information before reacting.
- Maintain situational awareness.
- Lead from the front while leverage individual and collective initiative and motivation.
- Implement contingency plans and procedures immediately while initiating deliberate decision-making about the next steps.
- Continue planning ahead.
- Act, assess, and adjust.
- Care for yourself and for your subordinates.
- Maintain morale and cohesion within your team or organization.
Techniques for Ensuring Welfare of Others and Yourself
- Be visible and present.
- Communicate and inquire.
- Provide creature comforts at least to survive.
- Force rest and recuperation.
- Establish routines and schedules.
- Establish clear chain of command.
- Watch for exhaustion, anxiety, distress.
Signs That Morale Is Good
- Optimism
- Realism
- Cooperation and mutual aid
- Hard work and sacrifices
- Constructive criticism
- Confidence in self and leaders
New Testimonial
“Richard has been instrumental in getting me to draw on my hard-won experience and ideas to turn them into marketable intellectual property and products. His disciplined, systematic approach has already led to several significant accomplishments for me. Whether you’re just starting out as an entrepreneur, or working to get to the next level, Richard can boost your productivity and organizational effectiveness. Be forewarned, though. There is no magic formula, just systematic thinking, disciplined execution, and… Richard Martin.”
Caroline Salette, Owner and President, RE/MAX Royal Jordan Inc. and Salette Group Inc.
Richard Martin’s Business Readiness Process:
- Ensure vigilance through situational awareness.
- Do preliminary assessment of tasks and time.
- Activate organization or team.
- Conduct reconnaissance.
- Do detailed situational estimate.
- Conduct wargame and decide on optimal course(s) of action.
- Perform risk management and contingency planning.
- Communicate plan and issue direction.
- Build organizational robustness.
- Ensure operational continuity.
- Lead and control execution.
- Assess performance.
Contact me to apply the whole thing–or just a piece, as needed–to improve your strategy, your readiness… and your results!
Did you know that an infantry battalion only needs about 3 to 4 hours of prep and planning time to be battle ready? What are you waiting for to get the same benefits for your outfit?
Why Sunday and What Does “Stand To” Mean?
Sunday? I want you to get my insights and advice first and fast, so you can prepare and up your readiness and results before others even know what’s happening!
And Stand To? It’s the order used in the military to get forces to man the parapets and be in a heightened state of situational awareness and, yes, readiness, so they can face any threat or undertake any mission.
My name is Richard Martin and I’m an expert on applying readiness principles to position companies and leaders to grow and thrive by shaping and exploiting change and opportunity, instead of just passively succumbing to uncertainty and risk.
© 2017 Alcera Consulting Inc. This article may be used for non-commercial use with proper attribution.
Go Faster… by Slowing Down
Posted: April 2, 2017 in Readiness & StrategyTags: executive development, Exploiting Change, innovation, Military Lessons, readiness, recovery, relevance of military strategy to business, rest, thinking
by Richard Martin
People brag these days about being so busy that they can’t answer all their emails, or even all their phone messages. Busyness and hurriedness are praised as if they were virtues. Notice I didn’t say efficiency or effectiveness. We confuse being constantly occupied and on the run with performing at a high level and being effective.
If you can’t take time to look to the future, or to assess where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re headed, then it’s time to slow down. Slowing down to go faster and to be more effective and efficient only seems paradoxical. But if you never take time to think, or even to just let your mind wander, how can you come up with innovative ideas, creative approaches, and unusual perspectives? As the old saying goes, haste leads to waste. But it also leads to habits and well-worn paths. As I learned in the army, it’s on the usual path that ambushes occur. If you want to seize and maintain the initiative, you must do something unusual. And if you’re too busy to plan, you’ll always be in reaction mode and will cede the advantage to others.
What can you do if you’re harried and “too busy to plan”?
- Set aside regular down time to rest and recover.
- Do an after-action review after each major undertaking to generate lessons learned and incorporate them into your processes and thinking.
- Use your best time for the most impactful thinking, forecasting, and planning. In other words, don’t try to do your most important work when you’re tired, worn out, and in a rush to get home or get on the next flight.
- Don’t do busy work when you travel. Use that time to read, think, let your mind wander.
- Read a lot in a lot of different areas, including fiction, history, philosophy, and science.
- Exercise and do recreational activities regularly.
- Play games and listen to music.
Think I’m being frivolous? Well, research shows that top performers in all fields undertake deliberate practice, which is difficult and draining, and then rest regularly. How can you come up with your best ideas and think things through when you’re constantly running from one thing to another?
Not only is it undignified, but it undermines your performance.
Richard Martin’s Business Readiness Process:
- Ensure vigilance through situational awareness.
- Do preliminary assessment of tasks and time.
- Activate organization or team.
- Conduct reconnaissance.
- Do detailed situational estimate.
- Conduct wargame and decide on optimal course(s) of action.
- Perform risk management and contingency planning.
- Communicate plan and issue direction.
- Build organizational robustness.
- Ensure operational continuity.
- Lead and control execution.
- Assess performance.
Contact me to apply the whole thing–or just a piece, as needed–to improve your strategy, your readiness… and your results!
Did you know that an infantry battalion only needs about 3 to 4 hours of prep and planning time to be battle ready? What are you waiting for to get the same benefits for your outfit?
Why Sunday and What Does “Stand To” Mean?
Sunday? I want you to get my insights and advice first and fast, so you can prepare and up your readiness and results before others even know what’s happening!
And Stand To? It’s the order used in the military to get forces to man the parapets and be in a heightened state of situational awareness and, yes, readiness, so they can face any threat or undertake any mission.
My name is Richard Martin and I’m an expert on applying readiness principles to position companies and leaders to grow and thrive by shaping and exploiting change and opportunity, instead of just passively succumbing to uncertainty and risk.
© 2017 Alcera Consulting Inc. This article may be used for non-commercial use with proper attribution.