If we're going to get anywhere, we're going to have to risk venturing into the unknown. Life is about adventure, not maintenance.- John C. Maxwell
Thursday 13 August 2009
Wednesday 12 August 2009
Maintaining Balance
I just got back from my yoga class. A few months ago I joined up for Hot Bikram Yoga. I am not quite sure why, as I had never done yoga before and it seems a bit extreme to spend 90 mins in 40 degree heat trying to manipulate myself into a range of extraordinary poses.
The instructor today was particularly good and put considerable emphasis on the battle of the will that comes with the intensity of this kind of yoga. In the west, we often have things relatively easy. Engaging with something as difficult as Bikram yoga helps build our mental strengthen to prove to ourselves we can handle more than we think. When you panic is when it all becomes unmanageable as all our energy is used up panicing.
The instructor also said that the yoga is more difficult when we are out of balance. This must be true about leadership.
Over the last few weeks I have started to build in a rhythm to my life, and I feel like I am able to achieve so much more. I am clearer about what is a good use of my time. I am happier to say no to the bad.
I am starting to learn that although I am feeling a bit like I should be busier right now, I am steadily moving my work in the right direction. There is a right time for everything. There is a time for craziness but this isn't it. There is also a time for restoration. It is not wasted time.
As I go on holiday next week, I need to keep an eye on maintaining that balance of heart, soul, mind and spirit. Maybe I will get better at the yoga too!
The instructor today was particularly good and put considerable emphasis on the battle of the will that comes with the intensity of this kind of yoga. In the west, we often have things relatively easy. Engaging with something as difficult as Bikram yoga helps build our mental strengthen to prove to ourselves we can handle more than we think. When you panic is when it all becomes unmanageable as all our energy is used up panicing.
The instructor also said that the yoga is more difficult when we are out of balance. This must be true about leadership.
Over the last few weeks I have started to build in a rhythm to my life, and I feel like I am able to achieve so much more. I am clearer about what is a good use of my time. I am happier to say no to the bad.
I am starting to learn that although I am feeling a bit like I should be busier right now, I am steadily moving my work in the right direction. There is a right time for everything. There is a time for craziness but this isn't it. There is also a time for restoration. It is not wasted time.
As I go on holiday next week, I need to keep an eye on maintaining that balance of heart, soul, mind and spirit. Maybe I will get better at the yoga too!
Wednesday 5 August 2009
How to change a culture?
As mentioned in previous postings, we have quite a flat management structure across the Africa division but this mainly relates to our Country Manager posts and our Leadership team. We have also done a lot of work over the last few years to build a culture of trust, empowerment and mutual accountability.
While I feel quite confident that we have made significant progress with these managers. The next step is to make sure that this culture permeates through all of our teams in Africa. I truly believe that as an organisation that promotes values of justice and empowerment, we need to practice what we preach.
It makes good business sense too. We are a relatively small organisation with a massive vision. We will only succeed in making this happen if we have self directed indviduals who are making excellent decisions on a day-to-day basis. We need managers to enable this and not squash it.
So as the person charged with leading this change, how do I become the catalyst? How can I use my limited time and abilities to lead a culture change that reaches across our teams in Africa and hopefully beyond?
Most of the change I am interested in is behavioural. While systems such as appraisals and reviews support good line management, they are not what makes the difference. The real potential for change lies in the attitude and approach of our managers to the people they manage.
We are getting closer to articulating on paper what good line managment looks like through a management charter and a clear articulation of the line management deal (i.e. what kind of line management should you expect to see within our organisaton).
Once these are in place, I want to see how we develop these behaviours across our teams but behaviours are almost always based on beliefs. If we just run a whole load of training courses that look at shaping behaviour, we run the risk of changing that behaviour only for a short time. After a few weeks slip by, the person is likely to slip back into the old patterns of behaviour based on their old beliefs.
So the real question is how do we appropriaitely shape and challenge beliefs?
My main idea at the moment is to identify a smaller group of change makers, people who are not my usual allies, and work with them to shape their thinking. By introducing them to practical situations and presenting them with new ways of thinking, I can challenge them to change their own status quo. And they can go on to challenge those around them.
Ultimately change only happens one individual at a time.
While I feel quite confident that we have made significant progress with these managers. The next step is to make sure that this culture permeates through all of our teams in Africa. I truly believe that as an organisation that promotes values of justice and empowerment, we need to practice what we preach.
It makes good business sense too. We are a relatively small organisation with a massive vision. We will only succeed in making this happen if we have self directed indviduals who are making excellent decisions on a day-to-day basis. We need managers to enable this and not squash it.
So as the person charged with leading this change, how do I become the catalyst? How can I use my limited time and abilities to lead a culture change that reaches across our teams in Africa and hopefully beyond?
Most of the change I am interested in is behavioural. While systems such as appraisals and reviews support good line management, they are not what makes the difference. The real potential for change lies in the attitude and approach of our managers to the people they manage.
We are getting closer to articulating on paper what good line managment looks like through a management charter and a clear articulation of the line management deal (i.e. what kind of line management should you expect to see within our organisaton).
Once these are in place, I want to see how we develop these behaviours across our teams but behaviours are almost always based on beliefs. If we just run a whole load of training courses that look at shaping behaviour, we run the risk of changing that behaviour only for a short time. After a few weeks slip by, the person is likely to slip back into the old patterns of behaviour based on their old beliefs.
So the real question is how do we appropriaitely shape and challenge beliefs?
My main idea at the moment is to identify a smaller group of change makers, people who are not my usual allies, and work with them to shape their thinking. By introducing them to practical situations and presenting them with new ways of thinking, I can challenge them to change their own status quo. And they can go on to challenge those around them.
Ultimately change only happens one individual at a time.
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